Beyond All Expectation (Percabeth)

Chapter 9: Class Fight

Annabeth POV:

"Alright, what do you have for me, Dare?" Percy smiled as he sat opposite Rachel. I turned around to face them, classwork now completely forgotten. Why did this obvious sign of flirtation grab my attention so much? And why was no one else worried that Rachel was flirting with Percy, especially when his girlfriend was less than five meters away singing with Selena.

"Your first card... Judgement," Rachel presented. I strained to hear the two talk over the noise of the class – over Leo and Calypso now dancing around to an Irish Jig, Piper belching out Rihanna and Drew gossiping loudly with Gwen, it was almost impossible to hear Rachel whispering to Percy.

"What does that mean?" Percy frowned.

"Judgement... rebirth... inner calling," Rachel continued. "It could mean a lot of things; pressure from the outside world; wanting to change; secrecy and being someone you're not."

Percy blushed, rubbing at his face nervously.

"Next one," he sighed.

"Moon," the girl drew the next card. I leaned in closer to hear what she had to say. "Illusion, fear, insecurity, mystery... self-explanatory, really. But also secrecy."

"Secrecy about what?"

Rachel shrugged. "Who you are... what you do... I'm no expert."

"Next," Percy sighed, clearly not enjoying himself.

"Interesting... Hermit."

"Excuse me?"

"Soul-searching, introspection, being alone and guidance... dam, Percy, all of these are pretty sad," Rachel said quietly, although there was a glint in her eyes. "They say you're lonely, or lost, or searching for the real you. But the Hermit can also mean that someone is about to find you... guide you, perhaps?"

"How many of these do I get?" he asked uncomfortably.

I groaned as the Stoll brothers climbed on to the table with Leo and joined in with his jig, earning a collection of catcalls and whistles from the class.

"Some people only get three, I tend to do five," Rachel shrugged again. She turned over a fourth card. "Oh dear..."

"What? What's that one mean?"

"Tower: disaster, shaken foundations, sudden change, revelation..." Rachel grimaced. "Something big is about to change in your life, that's for sure."

"But these can't be real, right?" Percy denied. "They're just cards."

"Hey, give me some credit," Rachel defended. "I'm pretty good at this stuff. Last week, Dakota drew out the Devil card, which means sexuality and stuff, and then at Jason's party he got off with Gwen."

"Dakota gets off with every drunk girl at every party ever," Percy pointed out. "That doesn't mean you predicted that."

I giggled quietly.

"Last one," the red head ignored him. "Awh, this one's a good one!"

I didn't like Rachel's playful grin as she revealed the last card.

"What is it?"

"Lovers: Love, union, bonds, alignment and relationships," Rachel squealed excitedly. "Too bad you're with Piper, or I would have totally guessed that you and I had something going on with someone else."

Percy frowned, laughing nervously.

"I'm not..." But I didn't hear the rest of his words, because it was at that moment that Frank tried to climb onto a desk with Leo and, rather clumsily, knocked the whole desk over, sprawling on to the floor. Everybody in the room burst into laughter, besides myself as I was just irritated that Percy got cut off. Will rushed to Frank's side to check if he was alright. Frank was blushing pink with embarrassment.