This story refused to desist until I put it up and heard your thoughts on it. So forgive me for not updating my others.
I listened to Stutter by Maroon 5 as I wrote this.
PJOPJOPJOPJOPJOPJOPJO
"Shit!"
Percy looked down to see a girl sprawled out on the floor with books surrounding her.
"Oh crap! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you!" He dropped to his knees to pick up the books and stood up offering her a hand up.
"It's alright, it's my fault should've you," she said as she took his hand and started to fix herself. He took that time to get a good look at the girl in front of him. She had long curly blond hair, was about 5'2" and had a slender frame; she was wearing blue skinny jeans, a green hoodie, and converse that had scribbles all over them. He had the feeling that he knew her, if the fact that he seemed to know that her eyes would be a dark bluish grey when she looked up was any indication.
"I'll take these, thanks," she took her books from him and looked up. He was right about her eyes. As their eyes met his mind conjured up a name for the face.
Korinne-Isabelle DeLuca.
"Perseus Jackson," she said finally.
"Korinne-Isabelle DeLuca," he said just as seriously. She winced at her full name.
"Please, call me Kori."
"Only if you call me Percy," he smiled at her.
"What are you doing here?" He looked at the lockers and classrooms around them and raised an eyebrow. "Right," she said as she shut her eyes at her moment of stupidity. "You go to school here. Right." She clutched her books closer to her chest and shuffled nervously. Why was she suddenly nervous?
Percy took mercy on her and filled the silence. "McGregor hates me and forced me to stay after for extra help and then two hours of detention." She smiled at him in sympathy, she had heard about McGregor's rancor for certain students, the ones his wife were fond of, to be specific. "Why are you still here?"
"L-library." She cursed herself for stuttering in front of the hero. First nervousness, now stuttering? She was talking just fine before, why did she start stuttering now? Memories of conversations with the girls at camp flashed through her mind. She remembered all that they had said about him and his 'godly good looks.'
Well, he is the son of a god, she thought.
Percy nodded and they stood there in silence for a moment. "Can you move please?" When he looked at her she stuttered some more, "I-It's just- you're s-standing in-in front of my locker." Percy nodded and moved out of the way looking embarrassed and completely ignoring her stuttering.
"Where do you live?" she asked as she shut her locker and they made their way out of the building.
"Just a couple blocks down. How about you?"
"Same." They walked in a comfortable silence, listening to the hustle and bustle of the city. "How's your mom?" Percy looked at her in surprise. "Everyone at camp knows how close you are to your mom."
"She's good. She and Paul are getting married soon."
"Paul?"
"Blofis." Korinne stopped short and the person behind her rammed into her, knocking her forward and straight into Percy's arms. She mumbled her thanks.
She looked at him in disbelief. "The English teacher?" He nodded. "Your mom is marrying our English teacher?"
"He wasn't my English teacher when they met," Percy pointed out.
"When's the wedding?"
"Beginning of Spring Break."
"You sound so excited," she acknowledged his not-so-excited voice.
"No! I am. My mom is happy and I get the whole apartment to myself all week." Percy truly was excited for his mom.
"That must be lonely."
Percy shrugged. "Thalia might stop by. And Annabeth," he added as an afterthought.
"You sound so excited about that." Percy winced. Yeah he really wasn't that excited.
"I'm glad I'm gonna be able to see Thalia again. I haven't seen her in months."
"She's the one that became Artemis' Lieutenant after…" she trailed off, completely ignoring how he didn't mention Annabeth. He IMed her every day, he didn't need to see her in person; he saw her when during the Iris-message.
"Yeah," Percy said to indicate that she was correct as he remembered Zoe. "She said that she's going to ask Artemis for some time off so she can visit."
"It's nice that you get to see your cousin again." Korinne glanced up and realized that they were already at her apartment building. "This is my stop."
Percy looked up as well. "That's weird. I live here too. How come I didn't know that you lived here?"
"You probably live a couple floors above me and probably on the other side of the building. Plus I just moved in a couple weeks ago. It's not like you would have time to notice me," she excused his actions as the doorman opened the door.
"Hello Miss DeLuca. Mr. Jackson. I hope your day has gone well."
"It has, thank you," Korinne smiled at the doorman. Percy nodded in thanks as well.
"I live that way," Percy gestured to the elevator farthest from them, showing that he at least lived on the other side of the building from her.
"This is where we separate then. See you tomorrow Mr. Jackson." She waved as she approached the elevator closest to the door. Percy smiled and waved back as did the doorman.
The doorman gave Percy a look. "What?" he asked defensively. The knowing look persisted. "Oh shut up, Steve," Percy snapped as he grumbled his way to the elevator.
Percy could still hear Steve's chuckles when the doors on the old style elevator closed.
Tell me your thoughts. Should I continue?