I was pushed into the car by Juniper. Once we were at least ten miles from the airport I had to say something.
"Okay, whAT THE ACTUAL FU-!"
"Annabeth calm down," Jason said. "Look we're going to tell you sooner but it didn't go so great with Percy and you yesterday so. . ."
"You still should have told me!" I ran my fingers through my hair. "How did this even happen?"
"Well yesterday when you went to breakfast with Leo," Frank pointed to him, "It turned out that there was a reporter there and only heard the part where he was talking about you and him."
"Oh, my gods!" I shrieked in frustration. "What do we do now?!"
"We fix it at the press conference. Now more than ever you and Percy have to act lovey-dovey." Leo said.
"Great. I'm stuck pretending double now." I sunk back into my seat. I glanced at Percy and I saw a hint of pain in his eyes.
------
The car stopped in front of a beach house. The house had a breathtaking view of the ocean and beach.
"I thought we were going to a hotel?" I asked Jason.
"Well normally on occasions like this where we stay for a week, we rent a house. When it is only a day or two then we stay at hotels." Jason explained.
"Enough talking." Frank grabbed his bags. "Let's pick our rooms."
--
I pick a room with pale green, white, and gray. The bed was huge and so was the closet. I had a semi-circular window that had a view of the water.
I had Jason and Juniper in the rooms next to mine. Leo and Percy got the two rooms downstairs and the rest were on the second floor. I was glad Percy was at a long distance.
Once I unpacked everything it was seven at night. I went downstairs to the kitchen and ate a sandwich then went back up to my room. I walked by Jason's room and the door was opened. He was strumming to the tune of New Classic, one of their songs.
"Knock, knock?" I said.
He looked up, "Hey, come in."
I sat on the chair next to his bed.
"Can I ask your honest guy opinion?"
"Yeah, I guess. What's going through your mind."
"Do you think I should forgive Calypso? I mean for her it was an accident, she thought he was Leo, she was drunk."
"You could, I mean if it was a drunken mistake, then yes. What about Percy?"
"Percy is in a different situation," I remember the conversation I had with him yesterday.
He put the guitar aside, "What really happened at the party and when you guys left the meeting?"
"Did Percy not tell you?"
He nodded his head.
"Then it is better that way. I don't want you guys into our mess. I don't want you choosing sides." I got up and walked to the door. "If you really want to what happened get him to talk. I don't want to relive that."
----
Later that night Juniper barged into my room with her makeup stuff. I looked at her in confusion. She held up a finger to stop while she catches her breath. Then she ran out of my room again.
What going on?
"First night in Miami means we need to go have some night's fun!" She finally said.
"What do you mean exactly?" I asked her.
"We're all going to a club!"
"No." I went back to my book.
"Aww, come on Annabeth. You need to distract yourself a little."
"Juniper I can't. Grover told us that in public I'm supposed to be all in love with Percy. I'm hurt by him right now and I don't want to go especially when there's a rumor out there."
"Just remember something: you're pretending, you've been pretending to be a different person for 3 months. What's a couple of hours?" She grabbed my hand.
"Okay fine," I rolled my eyes, "I'll go with you guys."
---
An hour later I was sitting in the kitchen waiting for the other. I grabbed some juice. I was all ready and dressed.
Five minutes later Frank came down wearing a green button-up shirt and black pants and shoes. Then came Leo wearing a red shirt, black bomber jacket, and white pants and shoes. After Leo Superman came down in a yellow sweatshirt, black pants, and white shoes. Juniper also came down looking lovely.
"June you look so pretty!" She came up to me and hugged me.
"Thanks, I love it." She said.
Grover then showed up wearing a black suit and shoes. His white shirt had some open buttons near the color. It was weird seeing him like that, more relaxed. Finally, there was Percy. He was a navy blue leather jacket, grey shirt, black pants, and shoes. His untamed hair was now in a very edgy style.
I noticed that I was staring too long and so did he. I coughed and walked out the door. The ride was silent. Everyone was basically on their phones. As we got closer I got a text from Percy.
'I need to talk to you about tonite. Let's talk after everyone out of the limo.'
I looked up and he mouthed the word 'please.' I sighed. We needed to set boundary rules and needed a plan anyway.
'Fine.'
------
When we got there everyone got out so it was just Percy and me.
Juniper turned around and asked, "Are you guys coming?"
"Yeah in a bit. We just need to talk about something." I responded.
"Ok." She closed the door and we were left alone.
"First of all I want to say I'm sorry again. Please forgive me. You don't know how many times I've cried these past few days. Maybe if you had been there to help sooner maybe it wouldn't have happened." He said.
"How is this my fault!" I yelled
"I didn't say it was."
"That's what you implied. I'm not going around kissing Luke, am I? I cut him out of my life because you asked me and I being a good girlfriend and am, did. I was loyal to you, I completely blocked him, so I don't know why you're blaming this all on me!" Tears threading to spill.
"Well, then you should go Luke! Just know I am not going to beg on my knees. I gave you everything that I possibly could."
"Fine, I'll go back to Luke. This is," I pointed to both, "is together, the celebrity version of me is with you so, Annabeth can be with whoever she wants. Don't expect me to apologize for something I didn't do."
His eyes had something hidden behind them. Sadness, pain, and anger. I needed to get out of this conversation. We had to put on an act again.
"Look I'm done having this conversation right now. Once we get out of this limo we will act like nothing ever happened, we will act like are still dating in both lives, we act in love."
With that, I got up and left in silence and open the door. There were Paparazzi waiting outside the entrance. Percy grabs my hand and we put on fake smiles. I gave Percy a kiss on the cheek and laughed and hugged him. All so the rumors would go away. As I did all those things for him there was something inside of me wishing that this was a true moment and that he hadn't betrayed me but I knew that wasn't the case. I pushed those thoughts aside before I could cry. When we finally went in we found the rest of the group in the VIP area.
---
I spent my time dancing, taking pictures, and drinking. I try not to get so much attention by 11 the DJ had asked that we go on stage can perform something as their special guests of honor. Grover gave us permission as our manager. When we went up there we performed two original songs which Percy had picked.
By the end of the second song, it was my turn to choose and I had the perfect song. I whisper to Leo and he told the rest. I turned back and locked eyes with Percy. Realization hit him as he figured out why I picked the song. I smirked and he gave me a smile while his eyes said he was bothered.
I stood next to Percy tapping my foot. I kissed his cheek and the crowd went wild. I walked over to Jason and swayed to the music with him I put my elbow on his shoulder. I walked to Percy and made a whole circle around him I wagged my finger in his face while I swayed my hips.
I stand in the middle of Frank and Leo and did some dance moves my choreographer taught me. I go down like a squat then wiggle back up and more. I walk over to Jason who with one hand spun me towards Percy, to front and center
A crazy idea popped into my head. I was desperate to make the rumors disappear. It was crazy because of the tension between Percy and me.
"Done for me. . ." The song ended and I grabbed Percy's face and kissed him. He didn't hesitate and kissed back. Gods! How I missed his kisses.
---
None of us talked on the way back. I changed into different clothes and Grover thought it would be a good idea if we posted a picture of Percy and me for publicity. We still hadn't said a word to each other but we both agreed.