AN: Ok, so to everyone. I'm so sorry I haven't posted in so long! I had to give the library back The Battle of the Labyrinth and so I had to wait patiently for it to return. And it just did! I have finally finished my third chapter : ) This chapter is officially for all of my lovely readers and advertisers ;) You guys rock! Thank you!

Disclaimer: Nothing in this book that is from Rick Riordan's "The Battle of the Labyrinth" belongs to me.

Chapter 3 - I Witness the "Death" of a Cheerleader

As I pushed through the crowd of teenagers, the band's music hit me like a brick. I winced and scuttled by as quickly as possible to try and find a seat among all this craziness. I felt a deep connection with people when I squished between them searching for something I could relate to. Maybe Percy? Or that one girl? I didn't really officially meet them, but they seemed nice. There were banners strung around everywhere that I could barely read in the midst of the wild mob, but when I figured them out, they were a waste of my time. Goode is Good! one declared. Oh, goody, goody. Nobody looked excited to be here… in June. I guess it's to be expected. Since, you know, school starts in September. The school's motto is to excel early. I wish they would've asked us first before making that motto. Finally, I found a seat just as the speaker began. I couldn't really understand him. His voice kind of echoed everywhere. He had a nice suit on, though. After a few minutes, I realized I was sitting right next to Percy. I know it's weird. I just didn't have the time to look over before that. I think I gasped really loudly because he looked at me in complete confusion.

"Sorry," I smiled sheepishly.

He chuckled and went back to whatever he was doing before.

A second later, I heard a someone whisper dangerously, "What are you doing here?"

I snuck a peak over at them. It was that girl. The red head.

Percy looked at her in astonishment. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

So that's her name. Rachel.

Her jaw dropped. Soon after, her face slowly shifted to a slightly angry face. "And you're Percy somebody. I didn't get your full name last December when you tried to kill me," she hissed.

I almost jumped into my other seat neighbor's lap.

Percy glared. "Look I wasn't- I didn't… What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I guess. Orientation," Rachel shrugged and took a seat beside Percy.

"You live in New York?" Percy asked in surprise.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "What, you thought I lived at the Hoover Dam?"

Percy looked away from her in thought.

Some guy behind them suddenly whispered rudely, "Hey, shut up. The cheerleaders are talking!"

"Hi, guys!" a girl obnoxiously bubbled over the microphone. It was the weird blond cheerleader. "My name is Tammi, and this is, like, Kelli."

Kelli did a cartwheel across the stage.

A few seats down, Rachel yelped and gaped at the cheerleaders in horror. She grabbed Percy's arm and whispered urgently in his ear, "Run. Now."

Percy snorted. "Why?"

Immediately, Rachel began to quickly push her way to the edge of the crowded bleachers. She motioned for Percy to come. He hesitated. In that moment of hesitation, Percy glanced at the stage where Kelli caught eye contact with him and smirked. Uncertainly, he slowly picked him self up off his comfy little bleacher seat and pursued Rachel out of the gym. Yes. I was curious. So I followed.

I tip toed quietly behind them through the halls and passage ways. I felt strangely like a ninja. In the midst of hallway walls covered in lockers, Rachel suddenly stopped in front of the school band room and noiselessly slipped inside. I sneaked over to the ingress of extreme informality and old gum. Silently, I bent down to put my ear to the crack under the door. I discourteously began eavesdropping on their almost inaudible conversation.

I heard Rachel first. "Did they follow you?"

I quickly jerked away in fear of being discovered but I perceived no movement. I brought my head back down to the ground.

"You mean the cheerleaders?" Percy whispered.

Silence.

Finally, Percy spoke again. "I don't think so. What are they? What did you see?" His voice shivered with nervousness.

More silence.

"You… you wouldn't believe me," her tone stricken with terror.

"Oh, yeah, I would," Percy promised. "I know you can see through the Mist."

"The what?" Rachel sounded completely bewildered.

"The Mist. It's… well, it's like this veil that hides the way things really are. Some mortals are born with the ability to see through it. Like you."

My face melted into extreme curiosity with these people and they're mad/crazy conversation.

Again, more silence. Ugh.

Rachel spoke in a thoughtful manner. "You did that at Hoover Dam. You called me a mortal. Like you're not." Her last sentence was spread over with inquisitiveness and a slight stab of mockery.

A few moments went by and I could feel the tension.

Unexpectedly, Rachel spoke again, begging in tremendous want. "Tell me. You know what it means. All these horrible things I see?"

Percy sighed. "Look, this is going to sound weird. Do you know anything about Greek myths?"

"Like… the Minotaur and the Hydra?"

"Yeah. Just try not to say those names when I'm around, okay?" Percy said nervously.

"And the Furies," she rambled, just warming up. "And the Sirens and-"

"Okay!" Percy indistinctly commanded.

I could hear people exiting the gym in different groups. People laughing and chirping along the hallway. I could only stay for a few more minutes…

Percy took a deep breath. "All those monsters, all the Greek gods- they're real."

I shot back from the door and covered my mouth as a chuckle began to slip from my lips. Okay, it's official. They're insane. I ran down the hall and peeped back with an amused smile. BAM! I bounced off of something and onto the floor.

"Excuse me, miss," a man lisped.

I sat up and stared, intrigued by his round, chubby stomach. Is that seriously what I ran into? Is that what face bumped me at full force and flew me to, like, the other end of the hall? Gross.

"Did you lose your group?" he asked in concern. He stretched out his hand to help me up but I was fine with what contact we had today. That was enough. I politely got up myself.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was in the bathroom," I bubbled in my sweetest voice.

He smiled and pulled out a checklist. "Well, you may join our group then. What your name, honey?"

Honey? What a weirdo. Now, you may think I'm being mean but you didn't see him. His eyes poked out of his head in a creepy, pokey way. Bulgingly, his lips pursed outward in a kissing position as if he'd been practicing so much it stayed that way. His hair was in a comb over which I think was not necessary since he had, like, three strands left on his head.

"Gadiva Lockhart," I smiled.

"Welcome to our group, Gadiva!" He grinned crookedly. Every time he smiled, I hoped this guy wouldn't be stalking me for the rest of my life.

I laughed nervously and joined the group. The creepy teacher showed us around the school everywhere. No one really talked to each other so I just followed their lead of staying quiet. The library was amazing. Each book shelf was brimming with colorful bindings. When we got to the drama room I squealed in excitement. It was going to be amazing. I found that this school has some of the most professional teachers. Briskly, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a guy staring at me. Not in a weird way. Just like he was trying to figure me out. If I was really that bubbly person he saw. He had curly brown hair and a wispy beard. His complexion was soft.

"Um, hi," I said casually.

He seemed surprised but he beamed. "So, you're Gadiva?"

I smiled. "Yeah."

"Cool. I'm Bill."

I laughed. "Really? Awesome."

We, then, awkwardly fell into silence. I noticed we were getting really close to the band room. I wondered nervously if Percy and Rachel were still in there. Suddenly, we heard bashing noises coming from just down the hall. Oh, take a guess. This is a major Dora moment if you guessed it right or wrong but you probably got it right so… yep, you're right.

The stalker teacher started jogging (as fast as his little jiggly legs could take him) in complete and utter exasperation toward the band room. The whole group ran to the door just as it flung open.

The African-American cheerleader, Kelli, dove out of the door and into the hallway where she shrieked. "Oh, no, please!" As she said this, a crazy black-haired kid jumped through the door way and sliced violently at her throat. I covered my mouth with my hand as she was surreally engulfed into flames and disappeared.

Percy looked up in horror at the people surrounding him. He gasped when he saw Paul staring at him in great sadness. His emotions hurt.

"Percy," Paul Blofis looked completely stunned. "What have you done?

WOW! I,751 words, folks! WELL! I hope you guys liked it! REVIEW! Thanks again for your wonderfulness! -Sockface13