Skipping to Week 12:
Everyone was very excited. Tonight was the night of the last school dance, and then next year us eighth graders would all be headed for high school.
I, on the other hand, was extremly nervous. This was my first dance ever, and I didn't know what to wear or how I should act. I asked around, but every answer was different, so I was completely confused.
My phone buzzed. It was Thalia, she was already at the dance and was wondering where I was.
On my way. Was my reply. I threw on a t-shirt and my favorite pair of jeans, then ran out to the car.
My parents dropped me off, and then I was standing in front of the school, wondering what the night had in store for me. I had no idea who else would show up, or if I would even see anyone else but Thalia.
With slight hesitation, I march through the doors. Three dollars later, I am allowed into the dance. Already the music is deafening. There's a bunch of people jumping around, in some sort of an attempt to dance, and I'm relieved to see most of the people are dressed casually as I am.
"Annabeth! You made it!" Thalia pushed through the crowd. She's one of the people who got dressed of for the dance, whith a glittering dress that matches her blue eyes. She has a black choker around her neck, and matching bands on her arms. Usually we're about the same height, but now she's around an inch taller than me thanks to her black high heels.
"Wow, you look amazing." I smile.
"And you look... average." She tilts her head. "Why didn't you get dressed up?"
I shrugged. "Didn't feel like it."
"What did you do with your hair?"
"Um, nothing? Brushed it, I guess." I laugh at her expression. "I thought you were a tomboy."
"I am, but I don't mind forcing myself into a dress every once and a while." She grinned back at me. "C'mon, let's dance."
Confession, I don't dance. I can, when I'm alone and no one else is looking. But mostly I prefer to just stand back and watch other people.
Which is exactly what I did for the first hour. The theme of the dance was neon, and they were selling glow sticks at a corner table. I got a necklace one for me and a bracelet for Thalia, which she accepted graciously.
To stand out a bit more, I placed mine on my head like a halo. Thalia just shook her head.
About an hour and a half into it, someone bumps into me.
"Um, hey." The person steps back and I see it's Percy.
Why am I blushing? "Hi!" I smile.
"Sorry, Charlie shoved me into you." He scratches the back of his head in a really cute gesture. I look around him and sure enough, there's Beckendorf, trying to disappear mysteriously into the crowd but failing miserably.
I stifle a laugh. "It's fine."
"Okay then, um, bye." He ducks his head akwardly and leaves.
I stand there, kind of confused. Thalia finds me and drags me away to 'dance' some more, but all I can think of is my previous converstaion with Percy.
The DJ stops the music, and over everyone you hear Thalia groan. Her favorite song had just started.
He was calling a snowball. To all those clueless folks out there, a snowball is where the guys group on one end of the room and the girls go on the other. Then two people, randomly, as long as they are of the opposite gender, dance together. Usually they don't even know who the other is.
Personally, I think it's the stupidest thing ever.
Thalia loves them. She's probably danced with every guy in the school.
So then there I was, sitting at a table waiting for the dance to be over. Finally, the song ended, and it was back to dancing. Every once and a while I saw Percy and Charlie wandering around, but mostly I was too busy laughing at Thalia and her dancing. It wasn't bad, it was brave, and before I knew it the dance was almost over.
There were twenty minutes left of the dance when the song we were dancing to stopped abruptly. Everyone immediately turned to the DJ and waited expectantly.
"Ladies and Gentleman!" He shouted into the mike. "I want to do another snowball!"
I rolled my eyes. This was pathetic, why on earth would he do another one? This was the fourth one tongiht!
"But this time!" The guy continued. "I want you boys to make it personal. Go pick out that special girl. Ladies, try not to break these love sick guys' hearts! Remember! Make. It. PERSONAL!
With that he started a nice slow song, and I made my way back to the familiar table. Luke approached Thalia, blushing, and though I couldn't hear what they were saying, I could tell Thalia was agreeing to dance with him. The two walked to the dance floor hand in hand and started slowly rocking back and forth.
I had to smile. Then I started looking around for other cute couples. Something caught my eye, and I saw Percy coming towards me.
I tried to pretend I hadn't seen him; keeping my gaze straight forwards. He seemed to be hovering six feet away, apparently noting to himself where I was. Then he was gone.
A mix of disappointment and relief swept over me. Then it was back to watching Thalia and Luke, until Percy vaporized right in front of me and held out his hand, his cheeks a furious blush.
"Come on."
"Alright." I took his hand and he led me to the dance floor. His grip was loose, but firm, as if he were afraid I would pull away.
I put my hands on his shoulders and he put his hands on my hips. We started swaying.
"You gotta dance sometime." He says, and I smile.
"Oh, I didn't know that's what you did at dances."
His half-smile appears. "Well, how many dances have you been to?"
"Well... this is my first one."
Percy seems shocked. "No way."
"I was homeschooled most my life, remember?" I teased.
"Oh, oh yeah."
There's silence, and I take the opportunity to get lost in his eyes. Finally, he says something.
"You know, those are supposed to go around your neck, not on your head." He gestures towards the glow stick.
"I know, but I just felt like being origonal." I shrug.
The song ends, and he akwardly lets go of my waist. I step back and the physical contact is gone.
"Well, see you." He disappears into the crowd.
I'm left to stand there and realize... I have a crush on Percy Jackson.
