Hey guys,
So there you have it the next chapter! Get ready for some drama!
Percy PoV
I made my way with some difficulty towards Annabeth. I still couldn't believe how different she looked. I mean she always looked beautiful to me but tonight she was actually showing it. Something she had never done in all the time I had known her. Judging from her expression all this was definitely new to her. It was probably Silena's idea. Percy had heard she liked to play dress-up.
Judging from Annabeth's expression he could also tell that this was probably her first real party. She was constantly looking around nervously, trying and failing, to look cool and calm so as not to make her nervousness obvious. It might work on the other party guests but Percy knew her too well. Even after all this time.
"Hey Annabeth." He said with a smile as he stopped beside her.
"Oh Hi Percy." She said turning to him, her face cracking into a huge smile.
"Long time no see huh. I am glad you could make it though."
"Yeah me too."
"You look really amazing you know. It's different but in a good way."
"Thanks." She answered and her cheeks reddened immensely. "Percy I kinda wanted to talk to you about something."
"Yeah me too. But you can go first."
"I wanted to ask you, just to make it clear. What are we Percy?"
"We're friends right, I mean I wan't us to be. But only if you want that too."
"Of course I do."
"Good, then to answer your question Annabeth, we are friends. Just like old times." I smiled.
"Just like old times." She repeated with an identical smile on her face. Only then did I realize how close we were. Our faces were mere inches apart, our noses barely touching.
Our eyes were locked together and I forgot where I was, who I was. I forgot everything, everything but her, that is. All I could think about was her lips on mine and all I wanted to just then was kiss her.
Before I could do anything though I heard someone clear their throat. I wanted to stay there staring in Annabeth's stormy grey eyes for the rest of eternity. But life's not fair and one hardly ever get's what they want. So, I turned around to see who had interrupted this magical moment.
"What do you want Rachel." I asked trying not to sound bitter.
"Sorry for interrupting but Luke said he needs to talk to you like right now. He said it's an emergency."
"I should go look for Clarrise and Juniper. Bye Percy." Annabeth said before I could reply she was gone, disappeared in the sea of drunken teenagers surrounding us.
I turned and glared at Rachel.
"Hey don't shoot the messenger. I had no intention of interrupting that magical moment of yours. The only reason I did, is because Luke is acting like a mad man ever since he got that call. You really should go and check out whatever's going on with him." Rachel said before turning around and disappearing towards the direction Annabeth had gone off to.
I searched the crowd which was thinning out a little because most of the people were in the backyard near the pool. After a moment or two I spotted Luke standing near the main door, alone and tapping his foot nervously. From the haunted look on his face I could tell something was wrong, really wrong. What though I didn't know.
"Hey Luke" I said approaching him. "What's going on, is everything alright?"
"No Percy, everything's not alright. We need to leave now." He hissed.
"What do you mean? What's going on?" I asked taking a step back.
"There's no time for questions, let's go!" He insisted but I couldn't make myself. I was confused and slightly scared and I wasn't going anywhere until he told me what was going on.
"No. First tell me what's going on and then we can leave."
"You wanna do this the hard way. Fine we'll do this the hard way." My eyes widened as he pulled out his gun and pointed it straight at me. There were only a few people in the room now, the rest were already in the backyard. All conversations stopped and the only noise in the room was the music blasting out of the speakers.
"L-Luke what are you d-doing?" I asked shakily eyeing the gun in his hand. I think I already knew the answer but I desperately wanted to be wrong. I wanted him to put the gun back in his pocket and say 'gotcha!' and laugh at me. But no such luck. The gun remained positioned at my heart and the glare that Luke had been giving me grew even more malicious if that was even possible.
"You wanna know what's going on Perseus-" I cringed as he said my full name, I never really liked it. "-what's going on is that he has waited too long and he can't wait any longer."
"Luke..." But he cut me off.
"Don't say a word." He ordered and I immediately shut up. "Empty your pockets and walk to the car silently. For every word you say I will shoot someone and I am sure you don't want yet another death on your conscience do you."
I merely shook my head in reply and dropped my phone on the floor.
"Good now walk."
"Luke why are you doing this?" A teary eyed Thalia yelled from where she stood.
"That is of no concern to you Grace." Luke spat bitterly. "Now shut up and nobody move."
The next thing I knew Luke had cuffed my hands behind my back and led me to the car. As we got there, he pressed a syringe on my neck and I suddenly felt drowsy.
The last thing I could think about was how much this was going to hurt my dad and my cousins and friends. And most of all, how much this was going to hurt Annabeth. How much it would hurt my Wise Girl. Then the darkness took over and I knew nothing.
Annabeth PoV
My knees shook as I watched Luke push Percy out the door, with the gun still pointed at him. As the pain that had been slowly building up in my heart from the moment I saw Luke pull the gun out became unbearable I slid down the wall and curled up into a ball. I held my knees to my chest and rested my head on them, pressing my back to the wall.
Someone sat beside me and held me in a tight hug. It was then that I realized that I was sobbing. I didn't care though. At that moment all I could care about was the fact that Percy had been taken. He had been betrayed someone he had called a friend and now he was in danger. It was obvious that Luke was going to take him back to Atlas.
I remembered what Percy had said right after he had told me what had happened. 'He always gets what he wants and he wants me dead.' He had said. Dead. The possibility of Percy dying made me cry even harder. He had been through too much already, couldn't he get a break. No, the psycho kidnapper has to want him dead. It took me a few minutes to calm down.
When I finally did I looked up to see that it was Silena who was hugging me in an attempt to calm me down, probably. I looked around to see Thalia screaming for everyone to leave, telling them that the party was over while frantically dialing a number on her cell phone. Rachel was sitting on the couch in front of me with her head in her hands.
"Rachel come on we need to get to Percy's house, Uncle P's not picking up his phone." Thalia said walking over to the redhead then turning to me she said "You should come to Annabeth."
I simply nodded. I didn't know why I would have to come as well but I didn't care right now. Plus if I go I would at least get to know a little about the situation.
"Um Juniper do you mind making sure that everyone leaves. We need to go right now and we-"
"It's no problem I'll have Grover help me." She said cutting her off. "Go."
Thalia nodded gratefully and just then the door opened to reveal Nico di Angelo. He looked at all of us with a confused expression and said "I forgot my phone."
Thalia simply engulfed her little cousin in a hug and finally cracked and started crying.
"Thalia what happened where's..." Nico trailed off realizing what must have happened. "Oh My God! Thalia where's Percy? What happened?"
"It was Luke." Rachel said finally looking up. "He was working for Atlas. He threatened to start shooting people if Percy didn't co-operate. He took him to Atlas. We were just heading over to Percy's house. Poseidon's not picking up his phone and he's the only one who could do something about this."
"No no no. He couldn't be gone." Nico stuttered then he looked at Thalia and Rachel's tear streaked faces and his expression steeled. "We need to leave now. Come on."
Five minutes later I found myself sitting in the passenger seat of Nico's car with Thalia and Rachel in the backseat and Nico driving. I looked at Nico and could tell how guilty he felt right now.
"We will get him back." I tried to reassure him.
"I told him I hated him and that I wished it had been him and not Bianca who had died that day. But I didn't mean it you know. I was just angry. What if I don't get to tell him though? He would think I had meant it and he would hate me. I don't want that to be the last thing I ever said to him. I just want to say sorry you know. Tell him I was wrong, that it wasn't his fault and now I might never get to say it."
After that there was utter silence. All I could think of was the last time I had talked to Percy. How I had wanted him to call me Wise Girl again. How we had stared into each other's eyes. I remembered how much I had wanted to kiss him. But I didn't and now I couldn't help but wonder-What if I never get the chance?
Don't hate me. But I had to have him kidnapped again. It's the only way the story would have worked out. Also, I know most of you are cursing Luke for doing what he did. But don't judge too fast, all I am gonna say is that he has his reasons. That's all.
Anywho, do let me know what you think in the comments!
Till next time.
-Scarlet