Percy's POV

The rest of the week went by quickly, Chase and I pulling pranks on each other back and forth. Well, it was really Leo and me and against Chase. I have to admit, without Valdez, I would've run out of ideas much sooner.

And that brings me to my main point; we're running out of ideas.

But the biggest problem with that is, is that Chase... she-she.... she wins.

And that is not how things were supposed to work considering the fact that I declared this war. I sighed as I walked back to my locker, when Leo fell in step next to me.

"Any ideas?"

"I tried-I really did. But I got nothing." I said.

"Damnit, Jackson! You're the leader-as I've come to accept, despite the fact that I really should be in charge-I'm just the help!" He exclaimed.

"I'm sorry!" I sighed. "She's gonna win." I said miserably.

Leo sighed. "Yeah she is. And she's never gonna let you forget it." He turned and smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes and exhales through my nose, realizing he's right.

"But I have a feeling you don't want her to let you forget it." He smirked and nudged me.

"What?" I looked at him with my eyebrows furrowed.

"Because that means you get to spend time with her." His smirk got wider and his elbow hit my side again.

I scoffed. "Yeah right."

"'Yeah right.'" Leo mocked me, making a stupid face.

"Shut up, Valdez." I narrowed my eyes at him. He just laughed.

"You wanna hang out today?" He asked when we reached my locker. Some time away from Gabe would be nice. He beat me twice last night, because my mom had to work the night shift.

"Why the hell not?" I shrugged.

"Unless you have other plans." Leo wiggles his eyebrows.

"You're making me reconsider my decision." He laughed. "And besides, what ever happens with her in the next hour will be enough to last me the rest of my life."

"Oh please. You can't get enough of her." Leo nudged me again.

"Ow! Dude, you gotta stop that." I laughed.

"Alright. Meet here after school?"

"Damnit, I have detention."

"It's cool. I have to run and do something real quick, and then, I'll be back to pick you up." Leo suggested.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." He waved his hand.

"Alright. See you, Valdez." I saluted.

"Adios, amigo!" And with that, he pranced down the hallway. I shook my head and laughed a little.

Just then, Chase walked by. She looked at me and stopped. "You have something to tell me, don't you?"

"Wha-" I started, perplexed at how she knew.

"Just what is it? Save the bafflement for later."

"Well, uh... you know this whole, 'prank war' thing?" I began with a nervous laugh.

"You and you're Latino elf sidekick are running out of ideas aren't you?" She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Kinda."

A second later, Leo came speeding back down the hallway, right past us, yelling, "I am no one's sidekick!"

A few laughed, me being one of them, and others gave odd looks.

"So...?" Annabeth prompted, waving a hand like, go on.

"You win." I mumbled.

"What was that?" She put a hand over her ear obnoxiously.

"You win! There, I said it." I said.

The biggest smile appeared on Chase's face. "You hear that everyone? PERCY JACKSON ADMITS DEFEAT TO ANNABETH CHASE!" She screamed. I put my face in my hands. "WHOO!" She whooped loudly. A few people stared, clapped, and laughed.

"You done?" I asked.

"Tormenting you? Never."

"You're such a Wiseass." I said when she was finished with her little fit.

"Well, you don't call me that for nothing." She started walking down the hall. "See you at lunch, Asshole!" She saluted.

"Unfortunately." I say, and we both smirk.

><•><

Chase was already sitting under the bleachers, waiting. She had a black hat on today, with blue ripped jeans, her classic red flannel tied around her waist, with a loose black crop top.

"It's a little eager don't you think?" I asked.

She looked up at me, tearing her attention from her sketch book, where she was shading the drawing of a heart. It was cracked in half, with some sort of liquid flowing out of it.

Are we sure she's not depressed?

"What?" A look that I couldn't place passed over her face, but was gone in a split second. I assumed it had something to do with the black eye that Luke gave me earlier. Chase hadn't been there, and I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"Just sitting here, waiting for me. Are you that obsessed?" I asked jokingly.

"Oh, shut it, Asshole." She said, a hint of a smile grazing her lips. Which looked unusually nice. Did they always look that soft?

Wait what?

No. Stop it, Jackson.

"How am I the desperate one when you're the one staring?" She gave me a look like, ha.

"Wh-what, I-I wasn't s-staring." I stuttered. Real smooth, Jackson. Real smooth.

"S-Sure." She mocked me. A smirk appeared on her face when I turned bright red.

"Whatever." I muttered and sat down next to her.

Tonight we are victorious
Champagne pouring over us
All my friends were glorious
Tonight we are victorious

She continued her shading and I glanced over at her a few times. Okay maybe more than a few, but that's unimportant.

After a few minutes, I grabbed my phone. Having lack of things to do, I scrolled through my camera roll while I ate my blueberries.

I stumbled across the pictures from that night at the restaurant. I selected all of the ones of the wall and other random shit and deleted them. Then, there were the pictures of me and Wiseass. I found myself smiling as I stopped on a picture of us smiling and laughing together. Chase is smiling wider than I've ever seen, her perfect teeth gleaming white. She has a different kind of look in her grey eyes, which were glittering. She looked truly happy. I've seen her happy and in a good mood before, like when she hit me in the face with a paper ball, poured water in my ear, or when egg balloons splattered against me. But this was different.

The kind of happy she got when was teasing me was more smug.

In the picture, she looked really beautiful, because it was just pure joy.

And it took me by surprise. Apparently, so much so that I reacted, causing her to look over. Now, I know you're thinking, Percy how could you be such a dumbass. You don't look at those pictures when she's right there! And yes, that only hit me in the head just now. But thankfully, I jerked my phone away in time.

"What do you have to hide, huh, Jackson?" She had an eyebrow raised and the slightest smirk.

"Nothing." I said defensively. "It's my phone and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop peeping. It's rude."

"Since when do I care if something I do is rude? And if you'd 'appreciate it', why would I listen?" She looked at me like, have you met me?

I realized that she's right. That 'I don't give a shit' attitude is just how she rolls. It's her demeanor. Not knowing what else to do, I turned off my phone. "Ha."

"Fine. Be that way, Asshole." She said in mock hurt, crossing her arms dramatically. She turned back to a bag of cookies. She leaned back on the bleachers, and ate one.

"Fuck my life." She complained when crumbs fell down her shirt. She stood up and brushed the crumbs off of her, sticking a hand up her shirt to-what I assumed was-her bra. She huffed and sat back down.

I gave her a look like, um, what?

"A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, alright?" She looked at me like, don't judge.

We continued on with our lunch in silence, the only noise was the music playing from my phone.

Lost in reality
I can feel you in the dark, when I fall asleep
All that's in my head are pictures of memories, words that you said to me
Hey, hey, Hailey,
Won't you save me?

"You're annoying." Chase said out of nowhere.

"I didn't even do anything!" I whined.

"I know. You're just annoying." She shrugged and looked over at me.

"Well, that makes two of us." I retorted.

"I know." Her face remained a blank slate. It wasn't fair how she could so easily get under my skin, yet after all this time, I can't even break through the surface.

She seemed to sense my irritation, because she winked and grinned a winning smile. That shouldn't have given me butterflies. Stop it! My mind scolded my stomach. Sorry, my guy. No can do, my stomach replied. I pushed the feelings and thoughts away.

"I really hate you." I narrowed my eyes.

"But you don't." She said, still grinning.

I didn't. But was I going to admit that?

Oh fuck no.

><•><

Detention. How boring. Thankfully, this is the last day that I have to endure this extra hour of hell. I'm just glad—and a little surprised—that Luke isn't here. He'd think, oh great! Extra time to abuse this little bitch. And of course, I would barely make it out alive.

I just sighed, seeing we still had a half hour left. I tried to focus on my music.

You're like perfection
Some kind of holiday
You got me thinking
That we could run away
You want I'll take you there
You tell me when and where
Oh, u-oh oh

I turned when a paper ball hit the back of my head. I already knew what was happening. I saw Chase nod at the paper in the floor. I just sighed, thinking it to be too much work to get angry, and picked up the paper. We went back and forth with this single piece of loose leaf.

Heard Luke beat your ass. Is that where the black eye cake from?

Wow, word really does spread in high school, huh?

I guess. But answer the question.

Yeah.

I swear I want to throw his sorry douchebag-ass off a cliff.

Ha. I'll grab his legs, you get the arms.

Hahaha. So. This is it. Our last note.

Yep. I can't believe I'm saying-writing this, but... I might miss it.

Yeah, I'll definitely miss pelting you in the eyes with paper balls.

Always with the violence.

Not so much violence, but just tormenting you. I find great joy in annoying the shit out of you.

Yeah, I can tell.

Well, it's been horrible writing to you, Asshole.

Same here, Wiseass.

And that was our last note. Eventually, we walked out of the school doors, parting ways with the usual, "You suck, Jackson!"

But this time, I smiled. And I might have blushed. And prayed she didn't see that.

But, dear lord what is happening to me?

I might have a crush on Wiseass.

•••

Authors note

You guys I am so so so so so so so so so sorry that I haven't updated! I've just been feeling lack of motivation, and I'm on vacation (Hey that rhymed.) But yeah. Anyways, here it is and I hope you like even though legit nothing happened. Thanks for all the reads!! Don't forget to vote, comment, etc. thanks and love you guys!
-bella💕