GO FORWARD AND BE EATEN.

GO BACK AND REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

NOT MUCH OF A CHOICE, IS IT?

I know it's a really old and overused idea, but I just wanted to see if I could do it. Probably not my best work.

I got out of my new silver Volvo and walked up to the front doors of the school where a few kids who were talking were standing about. They glanced at me in surprise as I went through the door, but it was just after school, and I had every right to be there.

I stopped by the front office and asked after my boyfriend.

The lady there chuckled and said he was the swim team captain, so he was probably at practice. I thanked her and took her directions to find the pool.

Just as I got turned the corner, a four talking and laughing boys came out of the door marked POOL, and leaned against some lockers nearby.

"Hey guys, I hear some girl came in today, she was looking for someone. Bet she's cute," I hear one of them say, "maybe I should find her and ask her out."

"Yeah right," I guy too far back to see his face, speaks up, "face it dude, you'd never cheat on your girlfriend. Not least 'cause she'd kick your ass from here toMexico."

"For your information," the first guy says hotly, "Sarah has never actually beaten me up. That is just a rumor. Of the untrue kind."

"You got your eye on the new girl, Perce?" another guy asks, grinning cockily.

Percy snorted. Yep, that's my Seaweedbrain.

"How many times do I have to tell you guys, I already have a girlfriend? I am in a serious and committed relationship, so stop trying to set me up with every girl that walks under your nose," he says, frustrated.

"You know, for someone who is in a serious and committed relationship, you sure do have a lot of admirers," the last one smirked.

I decided this would be a good time to step in, so I tapped the guy who first spoke on the shoulder.

When he turned around I smiled sweetly and said, "Excuse me, I'm looking for someone, could you help me?"

Looking past him, I saw Percy whip his head around at the sound of my voice, cricking his neck. I shot him a look that clearly said, play along.

"Well hello there," the guy I asked said, giving me what he clearly thought was a winning smile, "My name is Max, and I would be delighted to help you. We could take a turn around the school and you can tell me about yourself, and who you are looking for."

"I would be delighted," I said, raising a skeptical eyebrow, "but I'm looking for my boyfriend and he's on the swim team, so could someone help me find him, for real?"

At this, Percy stepped forward and said grandly, "Well, as the swim team captain, I happen to know this guy. I would be happy to help."

"Oh, do you really know him? Has he mentioned me?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes, a few times. However, he is currently unavailable. If you want, I could show you around."

"Weeell," I said, looking him up and down, "You're not quite as good looking as he is, but I suppose you'll do."

"Thanks Wisegirl," he muttered, grabbing my hands in his own and leaning his forehead against mine.

We stared at each other, not kissing or hugging, or any other physical contact. It is easier to talk with your eyes.

"Ahem," a voice behind us coughed.

We didn't move.

He tried again, "Ahem."

We ignored him.

"Hey you guys," the guy who had teased Percy said.

We broke apart. Percy looked faintly annoyed.

"What?"

"Do you mind explaining who the hell that is?"

"What Elijah means," the fourth guy said, "Is that you, Percy, have never really consented to so much a touch any member of the opposite sex, therefore we, as your friends, are astounded by your, though unusually displayed, serious mental affection for someone we know to a complete stranger. Of course," he continued, while the others all rolled their eyes, "The obvious conclusion is that this is the girlfriend of whom you spoke, but it does not seem to be apparent to Max and Elijah, because they have expressed some doubt to whether such a person actually exists."

"Could someone please remind me how such a nerd as Sebo here got on the swim team and became our friend?" Max asked, annoyed.

"I did all your homework in exchange for not being beaten up for simply talking to your girlfriend. You then were so pleased with yourself, you challenged me to a race, thinking to humiliate me. Your plan, I'm afraid to say, failed miserably. The only way to save face after having been beaten by a nerd was to ask me to join the swim team. And you did not seem to mind when mid terms came about."

"Guys," Percy said, interrupting, "this is Annabeth, my girlfriend and best friend. And we should probably be going . . ."

"Uh oh," Max muttered suddenly, "Brace yourselves. My sister is coming."

Everyone winced.

"Your sister?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah," Max muttered, "She's really annoying. Carola is two years younger than us, and she is always hanging around us and being annoying. Always trying to tell us what to do, and thinking she knows everything."

"And bringing her friends to flirt with Percy," Elijah smirked.

I raised my eyebrows.

"They are all stupid," Percy said dismissively.

"Percy," a voice cried, and a pudgy girl with short oily blonde hair latched onto his arm.

"Percy," she said again in a high, OMG! kind of voice," Percy, you should come with me and my friends, we are all having a party later on for the last day of school, and you should totally come!"

"Sorry Carola," Percy said, cringing as he moved his arm out of her grasp, "I'm very busy this summer."

He grabbed my hand and I laced my fingers through mine.

"Oh," she said, her face falling a bit, "Who are you?"

"She's my girlfriend," Percy answered, "Annabeth."

"Oh," Carola said, her face falling a bit.

Then she got a weird look in her eye.

"Great! I'll show you around!" and she grabbed my arm tightly and tried to tug me away.

"Uh, no, we have to go . . ." I told her.

"Actually," Max said, wrapping his arm around Percy's neck in a headlock, "That's a good idea. You go off for a while, we have stuff to discuss with our dear friend here."

They towed him away, and I could hear bits of what they were yelling at him, stuff like, Dude, why didn't you tell us your girlfriend was hot! And Percy responding indignantly, I did tell you, but you never listen . . .

Inwardly laughing, I let Carola lead me to a deserted hallway.

"How dare you."

I stopped. "What?"

"How dare you! How dare you talk to him as if he's yours!"

I turned to stare at her and was startled by the fact that she was glaring at me, her eyes glittering with tears.

"You don't know him better than I do! You haven't heard all about his life! You don't notice the little things about him that make a girls heart melt!"

I looked at her, completely bewildered.

"You might get to hook up with him every summer, but you just like the way he looks! It's not like you really care about him! It's not like you really know him!"

"Of course I love Percy, more than anything!" I say angrily, shocked. I knew a lot of girls liked him, but this was way out of line. Screaming that I don't know him? She is clearly in denial.

"No!" Carola shouted, covering her ears, "No, I won't hear it! I love him! He is mine, and I won't let someone like you take him from me! I love him! I do! Me!"

I tried to keep myself from hitting her. Or pulling my knife from my belt.

"I'm the one who thinks of him all the time," she continued, still shouting, "The one who is always watching him! You didn't go to his house when he didn't show up at school that year; you didn't miss him every day!"

That was it. I still sometimes had nightmares about that time. The stupid mortal had no idea what line she had just crossed. But she had crossed it anyway, and now she would pay.

I was pulling my fist back for the punch when something in her voice, still crying all that crap, made me stop and rethink. It was a certain tremble, a desperation in the way said she loved him.

She's scared, I realized, but Carola honestly believes it. She really believes she loves him. But it was nothing to the real thing. I knew that Percy would never choose her. I knew that he was mine forever, and I was his. And I knew that deep down, she knew that too, and was afraid that she didn't love him as much as she thought she did.

It was so . . . sad. I felt sorry for her. So I just looked at her, with pity in my eyes. Maybe she saw it, because her screams turned to sobs. She just stood in the hallway, her head in her hands and cried. It was the most pitiful thing I had ever seen. Well, I couldn't hit her now, even if she was crazy and stupid. Plus, she was Percy's friend. Kind of.

"Look," I said over her sobs, "I don't think you really understand how much I love Percy and you really shouldn't make accusations like that, especially since they are not true." I gritted my teeth at what I was about to do. "But I still think, at the very least we could agree to not hate each other," I said holding out my hand.

Carola stared at it for a shocked second, and then exploded.

"How dare you act all high and mighty, as if you're going to be the bigger person! I love Percy and you're mocking me and pretending to do the right thing! I hate you!" she screamed and slapped my hand away. Then she turned and fled, her head still in her hands, so she almost ran into the row of lockers.

I watched her go with feelings of anger and pity still warring in my heart. When she was out of sight however, I just felt exhausted. Stupid mortals.

I leaned against the lockers and sighed. Then footsteps came up beside me and I saw Percy coming towards me.

"You were watching?" I asked tiredly, not surprised.

"Yes," he said quietly and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.

I placed my hands over his on my stomach and leaned back against him.

"I hate mortal schools, they are so draining," I muttered.

He chuckled quietly.

"You did good Wisegirl, not getting mad and all."

I sighed again.

"I couldn't help feeling sorry for her. But that used up about all the humility I have."

"She's crazy."

"Yep."

"Absolutely insane."

"Uh huh."

"Off her rocker."

"I agree."

"We should ditch the others and go get ice cream."

"Nice try Percy," I reply, turning in his arms and giving him a quick kiss.

We walked towards my car hand in hand until a big buff guy blocked our way.

"Hey cutie," he leered at me, checking me out, "What're ya doin' with this loser? Come with me, I'll give ya a real nice time."

I looked him up and down. He had a thick neck, wide jaw and his hair was cut short and combed to one side of his head. His eyes were emotionless and a dull brown. His full pouty lips curled up in a smirk as he saw me staring at him. Disgusted, I turned to Percy.

"Is everyone in this school a complete moron?" I asked in Greek, annoyed.

Percy laughed.

"Pretty much," he said in English, "Annabeth, this is Bradley Taylor, the richest guy in school. He's also a jerk, douschbag, asshole, playboy and happens to hate my guts," Percy added in Greek too.

"So," Bradley said, putting a heavy and sweaty arm around my shoulders, "A foreign babe huh? No wonder she's dating you, she doesn't know any better. Come back to my place, Annie baby, and I'll give you a bunch of private English lessons."

I snapped. Honestly, all I was supposed to be doing picking up Percy from school and bringing him to Camp, not taking on almost every annoying mortal in the country.

Grabbing Bradley's arm and twisting it behind him, I forced him to the ground. He yelled into the dirt until I hissed in his ear, "First off, English was my first language. Second, if you ever call me Annie again, I will kill you. Third-" But I was interrupted by Percy wrapping his arms around my waist, picking me up and towing me toward the car.

"Hey!" I yelled, "I wasn't finished with him!"

"I know," he said calmly, "And there are few things that would give me more pleasure than seeing you put him in his place. But I couldn't just sit there while you made the poor, weak, stupid and powerless mortal wet his pants."

I didn't like his logic.

"Besides," he continued cheerfully, "If I had stayed there much longer, I would have killed him myself."

I wasn't sure how to end this so I kind of cut it off.

Review quickly! I need inspiration! And I need someone to read my President Dad FF's.