When our mind wanders, all sorts of magic can sweep you off your feet and into another world where the sun shines down on a motorbike with an engine's roar like the tide itself...

Song Choice: 'Boys Of Summer' by Don Henley

- or -

Song Choice: 'Harbour' by Vienna Teng

Of Summers Past

She was walking down a street in sunny surburbia. She knew her hair was pulled back in two plaits and she was wearing a dress. It was almost Judy Garland, without the dog and the magic shoes. Too bad she was wearing sneakers.

The road she walked down was an echo of the 1950's, she was sure. Children rode down the street on bicycles – an ice cream van was parked down the other end. The afternoon sun shone down on the street, where the houses' paint was fading and windows open with curtains abandoned. Paddling pools and children's laughter. Mothers with scarves in their hair and aprons. Fathers in business suits sat out in the garden with lemonade. Elvis Presley was warbling out of the boom box on someone's window ledge.

Annabeth kept walking down the road, children whizzing past. A few girls with plaits and rolled down socks were skipping double-dutch and playing hopscotch on the road whilst young boys climbed trees and ran trains along the sidewalk. Mothers were gossiping to each other over picket fences, whilst men compared tools and enjoyed a drink on the patio. Everywhere, people were happy and carefree, but she was the only one who wasn't smiling. She kept walking on.

A little basket hung at her arm, and as she began to run it swung about. She could see a silhouette up above and she hurried towards it, a smile stretching across her face until – finally – she reached him.

The boy was dressed like Danny Zuko himself – a black leather jacket, white shirt, black boots and jeans. His sea green eyes, the eyes that made the neighbourhood girls swoon, shone in the summer sun. He even had a quiff – albeit a slightly windswept one. He grinned and her heart began to spin.

His calloused hands clutched the handles of his motorbike. It was a gleaming Harley Davidson; a huge bike with an engine roar like the tide itself. Annabeth's eyes glazed over it in awe. She met the boy's eyes, trying not to lose herself in the vivid colour…

"You want a ride?" Percy asked, drumming one hand across the seat behind him.

"Hades, yeah!" Annabeth said, then blushed, "I mean, er – yes, please."

The boy grinned casually. "Hop on."

She approached the motor back and sat side-saddle on the back. She opened her bag and pulled out her sunglasses and head scarf. She tied the scarf around her had and let her hair fall loose. She pushed the sunglasses back onto her face, wrapped her arms around Percy's waist and whispered. "Ready?"

"Born ready," he said, a mischievous glint lighting in his eyes. He clicked the brake and put his foot down.

The world began to blur past as they sped down the summer street. Annabeth's hair rippled in the wind and she held Percy tighter as the streets spiralled away from them. All her anxiety and concern was swept away in the wind, and she relaxed herself, letting the rush of air caress her face and the sun beam down at her.

The children in the streets were smiling and waving at them. They began to chase the motorbike down the street until it outpaced them, and then they waved and called after them. They passed a diner, and Annabeth saw Thalia in a skirt and floral top, her hair curly as she waved at them. Nico di Angelo was there, ordering a soda, and he called after them with a smile on his face.

They passed Rachel, and Annabeth couldn't help but smirk. She was dressed up fancily, her face plastered with make-up, and she burst into tears when she saw Annabeth and Percy together on the bike. Annabeth grinned to herself as they left her behind. feeling rather self-induglent.

They saw Percy's mom and boyfriend, out on their lawn on the sun-beds. Grover and Tyson were playing baseball with the local children; the battered ball flying high in the sky until Annabeth caught it to a round of applause, and threw it back as they speeded away.

"Whose is the bike?" Annabeth asked. Percy grinned but didn't answer. She poked him hard in the stomach.

"Hey!" He protested, "It's Paul's, okay?"

She laughed, and startled herself in doing so. She was just getting used to the rush of the accelerator, the hum of the engine, the click of the brake when her eyes glimpsed her street name up ahead. In no time at all, they had pulled up outside her house, where her step mom and brothers were making cakes in the kitchen.

Annabeth sighed and hopped off, undoing her scarf and slipping the glasses in her bag. She stood, looking at Percy, not knowing what to say.

"So." He said, squinting up at her in the sunlight.

"Yeah." She said reluctantly, "I'll… see you around. Thanks for the ride."

Her heart ached in regret. Percy lived in the next neighbourhood – he was blocks away to walk, and her dad was using the car out in the city. Chances to see each other only came every month or so. He nodded, looking a little pensive, and was about to put his foot down and speed off into the distance when –

"Wait." Annabeth said, and she stepped towards him, holding out her scarf. He looked a little puzzled, looking from the scarf, to her.

"Keep it," Annabeth said, pressing it into his palm. "Until next time."

Percy's face softened and he grinned at her. She stepped forward once more and placed her hand on his jacket arm. He glanced quickly at the hand, and then his eyes searched her face. She leaned down towards him –

"Annabeth? Annabeth Chase?!"

Annabeth opened her eyes. Her eyelids felt like lead, and her whole body was stiff. She blinked, and the classroom came into focus. Mathematical formulae adorning the walls. The interactive whiteboard on screensaver at the front. Girls in a crisp uniform all staring at her. She felt her face heating as she met Miss Sharpe's gaze burn down upon her.

"This," Miss Sharpe began, her voice sounding angry, "is a highly important lesson, Miss Chase, and you would do well to listen, and not fall asleep in my class!"

A few of the girls giggled. Annabeth was sure her face was a luminous red. The bell rang somewhere above them and she sighed as everyone began to stand and pack away. She moved slowly and drowsily, placing her belongings one by one into the bag. She moved with so little haste that by the time she had finished everyone save Miss Sharpe had gone.

Miss Sharpe sighed. "Annabeth," she began. Annabeth looked at her, feeling awkward. She hadn't meant to fall asleep. And it had been a very good dream…

"You're a very diligent girl, Annabeth," Miss Sharpe's voice brought her down to earth, "But sometimes I don't know where your head is. You're obviously very intelligent, but application of your intelligence is essential. I would hate to think you will waste your gift daydreaming."

"No, Miss Sharpe. I won't. I'm very sorry." I'm very sorry you woke me up, you bad tempered old -

Miss Sharpe pursed her lips, nodded curtly and left the room. Annabeth sighed, turning out to face the window – and her heart skipped a beat.

A motorbike was speeding away from her, out into the sunset. She tried to make out who rode it, but it moved quickly and further away. It was almost as if she could see those sea green eyes blinking out at her in the sky as the motorbike rode on. She watched it go in wonder – the roar of the engine like the tide itself – and felt her spirits begin to lift. Moments like this – just little moments you couldn't always believe were real – were the ones that made it all that little bit more worthwhile.

And most of all, moments like this (when all she could hear was an echo of a dream and the tide rushing down on the sand, miles away) were those precious moments she would treasure forever. The moments that made her smile.