The Selection

Unpredictability

Jason's POV
The day was really exhausting. I hate the ministers. They are not letting me conduct the selection my way, obviously, it's my marriage, my kingdom, my court, and the girl winning would be my wife. Why do they have to interfere? They are telling me to spend time with them and go out with them. But I don't want to.

They know very well that I am not that type of person. If Percy was here...things would have been better. He had gone through this stage, he would have advised me.

Anyways, it's time to make my mood happy and I know where to go. I make my way towards the second floor and the first room. Being so desperate, I open the door to find... My eyes widen. Thalia. I stay there, trying to process what I am seeing.

It has been months since I saw her. Her hair has grown a little, she looks more confident and bold and strong. But she is the same person who took care of me like a parent, she is my dad, she is my mom and above all, she is my sister, the best sister in the world. Tears are brimming my eyes.

I see her walking towards me. I can see in her eyes, she knows it's me. Instead of hugging her tight, which I wanted to do, I bow. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty. " I say. 

She raises her eyebrows and then smirks. "New way of greeting, huh?" She crosses her arms.

Before she says anything else, Annabeth interrupts her. "Thals, this is Sparky, the person we were talking about. "

Sparky! Why is she calling me Sparky? Oh gosh! I forgot I am in Piper's room, she must be here somewhere. My eyes search the room. There are Leo and Calypso too. They intimidatingly look at Thalia. Then, my eyes meet Piper's. I quickly avert them. Thalia looks confused.

What should I do? If I stay quiet, Thalia will open her mouth and expose me and everyone knows what's going to happen then. I can't afford it.

"Sparky? What are you saying-"Thalia starts.

A sound cut her words. We all move our heads towards the source of the sound and find that it was made by one only Leo Valdez.

" Umm... sorry. I haven't eaten for about an hour. That's why my stomach is rumbling. "

"Oh Gods, Leo!" Calypso says.

Annabeth meets my eyes and nods.  "Well, I am starving too. Thalia, you also must have been hungry after your sword fight. Let's go to the kitchen! "

"Piper, we'll see you again, tomorrow," Annabeth says, grabbing Thalia's arm.

But before she steps out of the room, Piper stops her, "Annabeth, I have a question. When we were in the garden you said something about getting out of Thalia's brother's life, who I guess is the prince. I was just thinking what did you mean by that? "

(Did she say that?! )

"I... umm... Piper", starts Annabeth, stammering, " Yeah... Actually, during the selection, you have to meet the prince."

(What, I have to meet her as Jason Grace. She would surely kill me. Oh, Annabeth! )

"And you have already met him, right?" says Thalia.

Piper shakes her head.

"You ... haven't? " Thalia asks, narrowing her eyes on Piper and then look at me.

Annabeth says, "Let's go, Thalia. "

"But-" And she and  Annabeth, Leo and Calypso move out of the room, leaving Piper and me alone.

I turn towards Piper while she crosses her arms on her chest.

"Where were you? " she asks totally angry with me.