Beyond All Expectation (Percabeth)

Chapter 5: The Party

- Author's notes: Hey guys. For anyone who read this when it first came out, you might want to look through the last chapter again, because I changed a large chunk of it when I didn't like how it was going. Let me know if you're enjoying this so far :) Sorry for the slow start, but I'm about to speed things up and progress the story. Thanks for reading -

Percy POV:

"How did you get all that alcohol without an ID?" Piper exclaimed.

We had all arrived at Jason's house half-an-hour early to help him set everything up. He was angry, but Jason was the kind of guy that wanted to please everyone, so it was nothing that my pleading puppy eyes couldn't fix.

"Easy," Connor gloated. "We went to 'Mr D's Liquor Store' on 48th. The guy doesn't even check for ID."

"Guys, that's so illegal!" Jason complained. His ears were turning bright pink, as they always did whenever someone broke the law. "What if you had got caught on the way here!"

"Relax, little brother," Thalia grinned wickedly, messing with Jason's hair. The guy frowned at his older sister and neatened his hair once she was done, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

"Tonight's going to be awesome," Leo grinned. "I'm estimating at least two hundred people will show up."

"Two-hundred!" Jason exclaimed. Thalia rolled her eyes at him and forced a cookie down his mouth before he could say anymore.

"Yeah," Piper smiled prettily, leaning against my shoulder. "And we know for sure that Luke can make it."

There was a collection of whistles and whoops from our group. Thalia went as red as her brother's ears.

"Shut up, guys!" The girl complained. I smiled wickedly, noticing how my grin reflected the faces of my friends. I sighed, feeling overwhelmingly happy. Gods only knew that I needed a night like tonight to relieve me of my stress. With Coach Hedge constantly breathing down my neck to be the best, meanwhile teacher's like Mr Brunner scowling at me when I handed in my homework because they already knew it would be bad, I needed my friends more than ever to remind me what a good time was.

Piper rested a reassuring hand on my arm – the girl could read my face so well, and she always knew when I needed reassurance. I was lucky to have a friend like her.

When the guests arrived and the party started, I didn't have to be a genius to know that it completely ruled. With Leo on the music and the dance-floor, crowds of girls and boys jumped up and down in the living room without a care in the world. Teens were taking shots in the kitchen, smoking weed on the balcony and playing games in the dining room.

"My man!" I yelled over the music as Grover and his girlfriend hopped excitedly out of the elevator. My best friend's face lit up when he saw me.

"Percy!" He smiled. "Dude, this place is great!"

"Isn't it," I agreed. "Not to mention, weed on the balcony."

"Show me the way, dude, I am there!"

Needless to say, I didn't see much more of Grover that night.

"Percy, come on!" Piper called out to me. "We're playing truth or dare."

I rolled my eyes: "Come on, Beauty Queen, that's so... clique."

She smiled at that. "Man, Perce, just live like a teenager for a second. The night is young! Besides, you're totally single right now... this is a great excuse to kiss a pretty girl."