Encounters

AN: Eh, kinda wanted to try this story. I don't know if I'm going to continue though, so let me know what you think and depending on what you guys say, I'll decide if I want to continue or not.

Annabeth

It started with a dare. Then again, most things in my life started that way. Improvised, gone off a limb, and completely spontanious. That's how I ended up in cheer leading even though I was one of the most ill-tempered people to ever walk the planet. That's how I ended up trying out every single club and extracurricular at Goode. That's how I ended up jumping off a tree and breaking my leg in the second semester of freshman year. And that's how on this particular day, I found myself in a situation I'd rather not be in.

In my defense, it was Piper's fault. Well, actually, looking back at it, I realized it was my fault for inviting her and Thalia over in the first place. She was a force to be reckoned with. She might've had a nice, soft exterior, but that didn't mean she should be underestimated, and trust me, I knew better than anyone because I was her best friend. I should've known it was going to be a trap. She was wearing a sly smile and her cheer leading uniform, a combination that meant death to anyone who knew Piper closely. The way she placed her words made it impossible to resist the dare when the air caught it. She'd walked up to me slowly, both hands behind her back and stared at me with multi-hued eyes full of mischeif. I remember looking away from my computer screen and glacing at her with a questioning expression.

"Yes?" It was the first word out of my mouth at that moment, and looking back at the event, I regret ever opening my mouth in the first place. Her smile widened to show her pearly white teeth and she clapped her hands together.

"Annie-" She started in a melodic tone of voice.

"Don't call me that." I cut her off quickly. If there was one thing I couldn't tolerate, it was rootbeer and people calling me Annie. She ignored my comment and continued.

"Could you do me a favor?" At that moment, I was sitting at my computer desk with a headset on playing Town of Salem. If she was asking me to move, there was a very small chance I'd actually do it.

"Depends on what it is." I answered without taking my eyes away from the game.

"Thalia and I are craving some coffee. You think you could swing by Starbucks and grab us some? You know what we want." I typed something into the chat box of my game as I half listened to what she was saying. I honestly couldn't understand america's obsession with Starbucks. Ooh, overpriced coffee that gives you diabetes, yum. If I wanted overpriced coffee that gave me diabetes, I'd go buy coffee at Target and then add a whole bottle of high fructose corn syrup, but that's besides the point.

"If you want coffee, there's a coffee maker downstairs." I muttered as I chose who I wanted to kill in the game.

"But we want Starbucks." She replied sweetly. I looked up at her and she gave me a smile so sweet your teeth would rot. I however, was not fazed. I grew up with the girl, I was used to all her tactics by now.

"And I have to get it because?"

"Because last time I was over, you wanted Taco Bell and I went and got it for you." I paused. That was a fact.

"And Thalia can't do it because?"

"She got you Chick-fil-a." I huffed. That was also a fact.

"Piper, I'm in the middle of a game though... I'm winning, if I left I'd have to start all over." She raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me and crossed her arms over chest. She and I both knew that I was fishing for an excuse not to leave the house. If anybody came up to me and asked me to my face if I was a homebody, I'd say yes in a heart beat.

"Ugh fine. Give me your keys."

"Well first you should change, don't wanna go into public in your uniform right?" And there it was. It was inconspicous, so kudos to her, but I should've known there was an ulterior motive to her wanting me to change. We'd just come back from our first cheer competition of the school year, so I looked like a baby whore stuffed into a blue uniform.

That should've been the first warning flag. Why would Piper not want me to go out into public in my cheer uniform? I was all lose shirts and worn out jeans ever since I could walk, and she'd been begging me to dress up equally as long, so the one time that I was actually in a tight fighting outfit that showed more skin than I could handle, she wanted me to change? But, even though I had one of the highest GPA's at Goode, in that moment, I was utterly and completely idiotic. So I shrugged my headset off and stood, my bones popping underneath me as I stretched my tired muscles.

"Yeah, I guess, but all my clothes are dirty." Both our gazes shifted to the laundry basket piled high with clothes. I could almost feel Piper's look of disgust and disappointment. I plucked the bow that was in my hair and released my hair from it's ponytail.

"Well... I brought some clothes." She offered quietly while looking at her school colored nails nonchalantly. That's when her intentions became abundantly clear. She wanted me to go out in public looking like I didn't spend my free time snacking on hot cheetos and prepping my affirmative and negative cases for the next debate tournament I was headed to. Basically, she wanted to play dress up with me.

"Ha, you're funny. Maybe I can grab a pair of Malcolm's sweats and just throw a jacket over the uniform top." My very annoying, very arrogant older brother had tried out every sport known to man at Goode. Because of that, he had too many sweats to count, and too many girls chasing after him. Piper pulled the bow out of her hair as well and fingered the sides. Then she shrugged and pursed her lips as if this little... whatever it was, was over. But I knew Piper. She never backed down from a fight. This was far from over.

"Alright, whatever makes you comfortable. I just thought... Nevermind." I raised an eyebrow at her and and looked back at my computer in regret. I shouldn't have gotten up. I didn't get alone time with my computer anymore. My computer and I were in a relationship, and you can't have a relationship without spending time with your significant other. Nevertheless, she'd peaked my attention.

"What?"

"Oh nothing. I just... Didn't think you were that much of a coward." She replied as she flipped her chestnut hair over a tanned shoulder. I resisted the urge to let my jaw drop to the floor and instead pressed my lips together and hummed.

"How am I being a coward?"

"Well, are you that scared of my clothes that you don't even want to leave the house? I mean... I thought Annabeth Chase was better than that." And there goes warning flag number two. How did I not guess that she was leading me into a trap?

"I am better than that." I replied, disregarding every atom in my body that was screaming at me to walk away and get back to the game. But it was too late. Piper looked up at me with a vixen smile and moved her arm swiftly outside as if she was leading the way.

"Then prove it. I dare you to wear my clothes, and if you can't handle it, then say so, but just know you'll be labled a coward for the rest of you life Annie." Now listen here because it's time for a backstory.

When I was nine and in the third grade, there was this kid who was so obnoxious, even the teachers gossiped about him. His name was Billy. Now Billy loved picking on me because I was younger than him by a month, and for some reason, he thought that was just the biggest deal. One day, I was sitting on a swing minding my own buisness when Billy came up to me and stuck his tounge out at me. As a third grader, I was highly offended. I was starting to get fed up with Billy. I mean the kid was relentless. Finally, I asked him what it would take for him to leave me alone. Back then, I didn't know it, but Billy had the biggest crush on me, so when he said that a kiss would make him leave, I wanted to call a teacher and accuse him of harrasment.

Of course I said no. At first. And when I did, he stated that he didn't expect me to do it anyway because I was too chicken. And then he said I dare you to, and that's when I snapped. So, after giving Billy the best kiss of his life- for a third grader-, I beat the living crap out of him, and trust me the teachers were looking, but there were no fucks to be given by them because everyone in the entire school despised Billy.

But that's not the point of the story. The point is that ever since then, I'd vowed to never seem weak or cowardly in front of anyone if I could help it. Piper of course knew this and used it to her advantage. So of course, I did have to wear Piper's clothes. I know that sounded like an easy task, but not with Piper. You see, Piper was sort of clothes freak, and she only had and I quote, "The best and cutest clothes that make you seem like a nice girl and not a whore." But that was her opinion. I thought anything with sparkles was a whoreish outfit, and anything low cut meant you were a prostitue in making.

I wish somebody would've taken a picture of her face when I said I'd wear her clothes because it was just absolutely priceless. She looked like a little kid on Christmas day. She'd grabbed my arm so forcefully I thought I was going to get a bruise.

"Thalia! It worked!" And when she said that I finally realized what she'd done and that there was no way of getting out of it now. Thalia padded out of my room and raised an eyebrow at me.

"I thought you were smarter than that, Annie." I groaned in frustration as Piper shoved me in the room. Thalia was absolutely right, like most of the time, but I'd never actually admit that to ther. I'd met Thalia in the third grade right after the Billy incident. After I beat him up, she'd walked up to me, looked me up and down with scrutinizing eyes, and then said, "I was planning on doing that soon, but I guess I don't have to anymore." And then, after I split my brownie with her, it was a done deal. I was stuck with her and she was stuck with me.

The next half hour after Piper had trapped me was a complete nightmare. It was obvious she'd planned this, as she brought some of her 'nicest' clothes. By the time I was done, I wanted to get a pair of scissors and start chopping up the clothes I was wearing. I'd prefer walking out onto the street naked than with what I was in. I'd shut my mouth as soon as she brought out the disgusting dress she had supposedly brought for herself, but was now letting me use. It was a flowly number that belonged in summer time not fall and it was too short for my taste, but hey, I couldn't really complain. I drew the line at the heels. No way was I going to hurt my feet just to get some Starbucks. Luckily- not luckily at all- Piper had 'coincidentally' brought two pairs of shoes.

"Oh my gosh... Annabeth... You actually have boobs now." Thalia commented from the bed. She glanced at Piper with praise while I took offence to her words.

"Did I not have any before?" Thalia snickered while Piper scoffed.

"No, you have plenty. She means that now you can actually tell you have boobs." I rolled my eyes and went to rub my eyes. As my fist was about to meet my eye, Piper screeched and grabbed my arm. "No, you'll ruin your make up!" I glared at her and snatched the keys from her hand, grabbing the flats that I'd distastefully agreed to wear and running down the stairs. I'd avoided Malcolm's stares, stomped out of the house, and drove to Starbucks with anger in my veins that day.

I hated dressing up, and I hated people telling me what to do. I got enough commands from the cheer coach, I didn't need it from anyone else. I'd ended up in cheer the same way I'd ended up wearing a dress. A dare. I'd been in gymnastics since I could stand, and I loved it. I loved it more than the leprechaun loved his lucky charms. At the end of eight grade, Piper decided that she would try out for cheer, and then she'd dared me to try out with her. And of course I got in. But then I never quit because... Well because I didn't.

I parked Piper's shabby truck- it was the one possession she had that I liked because it wasn't luxurious- and hopped out, grabbing a twenty from the cup holder and walking in quietly. There was a sinfully long line and I let out an exesperated breath as I realized I'd probably be there for at least twenty minutes. Luckily for me, the line actually ended up moving pretty quickly and I got my drinks in less time than I thought. I could feel people's eyes on me as I headed for the napkin stand and grabbed the nutmeg off the little counter top. I grabbed a handful of napkins and turned around quickly, and that was when I bumped into him.

He was raven haired and green eyed, and all things that made a girl wanna melt. Except for this particular girl because this particular girl was already in the process of melting, as she had hot coffee on her chest.

"I'm sorry," I started quickly because if was being honest, it was my fault that the whole incident had happened. I thought I'd be getting an apology too, but that was not what happened. Instead the guy glared at me, and I wasn't intimidated, I was just shocked.

"Yeah, you should be. You just made me waste five dollars."

"Excuse me?" He looked at me like I was stupid.

"Here, I'll put in a way that you can understand. Thanks for your apology because I just totally wasted totally good money." He said in a fake prissy girl voice. And after that it was all down hill, no one could rail me in at that point. I wasn't one to just shut up, and I was also easily ticked off.

"Are you calling me stupid?" He held his hand up to his chest and mock gasped.

"Surprised you knew what I was saying Blondie." By now people were starting to stare at us but I didn't care.

"I'll have you know my GPA is higher than yours will ever be." I replied hotly.

"I seriously doubt it, I mean have you looked at yourself in the mirror recently?" He said looking disinterested. "All I know is that you just couldn't stay out of my way or watch where you were going and now I'm having a less than intelligent conversation with someone who doesn't deserve my time."

"What the hell is your problem?" I asked angrily. The guy was seriously getting on my last nerve and I had half a mind to beat the living shit out of him. He was an asshole, that's for sure. He automatically assumed I was a dumb blonde because I was dressed up like one, so nice showing of stereotyping there. He pretended to think for a minute and then nodded as if he knew the answer.

"Uh. Yeah, you." I scoffed.

"You don't even know me! Besides, shouldn't I be the upset one, I'm the one who has coffee all over them!"

"Yeah, I'm glad I don't know you." He said, ignoring the second part of my statement.

"Well I'm glad I don't know you!"

"Aw, so stupid you can't come up with your own words?" I closed my eyes briefly and smiled. Then, quietly, I grabbed one of the frappuchinos and decided that Thalia and Piper could share one as I dumped the contents of the cup on the mystery guys' head. The whole store reacted as the frappuchino rolled down his face and his mouth hung open as he glared at me.

"Oops, sorry, guess I'm too stupid to realize that you shouldn't turn an open cup upside down." I replied innocently.

"Bitch!" I grabbed the other cup and headed for the door.

"Asshole." I spit at him and then I closed the door behind me and jumped into my car smelling like over priced coffee. I was pissed, wet, and over dressed. Something in my mind yelled at me about how I shouldn't have taken the dare, but I ignored it because I knew it was right. At the time, the knowledge that I'd never have to see the guy again cheered me up. But, if you knew me, you'd know that things never went the way I wanted them to, and this incident was no exception to that.

AN: So. How was it? Drop me a review if you can. Or not. It's cool, but I'd appreciate it. Alright, night- ShyGal