"Jason Grace. Why didn't you come over yesterday?"
Hazel's voice snapped him out of his thoughts... He'd been thinking of which courses he'd choose for college and which college he would try to get into... Though there was quite some time left for all that to happen, it was never to early to consider one's options right?
"I um, was busy?" He offered.
Hazel didn't seem to buy it.
"No you weren't. You forgot and you know it..."
"Yeah, I did. But you can't blame me! I'm still having memory problems since that accident..."
"There you go, blaming all your problems on a stupid accident which was caused by your mistake! Maybe if you learn to actually look before crossing the road you wouldn't have to fave such 'memory problems'!
"Hazel..." She seemed angry... Maybe she was. The thing is, he'd never dealt with an angry Hazel before so he didn't know what to do.
"Yeah dude! You missed out on all the fun! The one time her bro isn't there, you forget to come!" Leo started, excitedly.
"You've been to her place before?"
Seriously, Leo was HIS best friend and he hasn't been to his house yet. Not. Fair. Sooooo not fair.
"Yeah, but it was only me and Frank."
"You call that 'only'?"
"Um, yeah?"
"Leo! It wasn't very nice of you to talk about my brother like that!"
"Late reaction Hazel, late reaction..."
"Whatever! Jason, you ruined the evening, there were so many things I'd planned! For you guys to meet Nico, for you and Piper to make amends for-" Hazel was about to start rambling and if that happened, there would be no stopping her. Luckily, Leo interrupted in time.
"Hazel," Leo warned.
Had Jason heard right? The meeting/get-together was just some way of getting him back together with Piper?
Jason glanced over at Piper who suddenly seemed very interested in her nails.
This needed to be cleared out. Now.
"Look guys, Piper especially, I'm not getting into a relationship anytime soon. I want to continue being friends with you Piper and I really mean that. However, you have to understand that I really don't want to hurt Piper or anyone else for that matter as I'm not sure about what I want... I don't need a relationship to mess my life up right now okay?"
"So our... Our relationship messed your life up?" Said Piper, looking up to face Jason. Tears forming in the corners of her eyes glistened.
"No! Shit! That came out wrong..."
"That's what you meant right? I knew it!" Tears streaming out now.
"Gods! You see what I mean... I can do nothing but hurt you if we're... Involved with each other again. So I'm sorry, I can't see anything happening, at least not anytime soon."
"I- agh- I- thought- hic- thought that we- hic- had something- something special!"
Jason looked at his feet. He was okay about having this conversation but certainly not with all his friends looking at him.
Heck! It was okay in front of his friends too! Just not in front of the whole school. In the cafeteria, aka, the mess hall. In front of the whole school. With everyone crowding around and staring at him.
You see, Piper and Jason were like - 'New couple of the year'. Last year, it had been Percy and Annabeth.
So it was obvious that their splitting up for 'no valid reason' would turn a lot of heads their way.
It got both Piper and Jason a lot of unwanted attention and erm proposals.
"But you didn't, sweetie. And Jason obviously sees that. I mean, you're nothing special. Jason knows that, and would only be stupid to continue what you call a 'relationship'," interrupted Drew, who was by then a part of the crowd.
"No one was speaking to you, Drew," said Jason, calmly, yet with a hint of annoyance.
"But it's- hic- true- isn't- hic- it?" Said Piper.
"Pipes... I don't think it's a conversation we should be having right now in front of everyone. Later, maybe?"
"Yeah, hic, right. It's hic, obvious that you, hic, don't-"
"PIPER! THAT'S ENOUGH, OKAY? Look, I really liked, I really like you. I have some things to sort out right now and I really don't want to ruin someone's life because of that. Especially not yours. You deserve better. I'm not going to ask you to wait for me, but my feelings for you still exist. When I'm done with all this, all this business, I'll be ready for a relationship. And trust me when I say this, my first choice will always, ALWAYS, be you."
"I call bull," said Drew.
Piper seemed to have visibly calmed down after listening to his 'speech'.
"Well haven't we, hic, started a real life soap, hic, opera?" She commented drily, a smile forming on her face.
"Yeah," replied Jason.
"So now that that's sorted out, can we please have lunch? I'm REALLY hungry!" Said Percy.
"Percy!" Chided Annabeth.
But Jason wasn't annoyed. He knew that Perce was just trying to ease the tension. He mouthed a silent 'thank you' to Percy who nodded with a smile in response.
"AND CUT! THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING THE AUDIENCE TO THE PROMOS BUT THE NEXT TIME YOU'LL GET TO SEE THAT MUCH WILL BE IN THE MOVIE! THANKS!" Yelled Leo, signalling everyone in a rather polite way to - "get the fuck away from their table else he would bash their heads together."
And with that order was restored in Jason's life. Or so he thought.
Well at least for the time being he could enjoy the tranquility of life.
"So, did you heard about-"
Maybe not.
They walked the corridor of the third floor, hand in hand. It was time for the conversation every guy dreaded, including Jason, even though he was surprisingly good with words.
Fortunately, neither of them knew how to start. So there was not much of the conversation part going on in this "dreaded conversation".
This isn't that bad. Thought Jason.
Unfortunately, Piper decided that now was the perfect time to start the conversation.
"So I'm going to Malibu in a week."
Guess I spoke too soon huh?
"Cool! Wait, what?!"
"I thought you should be the first to know. I'll be there for six months..."
"Pipes. That's great! You get to spend more time with your dad! Isn't that what you always wanted?"
"Yeah. It will also give... Us, the break we need. You work out your daddy issues, I'll work out mine. Okay?"
"Yeah. Okay. Deal."
"Will everything be the same when I come back, Jay? Or will it be better?"
"I can't promise same, but better is something we can try to handle right? We'll manage."
"I want it to be us against the world again, okay?"
"But it wouldn't be fair for me to-"
"I want to wait for you. I want to know if you'll want the same?"
"I do. I do, piper. But it's not fair to ask you of such a thing."
"I want you to ask me. So that I can count on you to wait too."
"Fine. Piper McLean," he started getting down on one knee in an oh-so-dramaric manner.
"Jason! We're not getting married or anything! stop this! people will stare!" she said, half giggling, her face beaming with a bright smile that Graced (ha pun) her lips.
"Shush! You're ruining the moment!"
"Okay, okay." She said, gesturing with her hands for him to continue.
"So as I was saying, Piper McLean, I Jason Grace have been a fool to let you go and now that I know how much I care about you, I wish to have you back, after six months, would you care to rekindle our relationship and until then would you please wait for this idiot who is currently uncomfortable by the death glare that Drew is giving him...?"
"Way to ruin that perfect speech! And you say that I ruined the moment. Ha! Joke of the century. But yes, Jason Grace, I Piper McLean, shall wait for you."
"Oh goody. For a moment there I thought you'd say no!" He said laughing as he got back up to his feet.
"How could I, when you were spouting cheesy film lines?" She said, punching his shoulder.
"Hey! That hurts!" He pouted.
"Jay, until then, can I have one last kiss?"
"For you? Anything," he said as he gave her a gentle yet passionate peck on the lips.
When they parted, they stared into each others eyes not knowing what to say, until Piper broke the silence, "Well the backdrop of a setting sun would be perfect for this cliched (curse you author) scene, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah. It would," he replied, not taking his eyes off of her.
"When I get back, we can sort these relationship issues out, ya?"
"Yeah. That's- that's a good plan. I could've come up with a better one though."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"We'll then, what is it? This master plan of yours?"
"Um, I'm saving it for something bigger."
"Yeah, right."
"But-"
"I love you, Jay."
"I love you too Pipes."
The unfortunate thing? In that moment he really thought he did.
"Hey Thalia!" Said Jason, excited to see his sister in his school. His sister barely ever met him. In fact they'd been separated for a good ten years. Jason had only been reunited with Thalia last year.
They'd been separated when Jason was two/three years old because of their parents divorce. They were both illegitimate children but their father, Zeus "Jupiter" Kronos, had gotten married to their mother shortly after Jason had been born.
After two years of a "not-so-happy-marriage" they got divorced. Zeus moved on and married a woman named Hera in NYC. They'd gained custody of Thalia. Jason's mother had been left to fend for Jason with not a single penny spared by Zeus. A year later, she died of pneumonia. Jason was placed in custody of his aunt, Lupa.
She taught him to love and live life like a fighter, survival being his only instinct. He was looked after fairly, well fed, well educated but he was also given training in sword fighting, despite his protests.
("No one fights with swords anymore Aunt Lupa!"
"They are one of the most difficult weapons to master in the modern world. You must learn to control almost every medieval weapon with perfection. There will be no arguments about this.")
Jason saw who Thalia was standing with. Percy Jackson. Of course! He was the best at everything! His father told him to be more athletic like him and smarter like Annabeth.
Though they were his friends he couldn't help but hate them at times because of the number of times his father nagged him.
Now Thalia was with Percy at his school? Not cool. He felt a pang of envy hit his heart.
"Thalia, if you need to send a message to Professor Bessie Of- Op- what the hell is wrong with this surname?" Snapped Percy, half annoyed.
"Nothing," replied Thalia.
"I have dyslexia, this surname is tough. To me, it reads Ophiataurus."
"That's correct."
"What kind of a surname is that?"
"The rare kind," said Thalia mysteriously.
"Gah! Well if you need to send the message to her, you can send it yourself! Or send your brother!"
"Perce, you know where the school is."
"But you know who studies-"
"Voldemort? Cool," said Jason, trying to join the on going conversation.
"Jason. Shut up," said Percy.
"Alright, Jackson," he replied.
"Please Percy! What's the harm?" Pleaded Thalia.
Jason had never seen Thalia plead.
"Well he studies there and he hates me. And I can't speak to anyone else for directions because 1) I don't know anyone else and 2) it's a fucking deaf and dumb school!" Said Percy, now almost shouting.
"Yeah but-"
"I can't. Every time I see him, he treats me so coldly and I feel- I feel like I should've looked after him, I promised and I- I-" said Percy, a sad expression coming onto his face.
"Who?" Asked Jason, confused yet again.
He'd never seen Percy sad. Percy was the guy who was always cheerful and loved lifting other people's spirits. Why would he be sad? Who could make him like this? Jason would kill that person. Regardless of how he felt about his friends, he was always loyal to them. No one messed with his friends.
"Perce, it's okay. Fine. I'll ask Jason."
"Thanks Thalia. I've got to go now. Sorry I was unable to help," said Percy, walking away.
"Jason, I need your help with something," said Thalia sternly.
"With what?"
"Can you please deliver this to Professor Ophiataurus in OSDD?"
"Um, ya? Okay."
He didn't like being the second choice or the rebound option but it was Thalia. So he was okay with it. Not too much but... He'll try not to think about it.
"Thanks. I owe you one. So, how are things with Piper?" She said, her voice taking on a mischievous, teasing tone.
"Good."
"She's the only one of those cheerleaders I actually like," said Thalia, wrinkling her nose, "Hold on to her okay?"
"Who was Percy talking about?"
"What? Here I am giving you advice and-"
"Who was Percy talking about?"
"Our childhood friend. None of your concern."
"I see."
Again. Everyone shut him out except Leo and piper. It was so frustrating. Did they even think of him as an acquaintance?
"Jason that's not what I meant. You know that. But it's Percy's story to tell, not mine."
"Oh?"
"So you'll deliver the package today?" Asked Thalia, desperate to change the topic.
"Yeah. Directly after school. I don't have practice today."
"Thanks again. Oh and it's the deaf and dumb school so communication might be a bit of a problem."
"A bit? More like a big problem."
"Yeah well, I know my baby brother can handle it, can't munchkins?"
"..."
She laughed. "Oh shit! I've got to go! Lady Artemis will kill me!" She said hastily walking away.
He walked into school and tried to find this teacher. Hopeless! The after school rush was crazy. It didn't help that no one there liked him because he was... normal, so to say. And asking for directions was extremely tough for the exact same reason! On top of it people pushed past him like... Well that's weird. This was the first time he couldn't think of a simile to go with the situation at hand. Oh well. It didn't really matter now, did it?
He turned to the right corridor on reaching the stairwell only to find this guy- curled up on the floor with a bloody nose and a bruised face.
He had to help this guy! How could he let him stay like that? Thalia will be mad I didn't deliver the parcel but this is definitely a good enough reason not to!
He approached this guy, still in shock, thinking out loud saying, "Holy shit! What happened to you? Hey! Hey! You! Kid! No! Shit shit shit you can't be serious! Don't pass out on... Shit. Who should I call? Will. Yeah, Will."
He picked the boy up like he was a fragile piece of glad that could break at any moment.
"Kid, stay with me okay? You'll be alright. I promise." He whispered to the passed out boy, before carrying him out the main entrance of the school through the corridors and into the parking lot.
A/N:
so hey guys! Two weeks again. Sorry for not continuing from where I left off and for the Jasper fluff. Trust me, I nearly puked while writing it. I HATE JASPER! But the masochist that I am, I have to make things tough for me, that means no just turning Jason bisexual like poof *snaps fingers*. An also no demonising Piper. Huh. I really hate myself don't I? For all you Jasper haters, this chapter must've been hell for you guys! If you read it, amazing! If no, GO BACK AND BLOODY READ IT. There will probably be a bit more of Jasper in the following chapters which I hope to update ASAP. No flames for late updates, okay? Okay. I'm a procrastinator by nature.
Love you guys.
~Dawn.
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