Hazel and I all but run into the Parnassus Dorms of Olympus College, excited to see our dorm. We've checked the lists multiple times and we're in Dorm 1 with Piper McLean and Emilia Seawillow, whom neither of us know. We got here an hour earlier than when we had to be here by, so I'm surprised when two of the beds are already claimed. I look around at the rest of the dorm; it has a kitchen, living room and two bedrooms. Hazel and I dump our stuff on the beds in the unclaimed room, she takes the bed on the right and I take the one on the left.
"Hello?" A voice floats through, "Emi? Pipes?" I walk into the small living room, where an older girl, around twenty is standing. She has deep blue eyes, browny-red hair and skin the shade between tan and chocolate.
"Oh, hi!" She greets, having not realised they were there when she came in, "I'm Katana. I'm in dorm five. Are Emilia and Piper here?"
"No they aren't," Hazel replies. "I'm Hazel and this is Annabeth."
"I'm Em's sister," Katana explains, "and Piper is her best friend."
We nod, it makes sense that they were here early if they already knew someone at the college.
"Well if you see her, tell her to come and see me, okay?"
"Sure," I say.
Hazel stops her before she leaves, "Um, do you know where the cinema is?"
"Room eight, directly across the hall," Katana replies, walking out. A few minutes after, girls who we assume to be our other two roommates walk in laughing.
"Oh hey," the girl with lighter brown hair, blue eyes and gold hoop earrings says. "I'm Emilia, but everyone calls me Em, and this is Pipes."
"Piper," the other girl says. She has dark brown hair and eyes, and tanned skin.
"I'm Annabeth Chase and this is Hazel Levesque," I reply.
"Cool," Emilia nods.
"And by the way, your sister asked us to tell you to go and see her."
"Alright, I'll just text her and ask her what's up," Emilia says, pulling out her phone. "Do you guys know anyone else?"
"Nope." Hazel shakes her head, "No one. What about you?"
"A few," Piper replies. "My cousin Silena, her boyfriend Charlie, his step-brother Leo, his cousin Jake, my boyfriend Jason, his cousins Percy and Nico, Percy's friends Rachel, Grover and Frank, Jason's sister Thalia, and obviously Katana, Em's sister."
"Wow that's a lot." I laugh, "We're all alone." I sling an arm around my best friend, not at all unhappy that I don't know anyone, because at least I have Hazel.
"Well there's a movie night tonight at six-thirty, if you want to come. All of floor two will be there," Emilia says, "I messaged a load of people."
"I can introduce you to them." Piper offers. Hazel and I nod in response.
Percy's POV"Bye Mum, bye dad, bye Stelly." I hug my family goodbye, already missing them.
"Bye Perce." Mum is misty-eyed as I pull out of the hug. All my boxes are unpacked. Jason is in the other room and Grover is sitting on the other bed in our room. They leave and my phone buzzes, I groan: It's Piper.
Piper:
I'm coming over with the other 2 1st-yr dorm so we can get 2 know everyone
Percy:
Ok, Nico's unpacking tho and he'll hate u 4 making him socialise
Piper:
Ik
There's a knock on the door and I hear Jason open it.
"Hey Pipes, hey Em," he says. "Perce, Nico, Grover!" He calls, wanting us to go out and see them. I look across at Grover, he shrugs, so we oblige
Piper points to the two new girls she brought with her, "Percy, this is Hazel and-"
"Annabeth!" I exclaim, cutting Piper off.
"Oh my god!" Annie says, "Percy?"
"How do you two know each other?" Jason asks, confused.
"We went to the same high school. You know, before Goode," I explain, not taking my eyes off Annabeth.
"Oh, cool," Piper says. "Also Rachel and Frank's dorms should be here soon."
"Aloha!" Rachel bursts in. Her frizzy red hair is messier than usual and a girl with flawless golden hair and almond-brown eyes is behind her, shyly walking in.
"Hey Rache." Grover gets up and hugs her. It lasts a bit too long and Piper notices, shooting Emilia a look.
"This is my new roommate." The redhead gestures to the girl behind her, who shyly waves.
"I'm Calypso - Cal or Callie's fine - Atlas," says the girl.
"Knock knock," Frank calls, shifting the attention to him as he comes into the apartment. His roommates are behind him.
Piper claps her hands, "Okay, introduction time. I'm Piper."
"I'm Annabeth or Annie," Annabeth smiles, shaking her blonde curls away from her stormy-grey eyes. I still can't take my eyes away from her.
"I'm Hazel," the other girl from Annie, Piper and Em's dorm says.
"Emilia, but everyone seems to call me Em."
"I'm Felix, or Eli," a boy from Frank's dorm says. He has blue eyes, but apart from that he looks a bit like Piper.
"I'm Frank and I don't have a nickname." Most people laugh.
"Hola, I'm Leo Valdez." Leo slings his arm around Calypso, seemingly familiar with her, and he has dark brown hair and eyes, with nicely tanned skin. "And, unfortunately for the young ladies, I'm taken."
Calypso smiles and gives him a quick peck on the cheek - they must be dating.
"Will - William - Solace." Will has blond hair and blue eyes. I know him through Nico: they went to the same high school.
"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," Rachel says. "Usually called Rache or Red."
"Grover Underwood."
"Nico." My cousin, ever the goth, is sitting next to Will, who's like a little beam of sunshine.
"Jason Grace." Knowing what she's about to say, Jason automatically tries to silence Piper, but sadly for him, fails.
"Jacey Gracey," she teases. I try my hardest not to laugh. When Thalia told Piper the story about how he first said his last name as Gracey, Piper laughed and has never, ever let him forget it since. Jason laughs half-heartedly and turns away. Their relationship has been like this for a bit, and Piper has been annoyed with Jason as well. Grover, Nico and I reckon they'll break up soon.
"Percy," I say. "Although it turns out I know a lot of you." Annie smiles.
"Great, that's everyone," Piper says. We all swap numbers and Piper takes charge again.
"Now: single or taken? Hands up if you're single."
Everyone but Calypso, Leo, Piper, and Jason raise their hands. Piper's about to say something else, but Jason interrupts her.
"Piper, can we talk?" Jason asks. The room goes silent and Piper meets Emilia's eye. Em inclines her head almost imperceptibly.
"Sure," Piper replies, getting off the couch.
Piper's POVJason and I head back to my room.
"I think we should break up," he says. I'm not surprised. This has been a long time coming, and I saw how he was looking at Hazel before.
"Okay," I shrug. "You done now?" Without waiting for an answer, I slip back into the living room and sit in-between Annabeth and Em.
"We should get going," Annabeth says, checking the time on her watch.
"Yeah," Hazel says, pulling Annabeth up. I stand up and pull Em up.
"See you at six-thirty," I say, "Entry fee is a packet of lollies, popcorn, corn chips or doritos."
Leo cheers. We leave and go back into our room.
"Okay Pipes, spill," Annabeth instructs.
"We broke up," I say simply.
"You okay?" Hazel asks sympathetically.
"Yeah," I reply. Em picks up her keys.
"Where are you going?" I ask.
"To get an ice cream or commit a crime. I'll decide on the way there. Coming?" She replies.
"Yep," I reply. "Annie? Hazel?"
"I grabbed my wallet when you said ice cream," Annabeth says, already halfway out the door. "I'll drive." We pile into Annabeth's car, Hazel up in the passenger's seat, and Em and I in the back.
"Where am I going Emilia?"
"Katana and Silena recommended this place called Hestia's gelato on fifth avenue," Em replies, as Hazel programs it into the satnav.
Once it's in, Hazel turns to her best friend, "Annabeth what's the deal with Percy?"
"There is no deal," Annabeth replies, looking straight ahead, "He's just an old friend." My phone pings.
Hazel:
Liar
Piper:
I can tell
Hazel:
Little Miss Matchmaker
Let's change the subject now
"So, why did you and Jason break up Piper?" Hazel asks.
"Oh... we've just been growing apart for a while, and I think he might like someone else," I say.
"Who?" Em asks. I give her a death stare.
"He didn't say," I reply.
"Then what did he imply?" Annabeth asks. Damn that girl is smart.
I sigh, rolling my eyes. "I saw him looking at Hazel." Hazel pales and Annabeth laughs.
"Fr-" Hazel cuts Annabeth off.
"Frankly, we've arrived," Hazel finished]s It's true. We all get out and go in. Silena's friend, Valentina is serving.
"Hey Tina," I say.
"Oh, hey Pipe," Tina says. "Orders? They're on the house, it's your first day at Olympus."
"Aw, thanks," I reply.
"I'll have a hazelnut and coconut double scoop," Hazel says. I nudge her.
"Hazelnut," I whisper.
"I'll have a bounty and oroad double scoop please Tina," Em says.
"Oroad?" Annabeth asks.
"Our special," Tina replies. "Cross between Oreo and Rocky Road."
"Nice," Annabeth nods.
"The usual," I request. "Annabeth?"
"Ummm . . . vanilla and chocolate swirl," she orders once calculating the best option. Tina hands us all our cones and we step outside. As I lick my choc-honeycomb, Annabeth's phone buzzes multiple times. She checks it and laughs.
"Let me see," Hazel says.
"No." Annabeth turns away sharply.
"Ooh," Hazel says. "It's Percy." Annabeth sticks out her tongue.
"We need to get sweets," Em says, checking the time on her phone.
"And then we need to go," Annabeth finishes. We duck into the supermarket and all grab lollies. I get snakes, Em gets her favourite (Jaffas), Hazel gets popcorn and Annabeth grabs Doritos. Annabeth drives us back, and we just get back in time for me to get changed and redo my hair. I get into a fresh pair of jeans and an off-white crop top.
"Come on Piper," Annabeth calls. We go across the hall to the cinema and we are the first ones to arrive. Percy, Jason, Nico and Grover arrive next, all holding baked goods.
"Percy," Grover explains. The others arrive quickly and the junk food piles up on the table.
Felix's POVI sit next to Leo, and his step-brother Charlie.
"Tonight's theme: Cartoons," Piper announces. "But first, what game should we play?" She says this with a mischievous smile.
"I don't know," Emilia says, playing along.
"Never have I ever?" Percy suggests, knowing full well what the girls will suggest.
"No," Emilia says. "Slap or Kiss. But no voting." Everyone sighs and Annabeth gives them a death stare. Everyone forms a circle, some reluctantly like Reyna. Piper puts her water bottle in the middle of the almost-formed circle.
"Okay," Piper says.
"Wait!" An older girl calls. "I'm Gracie, that's Silena, Reyna, Thalia, Charlie and Jake."
"Piper, Annabeth, Hazel, Emilia, Calypso, Rachel, Leo, Felix, Grover, Frank, Nico, Will, Percy and Jason," Piper says, pointing at everyone. "Annabeth, take the bottle."
"Nope," the blonde says, leaning back. "You go first." Piper shrugs and spins. It lands on Will, who's sitting right next to Jason. Piper smiles evilly and goes to slap Will. Piper resumes her spot in the circle and passes the bottle to Rachel. She spins it and to her delight, it lands on Grover. They kiss.
"Get a room!" Reyna yells. They break apart and then it's my turn. I gulp and then spin. It lands on Emilia, and I freeze. I walk over. I can't slap someone I don't know. I hesitantly kiss her and honestly, it's amazing. I walk back and hand on the bottle. Reyna ends up slapping Jason, and I can tell she enjoys absolutely every second of it. There are some other kisses; Leo and Calypso, Percy and Annabeth, Charlie and Silena and Katana and Jake. Finally, we move onto movies.
"Madagascar!" Hazel yells, surprising Frank and Annabeth, who are sitting next to each other. We migrate to the couch and I end up sitting between Emilia and Leo. Piper puts on the movie. After Madagascar, Percy nominates The Little Mermaid. Annabeth sings softly along to all of the songs, as does Percy.
Maybe he's right
Maybe there is something the matter with me
I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad
Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl
The girl who has everything?
Everyone applauds, full of energy, but at the end of the movie everyone bar Reyna, Percy, Annabeth, Thalia, Katana, Jake, Charlie, Emilia and I are asleep.
"Bye Felix," Emilia says sleepily standing up. She kisses me on the cheek.
"Bye Emilia," I reply. I walk back to my dorm and crash down onto my bed.