memory (hiatus)

Chapter 4: Walking Gracefully

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO. Rick Riordan owns everything except my plot. 

Jason's POV:

Jason didn't care much about his looks. He really didn't! He just cared, about, you know, not looking like a fool. After all, this was his first time seeing most of his grade again. And....you know, he didn't want to look like a complete bumbling idiot, especially, hypothetically, in front of cute girls with choppy hair and swirling eyes. You know. Hypothetically. 

"What are you doing?" Thalia said, rolling her eyes at his attempt to pat down his hair. 

Jason immediately dropped his hands. "Nothing."

Thalia gave him a look, but dropped the subject. "Are you ready?"

Jason took a deep breath. "Yep. Why are we walking in late anyway?"

Thalia gestured to Hera. "Hera enjoys walking in fashionably late. So Father does too."

Jason wasn't really sure what to think. He got the impression that Hera liked him more than Thalia, but he figured he was still a sign of his father's affair. 

"Do we have to walk in a certain way?" Jason said. 

Thalia laughed. "Just don't be clumsy. Walk....gracefully."

Jason felt like he'd heard that joke a lot. "Walk like a Grace?"

"Indeed." 

"We're ready," Hera said, linking arms with his father.

Thalia took his hand, and gave it a squeeze. Thank goodness for Thalia. Without her, he wasn't really sure what he'd do. 

The doors opened, and the Grace walk began. Hera and his father started talking with parents, leaving Thalia and Jason alone. 

Thalia turned towards Jason. "Is it okay if I talk to Artemis?"

Jason nodded, feeling a little bit guilty for keeping her here. "Yeah, it's fine. I'll try to find Percy or Leo or something."

Thalia slipped away, and Jason was left to his own devices. He looked around for his friends, but he didn't see anybody he recognized amongst the crowds. He finally spotted a familiar flash of sea green eyes in the corner of the ballroom. 

He was almost there, when a voice at his shoulder said, "Hey, babe."

Jason turned to see a glamorous Asian girl, wearing a red shirt and a black skirt. "Um, sorry, do I know you?"

She put a hand on his shoulder. "So the rumors are true. You really got into an accident with Dumpster Girl, and lost your memory. I'm Drew by the way. Your girlfriend too."

Jason was taken back. Percy had said he had no girlfriend, and even if he did, he hoped it wouldn't be someone like Drew. Drew had already called Piper 'Dumpster Girl' which wasn't very nice of her.

Jason shrugged off her hand and said, "Um, really? And, um, maybe you don't need to-"

"Jason!" Jason relaxed as Percy put an arm around him. "There you are!" 

Drew tapped her foot impatiently. "Um, Percy, I don't know if you realized, but I am in the middle of-"

"Trying to make Jason believe he's dating you?" Percy finished. 

So Jason wasn't dating Drew. That was a relief. 

"Why do you have to ruin everything, Jackson?" Drew said, her face flushing pink with anger. 

Percy shrugged, and steered Jason away. 

"Phew. So I'm not dating her, right?" Jason said. 

Percy laughed. "Yes. You're not dating her. Drew has always been after you, so she probably thought amnesia would be the perfect way to get you as her boyfriend."