Disclaimer: I don't own PJO.
So, I know that the last few chapters have been kind of mushy but please just keep reading. It will get WAY better.
By the way, if you haven't checked out my new story 'Goode High School for Insane Youths' PLEASE do.
Chapter Six
"ANNABETH!" Malcolm Chase shouted, disrupting everyone trying to do their job. "Sorry," he whispered in a quieter voice as he ran up to his sister. "I haven't seen you in ages!" He quickly grabbed Annabeth and pulled her into a tight bear hug. "How was your first day as a junior?"
"Let's see," Annabeth said as she point her finger to her temple, "I got into a big fight with Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Met Thalia's young brother, his girlfriend and his friend. Met Nico's cousin. Yelled at some random kid. And made out with Nico's cousin."
Malcolm raised his eyebrows. "High school girls. I never understood them." Annabeth was glad that Malcolm had just laughed about it. She wasn't really in the mood to explain to her older brother what she was feeling right now, if she was feeling anything at all. "So," he said as he led Annabeth to his desk. He gestured for Annabeth to take a seat. "Do you have any plans tonight? Julia and I are planning on renting a movie." Julia is Malcolm's fiancée.
Annabeth sighed, "I would love to watch a movie with you but I actually have plans tonight. I'm going to that karaoke place tonight with my friends. I mean, we haven't done it in so long. Only because of…."
"Rachel." Malcolm said. Even though Malcolm was out of high school before Annabeth had even started ninth grade, he knew about Rachel. Annabeth tried to keep this a secret but one day when Annabeth was out grocery shopping, Rachel had cornered her and started teasing her in front of all of her friends. Annabeth ran out of the grocery store crying and went to the closest home, which was Malcolm's. She sobbed in his arms for almost an hour. "I'm glad that you're going back to the café. You really enjoyed it when you were younger."
"Yeah but then it became the devil spawn's lair," Annabeth scoffed.
Malcolm shrugged, "Is she going to be there?"
Annabeth shook her head, "No. She's going to be at a party."
"Oh. How were your classes?" Malcolm asked just to change the subject.
Annabeth shrugged, "They were pretty good."
"Cool."
"Annabeth!" Someone yelled. Annabeth looked up to see Athena walking briskly to Malcolm. "I didn't tell me that you were going to come here. I would have bought you take out."
"Mom," Annabeth said, "I'm just dropping by. I actually have a lot of homework."
"Oh, you have all night to do homework," Athena insisted.
"Mom, actually I'm going to karaoke at that café tonight – only if you don't mind."
Athena sighed, "I would like for my daughter to stay here but you are being responsible so I'll see you at home. Can you stop by the grocery store, though, and get these?" Athena pulled out a crumbled up piece of paper and handed it do Annabeth. Athena's neat scrawl was written all over the paper.
"Sure," Annabeth replied, smiling. She kissed her mother and then gave Malcolm a hug. "See you at home mom."
She had to walk to the grocery store since Luke and Thalia had left and lug three bags of groceries all the way to her house. When she got inside, she nearly dropped the grocery bags onto the kitchen counter. Sweat was collecting on her forehead and the back of her neck and her arms ached. She got herself a glass of water and put the groceries away before going to start the very small amount of homework she had received. All while she was figuring out math problems or trying to draw something for architecture class, Annabeth kept on checking the time. Only another hour until 5:30. Luke and Thalia were supposed to pick Annabeth up then to go karaoke.
By the time that it was 4:45, Annabeth went to go get ready. She took a hot shower before getting dressed and let her hair blonde fall into loose curls. Annabeth put some light makeup before running out of the steamy bathroom. It was 5:20. For the last ten minutes, Annabeth impatiently packed up her homework, which had already finished, and put them into her backpack for tomorrow. She double checked to make sure that she had her wallet and cell phone in her purse.
Finally, Annabeth heard a knock on the door. She nearly ran over and tore it open. Waiting outside was Luke with his arm around Thalia. "Hey," Thalia said as she removed Luke's arm from around her shoulder. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah," Annabeth replied as she, Luke and Thalia began to go to Luke's car.
As they reached Luke's jeep, he stopped Annabeth. "Just wanna warn you, I'm giving some other people a ride, too."
Annabeth raised her eyebrows. Why would it matter? "Um cool." Then, Annabeth opened the door and instantly her smile melted. "Oh, um, hi," Annabeth said awkwardly to Nico Di Angelo and his cousin Percy Jackson. She got into her seat by the window, which was right next to Percy. "I didn't know Percy was coming."
"Of course he was," Nico said, putting his arm around Percy's shoulder. "He's one of us."
Percy swatted Nico's hand away as he said, "So guys, are you ready to rock?!"
Thalia chuckled, "Percy, we don't usually do the singer ourselves. Most of them, we just watch people look like idiots."
"Last time we went, Travis and Connor recorded Katie Gardner singing Gimme More by Britney Spears," Luke recalled. "It was hilarious! You should have seen how angry Katie got. I swear, one of these days Katie is going to kill those two." Annabeth laughed.
After ten more minutes of telling Percy about fond memories from their ninth and tenth grade, they finally arrived at the Karaoke car. Inside, it was just like Annabeth remembered it: dim lighting, blue flashes of light here and there, couches with coffee tables in front of them, a bar, and an empty karaoke stage with a microphone and a huge machine where you read lyrics on it. Just being in here reminded Annabeth so much of when she used to come with her friends…and with Rachel.
"Annabeth and Thalia!" She heard someone squeal. Annabeth turned to see Silena Beauregard wearing a tight pink dress and black wedges. Her brown hair flowed down her back in tight curls and her face was covered with stunning makeup. She looked like she belonged on the pages of Vogue Magazine. "I'm so glad to see you!" She said as she hugged Annabeth and Thalia.
Silena was in her last year at a finishing school for girls. Annabeth and Thalia met Silena when they were at the mall. Silena was being harassed by Mark and Thalia and Annabeth helped Silena get out of the situation. Now, they're extremely close. Of course, Silena doesn't need Annabeth and Thalia's help anymore. Silena's used to tons of guys hitting on her. Most of the guys she'd walk by in the mall or sat near at restaurants would be flirting with her ever five seconds. Silena usually takes care of it but whenever she's with her boyfriend, this huge African American guy named Beckendorf, just him glaring at them is enough to send them running to their mothers. Beckendorf was 20 and in college. They've known each other for while but couldn't date because Silena was underage. Now that Silena was eighteen, they were with each other 24/7.
"Hey Silena," Annabeth said. "Hey Beck." Beckendorf, Chris and Clarisse were waiting at the biggest table in the café. Right now, they were having an arm wrestling competition between Beckendorf and Clarisse. It was a pretty fair fight.
"Let's call this a draw," Silena said as she put her manicured hand on Beckendorf's shaky arm.
"Fine," Beckendorf grunted. He and Clarisse released their hold. "I can't believe I couldn't beat a girl."
"No one can beat me," Clarisse replied smugly.
Chris shrugged, "It's true. I've tried."
At that point, an angry Katie Gardner stomped into the café. "Whoa," Nico laughed, "What happened?"
"Ask these morons," She muttered, thrusting her hand at Travis and Connor Stoll who laughing so hard it looked like they were going to cry. "They put meat juice in my water. I almost threw up in the car." Annabeth started laughing. Poor Katie, she thought to herself. Demeter, her mother, must have made Katie carpool with Travis and Connor.
"How did you even switch out her water bottle?" Luke asked.
Travis shrugged, "I got into her house and switched it."
"Did my mom let you in!?" Katie demanded.
"No," Travis said, chuckling. "You lost your keys in the tenth grade. I wanted to make sure that you got into her house so I watched you and saw you pick up a spare car under a flower pot. Lucky for me, the key was still there."
"Wait, why would you care?" Katie asked.
Connor snickered, "'Cuz Travis likes you."
Katie turned strawberry red, which was almost as red as Travis went. "Let's not go there," Travis said awkwardly as he punched Connor in the shoulder.
"I agree," Katie said. She looked around for something to talk about and noticed Percy. "PERCY!" She said, a little too loudly. "I'm so glad you're here. Um, Beckendorf, Silena, have you met Nico's cousin and our friend Percy Jackson?" Quickly, Katie forced Beckendorf and Silena to shake hands with Percy. "Awesome, let's start karaoke."
"No, no, no!" Thalia interjected as the friends began to take their seats at their table. "We have to wait for Grover and Juniper. They haven't arrived from that stupid environmental meeting thing." Grover and Juniper go this environment meeting every Tuesday. Annabeth and Thalia went to it once after Juniper nearly begged them. They hated it.
"Stupid?" Came Juniper's voice from behind them.
"Stupid?" Thalia repeated, uncomfortably. "I didn't mean stupid. I meant, um, I meant…uh…Annabeth help me out here."
Annabeth snickered, "You're on your own, Thals."
"Yeah, thanks Annie," Juniper shrugged, taking a seat besides Nico. "Who's ready to karaoke?" Silence. Juniper narrowed her eyes. "Come on, guys! No one ever does it."
"Yeah, because we suck!" Nico says. "And we don't like public embarrassment."
"Nico, you embarrass yourself all the time," Travis said and everyone laughed.
"Shut up Stoll," Nico growled.
"Okay, enough!" Juniper snapped. "I still think that someone should do a song. Just for the fun of it."
"Juniper is right," Annabeth said. "This might be our last chance we get to go here before Rachel and her stupid brats take over. We might as well make the best of it."
Annabeth's friends sighed. "She's right," Luke said. "I say we do song. Who's with me?"
"A chance to see Mr. Castellan embarrass himself in front of everyone by singing?" Thalia said, mockingly. "Why would I waste that chance by singing with him? Count. Me. Out."
Luke rolled his eyes. "Thank for that, my very supportive girlfriend." Thalia giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "Come on. Chris? Beck?"
Beckendorf laughed. "Hell no."
Chris nodded toward Beckendorf, "What he said."
"Connor? Travis?" Luke said, a little bit less enthusiastically. They both shook their head with smug grins. "Percy? Nico?" Luke's voice was drained of excitement and was instead dripping with desperation.
Nico shook his head so quickly, it blurred. Percy sighed, "I'll do it with you Luke."
Luke's grinned broadly, "Thank you, Percy!" He grabbed his arm and pulled him up on stage. As Luke began to click through the list of songs, one of the waitresses handed Percy another microphone. "Ready?" Luke asked.
Percy chuckled, nervously. "No."
"That's the spirit!" Luke smirked as the song started playing. Annabeth and her friends groaned as they recognized the song.
LUKE:
When I walk on by, girls be looking like damn he fly
I pimp to the beat, walking on the street in my new lafreak, yeah
PERCY:
This is how I roll, animal print, pants outta control,
It's Redfoo with the big afro
And like Bruce Leroy I got the glow
Thalia groaned. "Oh god."
Annabeth looked over and noticed Travis with his cell phone. "Travis, what are you doing?"
"Recording this," he said, grinning. "This is SOOOO going on Youtube."
LUKE & PERCY:
Ah... Girl look at that body [x3]
Ah... I work out
Ah... Girl look at that body [x3]
Ah... I work out
Suddenly and horrifically, Percy and Luke started doing the weirdest dance. Thalia face palmed. "I can't believe that that's my boyfriend."
Nico groaned, "I can't believe that's my cousin."
LUKE:
When I walk in the spot (yeah), this is what I see (ok)
Everybody stops and they staring at me
PERCY:
I got passion in my pants and I ain't afraid to show it, show it, show it, show it
LUKE & PERCY:
I'm sexy and I know it [x2]
"This is embarrassing," Thalia muttered, "Just embarrassing."
"Are you kidding me?!" Grover said to Thalia. "Their awesome. GO LUKE AND PERCY!" He started clapping his hands and Annabeth couldn't help but start clapping. This was the most fun she'd had a very long time.
LUKE:
When I'm at the mall, security just can't fight them off
PERCY:
And when I'm at the beach, I'm in a Speedo trying to tan my cheeks (what)
Percy and Luke stepped off of the stage and began walking toward Annabeth and the others. Thalia and Nico tried to hide their faces while the rest cheered them on.
LUKE:
This is how I roll, come on ladies it's time to go
PERCY:
We headed to the bar, baby don't be nervous
No shoes, no shirt, and I still get serviced (watch)
Percy and Luke started to dance again and eventually, Thalia and Nico started clapping.
LUKE AND PERCY:
Ah... Girl look at that body [x3]
Ah... I work out
Ah... Girl look at that body [x3]
I work out
PERCY:
When I walk in the spot (yeah), this is what I see (ok)
Everybody stops and they staring at me
LUKE:
I got passion in my pants and I ain't afraid to show it, show it, show it, show it
PERCY & LUKE:
I'm sexy and I know it [x2]
I'm sexy and I know it...
Check it out [x2]
Then, Luke and Percy started to do some…um, interesting moves.
"Holy…fricking…shit," Nico said.
PERCY & LUKE
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle yeah [x3]
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle yeah, yeah
Do the wiggle man
I do the wiggle man
Yeah
I'm sexy and I know it
Ah... Girl look at that body [x3]
Ah... I work out
Ah... Girl look at that body [x3]
Ah... I work out
Yeah I'm sexy and I know it!
The whole café got up and started screaming cheers for Percy and Luke. They put the microphones away and then went back to their friends' table. Grover patted Luke and Percy on the back while Thalia kissed Luke and Annabeth hugged him.
"Nice job back there, Percy," Annabeth said when she finished hugging Luke.
"Thanks Annabeth. You should go do a song," Percy said, gesturing toward the karaoke.
"No," Annabeth said. "The last time I did a song my friend…," Her voice faltered.
Percy's eyes filled with concern. "You can tell me. We're friends."
Annabeth sighed, "The last time that I sang a song was the last time that I came here…and also the last that I was ever friendly to Rachel Elizabeth Dare."
Flashback
Annabeth:
You belong with me-e-e
You belong with me
Luke and Thalia stood up screaming and cheering like wild fans. When Annabeth stepped off stage, Thalia, Luke, Silena and Juniper hugged Annabeth fiercely. "That was amazing Annie," Luke said. "I told you that it wasn't that bad." This was Annabeth's first time singing alone. She was so nervous! "You're voice was amazing," Luke continued.
"It really was," Juniper said. "And great song choice, too."
"I guess for once the video that we post on Youtube won't be bad," Travis said, glumly. Annabeth smiled. It was the closest thing to a compliment that one of the Stoll Twins will ever say to her.
Rachel sighed and stood up out of her chair. She was only person in the whole café that didn't cheer for her. "I guess it was okay. I mean, you were pretty pitchy and your 'dancing' wasn't very good." Rachel put air quotes around it. Her voice was filled with irritation. "Plus, I don't think you're pretty or thin enough to sing a song by Taylor Swift." Annabeth and her friends' smiled faded. She stared at Rachel and felt as if she was about to cry. It wasn't uncommon for Rachel to say rude comments but with every comment, it just made Annabeth feel worse. Annabeth felt tears fill her eyes and she quickly stormed out of the café. "Oh come on Annie!" Rachel shouted after her as Annabeth left the café. Rachel turned to see Luke, Thalia and Katie glare at her. "Come on, guys, I was just joking."
"Well no one's laughing!" Luke snapped before running out of the café.
Outside it was pouring rain. Annabeth was leaning against the wall of the café, curled up and sobbing in her hands. How could someone she thought was her friend be so cruel? How could the person that Annabeth shared every secret, told her every detail of her life and cried to about her parents just betray her like that? I'm such an idiot, Annabeth thought to herself. I should have never trusted Rachel.
"Annabeth?!" She heard Luke shout. Then she heard footsteps and saw through the crack of her eyes a figure standing above her. "Annabeth…," she heard Luke whisper, pitifully. He slide down against the wall and sat beside her. Annabeth felt his hand touch her arm and then she felt his other hand on her shoulder. Luke gently pulled Annabeth into a hug and Annabeth couldn't help herself but tighten her grip around Luke and sob into his chest. "It's okay," he whispered.
"No, it's not," Annabeth managed through tears. "Everyday Rachel will say something bad about me. EVERYDAY!"
Luke sighed, tightening his hug around Annabeth. "I'll never let Rachel hurt you ever again."
"I'm done with Rachel."
"We're done with Rachel."
I made this chapter extra long! I hoped you like it and I hoped you like the song choice. I wanted something goofy and weird. I also hoped you like the Annabeth/Luke 'brother & sister' moment.
Read and review!
PS: My birthday was yesterday! I stayed up until