A piercing shrill cut through my dreams and I immediately sprung out of bed as I checked the time.

6 am sharp. I smirked to myself, I thought of this activity as killing two birds with one stone!!

I wake up every day at 6 am and I immediately practice my swimming for an hour before I get ready for school. It's finally December, that's the month of the winter swimming tournament and the winter ball... not only does practicing ensure I win the tournament but also means that I will win against Percy during swimming. Whenever that moment came I'd be prepared, and inevitably he'd be humiliated against Annabeth.

The tournament would be happening in another two days, on Wednesday and the winter ball on Thursday, a convenient timing if I do say so myself.

I dragged my feet while walking to the cafeteria, three classes down and now three more to go. My legs were killing me after all that swimming and my eyes were tired from all that learning. I sighed.

I took my place next to Joshua who did a double take when he saw me, "woah, dude what happened to you?"

I grimaced, "that bad?? I guess I have been kinda over doing it huh?"

"Dude you look like you've skipped out on one too many nights of sleep"

"I guess I have been kinda busy"

Joshua looked around before lowering his tone, "hey... are you planning on asking Annabeth to the dance"

I glanced at the entrance of the cafeteria, Annabeth, Harper, Celeste weren't here yet.

I nodded at joshua eagerly, "that's right!"

Joshua elbowed me, "so?? What are you waiting for??"

"Well... I'm not exactly sure how"

"Keep it casual, just ask her if she wants to go to the dance with you"

"Ok, yeah, your right"

Joshua swung his arm around my shoulder, "trust me on this one"

He grinned, " speaking of which, look who's here". His eyes were looking at something behind me as he waved out.

I turned. "hi Annabeth", my voice cracked.

Annabeth retained a snort.

I flushed, amazing, I had the tendency to humiliate myself, although this must be one of the most unlucky instances.

Behind Annabeth, Celeste and Harper trailed behind immersed in deep conversation.

Harper caught my eye and both of us looked away, I felt her mood drop, as if she were unhappy to see me. Since that day she's been like this around me, quiet and gloomy. What a buzz kill, she really should stop victimizing herself. I scowled at the floor and then I remembered that I had more important instances to worry about.

I glanced at Annabeth and smiled to myself, Joshua was right! I just had to ask her, I'd get it over with quick enough.

I scooted over to her and tapped her shoulder, I rubbed by neck anxiously as she turned around with a quizzical expression.

I gulped, " hey... Annabeth, wanna go to the dance with me"

She raised eyebrows, "cool, tell me when we're meeting up... besides you don't need to ask, it's a given"

" ok yeah", I said, my heart skipped in my chest.

"Oh remember to invite the rest", she added.

I tried to stop my jaw from crashing on to the floor. She'd completely misunderstood me, how embarrassing. Joshua would laugh about this one.

I folded my arms and sulked in the corner, great, it's clear she didn't want to go with me to the dance with me.

Maybe...

That's it!! I'd invite them to watch me at my swimming contest, and when I won Annabeth would be absolutely drooling over me!!

All I'd need to do is ask her again and she'd fall right into my arms.

"Hey guys!!"

I hollered at all of them.

Annabeth, Joshua, Liam, Harper and Celeste all turned to face me.

"Why don't you guys come to cheer me on day-after tomorrow, at the contest"

It was settled. This would be great.

~day of the contest~

After school had ended my mom vouched to drop all of us to the contest, my friends would stay and watch from the sidelines, the air was buzzing. I was excited to prove my worth to annabeth, i didn't have a choice but to win.

As soon as my mom pulled up in front of the school Joshua and Celeste squished in first, Harper quickly shoved herself next to them while I sat beside Annabeth. Typical of Liam, sitting in the front by himself. Me and Annabeth were so close I could smell her strawberry lemon shampoo, I inhaled deeply. Harper looked nervous to be there, a shot a glance at her and she looked away in shame. I momentarily felt a pant of guilt before I ushered it out of my heart, there's no room for guilt today, I have to get my head in the game.

As the car neared its destination my eyes narrowed in on the stray cats around the area, the littered trash and eroding concrete and I silently thought to myself that it was a dump. Surely the school would be better, each year the competition took place at a different school so I wasn't familiar with the area, however it was apparent that the are housed a bunch of hoodlums and street urchins.

Joshua and Celeste were immersed in some sort of bickering while Annabeth silently read a book. I found myself staring at her, she suddenly glanced up at me.

"What?", she said.

I blushed deeply, " what book..."

My voice trailed into the air as I realized she wasn't focusing on my anymore, her eyes had settled on to the window which was next to me. She leaned closer to me as she tried to get closer to the window, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Hm? Wha- what happened?", I asked.

She looked around,"nothing... I just thought that the place looked familiar"

I raised my eyebrows, someone like Annabeth shouldn't be roaming the filthy streets over here.

"Guys, look!! We've reached", Joshua hollered.

My eyes swiveled over to the direction he was looking at... only to be severely disappointed. The place was a mess.

The building was dull and the wall was in desperate need for more paint, flowers in pots which were probably placed to make it look better we're dried and shriveled.

We got out of the car and walked toward the building,my mom ended up waiting in the car as she had an important call to attend to.the school bustled with the sound of shrieks and hollers, upon entering the corridor there wasn't anything to unusual. As we neared the crown of students, it came to my attention that most of them were unusually large and buff, as if the middle schoolers had been held back a few years, blended with the crowd were a number of kids who looked severely malnourished and scrawny. There were dents in the locker and random holes in the wall.

This couldn't have been the place at which they were conducting the annual swimming competition?

I glanced at my friends to make sure that they all had the same expression as me. All of them excluding Annabeth looked mortified.

Annabeth walked over to a random guy who towered over her and asked,"do you know where the swimming pool is?"

He eyed her up and down with a greedy look in his eyes and said, " I'd be happy to escort you toward it"

The over grown middle schooler looked at all of us with a bored look in his eyes and Walked away from the crowd and guided us through a narrow corridor into the swimming pool area.

Upon entering there were a bunch of different kids, kids who were clearly from this haggard school and those who were not were all situated on the bench. A hap-hazard crowd of wierd looking people, the swimming pool looked decent though so I guess that was fine.

I looked at all of them and they wished me good luck as I headed toward locker room while they headed to the audience seats.

I entered the locker room to see a bunch of kids my age, I looked around to try an spot some of the weird kids who were definitely from this school. Hm strange, almost Everyone in the locker room looked normal. There was a short, pale boy with freckles along his back and orange hair wearing a bright blue speedo... a tall and gangly boy with curly black hair... my eyes landed on a boy who looked strangely familiar. Around my height, maybe slightly taller, with slightly tanned skin and three scars on his back which looked like they originated from some sort of animal. He was wearing ocean blue swimming trunks and he had messy black hair. He wore goggles that covered his eyes; I couldn't recognize him but I'm sure I knew him from somewhere.

When he turned around I noticed that there was a bizarre scar on his forearm, almost like a really severe insect sting.

I turned around, I'd figure it out later. I had to get my head in the game. I adjusted my goggles and did a quick warm up routine until we were called outside.

I took a deep breath to calm my anxious nerves and walked outside, the familiar boy in tow behind me.

All of us lined up at the edge of the pool, right before the judge called out to let us know when to start, I looked up at Annabeth expecting my eyes to meet hers... but she wasn't looking at me. She was looking at the familiar boy.

"GO!"

I abandoned all thoughts from my head and dived into the water and swam like I never had before, I could feel all the weeks of practice being put to use. I glided through the water at top speed and when I finally reached the end I looked up at my time, it was good!! I knew it. I was the first one. I won!!

I looked around, and my heart dropped, another boy was next to me... in fact, it was the same boy. He had to have reached after me right?? There was no way he reached before me??

The boy nervously climbed out of the swimming pool, and removed his goggles.

My jaw dropped.

The winner was announced with the megaphones, " PERCY JACKSON, COMES IN FIRST PLACE"

Ahahah thank you for the reviews guys, special thanks to ayathedoggo and the sacred archives i really appreciate your reviews and support.