Story Name: The Iris Network

Author:turquoiserainlilies

Disclaimer: Do not own Percy Jackson or anything related, just the plot (really, not even that original). THANKS RICK!

Summary: He's a gamer. She's the Queen Bee. Percy struggles with unwanted fame from his father. Annabeth can't forgive her best friend for falling in love. Living miles away doesn't stop two people's fate from meeting, after all, the best thing to fall in love with are someone's words. AU!AH.

Chapter:8 of 22 - Pt.1

Introducing: Bianca di Angelo, the San Francisco Arc

Note: If it clears it up, unless it specifically says that one of them disconnected, the chances are their conversation continued past the need for the story

wisegirl6 iii

san francisco 12/23/13 13:28 utc-8

annabeth chase

greek3fire: Merry early Christmas!

wisegirl6: How do you know I'm not jewish?

greek3fire: Are you Jewish?

wisegirl6: …

wisegirl6: No…

greek3fire: There you go. I made an informed decision on to wish you an early Christmas. Taking a leaf out of your book

wisegirl6: Suppose you think you're all smart and fancy now

greek3fire: Not the adjective I'd use

wisegirl6: What?

greek3fire: I'd say…wise

wisegirl6: You think you're really funny

greek3fire: All of my friends think so

wisegirl6: You have friends outside of me? I'm shocked Seaweed Brain.

greek3fire: Ha-ha.

greek3fire: I'm sure they'd love to meet you one day

wisegirl6: You mean you told them about me?

greek3fire: It might have been mentioned in the passing. What? Did you keep me to yourself like a Christmas present?

wisegirl6: Na, Silena knows, she set up the Iris account

greek3fire: Well, I'll thank her for that when I see her.

Summerville Web Blog – The Gossip Column

TEAM GRACE OR TEAM CHASE!

By Gossip Columnist K. Gardner

While school is out for the Summerville High, the drama stayed hot and current. The news is that Luke Castellan is taking Thalia Grace, his new, but not hotter, girlfriend to the Snowflake Dance (as you will remember, the Snowflake Dance is during the winter holidays, for anyone staying in San Francisco to get together for the holidays at school, but also the event of the vacation!), don't worry Annie, we're on your side for this skirmish.

It is true that Annie did seem a little more refreshed over the holiday season, there is not show of a new beau by the blonde beauties' side. She is still single and ready to mingle boys! I'd say that she's just bidding her time to make the most dramatic asking to the Snowflake Dance, am I right girls? So you better snatch up your man and make plans to seal the deal, because who knows where eyes will trail when Annabeth Chase hits the dance floor

"Garbage, absolute garbage!" Silena clutched her laptop as she read the article. Annabeth felt a leap as she read it aloud, completely with Katie's dramatic gasps that were perhaps a little Silena as well, "Don't listen to them Annie, you don't even have to go to the Snowflake Dance if you don't want to."

"I have to, I'm on the committee, remember?" Annabeth grumbled, "Now I have to find a date."

"Why, you and Luke only broke up three weeks ago?" Silena reminded her, "You're totally entitled to go single."

"Are you kidding?" Annabeth put her hand to her forehead, to sooth the nonexistence headache she felt was coming upon, "I'm not entitled to do anything. Can you even imagine the sort of gossip Katie will stir up if Thalia and Luke are going to the ball together, and I'm the one that's single?"

Since the student body meeting a week ago, and since Luke sort of found out about Seaweed Brain (only that she met a guy she thought was funny), he's been acting like they were friends again. The least he could do was apologize, you know, at least Thalia had the class to do that. Annabeth didn't bother talking to him, but he sure had a lot to say about her…

"Hey Luke, bro, how's Annie holding up? It's a tough break-up."

"I'm sure she's fine. She's mature and handling it quite well."

A snippet of what was heard as Annabeth approached her locker, which is, of course, next to Luke's. She quickly made her appearance and disappearance before anyone really noticed them. It wasn't fair that Luke got the better end of the break-up even though he was the one who cheated. Of course people think that it would be Annabeth, the cheerleader, the girl, and the blonde would be having trouble, not Luke, the football star, the boy, and the winner, who was doing just fine on his own.

So, if Annabeth was to win this game of pride, she'd need a date to the Snowflake Dance. It wasn't as if she didn't have a choice, they were practically lining up, but her heart just wasn't in it.

"Are you guys finishing gossip yet?" Nico asked. Annabeth didn't know why he asked specifically the two of them to go with him to pick up his sister at the airport (that's right, they're at an airport right now). They were never really friends, more Luke's than Annabeth's, anyway. Maybe he felt more sympathetic towards her story (rightfully) that he cut ties with Luke.

More likely though, he just needed female support, as his sister is a girl.

"Fine Nicky." Silena rolled her eyes, ignoring Nico's death glare at her.

There was noise in the air, Annabeth dismissed this as another plane coming it, what she didn't realize that it was the plane. As in, Nico is pressed against the glass and staring at it as if it was his life line.

"She's here!" He never sounded this exciting about anything, "Bianca's here!"

Annabeth didn't know Bianca di Angelo quite well, or at all really. She was under the firm impression, thanks to Nico's strange enthusiasm over the whole ordeal, that she was just as strange and abnormal as Nico is (in the best way possible…but there is only so many skull rings a guy can own). Yet she turned out to be a normal-ish girl. Normal-ish brown hair, olive skin, regular jeans and t-shirt, and strong eyes that searched Annabeth and Silena before settling on Nico. Was it just Annabeth? Or was the girl a little unsettled about her brother as well.

"Nico." She smiled as the younger boy smiled brightly. Nico di Angelo, smiling. Annabeth couldn't help but to grin as well at his desperate yet hopeful expression. It was oddly adorable.

"Thank you for agreeing to come." Nico said, oddly formal, "It's been quite a while, I think that dad misses you too."

Bianca blow her bangs out of her face, "Didn't seem like it."

Nico stayed silent for one, long, awkward pause. Annabeth deemed it fit to cut in and introduce herself. After all, that may be why Nico invited her and Silena in the first place.

"I'm Annabeth Chase." She said, holding out her hands, "It's lovely to meet you. That's Silena Beauregard with the black hair and blue eyes, she prefers to be called."

"Call her Annie." Silena joked, "She loves it."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, and led Bianca away from the airport terminal to the baggage check. "San Francisco is beautiful in the winter, or maybe your just come from a really nice winter wonderland. Where did you say you were from?"

A few minutes later, Annabeth had found herself a new friend. The pressure was off with Bianca, who didn't know of Annabeth at all. She couldn't imagine going shopping with Katie and it being this liberating. Even Silena, who tries to help in her own Silena-ish ways, couldn't take the complete pressure off of being the popular girl. She could even talk about the Snowflake Dance without Bianca getting on her nerve. She didn't mention the not having a date part though, that was still a little too humiliating to admit. Popular girls always had dates.

It wasn't planned, up until high school, all Annabeth cared about was her grades. Not to say that they still weren't superb as always, but somehow cheerleadering and Luke got added to the mix, and BAM! The popular potion was made and she was the "It Girl". It was a hard life, but she loved it. People knowing your name is always a good thing.

"So then he just rants on and on about how fortunate his family is while Grover is sitting there, jealous as hell, and Percy's just a daft as a plank!" Bianca was complaining about her best friends in New York, who were sounding close to Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

"That's awful." Annabeth covered her mouth so that her fruit smoothie wouldn't fly. Suddenly remember the real reason she was here, she turned to the younger di Angelo, "What do you say Nicky? Are all boys this dumb?"

The happiness had been sucked right out of him again, Annabeth noted. Perhaps she shouldn't be talking to Bianca this much when her brother is sitting right there. Silena was busily on her phone, presumably chatting with her mysterious Charlie figure, so it was up to Annabeth to stimulate the conversation between the two siblings. She suddenly knew how Seaweed Brain felt. Well, their lives are just a list of coincidences.

"Perhaps." Nico said flatly. Annabeth felt genuinely sorry for the kid, perhaps Bianca was easier to work with.

"So how often do you guys visit each other?" Annabeth prompted, "Pretty often? You are siblings."

Bianca shifted awkward, "Last time was when I was 12, I suppose."

Annabeth blinked.

Nico was a junior in high school, 16, and she remembered somewhere that Bianca was a year older, 17, which meant that they were separated for five whole years. She couldn't imagine being away from Bobby and Matthew for a minute (not because it would be torture, but because it would be a miracle).

"Oh." She said, "Well, you guys have a lot to catch up on."

Bianca nodded, "I guess so."

That was the moment her phone ping!-ed, which didn't help with the conversation. Annabeth watched as Bianca checked her smart phone, with a little shake of her brown hair and sighed.

"It's Tweedle Dee." Bianca said. Annabeth was surprised that she came up with the same analogy, "Grover's wondering what's a good present to get for his best friend's divorced father's family."

"Complicated relationship." Annabeth whistled, "Are they close?"

Bianca shrugged, "Hardly." And went back trying to type an answer. Just then, Annabeth's phone ping!-ed as well.

greek3fire: What do you suppose I can get Tyson? It's tough shopping for a kid

"Who's that?" Bianca asked, nodding at her phone.

"My own version of Tweedle Dee." She smiled, "I call him Seaweed Brain actually, he's having present problems too."

(If Annabeth had been looking up while she typed her words, she could see that Bianca was staring from her phone to Annabeth's, ideas forming in her head)

"Just get them toys." Nico deadpanned. He looked quite miserable, "Kids love toys."

Annabeth gave Bianca a warning glance, which the girl chose to ignore.

"So, are you bringing him to the Snowflake Dance?" Bianca changed the topic smoothly, "Your Seaweed Brain, I mean."

Annabeth hesitated for one moment. She couldn't exactly go around telling people that she had an online friend, who most people annoying guess that it was her boyfriend (it wasn't that she wouldn't date Seaweed Brain if she met him in real life, it's just that, she didn't…) Maybe it'll be easier to lie to Bianca, she wasn't coming to the dance, right?

"Yeah." She said smartly, "I am."

"Ohhh!" Silena suddenly piped up. Annabeth cursed her best friend's ability to come in at a conversation at the wrong moment, "The Snowflake Dance, you've got a date Annie?"

"It's Annabeth." She corrected on a second instinct, "And yes, I have."

Okay, a bigger lie to Silena, who look offended that she wasn't aware of this earlier. Annabeth quickly typed something out on her phone, pretending it was a text but really was just a note.

"Seaweed Brain." She said, alluding his name. She held up the phone.

Shut up and agree, will you?"

Silena smiled sardonically. "You should come Bianca, I'm sure you can swing by with Nico."

Both di Angelos' eyes widened, as did Annabeth.

"What?" Bianca said, "It'll be totally weird to come with your brother."

Both Annabeth and Nico nodded.

"Ew." Silena made a face, "I just mean that you should swing by Summerville High, I'll be fun, and you can meet Annie's mysterious new beau."

"It's Annabeth!" She yelled for the final time, "And I think Bianca would have her fun filled even if she didn't come to the Snowflake Dance."

"Yeah." Nico agreed, "She shouldn't come."

By that word, and Bianca's defying expression, Annabeth knew it was a lost cost. She seemed against her brother in every way, avoiding talking to him, making deliberate conversation with Annabeth, snubbing him at all cost, and now not following his instructions. What was up with this girl?

"I'm going." Bianca declared, "And I bet that it's going to be the best Snowflake Dance ever."

"Hey, there's another text!" Silena pointed, sure enough, the you've got new messages sign was showing up on her screen. She unlocked her phone to check if Seaweed Brain was texting her again. Unluckily for her, it wasn't him, and even worse, Bianca was looking over her shoulder.

Luke Castellan: I'll swing by at six to pick you up for the dance

"Luke Castellan." Bianca read, "Sounds nice."

Silena's eyes widened. "Annie." Her voice high, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Annabeth knew what was coming, and she didn't even bother correcting Silena for calling her Annie before she was dragged off to the side by her forceful best friend.

"Am I missing a memo?" Silena cried, "Are you relapsing?"

"What? No!" Annabeth protested, "I don't know, one minute I was texting Greek Fire and the next Luke's chatting me up about the dance, I had no idea he was going to invite me."

"Probably a plot." Silena said convincingly, she was gesturing dramatically with her fingers and Annabeth moved to avoid getting poked, "He wants to make your life hell, since you broke up with him."

Annabeth thought to Luke offering to drive her home after that student council meeting, "I doubt it." She sighed, "He's probably just being nice, everyone knows I don't have a date and he's pitying me."

Silena glared, "You don't need pity from your ex, go with a new guy! It'll be fun!"

"I can't now." Annabeth realized, "Bianca thinks I'm going to with Luke."

"Can't you figure something out?" Silena frowned.

"You think I want to go with him?" Annabeth stared at phone, as if it was the source of all her troubles, it was easy to blame an inanimate object, "It's not like there are a lot of Luke Castellans I can chose from."

Silena didn't look happy, she was just as annoyed as Annabeth felt. Going with an ex to a dance? Low, and lower as Annabeth was probably going to tag along as the third wheel. What other choice did she have? Now that Bianca was going to the dance, the pressure of Queen Bee was rebuilt on her shoulder. She thought to Katie's blog post from this morning, and how it was depicting Annabeth as the poor girl who couldn't move on from her ex, even if she was the one who broke it off.

I'll show you Katie, she thought, I can move on, I am moving on, and I am so moved on that I'm going with my ex to the dance!

Somehow, thinking it didn't make much more sense.

She returned home a little while later, her problem not less weigh-y, but if possible, had gotten worse. Annabeth checked her message, nothing new from Seaweed Brain, she typed out a quick IrisMessage.

wisegirl6: I have a problem.

greek3fire: Can I solve it?

wisegirl6: I don't know. Basically my ex just texted, he's driving me to this ball that we're having. IDK, we're just tagging along as friends, but it feels weird

greek3fire: Don't look at me, I'm a terrible advice giver

wisegirl6: Well, you'd been good talking to so far

wisegirl6: I'll talk to you later, I've got to get this thing sorted out

wisegirl6 disconnected

The way Annabeth sees it, Luke was the cause of all this problem. If it wasn't for him, she would have a date in the first place, and if it wasn't for him, she needn't lie to Bianca for this.

She stared at her phone, though she had blocked Thalia and Luke's number from her phone on the first day, she had them memorized in her brain since birth (how could she not? Her best friend and boyfriend, two person, impossible to say who gets number 1 speed dial privilege). Annabeth felt the dramatic music in the background as she dialed the button, held her breath, and heard it ring two times before it cuts to a voice.

"Hello, this is Luke Castellan."

"Luke, what's this about you driving me to the dance?" She demanded.

Luke sounded quite taken back, at least, that was how she was understanding his silence. A moment later, his voice returned. "I just thought, since you don't have a car and everything, that Thalia and I could drop you off."

Annabeth closed her eyes, there it was, Thalia. She felt the stab of annoyance and anger again, but quickly closed it off.

If he can't be my date, I can at least pretend that we're going as a group.

"Wonderful." She said through clenched teeth, "I'll be ready by six."

She disconnected just then. Everything just more complicated. She now had a date to the Snowflake Dance with her ex.

Reviews are welcomed

Maybe try to make it to 50 before Jan 6?