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Song of Inspiration: Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Ray

Dedication: Frazellover362, for being such a great reviewer! Enjoy!

...

Like stars burning holes right through the dark/ Flickering fire like saltwater into my eyes,

~Sleepyhead by Passion Pit

….

Of course, Annabeth Chase had to get on the bus last.

And of course, the only seat open had to be next to an unfortunately familiar emerald-eyed boy.

….

The bus rumbles to a start and Annabeth sways, about to fall into some random girl's lap. Percy has his eyes closed, lightly nodding his head, not even noticing that Annabeth is standing there, waiting for him to move his backpack.

Jerk.

Hazel, Piper, and Reyna give her sympathetic looks, and it would be too hard to switch seats now. This bus was filled to the brim.

Rolling her grey eyes, she gently taps her neighbor's shoulder. His green eyes shoot open, and his snaps his head to Annabeth.

His bewildered look disappears and turns into something like a frown. Percy yanks his headphones out of his ears and knocks his backpack to his feet.

Annabeth raises her eyebrows at Percy's sudden aggression, but realizes that he was just as pissed at her as she was at him.

"Are you going to sit or what?" Percy growls, and Annabeth glares at him. She sits at the edge of the seat, avoiding even the feeling of his own body heat.

They sit in awkward silence, the tension so thick you could cut it with a steak knife.

Annabeth inwardly groans and drops her head into her hands. This was going to be a long day, she could just tell.

"Annabeth," Percy suddenly says, and the grey-eyed girl turns to glare at him. He raises his arms in surrender, and Annabeth motions for him to go on.

"I wanted to apologize. I was an inconsiderate idiot, knowing that you were in a bad mood and acting the way I did. My day wasn't exactly sublime, but that's not excuse. Plus, it's a forty-five minute ride, and tension makes me twitchy." Percy cracks a grin and Annabeth, surprising herself, returns it.

"Thanks. I really appreciate it. I'm also sorry too, I mean, I kinda acted like a spoiled brat." Annabeth responds.

"How about we start over? I'm Percy Jackson. I live next door to you." Percy holds out his hand, and Annabeth takes it.

"I'm Annabeth Chase, your new neighbor." Annabeth smiles, glad he's treating her like a normal girl.

They sit in comfortable silence for a bit, until Percy holds out his earphone. "An indie singer must like Franz Ferdinand, right?"

"You already know me so well." Annabeth takes the earphone, and sinks into the uncomfortable plastic seat. One new friend. Good job, Chase.

….

The bus rumbles to a stop in front of an old brick building. It looks worse than it did years ago.

Teenagers pour into the small walkway and out the thin doorway, leaving Percy and Annabeth the last people to get off the big yellow monster.

"I'm assuming you need a guide around the school, seeing you haven't been here for a while. Am I up for the job?" Percy asks.

"Of course, thank you!" Annabeth says, and almost trips off the steep steps. Piper, Reyna, and Hazel are waiting for her outside on the grass, and they fall into step in unison like they'd done for years before.

Annabeth introduces Percy, and Piper smirks. "Is that the guy you-" She's soon stopped by a sharp look from the blonde.

"Oh, so I see you've been talking about me, have you?" Percy cracks, and Annabeth rolls her eyes.

"You wish."

"Yo, Perce! Over here!" A lanky guy with wild brown hair waves his arms to Percy, who laughs.

"We all know you can walk faster than that, Jackson." A ginger shouts from the gazebo in front of the school.

Annabeth feels a strong arm yank her to the side, and she turns her head quickly, pepper spray standing ready in her pocket.

"God, Annie. It's just me, seriously." Piper says, and drags Annabeth behind the bushes. "Did you see that guy, beside the redhead?"

"Uh, you mean the guy who shouted for Percy?" Annabeth guesses weakly and earned a glare from the multi-braided girl

"No. I mean the tall, blonde, hot guy on the other side of the girl." Piper responds flatly.

"I don't know, I didn't really see him. Now, what's the deal? Percy's waiting for us so…"

"Ann, that was Jason. Jason Grace." Piper starts to hyperventilate, and Annabeth takes her hand.

"How can you be so sure?" The grey-eyed girl questions.

"I think I should know." Piper states and looks to Annabeth for advice.

"Just act… nonchalant, okay? Let him come to you." Annabeth grasps for straws, as Piper was always the boyfriend expert.

"How's my hair?" McLean fiddles with her braids, and looks to the other girl, almost pathetically.

"Fine. Now let's go!" Annabeth practically lifts the other girl up, and they begin to walk to the group.

Percy and his friends were waiting for them at the doors of the school, and the other teens introduce themselves.

The ginger was Rachel, who was reluctant to give out her last name, and the lanky guy was Grover, who was actually a childhood friend of Annabeth's.

The girls go their separate ways, promising to meet at lunch.

Thanks, guys. Piper thinks. You stuck me with Jason.

….

Reyna briskly walks to her locker on the far side of school, feeling kind of naked without her friends by her side. She's alright though, after all she is Reyna Rosario, independent, twenty-first century woman.

No, not really.

She just wants people to think that.

But, whatever.

She arrives at locker 3509, and drops her bag to the floor with a boom. Normally she wouldn't have been so careless, but the million books were killing her back.

Reyna neurotically turns her lock, and opens the metal block with a victorious swing.

Oh, thank god. She only has ten minutes to homeroom.

A shadow passes over her, and Reyna stiffens. Yay. She's been discovered.

"Are you a parking ticket? 'Cause you've got FINE written all over you."

How'd you like?