HI GUYS! Ok so i'm very excited with this update as you can see, because i finished this chapter only 2 days after Chapter 5. (I just had to get all my ideas out). I waited until i was partially done with Chapter 7 before i posted this one so they wouldn't be so far apart just in case the dreaded writers block decided to make an appearance.
I really wanted each chapter to take play during an entire school day, but then i realized that that could get pretty boring and that would also mean longer chapters which = longer times between updates. So i shot that one down pretty quickly.
THESE CHARACTER AND ALL THINGS PERCY JACKSON BELONG TO THE OH SO WONDERFUL... Rick Riordan *applause*.
3rd period English went on without a hitch.
And Annabeth considered it a blessing.
She had had enough time to calm down and think the last period over without conjuring up any unnecessary decisions or ideas.
Like telling Jason everything the prick had said.
As much as Annabeth knew she would enjoy her boyfriend walking her to school and doting over her and her safety, it would get tiresome eventually. And telling him about the things the guy who he was supposed to be "protecting" her from, said, wouldn't help. Jason wasn't a particularly violent person, but she was pretty sure he could be if the situation called for some ass kicking. An hour ago, Annabeth would have been elated with the idea, but she decided that it wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth it. So when she walked out of the classroom and met up with Jason, she had a smile on her face.
He grasped her hand and linked their fingers.
"You seem to be in a better mood. Do you still want to tell me what happened?" He asked staring straight ahead.
She shook her head and sighed, "Not really, but I'm sure you still want to know. We'll talk at lunch so I won't have to explain it to Thalia over again."
She raked her hand through her hair.
"Speaking of that. You need to go to lunch without me, i need to find your sister to tell her about our lunch plans." He looked down at her and scowled, "I'll get Thalia and bring her. You need to wait here for us."
She raised her eyebrow and shook her head ready for whatever he threw back. "No I don't and I'm not. I don't need a protection detail to walk my friend to lunch."
Jason just stared probably trying to decide if it was worth the argument, but finally sighed and shook his head after seeing the determination in her eyes.
Annabeth figured he must have silently gave up and smiled with all her teeth as they walked up to her next class. "Good. Okay we're having lunch at the picnic tables by the construction site, kay? Look for Piper if I'm not there by the time you are. She should be there with her friend. Do you know what she looks like?" He shook his head with narrowed eyes. "She's Native American, i think. Or at least she looks like it. She has short brown hair, really pretty." Jason nodded and said nothing, his face pinched and lips pursed like he just bit into an orange peel.
It was sort of cute.
Annabeth sighed, "Don't get all moody. Thalia will protect me and you know if she found out that you're doubting her fighting abilities she will show you just how good she is," she said with a chuckle.
Jason didn't find it funny.
His face didn't change as he leaned in to kiss Annabeth's forehead, "Just... be careful," he mumbled against her skin. She nodded when he stepped back. "I'll see you later." Annabeth paused, "In one piece in case you were wondering," she teased and turned into the classroom before he had the chance to say something.
Health science has never really been a point of interest for Annabeth, but she sucked it up this year for the credit that she needed to graduate.
She looked around to see that the seat she had the day before was taken, but the one next to it wasn't. She sat down and took out her textbook and pencils and looked around. She jumped when she realized the boy sitting in her previous seat had been staring at her.
She cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ear nervously. "Um... hi?" Her tone questioning. The boy smiled and nodded, his brown curls flopping in his face, "I'm Leo." He said eagerly holding out his hand. Annabeth reached out tentatively and shook his hand wincing slightly as she felt his moist palm. "Annabeth," she said nodding.
"Cool. It's my first day." Annabeth raised an eyebrow in question and Leo just shrugged. "It's a tradition. You never see anything exciting on the first day anyway." She snorted but quickly covered it with a cough when he looked at her funny. "I don't think a fart bomb counts as an ordinary day of school," she said chuckling.
Leo's eyes grew wide, "There was a fart bomb? Are you kidding me? I miss all the fun stuff i swear." He said shaking his head. "Who did it? I wanna meet one of the masterminds."
Annabeth chuckled and blushed slightly, "You're look at one of them."
Leo's jaw became unhinged. "You? Seriously?" He asked, almost incredulous.
She didn't know whether or not the be offended because he thought she would be incapable of being cool or flattered because he thought she was better than that. He must have seen something in her face that made him backtrack. "N-not that you couldn't do that or anything because I'm sure you could lay on some serious butt kicking if you needed to. But you don't strike me as a trouble maker."
Annabeth shrugged and silently agreed with him. Half of the trouble she would get into trouble at school was when Thalia was around. "I'm usually not. It wasn't really my fault i was just involved."
"What happened then? Will you tell me?"
Annabeth shrugged. "It wasn't that big of a deal. My friend was playing around with my biology experiment and poured it in some soda. It exploded and made this fog that stunk and turned the walls blue."
Leo looked amazed. "Did the sprinklers go off?" Annabeth nodded and Leo leaned back in his chair sighing. "I really gotta start coming to school more often on the first day." He tugged on his hair and looked back at her, "That sounds epic. Who's your friend? You know, the one with the soda."
"Thalia Grace," she said as the teacher called on her to stop talking effectively setting her face on fire.
She turned away from him and started listening to the teacher drone on when a ball of paper hit her on the arm and rolled off the desk. She looked over at Leo who had his eyes on his book and a smirk on his lips, as she picked up the ball and quietly unraveled the paper.
I want to meet this friend. We should talk over lunch after class...
Annabeth rolled her eyes and flipped the paper over to write on back.
Can't, I'm having lunch with Piper and one of her friends. Maybe tomorrow?
She threw the ball back narrowly missing his head with her bad aim.
Another message came across in the form of a paper airplane.
Piper McClean?
She shrugged and threw it back at him.
It probably is. I'm not sure if they're are any other Piper's in this school
Well i guess that's her then.
I think the Gods meant for us to be friends
Why is that?
Because i happen to be that 'friend' that's going to be at lunch with Beauty Queen
Beauty Queen?
Piper. Use your context clues
*Eye roll* Whatever. So you're sitting with us?
Actually you're sitting with me
Technicalities.
Look at you and your big girl words... this should be fun. Are you bringing your pyro friend
*Eye roll AGAIN* This is her first time blowing something up... She's not a pyro. But yes. Thalia's coming too.
;D
Do your work.
Leo threw her another note at her but she didn't read it and stuck it in her backpack instead. She giggled when she heard him huff.
The rest of class went on without a hitch and the bell came quickly after.
She was putting her books away when she turned around to see Leo looking at her expectantly.
"You'll have to go ahead of me. I have to go track down Thalia first." She said slinging her backpack over her shoulder and walking in front of him. "Kay. Picnic tables right?" He asked as they walked out of the room, him going in the opposite direction. She shot him a thumbs up and went to go find Thalia's classroom.
"Why are we sitting with random people when we could be out getting Taco Bell?" Thalia asked they walked down the hall towards the back doors. "Because," Annabeth started, "Piper is cool and Leo is... Leo. And we could really use some more friends." Thalia rolled her eyes and huffed. She didn't enjoy new people. "Bring Nico if you want," she offered hoping that would sway her...Thalia just shrugged. "He's eating lunch with his swimming friends."
"Well... I have some interesting news from second period." Annabeth murmured peeking out the corner of her eye. Thalia's eyes got big. "I totally forgot about that! How'd it go? You know seeing Jackson after you tried to claw is eyes out?" She asked with a wide grin on her face.
They had made it outside and was making their way over to the picnic tables when she answered. "I have to write him an apology."
She caught sight of Jason's blond locks at the table to the far left and felt her brows furrow as she saw him and Piper talking to each other, both with tense looks on their faces.
"You have to what? What do you have to apologize to him for?" Thalia said loudly, pulling Annabeth from her thoughts and her eyes from the table. She looked over at Thalia who looked ready to hurt someone.
"Apologize to who?" She heard Jason ask. She glanced over to see that he had moved to the other side of the table and crossed his legs.
Thalia answered for her, "She has to write an apology for Jackson."
Jason's eyebrows shot up. "Is that why you were mad earlier?"
Annabeth nodded.
"What happened?" Thalia and Jason said together.
Annabeth shrugged, "He told the teacher what i did and it was either an apology or the principal's office where i could get moved out of the class entirely."
"And the teacher actually believed him?" Thalia said appalled.
"Wait wait," Piper interrupted, "Jackson? As in Percy Jackson? That hot hunk of manliness on the swim team, Percy Jackson?"
Annabeth nodded. "Yep. That's the one."
"What did you do to piss him off?"
Ananbeth opened her mouth to answer when Jason cut her off, "Hot? Excuse me he is not hot!" She chuckled and ruffled his hair, "Not as hot as you, baby," she said with a wink.
"Please continue the story and stop flirting with my brother," Thalia yelled.
Annabeth looked back at Piper, "He's mad at me because I jumped on him yesterday."
Piper smirked, "Well I don't see anything wrong with that. I'd jump him too."
"No not that kind of jumping," Annabeth said and giggled at Jason's angry facial expression.
"I went in swinging. It wasn't a necessarily friendly encounter." She explained turning to Piper.
Piper opened her mouth to talk when a voice behind them interrupted. "Dang Annie. First blowing things up, and now i hear you threw some punches too? Somebody was not having a good day yesterday."
They all turned around to see a smiling Leo standing behind them with a huge tray full of food in his arms.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Thalia asked rudely, breaking the silence.
"Thals!" Annabeth gasped and turned around ready to scold her tactless best friend when Leo waved a hand at her dismissively. He reached forward, his hand in a fist, and offered it to the intimidating girl in front of him.
"Leo Valdez. Mechanic in training, champion prankster, Beauty Queen over here's bestie, and the newest member of your fan club."
The table grew quiet and watched as Thalia stared at him for a beat and slowly raised her fist, gingerly bumping her hand with his. "I wasn't aware i still had a fan club after yesterday."
Leo nodded enthusiastically, "Oh especially after yesterday! I wasn't here to see it, but i heard enough from Annie over here to know that it had to be spectacular."
"Do not cal me Annie."
"Tell that to she drenched cheerleaders."
Annabeth and Thalia said at the same time.
"There were cheerleaders too?" The hyper boy asked excitedly, completely ignoring Annabeth.
"Yeah, they looked like drowning cats. They were screeching like ones too."
Leo put down the tray of food in front of Piper and started pulling Thalia in the other direction and asking her for more details.
"So what were you talking about before the nimrod walked over here?" Piper asked, nibbling on her slice of cheese pizza.
Annabeth sighed and pushed her hands under her chin, "Percy told the teacher that I attacked him and he didn't feel comfortable with me sitting next to him until I apologized formally." She said using air quotes. "The teacher even saw threw his bullshit, but since I couldn't deny what he said he had to take Percy's word for it."
Piper shrugged, "Why didn't you just lie? I'm sure the teacher would have picked you over Jackson anyway."
"I couldn't. Do you know how many cameras probably got that on video? Some janitor probably got a kick out of watching me attempt to beat up a guy twice my size."
She rolled her eyes for what felt like the millionth time today. "Percy knew I wouldn't lie so he decided to get a little fun out of it too."
Piper threw down her slice of pizza and smacked Annabeth's arm. "You're giving up that easy?"
"What do you mean?" She asked warily, rubbing her arm.
"I mean," Piper started, her smile getting mischievous, "You can show him who's boss and let him know that he can't treat you like that!"
"And how would i do that?"
Piper stared almost incredulously, "By fucking up that apology. Tell him how you really feel and see what he does about that."
Annabeth sighed, "I can't do that. I'd just get it even more trouble than i already am."
Piper shook her head fast, the barrettes in her hair moving wildly. "He wouldn't tell. Boys and their pride... It's ridiculous."
"No. I can't. I need to be the bigger person. I got myself into this, there's no point in digging myself deeper down."
She saw Jason nod from the corner of her eye, "Yeah, after he gets this stupid apology he'll leave you alone and you won't have to deal with him anymore."
"But seriously Piper, thank you though. If i was half as brave as you seem to be I probably wouldn't have had a problem telling him off. But that's just not me."
The girl in front of her smiled and waved a hand. "Oh I'm a totally pansy. I just thought my false confidence could have helped you out."
Annabeth laughed and reached over to help herself to the slice of pizza on Jason's plate as they started talking about their classes together.
"You need to behave."
"I don't see why, I didn't do anything."
"You set a stink bomb off in the middle of school."
"Most of them deserved it."
"That's not the point."
"I won't do anything else. I have a reputation and a fan club to maintain. If i start pulling pranks everyday, i lose the excitement factor."
"You don't have a fan club Thalia."
"Don't tell that to Valdez."
"Promise me."
"Promise you what?"
"That you won't try anything."
"Fine i won't try anything today."
"Promise!"
"I promise I won't try anything today."
"Don't do anything at all... ever."
"Yeah I'm not agreeing to that."
Annabeth sighed rubbing her temples as her and Thalia took their first steps into biology class. There was no point in trying to convince her friend to try to be good for any long periods of time, so she figured that she should bask in the normality of today while it lasted.
She tried to walk silently and go in without the teacher's notice, but to no avail. "Miss. Chase and Miss. Grace, if you would be so kind as to come to my desk for a minute."
Annabeth blushed when she heard Thalia chuckle behind her and make a b-line for the teacher. She plodded over and stood behind Thalia as if that would help her hide.
The older woman cleared her throat and clasped her hands, "I'm sure i don't need to tell you about how dangerous your behavior was yesterday, I'm sure Principal Griffin has already reprimanded you enough. With that being said, I'm just going to move Thalia across the room next to Mr. Jackson..." She was cut off by the sound of Thalia's obnoxious laughter. "Is there something funny Miss. Grace?"
Thalia held in her laughter, wrapping her arms around her stomach, "No no carry on," she leaned over to look at the ID wrapped around the woman's neck, "Rachel." She said smiling cheekily.
The teacher sputtered, "I-i-it's Miss. Keys to you."
Thalia nudged her side and murmured in her ear, "Not married huh?" Annabeth elbowed her and stepped forward. "What were you saying Miss. Keys?"
She heard someone cough towards the back of the class.
"Thalia will be moving next to Mr. Jackson and Annabeth you will stay put next to Miss. Atlas and a new student will be seated in Miss. Grace's old seat. Any questions? Then go sit down." She snapped before they could respond.
Annabeth turned to find Calypso sitting at the table already, her eyes trained on her. She stiffened up immediately. She never thought about how Calypso would possibly feel about how things went down yesterday.
"Hey," Annabeth started timidly.
Calypso just stared for a few seconds before she started laughing... Loudly.
"Did you *chuckle* really think *chuckle* that I would be mad *chuckle* at you?"
She shrugged and started to laugh herself. "I didn't know if you would be mad or not."
Calypso shook her head and wiped her tears away. "Yesterday was hilarious. I could never get mad about a good prank."
"Well I'm glad. I like you and I'd rather not lose a friend because my other one was being...herself."
She shook her head again, "You won't. And i like you too." She said with a wink.
A loud groan at the front of the room pulled them both from their conversation. Percy Jackson stood at the front of the room, backpack slung over his shoulder as he glared at Thalia from across the room. "Why is she in my seat?" He asked no one in particular. Miss. Keys stood up and pointed to the seat next to Thalia, "Sit in the seat next to that one Mr. Jackson I'm sure you've been in school long enough to know how that works."
Percy just continued to glared at Thalia before looking around the room like he was trying to find another place to sit. His eyes met Calypso's first, but then narrowed instantly as he moved on to Annabeth.
He rolled his eyes and huffed out a 'fine' before sitting down and sliding as far away from Thalia's seat as he could.
"He is such an asshole," Annabeth murmured before she could help herself.
"He really can be sometimes." Calypso agreed.
"Have you had to deal with him a lot?"
"Oh everyday."
"How many classes do you have with him?"
"Just this one," she said flipping her bronze hair over her shoulder.
Annabeth stared, "Then how..?"
Calypso smiled brightly and laughed.
"Because I'm his girlfriend."
Thanks for reading and please review. ;D
~ TUTU