Chapter 2

When Reyna enters the school building at 7:58 AM, it takes approximately 20 seconds to sense that something is wrong. The first person she passes looks at her with unveiled contempt — the second, with fear. The third turns away to whisper to her friends, and she overhears, "Is that the thief girl?"

Her blood begins to boil. Thief girl? The only person who could possibly know about her stealing career is Jason and... Reyna shakes her head. Jason would never betray her trust like that. Right? Right, she reassures herself as she continues down the hall, until she comes to a narrow stop. Is that?... her eyes widen in horror. It couldn't possibly...

"Say NO to the school KLEPTO," A poster displays vividly. Underneath the vibrant text is a photo of her, clip art of booze and cash pasted around the poster. Reyna suddenly feels her stomach give an involuntary lurch. Around her, people begin to side-eye her, as if awaiting a reaction. Reyna stands shock still, trying to think of possibilities, of reasons why Jason would have done this. She can taste vomit in her mouth as one name comes into mind: Piper.

Immediately the press of people around her becomes too much. As she struggles to find her voice she realizes that she stopped breathing much too long ago. With a deep breath, Reyna turns around, long dark hair whipping towards her in a long swift movement, and runs down the hallway and out the door. "Fuck," Reyna whispers, bitterness laced into her voice. She repeats the word again, louder and with more resentment. Then again, until it's practically a shout. Jupiter High had been her chance to start all over again, and Piper had already managed to ruin it. She finds herself pressed against the school's back wall, hidden in the shadows where she assumes that no one can see her.

She is proven wrong when a quiet voice startles her out of her reverie.

"You okay?" The voice belongs to a boy with pale white skin and messy black hair. She's seen him around homeroom: his name had been Nico di... Nico something. He holds a cigarette in between his fingers.

"Yes," She says instinctively.

"Really? Because you didn't sound like it a minute ago."

"Fuck, I. Haven't you seen the posters around?"

Nico raises an eyebrow, apparently unimpressed. "You mean these?" He says, using a free hand to point at a hidden poster behind his head. This one reads: "Fraternizing with the KLEPTOAD? The school committee advises that you think again." Underneath is another picture of her, somehow even more offensively edited.

"Wow," She breathes, "they really didn't miss a spot."

Nico smirks. "Yeah, I mean. You musta really pissed Piper off to get something like this strapped to your back on only your second day." He gives a bitter laugh as if Piper tormenting new students is nothing out of the norm, before taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Piper's an asshole, basically. She's used to getting things how she wants them and when she wants them, and if you don't supply her with everything she needs, you will get fucked over. I try to stay out of the way of her entire crew — you know, Annabeth, Jason, Drew, the whole deal. I guess she just sees you as a threat because Jason acknowledged you."

Nico's explanation simultaneously confirms her suspicions and heightens her anger. She stares at the boy, now breathing out slow, lazy puffs of smoke. "Could I have a cigarette?" She whispers desperately. He looks at her calculatingly and nods. "Sure, don't see why not."

Reyna gives him an appreciative smile, grabs a cigarette, and brings it to her lips. She immediately feels her shoulders lower, stress seemingly flooding away.

"So..." Nico begins, "what's the deal with you and Jason, anyway? And the whole thief thing?"

Reyna rubs her head as an elongated sigh escapes her mouth. "I might have been a shoplifter at one point, but! Nothing major, until I was low on cash and stole some jewelry to buy some weed. I wasn't a klepto or anything; it was pretty much just one incident. After that I was sent to juvie, and, well, the rest is history. Jason and I were best friends until mid-9th grade, which was when it all went down. When I got out I was sent to Jupiter High, but I had no idea he'd be here."

Nico nods in understanding before staring towards the distance. "Oh, I think that's Leo."

A boy with somewhat curly brown hair and dark skin appears. His mouth seems to be constantly smirking, and his eyes speak up-to-no-good. Reyna has good vision, though, and she can admit that he isn't bad-looking.

"Oh," Nico starts, "this is Leo. Leo Valdez. Leo, this is Reyna..."

"Ramírez-Arellano, right? I remember you from homeroom." And the posters, but that much is left unsaid.

Reyna nods. She takes another drag of her cigarette, but already she can feel the stress returning. As she looks to her left, she sees that Nico and Leo are immersed in deep conversation over a new video game, hands animated and mouths set in deep grins. She rolls her eyes. The flush on their cheeks is so obvious that Reyna is amazed that neither of them has noticed yet — the affection is evident to the point that Reyna kind of begins to feel like a third wheel, actually.

"Hey," she interrupts, whilst Nico is in the middle of discussing the cheat required to find a bonus key before the fourth level's boss battle, "do you have anything stronger?"

Nico stares at her cigarette, "You mean like weed?"

A nod.

"Well, I've never gotten into that stuff, but Thalia and Luke might have some. Be careful though, they don't let just anyone into their clique, but I guess that that's because everyone here acts like straight A never-stolen-anything students. Actually, the only reason Piper gave up on ruining their social lives is because even she knows better than to mess with them. You might be okay though, what with your new reputation."

Nico grins as he utters his last sentence, to which he receives a heavy sigh. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry," He begins as she frowns at him, clearly not amused. "They normally hang out by the trees behind the art building. Good luck!"

It takes Reyna a few tries to find the art building. When she exits it by its hidden back door, it takes her only one to recognize the infamous Thalia and Luke.

Luke has ashy blonde hair, with the roots at the top of his neck dyed a subtle brown-black. Thalia, on the other hand, is harsh black locks chopped above the shoulders. Their outfits are dark, leather and spikes at every opportunity. They radiate an air of arrogance and aggressiveness — Reyna suddenly understands why Piper doesn't dare.

"Hey," Reyna begins tentatively.

"Who're you?" Luke practically spits.

"I'm, um, Reyna? You might have seen me on the posters. I was told by someone that you had some goods—"

"You're the thief girl?" Thalia whistles, although she still appears unimpressed.

"Well, I guess? Piper kind of played that u—"

Thalia interrupts her once again. "Did you actually shop lift though?"

"Well, yeah."

"You ever smoked weed before?"

"I- yeah."

"Ever been on a motorcycle?"

"Oh... um... no."

Luke and Thalia share a grin that, in all honesty, frightens her a little bit. "We'll take you, but first you gotta learn to ride with the big kids."

As Reyna follows them out of school, she has a feeling that she'll regret this later, but for now she really can't bring herself to care.

If Piper wants to screw with her life, Reyna thinks that it'll be a little bit harder when she's in with the only two people Piper doesn't screw with.

Nico is at lunch when the text arrives. Or rather, texts.

[12:05 PM, 10/14/13] Unknown number

hey nico this is percy I was wondering if u could tutor me for math?

[12:06 PM, 10/14/13] Jackson

before u ask how i got ur number I asked Grover

[12:06 PM, 10/14/13] Jackson

I would ask annabeth but she always gets frustrated w me and I know ur like the 2nd genius

Leo raises a questioning eyebrow, taking a moment to turn his attention away from the hamburger in his hands. Nico just shrugs, not capable of formulating an answer.

[12:08 PM, 10/14/13] Nico

I guess? Where do you want me to tutor you?

[12:08 PM, 10/14/13] Jackson

my house is fine its the 2nd house on the right once u enter Olympus rd it has a blue door be there by 5

[12:09 PM, 10/14/13] Nico

Will do.

"I think I just agreed to tutor Percy Jackson in math," Nico says, a little bit breathlessly, and Leo isn't sure whether he should feel sorry for him or congratulate him. Instead, he nods, says, "Ah," and stuffs the rest of his burger into his mouth.

"Hey, so. Hey," Are the first three words Percy Jackson manages when Nico enters his house. To say that its huge is almost an understatement; the first thing he sees are long spiraling staircases and spotless couches in front of enormous flat screen TVs. The shock must show on Nico's face because Percy says hastily, "It's um, it's really not that much. We aren't that rich or anything." Nico remains still until Percy sighs and drags him up the stairs and into his room.

Percy's room is, well, very Percy typical. Posters of football players and Olympic swimmers are crammed onto one wall, whilst another is filled to the brim with photos of his favorite bands. Nico makes a face and decides that music taste isn't something he'll ever bring up in their future conversations.

Percy pulls up an extra chair to his desk and sits on his own.

"Nico," He begins as Nico is just preparing to sit.

"Yeah?"

"Before we start, I just. I wanted to talk to you about what happened at the, you know. The nurse's office."

Nico's eyes widened. He had completely forgotten about that. Or rather, he'd been trying his best to not remember, and it had actually kind of worked.

"What about it?"

"Well, I just... I've been thinking about...what happened a lot, and..." Percy trails off, attention already elsewhere; it takes Nico a couple of seconds to register that Percy's eyes are now focused on his lips, and before he can speak Percy is close again, eyes just level with his own.

Nico takes a breath, thinks, fuck it, and kisses him.