JAWBREAKER

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙯𝙚𝙧𝙤

A lot of things in Warren's life changed, seemingly overnight.

Firstly, and most noticeably, was her body. She had always been athletically built, straight and angular. But there was a new softness to her physique that cinched in her waist and pulled out her hips. Suddenly, the clothes Warren had been wearing for the past few years refused to fit. A handful of shirts were salvageable, but she and her mom had to make an emergency trip to the mall for new jeans.

It wasn't just Warren's figure that had changed, though. Her hair looked glossier, her skin more luminous, heck, even her eyelashes seemed fuller. She chalked it up to hormones and didn't think too much about it. Another thing she blamed on hormones were the dreams. They never got particularly scandalous, but oftentimes they left her feeling embarrassed and overstimulated. No, Warren definitely didn't want to think about those dreams.

The last and most impactful change was her mom's business opportunity in New York— Kendra would be stepping out of the ring for a few months to oversee the launch of her new gym franchise: God Tier Fitness.

Warren was thrilled for her mother's career, the only downside was having to relocate right at the start of her freshman year. Obviously Kendra couldn't leave her unattended in Las Vegas, but Warren also couldn't put off high school. Ultimately, they decided that she would continue her classes online until she could resume them in person.

And by an interesting twist of fate, the loft Warren and her mom rented in the city was only three blocks away from Percy's apartment. Kendra had sworn up and down she didn't know. Her real estate agent, a gorgeous woman with the most interesting eyes, had found it for them. Warren decided to keep the move a secret, and it wasn't until the Walker's were all settled in that she let the cat out of the bag.

It was a Thursday afternoon in late October, and the air was crisp with the scent of autumn. Also the scent of exhaust, seeing as though it was Manhattan. But Warren enjoyed the cold breeze against her face as she strode down Sixth Avenue. Ever since her outburst on the Princess Andromeda her body ran hot, like she'd come down with a fever that refused to sweat itself out. The feeling wasn't uncomfortable, per se, Warren had always liked heat. But she did prefer to sleep with the fan on now. She blasted music from her iPod as she walked, tan skin on display, completely unaware of the stares from bundled up passersby on the street.

Eventually, Warren arrived at an old brick building with ivy growing up the side. It had a flagpole in the front quad and a sign that said: MS-54 Booker T. Washington Middle School. She leaned causally against the pole and chewed a piece of gum as she waited. The final bell rang and kids came pouring out.

Whispers filled the air as students passed the mysterious girl. She didn't go to their school, that was for sure. Percy didn't understand what all the commotion was about, that is, until he exited the double doors and his jaw nearly hit the pavement. For a solid few seconds he thought he was hallucinating. Percy hadn't seen Warren in months, apart from the occasional Iris message, but there she was. Standing right outside of his school. And she looked...different.