He hadn't seen her since the day they graduated high school.

Counting Stars

Percy

Chapter 3

But baby, I been, I been prayin' hard

Said no more counting dollars

Percy stared after Annabeth's retreating form. He took another sip of his hot chocolate and shook his head. He too stood up. After setting a ten on the table, he walked out. His phone beeped, startling him. Percy read the message.

Rachel: OK, Octavian helped me set this thing up, but you still have to make it. Where the heck are you!? X(

Percy sighed and ran a hand through his hair before taking off at a sprint through the busy streets of New York City. He texted as he ran. Just a sec, going as fast as I can. He turned off his phone and shoved it in his pocket before skidding to a stop in front of an art gallery. He adjusted his jumper before walking inside.

A blur of red clouded his vision, and he lowered his gaze until he met the eyes of the ever-so fiery Rachel Elizabeth Dare, daughter of the head of Dare Enterprises. Of course, she hated having that title. "I'm just Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Rachel, or RED, not all this junk! Sheesh!" She strongly disagreed with her father. He went around destroying nature to put up factories, shopping malls, and other large buildings or places like that.

Rachel had her arms crossed and was sending him a pointed look with her sharp green eyes. "And where have you been?"

"Um... Hestia's?" He wasn't quite ready to tell her about the meeting with Annabeth. Rachel sighed.

"Ugh, couldn't you drink and walk? Or eat and walk? Or whatever you were doing there?"

"Er... no. Not really. Look, you've got this huge gallery just for you! You've got a pretty face, and you're ruining it with all this scowling, frowning stuff. Just ignore it for a bit until all this," he gestured wildly around them, "is over." Rachel shook her head, frizzy red curls flying around everywhere, but consented to his orders and walked off to talk to some girls admiring a picture of a bronze dragon. Percy followed her.

"This is my most latest painting called Festus. Do any of you girls know Leo Valdez?"

A girl nodded, scowling. "Yeah. I know him."

"This painting is for him. So admire it while you can 'cause it's gonna go out soon." Rachel sent an award-winning smile (once again, her father felt the need to have a "perfect" family, and that means looks were essentially important) and motioned for them to follow her.

Percy stopped the scowling girl. "What's up? I'm Percy, by the way."

She gave a half-smile. "Emily. It's... nothing. Just some dumb teenage girl crap. Broken hearts mean nothing now."

"H'm. You're... oh."

Emily gave a strained smile before whirling around to follow the group, choppy hair hitting Percy in the face, making his nose itch. Dang, her hair was prickly.

That was the last time he saw her.

A college guy with light blonde hair and frosty blue eyes walked up to Percy. "I see you've met Emily." Percy rubbed the side of his face.

"Yeah. Bit spunky."

"Fierce. I'd look out for her."

"Nah. I think she's just a bit off at the moment."

"Sure."

"So Octavian... murdered any Pillow Pets lately?" Percy smirked.

Octavian grumbled. "It was a dare."

"Somebody say dare?" Rachel appeared at Octavian's side. "That Emily girl's nice."

Octavian held back his laughter as Percy glared the ground. Rachel chuckled and threw her arms around the two guys. "Alright. I'll ignore this suspicious scene and lead you guys to the food." She sent them a look before shoving them towards a table filled with an array of food. Octavian quickly filled a plate, giving Percy a brief wave, before striding off somewhere. Percy looked around for someone to talk to. He spotted a girl with light brown hair. They locked eyes. She walked over.

"Hey. I'm Amanda. Sorry about my friend. She's a bit okay now. She's gotten back her habit of slapping people when she's angry. It's alright. Oh and ignore her hair. It's painful. Anyways I think I should go. Emily looks like she about to pass out. The art is overwhelming." She began to run off. "I've got your back, sista! Don't leave me now!"

Percy shook his head. He needed a break.

Grover and Juniper were having a conversation about endangered animals when Percy arrived and fell to the ground. "Ugh, carry me to my watery bath."

Juniper scrunched her nose, and Grover shook his head. "Dude, we're not undressing you. That's nasty. Go carry yourself." Juniper nodded and took a bite out of the apple in her hand.

"I've seen enough already, and I feel halfway blind. Please do your... things... in your own room... by yourself." She flitted her hand in a shoo-ing manner. Grover chuckled and wrapped an arm around her small waist.

"You heard the girl, shoo."

Percy pushed himself off the ground and headed into his bedroom. "Rude."

After his regular concert in the shower, Percy was fresh and clean. Juniper had prepared some mushroom burgers for the them. She placed Percy's in front of him as he shook his hair out. Juniper hit the back of his head with a newspaper. "It took long to prepare these, and you just put your disgusting shower water in them!" She sighed and stalked back into the kitchen.

Percy faced his roommate. "Dude, your girlfriend's got sass."

Grover sighed dreamily and stared into the kitchen. "Yeah... she makes me nuts... nuts and berries."

Percy face-palmed before wincing. He'd seen people do it on television but to do it in real life was plain out painful.

Grover snorted, and Juniper hid a smile behind her hands. "Right," Juniper said, "I guess you guys can eat now. What do you think?" The pair bit into their burgers. Percy nodded.

"For a mushroom, this is really good. I'm kind of glad you two are vegetarians," Percy declared.

Grover smiled at his girlfriend. "Yeah, Juniper, this is delicious." Said girl blushed.

"Aw, thanks, guys. I'll have to make it again sometime."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Can't argue with that."

Disclaimer: All canon characters and possibly mentioned canon events belong to the owner who had ever so rightfully copyrighted their hard work, and I, the Artist, am in no way whatsoever, that person. In this case, the "owner" is Mr. Richard Russell "Rick" Riordan, Jr.

OK, I'm really sorry about how short these chapters are getting. The cold weather keeps making it really hard to type because my fingers are like completely frozen. They're immensely hard to move. I'll try to make the chapters longer like the first one, but I can't guarantee anything. Shout-out to...

4ever-and-always-invisible, Huntress of the Stars, PJACPMKE4EVER, alyaJackson, ThanatosGrim, GreyEyes217, Jedi1, Lobo237, elzannerocks, hoozemy, inv2, stalkerinpink

That's who's been added to the whole followers, favorites, reviews, and stuff... Thanks guys! I like the reviews y'all give, it's great reading them! I'm glad you all enjoy the story. :)