Bewitched || P. Jackson

𝔾oode thing Rachel can save the day

"You're going on a date with Percy?" Thalia questioned. Nicki was in a small alleyway at the bottom of East 81st Street so she could Iris Message Thalia without being noticed.

Thalia was the only demigod she had stayed in contact with over the 5 months Nicki had been MIA. That was, of course, because despite Annabeth's joke of having to convince Thalia to not turn up in Salem, the Hunters had shown up in Salem on New Year's Eve with a very angry Thalia leading them.

The older girl was not a fan of Nicki's Titan Army escapades, but she knew ultimately neither of them had a say in the matter.

Nicki shrugged, fidgeting with her wave necklace. "It's not a date."

"Ash, you came all the way from San Fransisco to meet him." Nicki hummed in reply, fighting the blush that was threatening to coat her cheeks. "You convinced Luke to let you leave for this."

"That wasn't hard, I just told him Chiron expected me back at Camp for a meeting." Nicki tucked her hair behind her right ear, exposing her lighting bolt, and bow and arrow earrings.

"But you're going to the movies." Thalia pressed the girl, a smirk twitching at her lips.

"Yeah."

"Just the two of you."

"Sparky!"

Thalia held up her hands in surrender, but it was obvious she was trying hard not to smile. "I'm just saying, Luke's right-hand man wouldn't risk getting caught double-crossing for just any old guy."

Nicki rolled her eyes. "He's not any old guy, Sparky. He's Percy."

"Yeah, Percy who made you cry and run away from camp for 5 months because he seemed to have a crush on Annabeth." Thalia deadpanned.

"I was being dramatic. He can have a crush on whoever he wants, I don't even like him that much."

"You have a wave around your neck, Ash."

"Maybe I just like the sea!" Nicki yelled defensively, pointing an accusing finger at Thalia. "Did you ever think about that?"

"Oh yeah, you love the sea."

Thalia started making kissy noises.

"I hate you." Nicki gave Thalia the middle finger and waved her hand through the mist.

According to her watch she still had 15 minutes before Percy was due to arrive, she just wanted to be early. She decided to go and grab a drink to try and calm the zoo of butterflies in her stomach. Before she could leave, she was slammed into by a body. She stumbled slightly before regaining her balance.

"Hey, you're out early!" Nicki laughed, grabbing Percy's shoulders to keep him from tumbling into the street. "Woah careful, Wonderboy."

Percy's heart rate began to race for a completely different reason than before. He took in Nicki like she was a breath of oxygen after being suffocated.

She was wearing light blue jean shorts, her new aviator jacket, a black Greenday shirt, and black and white converse. Percy's eyes took in her new jewellery, unable to fight a lopsided smile. Her forest green eyes sparkled. She looked like she was ready to catch a movie, have a cool afternoon hanging out.

"Hi." He panted.

Nicki's smile made Percy's stomach do summersaults. She opened her mouth to say something but then Rachel Elizabeth Dare, still covered in monster dust, came charging out of the side alley, yelling, "Percy, wait up!"

Nicki's smile melted. She stared at Rachel, then at the school. For the first time, she seemed to notice the black smoke and ringing fire alarms.

She frowned at me. "What did I miss? And who is this?"