THE NEW YORKERS (PART 3) Leo frowned, scratching his head with the hand that wasn’t bandaged. He turned to Nico. So how exactly did everyone end up in my apartment?” Nico shrugged lazily from the fridge. “I didn’t invite them… do you have any marinara?” Leo gestured lazily with his good hand. “Neither did I. If Calypso comes over and sees this mess, she’s going to stab me in the chest!” She doesn’t even live here, Nico reminded Leo, reaching for the jar. He shut the fridge. Neither do any of you,” Leo said pointedly, reaching for a knife. As if on cue, a chorus of satisfied yells and cheers erupted from the living room. “HECK YEAH!” Frank cheered. Percy leaned over the edge of the couch, poking his head into the small kitchen. “Almost done cooking, ladies?” he questioned with a smirk. I’ll kill you, Leo threatened. Nico looked just as angry. Not with that bum hand you won’t, Percy retorted. It’s almost half-time. Leo shrugged. “I don’t care if it’s full-time, you jerk. Food’s done when we’re done. You should’ve ordered a pizza like a normal person.” Percy scoffed. “And miss out on your and Nico’s rad cooking? No way! We’re not gonna pass up Mexican and Italian food!” Jason and Frank uttered their agreement from the other room. Percy, please do us a favor and kindly disappear until we’re done, Nico said, rolling his eyes. Percy obeyed and drew his head back into the living room. I hate all of you. Love you, too! Percy called. Nico pursed his lips with adeep frown. Leo grinned at his friend. Nico didn’t make an attempt to smile back. He merely moved his dark hair out of his face, showing off his dark eyes. “Such a blanket statement, Di Angelo.” I know. Nice nachos. Nice mozzarella sticks. Leo and Nico fell into a period of silence, the two boys appreciatively staring at one another’s appetizers. “What happened to your hand, anyway?” Nico questioned, gesturing to Leo’s heavily-gauzed hand. Buzz-saw accident, Leo said sheepishly. Nico gaped at him, then scoffed. “You’re the son of Hephaestus, how’d you manage to do that?” I’m not the son of the God of Perfection, okay? Leo said defensively. Obviously, Nico said, making a face to agree Leo did have a valid point. I just find that ironic, is all. Leo narrowed his eyes at Nico. “Ha ha, very funny… not.” I said ironic, not funny. Those are two different things,” Nico said. I don’t think- Something can be ironic but not funny, Nico explained, pinching the bridge of his nose. Leo rolled his eyes. “I don’t need a grammar lesson, especially since you look like you just came back from a funeral.” Nico tilted his head. “You’re wearing suspenders. Who’s from the forties, me or you?” Muttering a curse under his breath in Spanish, Leo picked up the plate of nachos. “Heard that.” You don’t even speak Spanish.” I speak Italian. Close enough, Nico pointed out. Build the cool apartment, Leo. It’ll be fun… que loco,” Leo said to himself. Nico smirked just as Percy, Jason, and Frank rushed into the kitchen, almost knocking Leo and his plate of nachos to the ground. Deja vu, Percy muttered, grabbing a nacho. Jason frowned. “What?” These are great, Nico, Frank said, grabbing a mozzarella stick and a napkin, not wanting to spill sauce on his jersey. Appreciate it, Nico said sharply. Percy took a large bite out of a nacho. “It’s nothing. I just plowed over this girl the other day and basically shoved my taco down her shirt,” he explained nonchalantly. “She was kind of a jerk.” But was she cute? Leo questioned. I guess, Percy shrugged. I felt like I knew her, but I guess blonde girls are pretty common. Jason nodded his agreement. “Of course. We’re in New York.” Was it a good taco? Frank questioned, looking at Percy with interest. Nico cleared his throat. Percy smiled at him. “Now, you’re asking the real questions. But I mean, it wasn’t the best, it was like from a food truck or something.” Frank shuddered, remembering his encounter with the blind seer, Phineas, years ago. On a scale of one to ten, how good was it? Leo questioned. Nothing like I make, I’m sure.” Percy shook his head. “Duh, it wasn’t. I mean, I was still kind of mad, because I paid for it, you know- Nico rolled his eyes. “This is getting ridiculous. It’s a taco.” It wasn’t just, a taco, Mr. Killjoy,” Jason said. “It was obviously a very important taco if it caused Percy to run into a girl.” Yeah. Important, Nico ground out, crossing his arms. I highly doubt that taco was as good as these mozzarella sticks, Frank said. Leo raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know, Zhang. According to Jason and Percy, it was the freaking taco of destiny.” … Piper grinned at the back of Annbaeth’s head as she quietly approached her. She sat on a park bench, her golden blonde hair in a high ponytail, reading a newspaper. I didn’t know people still read those, Piper said, raising her eyebrows and gesturing to Annabeth’s newspaper. Annabeth shuddered violently, then let out a deep sigh of relief. “Piper, you scared the Hades out of me!” Annabeth snapped. Here, let me make it up to you. Piper handed Annabeth a steaming cappuccino and joined her on the bench. It’s on me. Thanks, Annabeth said gratefully, smiling at her friend. Piper nodded, tugging the sleeves of her long sweater over her hands. “Long time, no see. I didn’t even know you left the library anymore.” Annabeth made an indignant noise in the back of her throat. “First Hazel, now you. Why can’t anyone understand that I just want to be educated?” Annabeth stared Piper down, waiting for a response. Piper took a long sip of her own coffee. “Gods, I’m not saying that. It’s just that you need to find a healthy balance. You’re in a park. You should be taking a walk or feeding the stupid birds, not catching up on world news.” It’s what I like to do, Annabeth said plainly. Sue me. Shaking her head in disappointment, Piper set down her cup of coffee. She snatched the newspaper out of Annabeth’s hands and balled it up, shooting it into the fountain like a basketball. Hey! Annabeth protested. Hay is for horses, not for beautiful twenty-somethings who need to go out and meet someone while they’re still ripe. Annabeth trained her intense eyes on Piper. “I’m not a piece of fruit.” Right. You’re more like a vegetable, Piper said with a sneaky smile. You’re jokes are atrocious,Annabeth said. Besides, it’s not that easy. It’s not like I’ll just go out with you on a random Friday and meet my soulmate. Piper shrugged. “Who knows? Love works in mysterious ways.” Wouldn’t you know? Annabeth’s dejected newspaper bobbed in the fountain, then sank. I’m pretty sure it’s not going to work. I’m horrible luck when it comes to meeting guys. That’s just an excuse. It’s not. Crossing her legs on the bench, Piper picked up her coffee cup and balanced it on her knee. She set Annabeth with a skeptical look. “Name an example.” Easy, Annabeth said with an air of annoyed confidence. Two days ago, I’m trying to get to my afternoon class, and this complete buffoon runs into me and smashes his disgusting taco all over my shirt. Was it an accident? Piper asked. Yeah… Piper gave Annabeth a smile, as if the situation sounded promising. “Was he hot?” No. He looked like some weird beach hippie. He was wearing flip-flops, Piper.” Maybe he has sweaty feet, the daughter of Aphrodite said helpfully, unaware Annabeth was describing Percy. Maybe he is cute, and you were just blinded by taco-hatred.” Annabeth shook her head. “Doubt it. He was so goofy. We’re obviously at different points in our lives.” Yep, because you, Annabeth Chase, are above everyone. Even goofy flip-flop wearing possibly hot guys with tacos, Piper said sarcastically. Annabeth sighed. Her coffee was cold. She decided to leave out the part about having known the guy, in case Piper thought of it as a sign. Besides, since she knew him from camp, Piper might have known him too, which she definitely did not need. The world was too small. Connorᴬᴰᴹᴵᴺ
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 08:25:49 +0000
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