I know a bunch of you were excited for me to update again so here is the next chapter! I will try to update every few days so check it often and if there's anything you specifically think I should include please put in in reviews or PM!

I still don't own PJO, and it's sad. But I do own Mark, Amy, Laura, and Joey, so…that's good, I guess?

Mark's POV

Great. Just great. I studied this 'Percy' character that Annabeth was hugging, almost sobbing into his shoulder. He was basically everything I, and or Annabeth, wasn't. Dark hair, pretty much black, and pale, not at all tanned like us California people were…or Annabeth, at least. How she kept a tan I had no idea. And his eyes…mine were boring old brown, but his were sea-green, stunning.

Annabeth was shaking and still leaning into the embrace, and she muttered something into his shoulder.

"It's not nothing, Annabeth." He noticed us. "Who are these people?" These people. So Annabeth hadn't talked to Percy about us, either. Why was she so keen to separate school and camp?

Annabeth muttered something to him again and he scrutinized us, a worry crease on his forehead becoming prominent. "Your friends?" Annabeth nodded. "Well, uh, Annabeth's friends, Annabeth and I are going to, uh, go to her room…and we'll come back out later." The rest of us looked together, and by a silent agreement (okay, we're nosy) tiptoed up to Annabeth's closed door, where we listened to a conversation.

"I just feel so stupid…" Annabeth was saying, "I think the last time I actually cried in front of people was when Luke and Thalia found me in the garbage bin when I was seven and I told them about the spiders…"

"It's not stupid, Annabeth, everyone cries. Some people just let it out differently…and there isn't any shame in crying in front of people. It's not going to hurt anything."

"But I do hurt things! I hurt Luke. I should've realized he had those feelings for me…and if I did, I brushed them off even though I liked him too. And I didn't do anything about it and he got all cold and bitter and tried to kill you." I looked at Joey, Amy, and Laura, eyes wide.

"But he didn't, Annabeth, because you trained me and I'm still here."

"Yes, but I'm not good enough. I was so stupid, jumping onto the Dr. Thorn's back. He took me down with him, and you and Thalia and Grover and Zoë had to save me because me, Annabeth Chase, the one there the longest, got kidnapped." She was still crying, though quietly, oblivious to us listening as she cried on Percy Jackson's shoulder.

"Wise Girl, I was the stupid one. I went after Dr. Thorn and Nico and Bianca and I lost sight of you guys, I'm the one that messed it up and got you taken. It's all my fault, Annabeth. Mine."

"No." and then they were quiet, and by some unspoken agreement we went back downstairs.

Back onto the couch, where we stared at each other in silence.

"Wow," Laura said. "Annabeth got kidnapped? You know, when we didn't see her for a whole two weeks after winter break ended, I just thought she was spending more time at camp for a while, winding down." (I know the quest wasn't like three weeks, but in my version, Annabeth spends time at camp to rest and recuperate before going back).

"And Percy saved her? What is this, Superman saves a helpless citizen?" they just stared at me. "Right. Not funny."

"Who is Luke?" Joey asked out loud. But we never got to talk after that, because Annabeth and Percy came back down, Annabeth's eyes a little red and Percy's shirt wet, but otherwise looking normal.

"Speak of the devil," Annabeth said dryly. "Guys, this is Percy Jackson, who we were talking about just now, remember? Percy, this is Joey, Amy, Laura, and Mark." Of course she said my name last. Maybe I was reading everything too deeply. It meant nothing, right? Girls are so impossible.

"Hey! I'm not a devil!" Percy protested.

"Yeah, you are, Seaweed Brain. Popping up to my house at all hours of day and night, bringing Connor and Travis to Bobby and Matthew…" at that Percy paled.

"I'll never do it again," he vowed. "To be fair, I do do that sometimes, but remember? When I saved myself and all the campers from Clarisse's ritual!"

"Toilet water all over me," Annabeth told him, raising an eyebrow.

"You could just let it go! I also seem to remember beating you in Capture-the-Flag too," Percy smirked. It was a sarcastic, trouble-maker smirk."

"Auntie Em's Garden Gnome Emporium!" Annabeth told him.

"Hmph. Lotus Hotel and Casino!"

"Grover: 'that is Uncle Ferdinand!'" they cracked up laughing, in some weird inside joke thingy they had. The laughter went on forever, and we gave awkward glances at each other, the rest of us.

"I'm being rude," Annabeth said. "Uh, you guys, do you want to stay for dinner? Percy will cook it." Percy looked at her sideways with his green seal eyes.

"I will?" Annabeth glared at him.

"Yes, you will."

"Hmph. Fine. By the way, Nico might come in sometime, he dropped me off and went to nap."

"Sure, I'll stay," I think I surprised myself in saying that. Laura, Amy, and Joey consented, Annabeth's dad and stepmom were on a romantic getaway, we'd be alone, and I needed to wedge myself between Percy and Annabeth before he really became 'the guy'.

"So, Percy, why'd you drop in?" I asked casually. Percy's eyes flicked to Annabeth's face.

"I needed to talk to Wise Girl here about a school thing…by the way, Annabeth, can we talk? I have, um, something from my mom for you, and a request…" he said awkwardly.

"Ugh, Percy, I'm not getting up again, just say it." Annabeth murmured, looking tired after the meal Percy had cooked. It had been pretty good.

"Fine," Percy flushed a little. "I, um, have gotten another…expulsion." I almost choked.

"You've been expelled?" our group was a good kid's group. We didn't get referrals or in-school suspensions.

"Uh, yeah. I have dyslexia and ADHD, so I don't do well in school. Anyway, Annabeth, Mom was wondering if I could shadow you tomorrow because we've, uh, kinda run out of schools in the area."

"Oh! That would be great!" Annabeth gave him a hug, cheeks flushing pink. "Seaweed Brain, you could live with me if you came!" I almost choked on my root beer. A strange guy living with Annabeth? My Annabeth? I'd had a crush on her for years and some guy starts living with her? Dear God, life was not fair.

"Well, uh, I have to get going," I said shortly, unable to swallow all of my feelings, "see you tomorrow, Annabeth, Laura, Amy, Joey." I deliberately left out Percy but I could see Annabeth's face, hurt and confused, wondering what she'd done. Wasn't it so obvious? I had practically come on to her several times but no! She had no idea.

"Yeah, we've got to go too," I heard my other friends say, catching up to me outside the house, "wait, Mark!"

Laura looked at me in concern. "So…Annabeth's being shadowed tomorrow, huh? By her 'bestie'?"

"It's just, like, so unfair. I've had a crush on her, more than a crush, for years, but does she notice, care? No. And now there's Percy who's going to move here and they're going to start dating. He saved her from a kidnapping. She cried into his shoulder when he came in. I'll never have a chance with her now."

"You don't know that." Laura said, sitting down. "Percy and Annabeth obviously have a lot of history, but you knew her when you guys were seven. Annabeth comes back to us every year for school. That's got to mean something when she used to just stay at camp every year. And, in his defense, Percy seems like a pretty cool guy. I, for one, am going to give him a chance."

"Laura!" I couldn't believe she was betraying me like this.

Laura looked at me pointedly. "Don't turn him down just because he's Annabeth's best friend and you aren't. I've got to go, school's tomorrow, so…I'll catch you guys later."

Laura walked away, and after a moment, Joey and Amy walked after her. And I was alone, with nothing but a few thoughts I wasn't sure I wanted.

(the next day, Monday, back at school)

I walked through the hall. I had four classes out of seven with Annabeth, three with Amy, two with Joey and three with Laura. My schedule looked sort of like this:

1st Period: Science with Amy and Joey

2nd Period: Math with Annabeth

3rd Period: Greek with Annabeth, Joey, and Laura

4th Period: Orchestra Elective with Amy

5th Period: Language Arts with Annabeth and Amy

Lunch

6th Period: Social Studies with Laura

7th Period: Gym with Annabeth and Laura

So as I walked towards Math after Science, I'd almost forgotten about Percy shadowing Annabeth. Then I remembered, when I saw a dark-haired, green-eyed boy sitting in the back next to Annabeth in my spot.

"Hey, Mark," Percy said casually. He really didn't get how much I hated him right now. First, he stole my crush away and now my seat?! Who was this guy anyway?

"Uh…" Annabeth had realized now that Percy was in my seat. "Can you, Mark, sit over here?" Great. Just great. She wanted me to sit in the empty seat next to Cody, the school bully. I tried to give Annabeth a stink-eye but couldn't manage it and I heard her laughing at something Percy had said.

Was I ever going to have a chance with Annabeth Chase?

In Greek, which I had with Annabeth, Joey, and Laura, it was surprising. Percy joined in the class, and he knew almost as much as Annabeth with Greek mythology involved. It was kind of terrifying.

And then there was gym class. I knew Annabeth was athletic but she and Percy topped the class easily.

"Hey, Mark, guess what?"

"Percy?"

"I've made the decision! I'm going to transfer here with you guys!"

Percy is transferring to Annabeth's middle school- and maybe high school! Will Mark have a chance?