The Beginning and Ending of Everything

Chapter Seven

Dedicated to @Solangelo4life0124 for adding this story to their reading list and commenting! Thank you!

Annabeth POV-Friday, October 4, 2024-11:20 AM-Goode Cafeteria

I sat down at a table with my lunch tray, looking around. The table I chose was the one where we usually sat. It was in the corner of the cafeteria to see everything but not have to watch our backs.

I opened my milk while I waited for Percy to show up. We always sat together, and after the first few times, people stopped trying to sit by us. I think we unnerved them.

I spotted Percy in the lunch line and relaxed. I took a sip of my milk. When Percy made it over, he sat on my right side and picked up his apple.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hey," he said back.

I continued to eat my lunch. I leaned against Percy as I watched everyone. It was like a typical high school lunch. Most were talking, but some were shouting, and people moved from place to place.

I brushed a piece of my hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear as I looked up at the clock on the wall. 11:27.

I looked up when I heard- or maybe didn't hear- the students quieting. Then, all of a sudden, sound broke out.

The students were squealing, shouting, jumping up from their seats. Delight seemed the most common, but then again, was it surprise? Confusion? Relief? Anger? Appreciation? Desperation? I couldn't tell.

They all converged to the cafeteria's entrance, still making the most noise I've ever heard then make. It was so loud that I couldn't pick out any one person's voice or what they were saying.

I tensed and looked at Percy. He silently asked me if I thought it was a monster. After I thought about it for a second, I shrugged. "We should-" I started, quickly realizing that I couldn't even hear myself over the noise. I jerked my head in the direction of the screaming students and stood up.

We grabbed our backpacks, and Percy followed me as I walked to the edge of the screaming crowd. When I finally caught a glimpse at what was stirring the students into a frenzy, I shook my head at Percy. I saw him sigh with relief, even if I couldn't hear him.

I looked back at the three men and wondered why the students were making such a fuss. It was just some teachers dressed in some costume. Maybe characters for a comic book or movie that came out while we were touring Greece?

I snorted at the thought.

Did the teachers tell them something exciting? As I looked closer, I realized that I'd never seen these teachers before. But that wasn't too surprising. There were a lot of teachers here, after all.

As I continued examining them, trying to figure it out, I realized that my first guess was probably correct. These people probably were movie actors or famous or something.

All three of them were trying to calm the students. It wasn't working.

The one with the red, white, and blue outfit with a star in the center of a circle called out, with a voice that wasn't louder than the students', but it still managed to pierce through the crowd immediately.

I started. The man had a commanding voice. I could guess that he's been through war before.

"Quiet!" he'd said. Everyone became silent very suddenly. It was odd when the sound disappeared, having already become accustomed to it. My ears rang. I was astonished that he got the students to be quiet. It was tough to get mortal teenagers' attention. It was clear that the students respected this man a lot- whoever he was.