HEY EVERYONE

I don't know how many of you guys will read this but I'm really, really sorry about not updating this story. I did get a few PM's and reviews about it but here it is!

~Chapter 12~

"Why are you so screwed up?" Rachel exclaimed.

Percy gaped at the redhead incredulously.

"It's not like I'm doing this on purpose. You said you'd help me, not bully me"

The pair was walking into a frozen yoghurt shop after school and Percy's play rehearsal. More specifically, after he kissed Annabeth.

Rachel was both stoked and horrified when she heard the news.

"You KISSED her?"

Percy nodded awkwardly.

"On the LIPS?"

He groaned. "Where the hell do you think I kissed her? On her belly-button?" He shouldn't have come to Rachel for help. Instead of receiving advice, he was receiving enough humiliation to last him for years.

She glanced at him with a strange mixture of horror and acceptance. "You're weird"

They both turned to the counter and received the shock of their lives when they were faced with a manic-looking Jay.

"AHHHH" Percy screamed.

Rachel was confused. Wasn't this the boy that was good friends with Annabeth?

Jay was still grinning scarily. He smirked at Percy and said, "Thinking about the kiss, Jackson? Thinking about Annabeth's belly button? Thinking about Annabeth? What would you like to order?"

Percy blinked rapidly at the change in topic and zeroed in on the menu.

"Umm, I'll have a medium, watermelon flavour with those little pink balls and – I didn't know you worked here!"

Jay wrote down the order and laughed at his surprised face.

"Clearly, or you wouldn't have talked about kissing Annabeth's belly-button"

Rachel sidled up to the counter and smiled at Jay politely.

"I'll have a medium, biscotti-flavoured with mini chocolate chips and keep that to yourself or Percy here will wet his pants" she said.

Jay winked at her and set about making their orders.

When he was finished, they took their yoghurts to a nearby table and sat down.

"I still don't get it. Just tell her!"

Rachel talked with big motions and used her body language very expressively. So expressively, that she nearly dropped her yoghurt cup. Turning it away from her, she saw that there were black markings running along her cup.

She squinted and read,

"My parents told me to chase my dreams, is it ok if I follow you? 0425 573 287 Jay"

Rachel glanced up slowly at the counter. Jay was winking and smirking at her strangely, waving a cup around.

She raised her eyebrows and nodded awkwardly to tell him she got his message.

Percy guffawed. "What a stalker! I can't believe he did that"

Rachel glared at him, blushing. "At least he's better than you! You can't even tell Annabeth that – "

"Tell Annabeth what?"

Percy and Rachel looked up slowly, dreading what they would see and were faced with the second shock of their day.

Annabeth, the girl they were just talking about was looking down at them expectantly. She was still wearing her clothes from school and had obviously dropped in to see Jay or order frozen yoghurt. Or both.

Percy gulped. She was still staring at them with narrowed eyes.

Rachel stared at the both of them and awkwardly edged in with "Tell you that…he wants you to try this awesome yoghurt he's eating!"

Percy nodded fervently, staring at mentioned yoghurt, which was untouched and had started drooping from the heat.

He offered it to her.

Annabeth scrunched her face and was just about to reply when Jay came bounding up to them excitedly.

"Am I sensing some DRAMA? Am I sensing some HEAT? Percy, you bad boy. Planning a date with TWO LADIES AT ONCE?"

Annabeth looked shell-shocked and started backing away from the table. "I am so sorry. I had no idea this was a date! Jay, why are you talking weird, let's get out of here"

Percy and Rachel both stood up at the same time and Rachel started protesting.

"Oh no, this isn't a –eww- date! I was just leaving!"

She grabbed her melting yoghurt and slung her bag over her shoulder.

Rachel looked purposefully at Percy and hand-gestured towards Annabeth "subtly" whilst winking at the same time. "Annabeth, why don't you try the yoghurt Percy was talking about. You can get to know each other better" she danced around them before pointing menacingly at Jay.

"And you, call me!" she winked and in a flash, she was charging out of the shop with purpose, leaving everyone shell-shocked in her wake.

Jay was the first to recover. "But…I don't have your number"

He looked sadly at the second yoghurt he had brought for Rachel; strawberry flavour with little candy hearts saying "Be Mine" and "I love you"

Percy couldn't help himself. He looked through his phone and gave Jay Rachel's number with his blessings.

Jay stared down at the number like it was a gift from God and hurried back to the counter, not noticing that Annabeth had stolen the yoghurt from his hands.

She glanced uncomfortably at the unoccupied seat across Percy and was just about to inch away when Percy said, "Take a seat, if you may"

He cringed at himself. Take a seat, if you may? What was he, the queen of England? Jesus.

She sat down, equally strangely and swished her yoghurt around with a little pink spoon.

They spent minutes in silence until Annabeth was finally done with her yoghurt (Percy had given up on his melted, gloopy mess)

She set container down.

"I have a question" she said, still recovering from the previous events.

"Me too." Percy said quietly.

Annabeth leaned forward and whispered.

"What is your friend on?"

Percy laughed.

"I was just about to ask the same question about your baboon of a friend"

Annabeth leaned back and smiled. It was a smile of understanding, amusement and something else.

"This is kinda nice, Percy. Us being friends"

Percy hid his face in his liquidised yogurt. It was a friendship smile. Percy Jackson was officially in the friendzone.

"Super nice"

Did you guys notice the pick up line? I couldn't really pick a winner but I did include one in the story. (Thank you, AirHead 2000!)

What do you guys think of JAYCHEL (Rachel and Jay?)

I thought it'd be nice to have a story where Rachel wasn't pining after Percy. Anyway...

QOTD: If you had to choose one thing to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Thank you for reading and review! Anything you want, constructive criticism (politely disguised flames), flames, love, anything!

Love you all!

-LifeInTheFandom-