Chapter 7

Author's Note

Is this really happening? I can't believe it- We're out of the italicized flashbacks! Oh, thank the Gods! Also, I am now on A03! You can hop onto there and check me out, or check out the bookmarked stories that I have saved.

Leave the reviews, please! I love those!

No One's POV

"Welcome, my children, to the first rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet!" Miss Bree announced quite dramatically as she spread her arms wide.

"Does everything she does have to be so.. Dramatic?" Will murmured and Annabeth bit her lower lip to keep from laughing out loud. Hazel was seated next to them, clutching her script, while Piper and Nico were perched atop a makeshift railing on the stage, exchanging notes.

While Miss Bree launched into some basic rules and important dates, Will nudged Annabeth's shoulder.

"Hey, Piper told us about your shit with Jackson," he commented and Annabeth sighed. She knew Piper wouldn't often blab, but she must have liked the new theatre kids enough to explain what had happened.

"Yeah, but it's been three years. I'm over him and everything associated with his existence."

"Uh.. You're Juliet. He's Romeo. Aren't you two going to kiss at some point?" Hazle piped up and she squeaked when Annabeth stared at her, her grey eyes squinting.

Annabeth was scary.

But instead of getting irritated with the slightly younger girl, she simply sighed again and slumped in her seat. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Will snorted in amusement. As he opened his mouth to equip something, Miss Bree clapped her hands.

"Alrighty, let us begin with the first rehearsal! Annabeth, Percy, please come to the stage."

"Good luck!" Will said in an almost mocking tone and Annabeth shot him a glare as she made her way to the stage. Percy stood a few feet across from her, his hands fumbling together nervously.

He'd grown taller since the last time Annabeth had come face-to-face with him, which she supposed was fitting since it had been a few years. His mop of black hair was still unruly and his eyes were still the same shade of sea green she once was always looking at.

Annabeth crossed her arms and he winced, but Miss Bree didn't notice either action. She pushed the two closer together.

"Don't act like the other has the plague! You are lovers, mon chéri!"

Annabeth had to bite back a chuckle when Rachel loudly huffed and turned to whisper in another girl's poor ear. Annabeth ignored the two and focused on Mrs. Bree, who was deciding which scene to assign them for rehearsing.

"I think the most emotional scene that we absolutely must practice is the balcony scene! Of course, we're only just doing this to get used to the rehearsal process. Oh, this scene is one of my favorites," Miss Bree sniffed and Levi handed her a tissue from his breast pocket, like he was completely used to her getting emotional on a random basis.

"Anyways, as I was saying, this first rehearsal is truly just to get to know each other. So, while Annabeth and Percy practice this scene, everybody else can pair up and practice their own scenes together." Miss Bree said cheerfully. She waited until everyone was partnered and in their own huddles before returning her attention to the two main roles.

"Annabeth, Percy, into positions, please. You have rehearsed this for auditions, correct?"

Annabeth and Percy both nodded.

"He rehearsed with me!" Rachel called out and Annabeth rolled her eyes. Miss Bree pointed at Rachel.

"Miss Dare," she said, her tone indicating a warning. Miss Bree quickly went to talk to Rachel for a minute and while she did, Piper ran up to Annabeth.

"Does she know that she was technically also Romeo's love interest?"

"Probably not, but she's only pissed because she didn't get Juliet, the main role. She likes to be the center of attention." Percy chimed softly, glancing towards Annabeth like he was scared she was going to snap at him. Annabeth eyed him, her grey eyes calculating, and he smiled sheepishly at her. Piper quickly ran back to where she and Nico had been sitting when Miss Bree shuffled back onto the stage.

Rachel had quieted, but continued to glare daggers at Annabeth, who smiled smugly at her. Deep in her brain, the logical side of Annabeth told her to not toy with Rachel, but it was funny to see her get all ruffled.

"What was I saying?" Miss Bree asked, turning to Levi, who whispered softly in her ear. "Ah, yes! Oh, boy, what would I do without you, Levy-cakes?"

Percy started to laugh at the nickname, turning it into a cough, while Levi flushed. Miss Bree clapped her hands. "Okay, okay, Annabeth, Percy, places!"

As Annabeth and Percy faced each other, he gave her a bittersweet smile as he recited the lines Miss Bree had asked for. Annabeth lowered her eyes to the ground when she spoke her lines and he seemed to deflate at her action.

The tension was obviously floating around, and Miss Bree noticed it. She frowned, holding up her hand to pause the two.

"I don't know if you two dated then broke up on an incredibly sour note, but that's the vibe that I'm getting here."

Most of the auditorium hushed when Miss Bree said that and Annabeth and Percy glanced at the floor, keeping their gazes trained there. Levi reached up to whisper in Miss Bree's ear again and her eyes widened.

"Oh, I see. Oh me, oh my, I see," Miss Bree stared at the two teenagers. "Well then. That explains why you could cut the tension here with a knife." she stated blatantly and Piper and Nico snickered, not even bothering to cover up their amusement. Annabeth and Percy both blushed in embarrassment.

Miss Bree sighed before placing her hands on both teens' shoulders. "Listen, mes petites étoiles. I understand your… Ah, internal struggles, but in order for this play to be absolutely fabulous, you must put aside your hatred for each other and be Romeo and Juliet, not Percy and Annabeth."

"Yes, Miss Bree!" Annabeth chorused. Percy nodded. A thoughtful expression came to Miss Bree's face.

"What if… Yes, that's a brilliant idea, self! How about you two do some team building exercises!"

"Team building… Team building exercises?"

"Yes, Annabeth, team building exercises. It'll be wonderful, a nice way to get yourselves comfortable with each other. Or, at least, comfortable enough to do this play. It's only for a few months."

Annabeth nodded along with Percy. She tried not to show her disdain for team building exercises. She preferred to work by herself, only including others when necessary, but even then she did most of the gruntwork.

Annabeth also tried not to show how uncomfortable she would be in a room backstage with her ex-boyfriend. She was still, maybe, just a tiny bit bitter about the whole saga, as Piper called it, but she wasn't about to tell anybody that. Annabeth snapped out of her overthinking brain when Miss Bree snapped her fingers.

"Levi, do we have those cards from last year's play where we did the exer- Oh, wonderful, Levi, thank you," Miss Bree collected the stack of index cards from the boy and handed them to Annabeth. "You can go into a room backstage to do these."

Annabeth stared at the cards in her hand. "All of them?"

"Rehearsals don't end for another..?" Miss Bree turned to Levi. He checked his watch, holding his wrist up. "Rehearsals don't end for another two hours." he reported.

"Rehearsals don't end for another for another two hours!" Miss Bree repeated, smiling sweetly. She patted the cards in Annabeth's grasp and pointed backstage.

"Go on."

Annabeth followed Percy, not before glancing back towards Piper and Nico, the former giving her a thumbs-up and the other hiding a chuckle behind his hand. Annabeth grumbled, her face set into an annoyed expression as they disappeared behind the velvety red curtains.

Nobody noticed Rachel, who had been watching the whole ordeal with a sly smile on her face. She rubbed her thumb and pointer finger together as she turned back towards the group she had been practicing with, an idea forming in her head.

Percy may have been her boyfriend, but who said she was attached to him or Annabeth in any way specifically?

With some careful words, that role of Juliet is mine.