Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Rosetta Stone

Chapter 9

Percy's POV

"Is love still there?" "G-man!" I exclaimed. It was Grover, but once again he had grown, his horn becoming ever more prominent through his thick curly hair. "Are you going to ask Juniper tonight?" I asked him. "'Course! She is my girlfriend. She kept IMing me saying how much she missed me. She is the most gorgeous Nymph out there, you know!" I didn't reply to that, as I didn't find nymphs attractive in the slightest. He sat down opposite me. "So you and Annabeth then?" he asked. "Yeah, it's been great," I said dreamily. "She looks even more beautiful than usual," he said mockingly, and I punched him playfully in the arm. "Very funny, Grover." "Yeah, yeah, I know. And so it went on.

Grover said that he had been all around the country, motivating Satyrs to improve their local parks. He asked me about New York; I replied that I hadn't been chucked out of Goode yet, and that I picked Annabeth up from school every day, but had never seen any of her friends. Thinking about it made it seem all the weirder. "Are you and Annabeth," he paused, "I don't know how to put this. Are you and Annabeth dating?" he asked, blushing. I felt my cheeks redden as well. "Yeah, I guess, but in New York it's different. We're just together, not like, making out the whole time. Grover laughed and stood up. "I'd better go. I have to catch up with Juniper," he said. "We'll leave for Miami after dinner," I said, and he nodded. We left the pavilion. I went to sword practise, and fought the Stoll brothers.

Later, I remembered that I still hadn't got Annabeth a present. I'd have to wait. Now I had to pack.

Annabeth's POV

"Oooo, Annabeth! A date with Percy, eh?" Silena teased. I went bright red. I tried to remember that it was nothing to be embarrassed about it, but I wasn't used to showing raw emotion to anyone other than Percy, so I was reluctant. What no one at camp knew was that we had been going out for longer than they thought. I saw Percy every day after school. All of my friends were curious about who was picking me up, but I had kept it a secret the whole time. I knew that if I survived this next adventure, my friends would have to know about him. It would be weird otherwise, fantasising about Percy all day when they were trying to hook me up with some other guy from our class. "Earth to Annabeth?" Silena said. I homed in on the sound, and became aware of her looking at me. "You were zoned out for a minute there!" she continued. I looked down at my shoes. Silena stopped and took my hands. "We will make you look irresistible, and Percy will fall of his chair," she said determinedly. She led me toward the Aphrodite cabin, talking about what I would wear. I was still a little dazed, but followed her.

Five hours later, I was still sitting in the Aphrodite cabin. Silena had definitely taken her time with my makeup and clothes. Mostly I just sat there, remembering my attempted surfing lesson. Finally it was time, and I looked at what I was wearing for the first time. It took my breath away. It was a Greek toga, but it was like a dress. It was wrapped around me with leather and gold. I looked like my mother. "I'I don't know what to say," I said to Silena. "You don't need to say anything, Annabeth, just go and meet Percy!" she replied, and I left.

Percy's POV

It was five to six. I was early, which was a first. And I was nervous, for no apparent reason. I had showered, and brushed myself up. I was wearing black trousers, a white shirt, and a loose tie. This was pretty much as smart as I ever would look, I was sure. Couples were milling around the lawn, waiting for Chiron to open the pavilion. It was six now, and I was becoming increasingly nervous. Malcolm walked up with a cute girl from the Aphrodite cabin. "Hasn't your date arrived yet, Jackson?" he sneered. "Actually, Malcolm, his date is here." Annabeth stepped out of the shadows. "What is your problem anyway? You've been acting weird ever since we arrived, " Annabeth said. Malcolm shrugged, and walked away with his date. Annabeth looked amazing. She was smothered in white material, her hair down and curls flowing down her back. To my surprise, she was wearing golden converse. But it just added to the look. "You're beautiful," I whispered into her. She snorted. "I should think so, Seaweed Brain. I don't endure five hours of torture for nothing!"

A horn sounded. "The pavilion is now open!" declared Chiron, and cheers went up. Mr. D threw open the doors to reveal huge Greek urns filled with ivy dotted around the room, and the tables arranged in a different order to usual. Everyone started to filter in. We chose a table that consisted of Clarisse, Chris, Silena, and a boy I knew by sight as Tom from the Apollo cabin. The others talked about Annabeth's designs for Mount Olympus, but my ADHD couldn't focus on it for long, and I found my mind wandering to the forth coming flight. I had never been to Europe before, and knew nothing about it. What do you do in London? I somehow couldn't picture us watching some seemingly random rock all day. "Pay attention!" Chris said and hit my arm. I just nodded and liked around the room. I thought about the trip again. I didn't think that going by plane was a very wise idea, seeing as Zeus wasn't my biggest fan, and I hated confined spaces. Had Chiron lost his mind?

Chapter 10

Annabeth's POV

Percy was in his own little world again, but it didn't bother me. I knew he was nervous about flying through the air in a fragile tin can, pretty much at Zeus' mercy. And the two REALLY didn't get along. But Percy would come round in the end.

My eyes narrowed, as a slim girl entered the pavilion. It was the one and only Oracle of Delphi, more commonly know to the outside world as Rachel Elizabeth Dare, my only competition in the Percy department. "Excuse me," I asked and stood up, walking towards the door, and confronted Rachel.

"What are you doing here, Oracle?" I asked nastily, very unlike me in general. Rude, yes, nasty, not often. Apart from with Rachel. She was now the official enemy. "Well, Wise Girl, I must be consulted before every Quest. So move!" she snarled. "Pah. Get lost, Rachel, before you cause any more damage than you have already," I told her. "Not a chance in the Underworld," she replied, and pushed me aside. She walked into the room, taking my place next to Percy.

I could see them mouthing greetings. Rachel's hand moved to Percy's spine. He gently pushed her arm away from his back. He glared at her, but she was oblivious to it, and leant in to kiss him. I'd had enough, and stalked off to the beach. I ran, and only stopped when I felt the sand under my feet. I collapsed, tears streaming down my face. He didn't want me. Last night, and today, it was all meaningless. He loved Rachel, I was sure. As I slipped deeper into despair, I felt my hair fall loose over my face. I didn't care. Rachel had won, that was all.