Annabeth's School

Chapter 15: Escalating the Plan

THALIA'S POV
A coy smile no longer needed the suppression of her pale skin, and she confidently exhibited the smug happiness that she prior concealed.

Annabeth had finally comprehended all that needed to be understood- all but one minor detail, that she'd learn after school.

The scene before her saw jealous faces from the student body; Thalia even noticed the brunette that had mentioned Percy's name in maths, intending to walk towards the table, and as though in defeat, resorting back to another table.

Although no one was looking directly at the table, Thalia felt a strong sense of hidden gazes. She wondered if Annabeth could sense the feeling of being watched by the student body as well.

In justification, the concealed gazes were reasonable; the scene that had unfolded moments prior did attract a lot of attention. The best part of it was, although Thalia was the new kid, her announcement as Annabeth's cousin eliminated most stigma off her.

Thalia recalled the scene in her head, starting from Annabeth accusing Percy and her of coordinating:

"Why didn't you tell me?" Annabeth's voice was higher than usual, hiding excitement behind curiosity.

"It was a surprise, Annabeth, did you not want a surprise, Annabeth?" Percy's repetition made it evident he was mocking Annabeth.

"No it was just..." she began, "so well thought out. And you two... working together? That confuses me on so many different levels,"

"What if that was another part of the surprise?"

"Don't push it, seaweed braid." Thalia stated.

At this Annabeth's head turned to Thalia, "You don't get to call him that."

Thalia wanted to reason, why not wise girl? but refrained, to settle the harmless tension that was already building up. Instead, she smiled.

"Hey, I missed you," Smiled Percy, pulling Annabeth back into the enclosure of his arms.

Thalia watched Annabeth stiffen, a habit she'd noticed her do as a kid when she was embarassed. Then Annabeth had melted into the embrace.

Percy's embrace was warm, not that Thalia would ever admit it. Despite their occasional disagreement, she rest assured that Annabeth was in secure hands, literally. His jaw rested on the soft blonde head of Annabeth, and he had replaced a hand to feel the smooth texture of it. Annabeth had her arms secure around his waist, and Percy's other arm was looped around hers.

It took two strokes of Annabeth's hair for her to realise that she had comforted in that embrace a bit longer than usual. And when she retreated, her cheeks grew warm at recognition that most people were watching her. She curtained a golden strand of hair behind her ear, looked down and back up at her friends.

Annabeth was the one to suppress an excitement now.

"Well," she exclaimed, addressing the sight of her friends, "this is Percy, you know, the fake one." In her humour, Annabeth released her excitement through a smile. "Im assuming you all have met?"

"Yeah, we were just about to discuss your relationship," a brunette replied.

"What?"

"Yeah, but then you came," a less enthusiastic voice added.

For some reason, the origin of that voice was really distant. Thalia noticed the brunette male that seemed be having a bad day. Next to him, the other brunette male, recognisable from 2 Unit maths seemed to be smiling.

Annabeth must have caught onto the behaviour of the bad mooded voice, for she knotted her eyebrows, and then loosened them, as though she was calming concern.

"And this," She extended her arm out to point at Thalia, "is my cousin, from Summer Camp."

Thalia couldn't help but laugh. "Finally Annabeth! I'd been waiting for my introduction."

Annabeth smiled, then turned down in shyness, recalling the reason she had been so widely viewed by the student body.

"Thalia, right?" The happy brunette asked,

"Yup," she responded, "From 2 Unit Maths,"

The male, who she later learned to be Jacob, had laughed and said, "That intro was really unecessary,"

Thalia added, "I know! In front of the whole class as well,"

And from there everyone had sat, and surprisingly fit on the blue bench in the cafeteria. Conversation resulted, asking about Percy and Thalia, and Summer Camp and whatnot.