Mortals meet Percabeth

New Girl at Goode

Percy's POV

I was halfway through my third period on a regular, sleepy Monday when I heard the whispers.

I tried to ignore it at first. Some kid in the back snickered, "Who's she?" while others leaned over their desks, whispering in hushed tones. I was about to pass it off as another one of those "Goode High Popularity" dramas until someone muttered, "Blonde hair and gray eyes – what a knockout."

That got my attention. I whipped around, only half-aware that Mrs. Carlisle was giving me the stink-eye for zoning out in the middle of her lesson. But I didn't care. Blonde hair and gray eyes? That sounded a little too familiar.

I held out for the rest of the period, though I could barely focus on anything other than wondering if maybe I was imagining things. I mean, Annabeth wouldn't just show up here...would she?

But as soon as the bell rang, I darted out into the hall and nearly smacked straight into her.

"Surprise!" Annabeth said, grinning up at me, her stormy gray eyes twinkling with amusement.

I blinked. "Annabeth? You're...here? At my school?"

Her laugh made me feel like I'd just taken a really deep breath of fresh air. "Took you long enough," she teased. "Thought you'd never notice." She rolled her eyes, clearly enjoying my stunned reaction.

"How? Why? When?" I spluttered, feeling like a broken record.

"Well," she shrugged, smirking, "I wanted to surprise you. It was time for a change of pace, and Goode had some...perks."

"You mean me?" I couldn't help but grin, trying to act cooler than I felt.

Annabeth shot me an amused look. "Yes, Seaweed Brain, you're part of the reason." She gave my shoulder a shove, and my grin widened.

But then I noticed a couple of guys staring at her as they walked past, their eyes lingering just a little too long. I felt a prickle of annoyance, my grin fading as I noticed one of them whisper something to his friend with a smirk. I could practically hear their thoughts: Who's the new girl?

It didn't help that Annabeth looked amazing. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore a simple outfit – just jeans and a Goode hoodie she must've gotten from the school store – but she made it look way better than any Goode High girl ever could.

"Did you want a tour of the school?" I asked, trying to sound casual as I glared at the guys who walked by.

Annabeth chuckled. "Sure, but I already know where everything is."

"Of course you do," I muttered, but I reached out to grab her hand, leading her down the hallway anyway. The way some of the guys' eyes lingered on her made my stomach twist with something ugly and possessive.

"So, what's your schedule look like?" I asked, forcing myself to focus on her and not on the guys who seemed a little too interested in the new girl.

Annabeth pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it over. I scanned it quickly and realized we only had one class together: gym. Great. Just great. That meant Annabeth was going to be surrounded by other guys for most of the day, with no me around to keep them in check.

"Oh, you've got Mr. Ellison for English," I said, wincing. "He's a little...intense. And you're in honors math? Guess that's no surprise."

She smirked. "Unlike some people, I actually like a challenge."

"Hey!" I said, but I couldn't help smiling. Annabeth always knew how to get under my skin – and I couldn't get enough of it.

By lunchtime, I was feeling a little more relaxed. Annabeth had stayed close to me throughout the morning, and I hadn't noticed any more guys trying to flirt with her. But as we entered the cafeteria, my mood plummeted.

"Hey, you're new, right?" A guy with spiky hair and a letterman jacket practically jogged over to us, flashing Annabeth a confident grin. I recognized him as Jared, the captain of the basketball team – a known flirt who thought he could charm anyone and everyone.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Yes, and?"

Jared either didn't notice or didn't care about her cold response. "Well, maybe you'd like to sit with us? I could show you around, introduce you to some people."

I clenched my fists, glaring at him. "Actually, she's sitting with me."

Jared looked me up and down, smirking. "Hey, Percy, didn't see you there." He clearly didn't mean it, but he looked back at Annabeth, ignoring me entirely.

I shot her a desperate look, hoping she'd take the hint. To my relief, she smiled politely and said, "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll stick with Percy. I like my table view the way it is."

She shot me a wink, and I could feel my face heat up.

Jared shrugged. "Your loss," he said with a shrug that didn't look as nonchalant as he probably intended, then wandered back to his table.

As we sat down, I tried to act casual, but Annabeth noticed my clenched jaw and smirked. "Someone's jealous."

"What?" I scoffed. "No, I just don't like that guy. He thinks he's all that, just because he can dunk a basketball."

Annabeth laughed, and the sound sent a little thrill through me. "Relax, Seaweed Brain. I think I can handle a little attention. Besides," she said, giving me a sidelong glance, "I already know who I'm here for."

My heart did a flip, and I grinned, feeling a lot more confident.

The next day, I noticed the staring didn't stop. In fact, Annabeth's presence seemed to have caused a whole wave of new admirers who didn't even try to hide their interest. One guy in particular, Thomas – the quiet kid in honors math – seemed to take a sudden and intense interest in "helping" Annabeth with her math problems.

"I didn't know she was already tutoring you, Thomas," I said, crossing my arms as I watched him lean a little too close.

Annabeth shot me a look, rolling her eyes, but Thomas just blinked, looking up at me like he hadn't even noticed my existence. "Oh, hey, Percy. Yeah, she's...really smart."

"Obviously." I said through gritted teeth.

But then Annabeth did something that surprised me – she slipped her hand into mine, squeezing it reassuringly as she turned to Thomas. "Thanks for your help, Thomas, but I've got it from here."

I could barely contain my grin as Thomas slunk away, looking a little disappointed.

At the end of the day, Annabeth and I walked out of school together, hand in hand. The jealousy and frustration from earlier had faded, replaced by a strange, unfamiliar warmth. I couldn't believe I'd been lucky enough to have her here, at Goode, with me.

"So," I said, bumping her shoulder with mine, "Are you sure you're not regretting this? Joining me at this boring place?"

She smiled, her fingers interlaced with mine. "No regrets, Percy. Not one."

And just like that, I felt like the luckiest guy in the world.