Chapter 4: Leo Loves an Anemic Makeup Catalog
On the drive in she spotted a harbor seal that was suspiciously far inland. A glint in its beady little eyes as it seemed to focus on her alone. Almost as if it were saying fish?
Shuddering, Annabeth had switched places with Piper in the van. It didn't matter anyways.
School was worse. Everyone was staring at her. Gazes followed her like she was the world's largest cat toy. Suddenly Miss Annabeth Chase was easier on the eyes. Everyone was talking about it. Annabeth knew that everyone was talking about it. If she ever saw that Genie again she'd wrap his stupid newly promoted frog's tongue around his scaly neck and asphixate him with his own smokey dandruff.
"Percy can't stop looking at you," Piper giggled at lunch time.
She supposed Piper thought it would make her feel good. Knowing that her crush was suddenly taking interest in her, looking at her. But it didn't.
How shallow of him! If she had to have perfect skin and hair for that boy to finally look at her, then he wasn't worth it. Vain was not a word Annabeth associated with Percy… but now…
She wished the genie had cursed her gift of beauty along with the knowledge and wealth categories. At least then she'd be blissfully unaware of Percy's stupidity. (And maybe score a chameleon tongue or something. Equal parts grotesque and useful.)
"I can't stop looking at her either." A small voice said behind them.
Annabeth turned just in time to see Piper slam her foot into the industrial sized cafeteria garbage bin. A squeak of terror followed and the bin shivered. But it wasn't enough to completely shut him up because Samson lifted the flap to the garbage bin to peek at Annabeth some more. Waving shyly at her while a brown banana peel slid slowly down his face.
"Shut up Samson," Piper growled. "And finish your trash. Freaking oscar the grouch wannabe."
"I just want to fit in," Samson whispered.
Annabeth sighed. "Samson, sweetie, I don't think living in a garbage can is helping you with that."
Samson pressed his face against the slot a little tighter. "I get room temperature lunch lady love."
"You have parents." Annabeth reminded him. "Who love you and are begging you to return home."
Apparently done with the conversation, Samson retreated into the depths of his trash bin. Making raccoon noises and sorting through the trash for something edible.
"Men." Annabeth scoffed. Returning to her food.
"Excuse me!" Percy said, indignantly. "Don't associate me with him."
"Really? You want me to bring up the time I caught you with an entire roasted chicken, a yo-yo string, seven gallons of helium and-"
"Point made!" Percy shrunk back, then cowered closer to Leo. "Don't cross Annabeth right now-" he breathed. "-she's on a warpath."
Yes. Annabeth scowled at him while gripping a fist. You pretentious son of a cucumber.
"Look ladies," a voice boomed in their direction suddenly. Annabeth internally groaned and sunk in her seat. "Macaroni girl finally got some skin products. Did something we say finally get through to you?"
Drew Tanaka. Naturally popular, highly skilled in face painting with the proclivity to circle things she found beneath her like a vulture finding roadkill. Although, she wasn't very intimidating while holding her flat blue plastic tray of cafeteria food. Even with her black marblesque eyes focused solely on Annabeth and her crew of made up mosies flanking either side of her, she looked more like a rabbit with brain damage.
Macaroni girl. Yeah Annabeth was used to the name. It wasn't so bad. It came from the fact that her dreamscape amulet necklace was enchanted with a shrouding spell. So instead of seeing a fine chain sculpted from moonlight with a plate of silver inscribed with the ancient tongue of witches, everyone else just saw a macaroni necklace. Apparently not a very good one either because everyone kept. Bringing. It. up.
"More like how you looked got through to me," Annabeth pushed her chin into the air. Trying to look sophisticated as she dipped a cracker stick into a little compartment of cheese whiz.
Drew looked taken aback. "Because of how I look- that sounds almost like a compliment."
"Well I woke up one day and realized that my biggest fear was someday looking like you. So I better start dealing with any natural blemishes on my face lest I turn to clown face paint like you did."
"Why you little, intolerable-"
"Marry me Drew. That'll show her." Leo grabbed the edge of her platter to stop her dizzying circles. Giving her the all powerful puppydog pleading eyes.
Percy laughed into his hand.
"Ew! As if!" Drew scowled and stalked off. Her two prissy friends 'hmphed' at the same time and followed, sashaying their hips.
"Thanks Valdez. You always know how to repulse her away," Annabeth sighed gratefully.
"Wha-? I was being serious."
"Yeah. Sure."
"No really-"
"Piper, stop ogling Jason. Just go and ask him out already." Annabeth snapped in front of her friend's eyes.
Piper jolted, and swatted Annabeth away.
"As if he'd actually say yes to me! I mean look at him! He's so handsome, and kind and humble. What would he see in me?" Piper hissed.
"Do it." Percy egged on. Leaning forward into the table. It creaked. "Do it!"
"He's too good for me."
"He sits alone in the back of the cafeteria, eating sprinkle sandwiches and crying into his comic books." Annabeth wished she were joking. "I'm pretty sure if you asked him out he'd combust from the amount of social interaction."
"He would not. He's completely articulate during chemistry. He's the best lab partner. It's just… I don't know." Piper twirled a choppy strand of hair between her fingers nervously. Glancing through the horde of teens to where Jason Grace sat, indeed alone and close to tears as he poured over a comic book. The remnants of his sprinkle sandwich still on his upper lip.
"I don't know Beth, I just-"
"YO JASON GRACE! YOU WANNA DATE THIS HOTTIE? PIPER MCLEAN IS SINGLE!" Annabeth stood up to belt over the entire student body. Piper paled to caucasian. Wordless, scared huickless, and probably ready to sacrifice Annabeth to whatever deity would accept such a gross offer.
What? Chasing down manticores, exploring Egyptian tombs and braving through uncharted jungles had given Annabeth Chase the world's largest confidence. Sue her.
Every set of eyes in the school landed on Jason Grace. At first he just sat like a fawn in headlights. Silent, still, but with an expression of pure horror. Slowly, shakily, he nodded his head yes and started to boil over with red when the chatter of gossiping students started up again. The last Annabeth saw of him, he was curling up in a fetal position on his lonely bench. A random wind had come out of nowhere to brush his comic book away in a very cheesy and plot divisive metaphorical way.
"See? There. I got you a date." Annabeth patted Piper on the back. "Go to your lover boy."
Piper got up stiffly and shot a glare back so lethal, Leo shrunk behind the table. When she was gone he sprung up again and latched on to Annabeth's arm.
"Do it for me! Do it for me!" he begged.
"Okay. Sure. Who do you want?" Annabeth shared a look with Percy and they rolled their eyes in unison.
"Drew Tana-"
"Attention all students! It's my great honour to announce the winner of this year's fall fresh fun fabulous fascinatingly fatal raffle!" The intercom chimed in. Shushing down the students and bringing eyes up to the speaker systems hanging from the walls. At the door of the cafeteria stood three overly chirpy members of the student council. Grinning so hard they were showing more teeth than cheeks.
"Please give a huge round of applause for our winner, ANNABETH CHASE!"
Annabeth's spine chilled as a chorus of applause went up. A few catcalls weaved in. The student council members floated towards her with their unwavering smiles. It was all unsettling.
"Please accept the grand prize of over six hundred dollars worth of sea salt!" The intercom declared cheerily. "Have a happy happy day!"
Boom. The student council member hauled a purple bucket onto her table filled to the brim with fine white salt. They backed away slowly, still smiling and clapping slow orchestrated claps. One stayed behind with a clipboard.
"Please sign here to authorize the delivery of one ton of salt to your place of residence," she chirped.
In Annabeth's mind she was thinking of GG, laughing. She yanked the pen back and scribbled her barely legible signature and pushed the stupid peppy student council girl away before she could start asking if anyone wanted to buy the next raffle tickets.
"I thought the prize was just six hundred dollars in cash." Leo said as he poked his finger into the tub of fine white sand.
"It was," Annabeth growled.
"I thought you didn't enter that raffle," Percy said.
"I didn't."
The intercom buzzed in again. "Also a message for Samson from his parents: Honey, is this about your embarrassing butt wart? We'll get you therapy we promise, just please come home."