scales and arpeggios

chapter three: annabeth

I glance around the chemistry classroom as the teacher goes over the syllabus. There are about 30 kids, all in groups of two at small tables. I hear a loud thump as Percy's head hits the desk. Apparently, this class was a little too boring for him. A light snore starts, and I glance up at the teacher, who's preoccupied with the lab safety rules. I gently shake his shoulder. I've gone to Goode long enough to know that they don't like students sleeping in class.

"Percy!" I say, but he just snorts and a dribble of drool rolls down his chin. I laugh and pull out my phone, snapping a picture to show Piper after class. I continue trying to wake him, but this kid sleeps like a rock. I notice the teacher look over at us and curse to myself. The teacher, Mr. Thorn, walks over and slams his fist an inch from Percy's face. I jump.

"I'm up!" he says, and Mr. Thorn glares at him before addressing the class as a whole.

"I will not tolerate sleeping in my class," he says before turning back to Percy. "Detention after school, Mr. Jackson." Percy just rolls his eyes.

"Not the first time, not the last." The rest of the class passes in silence, with occasional pokes from Percy with his pen, leaving fake freckles scattered on the back of my hand.

The bell rings and Mr. Thorn yells at us to pick up a textbook before we leave. I stand up slowly from the table, grabbing two worn textbooks and handing one to Percy. I notice him staring at me as I grab my bag.

"What?" I ask him, and he shrugs.

"What class do you have next?" he asks, and I pull out my phone to look at the picture I took of my schedule the night before, passing the picture I took of Percy earlier. "What's that?"

"Oh, nothing, just a picture I got of you drooling," I say, walking out into the hallway, Percy running after me. I find the picture of my schedule and notice I have English next, and lucky me, it's on the other side of the school, right next to the band room. "And I have English next, so I'll see you later." He stands there for a few seconds staring at me before he comes back from whatever realm he was in.

"You can't show that to anyone!" he yells after me, and I laugh.

"I plan to show it to everyone," I finish as I round the corner. It takes me about 30 seconds to get to my locker, which just so happens to be next to Piper's. She's bickering with Leo about something, and I only get her attention when I open my locker.

"Hey, Annie! How was class?" she asks me, and I shove my new Chemistry book in my locker before turning to face her.

"It was okay. Percy got detention." Leo cracks up at that, but Piper just rolls her eyes.

"How did he do that? It's the first day of school."

"He fell asleep," I say, as I pull out my phone to show her the picture. This time she actually does crack up. We had shared our schedules last night, so I knew we both had English next. I quickly close my locker and follow her down the hall, in the direction of the band room. She takes a left into a classroom with individual desks, and we sit at the back of the room together.

"How was your class?" she asks me, a smirk present on her face.

"Ugh, it was so boring. I hate the teacher." Piper rolls her eyes, but before she can say anything else, the teacher calls for our attention.

After another boring class of introductions and icebreakers, Piper and I head to our lockers, and I realize now is my free period.

"What class?" I ask her, and she opens up her phone.

"Free," she says, and I nod my head.

"Me too. What should we do? We don't have any school work, but I don't really want to leave campus."

"We could go out into the courtyard and pass?" she suggests, and immediately I'm intrigued.

"Do you have a ball? Usually I keep one in Ted, but he's in the shop," I say, referring to my 2003 Chevy Tahoe, nicknamed Ted by all of my friends.

"Yeah I have one right..." she hesitates while looking in her locker before pulling out a white and black volleyball, "here," she finishes and I laugh before following her out the front doors. We head out to the big field of grass next to the parking lot and pass the ball.

"What do you want to do for lunch?" she asks as she hits the ball to me.

"I don't know, I don't have my car so I can't go get something, but I was also rushing this morning so I forgot to pack one." I'm about to ask what she's doing when a person comes out and snatches the ball as it makes its way to Piper, before running a few yards away and stopping.

"Leo," Piper says as the small figure turns to face us.

"Yeah, Pipes?" he says, throwing the ball over my head to who I could only assume was Jason. I whip my head around to see him holding the volleyball, but as soon as I take a step he throws it to another person, and I turn to see Percy standing holding the volleyball, an innocent smile on his face.

"Percy," I ask, "can I have the volleyball?" He shakes his head and steps closer to me.

"Only if you delete that picture and never show it to anyone."

"Too late, I already showed Piper." I quickly snatch the ball from him and run as fast as I can towards Piper, grabbing her hand as the boys chase us. Now, I'm fast, but I'm not Jason, Mr. Football Guy fast, or Percy, Mr. Fish fast. We make it about 30 feet before I feel myself lifted off the ground, a strong pair of arms around me. I glance over to see Piper being held by Jason, her face in a pout.

"Oh, come on," I say to the empty field in front of me. "Put me down." My feet reach the grass and I turn around to face Percy, Jason, and Piper coming to stand at my side.

"I have an idea," I say and they gesture for me to continue. "I'm going to serve this ball, and whoever can get it back to me gets bragging rights."

"Bragging rights? That's so boring," Percy says.

"Fine. Loser has to buy us lunch," Piper says from next to me. I smirk before stepping back and float serving the ball. Percy and Jason sprint towards it and turn around, using the stance they had learned in gym class. I see the ball head towards where Percy's standing, but just before it reaches him, Jason jumps in and smacks it towards me, landing it a few inches from my feet.

"Sorry, Perce," Jason says, "Looks like you're buying them lunch." We all laugh and head back over to Leo, who was standing flirting with one of the new girls from band class.

"Come on," Piper says to him, "We're going to get lunch."

"Who's driving?" he asks, and Percy sighs.

"My car only fits two other people," he says.

"Mine can fit us if we squish," Piper says, and we all nod before heading into the parking lot. We squeeze into her small Camaro, Jason getting the front seat, me squished in between Percy and Leo. "To the diner!" Piper says triumphantly before driving off.

Lunch passes too fast. I order my usual chocolate shake and burger. Percy reluctantly pays for our food, giving in to Leo and Jason's pleas. We sit down at a table and devour our food. Sprinting makes you hungry.

"So," Piper says, turning to face Percy. "I heard you got detention." I cover my mouth to stifle laughter, and Percy glares at me. Percy goes into a rant on how he doesn't deserve detention, all of us nodding our heads sarcastically. Eventually, it's time for us to head back to school, and we all jump back into Piper's car, laughing at some stupid joke Leo cracked. By the time we get to school, my stomach hurts from laughter, and my next class has come too quickly. The day passes slowly; the thought that I have volleyball practice with Piper later keeps me sane. After what feels like a lifetime, it's time I head to the gym lockers and change, pulling on my knee pads. I head out onto the court next to Piper, ready for my first official school volleyball practice.