I watched as Percy pulled his t-shirt on, admiring himself in the mirror. He pulled a baseball hat on over his messy black hair, watching me from the corner of his eye. 

"Once a Yankees fan, always a Yankees fan," Percy laughed, coming up behind me with a hug. I put on my own Yankees hat, disappearing in Percy's arms- literally. 

"Do you know how weird this feels?" Percy said, pulling away as if I was slimy or something. I couldn't help but laugh as he scrunched up his face. "Not to mention how weird it looks..."

Slowly, Percy found my face, lifting the baseball hat off to kiss me. "We are winning today, Wise Girl."

~

"Hey Mom!" Sophia smiled, wrapping me in a hug. Her face was lined with eye black... only it was red and blue with little socks carefully drawn in. She sported an authentic David Ortiz jersey and a look that screamed 'Come at me'. 

"I'm not sure I can even hug you," Percy laughed, eyeing her outfit. Logan wasn't much better. "I still can't believe you guys are die hard Sox fans! Think of your roots!"

"Well it's not like Mom is from New York, Dad," Sophia jeered back, eyes shining. The inner lawyer in her was coming out. "If anything, she should be rooting for the Nationals," 

"Who said anything about the Walgreens team?" Rion's voice echoed as he walked in the house, his Xander Bogaerts shirt a little too big, and his Red Sox hat a little too small. I don't think he'd bought himself a new hat since second grade. 

"Ri!" Sophia smiled, hugging her brother. "So glad you chose the winning team," She added slyly.

"I'd never have it any other way, and you know that!" He laughed, setting down a case of beer. "Are Lu- oh, I meant are Lena and Taylor coming?" 

Luke had gone back to his training in Hades knows where, and it was evident in Rion. Everything they'd done together in high school still lingered in Rion, less like a memory and more like a missing puzzle piece. Despite our theories, Rion hadn't dated anyone since Emma... and that meant that 99% of the time, he was alone. 

"Lena said she couldn't make it up, but Taylor might tomorrow. But as for tonight, it's just us." I said confidently. That meant it was pretty evenly matched. Two born-to-be Yankees fans and three Red Sox  fans, with one being a convert. We had it in the bag.

Percy flicked on the TV as an adorable little boy sang the National Anthem, all of Fenway Park applauding. So it's a home game, I thought to myself, glancing at Sophia and Rion. The Yankees can still dominate at Fenway.

The late August sun was beating down through the window panes as we got our game faces on. Percy sat back, looking as relaxed as could be, while Sophia looked ready to punch somebody. Rion cracked his knuckles one by one, as if we were about to step on that field. Just a regular Jackson baseball game.

Naturally, the Sox dominated the first inning. Three runs and not a single hit for the Yankees. Now it was Sophia's turn to look relaxed. 

"Someone's on their a-game today," Sophia laughed as David Ortiz hit another home run in the second inning. Jackie Bradley Jr. coasted through home. 

"We've literally got every single god on our side," Percy jabbed back, clearly getting nervous as the second inning ended. A commercial break came on to clear the tension. 

"I'm going to go grab the case of Cisco beer from my car... I completely forgot it was in there," Rion said, trailing outside in a half-jog. He stopped as someone walked by.

"Oh gods," Sophia whispered. I craned my neck to see what was going on outside but I couldn't catch it.

"We'll be in the kitchen just for a minute," Sophia said. "You two hold down the fort for like two minutes."

Sophia practically dragged me into the kitchen to look out the window.  There on the driveway was Lauren Sorenson. Rion's long lost love. 

"How's your summer going?" She smiled awkwardly, wringing her hands behind her back.

"Oh, you know, pretty good... I'm just at my parents house for-"

"The game," They both said in unison. Another awkward pause.

"Hey, you guys are missing a great game-" Logan yelled, sipping his beer and glancing from the TV to Sophia and back.

"One minute!" Sophia called back. It was like watching a painful soap opera or telenovela. Things just kept getting worse.

"Yeah, I remember going to a few of those..." Lauren didn't finish her sentence. "They're pretty intense."

Rion laughed genuinely, smiling at Lauren. "Yeah, they sure are."

Then, just as it would have happened in that soap opera or telenovela, another guy walked down the street. Another guy who was tall and muscular and sophisticated and-

"Lauren!" The guy said. And apparently, he was British too. 

"Oh! Rion, this is Will- Will Thompson, my boyfriend. We met at University. He's home with me for the week," Lauren ran her fingers through her hair, trying to distract the situation from herself. "Will, this is Rion Jackson, my-"

"Friend. From high school," Rion finished for her, sticking out his hand for Will to shake. Generous, considering this was who Lauren brought home to meet her parents.

"ANNABETH! GRAND SLAM! ANNABETH YOU'RE MISSING THE BEST GAME!" Percy yelled from the other room. However, there was just about nothing more interesting than what was going down just outside the window.

"Blimey, he looks just like Freddy Buchannan, doesn't he!" Will said, glancing at Lauren as she twirled her hair around her finger. Clearly, she did not want to be here."

"Yeah, spitting image," She said. "Well, Rion had a baseball game to watch, so why don't we go back?"

"Well it was nice meeting you, Rion," He said as they turned to leave. "Enjoy your afternoon."

"Thanks, you too."

Rion edged he way back inside as Sophia and I resumed our seats. Percy and Logan looked at us disappointedly. "It's already seventh inning stretch. It's 7 to 7. You are missing the best game of the year." Percy said grudgingly."

"Yeah, we have a rivalry to worry about!" Logan exclaimed, even though he hardly had the rights to be involved in such a rivalry.

"Sorry!" Sophia laughed, squeezing in next to Logan. ."Some of us just have other rivalries to worry about."

"Wat's that supposed to mean?" Percy said, resuming being enraptured by the game.

"You wouldn't understand," I laughed.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey guys! Hope you are all having a great April! I'm so sorry about this late update, like I said in my message. I know this chapter is kind of awful but I liked the original idea for it so I thought I'd persevere through it anyway.

I've been delving into this other book I've been writing for over a year now, and I'd kind of forgotten how good it feels to be so completely wrapped up in a book like that. I've already started the 3rd book's plot, but I'm trying really hard to plan this series the right way. I really want to succeed in writing the whole thing, as more of a personal goal than I probably realize. I'd also love to get it published, but I have to write the books first obviously. 

Also, Happy Earth day! I'm on spring break right now and it's so nice to finally be free from school and work and sports and all. I didn't realize how much stress I'd been under until I'd been alleviated of it. 

I've also realized that you guys spend so much time reading my stories, but you really hardly know me. I feel bad about that, because you guys are such good friends to me and  I would definitely want to know you all! So please please please follow my Instagram for this account, @/PercyAnnabeth20owl so you guys can read about me! I'm going to be posting some more personal stories on there about me and my life. I'd love to get to know each and every one of you who'd like to get to know me, so give me a follow if you wnat :)

Love you guys to the moon and back.

QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER:

Would you guys read a non-fanfiction book by me if I posted it? 

XOXOXO

~PercyAnnbeth20owl