PERCY JACKSON THE HAMILTON PRODUCTION

20

Percy and I spent the next near-hour rehearsing. We did nearly all the best songs in the musical, because yes there are objectively better songs.

Not that he was bad any way before, but hearing Percy sing, and recalling the first time I had ever heard him perform, the improvement was massive. And I couldn't help but feel proud.

I took two long gulps out of my water bottle, which was now basically empty. Swallowing, I held the bottle awkwardly in my two hands, rolling it back and forth in my palms.

"You sounded really good today," I finally said, hoping the awkwardness would somehow dissipate.

"Oh, thanks," Percy flashed me a smile. "You too, although you always sound good."

I don't even try to hide my blush, "Thanks Perce."

I was about to ask him where he was heading off to when my phone starting buzzing from my back pocket. Rolling my eyes to no one in particular, I reached for it.

"Hello?" I asked. I had swiped right to answer without checking the contact name.

"Hey, Annabeth!" Hazel's cheery voice immediately put me at ease. I held the phone to my ear with my shoulder, waved at Percy as he was grinning at me, motioning that he was gonna go now, and then shouldered my bag. He ducked out of the doorway and disappeared past the wall.

"What's up?" I asked her.

"Nothing much, erm, no nothing at all." 

I raised my eyebrows. "You sound strangely like you're lying."

Silence.

"Hazel."

"Nothing!"

"What are you calling me about. Be honest."

"Okay. Well. Erm."

"For gods sakes-"

"Frank asked her out!" Piper yelled over anything Hazel was about to say.

"Aw come on Pipes, I wanted to tell her!"

"Well it wasn't like you were actually getting somewhere, what with you and your stammering-"

"Hang on a second!" I interrupted, already out of the music room and rushing to the lockers. "Did I just hear that correctly?!"

"Yes!"
"Yes!"

Both of their squeals led me to Hazel's locker, where I found Piper fanning a very flustered Hazel with both her hands. I pressed the end-call button on my phone and ran to both of them.

"Anndd, she hung up, why did- ANNABETH!" Piper spotted me first, and shoved Hazel into my arms.

"Why are we being so dramatic about this exactly?" I asked, when Hazel freed herself from my arms, only to collapse onto the floor.

Piper and I followed suit, sitting cross-legged on the ground next to her.

"Oh shut up," Hazel murmured. "Just because you and Percy haven't been going out twice a week after school doesn't mean I can't enjoy when Frank asks me out."

"First of all, those aren't dates." I said, leaning up next to her, "And secondly, where did he ask you to go?"

"Firstly," Piper interrupted, mocking my tone, "Those basically are dates; you stay up late every time watching movies, you have food fights, you argue like you're already dating, and-"

"Hang on how do you know all this?" I eyed her with suspicion and shock. What?

Piper huffed, "Seriously Annabeth? You're acting as if I'm some amateur who doesn't do her research!"