Annabeth's POV

"Hands to yourself, Jackson," scowled Mr. D, walking passed us as we headed to our next class.

Mr. D was a short, pudgy man that seemed to have a permanent frown plastered on his face everyday. His curly black hair was usually in a disarray of tangles, and when Silena focused on it, she'd shudder. His blue eyes were bloodshot, and I could only guess that he had a few too many today.

Percy reluctantly unwrapped his arm from my shoulders but smiled at the infuriating cherub. "Morning to you, too, Mr. D."

He grumbled inaudibly and proceeded to stomp off, reminding me of a toddler throwing a tantrum. We waited until he was out of our vision before grinning idiotically at each other.

"You did that on purpose," I bumped my best friend's shoulder, almost daring him to lie to me.

"I did," he replied, smiling mischievously; he didn't bother defending himself. His arm magically wounded itself back to its original place, and the teachers who passed by us didn't bat an eyelash. To be candid, I think they were just grateful that a pair of teenagers could keep their tongues in their own mouths and their hands in sight.

"I bet ten dollars that the girl over there," he nodded to her direction, "is going to ask us if we're together."

I scoffed, "I'm not wasting ten dollars, Seaweed Brain. You and I both know she will." Our prediction turned true and before she could utter a single syllable, I beat her to it. "No, we're not dating."

I thought she would leave after my curt interruption. However, it seemed like she was one of those people who didn't understand subtle messages.

The brunette looked at the both of us, not saying anything, and the silence that followed was heavy with tension. Percy scratched the back of his neck with his other arm, a tell-tale sign that he was uncomfortable by her perusal.

"Anything else?" I said to her, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall. Class was almost starting, but lingering students couldn't help themselves, or their wandering eyes, from prying on this little show.

"Why are you fighting it?" she asked desperately. Her eyebrows were furrowed in frustration, as if she didn't understand why I was fighting whatever it was I was supposedly fighting. She looked like she was about to cry when I gave her a baffled expression, not understanding her cryptic question.

"Are you high?" was the first thing that came out of my mouth, uncensored and unedited. Percy snickered to my right and I elbowed him sharply, not appreciating his humor. "If you're on drugs—"

"Why the hell would I be on drugs?" she retorted, incredulous and a little bit offended.

"You're the one going up to random strangers, staring at them like they're some kind of dolls in a display box, and then asking them why they're fighting it when clearly they don't have any idea what you're talking about," I snapped, "so excuse me if I asked if your brain was being influenced by drugs."

Her shocked expression satisfied me.

Percy cleared his throat, "Sorry about my best friend's attitude. She's kind of moody since I hid her book last night."

One.

Two.

Three.

Dammit.

"You missed," Percy pointed out, grinning his stupid, goofy smile. I narrowed my storming eyes. He didn't look intimidated while others would visibly flinch at my livid glare. He just continued smiling like a moron that had luckily dodged my punch that was aimed for him.

"You're lucky," I decided finally.

"No, I just know when your fists start flying. I know you that well, Wise Girl."

"You're walking on thin line, Seaweed Brain."

"Don't I always?"

"Guys!" Piper's voice yelled at us, interrupting me. "You have about five seconds to get your ass through this door before Ms. Alecto screams your heads off!"

The ludicrous brunette managed to flee when I was distracted. I never noticed she was gone until I was through the door, looking behind me to see that she wasn't there.

"So, Annabeth Chase, I heard you got in a fight with Jamie over there," Piper nodded her head towards the table that Jamie occupied during lunch.

"The rumors are saying I beat her up," I concluded stoically.

Piper nodded, a grimace on her face, a similar expression that seemed to take over the faces of the other people sitting on this table. Except, of course, Percy. He was the only one who continued stuffing his face with cold pizza.

"It's not true," he finally said, after swallowing the whole pizza he just ate.

"We know it's not true," Beckendorf piped up. He didn't say a lot of things, the complete opposite of his lovely girlfriend. He was tall, dark, and was irrevocably enraptured by Silena. We met the day after she befriended us. We were now in our second week of school but people still did not understand that a girl and a boy could be friends without anything romantic happening.

"Violence is never the answer," Grover added, taking a bite into his apple after; his curly brown hair a mess after being tugged by his fingers roughly. The poor shy boy had another run in with the girl of his dreams and he ended up stuttering everything he said. Everyone felt bad for him but knew better than to dwell on the subject. Percy introduced him to our group.

Our group consisted of a couple while the rest were singles. It was quite maddening having two people look at each other like they were the only thing holding them to this world. I mean, who needed gravity?

Mostly everyone, though, was crushing on someone. Piper was dreaming over Jason Grace, a blonde sophomore, but she knew it would never happen. She didn't know anything about him other than the fact he had a twin. Thalia Grace was the polar opposite of Jason. I've never talked to her but it was evident you didn't mess with someone like her.

Grover had it bad for Juniper Greene, an environmentalist, just like him. The only problem with him was that he didn't know what to say to her whenever they talked. I've seen the way she looked at him, though. I might not be the biggest fan of love, but I know it when I see it. I just choose not to mess with it because it's not my part to meddle.

Love was a lethal weapon.

It could make the smartest person do the most craziest things.

A/N: I'm horrible, I know. I haven't updated in over three or four weeks. Sorry, life's been pretty busy.

I know my chapters aren't that exciting, but please bear with me. I swear they'll get more exciting. Hopefully. I'm praying. You should pray, too.

What do you think?