Brett was hanging with Jake and Randy by his locker the following Monday, a bit distracted thinking about his plan that would have to wait until after school, when he heard Mara's voice call out, "Wait, Annabeth!"

He watched as Annabeth disappeared around the corner, Mara struggling to catch up. Jake followed Brett's gaze and rolled his eyes. "Seriously, dude? What are you planning this time?"

"Nothing," Brett said a little too quickly. "I'm not planning anything. But I might have been teaming up Mara a little bit?"

"Brett," Jake sighed, shaking his head. "Don't tell me that little outburst had something to do with you."

Brett said nothing.

"Dude," Randy laughed. "Is Annabeth even worth all this trouble? I mean seriously, there's plenty of other fish in the sea." He emphasized his words by very pointedly looking a passing cheerleader up and down.

"I don't want another fish," Brett insisted. "Annabeth and I would be perfect together. I just have to get her to see that."

Jake groaned. "You can't force these things, dude. Just give it time. If it's meant to be, it'll happen."

Brett shook his head. "I can't just sit by and watch her throw her life away on some douchebag like Percy," he defended, and before Jake or Randy could respond, Brett walked off in the direction Mara and Annabeth had gone.


"I don't get why you're mad at me!"

Even from several yards away, Brett could hear Annabeth's icy reply. "Gee, Mara, I wonder why? Maybe it was because you kissed my boyfriend."

"What happened to sisters before misters? How do you know he didn't kiss me?"

"Trust me, from what I saw Percy clearly was not okay with it."

"How do you know?" Mara spat back.

"Because I know Percy!" Annabeth exploded. "And he would never do something like that."

"So you'd choose your boyfriend over me?" Mara's accused.

"Um... yes?" Annabeth responded with no hesitation. "Percy's not just my boyfriend, he's my best friend. I've been friends with him for a hell of a lot longer than I've even known you."

"So you're just gonna cut me out? Just like that? Over one stupid little kiss?"

"Yeah, Mara, I am. And you can't guilt-trip me into feeling sorry for you by acting like you're the victim here," Annabeth said coldly.

Mara sneered, her demeanor changing in an instant. "I'm not the one you should feel sorry for. I didn't just ruin my relationship with my only friend over some stupid boy."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Annabeth said, rolling her eyes. "I don't need you, Mara. I have plenty of other people in my life. People who don't assault my boyfriend."

"Really, who?" Mara sneered. "You literally don't talk to anybody else at school."

Annabeth simply rolled her eyes again. "It might surprise you, but the entirety of my life doesn't happen within the confines of this school."

"You're just saying that because you don't want to admit that you're a pathetic, lonely nerd. Give it a week of eating by yourself and you'll come crawling back to apologize to me."

"Whatever you say, Mara," Annabeth scoffed and walked away, leaving Mara fuming in the middle of the hallway.

Brett didn't know if he should go to Mara or follow Annabeth. Mara might be able to fill in some of the gaps about what happened on Saturday, but after a fight like that with her best friend Annabeth was sure to be upset. She might need him.

It was that thought that sent Brett rushing off after Annabeth. He didn't know where she went, but he knew he had to find her.


Brett didn't end up finding her and only managed to almost make himself late to his English class. When he scrambled through the door only moments before the bell rang, he found Annabeth at the front of the room, speaking to Ms. Mason in hushed tones. Whatever they were talking about, Annabeth clearly wasn't happy. She frowned and said something else, but Ms. Mason just shook her head.

Annabeth sighed bitterly but didn't argue further. Instead, she reluctantly made her way to her seat beside Brett.

"What was that all about?" Brett asked, distracted from the fight with Mara by Annabeth's conversation with Ms. Mason.

"That's none of your business," Annabeth snapped.

At that moment, Ms. Mason stood up from her desk and began class. "Okay, everybody. As I told you on Friday, we are starting our mythology unit today. We'll start by looking at some Greek and Roman myths, then eventually move on to Egyptian, and finally, we will finish the unit with some Norse mythology."

"Come on, Annabeth," Brett pushed quietly, trying not to get noticed by Ms. Mason. "You know you can tell me anything."

Annabeth glared. "Since you insist on knowing every detail of my life, I was asking Ms. Mason if I could move seats."

"Why?"

"Yeah, I wonder why," Annabeth repeated, her words dripping in sarcasm. "Maybe it has something to do with who I'm seated next to."

Annabeth sat at the end of the row. Brett was the only one she sat next to.

"I don't get why you're being like this, Annabeth. I'm only trying to help you."

"Well don't," Annabeth snapped, glaring.

"Ms. Chase," Ms. Mason called from the front of the class. "Care to share your thoughts with the rest of the class?"

"I would prefer not to, no."

"Then I suggest next time you might talk a little less and listen a little more," Ms. Mason chided.

"I don't see why," Annabeth muttered. "It's not like I'll actually learn anything new."

"What was that, Ms. Chase?"

"Nothing, Ms. Mason. I was just saying that I don't see any point in my paying attention when I most definitely know more about Greek mythology than you do."

Brett gaped. He had never seen Annabeth act so disrespectfully to anyone, much less a teacher. It just wasn't who she was. This had to be Percy's influence. He was a bad apple and he was determined to drag Annabeth down with him.

Ms. Mason was just as surprised at this sudden outburst. She stood there for a moment, not sure how to respond, before eventually settling on, "Well if you seem to think you know so much, why don't you teach the class?" She must have thought the somewhat snarky reply would sufficiently chide Annabeth, without having to full-on punish her, but that was not the case."

"What are we supposed to learn about today?" Annabeth asked.

"Tartarus," Ms. Mason responded. "Now-"

Annabeth interrupted her, her voice full of authority. "Tartarus is basically the ancient Greek version of hell, but it is also so much more than that." Annabeth gave a small, almost imperceptible shudder. "It's the prison of the Titans. It's where monsters go after they die. But Tartarus is also a primordial deity. It's as much a bottomless pit as it is a living being. Tartarus is the first husband of Gaea and the father of the giants. He-"

"What exactly are you doing, Ms. Chase?" Ms. Mason asked, clearly annoyed at this point.

Annabeth blinked, feigning innocence. "Teaching the class,"

"That's enough, Ms. Chase. You can pack up your things and go to the principal's office. Frankly, I am appalled by your rude behavior."

Annabeth did not react beyond an apathetic shrug as she calmly gathered her books and walked out the door.