What I Dreamed Last Night, chapter 4
A/N: Hey! So, here's chapter 4! Sorry I haven't updated, just been sorta tired lately. Anyway, I give my heart to 'ICE CREAM ROCKS don't dis me, Sherlock-Jim-Stole-the-TARDIS, and Blackberry Explosion for your reviews! Can't wait to see what you have to say for this chapter! Please review, favorite and share if you love this story, and can't wait to see what you guys have to say! I absolutely adored "The Outsiders" when I read it in the eigth grade, and I wanted to use it at one point in a fanfic. But do remember, I do now own the novel, because if I did, Johnny would've lived. And Dally too.
"Annabeth and Percy, you two will be assigned The Outsiders by S.E Hinton-"
She couldn't get rid of him, could she?
June 16th. 2014. Yesterday, Percy Jackson had tricked her into going to Prom with him, and she had managed to evade the thought, all the way home, and this morning, until Mr. Brunner began to hand out their final English projects for the year. Though Annabeth didn't mind healthy partnership for projects, as that way they could exchange ideas and come up with solutions with the aid of another, she'd rather do it alone then do it with her promised date. She would go up to Mr. Brunner and plead to let her switch partners, even to let her do the project solo. But she's missed her chance, as he had just announced Chris Rodriguez and Clarisse La Rue together as partners, and what Mr. Brunner said is final. Glancing over at Percy from across the classroom, she sees he's fallen asleep on his binder, the assignment still open, currently being drooled out. Sending pleading eyes to Reyna, who had just been paired with Octavian, she walks over to the bookshelf, and picks out two copies of the assigned novel. Holding the novels close to her chest, as soon as she reaches Percy's desk, she swats him in the head with it.
He jerks to life, his eyes flying open. He looks around madly for a moment, as nearby classmates laugh at his reaction, and when he finds Annabeth standing in front of him, he quickly wipes away the drool on his chin.
"So, Chase, can't get enough of me?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows. Rolling her eyes, she drags a plastic chair over, and slams her rather large english binder, pencil case, and the novels on Percy's desk, effectively shocking him.
"No, we have to work on this project together, Jackson, and I don't plan on failing.
"Oh, right, right..." He opens the key rings to his binder, and taking out the page that described their project, "The final english project...the english project that is final, the project in english..."
"If you keep rambling, Jackson, we won't get it done." She glares at him, and he actually reads the page as she takes out her pencil and begins to scan the questions on the page.
"Name three similarities between yourself and the characters in the novel. Use examples and scenes from the book to support your reasons." She reads in a monotone voice, and she thinks for a moment, trying to re-assess all the characters in the book. What were similarities? There was Ponyboy, and she could use the strange names as a similarity, but that just seemed like lazy reasoning-
"Darry and I seem pretty alike," Percy murmurs to himself, slowly pulling the tuque he wore off his head, his black locks messy and tangled, freed from their hiding spot, "Ruggedly handsome, if I say so myself, tough, strong, ummm..." He poises his pencil above his paper, ready to write, but it seems as though he's run out of ideas. "Okay, that doesn't work, other then the ruggedly handsome, if I say so." He strikes what's supposed to be an attractive expression, and turns to Annabeth, "What do you think, Chase?"
"I think I'd rather see a dead rat then that." She comments, her voice dead panned and emotionless. Instead of hearing Percy do a mock voice, of saying he's hurt and shocked, silence reaches her ears. She looks up, to see Percy looking down at his paper, and she knows he's biting his lip hard. Did she upset him? "Percy...is something wrong?"
"You know, I have feelings too," he says softly, avoiding her gaze, his voice soft, laced with hurt, "I mean, I know you hate me and everything, but I was just teasing. You...You don't have to try and hurt me every time I try to have a good time, Chase."
"Well, maybe...I..." She stutters to try and find an explanation to her insults, but really, once she thinks about it...she has no reason to be mean. Sure, he was annoying, teasing, and lazy, but he's never tried to hurt her. Never tried to cause harm, or done anything that would deserve a backlash.
"I mean, I don't blame you," Percy says, setting down his pencil, "I don't blame you, but I'm just letting you know, I don't hate you. I actually want to be your friend, Annabeth." He sighs, running a hand through his hair. She tries to ignore the pent up emotions that were beginning to flood her, but her pencil is taken from her hand and set on the table. She looks up to see Percy, his elbow resting on his knee, his eyes looking into her own with sincerity.
"You know, since we're trapped for this Prom thing, might as well try to be friends, huh?"
"Friends?"
"You know, people you aren't romantically attached with, but you still have a good time?" He smiles crookedly at her awed expression, "Chase, I just want to have a good time at that Prom. But I won't if I know you're secretly hating me every time I turn my back." He extends his hand, ignoring her shocked expression. "C'mon, let's try this. Friends?"
Annabeth stares at his hand for a moment, assessing logistics and the value of his offer. He was right. They couldn't have a good time if they were constantly bickering and basically bringing down the mood of their friends. She didn't want to ruin this for her friends. She didn't want to ruin this for herself. She promised to herself she would have a good time, and god damnit, if that meant having to get along with Percy Jackson-
"Friends."
And she shook his hand.
June 17th. Roughly 3:30pm. Jason Grace graces the transit bus, handing in his bus ticket, and awkwardly making his way through the crowded, tight space. The occasional teacher, who you avoid eyes with. The kids you don't talk to, but you wouldn't call yourself enemies, giving you the stink eye when you take the last available free space. The man with the beard who gives you a strange look, the woman with the fur coat who looks at you as though you're a speck of dirt. Jason sighs, as he stands near the pole. He wonders how Thalia, his stepsister, will be getting home. Though Mom and Dad always talk about the importance of the Grace family being together and well knit, it just didn't work. Thalia was in a completely different world then Jason. She listened to Green Day, wore leather, had her hair cut short and improper, and frankly, didn't give a shit what other people thought of her. Himself? He listens to Panic! At the Disco, wore checkered shirts, his hair was the proper length's a boy's should be. He thought a lot of what other people thought of him.
He and Thalia could share a decent conversation, but they didn't click the way siblings should. These days, though, that upset him. He knew his stepsister was best friends with his current crush, Piper Mclean, the girl he wanted to take to Prom. If they were closer, he could ask Thalia if Piper knew he was alive, if Piper wanted to go with him, what Piper wanted to do for Prom. It all made sense. These thoughts ring in his head as the bus continues on its way, driving down Main Street. He relaxes, slowly reaching for his earbuds, turning on his IPod. He turns to the album of Panic! At the Disco, scrolling down to the song "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies-"
Suddenly, the bus stops with such force, many passengers are thrown to their feet. Jason's IPod goes skidding across the bus floor, but that's the least of his concerns, as another passenger flies at him from the back of the bus. With quick reflexes, having obtained them from playing basketball, baseball and other sports, he catches the girl in his arms, and everybody soon calms down, as the busdriver yells apologies nobody wants to hear. However, that was the least of Jason's concerns. In his arms, he found the girl he was just thinking about. Piper Mclean.
He blushes at the sight of her in his arms, and he is frozen for a moment, as she looks up at him. Her brown choppy braids hang in the air, hovering above the ground, her eyes wide with surprise. He is still astonished by the color of her eyes, no, not even a color. Kaleidoscope. Mixes of green, blue, turquoise, hazel...every color imaginable. He feels his cheeks growing warm, and he clears his throat, ready to apologize for the feat-
"When's the wedding?" Someone calls from the front of the bus, and the bus erupts into laughter. Jason's embarassment grows even further, and it seems, so does Piper's. He sets her upright, handing her the bag that had dropped off her shoulder. Avoiding the expression on Piper's face, he realizes he's reached his stop. Running off the bus, he sees someone else follow off, and then he reaches for his IPod to try and forget the event, but instead, finds it in Piper's hands. He finds this, as she runs off the bus after him, and steps in front of him.
"Here. You forgot this."
Her cheeks are still pink, and for a moment, he allows himself to admire her body. Dressed in a blue tank top, white capris, its the perfect color for her skin tone and stature. She dressed casually, yet fashionably. He takes it carefully from her hands, and smiles shakily. This was the first real conversation he's had with her this year. His hands shake, as he tucks it in his pocket.
"Th-Thanks..." He stutters, unsure what to say next. What if he made her miss her next stop? He considers this the next thing he should say, but as he opens his mouth to speak, he finds his words being taken out of his mouth.
"I live in this neighborhood anyway. Want to walk together?"
He only nods, and finds himself walking, side by side, with Piper Mclean as they begin to walk home. He finds conversation with her easy, flowing, unlike anyone else he's talked with. They talk about school, education, the apple trees that grow on their street, and everything else in between. About life, the universe, and everything. He finds himself growing comfortable about it, until she brings up something he's avoided to talk about for awhile.
"So, are you goin' to Prom with Reyna?"
"Reyna?"
"Yeah...I thought you were friends with her," she says, and he notes an undertone of bitterness in her voice. Hope rises in him. Did this mean she thought he was taken, and that made her angry? He shouldn't hope this, but this is what he did. He shakes his head, sighing softly.
"No. We're just friends."
"Oh." Silence.
"Okay."
They remain quiet again, all the rest of the way, until Jason's house pops up right in front of them. A white two story colonial, and judging from the rock music blasting out of the second story window, he assumes Thalia's home. Piper stops as well, and for a moment he panicks. Did she think he lives in a hovel? Or somewhere rich and famous? Or maybe somewhere in between? He sticks his hands in his pockets, avoiding her eyes, hoping she wasn't about to wrinkle her nose and laugh-
"Nice house."
Somewhere in between.
As they stare there awkwardly, she gives a little wave at him, avoiding his eyes. He forces himself to stay there, hoping she would speak to break their silence.
"Well, bye."
"Bye.
Without another word, Piper begins to walk down the sidewalk, leaving Jason alone in front of his house. He stands there, still in awe that they had talked, and simply watches her beautiful form disappear into the distance. Once she's gone, though, and Jason makes sure she is, he lets out a cry of happiness, punching his fists in the air.
"WOO-HOO!"
He just talked to Piper Mclean. Piper Mclean. She knew he existed. She knew he existed! He begins to dance on the street, probably looking ridiculous, but he didn't care at all. She knew he existed. And he had a chance, an actual chance, of going to Prom with Piper. He just had to find the courage to do it. And he was sure, after this conversation, that they would. One conversation that lasted twenty minutes could lead to another. Another could be an hour, and another could lead to hours of talking over the phone. And maybe one conversation could lead to him asking her to Prom. And maybe he could hope, that she would say yes.
