Percabeth Versus Everyone Else!

Jasmine Kairn

A/N all my others are set in uni which I literally know nothing about, so here's high school for you! Although I don't swim so I still don't really know anything.

Safe to say, today didn't go anything like I thought it would.

It was meant to be a swim meet. Just a normal, average swim meet against the best team in the state. Goode High. We actually thought we had a chance to beat them, seeing as Alex - my twin- and I are two of the fastest swimmers in New York. But we didn't bet on one thing.

Percy Jackson.

Alex and I arrived around thirty minutes before  Goode was meant to arrive. We got into our swim stuff relatively quickly and started organising some of the desks. It was the biggest meet of the year, an annual competition between the swim teams of the top three years from each school, so it took a long time and there were a lot of ribbons. By the time other people had started arriving, Alex and I were practicing our dives, trying to get them as perfect as possible. A dumb slip-up at the start could cost us the entire thing. I swam a couple lengths, warming myself up, when I noticed Alex sitting by the pool side, staring unhappily at his phone. "What's up?" I asked him, splashing his legs gently.

"She's not coming." he answered quietly.

"Oh." 'She' was our mother, and she never showed at these kinds of things. Our dad left when we were little, and when Mom proved to be terrible at looking after us, our aunt took us in. Cathy always came to meets. Even if it was a shoo-in and we knew we were going to win, or like today, when we knew we probably wouldn't. I didn't know why Alex was so hung up on getting her to come. I'd given up on her a long time ago. Nine years ago, to be precise. I shook my head, pushing those thoughts away, and splashed my brother again.

"I swear, if you don't put that phone away right now, I will pull you and it into the water." Alex scampered up and ran into the locker rooms to put his phone away. He came back a minute later, slid into the pool and swam to the starting blocks.

"Backstroke." he said. "Race you." I nodded. Kelsey, one of the younger girls, was standing above us. Alex nodded at her and she started to count down.

"Three, two, one, start!" I swam quickly, but not as fast as I could. I knew Alex wouldn't be swimming his best either, in case anyone from Goode was already here, and watching us. My hand hit the edge and I stood up in time to see Alex grab on to the side.

"I won!" I laughed.

"Ha ha." he deadpanned. "We both know I wasn't going 100%."

"Nor was I." There was an intense staring match, but he caved first. I laughed again.

"Kairns!" called Coach Hedge. "Goode are here!" I pushed myself up out of the pool and reached down to help up Alex, before speed-walking over to the team. "You cupcakes should be fine, most of their team is our level. There's just one guy you have to watch out for - Percy Jackson. The guy's like a fish. You've just gotta be fast and skilled. Good? Good." Alex snorted. "What?" Coach asked.

"Good like Goode?" he said. The whole team groaned.

"No." I muttered. "Just no." But then Goode walked in, and our team fell silent. At the front of their pack was Percy - tall, strong, dark, mysterious etc. Not my type. He had a dark tattoo on his forearm and a weird amount of scars on his skin, but I didn't hold it against him. I knew what some people go through.

We were drawing by the end of the meet, and it was time for the last race - freestyle. Which meant me, Alex and two other team mates versus Goode, specifically Percy. We mounted the starting blocks, and I glanced at Coach Hedge, wanting some last minute encouragement, but he seemed worried. Scared, even. He was looking around, his nose twitching, like he expected something to come, and he kept glancing at Percy, almost like he wanted him to notice, but he said nothing.

"On your marks." the starter called. "Get set, and -

The glass broke first. The entrance hall windows shattered, and a giant, slobbering, black dog burst in through the gap. Next to me, I could hear Percy muttering under his breath, "Now? Really?" The dog came running towards us, and I realised just how big it really was. And fast. It was hurtling towards us, and its eyes were fixed on me. That was when a girl broke through the crowd. She was my age, curly blonde hair and grey eyes, and she threw a pen at Percy before charging the dog. When Percy pulled the lid off the pen, it grew into a three foot long sword. The girl was holding a dagger and they both charged the dog. It swiped at her and she dodged it narrowly, leaving a slim slash of red blood along her arm. Percy race towards the dog with more vigour and sliced upwards with his sword, dissolving the dog into dust. Percy turned around, breathing heavily, and made eye contact with me. He cursed under his breath and turned to the girl next to him. She ran up to me and grabbed my wrists.

"Be completely honest." she whispered. "Could you see that? The dog, my dagger, Percy's sword?" I nodded wordlessly, as her intensity was freaking me out.

"Uh, if it's anything, I could see it too?" Alex added, coming up behind me.

"Do you know him?" she asked.

"He's my brother." I said. She nodded and bit her lip, thinking for a minute.

"I need you to come with me and Percy after this. I know it sounds creepy but you have to trust me."

"Okay."

"Is everyone okay?" Coach Hedge called. "If that dog hasn't scared anyone, we can continue the freestyle." No one said anything. "Alright! Racers back on the starting block." Percy shook his head and got back on his block, and Alex went back to his.

"On your marks! Get set! Go!" I launched myself off the block and pushed myself forward as quickly as possible. The weirdness of the past ten minutes was catching up with me and I was trying to outrun it. When I finally slapped my hand on the side of the pool, I lifted up my goggles to see Percy was already standing up on the edge, running a hand through his hair. His eyes were trained on the blonde girl as she stood near the exit, and I noticed the sheath and dagger strapped to her calf.

As soon as I got changed, I sprinted outside to find Percy and Alex standing next to a blue Prius. "Right. What is going on?" I demanded, dropping my bag on the floor.

"This is gonna sound insane." Percy said, pushing himself up off the car. "My name is Percy Jackson. This is my girlfriend, Annabeth Chase." He nodded to the blonde girl standing behind his Prius. "We're demigods, and we think you are too." I stared at him, and shook my head. Annabeth smiled.

"Have you ever heard of the Greek Gods?"