Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson, Rick Riordan does. I only own my OC's and Plotline
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Miss Not-So-Popular
Chapter 22
Percy Jackson
Annabeth
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The game, as usual, started at 7, the gym was already filled with Goode students, parents, and other fans. Along with fans of the opposing team the Birch Rapids Trout, who sat in their school colors of blue and grey, while Goode was in the usual green and purple.
I hadn't left school at all since the end of the day, staying and working out before getting ready to play, Jason, Leo and I were running warm-ups and drills under the watchful eye of Coach Hedge. He stood on the side-lines in a black and white track suit, a baseball cap covering his curly hair and his silver whistle glinting in the gym lighting.
I was constantly scanning the stands for Annabeth and her cousin Malcolm, finally I saw her beautiful face in the bleachers of the student section, she smiled at me and I smiled back, and I noticed that she had a guy next to her, 'that must be Malcolm.' I thought.
As I was lost in thought, I didn't hear the "HEADS UP!" shouted in my direction and a stray ball bounced off my head. Swearing under my breath and rubbing my head I blushed when coach yelled, "JACKSON! GET YOUR LOVESICK HEAD OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND PAY ATTENTION!"
After warm-ups were done and the recording of the national anthem played, we got in position for the tip off, Jason slapped the ball to Leo, who passed it on to one of our guys who charged to the hoop, shot it and missed it. I quickly got the rebound and sunk a 2-pointer. There was a cheer from Goode's bleachers and I couldn't help but grin.
Twenty minutes later, with half a minute till half time, the grin was gone. We were down 24-6, which we could fix, but we were all sweaty and tired and panting. Luckily, in the thirty seconds left I was able to sink a three pointer and Leo got a lay-up at the buzzer.
Coach Hedge reined us all in for a pep-talk while the cheerleaders did their half time show. "Okay guys, if I see any eyes on those girls and their flouncy skirts you're out for the rest of the game. Listen, we can still win this game if we work hard and together as a team, okay so here are the plays—" he began showing us a bunch of X' and O's on his tiny white board, then pushed us back on the court for mid-game warm ups.
The second half started and immediately Jason nabbed the ball, tearing down the court and dunking, the crowd went wild and we lapped it up. Ten minutes went by and we were still down 32-20. The game had five minutes left, I grabbed the ball, passed it, it went from Ben Crosby to Leo, who passed to Jason who passed to me, I sunk an easy two points, and Birch Rapids grabbed the rebound, I sprinted up court and stole the ball as they passed it.
I shot it to Jason who sunk a three, 32-27. Five points down. We could do this, 2 minutes on the clock. Birch Rapids tried another point, missed, and Leo grabbed the rebound, dribbling down court as fast as he could. He missed, I snagged the rebound, I missed and one of our teammates grabbed it and got us another two points.
Another minute passed, we were down by one, both crowds were screaming till their lungs popped. I knew what I had to down. It was a foul on Birch Rapids. Two foul shots for me. I lined up my shot, dribbled, prayed hard, and sunk one. The crowd cheered but seemed to hold its breath as I shot and sunk it. Seven seconds were left on the clock, we couldn't afford to let them have a shot. Jason grabbed the ball after my foul shots and got a three right at the buzzer.
After many congrats, screams, pats on the back and a kiss from Annabeth, I'd showered and changed into my jeans, basketball t-shirt and a dark green Goode High Sweatshirt. It was time for victory pizza.
Leo, Jason and I met up with Piper, Calypso and Annabeth, along with her cousin Malcolm who Annabeth introduced us to.
"Your Annabeth's cousin? If I didn't know better you two could be siblings." Jason remarked as he shook Malcolm's hand.
"We get that a lot." Annabeth replied as she kissed my cheek.
"So you're the guy with braces and fuzzy hair who couldn't talk to Reyna? Damn she's in for a shock." Said Leo.
"Yeah, I had this really long awkward stage where all I did was shut myself in my room and play video games, basking in my own filth. It was a long 4 years." Malcolm joked, and I had to admit, he was a good-looking guy, compared to the picture Annabeth had shown me.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get food!" Cheered Piper, running ahead, her long ponytail swinging.
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Annabeth Chase
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When we arrived at Saucy's Hazel, Frank and Reyna were already there, they hadn't come to the game because a loud raucous gym wasn't really there atmosphere. They sat in the back on the room at one of the party table, Reyna's face buried in a menu, she didn't notice we came until I poked her on the shoulder.
"Oh hey." She said looking up, and her eyes widened when she saw who was behind me.
"Reyna, you remember Malcolm, my cousin?" I asked. Malcolm had changed a lot in the years since Reyna had seen him. He got his braces and head gear off, revealing two rows of pearly white straight teeth. His acne was no more, his skin smooth and tan and slightly stubbly from not shaving. His once frizzy, untamed blonde hair was now shorter, but long enough to have full, soft, baby curls that were a darker shade of blonde than mine. His eyes were greyish blue and calculating, again like mine. He had grown into his height, gotten some muscles and played football and baseball.
"Hey Rey, nice to see you again." Malcolm chuckled at her shocked expression, extending his hand for her to shake.
"H-hi, Malcolm." She said quietly, for the first time, Reyna Ramirez-Arellano was speechless.
AN: Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii! This might as well just be the most useless chapter ever because its just basketball and Malcolm and Reyna meeting again. I'm sorry If I got anything wrong in the game, I don't play b-ball, just pep band for it. Sorry for the longish wait, homework is slowly killing me. Yeah. I'm also updating twice tonight so props to me.
If you're an HP fan, go read my newest fic Bedtime Stories, it's a Lily Evans Cinderella story and I'm really excited about it. It'll be done before this one though, I only plan on making it 10-15 chapters, and I'll stop writing this whenever I feel like it! So you guys don't know when it'll end! Yay for mystery!
Remember to review!
Lots of Love
~RoseAurelia
