Hello once again! I shall start this chapter with a warning: It is a short chapter, and a slight cliffhanger. I'll upload the next part as soon as I can, but I just couldn't wait to post this!
To my wonderful reviewers:
, DecemberRome, nateeger, whalegirl, and Thebookthief- You guys are the best! So encouraging, you have no idea how much it helps to hear that! Thank you for all the suggestions and support!
Disclaimer: I own Amy, Seb, and Bad Hair Day.
"I'm enlisting you two to find me a boyfriend. I've seen your work and have decided that you two are the best candidates for the job." Amy spoke with food in her mouth, a trait that Annabeth was used to thanks to Percy.
Piper laughed, Annabeth smiled.
"Let's see," Piper started. "Leo's taken now."
"Leo is a hot name," Amy responded.
"You have no idea," Piper muttered.
"Well now I really want to meet him." Amy asked.
"I didn't mean- nevermind. What about Malcolm? Your brother," Piper questioned, looking at Annabeth.
"Nah," Annabeth said. "Malcolm's too focused on school."
Amy twirled her fork. "Yeah, focus isn't really my thing." She started packing her trash together. "Where to next? There's a shoe store down the block. Or, there's this kinda new-agey type place with really cute upcycled stuff. Hats, mostly. Well, all hats. It's a hat store."
"I don't need a hat, I have my Yankee cap," Annabeth argued.
"I prefer to just wear my feathers," Piper agreed.
"Sweethearts, we can do so much better than braids and ballcaps. We're going to my hat store. You'll love it." Amy didn't say it meanly, but teasingly. She began to walk down the sidewalk. "How'd you meet Percy and Jason?"
The other girls were quiet for a moment.
"I met Percy at a summer camp," Annabeth said. "When we were twelve."
"Oh my goodness, that's so cute. You guys are like nineteen now? Gosh that's cute." Amy skipped for a couple steps, purse bouncing at her hip. "What about you, Pipes?"
Piper winced at the nickname, but decided to let it slide. "I actually met Jason in a long-term juvenile detention center."
Amy suddenly froze. "You met him in Juvie?! You… he… but you're such nice people!" She said it a little loudly for Piper to be comfortable.
"Are you a criminal?" She whispered loudly. "Is she a criminal?" She asked again, turning to Annabeth.
Piper and Annabeth couldn't help but laugh. "No, no, I'm not a criminal. Jason isn't either," Piper said, seeing Amelia about to burst with her next question.
"How'd you go to juvy?"
"Long story. Hey, is that the hat store?" Annabeth noticed that she was quick to change the subject, and was grateful herself. 'Long story' was demigod code for 'I could fill ten books with how much I've been through.' Though no demigod could sit still long enough to read ten books, let alone write them.
"Oh yeah. This is the place." Amy confidently stepped into 'Bad Hair Day,' which was written on a sign in green, scaly block letters. There was a cartoon picture of Medusa next to it, her snake hair curling around the end of the letters.
Annabeth and Piper shared a wary glance. Monsters were known for blending into human society now and then, as monster donut had proved. However, Amelia was already inside, and she was very mortal. Annabeth wasn't sure if it'd be safer to go inside, where they could protect Amy should something happen, or to stay outside, so that if there were monsters inside they wouldn't be alerted to the presence of two (rather powerful) demigods.
"It's just a dumb store sign, right?" Piper asked warily.
"I'm sure," Annabeth responded, a tinge of sarcasm in her voice.
They went in.
Amy had been right. The store did have a lot of cute hats. Annabeth watched as Piper tried on a headband with a dressy, feathered hat tilted to the left of her head. Of course it looked perfect on her. That girl couldn't look bad in anything.
Annabeth pretended to have an itch on her leg, so she could reach down and slip her dagger from her boot. She stealthily put it in the waistband of her jeans, hoping no one would notice the slight bulge in her t-shirt. She grabbed a messenger bag from a nearby rack and slid it over her hip.
Making her way to the back of the store, she spots Amy talking to an employee about how she "just loves her contacts," and about her "unique choice of tattoo." Annabeth approaches the register, but as soon as she gets within fifteen feet, the middle aged woman behind the counter begins to sniff the air. Her pupils dilate.
And just when Annabeth had been starting to enjoy simple pleasures, such as a day out without having to send something to Tartarus.
She made her way to Piper, stopping to act like she was interested in a gray pillbox hat on the way. She put it on. "Piper," she called excitedly. "Look! This would match that dress I have perfectly, for when we go to that derby convention next week!"
Piper smiled. "Oh my gods, you're totally right!" She sounded happy, playing along, but her eyes questioned Annabeth.
They looked in the mirror together, admiring each other's choice of headdress. "You can clear the store, right?" Annabeth said quietly, still smiling.
"Course I can," Piper responded just as happily, gesturing to a floppy hat on the stand next to them.
"You're sure?"
"Beautiful people never lie." She carefully removed the headband she was wearing and set it back on the rack behind them.
"Start with Amy."
"Gotcha." Annabeth watched in the mirror as Piper went over to Amy. "Hey Ames, do you wanna go shoe shopping?"
Amy held up her shopping bags. "We already got shoes, you goofball."
"You wanna go shoe shopping."
"Sounds great, I'll be next door." Just like that, Amy left the store.
Thanks for reading! Reviews appreciated, as always! Tell me what's wrong with it!