Try outs for soccer had resulted in an extremely talented team and the first game wasn't too far off but there was one problem. Homecoming. Everyone was obsessed with going and it was overall a distraction for the entire team that wasn't needed. At least to Thalia it was.

The football game was that Friday evening. Nearly everyone was going. All throughout the school day boys and girls would ask each other to either the game or Homecoming.

"Any of you guys going?" Percy had asked at lunch walking over to the table where Thalia, Reyna, Artemis, and surprisingly Apollo sat.

"Hell yeah." Apollo smiled brightly never one to turn down a popular occasion.

"Hell no." Was Thalia's quick reply.

"Agreed." Reyna laughed.

"How come? You went last year." Percy frowned looking pointedly at Thalia.

"That was the worst mistake of my life. We don't talk about that." Reyna was surprised by the intensity in Thalia's voice.

"Right, sorry. I'm not trying to dig up the past. Just curious." Percy smiled slightly.

"Are you taking Annabeth?" Reyna asked shifting topics.

"Yes, of course." Percy smiled brightly at this. "Don't worry I'll take care of her ."

"You better." Thalia warned with a glare. Percy said goodbye and went to sit back down at his usual table.

"You guys are such drags. Just have a good time for once. Homecoming isn't even that bad." Apollo rolled his eyes and picked at his food.

"Are you kidding me? There is nothing flattering about a mosh pit of girls and guys grinding on each other in short kinky dresses and sweaty tuxes ." Artemis scoffed.

"That's exactly the fun." Apollo countered.

"Uh no that doesn't sound fun at all. That sounds like an easy way for something to go wrong." Reyna frowned. "Besides people don't exactly ask permission before they touch you in those situations. I'd probably smack the life out of some poor soul if they touched me at all."

"That I would love to see." Thalia laughed her eyes nearly squinting shut.

"You're all just sticks in the mud." Apollo pointed a plastic fork at Reyna. "I'd take you. Not you, you scare me."

Apollo gestured at Thalia who smirked. "Good."

"Now to hook Arty up with a date." Apollo sighed scanning the lunch area.

"I'm not going. I'm staying home and sleeping." She argued glaring at her brother.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Thalia sighed, already wanting to go home and crash on the couch.

"At least go to the football game." Apollo smiled pleadingly.

"And watch a bunch of sweaty guys with ego problems hit each other just so our team can lose? No thanks." Artemis shook her head.

"What about you? Your brother played football." Apollo looked expectantly at Thalia who'd zoned out a while ago and was watching some kids mess around.,

"Hm? Oh yeah, no thanks. I don't like people." Apollo groaned and looked as though he were about to have a tantrum.

"I told Frank I'd go so I kind of have to." Reyna sighed.

"Great. You can go with me then." Apollo smiled.

"You know, brother, it sounds like you're just scared of going to these things by yourself. Want me to hold your hand?" Artemis asked a teasing glint in her eyes. Apollo blushed faintly and scoffed in response.

"Just think about going." He replied after a moment as the lunch bell rang signaling the start of their next classes.

Thalia collected her things and scurried off having a tendency to be late. Reyna took her time mulling over the idea of going to the football game after all. School passed slowly like usual until both Thalia and Reyna were walking to the Grace household.

"I think I'll go to the game just because Frank would love the support." Reyna decided after careful deliberation.

"Yeah, I guess I'll go too. I haven't been to a game in ages. Maybe we'll win for once." Thalia shrugged.

"Do they typically lose? They used to be really good." Reyna frowned thinking back to the County's huge football reputation.

"We lost a lot of good players." Thalia explained. "Still, maybe I'm not giving them enough credit. Anyways, I have homework to work on."

"Do you still need help with Spanish?" Reyna asked as they neared the driveway.

"Do I? Yes! I suck at Spanish it's my third year taking level 1-2." Thalia groaned. The mere thought of having to take Spanish as a class made her want to throw up. "Learning Spanish is not conducive to dyslexia."

"Well lucky for you I'm here." Reyna smiled following her friend inside.

"Alright what do you want to snack on? I'm hungry so I bet you are too." Thalia tossed her bag off to the side by the door.

"Um I don't need anything in particular." Reyna shrugged gently setting her bag on the couch. Thalia nodded and headed to the kitchen while Reyna pulled out her binder. She wasn't looking forward to homework but it needed to be done.

Thalia returned with an assortment of things, in other words, her arms were full of goldfish bags, pretzels, gummy bears, and pop tarts.

"I see your diet hasn't improved." Reyna mused.

"I am a growing girl I need my food." Thalia argued setting the stash down on the small coffee table. The two girls spent the evening studying and had developed a system. Every time Thalia got a Spanish term right Reyna let her have a bit of whatever snack she wanted.

Thalia got nearly all of the questions right much to her own amazement. Reyna just laughed the entire time and corrected her when she needed to.

"Not too shabby." Reyna smiled as Thalia triumphantly tucked the assignment back into her back pack.

"Your are amazing." Thalia smiled running a hand through her hair before glancing at the clock. She hadn't realized how late it actually was. "Oh shit we gotta go or we're gonna miss the game."

Reyna was surprised to see how much time had really passed. She followed Thalia into the garage where the punk girl was looking for something. At last she tossed Reyna a helmet and pulled something out of a corner of the room. "You still know how to ride a skateboard?"

"Of course." Reyna nodded.

"Good, because I kept yours." Thalia smiled holding up to worn skate boards. Once again Reyna was surprised that Thalia had been so sentimental. Reyna took the old board in her hands and soon they were standing out on the street. Thalia sighed happily. "Alright Ramirez let's ride."

The two expertly navigated the streetways just like old times. Coasting down the sidewalk or bike lane to where the school rested. Already the lights were on shining down on the football field. The parking lot was full for once and the stands were full of students from their school and the team who was pitted against them.

Thalia couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of wind tousling her hair and the smile on her face said it all. Reyna zig zagged through the parking lot heading towards the entrance to pay when Thalia called out to her.

"Over here Rey." The other girl curiously rolled to where her friend had beckoned her. "There's a way to slip in unnoticed."

Reyna didn't seem like the type of person to break rules but the mischievous glint in her eyes told Thalia that concept was entirely wrong.

Thalia tucked their skateboards out of sight before guiding Reyna behind the bleachers where a section of the fence was bent at the bottom. She slipped under with ease and Reyna was quick to follow.

"They're gonna think some funny shit is happening if we come out from behind here." Reyna glanced about wondering if any of the faculty had seen them.

"That's why we climb up." Thalia smirked heading to the nearest set of cross beams. She didn't hesitate to start climbing. Reyna noticed the higher she got the shakier her movements were.

"She's still insanely brave for someone afraid of heights." Reyna clambered up after her friend not wanting to be left behind until they both crawled rather unceremoniously through the gap in the bleachers so they were in the upper row.

Of course it earned them odd looks but the view was great. Thalia smiled smugly and tucked her hands in her pockets.

"Nice work." Reyna smiled nudging Thalia slightly.

"Thanks." Thalia's sideways glance caught the light from the stadium lights and Reyna realized just how blue the girl's eyes were. Shaking her head she turned to study what was taking place on the field.

Frank had a great game. He tackled with ease and made sure no one managed to get in the pocket. He even recovered a fumble. Of course Reyna yelled as loudly as possible whether Frank could hear her or not. Thalia just laughed and watched quietly more of an observer than a yeller.

They clutched the win by one field goal courtesy of the kicker, it did help that Frank had blocked a field goal earlier. In all seriousness Thalia was certain the love able giant would get a scholar ship to college.

The stands cleared out towards the end of the game as friends and family went to congratulate the players and celebrate the hard earned success.

"That wasn't so bad." Thalia admitted a light breeze wafting through the empty stands.

"Yeah." Reyna agreed her voice the slightest bit raspy from yelling.

"We should go." Thalia spoke softly but she remained rooted to the spot.

"You alright?" Reyna asked touching her arm softly.

"Yeah. It's just you never realize how lonely things are until you stand in an empty stadium staring at a blank field at night." Reyna glanced about realizing for the first time that things had cleared out rather quickly, Thalia was right, it seemed wrong for it to be so quiet.

"Yeah." Reyna breathed crossing her arms.

"I think I remember why I hate football games now ." Thalia shook her head and padded lightly down the steps. Reyna paused a moment before following. They collected their things and began to glide slowly down the faintly lit roads.

"You heading back to your place once you get your bag?" Thalia asked glancing at Reyna as they skidded to a halt at a street light.

"If I can stay over I'd love to." Reyna shrugged. "If not it doesn't matter too much to me to walk home."

"Alright." Thalia smiled. "We can play those stupid games we used to when we were kids."

"Yeah the ones where we stayed up until midnight laughing." Reyna chuckled shaking her head. "Man that feels like ages ago."

"That's because it was ages ago." Thalia snickered.

"Don't get smart with me." Reyna joked shoving Thalia lightly as they turned down Thalia's street.

"Hey if you knock me off of this board you're coming down with me." Thalia threatened wobbling slightly, her balance shifting.

"Oh yeah?" Reyna asked raising an eyebrow. She made a move to nudge Thalia again but the other girl was ready for her this time. Thalia however leaned too far forward slipping off of her skateboard and crashing into Reyna. The two went tumbling onto the lawn laughing hysterically. "You suck."

"Oh shut up." Thalia rolled her eyes scrambling to her feet and heading for the front door. Reyna darted after her the two wrestling to head inside. Thalia stumbled through the door first with Reyna practically on top of her.

Thalia froze confusion slipping over her as she noticed the tv was on which was odd because her mom was never home this early. Fumbling for the lights she flicked them on. "Holy shit...Jason? When did you get here? What are you even doing here?"

Jason was sitting on the couch curled up under a blanket. "Didn't you get my texts? I told you earlier this evening."

"No I-my phone was off. And I was at the game. Frank was playing." Thalia stammered in surprise.

Jason wore a look of surprise as well. "Reyna. I thought you-"

"I'm back." Was her curt reply. If things weren't already awkward it was about to get a whole lot worse. Someone Thalia recognized walked in from the kitchen wearing plaid pajamas and holding a bottle of water.

"Piper." Thalia nodded earning a bright smile in response.

"Cool Grace how are you?" She asked.

"Piper?" Reyna asked her eyebrows creasing together.

"Yeah." Jason nodded earning a confused look from Piper. "Reyna."

The blonde gestured to his former girlfriend. Piper nodded in recognition. "Piper."

"Reyna." Reyna stated.

"Thalia." Jason gave her an odd look as if he wanted her to do something.

"Jason." Thalia replied sarcastically before grabbing Reyna's wrist. "Just going to bed. Night."

Before Reyna could ask anymore questions Thalia was dragging her down the hall and into her room shutting the door behind her. "I am so sorry I was not expecting that."

"It's fine." Reyna replied.

"No really. I'm sorry." Thalia apologized deeply.

"I know. It's okay. It doesn't matter I'm tired." Reyna lied. Thalia nodded and dug around in her dresser tossing Reyna some clothes to change into. When both girls had tossed their dirty clothes into a pile they each claimed their own side of Thalia's bed like when they were younger.

"I really am sorry." Thalia whispered.

"Stop apologizing it's not your fault." Reyna laughed lightly. "Just go to sleep Grace."

"Right. Good night Rey." Thalia reached over and turned her bedside lamp off before curling up into a ball and closing her eyes.

"Night Thals." Reyna sighed. She had a hard time falling asleep that night.