slam dunk | ✔

11.

I groaned. "Please, thank gods it was a substitute, because I fell asleep on my desk," I replied, sitting down on my chair.

Rachel snorted. "Wow. Did Annabeth wake you up without you punching her nose?" She grinned.

I nodded seriously. "Yes, and that was a miracle," I said. "It's a wonder."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Anyways, Perce, I wanted to ask you something..."

"Shoot away."

"So...hypothetically..." Rachel muttered, fiddling with the hem of her t-shirt. "If a guy likes a girl, and the girl likes him back, but the guy is too stupid to ask her out...what do you think they should do?"

I felt like one of those sacred Apollo's cows in Greek Mythology-slow, dumb, are really, really, bright red. "Um...well, the girl should probably, uh...take the first step."

Rachel gave me another smile. "That's what I thought too! Well, thanks Percy!" She said, turning back to her seat.

What was that about?! Who was that about?? Was it, by any chance, about..me?

-•-

Annabeth sat down next to me as the usual chatters of the students filled the lunch hall. "Piper is being so irrational, and annoying, and clueless!" She whispered to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

Annabeth scooped up some of the "spaghetti" they made and stuck her tongue out. "She thinks Jason doesn't like her, that he probably likes someone else...like Drew!"

Both of us turn our heads and glance at another table, the one where the so-called "popular kids" sit. Drew was standing there, making a big show, like she was the one and only beautiful girl on this earth. But the fact is she wasn't even beautiful. Maybe she was, but who knows. That half a ton of makeup covering her face made her look like those overly fake Barbie dolls.

I rolled my eyes at Annabeth. "Please, you've only come now. I've been suffering Jason's lovesick rants since sixth grade! Three years, imagine that!"

Annabeth looked at me curiously. "You didn't have a crush on anyone?"

My eyes went wide at her question. Well...I did actually have a crush on Annabeth...when we were young, obviously! Not now! But all those times we played together in her backyard, I always felt like Annabeth was something more to me than 'just a friend.'

"I-well..." I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck, sheepishly. "N-not quite a crush..but kinda..?"

Annabeth narrowed her eyes at me, looking even more curious, her grey eyes with a tint of mischief. "Who is it?" She whispered, as if we were sharing a secret.

SHIT. Oh gods, I had to cover it up somehow! I can't tell Annabeth that I had a crush on her when we were kids!

"Ummm, uh, I-well.." I stammered, racking my brain for a lie which would be good enough. "It-it is, um, Rachel!"

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "Rachel? Well, uh...cool."

I mentally facepalmed myself. Oh frick. Why did I just tell her I had a crush on Rachel?! I mean, not that I don't have one...Wait. What am I thinking?! Do I have a crush on Rachel?! No..no, impossible! But I mean, she is cute, and sweet and..no! No! Direct your mind away from those thoughts! Perseus Jackson!