Piper's POV
After breakfast, I head towards the Women's Room. It's difficult to walk in such a heavy dress plus heels. I don't know how Drew does it down a runway. Then again, I don't know how Drew does all of the things Drew does.
I'm looking for the guard I met yesterday. He was nice and I could use a friendly face.
The face that turns around the corner is anything but friendly.
Drew, Savannah, Summer, and Claire are all sashaying down the hall, giggling like maniacs. Drew sees me first and she narrows her eyes.
"If it isn't my ugly step-sister!" She exclaims. The other girls laugh as if she said something really witty.
"Funny, I was just about to say the same," I shoot back.
"However did you get all alone in a big palace? Oh wait, you have no friends. No wonder there are rumors that you'll be the next one out."
"Please, Drew. You're the only one who believes that rumor. Well you and your clan of makeup maniacs."
"Oh honey, just because they know how to apply makeup and you don't doesn't mean you have to get all jealous. Honestly, we could maybe help you."
"I don't need any of your supposed help. Must I mention what happened last Christmas when you tried to help me?"
Drew rubs her arm where I "accidentally" hit her with a curling iron. My bad.
"You know what, Garbage Queen? You're dead. You are so-"
"Excuse me, ladies, but I would advise that you leave."
I turn around and see the guard I met yesterday. He's standing behind me, his hand almost pressing against my back.
Savannah giggles and so does Claire and Summer.
"I'll see you later, sister," Drew sneers as she walks past me. Their giggling fades.
"What was that all about?" Jason asks.
"Stupid step-sister thinking she's all high and mighty. The usual. Thanks, by the way."
"I didn't need to interfere. It's just I didn't want you to be kicked out just because you made there be one less snob on this planet. Maybe four less, if you wanted to go that far. It looked like you can handle yourself pretty well."
"Thanks. So what are you doing here?"
"I work here, remember?"
"No, silly. What are you doing HERE in this hallway?"
"Working. Shift changes, blah blah blah. I just thought I'd take the long way, maybe run into you. And I did."
My face burns red. He came all this way just to see me? Jason must be crazy or at least need glasses.
"Well, thanks and all, but I should probably be getting into the Woman's Room."
"What do you do in there?" Jason asks me.
I wiggle my eyebrows at him. "That's for us to know."
"Enough said. Say hi if you see my sister."
"You have a sister here?" I ask.
"Yeah, Thalia Grace. Black hair, blue eyes, scary. Ring a bell?"
"No, but I'll watch for her. Nice seeing you again, Jason."
"You as well, Miss McLean."
I'm about to object to the formality, but I see another guard walking down the hall. Jason bows to me and I catch his wink. Then he walks off just before the other guard reaches us.
Why is Jason being so secretive about us two just talking? And why do I always blush when I see him? I don't like this at all.
I enter the Woman's Room and see that most of the Selected ladies are in there. Some are reading or drawing, but most girls are talking in little groups. I'm not sure where to sit. I take an empty arm chair and sit down. No one bothers to talk to me. At least not until a girl with dark hair walks over.
"Hello. My name is Reyna Ramírez Arellano. What is yours?" She asks me, pulling up another chair.
"I'm Piper McLean."
"Isn't your dad an actor-"
I hold up a hand, stopping her. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Alright, I'll respect that. How do you like it here so far?"
"It's okay. I mean, it's really different from back home, but it's not terrible. The food is nice. So are the beds."
Reyna laughs and nods her head. "I'll agree with you there. I'm just glad that there's not much expected of us. So far we've just had to sit here and look pretty."
"True. Well, we have had an intense makeover. They practically skinned me!"
"They did the same to me! And the lotion was nauseating, ugh. Well I have to be going to meet my sister, Hylla. But it was nice meeting you, Piper."
"You too, Reyna."
She walks off regally, her purple gown swishing behind her. Reyna has queen material. Do I?
YOU ARE READING
The Demigod Selection
Fanfiction" the old gods were dying " Shadows had followed Annabeth Chase her entire life. They leaked into her dreams and chased her out of her home, causing her to run into two others, Thalia Grace and Luke Castellan, who had the same shadows. They form a s...
