Annabeth was walking to her seat in Algebra with Mrs. Dodds when she stumbled. That stupid Bobofit and her friend, Tanaka (for people who don't know, it's Drew) trying to trip her as always.

Annabeth ignored them and sat on her usual seat, in the back of the class. She blocked out the droning voice of Mrs. Dodds. She usually did try to listen. But today, her stupid alarm clock had decided to wake her up at 4 am when she only managed to fall asleep at 1 am in the morning.

Then, she forgot that she had to bring the permission form for the field trip to the Metropolitan Museum by today, and had to walk home to get it. But when she arrived, the door was locked, and she had to go through the back door. It lead her to the storage room that was filled with *shudders* spiders.

Besides, she already learned what they were talking about when she was 12.

The kids called her teacher's pet, in which she had no idea why. She didn't participate in class and didn't talk to anybody. And well, she may or may not have corrected Mrs. Dodds on a formula on the start of a semester, which made her instantly hate Annabeth. Together they made a special one-of-a-kind-connection which included a lot of glares, I'm-going-to-put-you-in-detentions, and I'd-like-to-see-you-tries.

Three rows across her, Nancy Bobofit was pretending to pay rapt attention while kicking the chair in front of her with a scrawny boy named Grover.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. As if. That girl couldn't fool a satyr from Greek mythology even if they were disguising as humans, carrying a baseball bat, and calling everyone 'cupcakes'. (Annabeth once told that to Luke, and he gave her a strange look. Which left Annabeth wondering how and why on earth she even thought of it in the first place.)

Mrs. Dodds was just starting to explain about i the imaginary number that became a negative one when squared, (I'm not sure what you learn in Algebra. Sorry if it's off.) when someone knocked on the door.

It was the principal, Mr. D. No one knew why he even became the principal if he was only going to whine about not being able to drink wine and never getting their names right. (If he called her Anniebell Face one more time…)

But there was an unfamiliar girl next to him. She had dark Cherokee skin and ever-changing eyes. She was wearing a… Hello Kitty shirt? with her hair chopped unevenly, but she still radiated beauty.

"Alright you bunch of stupid kids, listen up! There's a new girl in your class. I guess I should say welcome. Well, blah blah blah welcome to Olympus High, Perper-"

The class burst out laughing. It was always funny to see Mr. D get the names wrong, unless it was directed at them.

"Piper," she said, annoyed. "It's Pipe-"

"Whatever."

Drew eyed the girl up and down with disgust. "What are you wearing? Got it from a dumpster?"

"I don't remember asking for your opinion, make-up face," she snapped back.

The whole class ooh-ed. Annabeth smiled. Drew flushed an unattractive bright red.

"Whatever, dumpster girl."

"Alright, Piper. Sit on the desk with the blond girl"

"Um… there are like 7 blond girls here."

"Annabeth, raise your hand."

Annabeth snapped out of examining the new girl.

"What?" she shouted in disbelief. "I don't want to sit with someone-"

"Go sit beside her."

Annabeth groaned. Algebra was the only time where she could just answer some questions and be in her world. And apparently it was going to be taken away from her.

Piper slid into the seat besides her.

"Hey."

"Hey," Annabeth grumbled.

Just another person who pretended to be her friend and leave her, like countless people over the years.

"What's your name?"

"Annabeth."

"Okay, Annabeth."

There was an awkward silence.

"Red or blue?"

"What?" Whatever Annabeth was expecting, it wasn't this.

Piper shrugged. "Sorry. ADHD. Oh, and dyslexia as well."

Annabeth was surprised. She never met anyone ADHD and dyslexic other then Thalia, Luke, and herself.

"I have ADHD and dyslexia too."

Piper brightened, "Really? Do you think you could show me around? I don't have any friends here."

Annabeth considered refusing. She was a very antisocial person, and she didn't want to waste anytime in something that would be pointless later.

But she really needed a friend. Wow, she was starting to sound desperate.

"Please?"

"Sure. Why not?"

Piper broke into a grin. "Thanks!"

After the dreaded Algebra lesson ended, Annabeth introduced Piper to Olympus High, the most famous school in all of New York.

And for the first time, Annabeth sat with a person during lunch.

—:)—

Annabeth and Piper were walking in the hallway after a boring lesson from Dr. Boring, the science teacher. They were walking past the water fountain when they saw Nancy bullying Grover, with Drew besides laughing.

Grover Underwood was a strange kid. He had no parents, lived with his step-father. He had a weird voice problem where he'd make goat sounds. He also had a weird obsession with enchiladas. On top of that, he was crippled. No one ever talked to him. One time Annabeth did in ninth grade, he mentioned a person named 'Percy,' but other than that, he seemed to be completely antisocial, even more than Annabeth.

Now, Nancy Bobofit had her mind set on making him her next victim of the week. That girl bullied everyone who didn't have any friends. Did she think really think it would help with her popularity?

Nancy pushed Grover in the water fountain nearby, and sneered.

"Come on, fight back! You're useless. No wonder your parents are gone. They couldn't bear seeing your ugly face!"

Annabeth winced. She knew how hard it was to have no parents.

"Seriously, Nancy, let's go. This kid's no fun," Drew huffed and walked away.

Nancy followed her, leaving Grover half dripping wet with water and… peanut butter and ketchup? (where did it even come from?) in his hair.

Everyone was looking at him with disgust. Annabeth averted her eyes. She was about to walk away, when Piper stepped forward.

"Come on, we've got to help him!"

Annabeth started at her in disbelief, and followed her.

Piper was helping Grover up. "You okay?" she asked.

Grover had tears in his eyes.

"Yeah," he managed to say. "Thanks for helping me. You're the first one who did. Well, other than Percy."

Annabeth shrunk back in shame.

"Hey, Annabeth." She forced herself to look at Grover.

"How do you know my name?"

"We talked once, remember?"

"I didn't even bother talking to you after that." Annabeth looked away.

"It's alright. Percy's the only one who did. Well, he didn't say-" Grover suddenly stopped and looked away as if he revealed to much about this mysterious Percy.

"Anyways, what's your name?"

"Piper."

"Well, Piper, thanks for the help. I hope I'll be seeing you around?"

"Of course!"

"Well then, bye."

And with that he limped away, leaving Annabeth filled with shame and happiness that she (sort-of) made a new friend.

"That was really brave of you, Piper."

She shrugged. "Just seemed like the right thing to do."

"I couldn't do it for years. If I had a fatal flaw, it would be pride."

"Then I'll have to help you, won't I?" Piper teased.

And the two of them walked to the next class, History, as the bell rang, leaving Annabeth much happier than the day before.

—:)—

Annabeth was annoyed. She forgot to bring her chemistry homework again. Mrs. White told her she could let it slide one time but twice? She'd have to put her in detention.

So that explained why she was trying to write her essay about atoms in the middle of the hallway. She was just about to write about the nucleus, when she crashed into someone. She fell on her bottom, but the other person seemed to be completely fine.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Annabeth looked up, and saw a strange sight. A Chinese-Canadian with a muscular body but a chubby face was looking at her at concern.

"Hey, Frank!"

The person, apparently named Frank turned red. "Ha-Hazel!"

Hazel was a pretty girl with cocoa skin and brown curls. When she looked at Annabeth, she saw that her eyes were a startling golden color.

"Hi," she waved to Annabeth. "I'm Hazel."

Frank added, "And I'm Frank. I'm so sorry I crashed into you, …"

"Annabeth." What was it with her talking to strangers these days?

"Would you mind showing me where the chemistry room is? I'm kind of new here, and I'm not sure where it is."

Annabet glanced helplessly at her essay about atoms abandoned on the ground. "Er… Sorry, but I need to finish this before I go to class. I forgot to bring the one that I did."

Hazel looking mildly disappointed said, "Yeah, it's alright."

"Wait, Frank could help you, right?"

He instantly turned red again. "Su-Sure. I have chemistry too."

Hazel froze for a moment, and looked down at her hands. Then she seemed to decide that whatever she thought of wasn't important, and smiled at him. "Thanks so much for your help!"

Frank's eyes widened, and seemed to change back to normal. "It's this way."

They walked together towards the chemistry room, as Piper came running towards her. "Sorry I'm late. My alarm clock rang 20 minutes later than usual. I swear, there's something evil in those clocks that tries to drive people crazy."

Even though it was a completely ridiculous theory, and Piper said it as a joke, Annabeth found herself nodding her head. Then she snapped out of it. Piper had a very persuasive voice. So much that it seemed a bit unnatural to her.

Annabeth shook her head.

Chemistry essay first.

—:)—

During lunchtime, Frank and Hazel asked if they could sit with Annabeth, and she reluctantly agreed, wondering why people were suddenly being friendly to her.

Annabeth observed everything from the side, a habit from being alone for 4 years.

Even though Piper was very outspoken and Hazel was very shy, they hit it off together. Grover also asked Piper if he could sit with them. Although Annabeth was jealous of Piper's skills to make friends so quickly, she was happy to get a chance to talk to Grover. She found out that Grover was an active environmentalist, like his parents and his step-father.

After the bell rang signaling the end of the day, she watched Piper playfully tease Frank about Hazel. She only knew these people for a day (a week for Piper) but she already felt the most at ease with them. Stop it, Annabeth, she told herself. Don't get too attached to anyone. She dreaded the day they would ask about her marks, telling them, and the whispering and stares that followed after.

Annabeth was walking to get her jacket from her locker, when she crashed into someone for the second time that day. Not again, she grumbled to herself.

But when she met his eyes, she couldn't stop a gasp from escaping.

Those eyes… She saw the same ones on a her best friend for 4 years.

And that face… she once saw it in a photograph 9 years ago, and although it was different, they shared the same features.

"Jason?"

—

Thanks for reading! Please review! (Constructive criticism is always welcome) :)

P.S. are the characters too OOC? If they are, please tell me how to fix them!