"Annabeth, tell me what's going on." Thalia demanded beside her locker.
"Nothing." Annabeth said. "What could possibly be going on?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you guys are doing some investigation tasks without me." Thalia rolled her eyes.
Annabeth froze. "Who told you that."
"Just nobody." Thalia smiled, she knew if she let Jason's name slip he would be done. "You guys weren't exactly quiet."
"How much do you know." Annabeth whispered hoarsely.
"Am I not suppose to know?" Thalia smirked. "Come on Annie, tell me! I'm your fucking best friend!"
"Don't call me that." Annabeth growled. "I can't, Thals."
"Why not?" Thalia whined.
"I know you too well." Annabeth sighed. "You know where Luke is don't you? You would tell him about this, wouldn't you?"
"Luke?" Thalia frowned. "I don't - it's you who knows where he is. Come on! He hid in your house, you're the only person who know he existed at that time!"
"I know! It's something about you, your expression that tells me everything I need to know." Annabeth insisted. "I know you too well."
"You're the only one who knows where he is." Thalia accused.
"No, I don't!" Annabeth defended herself. "You do. I know you do."
"Fine!" Thalia snapped. "I do, so what?"
"I knew it!" Annabeth grinned triumphantly. "But why? He cheated on you!"
"That's nothing you need to know about." She said sourly.
Annabeth pursed her lips. "Okay, I'll do a deal with you. I'll tell you what's going on if you tell me about Luke and you."
"Luke and me?" Thalia laughed. "Deal, you go first."
"It's nothing much. We're just trying to find out who the Shooter is and we're starting on finding more about each person who died in the Shooting. I gave each pair - except for Frank, Hazel and Leo who are a three - two dead victims to investigate. I don't know how they're doing yet. We think there might be a lot more involved such as drugs and Jason's doctor Dr. Marshall which you are probably familiar with but I want to start simple."
"Good." Thalia nodded and narrowed her eyes. "Go on, there's more to this isn't there?"
Annabeth frowned. "I hate it when you know me so well but you can't tell this to anyone. Promise?"
"Promises are hard to keep but I'll try to."
"I gave Reyna a special task, she is to find out Drew's death. It's a solo task." Annabeth told her friend rather reluctantly.
"Drew." Thalia mused. "Our little bitchy gossip queen. Reyna will do fine."
"I hope she will." Annabeth answered worriedly. "Now your story?"
"Luke's in San Francisco." Thalia answered shortly.
"Why? Tell me more, I want every single bit of the story. Since well, wherever you think it's good to start for me to grasp the whole image."
"Okay." Thalia's electric blue eyes gaze into Annabeth's stormy grey ones. "I'll tell you everything if you don't repeat it to a single soul until I reveal it."
Annabeth nodded under her friend's gaze as Thalia started. "You know how Luke and I dated back when we were sophomores and you guys were on your last year of middle school?"
"Yup, you guys broke up during that summer." Annabeth prompted.
"Yeah. We were secretly dating on our junior year. Nobody knew, not even Jason. We didn't want to tell anyone because the result is too unpredictable. Everybody had a crush on Luke at that time, even you. We don't know what they'll do to us if they realize we're still dating. After the Shooting, I was devastated since I thought Luke died. I could really see how lives together, he is one guy I would want to spend my life with."
"Aww." Annabeth's grey eyes soften as she patted her friend's shoulders. "But seriously, that is not you. You're all 'omg, I hate guys!' and now you're telling me you want to spend your life with Luke."
"He's different!" Thalia said quickly. "I don't like other boys but Luke is really special. A month later when I was watching episodes of Survivors, I got a text message telling me to go to the forest next to the cemetery. I didn't recognize the number but I went anyway. I don't know, I had a feeling like my fate depends on whether I go there or not. I saw Luke over there, he was fine. Not a scratch nothing. I was glad. He told me the shooter was after him and he fled. I asked him to go back to school but he told me it wasn't safe for him so he went to San Francisco."
"Did you believe him? I don't believe you'll let him go so easily to San Francisco."
Thalia gaze into space wistfully. "Yeah, I did. His startling baby blue eyes, they were irresistible. I couldn't, I couldn't say no. Annie, he told me he was in danger. I couldn't let anything bad happen to him. San Francisco is so far away, it might be safe for him. Safer than New York anyway."
Annabeth wanted to scold her friend for calling her 'Annie' but she knew it wasn't the time for it. "Why did he come back to New York then?"
"Documents. He left some really important documents."
"And why would he want to reside at my house? Yours is bigger, nicer and for heaven sake it's an Upper East High apartment." Annabeth cried. "Mines is a normal, pretty average house in the suburbs."
"Exactly!" Thalia threw her arms wide open. "It's average. Nobody would search there. Plus Jason would find out that we have an extra guest at our house and tell the world. I told him to go to your house."
"Thals!" Annabeth couldn't stop a giggle from sliding. "I had to tell my dad we did an unexpected student exchange program with a school in New Zealand and Luke is from this really infamous school there. It's a good thing he couldn't remember things really well to realize it's Luke."
"How's it going with your new girlfriend?" Reyna asked icily.
Jason frowned. "What girlfriend?"
"Piper."
He flushed. "Oh uh..she's not my girlfriend!"
"Really?" Reyna raised her eyebrow. "Don't deny that you at least like her."
Jason blushed. "I-I do."
"Whatever." Reyna sighed. "You boys are so oblivious."
"Oblivious to what?" Jason cried indigently. "Tell me."
"Never mind." Reyna forced a fake smile on. "Why aren't you calling Piper? Or texting her? Or at least spending time with her?"
"She's with Cat." Jason pointed out. "I think they're going to some movie premiers or something."
"Oh and she didn't ask you to go with her?" Reyna mocked.
"No-well, she did but I didn't exactly want to go there." Jason paused.
"Not wanting to spend time with your girlfriend, what kind of boyfriend are you?"
"I'm not even her boyfriend, Reyna what's up with you?" Jason snapped. "Look, why are you so dense?"
"Sorry." Reyna rubbed her eyes. "I'm just tired I guess."
Jason studied his friend's expression. "Oh my god! You aren't..jealous are you?"
"Jealous?" Reyna laughed. "Pfft..jealous of what?"
"Me and Piper!" Jason smiled. "Come on, Rey. I'm not romantically linked with her."
"I'm not jealous!" Reyna insisted. "We have like a brother and sister relationship. Why would I ever want to date you? Ew! Just shut up! Shut up! Okay? You aren't exactly boyfriend material."
"Whatever you say." Jason grinned.
"Hey Reyna!" Reyna looked over her shoulder to find Catriona behind her.
"Um..hi?" Reyna said awkwardly, she never talked to Cat before and never dreamt of starting to.
Cat gave a small smile, "How are you today?"
"Fine." Reyna shrugged. "Other than the fact I got a load of homework."
"Cool." Cat's gaze was far-away as if she wasn't even paying attention as they walked outside of the school doors . "Hey, do you think we can talk later? My brother Justin's here."
"Sure." As Reyna walked out of the school doors, she found a fancy Porsche convertible waiting right outside. A boy just out of his teenaged years but clearly not fully matured yet was sitting impatiently on the drivers seat. He had a wild and dangerous glint in his eyes that girls go crazy for and well-toned stomach. He captured everyone walking out of school's attention but he didn't care.
"Get in, bitch! I don't have all day waiting for you." Justin called loudly cranking his music higher while drumming his fingers on the wheels as if he's itching to drive off without Cat. "Why did you even give mom the idea of me driving you home?"
Cat got into the Porsche and grumbled. "It's not like I'm super thrilled of this idea either. Your car stinks of sex. How many girls did you fuck in this crap?"
"Enough." Justin answered with a laugh as he drove out of Reyna's earshot. Reyna narrowed her eyes at the speeding vehicle as a memory clouded her mind.
"Have fun in middle school!" Ms. Jennings kissed her daughter on the forehead affectionately as Reyna squirmed under her mom's fondness. It was the first day of middle school and her mom obviously didn't realize how embarrassing it is displaying public affection between family members in the hallways. Luckily, nobody really saw her.
"Thanks, mom." Reyna nodded and hastily looked at her watch. "I have to go now." She lied, knowing that there's plenty of time until registration begins.
"Look at my little girl! Already in middle school!" Mrs. White sighed. "I swear, time goes faster as you grow older."
"And slower when you're in such an embarrassing situation." Reyna muttered under her breath.
Mrs. White gaze at her daughter who's beginning to walk away from her and quickly whispered. "Oh, and Reyna? Don't you even dare talking to anybody from the Fontaine family. I think they have two kids now, Justin and one about your age - Catriona. They are trouble with a capital T."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Reyna rolled her eyes. She has heard all about Justin and Cat Fontaine from her friends. They were one of the most popular kids in the neighborhood, alongside Ashley Taylor and Piper McLean. Only, Justin was famous because of his bad-boy attitude. Reyna didn't know if Cat is like her brother or not but she has certainly got her popularity off him. Reyna is surprised that her mom haven't mentioned them until now. Usually when somebody like Justin are around, her mom lectures her thousands of times why not to be like them etc.
She haven't talked to Cat or Justin until today, when she broke it. Normally, she felt the urge to never talk to Cat again as she didn't like disobey orders but thinking of the amount of people who would die to even catch Cat's attention, she felt somewhat lucky. Before today, she didn't care about her popularity as it was extremely low priority than studying to get to a good college. However, she felt more self-conscious about herself after her brief conversation with Cat. Was it something about her that made the most untouchable girl in Goode High to say hi to her?
Reyna liked it. She liked feeling special and wanted, especially by somebody like Cat. Sure, she already have one of the most popular girls in the neighborhood Piper as her friend (although she isn't sure what their relationship is at the moment since she felt resentment since she stole Jason but still, they hang out with the same group of friends). Having Cat as one of her best friends would improve her status around school.
Woah Reyna, she scolded herself. Cat only said 'hi', she probably only wanted to get to know Piper's friends better since their fallout years ago. Don't fantasize the whole best friends idea, there's only a slim chance it's going to happen!
AN: New Chapter up! and yup! I've changed my pen-name again since 'aphrodite-cabin' isn't exactly a well, proper pen-name I guess. As you notice that it's now 'Beauty Queen Piper' :)
Lately, I've been reading a lot of one-shot fics and I really want to write another one..which pairings do you think I should write about?
~Kisses, Emily