Seven Years Later
Jim leaned against one of the stone pillars that marked the entrance to Montressor's Intergalactic High School. Classes had let out five minutes ago and Jim was garnering a lot of stares and points from the hoard of students exiting the building. He scowled and clenched his hand around the edge of his solar surfer.
Where was she?
He scanned the crowd, ignoring their looks and loud whispers. How long did it seriously take to grab your stuff and exit the building? Catching a flash of silver out of the corner of his eye, he turned to look and finally spotted her.
Annabeth.
She stood talking to a couple of her friends near the front doors of the school. He watched as he waited for her to say her good-byes and head his way. It was good to see her interacting positively with other classmates. Being a Halfling made it difficult for her and often led to her being bullied by both Galacticans and Terrans.
Not that it was that easy to tell that she was a halfling. If it weren't for her coloring she could easily pass for a Terran. At fifteen, she was a little small for her age, small-boned and slender. Her large, dark eyes stood out in contrast to her hair, which she had let grow long. It was now a silver mane that reached half way down her back and hid her pointed, lightly furred ears.
As if sensing his eyes on her, she turned slightly and searched the crowds. When she saw him, she smiled; flashing white teeth and sharper than normal canines; and shot a small wave at him. He acknowledged her with a nod but didn't move from his position. Their quick interaction had her friends suddenly grabbing her and turning her away from him, to face them. Probably didn't want her to have anything to do with the "bad boy".
"Jim!" A feminine voice called out. Jim turned slightly and stifled a groan when he saw who was approaching. Liv. Her twin brother, Luke, had been a friend of Jim's for a while until he had made a disparaging comment about Annabeth. Jim had hit him, a fight had ensued and, needless to say, their brief friendship died. However, Liv was the possessive sort. Once Luke had introduced them, Liv set her sights on Jim and he hadn't been able to shake her off since.
"Beat it, Liv." Jim growled as she approached.
"Aw, c'mon babe, don't be like that." She crooned, pressing close and slipping her arms around his neck to wind her claws through his hair.
"Knock it off." He warned, grabbing her wrists and pinning them at her hips. That didn't stop her from leaning in and nuzzling his throat invitingly. Liv had a talent for knowing exactly what to do and what to wear to set any red-blooded male on edge but her charms had never really held any sway over Jim. Sure, he held a slight appreciation for her looks but he knew that he would never want what she was offering. She wasn't looking for anything real, she just loved the chase, and Jim had dealt with too much b.s. in his life to fall for her tricks.
When she refused to back off, Jim grabbed her shoulders and forcibly removed her from his body. It was tough going though, she clung tighter than a barnacle.
"For the last time Liv, back off! This is never going to happen!" He snapped. Instantly Liv's demeanor changed from seductive to spitting mad. Her eyes narrowed and glinted dangerously.
"It's that damn halfling, isn't it?" She spat, "When are you going to wake up and realize that I'm better for you than she is!? My family has connections! If you're with me, I could get you into the Naval Academy! All that little girl will do is drag you down into the mud with her!"
"Jim?" A familiar voice called softly, hesitantly.
Jim whipped his head around to find Annabeth standing a couple feet away.
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