Percy's New Life

Study Buddies

Next day of school
Percy POV
I was in my History class, my teacher Mr. Sanders was an old guy who took his job too seriously, he had already assigned homework and announced a quiz for next week, and it was only the second day of school, and now he was assigning people to study together "let's see, Blake and Terry, Jamal with Erika, Lucas with De'Andre, Jessica with Amanda, and Percy with Paige" he said, I looked over and she covered her face with her jacket. We spent the rest of the class going over how the Spartans held off the Persians at the hot gates.

Three hours later
Percy POV
I was exiting school when I saw Paige, I was gonna go over and ask her about where we would study but I froze, the idea of talking to her gave me butterflies in my stomach, I stood there like an idiot until I worked up the courage to walk up to her "h-hey Paige" I said nervously, she turned around and looked down shyly "I, uh, I was wondering where we would study" I said "why am I so nervous? I'm just asking her a question" I thought "oh, uhm, uh" she muttered, suddenly a guy walked out of the car next to us "hey Paige is this guy bothering you?" he asked "oh, she has a boyfriend" I thought, I was filled with sadness at the idea of her being with anyone "we were assigned to study together, I was asking her where we should study" I said, a hint of sadness in my voice "oh ok, well in that case you can come over to our place" he said happily "they live together?! How serious are they?" I thought. Paige got in the passenger seat and I got in the back and he started driving "so you guys live together, you must be pretty serious" I said "what?" he asked "aren't you dating?" I asked, a sliver of hope entering me "oh no I'm her brother" he answered "oh ok" I said happily "why'd you think we were dating?" he asked "I don't know" I said "ok, well I'm Keith and I'm sure you know my sister Paige" he said "I'm Perseus" I said "why did I say my full name?" I asked myself "Perseus? That's pretty cool, is that a nickname?" he asked "no, my mom thought it would give me good luck" I said "why is that?" He asked "Perseus was the only hero in Greek mythology to have a happy ending" I said "really? In the stories I was told the heroes all got the happy ending" he said "no, they all died painful sad deaths" I said "so how was Perseus' death different?" he asked "he died king of Athens, when some guys were building a ship a piece of wood flew up and hit him in the head" I said "oh, weird way to go" he said "yeah" I said. The rest of the way was quiet. We stopped at a small light gray house "well here we are" Keith said, I grabbed my backpack and got out of the car, Keith and Paige walked up to the door and opened it, I followed them in and a huge Great Dane walked up to me and sniffed me "that's Dex, don't worry he's friendly" Keith said "it's ok, I had a dog bigger than him" I said while petting Dex's head "bigger than him? What was its name" he asked "Mrs. O'Leary" I answered. After Keith went to his room me and Paige sat down and started studying.

Several minutes later
3rd person POV
Percy and Paige were reading their books, they haven't talked since they sat down "I can't take it anymore, why don't you talk?" Percy said "I don't like talking to people" she said quietly "I don't think that's true, I think you want to talk to people but whoever you talk to ends up hurting you, like the kids at school" Percy said "why do you care?" she asked "I just do" Percy answered "look, I appreciate you helping me with Blake, but those things just happen" she said "well Blake and his friends needed to be taught a lesson, they're all pretty dumb anyway" Percy said, she laughed for the first time since he knew her, then she looked up and they looked into each others eyes "you have a great laugh" Percy said, they then began to lean in, they slowly got closer together until their lips were almost touching, suddenly they heard Keith open his door and they quickly seperated "how's the studying going?" he asked "uh, it's going good" Paige said nervously "yeah, well I should get back to my house" Percy said "you need a ride?" he asked "no, it's not that far" Percy said before walking to the door and leaving

Paige POV
"damn it, why did Keith have to leave his room" I thought angrily, I had accepted the fact that I liked Percy, maybe even more than like, but I had no idea what time do about it, I've never felt this way about anyone before "he probably doesn't feel the same any way, he just got caught in the moment" I thought sadly

Percy POV
"why couldn't we have just kissed?" I asked myself, these feelings that I'm having for Paige are even stronger than how I felt about Annabeth, I had absolutely no idea what to say around her, I just turn into a nervous wreck, but that moment meant there was a chance "I just hope I can talk to her tomorrow" I thought