Beyond All Expectation (Percabeth)

Chapter 2: Lonely

Annabeth POV:

I wish I could say that I liked school, but that would be a lie. Sure, the classes were fun, and I was always a fan of sticking my head in a book and getting on with the work, but Goode High School was not my scene. In fact, the atmosphere in every single school I've ever been to was awful – school was just a playground for the bullies to stalk their prey... and let me be the first to admit that nerds such as myself were always their favourite targets.

So now, having moved to my third school of the year (and my parents threatening that this would be my last) I chose to hide in the shadows; I found it best to stay away from the crowds, from the popularity, from the staring teens that found enjoyment from tormenting others. Every day I sat quietly in the corner of the class; I ate alone in the school cafeteria, I spent my free time in the empty library where hardly anyone ever visited if not for the couples who were seeking a private place to hook-up, I worked out at the gym where I knew no-one from my school would find me, I worked late into the night at the bookstore down my road and I crept into my apartment late at night, trying hard not to attract attention from my step-mother. Every night as I completed the last step of my routine, I would pass the slightly-ajar door that led to my father's office, where I would peer through and see him working on his model airplane set – I would smile sadly at the happiness on his face as he worked in silence, knowing that his own daughter could never make him half as happy as he was here.

Wake up, escape the house before anyone else even stirred from their sleep, morning run through the city, dress in the school changing room, put on my Yankees hat and try my best to survive the day.

Today was a Friday.

"Oh my gods, did you see him today?" I overheard two girls gossiping – more like squealing – next to my locker.

"I know, right, he was so cute!"

"Did you see how his hair was so adorable and messy and-"

"It was totally covering his eyes in a completely adorable way!"

"And the shirt stuck slightly to his chest-" this earned a collection of high-pitched squealing – "and you could totally see his pecs!"

"I think he even looked over at me!"

"Oh my gods, Betty, you're so lucky!"

I slammed my locker door shut loudly, making the two girls jump in surprise. Luckily, they were both a couple years younger than me, otherwise I would have been worried that they would have taken the opportunity to have a go at me. Instead, they rolled their eyes and walked away, continuing to gossip about that oh-so-popular Jackson kid, with whom I despised.

Okay, it wasn't that I hated the guy or anything, it was just that he was popular and cocky and always disrupting the class – he walked around as if he owned the school, which he kind of did, and without a worry in the world. He was consistently failing all his classes, not that he even cared, and all the teachers praised him because he would win some meaningless trophy from a swimming competition. Girls and guys alike would swoon whenever he was near, and he would just soak it all up and give everyone that smirking grin that he tried to play off as a "hey, I'm your friend," but to me just looked like a "I'm better than you" smile.

Admittedly, I was a little sympathetic for the guy – if only because the sort of popularity that he attracted would have killed me. But Percy Jackson didn't seem to mind that he was in everyone's eyesight's 24/7, and the pure cockiness that radiated off of him was enough to drive me insane. It infuriated me massively that I found him so attractive... but anyone would have been foolish not to! Sea-green eyes, a mop of ridiculously messy black hair, tall and incredibly muscly and a winning smile... gah! Someone that annoying didn't deserve to be so hot!