INTRODUCTION

PIPER

There was one thing and one thing only buzzing around Goode High School today. Percy Jackson is coming. Percy is the most popular actor in America. He's in all the best movies. He's on every girl's wall. He's coming to our school. Percy is sixteen, the same age as me, and has decided to take off for a while to further his education. This news doesn't really affect me though. My guess is that he will fall right in with the rich and popular kids and just be another face that mocks me in the halls.

My name is Piper McLean. I could easily have been one of the rich and popular kids, but I don't really fit in with them. My mother abandoned my father and me when I was very young. That was her mistake though. At the time, my father was a struggling actor and now he is up there with Percy Jackson. Well, not anymore. My father died last year in a car accident and ever since my life has been going downhill. I live by myself but in a large house because of my father's inheritance. I would give all that money to see him come back though. One of the only things that keep me going is my boyfriend Jason Grace.

Jason has tan skin, blue eyes, and golden blond hair. High School is rough. I have very few friends and I'm not exactly on good terms with most of the popular kids. They kind of run the school and it's a challenge deciding to go every day.

The bell rang to signal the end of another long school day. I rushed outside to find Jason. Jason was leaning on his brand new car that he got right after receiving his license. I walked over to the passenger seat after waving hello.

"Piper, wait." Jason said. I took my hand off the door which I was about to open and walked over to stand next to him. Jason had a guilty expression on his face.

"What's wrong, Jason?" I asked. He took a deep breath.

"I don't really know how to say this but I think that we should…" He looked at my face for a second and then stared at the ground. "…break up." That killed me. Tears rushed to my eyes.

"Can I at least…ask why?" I tried and failed to hold the tears in.

"I'm not going to lie to you because you're too important to me."

"What the hades, Jason. Just tell me."

"There's someone else." I took a shaky breath.

"Who?"

"Reyna."

"Reyna!" I exclaimed angrily. "Reyna, as in the girl that made fun of me like every day. That Reyna?" Jason now got the courage to face me.

"Yea, that Reyna. I'm sorry, Piper, but it's not fair to you when I'm in love with her." The tears rolled down my face. I just turned around, shaking my head, and decided to take a long walk home. "Piper, your house is too far away to walk!" Jason called from behind me. I didn't respond and just kept walking.

After about forty five minutes of walking, it began to rain. I didn't mind though. It was Friday and the rain would hide the fact that I was crying. I kept walking in the rain but was still a long distance to my house. Suddenly, a black expensive looking car pulled up. Through the rain and my tears I couldn't even see the driver.

"Hey, do you want a ride?" The man's voice asked. For some reason, I felt like I could trust him and against my better judgment, I jumped in the passenger seat.

"Thank you." I said to the man, giving away the fact that I was crying.

"Can I ask why you were walking through the rain by yourself?" He asked. Again, I felt like I could trust him and I spilled everything that had happened during the day.

"My boyfriend and only real friend broke up with me." I said sadly, still not looking at the driver. He didn't really say anything in response like he didn't know what to say.

"Where do you live?" He asked changing the subject. I told him my address. I quickly glanced at him to see a crooked grin stretch across his face.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked in a polite tone.

"It looks like we're neighbors." He said. I looked at him for the first time now. He had to be about the same age as me. He had jet black hair and beautiful sea green eyes. He was muscular and had tan skin like he lived in the sun. Despite my tears I felt like I had seen him somewhere before.

"So, you're the new neighbors. I assume that means you're going to Goode then?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yea, my cousin's staying with me too. We're both going. Nico's in the grade below me though."

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Sixteen." He responded. By this time, I wiped the tears away and was interested in learning about my new neighbor. "Nico's fifteen."

"I'm sixteen, too. I hope you have a better high school experience then me." I said glumly.

"I don't understand how someone like you can have no friends. No offense."

"Why can't you understand that? I live alone. My parents are either dead or in another country and my only friend decided that he wanted someone better than me."

"You live alone?"

"Is that the only thing you got out of that?" I asked almost laughing now.

"It's just, I live alone too. Well, I have Nico but no family. My parents both died when I was young."

"I'm sorry. I know how hard it is to lose a parent. At least you have some family with Nico."

"Yea, well you have me now and I'm afraid I'm not going anywhere for a while." I smiled.

"Thanks, you really cheered me up. There are not a lot of people around here that are as nice as you." The rain stopped and we pulled up into the driveway of my house.

"No problem. I'm always next door." He paused for a second. "By the way, I don't know who this guy is but he's an idiot for giving you up." I blushed. "Um, this is awkward but I don't even know your name." I laughed.

"My name's Piper. Piper McLean."

"McLean?" He asked surprised. "As in Tristan McLean's daughter?"

"Yea." I answered sadly, remembering my amazing deceased father.

"I'm sorry. It's just, I know him. We did some work together." I stared at him.

"He was an actor." I informed him. He laughed.

"Yea, I know. I'm an actor too." He said with his lopsided grin.

"Really?" He laughed again.

"You seriously don't know who I am." He stated.

"Um, no. Have we met before?"

"No, but I've worked with your father. My name's Percy."

"Percy Jackson."