𝒊𝒗. 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔

𝒊.

FAIR WARNING! A BIT OF SPICE AHEAD!

Noelle sat at her desk in her room, flipping through the pages of the book about constellations she wasn't really reading. She was mostly just looking at the pictures. When she finally got to the back of the book, her finger traced over the self-written page. Zoë the Huntress.

Closing the book, she let out a sigh. So much had happened that winter, but the most prevalent thing on her mind was none other than Nico di Angelo. Noelle had made the boy promise to Iris-message and visit her and he had up until recently. He stopped visiting a month or two ago, the Iris-messages becoming even further apart until they stopped completely.

Noelle could tell by how Nico had become to look even more tired and pale that something was wrong, but he cut her out before she could ask what. Her heart weighed heavy with worry and guilt, constantly wondering if Nico were safe.

"School just ended and you're still reading?" a voice sounded from the bed behind her. "Times like these I wonder if you've been hanging out with Annabeth too much."

Noelle spun around in her chair with a crooked smile. Her eyes took in the sight of her boyfriend sprawled out across her soft, silver duvet. His hair was in front of his eyes and he smiled back at the girl.

She gently moved the hair out of his eyes. "I'll be sure to tell her that when we meet up after orientation."

Percy pouted out his lips. Noelle took advantage of this and kissed him. He hummed against her lips in pleasant surprise, his hands finding her waist, tugging her out of the chair and onto the bed with him. Percy moved her so she was straddling his waist. 

 "You know," he whispered against her lips, "this is the first time we've been in either mine or your room with the door closed. All alone."

"Are you sure, Perce?" Noelle asked hesitantly. "My family is right downstairs."

"Hey, I'll only do what you're comfortable with," Percy reminded her.

She smiled down at him, her hair curtaining both their faces as she drew closer. "Okay."

"Okay." Percy smiled back before their lips were reconnected.

Percy's tongue ran along Noelle's bottom lip, her happily letting him in.

It wasn't like they've never made out. No, that wasn't what Noelle was worried about. 

They'd never had sex.

They'd been dating for nearly two years— not counting the small, overexaggerated arguments that lead to a small break. They made it through long distance and fighting monsters. They certainly trusted each other, but Noelle was still scared. 

Percy would be her first time— if she let him— and she would be his. She didn't want it to sound cliché, but she wanted her first time to be the perfect, romantic thing she'd always dreamt it would be. It was 100% not romantic to have your first time while your entire family is less than 100 feet from you.

Percy tilted his head, deepening the kiss as his hand moved from Noelle's waist to just barely on her ass. She could tell he was just as nervous about his first time as she was, maybe even more.

Noelle's body moved on its own as she pulled away from Percy, hands grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head. She tossed it off the end of her bed as Percy stared up at her with wide eyes, his hands fluttering nervously on the newly exposed skin, careful to avoid her breast area.

"You can touch them," she whispered encouragingly.

"Shit," Percy cursed at the innocent look she gave him.

He slowly moved his hands up, gently resting them over her clothed breasts. He slowly sat up, coming face to face with Noelle. He leaned closer, kissing her collar bone before venturing up a sucking marks into the skin on her neck. 

Percy became more comfortable, palming Noelle's breasts while maintaining his lips on her neck. He smirked upon hearing a soft moan from her. Her hands ran down his chest, fingers tugging on the bottom of his shirt.

"Go ahead, baby," he whispered huskily, giving her permission to tug his shirt over his head.

Their lips reattached, Noelle moaning into Percy's mouth as he continued to massage her breasts through her lacy bra.

The couple abruptly pulled apart as someone knocked on Noelle's bedroom door. Noelle quickly hopped off Percy, grabbing her shirt from the floor and pulling it over her head. She made her way to the door, pulling it open enough for her head to stick through.

"Hey, Mom." Noelle smiled sheepishly at her stepmom, glad for the interruption before things escalated further. "Did you need something?"

"Sally just called to remind me to tell you and Percy that orientation starts in half an hour," Emily said, her eyes darting up to Percy as he appeared behind Noelle with his shirt on— Thank the gods. "You should probably get going soon."

"Right," Noelle agreed, going to move back into her room when Emily called her name. "Yeah?"

"You might want to cover your neck before going out. Or better yet, before your father sees," Emily told her.

Noelle looked at the woman in confusion while Percy glanced to his girlfriend's neck, his eyes widening and cheeks heating up. 

"Will do, Mrs. Grove. Thank you," Percy rushed out before pulling you back into the room and shutting the door.

"What's on my neck?" Noelle asked.

Percy chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I may have left a hickey."

Noelle gasped, rushing over to her small handheld mirror. She looked at the bruise in the reflection, mouth agape. "Percy!" she hissed.

"I'm sorry." He gave her a smile between charming and apologetic, but she just gave him her infamous glare, grabbing her makeup bag and making her way to the bathroom.

~

Noelle took one last glance in the rearview mirror, touching up the makeup that covered her new hickey.

"It looks fine, Noelle. Stop worrying," Percy said, gently moving her hands away from her neck.

"I wouldn't have to worry if someone didn't give me a hickey in the first place," she snapped over to the boy in the passenger seat.

"You know I'm sorry," he said, bringing one of her hands up to his mouth and placing a kiss on the back of it.

"I know," she sighed. "Sorry for snapping."

He smiled at her. "It's okay."

"I just... I don't want Paul to think badly of me," Noelle admitted.

Percy scoffed. "I don't think he would ever think badly of you. The man loves you more than me."

Noelle chuckled. "Can't deny that."

The brunette climbed out of the driver's seat, rounding over to the passenger seat to meet Percy as he got out. Percy smiled at his slightly shorter girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her forehead.

As he pulled away he had glanced back towards the entrance where his mom's boyfriend, Paul Blofis, now stood talking to a girl with frizzy red hair. She wore a maroon T-shirt and ratty jeans decorated with marker drawings. When she turned, Percy caught a glimpse of her face, and the hairs on his arms stood straight up.

"Percy?" Noelle asked, feeling his arms tense around her. "What's wrong?" 

"N-nothing," he stammered. "Does the school have a side entrance?" 

"I would assume so. Why?"

"Let's go."

Noelle opened her mouth to protest that the main entrance was right there, but Percy grabbed her wrist and tugged her with him before she could say a word.

~

Sneaking into orientation didn't work out too well. Two cheerleaders in purple-and-white uniforms were standing at the side entrance, waiting to ambush the new students. 

"Hi!" They smiled, which Percy figured was the first and last time any cheerleaders would be that friendly to him. One was blond with icy blue eyes. The other was African American with dark curly hair like Medusa's. Both girls had their names stitched in cursive on their uniforms, but with their demigod dyslexia, the words looked like meaningless spaghetti. 

"Welcome to Goode," the blond girl said. "You are so going to love it."

But as she looked him up and down, her expression said something more like, Eww, who is this loser? 

The other girl stepped uncomfortably close to Percy. He studied the stitching on her uniform and made out Kelli. She smelled like roses and something else he recognized from riding lessons at camp—the scent of freshly washed horses. It was a weird smell for a cheerleader. Maybe she owned a horse or something. Anyway, she stood so close Percy got the feeling she was going to try to push him down the steps. "What's your name, fish?"

"Fish?" 

"Freshman." 

"Actually, we're juniors," Noelle said.

Kelli's gaze snapped over to the brunette with a steely glare. "I'm sorry. Was I talking to you?"

Noelle's jaw clenched at her tone, her eyes flashing with an animal instinct to pounce on this girl. "Excuse me?"

"So." Kelli ignored Noelle and turned back to Percy. "Name?"

Percy stepped slightly in front of his girlfriend, both to shield her and keep her at bay. "Uh, my name's Percy."

The cheerleaders exchanged looks. 

"Oh, Percy Jackson," the blond one said. "We've been waiting for you." 

That sent a major Uh-oh chill down his back. They were blocking the entrance, smiling in a not-very-friendly way. His hand crept instinctively toward his pocket, where he kept his lethal ballpoint pen, Riptide. 

Then another voice came from inside the building: "Percy?" It was Paul Blofis, somewhere down the hallway. Percy had never been so glad to hear his voice. 

The cheerleaders backed off. Percy tugged Noelle behind him once again, the brunette accidentally kneeing Kelli in the thigh as she passed.

Clang. 

Her leg made a hollow, metallic sound, like Noelle just hit a flagpole. 

"Ow," she muttered. "Watch it, bitch."

Percy, hearing the sound, glanced down, but her leg looked like a regular old leg. He was all too aware of the murderous look on his girlfriend's face, leaving him to force them to walk away without asking questions. He pulled her into the hall, the cheerleaders laughing behind them. 

"There you two are!" Paul told them. "Welcome to Goode!" 

"Hey, Paul—uh, Mr. Blofis." Percy glanced back, but the weird cheerleaders had disappeared. 

"Percy, you look like you've seen a ghost." 

"Yeah, uh—" 

Paul clapped him on the back. "Listen, I know you're nervous, but don't worry. We get a lot of kids here with ADHD and dyslexia. The teachers know how to help." 

"That's amazing, Mr. Blofis," Noelle said with a smile, stepping forward a little. "I just want to thank you again for putting in a good word for me and Percy. It means a lot."

"Of course! You're a good kid, Noelle. And a good student from what I've seen on your transcript," Paul complimented.

"Thank you. I try," Noelle said. "Do you know if they have any kind of astronomy classes as electives?"

"I'm not sure, but I can ask—"

"Where's the orientation?" Percy interrupted, head snapping away from a certain redhead.

"The gym. That way. But—" 

"Bye." 

"Percy?" he called, but the boy was already running, dragging Noelle behind him again.

He thought he'd lost her. 

(stopped editing here)

A bunch of kids were heading for the gym, and soon Percy and his girlfriend were just two of a few hundred teenagers all crammed into the bleachers. A marching band played an out-of-tune fight song that sounded like somebody hitting a bag of cats with a metal baseball bat. Older kids, probably student council members, stood up front modeling the Goode school uniform and looking all, Hey, we're cool. Teachers milled around, smiling and shaking hands with students. The walls of the gym were plastered with big purple-and-white banners that said WELCOME FUTURE STUDENTS, GOODE IS GOOD, WE'RE ALL FAMILY, and a bunch of other happy slogans that pretty much made Percy want to throw up.

None of the other kids looked thrilled to be there, either. Well, coming to orientation in June, when school doesn't even start until September, is not cool. But at Goode, "We prepare to excel early!" At least that's what the brochure said. 

The marching band stopped playing. A guy in a pinstripe suit came to the microphone and started talking, but the sound echoed around the gym so the audience had no idea what he was saying. He might've been gargling. 

Someone grabbed Percy's shoulder. "What are you doing here?" 

Noelle turned along with her boyfriend to see an unfamiliar redhead seated directly behind them.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," Percy said. 

Her jaw dropped like she couldn't believe he had the nerve to remember her name. "And you're Percy somebody. I didn't get your full name last December when you tried to kill me."

Noelle shot a look at her boyfriend. "You tried to kill her? How come I'm just hearing about this now?"

"You were asleep when I told Thalia. Besides, it was an accident. She was- She just happened to be there," Percy explained before looking back at Rachel. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, I guess. Orientation." 

"You live in New York?" 

"What, you thought I lived at Hoover Dam?"

Percy seemed to think about it for a second, making Rachel scoff at him.

"So... you and Percy met at the Hoover Dam?" Noelle asked, trying not to sound awkward and failing horribly.

"Yeah, I helped him run from some skeletons," Rachel said nonchalantly.

Noelle's eyes widened. "You saw those?"

Rachel's eyes also widened. "Wait, are you like Percy?"

Before Noelle could back track and deny all existence and proof of monsters and gods existing, some guy behind them whispered, "Hey, shut up. The cheerleaders are talking!" 

"Hi, guys!" a girl bubbled into the microphone. It was the blonde they'd seen at the entrance. "My name is Tammi, and this is, like, Kelli." Kelli did a cartwheel. 

Behind the couple, Rachel yelped like someone had stuck her with a pin. A few kids looked over and snickered, but Rachel just stared at the cheerleaders in horror. Tammi didn't seem to notice the outburst. She started talking about all the great ways they could get involved during their time at Goode. 

"Run," Rachel told them. "Now." 

"Why?"

Rachel didn't explain. She pushed her way to the edge of the bleachers, ignoring the frowning teachers and grumbling kids she was stepping on. 

Percy hesitated, avoiding the skeptical look Noelle had. Tammi was explaining how they were about to break into small groups and tour the school. Kelli caught Percy's eye and gave him an amused smile, like she was waiting to see what he'd do. It would look bad if he left right now. Paul Blofis was down there with the rest of the teachers. He'd wonder what was wrong. 

Then he thought about Rachel Elizabeth Dare, and the special ability she'd shown last winter at Hoover Dam. She'd been able to see a group of security guards who weren't guards at all, who weren't even human. 

"Percy?" He snapped his head towards his girlfriend's voice. "Do you trust her?"

Percy thought for a second before nodding. "Come on."

Hearts pounding, they got up and followed the mortal girl out of the gym. 

~

They found Rachel in the band room. She was hiding behind a bass drum in the percussion section. 

"Get over here!" she said. "Keep your head down!" 

They felt pretty silly hiding behind a bunch of bongos, but they crouched beside her. 

"Did they follow you?" Rachel asked. 

"You mean the cheerleaders?" Percy asked.

She nodded nervously. 

"I don't think so," he said. "What are they? What did you see?" 

Her green eyes were bright with fear. She had a sprinkle of freckles on her face that reminded him of constellations just like Noelle's. Her maroon T-shirt read HARVARD ART DEPT. "You . . . you wouldn't believe me." 

"Oh, yeah, we would," Noelle promised. 

"I know you can see through the Mist," Percy added.

"The what?" 

"The Mist. It's . . . well, it's like this veil that hides the way things really are. Some mortals are born with the ability to see through it. Like you."

Noelle punched his bicep, giving him a 'what the hell?' kind of look. Percy winced and rubbed his now sore arm.

Rachel studied the interaction carefully. "You did that at Hoover Dam. You called me a mortal. Like you're not." 

His eyes widened, realizing why his girlfriend had punched him. What was he thinking? 

He could never explain. He shouldn't even try. 

"Tell me," the redhead begged. "You know what it means. All these horrible things I see?"

"Percy, don't," Noelle hissed when she could see his resistance breaking.

"She can see monsters," Percy argued. "She can help."

Noelle groaned, unable to resist Percy's determined look in his eyes. "Fine."

"Look, this is going to sound weird." Percy turned to Rachel. "Do you know anything about Greek myths?" 

"Like . . . the Minotaur and the Hydra?" 

"Yeah, just try not to say those names when we're around, okay?" 

"And the Furies," she said, warming up. "And the Sirens, and—"

"Are you trying to get us killed?" Noelle snapped. She looked nervously around the band hall as if she were worried the monsters Rachel named would melt straight from the walls; but they were still alone. Down the hallway, she heard a mob of kids coming out of the gymnasium with her keen daughter-of-the-goddess-of-hunting hearing— it only worked if she focused and it was pretty short distance. "Sounds like they're starting group tours. We don't have long."

"I don't hear anything," Rachel said, seemingly unbothered by Noelle's earlier outburst.

Percy ignored her comment. "All those monsters," he said, "all the Greek gods— they're real." 

"I knew it!" 

He would've been more comfortable if she'd called him a liar, but Rachel looked like Percy had just confirmed her worst suspicion.

"You don't know how hard it's been," she said. "For years I thought I was going crazy. I couldn't tell anybody. I couldn't—" Her eyes narrowed. "Wait. Who are you guys? I mean really?"

"We're not monsters." 

"Well, I know that. I could see if you were. You look like . . . you. But you're not human, are you?"

Percy swallowed. Even though he'd had three years to get used to who he was, he'd never talked about it with a regular mortal before— except for his mom, but she already knew. He didn't know why, but he took the plunge.

"I'm a half-blood," he said. "I'm half human." 

"And half what?"

Just then Tammi and Kelli stepped into the band room. The doors slammed shut behind them.

Noelle sprung up, her hair clip already in bow and arrow form by the time she fully stood, an arrow nocked.

"There you are, Percy Jackson," Tammi said. "Why don't you call off your guard dog so I could give you your orientation?" 

"They're horrible!" Rachel gasped. 

Tammi and Kelli were still wearing their purple and white cheerleader costumes, holding pom-poms from the rally.

"What do they really look like?" Percy asked, but Rachel seemed too stunned to answer. 

"Oh, forget her." Tammi gave him a brilliant smile and started walking toward the trio. Kelli stayed by the doors, blocking their exit.

They'd trapped the teens. They knew they'd have to fight their way out, but Tammi's smile was so dazzling it distracted Percy, rendering him useless. Her blue eyes were beautiful, and the way her hair swept over her shoulders . . .

"Percy," Noelle warned. 

He said something really intelligent like, "Uhhh?" 

Tammi was getting closer. She held out her pom-poms. 

"Percy!" Noelle's voice seemed to be coming from a long way away. "Snap out of it!"

It took all his willpower, but Percy got his pen out of his pocket and uncapped it. Riptide grew into a three-foot-long bronze sword, its blade glowing with a faint golden light. Tammi's smile turned to a sneer.

"Oh, come on," she protested. "You don't need that. How about a kiss instead?" 

"Like that'll happen, bitch." Noelle fired a warning shot past Tammi's head, making the blonde scowl at her.

Rachel pinched Percy's arm, hard. "Percy, she wants to bite you! Look at her!" 

"These girls are just jealous." Tammi looked back at Kelli. "May I, mistress?" 

Kelli was still blocking the door, licking her lips hungrily. "Go ahead, Tammi. You're doing fine." 

Tammi took another step forward, but Percy leveled the tip of his sword at her chest. "Get back." 

She snarled. "New students," she said with disgust. "This is our school, half-blood. We feed on whom we choose!" 

Then she began to change. The color drained out of her face and arms. Her skin turned as white as chalk, her eyes completely red. Her teeth grew into fangs.

"A vampire!" Percy stammered. Then he noticed her legs. Below the cheerleader skirt, her left leg was brown and shaggy with a donkey's hoof. Her right leg was shaped like a human leg, but it was made of bronze. "Uhh, a vampire with—" 

"Don't mention the legs!" Tammi snapped. "It's rude to make fun!"

"Is it? Well, then—"

"Stop," Percy warned his girlfriend.

But Noelle had done her damage. Tammi advanced on her weird, mismatched legs. She looked totally bizarre, especially with the pom-poms. Noelle almost laughed but the scary red eyes and fangs rendered her incapable of doing so. 

"A vampire, you say?" Kelli laughed. "That silly legend was based on us, you fool. We are empousai, servants of Hecate." 

"Mmmm." Tammi edged closer to Percy. "Dark magic formed us from animal, bronze, and ghost! We exist to feed on the blood of young men. Now come, give me that kiss!"

She bared her fangs. He was so paralyzed he couldn't move, but Noelle fired a suction arrow that stuck to Tammi's forehead like a unicorn horn.

The demon hissed and plucked the arrow from her forehead. She threw it and it stuck to the gong, making the instrument go bong! Noelle shot another arrow, but the demon swatted that one away this time.

"I don't usually kill girls," Tammi growled. "But for you, half-blood, I'll make an exception. Your presence has been annoying me all day!" 

She lunged at Noelle. 

"No!" Percy slashed with Riptide. Tammi tried to dodge the blade, but he sliced straight through her cheerleader uniform, and with a horrible wail she exploded into dust all over Rachel, who was still crouched on the floor behind the couple. 

Rachel coughed. She looked like she'd just had a sack of flour dumped on her head. "Gross!" 

"Monsters do that," Percy said. "Sorry." 

"You killed my trainee!" Kelli yelled. "You need a lesson in school spirit, half-blood!"

Then she too began to change. Her wiry hair turned to flickering flames. Her eyes turned red. She grew fangs. She loped toward them, her brass foot and hoof clopping unevenly on the band-room floor. 

"I am senior empousa," she growled. "No hero has bested me in a thousand years." 

"Yeah?" Percy said. "Then you're overdue!" 

"And I sure as hell like a challenge," Noelle added with a smirk.

Kelli was a lot faster than Tammi. She dodged Percy's first strike and rolled into the brass section, knocking over a row of trombones with a mighty crash. Rachel scrambled out of the way. Percy put himself between her and the empousa while Noelle shuffled to be behind her. Kelli circled Percy and Rachel, her eyes going from him to the sword. 

She could feel Noelle's presence behind her, but she wasn't worried since the brunette was armed with a long distance weapon in a short distance fight. Noelle had regretted thinking that she could have a normal day with her boyfriend without having to be a demigod, not bringing her knife. She just wanted to be normal for once.

Kelli's eyes watched as Percy's blade glinted in the shitty fluorescent school lighting.

"Such a pretty little blade," she said. "What a shame it stands between us." 

Her form shimmered—sometimes a demon, sometimes a pretty cheerleader. Percy tried to keep his mind focused, but it was really distracting. 

"Poor dear." Kelli chuckled. "You don't even know what's happening, do you? Soon, your pretty little camp in flames, your friends made slaves to the Lord of Time, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. It would be merciful to end your life now, before you have to see that."

"What are you talking about?" Noelle demanded, pulling back her now normal arrow even more taut by the bowstring.

The brunette missed the way Kelli smirked, but Percy saw it and it fueled a fire inside him.

From down the hall, they heard voices. A tour group was approaching. A man was saying something about locker combinations. 

The empousa's eyes lit up. "Excellent! We're about to have company!"

She picked up a tuba and threw it at Percy. He and Rachel ducked. The tuba sailed over their heads and crashed through the window. 

The voices in the hall died down. 

"Percy!" Kelli shouted, pretending to be scared, "why did you throw that?" 

Percy was too surprised to answer. Kelli picked up a music stand and swiped a row of clarinets and flutes. Chairs and musical instruments crashed to the floor. 

"Stop that!" Noelle hissed.

People were tromping down the hall now, coming in the direction of the band room. 

"Time to greet our visitors!" Kelli bared her fangs and ran for the doors. Percy charged after her with Riptide. He had to stop her from hurting the mortals. 

"Percy, don't!" Rachel shouted, seemingly realizing what the demon was up to before either half-blood. Percy didn't figure it out until it was too late. 

Kelli flung open the doors. Paul Blofis and a bunch of freshmen he was guiding stepped back in shock. Percy raised his sword. 

At the last second, the empousa turned toward him like a cowering victim. "Oh no, please!" she cried. Percy couldn't stop his blade. It was already in motion. 

Just before the celestial bronze hit her, Kelli exploded into flames like a Molotov cocktail. Waves of fire splashed over everything. Percy had never seen a monster do that before, but he didn't have time to wonder about it. Noelle pulled him back by the shirt as flames engulfed the doorway of the band room. 

"Percy?" Paul Blofis looked completely stunned, staring at his girlfriend's son from across the fire. "What have you done?" 

Kids screamed and ran down the hall. The fire alarm wailed. Ceiling sprinklers hissed to life. 

In the chaos, Noelle continued to tug Percy back, ending up by the shattered window along with Rachel. "We have to go," she said calmly. "Cops are about to swarm this place."

She was right. The school was in flames and Percy would be held responsible. Mortals couldn't see through the Mist properly. To them it would look like he'd just attacked a helpless cheerleader in front of a group of witnesses. There was no way he could explain it. He followed his girlfriend's lead and leapt through the broken window.

Noelle burst out of the alley onto East 81st and ran straight into Annabeth. 

"Hey, you're out early!" She laughed, helping Percy with steadying her by the shoulders to keep her from tumbling into the street. "Watch where you're going, Grove."

For a split second she was in a good mood and everything was fine. She was wearing jeans and an orange camp T-shirt and her clay bead necklace. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her gray eyes sparkled. She looked like she was ready to catch a movie, have a cool afternoon hanging out together.

Then she noticed something on Noelle's neck. The makeup she had applied earlier wearing down from sweat she had worked up in the band room. The blonde's brows had furrowed in confusion followed by her jaw dropping in disbelief.

Annabeth's mood only worsened as Rachel Elizabeth Dare, still covered in monster dust, came charging out of the alley, yelling, "Percy, wait up!" 

Annabeth's facial expression slackened. She tore her eyes away from Noelle's hickey and stared at Rachel, then at the school. For the first time, she seemed to notice the black smoke and the ringing fire alarms.

She frowned at her best friends. "What did you do this time? And who is this?"

"Oh, Rachel—Annabeth. Annabeth—Rachel. Um, she's a friend. I guess."

"If we have time for introductions, I still don't know your name." Rachel pointed at Noelle.

"Noelle," she supplied before adding, "Percy's girlfriend."

Rachel's eyes widened slightly at her straightforwardness, but she respected it nonetheless. Then she turned to Percy. "You are in so much trouble. And you still owe me an explanation!" 

Police sirens wailed on FDR Drive. 

"Percy," Noelle said urgently. "We should go."

"I want to know more about half-bloods," Rachel insisted. "And monsters. And this stuff about the gods." She grabbed his arm, whipped out a permanent marker, and wrote a phone number on his hand, making Noelle's brows raise in surprise. "You're going to call me and explain, okay? You owe me that. Now get going." 

"But—" 

"I'll make up some story," Rachel said. "I'll tell them it wasn't your fault. Just go!" 

She ran back toward the school, leaving the three demigods in the street. 

Annabeth stared at the two of them for a second. Then she turned and took off. 

"Hey!" Percy jogged after her. "There were these two empousai," he tried to explain. "They were cheerleaders, see, and they said camp was going to burn, and—" 

"You told a mortal girl about half-bloods?" Annabeth accused.

"I told him not to, but he makes me weak," Noelle said.

"She can see through the Mist," Percy said. "She saw the monsters before I did." 

"So you told her the truth," Annabeth said.

"She recognized me from the Hoover Dam, so—" 

"You've met her before?" 

"Um, last winter. But seriously, I barely know her." 

"She's kind of cute." 

Noelle snorted. "I'm starting to think you're into certain things."

Annabeth glared at the girl. "I could say the same for you. Thought you were waiting for 'the perfect moment.'"

Noelle's hand shot up to her neck and she blushed. "Shut up," she muttered.

"Wait, what?" Percy said, completely lost.

"Oh, nothing." Annabeth walked ahead of them toward York Avenue. 

"I'll deal with the school," Percy promised, anxious to change the subject to something he actually knew. "Honest, it'll be fine." 

Annabeth didn't even look at them. "I guess our afternoon is off. We should get you out of here, now that the police will be searching for you."

Behind them, smoke billowed up from Goode High School. In the dark column of ashes, Percy thought he could almost see a face—a she-demon with redeyes, laughing at him. 

Your pretty little camp in flames, Kelli had said. Your friends made slaves to the Lord of Time. 

"You're right," he told Annabeth, his heart sinking. "We have to get to Camp Half-Blood. Now."