Your Friendly Neighborhood Percy Jackson

Origins: Chapter 2

The bus ride to KronoCorp Tower wasn't long enough for Percy. He needed more time to stare at Annabeth.

Creepy? Maybe. Can he help it? No.

Annabeth is a drop-dead gorgeous girl, with California-tanned skin, curly golden-blonde hair, and brilliant gray eyes that can look like a storm when she's angry. She has a great figure, which makes sense since she's captain of the cheer squad. She's also captain of the debate team, which is just physical proof that she has so much more to offer than just looks. She's incredibly intelligent and hard working; she never scores below a A- on anything. She is kind and she never bullies anyone (even though she's currently dating a bully, but she doesn't know that). She's made such an impact in school, and yet she's only a freshman of three months (it's currently December, by the way, if you were wondering).

Percy has liked Annabeth Chase ever since they met in 6th grade, when they were put together to work on a project for Science class. They got to know each other in the process, and he couldn't help but slowly fall in love with her as time flew by. They don't talk everyday, as unfortunate as that is, but they're friendly towards each other. Since she's friends with Piper, Thalia, Hazel, and some of his other friends, then he knows he'll always have a chance to talk to her more.

So Percy stared at the back of her head while she spoke to her friends a few seats ahead, ignoring his own friends' conversation.

"Hey Percy. Peerrcyyyy. PERCY!!"

"WHAT, Leo?!"

"You want play Among Us?"

"Not right now, dude, I'm busy."

"Busy staring at Annabeth Chase again? Not very productive" Jason said.

"Shut up, ass-whole, she can hear you!" Percy whisper-yelled (what do you call that? Welled?).

Piper entered the conversation. "Perce, I don't know why you torture yourself so much. You know Annabeth is with Castellan, even if he's a douchsnozzle. They've been together since 8th grade, and you don't talk to her everyday. You need to move on."

"I know I should, but I can't help it. I can't help but compare every other girl to her and finding them inadequate. I can't help lo - liking her as much as I do. Shut up Leo, I know you're about to make fun of that, motherfucker!"

For a moment, my friends (except for Leo, who laughed at my response) looked at me with sympathy, but I gave them a look, and they resumed the conversation they had going previously.

Before joining the others, Hazel looked at me and said, "Percy, you have a heart full of love and kindness, it's one of the reasons why we all love you. Any girl would be lucky to have you."

Frank, sitting next to her, gave Percy a nod. Percy couldn't help but smile and ruffle Frank and Hazel's hair (which they complained about). They were both very sweet friends that he could count on.

Percy turned around and looked out the window, seeing the Tower get closer and closer.

'Almost there.'

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The students and teacher entered through the large, automatic doors, into a large open area busseling with people in suits and white lab coats. Percy heard "oos" and "aahhs" from the others, and he had to agree. There were flying drones with packages, small robots cleaning the floors, various levels with windowed rooms, and multiple elevators to take people there. He wasn't a science geek, but even he could appreciate the coolness of this place.

"This place is cool, right?" a voice behind him said. Percy turned around and almost gasped.

Annabeth had approached him and was standing there, looking up right into his eyes. He was a head taller than her, which made him feel pretty good about himself (especially since she was the taller one in 6th grade. Thank god for genes and swimming).