TASTE OF YOU . . . percabeth

nineteen

EVERYTHING DID NOT go back to normal.

In Emmy's defense, she's been busy, what with coming back from Rio, adjusting back to normal, school starting, doing college classes, and upkeeping her reputation. She did not see Percy nearly every day, or even a single day. She thought about him sometimes, but she barely had any time to call him, let alone hang out with him.

Who she was really missing was Annabeth, who didn't come back for junior year. So far, at least, but it's been over a month without her and Emmy was really suffering through withdrawals.

"You're actually obsessed," Kylie told her one day, sifting through racks of clothes for a homecoming dress for Emmy. Emmy was lying on a couch, sunglasses perched on her eyes ( as if she wasn't inside ) and a pout on her glossy lips.

"I am not!" protested Emmy, immediately turning to her.

Kylie raised an eyebrow at her. "You so are."

Emmy groaned. "It's been forever since I've seen her, Ky," she complained. "I miss her."

"Can you not miss her right now?" asked Kylie, completely done with Emmy's attitude. "You need a homecoming dress."

"I can get one later."

"No, you're getting one now," Kylie told her, then impressively pulled her to her feet and dragged her away.

And now here Emmy was, at homecoming without an Annabeth to spend the dance with. Despite how boring it was last year, the dance was still held at the stupid school and she was seriously debating going to the afterparty right now. She didn't have the time to plan an afterparty, but someone probably did. And if there wasn't one yet, she'd just hold it at her club.

She sighed, glancing around, but the only thing of note was Theo livening up the dead dance floor with Aislinn, twirling her around wildly. A part of Emmy admired him for attempting to get people to dance, but she was also embarrassed by his presence so she looked away. Everyone else was either eating or standing around in groups, like Emmy was.

"This blows," Kylie huffed from next to her, stopping whatever conversation was happening. "Can time hurry up?"

"We could just go to the afterparty right now," offered James Newport. So there was an afterparty. Thank God.

"You're forgetting that Emmy has to win her crown first," Kylie rolled her eyes, looping her arm through Emmy's. "Then we can finally leave."

"I can't help it, Ky." Emmy smirked at her. "I'm just so popular that every year I win homecoming queen."

"Very popular," added Paisley. Her sour look clashed with her overdone makeup.

"Glad you agree, Paige," drawled Emmy, examining her nails. Something creeped down her throat, but she wasn't sure what it was. Naturally, she ignored it like she does everything else.

She was fine. It was homecoming, she was dressed up pretty in a red dress and black platforms, life was good. Everything was good.

Time passed by, much too slowly in Emmy's opinion, until she, Ali, and Paisley went backstage to prepare for coronation.

"You three know the drill by now, I assume?" one of the student council members asked them.

"Yes, we do," said Ali.

"It's totally going to be different this year." Emmy rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, because it's rigged in your favor," muttered Paisley.

"Sometimes, continuity is good," Emmy said.

And, what do you know, it ended up being true because she was walking onstage and getting a crown put on her head.