Worlds Collide

Annika Hollen - Jasper

Annika
"Come on Piper! You promised!" I beg giving my friend my best puppy eyes.
"Who's party is this again?" Piper asks with a sigh.
"My friend Josh. He doesn't go here but he's super cool," I say in my most convincing voice.
"Can Annabeth, Hazel, and Calypso come?" Now it's my turn to sigh. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like the girls, in fact, they're super sweet. It's just that whenever those four are together, I feel like I'm just tagging along with them. But if this is what it takes to get Piper to the party- so be it.
"Yeah, I'm sure Josh won't mind a few more people, especially if they're my friends," I say, forcing myself to smile. Piper grins.
"You're the best," she says happily. I grin back. It's impossible to be upset with her.
"So I'll see you at 7 then?" I ask.
"We'll pick you up. See ya later!" Piper responds before turning to walk to her car.

"Hey Annika!" Annabeth greets as I hop into the back seat with Hazel and Calypso.
"You look cute," Hazel adds.
"Thanks," I say with a smile.
"So you're gonna have to give me directions to this person's house," Piper warns, pulling out of my driveway.
"Okay. You're gonna want to turn left at the next intersection."

When we walk through the door, music is already blasting through the house.
"There's nothing, illegal, going on here right? I don't want to get kicked off the team," Annabeth asks looking around. I shake my head.
"Josh's parties are always clean. He's on the swim team at his school so he's pretty careful too," I reply. That's one of the things I admire about Josh. Most guys wouldn't care and drink freely at their parties, but Josh was smart about it.
"So, what school does this Josh guy go to?" Annabeth asks a slight smirk on her face.
"Goode," I reply. Annabeth's smirk turns to a grin. Piper, Hazel and Calypso are smiling now too.
"Hey, we're gonna go check to see if there's anything to drink here. Meet you in the living area?" Piper asks. Of course they're leaving me already. I nod.
"Want anything to drink?" Calypso asks.
"Lemonade if he has any," I reply. Calypso gives me a thumbs up before turning and joining the other girls. I wander through the rooms for a bit before finally seeing another familiar face.
"Annika, hey! I was hoping you'd show," Josh says approaching me.
"Really?" I ask, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.
"Of course. Uh, it's pretty crowded out here, um, me and some of my friends are playing truth or dare upstairs if you wanna join," Josh says.
"Okay, sounds fun. My friends just went to grab us some drinks but I'll come find you?" I say.
"Cool," He replies before disappearing back into the crowd. I push through a group of teenagers just as Piper and her friends appear in the doorway.
"Annika!" Piper call, motioning for me to join them.
"Here you go," Calypso says smiling and handing me a glass filled with lemonade.
"Thanks."
"So where do you guys wanna go?" Piper asks, looking around the crowded house.
"Um, Josh just asked if we wanted to play truth or dare with him and some of his friends," I tell them. The girls look at each other warily before turning back to me.
"Okay, lead the way," Piper says finally. We push through crowds of people and make our way upstairs.
"Hey Annabeth!" Josh says when we appear in the doorway.
"And you three must be Piper, Calypso, and Hazel," he says, picking out each girl respectively. I glance into the room and see Percy, and the rest of Josh's swim team, as well as 3 other boys I don't recognize.
"How do you guys all know each other?" I ask as I sit down next to Josh. Percy and the 3 boys I don't recognize are now grinning at my friends. Josh looks at me in surprise.
"Percy, Frank, Leo, and Jason are their-"
"Let's start the game," Percy says interrupting his friend.
"Jason, you're up first."
"Why-"
"Just spin the bottle." One of the boys I don't recognize leans forward and spins the bottle.  As soon as the bottle stops on Piper, his face lights up into an evil grin. Piper groans.
"Truth or Dare Pipes?" Wait, he knows Piper?
"Ugh, truth," she replies, rolling her eyes.
"Backing out already?" The boy, Jason asks innocently, earning some snickers from his friends.
"Does that count as my question?" Piper retorts. Jason laughs it off.
"Do you wanna kiss me?" He asks with a smirk.
"Dare." Piper responds.
"I dare you to kiss me." Jason says with a teasing look on his face. I look between the two in bewilderment. Apparently these two knew each other very well.
"Never have I ever," Piper says.
"That's not the game!" Jason laughs. Piper looks like she wants to kill the boy.
"Aw, come on Pipes, rules are rules," Percy says, also laughing. With a heavy sigh, Piper stands up, crosses the circle, and sits down on Jason's lap before connecting their lips. It only lasts a few seconds before Piper pulls away.
"I hope you're happy now," Piper mutters as Jason turns her in his lap and pulls her to him. Okay. I must be missing something here. The game continues on, but I don't pay much attention to it, transfixed on my friend sitting happily on this blonde boy's lap, giggling occasionally. This was not the Piper that I know. What is going on?
"Truth or dare Annika?" Annabeth asks.
"Dare," I reply absentmindedly. If I had been paying attention, I would have seen the evil smirk growing on Annabeth's face.
"I dare you to kiss the cutest boy in the room," she says. Without thinking, I lean over and kiss Josh. Que the hollers and whistles from Josh's teammates. I immediately flush red, realizing what I had done. Piper grins at me happily, eyes glittering.
"Oof. That moment when the girl you like has to make the first move," Percy calls across the circle causing the rest of the boys in the room to laugh. I look at him in confusion.
"Be nice sea weed brain," Annabeth chastises.
"Now would be a good time to tell her," Piper says looking at Josh. I continue to look around the circle in utter confusion. Josh blushes and shoves his hands in his sweatshirt pocket.
"Will you go out with me?" He asks awkwardly as everyone watches.
"Yes," I reply without hesitation. The room erupts with whoops and clapping.
"Ship!" Piper squeals gleefully.
"The great beauty queen does it again," Jason teases. I look at Josh.
"Hey, can you tell me what's up with those two now?" I ask while everyone is distracted. Josh laughs.
"Oh yeah! Jason is Piper's boyfriend," he tells me.
"Yeah I met Piper through Jason and when she realized that I had a crush on one of her friends she was dead set on getting us together," he continues. I look over at Piper who's still nestled comfortably in Jason's lap, and then at Josh.
"Wait she knew?" I ask. Josh nods and I look back at Piper. It's like she's some kind of love goddess or something. Crazy.