Chapter 3: Green monster
As soon as they reached the beach Percy threw his stuff on the sand, yelled ''race you!'' to Thalia and Annabeth and sprinted to the water. The two girls shared a look and then took off after him.
''Well, I guess we'll spread the towels here.'' Leo said watching after the trio.
''Couldn't figure it out without you Repair boy.'' Piper smiled mockingly at him and went to prepare her spot.
She stuck an umbrella in the sand and hid under it, trying to not stay under the sun just yet. And since she was in no mood for sunbathing just yet she dug out a book out of her bag: Hamlet by Shakespeare, and sat cross legged with her sunglasses on her head.
''Are you two coming?'' Leo turned to her and Jason, who was also getting ready to lie on the sand.
''Maybe later Leo, have fun!'' she smiled at him and the Latino boy turned to his other best friend expectantly.
''No can do bro, I plan on enjoying some good music and relax here for a while. Call me when you decide to play volleyball.'' Jason said pointing at his i-pod on the towel next to him.
''Party poopers. Well, after a night like this maybe you need to relax.'' Leo wiggled his eyebrows at Jason and Piper visibly paled while pretending to read. Good thing that she was hidden in the shadows and her face wasn't so visible.
Jason's eyes widened and he glared at Leo who grinned even more.
''Well, I'll leave you two be then.'' And with that he joined the rest in the water.
Piper tried really hard to pay attention only to the book in her hands but as Jason stood up and started taking off his clothes lazily she couldn't stop stealing glances at his toned skin, his noticeable abs and some other parts of his body that made her blush and reminded her of last night.
Finally, she huffed slightly and unbraided her hair, letting it like a shield between the two. There, much easier to concentrate!
''Are you sure you're okay Pipes?'' Jason asked her then and she made the mistake to look at him.
He was lying on the towel, propped up on his elbows, one of his ear buds pulled out of his ear and his aviators on top of his sun-kissed hair. It didn't help at all that he was only wearing his swimming shorts. Piper felt her face heating.
''Yeah, everything's fine, you?'' she finally answered, averting her eyes to look at their friends in the ocean.
''Okay I guess.'' He shrugged turning to look away from her too. ''I had the weirdest night and my head is still heavy but it could have been worse.
Piper tensed at his words: had he remembered something?
''What do you mean?'' she asked trying to sound casual while playing with her hair.
''Oh, uhm…'' he sounded a little flustered and Piper resisted the urge to look at him again. ''It's just that I kind of got really drunk and remember only parts of the evening. And it really feels strange, you know, not knowing what you have done and in front of who.'' He finished in a strange tone and she instinctively turned to him.
Jason's gaze was still fixed on their friends competing on who could swim faster (with Percy obviously winning). His eyes were scrunched and a little distant as if his thoughts had sent him to another world while his ears were pink. He suddenly relaxed and lied completely on the towel, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
''Crazy.'' He muttered and chuckled. He slid his sunglasses on and turned to one side to avoid the sun. He was about to speak again when Thalia came to them and earned their attention.
''Okay, time's up. You two wanna join us for a game?'' she asked and pointed towards Annabeth, Percy and Leo who were already by the net with a few people Piper didn't know.
''Why not?'' Piper sighed and stood up, wanting to release some tension.
''Count me in too then. I'm not going to stay here alone.'' Jason joked and lifted himself up from the ground.
''Good! Come on!'' his sister said and led them to the others.
Piper removed her shirt; she didn't want to get tanned on sleeves. She joined the rest within a minute.
''Piper, these are Will, Calypso, Mitchell and Zoë. You don't mind them joining in, right?'' Percy said, gesturing to the new faces.
''Not at all.'' She answered with a smile and turned to the newcomers, extending her hand. ''Nice to meet you.''
''Nice to meet you too.'' The blond one, Will shook her hand firmly while smiling at her. ''By the way, nice tattoo.''
On instinct Piper turned around trying to see it but then realized that she couldn't. She laughed at herself and shook her head, turning to Will again.
''Thanks, it's new.'' She smiled back at him.
And she wasn't lying. She had managed to convince her parents to let her get tattooed two months ago. As soon as they said yes and signed the needed papers she made a tattoo on her back, just bellow the strap of her bathing suit. It was of a pair of spread eagle's wings. Above them it was written the word 'Believe' in a fancy script. It wasn't big; around 4 inches long, but Piper liked it very much.
''So…how are we going to do this?'' Annabeth said breaking their conversation suddenly.
''Well, we are totally ten people so that means five people in each team right?'' Leo said counting everything on his hands, just to be sure.
''I'll count the points!'' Nico's voice came from behind them and they turned to see the dark-haired boy coming to them. ''Oh, and I'm Nico by the way.'' He said noticing the new people around. A round of hi's and hey's followed before everyone focused on splitting into two teams.
In the end Percy, Annabeth, Mitchell, Zoë and Calypso were in one team while Leo, Piper, Will, Thalia and Jason were in the other. Nico positioned himself at the net and the game began.
''I can't believe you actually beat us!'' Thalia exclaimed after the game had ended.
''Well, believe it Pinecone face, we won without even cheating.'' Percy exclaimed happily even making a small victory dance. Annabeth sighed and halted him suddenly, almost causing him to fall on his back in the sand.
Thalia was fuming while Jason tried to sooth her without much success.
''Well, technically, Leo caused you to loose the last points.'' Nico interrupted talking to no one in particular.
Thalia turned her glare towards the said guy to find him already running away, sand flying around him.
''Oh no you won't.'' she growled and took off after him.
Noticing her, Leo squealed and pick up speed. Percy began laughing hysterically, leaning on Annabeth for support. His girlfriend just shook her head with helplessness.
''It's not funny man!'' Leo yelled at him and at the sight of the angry Latino boy running towards him the black haired one took of too. Thalia was smiling triumphantly behind both of them.
''Are your friends always like that?'' Will leaned to ask the laughing Piper and with the corner of her eye she noticed Jason frowning at her.
''Well, not always but most of the time.'' She answered him and he chuckled with her.
''It's never boring around you, is it?''
''Welcome to my life!'' she shrugged and looked at his face which was now a little too close to her.
''Hey, do you want to go and get a drink? I know a small place not far from here where they sell the best smoothies I've tasted around here.'' Will asked her and Piper hesitated for a moment.
''Sure, why not. You guys want something?'' she turned to the rest.
When everyone ordered they went away from them, walking along the beach.
''So, are you from here?'' he asked her, trying to struck up a conversation.
''Yeah, actually. My parents have a…house in the city. And where are you from?''
''Palm spring, California.'' He answered and Piper started laughing, making him scrunch his eyebrows in confusion. ''What's so funny?''
''What are you doing in New York then? You know that the west coast is much closer than the east right?''
He laughed along with her.
''Well, I wanted a change for a while. I've always wanted to visit New York. We used the opportunity to travel a little.''
Will winked at her and she chuckled lightly, blushing a little. He was obviously flirting with her and Piper found it harmless to return it back at him. After all, he was a nice-looking guy; it was noticeable that he was from California with his toned body, blond hair and clear blue eyes. They weren't like Jason's though; his were more sharp and bright.
Piper shook her head suddenly, trying to cut her train of thoughts. Why was she comparing Will to Jason? They were two different people and she couldn't change that. But Will was at least free (he had made that clear while they played) and Jason was…well, Jason. Ugh, she was going crazy. She needed to loosen up a little.
''Actually, I've lived in L.A. for a while when I was a child.'' Piper turned to Will again with a smile. He returned it immediately.
''Oh, so a fellow Californian then? With the dark hair, I wouldn't have guessed. I'm probably used to the blonds.'' He laughed.
''You know that you're blond two, right?''
''And your point is…?''
Piper chuckled and shook her head. Will was definitely a good guy. And she needed a little easiness today.
A frown formed on Jason's face when Piper arrived with this Will guy half an hour later, both of them laughing hysterically. She pushed him playfully away from her making him falter to the other side and Jason caught himself wish he would fall and embarrass himself. Why was that?
They gave everyone the wanted drinks and went to sit under Piper's umbrella to talk. The others returned to the water where they were passing a ball between each other. Jason tried focusing on the game but their laughter was like a knife stabbed in his brain and for some reason he wanted to go and strangle the guy. Which was totally irrational and he knew that but he just couldn't stop.
''Hey little bro, are you here?'' Thalia turned to him, bringing him out of his reverie.
''What? Oh, yes, of course. Why?'' he quickly answered starting to follow the ball again.
''You just seem like your thoughts are somewhere else.'' She remarked and his eyes quickly darted to Piper and her new friend. Thalia noticed this and turned to look at that direction. ''Piper sure is close to the new guy huh.'' Thalia snickered while Jason tried to stop himself from frowning.
''Yeah. But I don't think she should trust him so easily. There is something about him that I don't like.'' He remarked narrowing his eyes as Will leaned a little bit closer to Piper than before.
Thalia looked at him for a while before a smirk split her face.
''Oh, I know what is happening here. You're just jealous!'' she taunted him and he turned to glare at his sister incredulously.
''Jealous? Me? Of him? Ha! Why should I be anyway?''
''I don't know. Maybe because she's your best friend and she had just ignored all of us, including you, to go sit with this new hot guy alone. Or maybe you like her and…''
''Don't get ridiculous.'' Jason sent her one last critical look and hit the ball towards Leo.
''If you say so. But you didn't fool me, let alone yourself.'' She nudged him and that did it. He huffed and got out of the water.
Halfway towards his towel he met Piper and Will, who were joining the rest in the water.
''Oh, hi…Jason, right?'' Will greeted him.
''Yeah, the same. Having fun?'' Jason asked a little harshly and Piper raised am eyebrow at him, silently asking if everything was alright.
''Yes, Piper is surprisingly a good company.'' The other guy answered and Piper nudged him playfully while blushed slightly, which made Jason frown even more.
''Yeah, I know from experience. After all, I know her for so long.'' He commented and a triumphant smirk appeared on his face when he saw Will's discomfort.
''Okay.'' He said, looking between the two and then at his wrist watch. ''I think it's time for us to go, the girls said something about returning to the city for sightseeing. Can't leave them waiting.'' He chuckled nervously and turned to Piper. ''Maybe you'll call me the next time you visit California?''
''Maybe.'' She smiled brightly at him and Jason glared. Will hurriedly made his way towards his friends at the water, leaving the two alone.
''What was that for?'' Piper suddenly turned to Jason with confused expression and Jason could sense her irritation rising.
''I have no idea what are you talking about.'' He answered nonchalantly, turning to walk to his towel but before he could make any step towards it she caught his arm, making him look at her now angry face.
''You know exactly what I'm talking about Jason. Why was that behavior toward Will?'' she demanded.
''Oh, so now you are defending him?''
''No, I just want to know what got into you.''
''I just don't like him, okay. I know the guys like him and I don't want you to get hurt.''
''Too late.'' She mumbled barely audible while letting go of his arm and stepping away of him.
''What was that? What do you mean by 'too late'? He didn't do anything to you did he?'' Jason asked urgently, grabbing her wrist now to prevent her from escaping him.
''He hadn't done anything. It's not him.'' She shrugged and before he could react she pulled her hand away from his grasp and stomped towards her spot on the sand.
What had gotten into him? It wasn't like Piper was meeting a guy for the first time. With her looks and cheerful personality she had a lot of guys chasing her though she would never admit it. Leo and Jason usually played the good-cop-bad-cop game with them like good best friends and usually Piper was grateful for that. Especially after her last relationship with a guy named Dylan which turned out to be a big mistake.
Why was today any different? And why was he so angry when he saw her with Will? It wasn't like he could stop her from dating whoever she wanted. He didn't have the rights to do it.
When he arrived at his spot with the idea of apologizing to Piper he found that it wouldn't be so easy. She was lying on her stomach, her hands under her head, which was turned to the other side. Her sunglasses were hiding her eyes and her earphones were in her ears. She had separated herself form the world completely. Jason sighed desperately and decided to leave her be for now.
Lying on his towel, he pondered Thalia's words in his head once again. He couldn't be jealous. He wasn't her boyfriend or something, she wasn't his or anything. She was just his best friend. Well, he couldn't deny the way he reacted to her when they first met. He was awestruck by her beauty like most of the guys around and at that time he was still with Reyna. After a while they got closer and he and Leo found that she was also heart-strong, sarcastic and funny. They became best friends in no time, the inseparable trio, the three musketeers like some called them.
No, he definitely couldn't be jealous. He couldn't be, not after all this time. Then why was he feeling this uneasiness every time when he thought of her with that Will dude?
A\N: Sorrry guys for the little delay but I was on a school trip and was super tired when I came back and earlier today, the electricity system at home broke down so I couldn't write this chapter down. But here it is now so be kind and share your opinion with me.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed and favourite-d. It really means a lot, keep it up please! Till the next time! Love you!