Memories (A PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 22- Skiving 101

(A/N): Warning: this chapter is INCREDIBLY long. It's so long, you might want to read it in two sittings, I don't know, lol.

It's mainly just because I've written in so much dialogue between Percy and Annabeth.

I'm trying to keep the intro and outro short just so the word count doesn't fly through the roof.

Annabeth POV

Tuesday 15th September

I was shoved behind the long line of impatient students as they queued up to get on the school bus. I had long since gotten used to being treated like this so I didn't really care. It had taken one day for everyone to forget all about me again. Which I guess was a good thing. I was starting to become invisible again and, admittedly, as much as I'm ashamed to admit it, I felt relieved and calm for once. I no longer felt like everything I did was being observed by everyone around me or that every word or action I carried out would be mentally recorded by someone.

I was okay being alone though and what was even better was that we were going to visit the new Greek and Roman galleries at the Metropolitan Museum. I'd always had a certain fascination with the culture and history of ancient Greece. Maybe this would just be a way to get rid of all the drama and thoughts about Percy and Luke and Drew and Rachel and Silena and yeah...you get the idea. Maybe surrounding myself in history and factual knowledge would clear my head or rather fill it up to the point of leaving no room left over for anything else.

Today, I was wearing black skinny jeans with a thick matt black belt with a simple silver buckle. I had a black Heidi top underneath a plain white spaghetti strap V-neck top which I had fully tucked into my jeans and I was wearing some Aldo Salazie Leather Heeled Ankle Boots. [Type it into google images, second pic.]

It was only, to my complete horror, when I finally managed to actually get on the bus that the only available seat turned out to be on the far left at the back, adjacent to Percy and Grover. Well isn't that just brilliant, not to mention that I would be behind Silena and Piper.

I took a deep breath and made my way over. Past a number of random students including, cringe, Charlie Bennet. Past Jason who was busy telling Leo, who was sat next to him, to shut up about something. Past the Stoll's who were busy...stuffing fireworks into their backpacks WHAT?! Past Thalia and Reyna who were sharing earphones and talking about music. Past Silena who was busy persuading Piper, who was next to her and looking like she'd rather be anywhere else, why glittery lip gloss was better than matt. They were adjacent to Beckendorf, who had his headphones over his ears and his head resting against the window, while Grover and Percy secretly put Cheetos in his hair, from behind.

As usual I found myself analysing Percy's outfit. He always managed to look like he was wearing something he'd spent two seconds thinking about but at the same time undeniably gorgeous. It was so unfair. He was wearing grey-blue faded jeans, a black T-shirt, a leather jacket but it was slightly different to the one he usually wears, more casual and less biker jacket style, black converses and he had two dog tags around his neck.

As I approached my seat, his head turned and our gazes locked. He smiled at me so beautifully that it felt like my heart was going to swell up and burst out of my chest. Though I was ashamed of myself for giving in so easily like that, I smiled back at him, completely forgetting that I was supposed to be ignoring him in public. At least Drew, Rachel and Calypso took the other bus.

"Hey Annabeth." Grover smirked saying my name in a teasing voice as he nudged Percy's shoulder eagerly. I tensed a little looking around to make sure no one had heard that. Luckily, I was in the clear. I sighed with relief.

"Man, don't." Percy groaned, rolling his eyes.

I gave them a shy half-smile as I sat across from them, making sure I was pressed up against the window as far away from Percy as humanly possible. Of course, I would have preferred to sit near the front but let's work with what we've got.

30 minutes or so into this incredibly uncomfortable bus ride, my phone buzzed; indicating that I had a text message. I had been avoiding Percy's eyes for the whole journey, not that he made many attempts to look at me because he was too busy arguing with Beck about the Cheetos which were now stuck in his hair, while Grover sat in hysterics, blaming it all on him.

The bus was filled with noise and bits of paper and food were constantly being thrown everywhere. Connor and Travis continuously threw Doritos at Coach Hedge who was driving the bus. When Coach pulled out the speakerphone to yell at them to stop, his voice came out sounding like Darth Vader and the whole bus burst out laughing. Jason fist bumped Leo, who had no doubt, been the culprit behind this. He'd always been a tech nerd.

"VALDEZ!" Coach yelled.

Silena and Piper had turned around to say a subtle 'hi' before letting me be which I was grateful for but I couldn't help feeling that little ping in my heart. Every time they laughed or smiled, I found a stinging sensation in my chest beginning to occur and I knew it was jealousy. Maybe I didn't want them to ignore me. Maybe I wanted to join in. But then again, I'd like to do that without people gossiping about how the school nerd crawled her way into the popular group.

I just didn't belong with them. I was the type of girl who sat at the back of the bus in the dark corner, by herself, flinching at the loud screeching of the students around her. And that's exactly what I did. Every loud shout, boyish crazy joke, girlish shriek and football that was thrown across the bus made me wince and shrink even further. I curled into myself, crossing my legs tightly and shifting up against the window hard. My earphones jammed into my ears to drown out the noise that was so unsettling to me.

I fished around inside my bag before bringing out my phone and going to the messages app. It was an unknown number so there was no name at the top. It read:

So can I text you or am I supposed to just ignore you for the whole school day Wise Girl?

The corners of my mouth twitched and a bright smile flashed across my face. How did he even get my number? Wait...I have his number now. I have Percy frickin' Jackson's number everybody. My life is officially complete. Ha, in your face Izzy!

I turned to see Percy smirking at me and I felt my cheeks heating up ever so slightly. I smiled softly before typing a response.

How did you get my number?

I turned back to see his expression as he read it. He looked down at his screen, rolled his eyes before leaning back in his seat and typing a reply.

Stole it off Silena. Now answer the question!

I laughed softly, curling up on the seat so that my feet were propped up, my back was to the window and I was facing him.

Are you always this persistent?

Percy smiled when he read my text, ignoring Grover who was trying to get his attention because we were driving past a strip club.

Always

I laughed a little at that one before covering my mouth to muffle it.

Okay fine. You can text me.

"Perce look! They've got a Nandos! Do you think Coach will let us—"

"Not happening bro." Percy interrupted, not taking his eyes off his phone screen.

"Would you quit staring at your phone and play smile and wave with me?" Grover frowned, shoving his shoulder.

Percy looked up. "Smile and wave...are you serious? We did that in, like, Elementary School."

"We could go on tinder instead." Grover grinned waving his phone at him.

"Yeah...I'll pass." Percy replied turning back to his phone screen to type a reply.

"Come on man."

"Yeah...in...in a minute bro." Percy said waving him off, a little distant, as his focus was on his phone screen. I smiled inwardly.

Yaass! So how was Jordan's?

Good, I guess.

I looked up again to see that Grover was frowning as he looked between the two of us.

"Oh, that's just great. Now I'm the third wheel." Grover groaned throwing up his arms as Percy sniggered at him, I on the other hand, was blushing immensely.

"Oh, go sit with Beck you big baby." Percy rolled his eyes.

"Maybe I will." Grover frowned.

"Fine."

"Fine." Grover said getting up and shuffling past Percy who managed to trip him up before he got out. Percy sniggered as he scowled at him and sat in the seat in front, beside Beckendorf.

I was smiling when Percy turned back to me and gave me a wink before mimicking my sitting position on his side with his back pressed against the window and his body facing me. His legs were outstretched in front of him with one slightly bent while mine were fully bent and leaning against the seat along with my head. I watched him type a reply.

What do you mean I guess?

I smiled before trying to type my reply without laughing.

Well if you count a whole evening of 3 girls pestering you about why you turned up on the back of Blackjack as fun, then it was okay I guess.

I heard Percy snort in front of me before he tapped his fingers quickly across his screen and sent a reply seconds later.

Haha sorry about that but you know what Silena's like

I smiled inwardly, sending back two texts:

Unfortunately

It's like they're already planning our wedding?

Percy chuckled softly. I always loved hearing his laugh. It was enough to make my insides turn molten.

Haha. We shall be married by morning!

I rolled my eyes and Percy sniggered at my expression.

Shut up Seaweed Brain

"Make me." Percy called out loud, making me smile uncontrollably before raising my eyebrows in a smug expression and typing a response.

Five words:

Berry

blue

funfetti

gum drops

I wonder if the others know about it...

Percy looked up at me with a scowl.

You wouldn't.

I smirked.

I would

You are such a biotch. 'snap snap snap'

I laughed out loud again at Percy's text, trying my best to muffle it out with my fingers.

Takes one to know one jerk face!

"Jerk face...really?" Percy raised an eyebrow at me and I stuck my tongue out at him.

'Question?' I typed, suddenly curious about something and figuring it would be less awkward to ask him over text. Not that it was that weird a question but you know me...social anxiety and all.

Shoot

What does your dog tag say?

Come over here and I'll show you

I looked up and gave him a helpless look. He just shook his head, pointed at me and then to the space beside him where he'd now removed his feet. I sighed, sliding my feet off the seat and getting ready to sneak over but before I could the bus came to a stop and Coach Hedge's loud voice rang out.

"Alright cupcakes! Now I don't want any funny business on this trip. We get off, we learn stuff, we buy stuff, then we get back on. No pranks, no skiving, no gum, no disrupting tourists, no messing around and no firecrackers Stoll's!"

"Aaaaww." Connor moaned.

"Come on. That's not fair!" Travis complained.

"Life's not fair! Now get a move on!" He yelled before getting off the bus as the other students all packed up their bags and followed him out.

I shoved my phone into my bag and followed the others out. Percy had already run off with Beck and Grover and they were messing around outside and acting like boys already. There was a cold breeze when I got off the bus but it was sunny so I coped in my spaghetti top.

"Follow me! Come on keep up!" Coach Hedge called as we all climbed the huge flight of steps leading up to the museum. As usual, I stayed near the back, alone, clutching my clipboard and pen tightly as I shuffled after the others who were joking around and not taking this trip seriously at all, unlike me.

The hall was large and echoey as we stepped inside. The place was filled with tourists and tour guides, rushing around with pamphlets in their hands. I marvelled at it all. Never had I seen anything so wonderful and fascinating.

"Chill Wise Girl, it's just a museum not a house full of candy." Percy muttered under his breath when no one was watching as he walked past me.

I scowled at him as he smirked back at me and walked over to Grover who was taking pictures of a naked statue. Percy rolled his eyes before dragging him away, back over to the group. They were now being guided through the crowd by a man with dark hair and minor age lines. I shuffled after them, through the large halls and corridors as the tour guide taught us about each statue and artefact.

Later, we came to a gallery dedicated to the Greek Gods and I marvelled at the beautifully crafted statues and silhouettes.

"Now who can tell me who this statue is portraying?" The tour guide asked gesturing to a woman sculpted from marble.

'COUGH' "Anna—" 'COUGH' "—beth—" Percy coughed gaining sniggers from the other populars and two scowls from Drew and Rachel. They were both chewing bubble gum with their fingers entwined in their hair as they stood in a model pose and rolled their eyes at everything the poor tour guide said.

I froze up, not even able to turn around and scowl at Percy for being so annoying and breaking our code. Well, the rule of him not talking to me at school anyway. Technically he didn't talk to you... Shut up.

"Ah yes, Annabeth." The tour guide said, turning to me with a smile.

I gulped, looking back at the statue. It read:

ΑΘΗΝΑ

"Athena..." I murmured instantly thinking of my mother as I looked up at the statue. "Goddess of Wisdom and battle strategy."

"Very good." He nodded with a warm smile.

I blinked in shock. Had I really just answered that in front of everyone? I snuck a glance at Percy whilst no one was looking and he winked at me. I quickly turned away trying hard not to blush.

"Do you understand ancient Greek?" He asked me, making me feel extremely uncomfortable as everyone stared at me.

"Um...a little." I murmured. I saw a few people's eyes widen in the corner of my eyes. There it was again, the look in their eyes as though they were staring at an alien, a freak. I was too smart to be normal for them and that's why they'd never accept me.

"Can you read this?" He gestured to a quotation on the wall in ancient Greek:

Βρίσκεται στην αγκαλιά των θεών.

I nodded nervously. "Can anyone else?" He looked over the group.

"It lies in the lap of the Gods." Percy suddenly piped up and practically everyone looked at him in shock, including me. He actually pays attention in Ancient Greek class? And I thought he couldn't get any hotter. "What?" He frowned. "Okay, I'm not a total idiot." Everyone laughed at that, with him of course. Who would laugh at Percy? Me. I would. I smiled inwardly at that thought.

"You certainly are not." The tour guide smiled. "And yes, you are correct. It's a famous quote from where? Do you know?" He asked Percy and everyone looked at him curiously, wondering if he'd know.

"The Iliad." He shrugged casually. "Written by the famous Greek poet, Homer."

I found myself smiling at him proudly. You know I always knew he was smart deep down, he just never bothered to show it.

"Correct." The tour guide smiled admiringly and all the girls seemed to adore Percy a little more then, which I didn't even think possible.

"I would like you all to pair off and fill in the quiz sheet your teacher should be handing out now." He said after we'd walked into another gallery and spent a few minutes wandering around.

Coach Hedge came around with a sheet of paper and I eagerly took it from him. I'd always loved quizzes especially when they involved ancient history questions. Obviously, I snuck away before anyone could tell me off for not having a partner. Well, I wasn't going to get stuck with Calypso or worse Charlie Bennet and I'd watched enough of Rachel and Drew fighting over who would go with Percy because he didn't have a partner since an irritated Grover had ditched him for Beckendorf.

I strolled through the museum not actually needing to go to the stations which provided the answers to the questions because I already knew them all but I walked around anyway. It was only after filling out the whole sheet that I found myself wandering back to the Greek Gods gallery.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed and I looked down to read the text Percy had sent me:

Where you at? I'm getting seriously tired of hearing Leo making 'knock knock' jokes.

And then he'd sent a gun emoji as if he wanted to kill himself which made me giggle.

Not telling Just tell him nobody's home so go away.

I smiled, pressing send as I continued to make my way back to the Greek gallery.

Pleeeaaassseee! I'm dying here!

I laughed out loud, attracting attention from an old couple nearby who frowned at me as they shook their head in disapproval. Well soooorrry!

LOL even your insults are adorable x

I caught my breath as I peered at that one little kiss he'd sent me. Not gonna lie, I did a little dance. Damn it! Why do you have to be so pathetic around him?

Come find me x

I sent the text before tucking my phone back into my bag and walking into the Greek gallery. It was empty and quiet. I looked up at the statue of Athena, wondering if maybe I could be as smart as her one day. I smiled thinking of all the memories I had of her, however small they were. She was always so wise. I used to think she was the queen of England when I was very little because of how smart and empowering she was. I even remember asking her, one day, "mummy, are you the queen of England?", to which she replied, "not yet, my little one." She'd always been so strong. I wanted that same fire she had in her heart when I was older.

"Found you." I heard a voice from behind me and I span on my heels to find Percy smirking behind me. He was alone.

"So you did." I smiled. "Managed to escape Leo then?"

He chuckled. "Finally." He sighed, shoving his hands in his jean pockets before moving to stand next to me, in front of the statue of Athena.

"What did you tell him?" I smiled.

"I told him I had to go organise my bathroom." He smirked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Wow." Percy chuckled.

"So...who knew my Wise Girl could read Ancient Greek huh?" There it was again; my Wise Girl. I could barely keep my legs from wobbling, let alone breathe properly.

"Well everyone now, thanks to you." I grumbled, making him chuckle.

"Sorry about that." He nudged my shoulder and I looked up at him.

"It's okay." I murmured before turning back to gaze up at the statue wistfully.

"You're thinking about your mom, aren't you?" Percy asked softly. Gods, he knew me so well.

I sighed. "I wonder if she's smart and beautiful like her." I wondered aloud, looking up at the statue of Athena.

Percy smiled. "You'll find out." He spoke softly, turning to meet my eyes.

I gave him a small smile before suddenly hearing loud voices behind me. I turned to see some Goode students coming our way and I mentally shrieked as my heart flew up into my throat. Just before they started filing back into the room, I scurried away from him, like he was a bad disease. Percy frowned at me, a little hurt and I felt bad but not bad enough to go back over to him. I mouthed the word 'sorry' before I pretended to be looking at a statue of Poseidon as Percy hovered back over to the popular guys.

"How'd the bathroom organising go?" Leo raised an eyebrow with his arms folded as the others sniggered and I couldn't help smiling at that.

"Game-changing, bro." Percy grinned slinging his arm over Leo's shoulders.

We handed in our papers, took a few more questions and history lessons before heading back to the bus to go to the mall, to most people's delight.

~xXx~

The mall was large and busy. Coach was getting even crabbier the further we got inside as he constantly had to yell at Connor and Travis to stop attempting to sell fireworks to strangers. I reluctantly followed the others at the back of the line. Malls and shopping was never really my thing, to be honest. I had been ignoring Percy the whole time and every time I caught his eye he would frown at me as though he was irritated now. I hated it when he was annoyed with me.

I was walking at the back of the group when Luke suddenly dropped back beside me. I jumped a little from the shock. "So, Grey eyes...you speak Greek. I didn't know that."

I smiled modestly. "Well, there's a lot of things you don't know about me."

"So, tell me." He looked at me curiously and I felt nervous all of a sudden. I know he seemed nice but I didn't know if I wanted to really open up to this guy. I didn't know the first thing about him. I suppose I hadn't known anything about Percy at first and now I couldn't thank the universe enough for bringing him into my life.

"Fine, I'll go first." He sighed with a smirk. "I play basketball and I want to study Law at Harvard."

"You want to go to Harvard too?" I looked at him in shock.

"Wait...do you?" He smiled excitedly and looking at his cute crooked smile, I actually got butterflies in my stomach.

"Yeah!" I cried excitedly before clamping my hand over my mouth and he laughed at that. I pulled my hand away giggling a little.

"I just love the facilities they have." He started.

"Aren't they incredible?" I smiled, eyes shining. I felt like in that moment we just clicked instantly.

"And the architecture's amazing."

"And the architecture's amazing."

We both said at exactly the same time before looking at each other and laughing a little. I couldn't believe how much we had in common. I was just about to say something when someone grabbed my hand, pulling me away from him. I gasped a little in shock, turning to see Percy. "Sorry Castellan, I need to borrow Beth for a minute. You don't mind, do you?" He asked snidely. "Didn't think so." He smirked without giving Luke a second to respond before he was pulling me aside.

I began to mentally panic as my heartbeat quickened in my chest. Luckily no one could really see us but there was always that possibility.

"Percy." I whispered a little worried now and he frowned at my expression, a little hurt and I felt bad instantly.

"What, so Castellan can talk to you but I can't?" He frowned and a lump formed in my throat.

"Percy, it's not like that—" I murmured weakly.

"Then what is it like?" He frowned, raising his voice ever so slightly.

"Luke...Luke doesn't draw as much attention to me as you do." I mumbled nervously and he sighed heavily. "Besides, he was the one who came up to me."

"You can't shut me out forever." He said and he wasn't joking around. I sighed before swiftly following the group who were getting away. I couldn't do this right now.

"When are you gonna stop ignoring me? You're driving me insane." He groaned jogging up to walk beside me. I bit my lip in shock. Really? Did he really want to talk to me that much? His eyes were frustrated, annoyed and I didn't blame him.

"I talk to you outside of school." I murmured.

"Well I can't wait that long, I want to talk to you now." He said, his tone serious and a little pleading.

"Right, we'll meet back here at 3:15 sharp." Coach suddenly called out and everyone slowly began to split and hover over to different shops. I could see the populars looking for Percy and I gave him a sad wave before scurrying off down the corridor by myself.

I didn't really know what to do. I wasn't keen on going in any of the shops, to be honest until I found a small bookstore. My eyes lit up as I made my way over.

"Really, you're in a mall and the first thing you wanna do is go book shopping?" I heard a snarky voice behind me.

I turned swiftly on my heels to find Drew, Rachel and Calypso standing in a little arrow with Drew at the point. They were all wearing tight revealing clothes with flawless make-up and hair as perfect as the morning sun.

"Um..." I clutched my white Vans backpack strap nervously, trying to swallow down my nerves. After what had happened on Saturday they were the last people I wanted to talk to.

"Drew...maybe we should go..." Calypso murmured weakly. It made me a little shocked actually. I mean, Calypso had always done what Drew told her, she'd made it her life's ambition to be just like her. She'd never been much of a talker, she was nice but easily manipulated into being mean by Drew. Why would she say that now?

"Zip it Caly." Drew scowled. Calypso shrank into herself and stared at the floor shamefully. I kinda felt sorry for her.

"Why don't you come and shop with us?" Drew smirked. "You could do with some new clothes."

"I thought you said you liked her outfit?" Rachel whispered. Drew gritted her teeth flashing Rachel a warning glare before turning back to me.

"Um...that's really kind of you but I think I'll just—" I started timidly.

"What? Too good to be seen hanging around us?" Drew scoffed.

"No." I squeaked. "I just don't really like...shopping." I looked at the floor nervously.

Drew and Rachel both laughed before the three of them came over to me. I shrank into myself wanting nothing more than to just run away into a dark corner where no one could find me.

"Well, we'll change that." Drew grinned at me, showing off a line of pearly white teeth which were slightly scary actually. They were so white and perfect that for a moment, I saw her sinking them into my flesh. My heart thudded in my chest as the fear slid up my spine and up to the back of my neck.

"Come on." Rachel grinned just as evilly.

I gulped backing away. "No...please..." I whimpered.

"Don't be scared little Annie." Drew grinned her eyes widening a little like she was watching her prey cowering in her fiery gaze.

"We only want to help you." Rachel added.

"I wouldn't fight it if I were you." Calypso suddenly piped up with a shrug, trying to please Drew but I could see it in her eye; just a tiny hint of sympathy. I knew she wouldn't say anything to protect me but, I dunno, it was just nice to know that at least one person here didn't hate my guts.

"Come on little Annie, this'll be fun." Drew smirked, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards them, away from the bookstore.

"No...please...don't." I whimpered helplessly, trying my best to pull away.

"Hey!" A loud confident voice suddenly rang out through the shopping mall. We all turned in shock to see Silena storming towards us with Reyna and Piper at her heels.

"Take your hands off her!" Silena yelled, pulling me behind her as Reyna shoved Drew backwards.

"Touch her again and I'll break your arm." Reyna snarled and the three of them stumbled backwards. "I'd be very careful with what you do or say next, sweetie." She said, making sure that the word 'sweetie' sounded extremely spiteful. Gods Reyna could be seriously scary when she wanted to be.

"Well, look at this. Your little friends have come to save the day." Drew scoffed before turning to Silena, who actually flinched. "I'm disappointed in you. I thought maybe you could be our fourth member."

"What and we never were?" Piper raised her eyebrows.

"Please, we were only friends with the three of you because of your connections to Percy and the other guys." Rachel scoffed, gesturing to Reyna and Piper.

"I wouldn't exactly call us friends...ever but whatever you say pouty princess." Reyna smirked gaining a snort from Piper.

"Leave Annabeth alone Drew or I'll get my mom to take this to the board and believe me, you do not want to be on the wrong side of my mother." Silena threatened.

She was right as well. Her mother was Aphrodite, a very wealthy and well know woman in the beauty industry. She'd done many things in her career like modelling, becoming a makeup artist, creating her own beauty line and apparently one time she did Meryl Streep's make up for one of her Oscar nominations. She was kind and a total sucker for love, I guess that's where Silena gets it from, but you did not want to get on her bad side. Her attitude could change at the snap of a finger from nice to downright evil. Drew and Rachel both stared in shock while Calypso stood uncomfortably in the background.

"Come on Annabeth, let's go." Silena said softly and I nodded as they all lead me away, through the mall, around the corner and away from Drew and Rachel.

"You okay?" She murmured.

"Yeah, they didn't hurt you, did they?" Piper frowned.

I shook my head feeling a rush of emotions flow through me; gratitude, relief, embarrassment, shame, despair, maybe even humiliation. I probably looked so weak and pathetic to them.

"Hey, just forget about them. There's nothing they can do except try and make you hate yourself so don't let them." Piper assured me.

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Reyna smiled at me.

"Eleanor Roosevelt said that." I smiled shyly.

Reyna nodded with a warm smile. "Another smart woman like yourself."

I found myself looking at the floor shyly with a nervous smile on my face. "Thanks, guys." I murmured softly, still looking at the moving ground beneath our feet as we slowly walked through the busy hallway.

They all smiled and nodded while Silena nudged my shoulder softly.

"So where are we going now?" Piper asked.

"Um...I think I'm gonna go back to that bookstore." I mumbled stopping but Silena dragged me along again.

"Oh, no you don't. I'm not letting you out of my sight in case Drew and her possy attack you again. Don't worry, we'll stay away from all the other Goode students." I sighed, looking at my feet.

"That includes Percy." Piper assured me with a smile on her face.

I tried not to, but I found myself blushing. "Okay." I whispered.

"We should go look in Urban Outfitters, they always have nice clothes." Silena said excitedly while the rest of us groaned. "Aw come on guys, we're in a mall, malls are my life. I promise we can go anywhere else afterwards." We all laughed at Silena.

"Fine." Piper giggled, linking her arm in mine. "You can shop while we'll complain about leaving every 5 minutes." I giggled and Reyna snorted.

"Deal." Silena grinned and together we all walked through the halls, our footsteps echoing across the marble floor.

~xXx~

"Jason?" Piper frowned, unlinking our arms and stepping towards her boyfriend who was coming out of Urban Outfitters. "What are you doing?"

Jason sighed exasperatedly. "Chasing after Percy and Grover, I think they're high or something." He groaned rubbing his forehead in exhaustion. "Percy, literally, hacked into the Forever 21 staff announcement speakers and told all the customers that everything was 50% off. The manager went ballistic." We all laughed at that.

"Did you get it on film?" Piper giggled.

"No!" Jason frowned. "I was too busy trying to drag him away but I think Grover got it."

"Such a good boy." Piper teased ruffling his hair.

"Get off!" He complained swatting her hand away and she giggled giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"So where have they gone now?" She smiled up at him.

"Beats me." He shrugged and they went off asking him questions about all the crazy stuff they had done including the fact that Grover had stolen a stuffed goat from a toy shop, not a real one by the way.

At that moment, I looked up and saw Percy in the display window with Grover. The funny thing was that they were both standing on the platform with the manikins and they were both posing in a still position.

I hovered away from the others, to stand in front of him. I couldn't help smiling. I took out my phone and snapped a shot of them both before Percy turned to me, doing a robot dance. He was surprisingly good at it. His arms popped and locked impressively and even his smile seemed mechanically controlled as it twitched and pulled up to show his pearly white teeth. I giggled as he did a robot bow to me and I fake curtsied. Then he blew me a kiss and I quite nearly died.

"Seriously guys." Jason raised an eyebrow leading the others over to the window beside me. "What are you doing? Get down from there. You're gonna get us kicked out of the mall and then Coach will have our heads."

Grover did a fake cry face using his finger to imitate a tear falling down his cheek while Percy just put his hand to his ear and mouthed the words 'what?'

"He said get down from there you idiot!" Piper cried exasperatedly. Reyna was just standing there with her arms folded across her chest like she was used to these immature people doing silly things like this.

Grover started jamming out to the store music while Percy started fiddling with the manikin beside him. He stole the large white floppy summer hat and placed it on his head before placing the back of his hand under his chin and posing. Everyone burst out laughing and I quickly took a picture of him before he'd taken it off and placed it back on the manikin a little lopsided.

"You better not put that on your story Wise Girl." Percy scowled making me giggle. But, I mean, come on, it's not like anyone would see my Snapchat story.

I grinned before security came and began dragging Percy and Grover away while we all burst out laughing. 'Help me' Percy mouthed but I just stood there waving at him with a smirk and the last thing I saw of him was a scowl on his face as though he couldn't believe I was throwing him under the bus like this.

"Come on." Piper sighed. "We better go get them."

"I dunno...maybe we should just leave them." Reyna smiled

"Come on." Silena rolled her eyes before leading them all into the shop. I took this as my chance to sneak away while they weren't looking. I'm sorry but I cannot be seen with them here. I don't care if I'll be on my own.

It was 11:10 according to my phone when I rounded a corner. I flicked through the photos I had taken of Percy and smiled at them. Even when he was being a goof he looked seriously attractive, yeah even in a girl's hat. In the first one, the of him posing in a frozen position, he looked like a marble tribute to some forgotten pagan God of beauty with his hair ruffled in a sexy disarray and his sea-green eyes gleaming through the window. Grover looked quite plain in comparison to him but funny nonetheless.

Suddenly my phone pinged with a text:

Thanks for leaving me. Remind me to never speak to you again

I giggled at Percy's text before typing a reply as I walked onto an escalator going up.

You're texting me Seaweed Brain and you deserved it

I reached the top of the escalator turning my head a few times before deciding to go left. I'd only reached a few metres before I got his text:

Shut up Wise Girl!

Make me!

Oh my Gods! Leo is asking Caklynkjopn

I frowned at his text before deciding that maybe Grover or Leo had snatched his phone off him.

What?

After waiting a few moments for his response, I shrugged, giving up and shoving my phone in my back jean pocket. It was then that I saw another bookstore. It was small and inviting but a little busy. Soft music was playing through a number of speakers around the store, it was some pop song I didn't recognise.

I decided to explore a little, stepping inside and making my way through the long line of shelves containing every book you could ever think of. This was my kinda store. I smoothed my fingers over the bookcases and smiled as I peered at all the different spines of the unread books. They were all just waiting for me with their wonderful stories to tell. Waiting for me to open them up and see. I read the blurb of quite a few and ended up reading the first chapter of the Hunger Games again in ten to fifteen minutes. I knew I wouldn't be able to buy any of these because the money I made from the cafe had to go towards 'practical' things, according to Helen, and reading wasn't one of them.

I smiled inwardly as I reached for a book, only to find that on the other side of the bookcase, was Percy, standing and smiling at me. "I knew I'd find you here." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes moving along but he followed me. I knelt down to pick out another book as I peered at it in my lap. It was called 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. I'd heard that this was a really good book, I'd always wanted to get it ordered into the library. Percy crouched down on the other side.

"Go away Seaweed Brain." I rolled my eyes, still looking at the blurb of the book but I couldn't help smiling.

"Now that is just mean." He huffed, folding his arms over his chest. I turned to him, sticking out my tongue and he just rolled his eyes.

"You just can't stay away from me, can you?" I smirked and he grinned at that.

"Admit it, you like me chasing after you." He jolted his chin up at me with a smirk and I smiled nervously, averting my eyes whilst probably blushing. He was smiling when I looked back at him.

"So, what you reading?" He asked. I held the book up to him, still kneeling on the floor. "Never heard of it." He shrugged.

"Of course, you haven't." I smirked standing up and moving to the other side to run my fingers along the shelves as I held the two books in my hand.

"So, what were you trying to text me before you mysteriously disappeared?" I smirked, glancing back at him before turning my gaze to another book.

"Oh, Leo asked Calypso out." I heard him say.

"No way." I turned back to him in shock.

"Way." He grinned.

"What did she say?"

"What do you think? She crushed his heart like a train wreck." He snorted. "I kind of snuck off at that point." He shrugged and I smiled before turning back to the bookshelf and walking a little further.

"You wanna do something fun?"

I turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Your idea of fun is very different to mine, Percy." I said as we both walked perfectly adjacent to one another, his face disappearing behind the books filling the shelves occasionally.

"How do you know until you've tried it?" He frowned.

"Because I know you and you're just gonna get me in trouble." I smiled, coming to the end of the aisle.

Percy swiftly turned the corner, leaning casually against the end of the bookcase and looking down at me with his arms folded. He had a dark brown Vans backpack slung over his shoulder with a light brown leather base.

Song Tribute: [You – Coasts]

"Come on, don't be such a buzz kill." He pleaded.

"What do you wanna do?"

Excitement flickered across his eyes as the corners of his mouth pulled up into a grin. "Something crazy."

I was going to regret this. "Come on." He grinned, grabbing my hand and dragging me back down his aisle. My heart raced in my chest as I felt his hand wrap around mine. It was warm, soft and firm but the electricity it sent up my arm made my brain question what temperature it felt like.

"Percy." I protested but he just dragged me even harder.

"Leave the books, Wise Girl." He said and I reluctantly deposited them on a nearby empty shelf before stumbling after him.

He stopped dead outside the bookshop and I stumbled against him. "Stop." He said abruptly and I followed his gaze over to where a bunch of Goode students, including Charlie Bennet, were crowding around each other, a few shops down. My heart bounded a little. What if they saw us?

"On three." He turned back to me, tightening his grip on my hand and I nodded nervously, gulping down my fears. "One...two..." I took a deep breath. "Three!" He pulled me with him as we raced down the echoing corridor. Though I was a little terrified as to whether people would see us and what Percy had in store for me, I actually found myself smiling a little. My heart flew up into my throat and I squealed, letting him pull me away with him.

We separated when we came to an escalator leading up. Me being the sensible one, took the staircase and Percy being the idiot took the escalator, running against the direction of it. We raced each other down and I laughed as he tried to keep up with me whilst the escalator, rising upwards, slowed him down.

"Come on Seaweed Brain!" I called as I reached the bottom and he placed his hands on both sides of the escalator and swung himself down onto the ground beside me.

"What are you two doing?" A voice called and I snapped my head around in shock to find Silena and the other populars staring at us. I didn't know whether to feel relieved that it wasn't Drew or any other Goode student or embarrassed that they'd caught us. Thalia was there this time which I was surprised about. She'd been very evasive recently and tended to keep to herself. She acted hurt, which was a little unfair because I was the one who'd been hurt after what she said at Drew's party.

"Nothing." Percy said casually.

"Oh really?" Piper raised an eyebrow.

"Just leave them to it." Thalia said in a quiet voice, avoiding Percy's eye. I sensed a tension between the two of them and felt bad that I was in the middle of it.

Percy sighed beside me, I could tell he hated seeing her like this. "Come on." He said, taking my hand and pulling me a little.

"But—" I tried, wanting to just sort this awkwardness with Thalia out already. He was already pulling me away though. "Percy, what is up with you and Thalia? You're both acting like you don't even know each other." I murmured. I tried to keep my voice down because we were still in earshot of the others and they were probably watching us go.

"She's just mad at me for some reason. I don't know." He shrugged but I think he did, he just didn't want to talk about it right now.

"Percy..." I said softly and he stopped then, pulling me around to face him. My heart stopped and I felt a little nervous. The others could still see us and we were really close right now.

He sighed. "Let me tell you something, Wise Girl." He said, pulling me really close as he leant in to whisper in my ear. "Last one outside's a loser." He said before pushing me back and taking off down the corridor.

"You're such a dork!" I cried, running after him. He turned, running backwards as he held his arms out to motion a 'come at me'. I giggled, running faster and he grinned before turning to start running again.

"I am so going to regret this!"

"No you're not!" Percy called as we neared the exit from the mall.

I'm proud to say that I was the first one outside and Percy was not happy about that. After mocking him for a while and swooning at his adorable, annoyed face, we started to walk normally through the crowd.

"I am so dead. If Helen finds out—" I murmured as we walked through the busy but beautiful street.

"She won't." Percy smiled down at me. "Relax, this'll be fun." He nudged my shoulder with his.

"Okay." I smiled up at him. "So where are we going?"

"Anywhere you want." His eyes shined.

"The library?"

His shoulders drooped. "Okay...anywhere I want." He corrected himself, making me giggle.

"Okay...rule number one." Percy started with a smile. "Cutting school is fun."

"Is that even a rule?"

"Rule number two." He raised his voice a little to shut me up and I pouted at him teasingly. "Cut rarely to preserve the specialness." Percy started.

"That's not a word." I teased.

"Shut up and let me finish Beth." He scowled and I pretended to zip up my lips with a smile.

"Rule number three." He grinned, stopping and turning to me. "Do something reckless for no apparent reason and cause a scene."

"Wait...what?" I gasped, my eyes widening before Percy smirked turning around and leaping onto a nearby car, setting the alarm off. Pedestrians stared in disapproval as he leisurely strolled over the roof and leapt onto the next car, setting its alarm off too.

"Percy, get down from there!" I yelled.

"What?" He smirked stepping onto the next car. "I'm just going for a walk." He frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

"Percy!" I hissed but the corners of my mouth were twitching a little into a smile and I knew he could see.

"Get up here, it's fun." He called back but I just shook my head.

"Oi you!" A loud voice suddenly came a fair distance away and I saw a cop jogging over to us. My eyes widened in fear and I snapped my head back over to Percy but he didn't look in the slightest bit scared, in fact, he seemed to be enjoying this way too much.

"Get down this instant!" The cop called and Percy grinned leaping down and grabbing my hand.

Song Tribute: [What You Know – Two Door Cinema Club]

"Come on princess." I felt my heart swell at the mention of that nickname. He dragged me through the large number of pedestrians at full speed, ignoring the yelling cop behind us. I felt my heart pounding in my chest violently and the adrenaline coursing through my veins as we sprinted across a road, swerving around the honking cars and yellow taxis. I squealed a little but Percy just chuckled and tightened his grip on my hand as we rounded a corner and ran for our dear lives.

~xXx~

I had to catch my breath as Percy ran a hand through his hair casually like we'd just come from a leisurely stroll in the park. I rested my back against a brick wall at the corner of another road panting a little. My chest was rising and falling like crazy and I could hear my heart thrumming in my ears as Percy ran a hand through his hair casually like we'd just come from a leisurely stroll in the park. I rested my back against a brick wall at the corner of another road panting a little. My chest was rising and falling like crazy and I could hear my heart thrumming in my ears loudly.

"Well, that was exciting." He grinned and I looked up at him.

"My heart is like beating in my chest." I said a little breathlessly as I motioned the speed of my heart with my hand over my chest.

He smiled that cheeky, charming smile. "That is how you should feel for the rest of your life."

I smiled a little. "Rule number four. You're insane."

"Wrong." He shook his head. "Rule number four...ice cream."

"Ice cream?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Ice cream." He nodded.

"Percy, we're gonna get in so much trouble."

"Urgh, Wise Girl live a little." He groaned. "Come on you're an artist. Isn't that what art's about? Real life. Real emotions."

With a sigh and a smile that I did not mean to make, he grinned before leisurely walking down the street and I had to jog to catch up with him.

We arrived at an ice cream shop a few moments later and Percy opened the door for me as I stepped inside. It was cool and the sweet smell of fruity flavours filled the air around me. It smelt like blissful childhood on a sunny summer's morning. I couldn't even remember the last time I ate ice cream.

"Let me guess..." Percy sighed. "You haven't had ice cream in years either." I smiled timidly, shaking my head a little as we stopped in front of the counter. "Well then, pick anything you like, it's on me." He smiled. Gods I know it was just a smile but I would never get used to it...ever. I smiled back, looking at the flavours in the glass cabinet.

"So, what can I get you two?" A friendly looking college-aged girl asked. She had long brown hair which was curly and a little frizzy. She looked like a hard worker. Her eyes were a deep chocolate brown and she had a warm smile on her face. Her Tag read Mazie.

"I'll take one blueberry and one chocolate in a tub please." Percy smiled that charming smile and she smiled back at him, nodding before reaching into the cooler and scooping them up.

She handed it to him before turning to me. "Anything for you?" She asked politely.

"Um...can I have...one coconut and one...hazelnut in a tub too please?" I asked timidly.

"Coming right up." She smiled. Percy paid her with a generous tip and she marvelled at his charming smile. I didn't blame her, everyone did. We left a few moments later and stepped out into the morning sun.

"So, what's next Seaweed Brain?" I asked taking a small spoonful of the coconut ice cream and slipping it into my mouth as we walked down the street. I had never tasted anything so good in my life. "Mmm." I smiled blissfully, taking a spoonful of hazelnut and eating that too.

Percy chuckled. "Twenty questions?"

I hesitated. I'd never really liked that game. I mean, who knows what he could ask?

"I can start—"

"No, I will!" I interrupted a little too hastily.

"Okay then." He shrugged, eating a spoonful of chocolate ice cream and licking his lips.

"Um...favourite colour?"

"Easy, blue. Next."

"Favourite movie?"

"Right now, Baby Driver." He shrugged.

"Favourite song?"

"Do I have to pick one?" He moaned.

"No." I smiled.

"Favourite book?"

"You're kidding, right?" He raised an eyebrow and I laughed.

"Ever had any pets?"

"No, but I've always wanted a dog." He shrugged.

"Favourite hobby?" I asked, following him into Central Park.

"You know already." He frowned.

"Just answer the question." I sighed.

"Fine, surfing."

"Favourite thing to do when you're bored?" We walked along the path as he thought about his answer.

"Order Pizza from Papa John's, duh." He grinned making me giggle.

"Favourite ice cream flavour and you can only pick one." I smirked.

He made a sad face, looking down at the two flavours in his hands. "I don't know."

"Pick one Seaweed Brain."

"Fine blueberry...no chocolate...no blueberry...no—"

"First answer's always the right one." I interrupted.

"Fine." Percy huffed.

"Favourite subject?"

"I hate them all, you know that."

"You have to pick one."

"Fine." He sighed. "P.E."

I smiled. "Favourite food?"

"Blue cookies."

"Favourite teacher?"

"Okay, now you're just messing with me."

I giggled. "Okay fine, least favourite teacher?"

"Um...Mr. Walker."

"Favourite person?"

"My mom." I smiled at that.

"Birthday?" To be honest, I already knew when his birthday was, I was just running out of questions and we were only on twelve.

"October 18th."

"Job?"

"Beck's garage." He shrugged.

"Favourite quality in a girl?" He smiled at this one.

"Um...like personality wise or physical appearance?"

"Your choice." I smiled, interested as to which one he'd go for as I ate another spoonful of coconut ice cream.

"Well, I can't really pick one but I like it when girls are unique. So like, they have a quality that others don't, whether it's being super smart or athletic or musical or whatever. Girls that don't just go with the status quo." He shrugged. I smiled. I liked that answer.

"Maybe because it's inspirational or impressive or just super hot." He smirked, tossing his empty ice cream tub in a trash as we walked further into the park. I rolled my eyes and he chuckled at my expression. "I also like a girl who knows what she wants."

I smiled again and regretfully found myself comparing my own personality to his answer. Am I unique? Do I know what I want?

"Take you, for example," he smiled, looking down at me, "you're smarter than anyone in school, probably in the whole of New York," I blushed at that, "and you're insanely good at running and you know you want to be an architect. Like you're set on it and I think that's really cool."

I smiled, a little flushed as I looked at the ground and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear gently. I didn't know what to say next, I was too caught up on what he had just said about me.

"Next question." Percy said, shoving his hands in his pockets as we walked.

"Have you ever been arrested?"

He smirked. "Not yet."

"Worst day of your life?"

He paused for a moment and I took that moment to look around us. The park was still pretty much empty apart from the occasional visitor. The trees around us blew gently in the breeze and the grass either side of the path we were walking along was lush and bright green, giving off the smell of freshly mown grass.

"When I thought Octavia was gonna make a pass at you at Atlantis." I suddenly heard him murmur. My head snapped around as I stared at him in shock. I literally felt my heart swelling up in my chest and preparing to burst its way out.

He glanced at me briefly, eyes soft and a little sad and maybe even nervous but I couldn't quite tell and he looked away quickly. I figured he didn't want to talk anymore on the matter so I decided to just let it go.

"You don't have to answer this one..." I started.

"I'll answer what I can." He smiled softly at me.

"Um...what's your tattoo?"

He frowned. "You already know them all."

"Do I?"

"That counts as a question." He pointed out, avoiding the question.

"Percy..." I said softly.

"Fine. I do have another one but don't take it personally, I don't really like talking about it to many people."

"What is it?"

"It's an 'A'." He spoke softly and reluctantly.

"What does it mean?" I asked my final question.

"You do realise you've just wasted your last three questions on tattoos?" He shot back, trying to change the subject again.

"Four and you didn't answer one." I corrected him.

"You're too smart for your own good, Beth."

I smiled slightly. It felt so natural talking to him. I never wanted it to end. I didn't even care we were skiving off school or that I could get in serious trouble. I didn't even care what time it was or whether Coach Hedge would be looking for us now.

He sighed. "It's the first letter of a girl I used to be close a long time ago." He murmured, looking a little distant as though he was remembering something.

"Who?"

"Sorry Wise Girl but you're out of questions." He smirked.

"Fine, your turn." I sighed, mentally cursing myself for wasting them on stupid things like his favourite hobby and birthday when, clearly, I already knew the answer to them. I didn't even ask the important questions like why do you want to be friends with me, why did you pick me to skive off school with and so much more.

"Favourite colour?"

"Light blue or maybe turquoise."

"Favourite movie?"

"The Book Thief or The Hunger Games." He smiled at Hunger Games.

"Favourite food?"

"Now, officially ice cream." I smiled, eating another small scoop and he chuckled at that.

"Fears?"

"Arachnophobia." I shuddered.

"Spiders?"

I nodded. "And that counts as a question."

He cursed. "Okay...um...are you glad you came with me today?"

I looked up at him before smiling softly. "Surprisingly, yes."

He smiled at that, his eyes shining in the broad daylight. "What's your IQ?"

I hesitated. Yes, he knew I was smart but I didn't want him to start looking at me the way all the others did; like a freak, like an alien.

"Promise you won't judge." I murmured, biting my lip nervously.

"Why would I judge?"

"That's a question." I shot back, trying to avoid the subject.

"Just tell me."

I sighed. "180." I mumbled.

"Holy shit Beth, that's amazing."

I smiled weakly. I dared to glance up at him and found that he wasn't looking at me like a freak, which was what I was used to, but just the same way he'd always looked at me. My heart fluttered pathetically.

"Um...next question." I murmured, shyly turning away from him.

"Do you like Helen?"

"My dad likes her..." I murmured, avoiding the question.

"That's not what I asked."

"That's all I can answer." I spoke softly.

"Do you think you'll ever see your real mom again?"

"Honestly," I sighed, "no."

He smiled sympathetically. "What about your dad?"

"He's still distant but we've started talking over the phone a lot now so...maybe one day." I shrugged.

"You should ask to see him." He said softly. "I know you want to."

"That's not a question." I mumbled nervously.

"Fine. Will you at least tell him you want to see him? You never know, maybe he'll want to see you too." Percy said, speaking softly but also sort of insisting at the same time.

I gulped, this was getting to be a very serious twenty questions. "Maybe..." I whispered.

Percy sighed before backing away from me. "Come sit. And that wasn't a question it was an order." He smirked.

I smiled following him off the path to sit cross-legged on the grass opposite him. I pulled my bag off and he did the same before fishing out a pack of mentos and offering me one. I smiled, holding out my hand, and that's when I shared mentos, for the first time, with the most popular guy in school. He pulled off his jacket and stuffed it into his bag so that he was just in his black T-shirt.

"Are you glad we became friends?" He asked curiously as if the answer wasn't obvious enough. I smiled, probably blushing at the same time, as I nodded slowly. His smile turned into a full-blown one which only made me blush even more.

"How many is that?"

"13, and including this one, 14." I smirked.

"That one counted?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed in that cute way of his.

"Yep, and so did this one."

Percy smacked his forehead and I giggled.

"Okay...tell me something no one else knows about you."

"That's not a question." I challenged.

He rolled his eyes. "What's something that no one else knows about you?"

I smiled before beginning to think long and hard about this one. Suddenly, at that moment I saw a flicker of light and a blur of movement before I saw the little girl and the little boy sitting in what looked like Central Park again. They were both sharing a pack of sweets, I couldn't quite see but they were blue, that I knew for sure. They were laughing and smiling at one another and then they were gone.

"Earth to Annabeth." Percy waved a hand over my face.

"Uh...I have visions." I blurted before clamping my hand over my mouth.

"What?" He frowned.

I sighed. "Sometimes I have visions—flashbacks. I think maybe they're memories but I don't remember them." I replied nervously, thinking that if the IQ thing didn't make him think I was a freak already, then this certainly would.

"About what?"

"Um...about a boy. It's weird, sometimes I'm just walking down a corridor and they'll just flash across my eyes. You must think I'm crazy."

"No, of course not." Percy frowned. "So what did you see?"

"Um...well at first I saw myself falling off a dock and then the boy pulling me up and there were other ones like the two of us running through a forest or having a water gun fight or going to a circus and...yeah..."

Percy's shoulders tensed, he had literally frozen up like an icicle. I thought he'd gone into shock. He certainly looked it. "Percy? Are you okay?" I frowned.

"What did he look like?"

"I don't know...I never saw his face just a mop of black hair." I shrugged, fiddling with the grass in my fingers.

"Wait, so you think they're memories? Can you remember them? Do you know his name?" Percy blurted, desperately curious all of a sudden.

"Um...you're out of questions." I mumbled. Percy cursed. "But no...I don't know his name. Strange, huh?"

"Uh...yeah..." Percy frowned a little distant.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah sorry." He shook his head flashing me a smile again. We sat in silence for a while.

"Can I ask you something else?" He said, looking at me intently now. "Outside of the twenty questions."

I smiled, gently ripping up bits of grass and then letting the pieces go again. "Ask me the question first and then I'll decide."

"What did you originally think of me, like, before we became friends?" He asked curiously. Damn it, that's a good question. One I didn't really want to answer because, honestly, I'd been quite judgmental about him before I got to know the real Percy. And I was never judgmental. He was my exception.

"Uuuummm." I bit my lip nervously, looking at the floor.

"Honest opinion." He said seriously. "Don't hold back."

I sighed. "Honestly, I thought you were pretty arrogant, maybe a little selfish, reckless and not that smart."

"Ouch." He frowned and then half smiled as though he'd expected as much.

"It was only because of the way you joked around with the guys and flirted with every girl that came across your path." I added quickly, not wanting to offend him and doing a very bad job of it.

He chuckled. "Guess I do do that a little, don't I?

I smiled softly with a little shrug. "You asked for an honest opinion." I murmured, touching my hair nervously.

"I know." He smiled. "It's okay. I can seem like that to people who don't really know me sometimes."

"I thought you were good looking though." I said quietly.

"Score." He smirked and I looked away laughing softly. "On a scale of one to ten?" He raised an eyebrow.

I sighed. "Are we really going to do this?"

"I'll do it if you do." He smiled.

"Fine." I sighed, thinking about it hard. "9.8."

"What's the point eight for?" He frowned childishly, smushing his face a little and I giggled.

"9.8 is a good score Seaweed Brain. Take it or leave it." I said. Truthfully, I thought he was definitely a solid ten but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

"Fine." He rolled his eyes and then studied me a little. "Hhhmmm." He thought, deciding what score to give me and I dreaded playing this game with him instantly. I did not want to know his answer because clearly, it wasn't going to be very high.

"Urgh, just get it over with." I sighed. "I won't mind if you give me a five or something."

"Double that and you'll get my answer." He said calmly and I just stared at him for a moment, blinking in shock.

"Ten?" I frowned with confusion, my head tilting a little. "You think I'm a ten?"

"Without a shadow of a doubt." He smiled. "Didn't I tell you that I thought you were easily the prettiest girl I've ever met?"

"Yeah but...I thought you were kidding." I said a little breathlessly.

"I never kid when it comes to you, Wise Girl." He said softly, looking into my eyes and I felt butterflies again.

"You make me feel way prettier than I actually am, Percy." I smiled, still playing with the grass.

"No, you just don't see it, that's all." He said softly.

I smiled. "I thought you were sweet too, back then."

"Really?"

With a little giggle, I nodded my head. "Because of the things you did for other people. Looking out for them, protecting them, breaking up fights. And the way you care about the girls, especially Piper and Thalia. That's a bond no one else could have." He smiled softly, his eyes shining a little brighter now as though he'd liked that answer.

"So how have things changed, now that you know me?" He asked.

"A lot." I murmured. "Things have changed a lot."

"How so?" He cocked his head and he looked adorable with his eyebrows furrowed.

"I don't think you're arrogant or selfish anymore. I think you're quite selfless actually. Sometimes you have little faith in yourself and all that arrogance is just an act. You're the smartest person I've ever met and you'd do anything and everything for your friends and family and I love that about you." I said softly.

He stared at me in disbelief for a moment and then he was smiling a little. "You really think all of that...about me?"

With a smile, I nodded my head. "You can play around all you like Seaweed Brain but when it comes to me there's no hiding. I see you already."

He smiled, chucking a bit of grass at me and I laughed whilst brushing it off. "And she reads minds too." He said dramatically and I laughed again, throwing some grass back at him.

"What's the time?" I asked a few moments later.

He pulled out his phone. "Uh...like 1:15."

"So when are you planning on taking me back Seaweed Brain?" I smiled.

"Never!" He grinned. "You're mine now Wise Girl."

My heart fluttered in my chest. "Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow folding my arms.

"Well up until the moment I sell you on eBay for five bucks." He smirked.

"You wouldn't." I looked at him in shock.

"Okay fine," he smiled, "three."

"You are so taking that back right now Jackson." I warned, jolting forward and pressing his shoulders back until I fell on top of him. He laughed as I collapsed onto him and he rolled over so that I was now lying on the grass looking up at him. I had to catch my breath. We were inches apart. He was supporting his wait on his hands, either side of my head, and his knees, either side of my left leg.

His eyes were gazing right into mine and I felt like I was melting into the soil beneath us. My chest rose with every breath he took and my heart pounded in my chest like it had never pounded before.

Percy smirked. "There's no point fighting me Wise Girl, you can't win."

"That depends on how we're fighting because if we're doing it verbally then I'd totally beat you every time." I smiled up at him.

"Shut up you." He said and I giggled before slowly stopping.

"Percy. Why is Thalia so upset with you?" I asked. I just wanted to know if it was my fault or not and whether I could do anything to break it up. He sighed, pushing himself up a bit before lying across my stomach and looking at his phone.

"Get off of me." I complained.

"Make me." He grinned, turning back to me.

I tried to shove him off but he wasn't going anywhere so I just gave up and lay back down in the grass. I heard him chuckle before he turned to rest his head on my stomach, which now had a million butterflies flapping around inside it, making me feel a little light headed. We lay there for a moment, together, in silence. The wind blew through my hair and my bare shoulders sunk into the cool dry grass beneath me.

"Honestly?" He finally said. "I think she's just upset that I've been a little distant lately." He sat up.

"Have you?" I asked a little confused as I sat up too.

"Not on purpose...but maybe a little." He said, plucking up some grass and tossing it away again. "I mean, I've been spending so much time with you lately I guess I haven't really been around her that much."

"Oh." My eyes fell.

"Hey, it's not your fault." He said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and I smiled but didn't look up.

"I suppose that's why she's been a little snappy at me." I murmured.

"She has?" He asked, a little shocked and I looked up to give him a small nod. "Beth, why didn't you tell me."

"Well, I didn't want to turn you against your own cousin and I thought it would pass sooner or later." I shrugged.

"It's my fault." He sighed. "She had no right to blame it on you but there is some sense to the way she's been acting. I mean, imagine if Silena just started ignoring you because she was hanging out with a different friend so much. You'd get upset, wouldn't you?"

"I suppose." I smiled softly, beginning to understand Thalia's position completely now. I felt so bad. I'd practically stolen her own cousin from her. Gods she must hate me. I'd hate me.

Percy breathed heavily, raking a hand through his hair. "I'll make it up to her somehow." I sighed, nodding my head and averting my eyes. I felt a little upset now. "Hey, this doesn't mean you'll be seeing any less of me. You got me for life Wise Girl." He grinned as if reading my mind. "Just you try and get rid of me."

I giggled, lying back down in the grass and he set his head on my stomach again. We lay there in a peaceful silence for a while and I felt glad that we'd got this out in the open. Hopefully, we'd both get the chance to apologise to Thalia.

"You know, sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I never met you." Percy suddenly spoke and a bucket full of nerves washed over me as I anticipated what was about to come. "And then I realise what a horribly boring life that would be." He half laughed.

I smiled uncontrollably, feeling my heart literally throbbing in my chest. It felt like my insides were being ripped apart but at the same time, it felt like I was floating above the clouds, where all my dreams would come true. Before I knew what I was doing, I was moving my hand from its resting place on the grass and smoothing it through his hair gently, still looking up at the sky.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm gonna pinch myself and wake up from this because this can't be real." I murmured.

"Nothing's ever felt so real." He murmured in reply, making my heart skip a beat and taking my free left hand in his. He lifted our hands a little, lacing our fingers together, and for a moment, I just looked at them entwined, sighing in bliss as I played with his hair. Nothing in the world could have made this moment any more perfect.

~xXx~

I had only closed my eyes for a second when I heard the sound of an iPhone taking a photo and my eyes shot open. Percy was holding his phone up in the air taking a photo of the two of us.

"Hey." I complained shooting up, to grab his phone but he just rolled out the way, laughing hysterically. I reached around him, my chest pressing up against his back as I tried to snatch his phone off him but he just held it out of reach.

"You're impossible." I groaned.

"Smile." He grinned and I rolled my eyes before wrapping my arms around his neck and leaning over him with my head down beside his as he took a picture of the two of us smiling together. I tried not to marvel too much at how incredibly amazing he looked. Being next to me only made him look even more amazing compared to my dull, unappealing image.

We took a few more smiling ones and silly ones of us sticking out our tongues and laughing. Before he suddenly turned his head and pressed his lips to my cheek to take another a few more. In the first one my eyes were a little wide and my lips were parted in shock but I had managed to smile in the second one and then close my eyes and pout in the third. The last few photos were of me kissing his cheek and him grinning wildly or sticking out his tongue goofily. In every single one, he looked like a flippin' Calvin Klein model.

"So what's rule number five Seaweed Brain?" I asked as we separated a little.

He smiled. "Swimming."

"Swimming?" I frowned. "How are we meant to go swimming?"

"Catch a train to the leisure centre." He shrugged.

"Percy," I sighed looking at my phone, "it's half one. We have like an hour and 45 minutes."

"That's plenty of time. Beth, seriously, you need to chill for once in your life." He smirked.

"Easy for you to say." I mumbled. "Besides...how am I supposed to chill when we're cutting class and breaking about fifty school rules?

"Technically we're not cutting class. We're cutting a trip to the mall so...what exactly are we missing?" He raised an eyebrow. I knew he'd got me there.

What exactly were we missing? Nothing.

"Just promise me we'll be back in time." I pleaded.

"You got it princess." He smirked, getting up.

I smiled, looking off into the forest around us as the breeze gently blew through my hair. It was a perfect day, both warm and cool. It was weird to think that I was actually enjoying this more than when I was exploring the Metropolitan Museum. I heard Percy take another picture and my head snapped up to him.

"Percy." I sighed as he chuckled and pulled me to my feet. I pulled my bag over my shoulder and he did the same.

"What?" He smirked looking at the picture he'd just taken of me. "You look pretty in this one anyway." He smiled, showing me the photo, though I was too busy catching my breath to actually take in the photo. He just said I looked pretty. AAAAAHHHHHH! Okay. Okay. I'm cool. I'm totally cool.

I blushed, pulling my spaghetti strap up which only now did I realise had slipped down. Oops, it was probably down in the picture he took. Damn it. I hope no one sees that.

"This is definitely going on my lock screen." He grinned turning and walking away as he tapped his fingers on his phone.

"What?" I squeaked. "Don't you dare." I warned having to run a little to walk next to him.

He chuckled. "Okay fine, I'll use this one instead then." He smiled setting the picture of him kissing my cheek and me pouting with my eyes closed.

"Fine." I grumbled, still feeling nervous about who might see that but knowing that there was nothing I could do to change his mind.

"Maybe I'll make it my Facebook profile pick." He teased.

I stopped dead in my tracks. Okay, a lock screen was one thing but a profile picture on Facebook was just a whole new level. Percy was friends with practically everyone at Goode, I'm sure it was probably everyone's daily routine to stalk his profile. There wouldn't be a person in school who wouldn't see it eventually.

Percy glanced back at me with a smirk as he continued to walk. "Come on Beth. We don't wanna be late for your sake." He turned and continued to walk.

I rolled my eyes. He was probably joking about the profile pic thing. Phew. I found myself grinning before I ran up to him and jumped on his back. He nearly dropped his phone from the shock and I just laughed at him as he steadied himself. He wrapped his arms around my thighs so that he was giving me a piggy-back and I slid my arms around his neck.

"You know, I could probably pick you up with one hand." He chuckled, leaning his head back a little so that it was pressed against the side of mine.

"Yeah, you probably could." I smiled before Percy spun us around and I squealed, laughing as I tightened my grip around his neck and buried my face into his shoulder.

I jumped down, walking beside him now, our shoulders slightly brushing each other. We talked and laughed and took more photos in the streets of New York as we made our way to the subway station.

We just managed to catch a train, having to stand up because it was a little busy. I had nothing to cling to as the train rattled and zoomed along the track because unlike Percy, I wasn't tall enough to reach the handles. It just reminded me of our height differences. I couldn't help but think what a perfect height we were for each other. I was just small enough to be able to snuggle against his chest but still not too small for him to have to practically wear glasses to see me.

We were rather close because it was so busy but I didn't really mind anymore. I liked being close to him and I liked being able to smell the ocean scent radiating off him. At that moment, the train came to a sudden stop and I gasped as I stumbled to the side when a few passengers knocked into me. I yelped a little as Percy looped his arm around my stomach and pulled me into him. The back of my head met his chest and my breaths came out quick and unsteady.

I glanced up at him for a moment but saw that he was looking away from me. He tightened his grip around me and I let out a breath, relaxing in his arms. I was glad that he wasn't going to let go and we rode the rest of the way like that.

"So..." I started, looking up at him and he had to bend his neck down to look at me because we were so close. "I probably should have asked this before but how do you plan on swimming when you haven't got any swim shorts?"

"I've got a friend there who keeps a spare gym bag for me." He shrugged. "And I'm sure we'll find you something."

My heart skipped a beat. Okay, sure I had tried to prepare myself for seeing Percy topless but no way had I even thought about the fact that I would have to strip down in front of him too. I gulped.

"C-can't I just dip my toes in at the edge?" I practically begged.

He smirked as the train came to a stop and passengers started filing out. "Nope." He said, popping the 'p' before dropping his arms from where they were gripping my stomach and dragging me along with him. I groaned as I reluctantly stumbled out feeling the nervous butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. They never really left when I was with him.

~xXx~

The leisure centre was practically empty when we arrived. Apart from the odd member of staff, there was no one else around. A large guy sat at the secretary desk, in uniform while he chewed a pen. He looked maybe a few years older than Percy with really short dark brown hair and a sort of baby face which was kind of weird since his build was pretty threatening.

"Percy!" The guy smiled as we stopped in front of the desk.

"Hey, Frank." Percy grinned, resting his forearms on the high desktop.

"Cutting class again?" Frank asked.

"School trip actually." Percy shrugged. "Oh." He smiled turning to me. "This is Annabeth."

"Hi." He smiled at me awkwardly, I could tell that, like me, he was a shy person around strangers. Whereas, while he'd managed a 'hi' I didn't even manage that so I just gave him a nervous smile and a little wave.

"You go to Goode too?" He asked. I didn't really know whether he was being nice or just trying to break the awkward silence.

"Yeah, she's a senior." Percy answered for me when he realised I wasn't going to be able to speak.

"Really? I mean...no offence but you don't look like one." Frank frowned a little but in a nice curious way, not a mocking way.

"Nah, Wise Girl, over here, is like two years younger than me but she skipped a grade." Percy smiled looking down at me, almost...proudly? Sometimes I forgot he was older than me and that on top of me being an antisocial nerd I was also technically a junior and therefore even more out of his league. If a senior like Drew or Rachel couldn't get him, then I definitely can't.

"Oh...cool." Frank smiled at me and I blushed as they both looked at me.

"Anyway, do you mind if I go in the back and grab my stuff?" Percy asked.

"Sure." Frank shrugged.

"Do you think maybe Tess would mind if Annabeth borrowed one of her swimsuits?"

"Nah, she'll be fine with it. You know where her locker is." Frank smiled, while I made myself busy thinking of curses in my head. I was maybe hoping that we wouldn't find anything here. I mean, who knows what this 'Tess' wears.

"Thanks man." Percy nodded. "Come on Beth." Percy called, leading me around the corner, through a door and into a room of lockers and benches. Percy grabbed a black Nike duffle bag from a locker and slung it over his shoulder before moving to open a locker a bit further down. I timidly followed him, still hoping that miraculously, he wouldn't find it or something. He pulled out a bag. Damn it.

"You'll find something in there for sure." He smiled and I managed to nod.

"You know where the changing rooms are right?"

I nodded again, remembering the girl's changing room sign as I walked in.

"K cool." Percy nodded. "So I'll meet you in the pool?"

"Uhuh." I squeaked, gulping down a lump and mentally slapping myself for sounding like such an idiot.

Percy smiled at me, no doubt, seeing me flush slightly. Though I was tanned, I wasn't that tanned. Damn it. "Don't take too long, Wise Girl." He smirked before walking out the door again and leaving me alone with my nervous thoughts.

I gulped, unzipping the bag to look at what horrors awaited me. After digging around and turning down a few rather revealing bikinis, I found a plain white swimsuit. I didn't really know whether to feel relieved that I wouldn't have to show as much skin or worried about the fact that Percy might look and me and be like; why is she in a swimsuit? Like...are swimsuits a thing anymore? I mean, I guess they are kind of. I've seen models wearing fashionable ones and I've seen a picture on Silena's Instagram of her in a really hot black one but I didn't really know whether I was the type of girl who could pull off a swimsuit.

With a sigh, I gave up on thinking about it too much, grabbed a clean white towel from one of the shelves and made my way to the girl's changing rooms. It had a comfortable but tight fit, hugging every curve and imperfection I had. Okay...maybe it was actually a really nice swimsuit. The material was smooth and sleek and on either side of my waist was a lace pattern made from string which entwined and knotted into a sort of Boho, henna circular pattern. It had a normal square-like neckline with no dramatic cleavage-showing styles, though the top of my chest was visible which I wasn't too happy about, but what's a girl to do?

I was still wearing my ankle bracelet and necklace, deciding that I would take my necklace off at the pool. I sighed at myself in the mirror wrapping the towel around me shamefully. Why couldn't I be curvier? Or taller? Or anything but this, actually?

I took a deep breath before slowly walking out, still clutching the towel around me. You know most girls would kill to be in the position I am in right now, they would be strutting out in their bikinis trying to catch Percy's eye but no, I had to be the stupid self-conscious one who couldn't even take a towel off.

It was only once I had gotten into the pool area and smelt the chlorine that I realised that swimming was another thing I hadn't experienced in a very long time. It made me smile to think that, with Percy, these little luxuries were finding their way back into my life and it was nice, really nice. And it was all because of him. Percy was giving me my life back again.

The room was large and spacious and the pool was massive. It was bright and open with the far wall being completely covered in windows—

OH...MY...GODS...

Okay, so you know back when I said I'd been trying to prepare myself for seeing Percy topless? Yeah...it didn't work. Sure I'd seen him topless in a Facebook photo but he was far away in the picture and you couldn't really see much but looking at him now...I saw everything. Everything from his toned, tanned abs to his muscular arms and shoulders. And for a moment I just stared, suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that we were alone, of his body and the prominent V shape sinking lower into his swim shorts. I watched the water droplets trickling down his chest to his abs as he climbed the pool steps casually, running a hand through his gloriously thick hair.

I'd been staring at him for a while before he finally looked up and saw me. He flashed me a smile which seemed so bright compared to the darkness of the rest of his tanned body. I could barely even move, let alone speak or breathe. It felt like my heart had swelled up into a balloon and popped to release a thousand tiny little butterflies inside my chest.

"Keeping your towel on?" He asked. "I could promise not to look, but I'd be lying." He grinned.

I giggled nervously, edging closer to him. My eyes began to sting from how hard I was trying to keep them from sliding down to his body again now.

"You comin' in or what?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"I'll catch you up." I nodded, using my chin to gesture for him to get in the pool first.

"As you wish princess." He bowed and I rolled my eyes making him chuckle before he turned and dived expertly off the diving board into the pool. It was so accurate and precise that it barely even made a ripple in the water's surface.

As Percy swam laps, I moved to the other end of the pool, in the shallow area, and sat on the edge with my legs dipping in. I unclipped my necklace and fiddled with it in my fingers as I watched Percy flying through the water. He was so mesmerising it seemed as though the water wasn't acting against him but with him, maybe even for him.

His strong arms swept up above him as he gave me a demonstration of the perfect front crawl. As he neared the shallow end he swung his arms out and glided under the water for a fair distance before finally shooting up in front of my knees, splashing me a little. I managed to pull the towel around me again whilst still holding my necklace.

"You comin' in now?" He pressed.

"Stop being so impatient Prissy." I teased.

"Don't call me that." He frowned, making me laugh before my eyes fell on the dog tags around his neck. I still didn't know what they said. Before I knew it, I was reaching out and carefully taking the wet tags in my fingers. I read the first one out loud softly:

"Living Easy. Living Free."

"ACDC." Percy smiled with a shrug.

"How come the other one's blank?" I asked curiously turning over the blank one in my fingers.

"That one I'm saving for something special." He smiled mysteriously.

"Well, you can totally put my name on there." I joked, placing my necklace on the edge of the pool, whilst still clutching the towel around me.

Percy chuckled, taking off his chain and placing it beside my necklace. "Who knows...maybe I will." He grinned, backing away from me a little and giving me a wink before disappearing into the water again. I blinked in shock, still trying to just take his words in. Maybe I'd misheard him...

Song Tribute: [Chocolate – The 1975]

Taking a deep breath, I pulled off the towel, while Percy was still under water in the deep end, and slipped in. It was a cool lukewarm temperature, perfect for the hot day outside. I waded my way in a bit, relishing in the feeling of the cool water around me. It wasn't long before Percy was shooting out the water in front of me shaking his head and clawing his hair back. I sank down to my knees so that he could only see my head and shoulders, while he stood up, looking down at me.

"So what's rule number six?" I smiled.

"Still working on that one." He grinned back at me. "How does it feel skiving off school for the first time?"

"Surprisingly good." I smiled softly.

He smirked, fake flicking his hair back. "I am on fire today."

I rolled my eyes for what was probably the fiftieth time today. "So, is this where you take all the girls?"

"Nah I usually just make them watch me play X-Box all day and then tell them to go order me some pizza." He smirked.

"They must come running." I raised an eyebrow.

He scowled at me for a second before splashing some water in my face. I gasped, grinning as I splashed him back and a full-on war was unleashed as the music played in the background.

"Alright alright, I give up." He finally said, smiling and holding his hands up in front of his face. We were both standing, soaking wet, in the middle of the pool. I smiled, dropping my hands and letting him breathe for a bit. When he looked up at me and took me in for the first time since I'd gotten in the pool, because, before, he'd been too distracted with all the splashing, his eyes widened.

He gulped a little. "You're looking way too hot right now, Wise Girl." He said pointing at me uneasily before he dropped his arm and we just looked at each other for a second. My heart was somersaulting in my chest and I felt like all of this couldn't be any more than a dream.

No one's ever called me that before, I'm sure of it.

I blushed, smiling brightly. The butterflies in my stomach weren't making me nervous this time though, they actually made me giddy and I found myself leaping onto him. We both laughed as we hit the water's surface and sunk into the pool. It was magical.

We continued like that, laughing, fighting, dancing to the music and teasing one another for what felt like minutes but was much longer. And we forgot all about the world around us. It was at that moment, that I knew that this kind of feeling couldn't be replicated with anyone else. It was just me and him. I could travel the world and the seven seas and still find myself coming right back here to where he was. We are the protectors of one another—the truest of friends. The trust I gave him, that he gave me, was what kept us safe in this world.

I knew from then on, that whether my heart would beat for a day or a 100 years, it would always be his.

"Come here you!" Percy grinned grabbing my waist and hauling me out of the water. I squealed and giggled as he spun me in his arms and threw me a fair distance into the deep end.

"Trying to drown me?" I yelled back at him, once I'd shot out of the water and used both hands to brush my hair back.

"Don't tempt me." Percy grinned lunging towards me and I squealed, delving into the deep end and swimming a little deeper to the other side. Percy came up beside me, waving as he came past. I smiled, gliding through the water and just living this blissful moment.

I reached the end of the deep end a few moments after he did and popped up next to him. He was casually leaning against the wall, looking down at me now.

"Took you long enough." He teased.

I would have shoved him but I'd restricted myself from touching his drool-worthy body, knowing that it would probably just make me faint and drown. So I just went for sticking my tongue out again.

"Oh very mature." He teased, making me laugh softly as I clung onto the side of the pool, managing to prop my foot on something. I rested my arms on the ledge with my back to the wall as I tilted my head up slightly and closed my eyes.

Song Tribute: [Say All I Need – One Republic]

I sighed. "This is nice."

I heard Percy smile. "Swimming's always a good stress reliever."

I smiled, opening my eyes and turning to him. He was looking at me intently with those sea-green eyes but they looked bluer in the water, in fact, they were very blue. I wondered if they changed colour whenever he was around water.

Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of a black splodge just behind his ear and I realised that must be his tattoo. I felt the curiosity building up inside me to ask him to show it to me but I didn't want to pry.

"Go on..." He sighed, turning his head a little and sweeping his hair out the way as if reading my mind. "Take a look."

I smiled shyly before moving forward to peer at it. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder for support and held myself away from the wall. I had barely even made out the small letter though before my foot slipped and I let out a small yelp, sinking into the water. Percy suddenly gripped my waist, pressing me against the wall with his chest right up against mine. I gasped, looking up at him and feeling my chest rising and falling rapidly against his. We were both breathing a little heavier now, which was curious for him.

Okay, all those times I spoke about us being inches apart and not being able to breathe and stuff...well that was nothing compared to this. Maybe it was because of our water-soaked skin pressed up against one another, or the lack of clothes, or the warmth of his body under my cold fingertips, or the way his eyes shined a brighter blue when he was around water, I don't know but I had never felt like this before. I had never felt something so intense, that it made me want to wrap my arms around his neck and pull him into a never-ending kiss.

I was still gripping his shoulder when he spoke. "Careful Wise Girl or I might just have to kiss you." He murmured, his voice low, raspy and sexy all at the same time.

I had to grip the little ledge on the side of the wall for support. My heart had literally stopped beating and I was literally melting in his arms right then. It was only a matter of time before I seeped into the water around us and disappeared into a pile of nothing. I both hated and loved it when he said things like that because it gave me the hope that maybe he liked me back only to have it thrown back in my face when I realised he was just joking.

I gulped, realising his hands were still gripping my waist firmly. He chuckled, showing off his easy-going attitude to just about everything, which always made me so annoyed. "You okay?" He smiled, gesturing if it was okay to let go now. It wasn't. I wanted him to hold me forever and ever.

"Mm-hmm." I managed, tightening my grip on the ledge while he slowly backed away to lean on the same ledge in front of me.

"You still wanna see my tattoo?" He smirked.

I smiled shyly, giving him a nod. He did the same thing as before; turning his head and lifting up his hairline. I peered closer. It was a tiny thing. No bigger than the tip of my index finger. It was a simple, swirly A about an inch from the back of his ear, just below his hairline.

"She must have meant a lot to you." I murmured and he smiled weakly.

"She did." He said in a hoarse voice and I felt my heart sink for him. How could anyone hurt someone this perfect?

"For what it's worth...whatever she did to you...you deserved so much more."

"When will you understand that I'm not a good person?" Percy sighed looking away.

"Never." I whispered. "You're the best person I've ever met."

Percy smiled softly. "Does that mean I'm your best friend?"

"No." I said hastily, not wanting to sound clingy. "Yes." I sighed. "Maybe..."

He smiled again, his lips a little wet and slightly tinged purple from the cold water. I wonder how soft they'd feel if I just... STOP!

"It's cool Wise Girl." He chuckled. "You're mine too."

"Really?"

"Sure."

"But what about Grover? Or Jason? Or Piper?"

"Well they're my best friends too but you're like my bestest best friend." He grinned.

"That's not a word." I teased with a smile.

"See." He smirked. "I'm even making up new words for you."

I rolled my eyes. "But you've known them for longer.

"Quality not quantity my dear Annabeth." He smiled. I giggled, feeling a little giddy after finding out that I was Percy's favourite best friend.

"We should probably go." He said suddenly, to my disappointment. "It's getting late."

"Okay." I whispered and he smiled one last time before hauling himself out of the pool. I pulled myself up after him feeling the instant cold stabbing at my bare skin. I hugged my arms, shuddering and listening to the chatter of my teeth as Percy quickly led me over to where I'd left my towel and necklace on the edge of the pool.

He bent down grabbing my towel before he wrapped it around me. "Thanks." I said as he rubbed my arms a bit before bending down to pick up my necklace and his tags. He pulled his over his neck and gave me mine. We walked in a comfortable silence back to the locker rooms before parting ways to get changed.

I sunk into the changing room wall, breathing heavily. I listened to the faint pounding sound of my heart in my ears. How could I have gotten so lucky and gotten to know him? To become best friends with him?

~xXx~

"What time is it?" I asked as we walked back into the mall. I was wearing Percy's leather jacket over my clothes which, obviously, was too big for me but it was cozy.

"Um..." Percy looked at his phone. "3:30." He shrugged.

"What?" My eyes widened. We were 15 minutes late and knowing Coach, he was not going to take this lightly. It was evident that by the time we found the group, they'd all be looking for us and they would all see us...together.

"Relax. Coach Hedge is always running late." Percy lied. How could he act so damn casual about this?

"Why do I even put up with you?" I groaned, rolling my eyes.

"Because I'm your best friend and you love me." He said casually as we walked side by side.

I shoved him away only to have him shove me back and run away while I chased him through the mall. I had just rounded a corner after him when I saw him, standing still in front of everyone. I stopped dead beside him. They were all a couple of metres away staring at us, eyes wide. Coach Hedge's face was bright red and fuming. Silena was smiling and Piper, beside her, had her arms folded with a smirk on her face.

I felt my heart drop dead in my chest and my knees went weak. Everyone was staring between the two of us and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't run, I couldn't turn invisible, I couldn't even come up with an excuse as to why we were together. I felt my throat run dry and my shoulders tense.

"Rule number six." Percy said suddenly. Everyone could hear him. "Don't get caught." I would have laughed but this was no laughing matter. "So...how is everyone? We've been looking for you everywhere you know, it's not very responsible of you to leave two students behind Coach. What happened to Ohana?" Percy said, casually walking over as the other students all grinned and sniggered. I hovered behind him, averting my eyes from the other prying ones. Coach Hedge, however, was not amused...at all.

"We go on one trip Jackson. One trip! And within the first couple of hours you broke just about every single rule I set before we got here." Coach growled and everyone sniggered again. Leo was grinning crazily in the background as Jason sniggered and low fived him.

"I had to go back and apologise to Forever 21 for your little announcement not to mention I had to take back that stupid goat that you and Grover stole." Everyone laughed again and Percy sniggered beside me grinning at Grover who was smirking beside Beckendorf.

"And now you've dragged Goode's best student off with you and gotten her into trouble too. I'll be calling both your parents and you'll enjoy a nice week's detention together."

My heart stopped. He can't call Helen. He can't! I will literally be skinned alive. Who knows what she'd do? Maybe she'll cut my meals down or hit me again or worse...pull me out of school.

"Both of us?" Percy said, a little shocked. "No Coach, please, it wasn't Annabeth's fault. I take full responsibility, just don't punish her."

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you both ran off to wherever you ran off to." Coach scowled. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rachel and Drew glaring daggers at me.

"Now everyone grab your stuff, we're hittin' the road!" Coach yelled.

I looked up into Percy's eyes and he could see the fear in mine. He knew what Helen would do to me if this really happened.

"Wait!" Percy called out snapping his head back to Coach. Students all stopped gathering their stuff and straightened up to watch. "I'll..." Percy started trying to rack his brains. "I'll um..."

"Spit it out, Jackson." Coach groaned.

He suddenly snapped his fingers. "I'll swear to never put mentos in your diet coke again." He smiled triumphantly, proud of himself for coming up with that. I raised an eyebrow at him. Like that would work, I thought, turning back to Coach.

"Aaaww, come on man, that's like our morning routine." Connor and Travis both groaned.

Coach seemed to ponder over this for a moment. "Fine." He suddenly said bluntly and my eyes widened in shock. How had that worked? "But you're still not off the hook Jackson." He warned and Percy just nodded.

"Thanks, Coach."

"Don't thank me just yet." He shot back before turning to the others. "Well!" He cried. "What are you all standing around for? Get your asses back on the bus! We're already late!"

I sighed in relief, watching the others all file out the door. I followed Percy over to the populars who came up to us as we walked out of the mall. I walked at the side of their little group with Percy on my right and Silena beside him.

"Where did you go?" Silena asked excitedly.

"Places." Percy shrugged.

"Aaaww, come on." Piper groaned. "Just tell us."

"Yeah dude, you were gone for hours." Grover furrowed his eyebrows curiously.

"You should have seen Coach's face when he realised you were both gone." Leo sniggered.

"It was not pretty." Jason smirked.

"I got it on Snapchat." Travis sniggered, pulling out his phone and showing everyone Coach's bright red face. I wouldn't have been surprised if steam was coming out of his ears. The others all sniggered and I managed a smile but I was still a little unnerved after that whole incident. If people were a little confused over whether I was friends with the populars before...well they'd sure as hell know now.

I shoved my hands in my jacket pocket and that's when I realised this wasn't my jacket... The whole senior year had seen me in Percy's leather jacket. Damn, I hadn't even thought about that.

Coach pulled Percy and I aside while the others filed onto the bus, to my complete and utter humiliation. "I hope you both understand how serious this is." He frowned. "Skiving off school is one thing, but skiving off a school trip..." he shook his head. "You both could have been in serious danger and it's my job to ensure that doesn't happen. So mark my words, if I hear any funny business from either of you, well, let's just say getting a detention will seem like a vacation compared to what I'll do to you."

I gulped. Coach was actually seriously scary when he wanted to be. I mean, I'd always found him rather frightening but never had I had him shout at and threaten me before. I nodded automatically like it was a reflex because I knew it was the only thing I could do right now. And the sooner I agreed, the sooner I could move away from him, get on that bus and go home.

"You...on first." Coach scowled and Percy, using his thumb to gesture to the bus behind him. I looked up at the bus only to find practically every face pressed up against it, watching us. "Front row. I don't want you anywhere near each other."

"Yes, Coach." Percy sighed reluctantly, glancing over at me before he stepped onto the bus and disappeared inside.

"You do realise if you want to keep your honour student reputation, being friends with Percy isn't gonna do you any favours." He raised an eyebrow. I didn't really know if he was being serious though. "I know I'm not your teacher Annabeth but there are more important things in life than bad-boys with nice hair and abs." He frowned. I bit my lip, eyes widening a little as I realised what he was inferring.

"You can go to the back of the bus as far away from him as possible. Capiche?"

I nodded instantly and scampered onto the bus. He sat in the driver's seat behind me as I walked forward. Percy was pulling on his seatbelt on my left, which was a first. He looked up and gave me a smile, I wanted to smile back but every single person on the bus was staring at me. I gulped barley able to walk forward.

"Skank!" Drew called out at me.

"She's such a little slut." Rachel whispered to her. I felt my heart lurch in my chest. That kind of feeling you get when something's wrong but you know there's nothing you can do about it. Surprisingly, though, everyone else kept quiet which was odd. I was not used to people deciding not to laugh at me.

"Shut it, Drew!" Percy snarled, sharply turning his head around to glare at her a few seats down. Her eyes widened and she dropped her head instantly, Rachel, beside her, did exactly the same.

I gulped again, pulling up my bag strap and giving Percy a weak smile and a nod when he gave me that look of his. I'd gotten pretty used to that look now. It was an 'are you okay?' kind of look, a thoughtful but concerned look.

Slowly, I made my way through the bus trying not to look at anyone and that's when I realised it. Most people hadn't laughed because of Percy. They didn't want to make Percy angry like Drew and Rachel had. Well...no surprise there I guess.

With a heavy sigh of relief, I sat down, hiding my face behind the seat in front of me. No one turned around to look at me, in fact, they all seemed to go back to their normal conversations. The atmosphere was still a little edgy, though, and I guessed no one wanted to provoke Percy so they were leaving me alone. It's funny... being friends with Percy, I thought I would've gotten the exact opposite reaction from them.

~xXx~

Silena POV

The bus journey home was a quiet one unlike on the way here. No one threw food or spitballs around and I knew it was because of Percy and Annabeth. Everyone was busy thinking what the hell is going on between those two and to be honest so was I.

I glanced back at Annabeth sitting by herself in the back row. She had her earphones in and she wore Percy's jacket around her as she gazed out the window. It looked cute on her, a little big, but totally cute and I could tell that nearly every girl on the bus felt jealous about that. Not only because he had willingly let her wear his jacket but also because she was probably the only person in the school who looked better in Percy's clothes than he did. I smiled a little at that.

Of course, I was a little worried because I knew this was like a nightmare for Annabeth; to have everyone staring at her and judging her because she was friends with Percy. But whether she'd admit it or not, I knew that deep down she cared more about Percy than she did about being invisible. I saw her smile a little and I wondered what she was thinking about.

"Charlie...do you mind if I go talk to Percy for a second?" I asked him softly, turning to him next to me on the school bus.

"Sure." He smiled, giving my hand a squeeze. I smiled tilting my head up as he leant down to kiss me softly on the lips. My heart melted the way it always did when he kissed me and I felt giddy like I wanted to get up and do a little dance. Whether it was from Charlie kissing me or the sudden hope that Percy might finally get over himself, admit that he likes Annabeth and ask her out, or a mix between the two, I don't know.

"I love you." I smiled against the kiss a little giggly, and he chuckled.

"I love you too." He murmured before letting go of my hand so I could manoeuvre my way down the bus and sit down next to Percy.

"Hey, you." I smiled, pulling off his red Beats headphones.

He turned to me with a smirk. "Silena." He smiled back, eyebrows raised.

I'd always loved the bond we shared, it was easy, natural even. Of course, it wasn't like his brotherly sisterly bond with Piper because they were as close as any girl and boy could get without being girlfriend and boyfriend. But she had had an extra three years with him at High School, whereas I'd only seen him occasionally outside of school. But we were quickly growing close again and I liked it, a lot.

Percy was just the type of person that anyone would want to be friends with. He just had such a unique and beautiful personality. Once you got to know him you never wanted him to stop talking or stop being your friend. You just wanted to be around him all the time.

"What can I do for you?" He asked, adjusting his headphones so they lay casually around his neck.

"How was your little detour with Annabeth?" I grinned, curious to the point of bursting. I tried to stop myself from leaping up and down in my seat and giggling like a crazy person. I know people thought I was a little fan-girly like that on purpose but, really, I do try to tone it down as much as I can. I just can't help it. I guess I just get that from my mother.

He smiled wistfully, turning to look out the window for a moment. "It was good." He shrugged.

"Good?" I raised an eyebrow. "Just good."

He grinned nudging my shoulder a little as I smiled up at him. "Okay, it was really good."

"What did you do?" I pressed no longer able to hold myself back.

"That is for me to know and you to find out." He smirked.

"Percy." I groaned. "You gotta give me deetz. I'm dying here."

He laughed that gorgeously tuneful laugh before handing me his phone. "Fine. You get one minute on that thing."

I grinned, realising he must have taken pictures. With a small squeal, I snatched it off him and turned it on only to find that there, on his lock screen was Annabeth. She was pouting with her eyes scrunched shut in a really cute, pretty way. Her skin was glowing in the sunlight and her gorgeous golden blonde hair framed her perfect face with beautiful curls. It was slightly messy, suggesting that they'd fought over the camera or run around or something. She looked happier than I'd ever seen her before and this was just in a picture.

What was even more surprising though, was that she wasn't alone in the picture. Percy was right beside her, pressing his lips to her cheek, eyes closed and he was smiling against the kiss. Okay, I'd seen Percy smile against kissing Rachel and other girls but this was different, like kissing Annabeth was the thing he loved to do most in the world like he'd wanted to do that for years. And this wasn't even on the lips.

I smiled uncontrollably unlocking his phone which I already knew the password to. In case you're wondering it's 2384 and it had been that ever since I can remember. I knew they spelled out something special with the letters and after hours of staring at my own phone lock screen at home, I'd come up with a conclusion. They spelled out:

Beth.

I found my way to his photostream and flicked through the thirty-two new photos that had been taken. There were loads of them in a park, messing around pulling faces, smiling, kissing the others cheek and generally just having fun. It made me wish I'd been there to see it in person. There was one Percy had taken while he was resting his head on her stomach and she had her eyes closed peacefully. She looked gorgeous in the mid-day sun and Percy was smiling that crazy grin of his. It was a sexy grin, not gonna lie.

Then there were more of them walking through the busy streets of New York together. One, of Percy balancing a soccer ball on his head while two boys, in the background of the square, stared at him in wonder and fascination like they'd found their new role model. I mean, who cares about Christiano Renaldo when you can have Percy, am I right or am I right? One, of Percy taking a selfie with Annabeth rolling her eyes in the background, while he stuck his tongue out goofily.

There was one of Annabeth standing in the middle of the square with her arms outstretched and white doves flying all around her as though she had just run into a flock of them on the ground. She looked both happy and beautiful at the same time with an unmistakable smile on her face. There were quite a few of her actually; some of her smiling up at Percy, some of her looking off into the distance, one of her walking along a fountain ledge, arms outstretched and Percy's arm was outstretched too, in the camera view as they held hands and another one of her walking in front of Percy in the middle of a street. She was wearing his leather jacket now and her hands were in the pockets as her hair blew slightly in the wind.

From behind, you could see just how perfect her slender, curvy figure was. She had the kind of legs I would kill for; long, thin and sexy. I mean, you could look at her for hours and still not manage to find one single tiny little flaw. The next one was her turning around with a neutral look on her face as if it was taken just before she had realised he was taking a picture of her. The next was her with a shocked look on her face and then a smile and then a grin and then an even bigger grin. Then she turned around more and began running over to him, reaching out her hand and the last picture was blacked out by her hand.

"Times up." Percy said suddenly, snatching the phone from my hand. I tried to protest but he wasn't having any of it so I eventually just gave up and he laughed at that.

"You look happy in those photos Percy." I smiled softly, tilting my head a little and using my eyes to say everything I wasn't saying out loud; 'I know you like her?', 'Why can't you just ask her out?', 'I've never seen you so happy with anyone' and so on.

"Well, she makes me happy." He smiled wistfully, looking out the window again as if to think back to the moments in all those photos.

"Oh, she does more than that." I smirked and he turned to me. I knew that if he wasn't so annoyingly tanned, I would probably see him blush.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said innocently but the corners of his mouth were poking up a little in a smile.

"She likes you too you know. You make her happy." I said softly.

"Please..." He scoffed. "Annabeth doesn't like me and she never will. Why would a pretty, smart girl like her go for a reckless, dumb idiot like me?" He rolled his eyes but I could see the despair in them. I knew that look all too well. I'd seen it many times before in mine. He was in love and he was trying to deny it and shove it aside and tell himself it would all go away but it wouldn't and it won't, I speak from experience.

"Why would any girl go for a guy like you? Because you're bloody gorgeous Percy." I sighed exasperatedly.

"Looks aren't everything Silena." He sighed, looking as though he didn't even believe he was that good looking anyway.

"I know that. And that's why so many girls like you because there's more to you than just that. You're funny, you're kind, you're loyal and you're smarter than you think. It's not that you're dumb Percy, you just often don't see the point in putting work into things like school when you could be out surfing or something. You're not stupid you're just not committed." I said softly. He smirked. "There's so much to love about you Percy and you don't even see it."

He smiled softly turning to me. It was a beautiful smile, so beautiful it still got to me, leaving me a little star struck. Even though I had gotten over him, he had been my first crush and had been my crush many times since then, repeatedly, until I found Charlie and well, you're first crush always stays with you.

"Thanks, Sil." He said, lightly nudging my shoulder and giving my hand a squeeze.

I smiled. "I have to ask, this isn't just some rebound from Rachel...is it?"

"No." He frowned. "It may not look like it but Rachel and Annabeth are completely different."

"Oh so, Annabeth's not a raging bitch then, huh?" I asked innocently.

He smiled at that, warmly. "No." He dropped his head. "No Annabeth is..." He looked up as if he was thinking. "Annabeth's warm and she's kind and she's caring and she's selfless." He paused. "And it's real." He smiled, then turned to me. "And, honestly, when I'm with her, I completely forget who I am."

"Oh. My. God." I said, a little stunned. "You're in love with her."

"What?!" He scoffed. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you sooo are." I grinned, slapping his shoulder.

"Silena, shut up." He hissed, wide-eyed as he glanced around to check no one was listening.

"Fine, but you're in love with her."

"Am not." He retorted, looking out the window again in a huff.

I just smirked. "Are too." I smiled knowingly. Then I kissed the tip of my fingers and pressed them to his cheek while he was still looking out the window and left to go sit with Charlie again. I didn't turn back to see his reaction.

"So?" Charlie said curiously.

"What?" I smiled.

"What did you talk about?"

"Oh...just Annabeth." I smiled, resting my head on his shoulder.

"He likes her doesn't her?" I felt his chest rumbling underneath me as he chuckled.

"It's more than that though." Was all I said before I closed my eyes and took a little nap on his shoulder. Today had been a long and busy day. Charlie pulled his arm around me and kissed the top of my head before gently stroking it until I fell asleep on his shoulder. And then I slept. And that sleep was peaceful.

~xXx~

Annabeth POV

"Dad?" I spoke softly through the phone that evening, having come back from the school trip, finished my cafe shift, done my homework and completed all my chores.

"Annabeth." He called through the phone sounding as though he was smiling which made me smile. "I'm glad you called. How was the Metropolitan Museum?"

"Oh, it was incredible! The Greek gallery is amazing." I grinned. I was perched on the kitchen table now, my feet swinging gently.

He chuckled on the other end. "Great architects the Greeks. You would have fit right in."

"Thanks, Dad." I grinned.

"So anyway, I—" He started.

"Um, dad?" I interrupted.

"Yes, honey?" He said, calling me honey for the first time which sent a jet of warmth through my body, giving me the courage to do what I was going to next. Come on. Percy asked you to do this and you want to do this. You want this.

I took a deep breath. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure."

"When are you coming home?"

The line went silent and I knew I'd already gone too far. Regular phone calls were a big step for my dad from what things used to be like. He still wasn't really used to being a dad anymore and maybe I had just ruined everything we'd started to create. I mentally cursed myself for being so stupid and listening to Percy. Stupid idea. Stupid idea!

"It's okay if you don't want to see me!" I added frantically. "I just—I just thought that—well—um...never mind...it's stupid—"

"—I...I can do Sunday the week after next?" His voice suddenly came and I nearly dropped the phone in shock. His voice was a little unemotional and unreadable but that was my dad. Calling me honey was out of character enough for him. So his bluntness now didn't come as a surprise or as a disappointment rather than a gift, an opportunity.

I was going to see him again after all these months of not talking. I mean, sure when he came home two or three times a year, we would briefly greet one another but he always spent his time with Helen or in front of the TV, never with me. And this was different, he'd been gone a very long time this year, almost 11 months and I was really starting to miss him even though I hardly knew him. But he is my dad. I can't help missing him.

"Sunday's good." I murmured.

"Okay then. It's settled." He said a little awkwardly.

"Yeah." I replied, just as awkwardly.

"I look forward to it."

"Me too." I smiled. Though it felt like a conversation between two robots, it still made me feel warm and happy inside.

"Goodnight Annabeth."

"Goodnight dad."

And then he hung up. And I sat there, motionless, confused and content at the same time. Neither sure nor certain of either.

~xXx~

Percy POV

It was late when I got to Thalia and Jason's house. It was one of those huge mansions on the outskirts of the city where only rich people lived on fancy estates. I'd always been jealous of them for that, being able to live in a place like this but it hadn't always been like this for them. They weren't always living with their incredibly wealthy dad, they used to live with their mum. She was a terrible alcoholic who'd give Thalia a hard time. So hard that it makes me sick even thinking about it. She'd always been so strong about that, having to protect Jason and her inner thoughts from scaring everyone. You see, when you first look at Thalia you think she's mean and controlling but deep down she's been through so much and still stayed strong. I didn't see her as anything other than amazingly awesome and when you dug beneath the surface there was something there. Something light and warming like the sun.

That's why I was here, standing on their doorstep and waiting to make up with the cousin that had been ignoring me for long enough already. As much as I loved spending time with Annabeth, I wasn't down for giving up Thalia for it.

The door opened and Jason stood in front of me in blue pyjama trousers and a white T-shirt. I was still wearing my clothes from today and had my fists shoved into my leather jacket pockets.

"It's about time you showed up." He sighed and I gave him a half smile. "She's in the living room."

"Thanks, bro." I nodded as he stepped aside to let me in.

It was a fancy place with stone carved statues and fancy looking paintings in the marble-floored hallway. It was huge, so huge that your footsteps echoed when you walked. Jason lead me through the hallways and into the large living room. She was curled up on the large cream couch, in the centre, watching some kind of horror movie. She wore black pyjama shorts and a black sweater that said 'black is my happy colour' in white font.

"Thalia." Jason called as we stood in the doorway a fair distance behind her. "There's someone here to see you."

She turned her head and her electric blue eyes landed on me before widening. She caught her breath and before I could say anything she'd leapt up from the couch and stormed upstairs.

"Yeah...good luck with her." Jason patted my shoulder as I sighed heavily and left to go find her.

I jogged up the large curved staircase and made my way along the wide corridor to her bedroom. My heart was pounding, this was something I did not want to mess up. Thalia was a fragile person, you wouldn't guess it, but she'd always been that way. At least, she was fragile when it came to me. We were too close, you know, it was in the midst of her mother's breakdown that she would stay over at mine and we'd talk late into the night. We'd always been close, ever since we were kids, but it was during those nights that we really connected. My mom used to say we became inseparable after that.

Taking a breath, I knocked on the door. "Thalia, it's me. Can I come in?" No answer. I sighed and went in anyway.

She was lying in bed with the covers up to her shoulders and her face turned away, hugging a pillow. "Come on Thales. You can't really be that mad at me, can you?" I asked softly, leaning against the doorframe. She just grabbed the pillow and slammed it over her ear so I couldn't see her at all. This is gonna be harder than I thought.

I sighed, moving into the room and cautiously sitting on the edge of her bed. "You're gonna have to talk to me sometime."

"No I don't." She replied, her voice muffled against the pillow.

I laughed a little, peeling it away from her and with a sigh she sat up. She looked tired and her hair was sticking up on end but she looked the same to me. "It took me a while, but I finally figured out why you're so mad at me." I said softly.

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Well you didn't exactly make it very easy for me, did you?" I huffed and she half smiled.

"Guess not."

"I'm really sorry, Thales. You have every right to be mad at me." I sighed, bending my leg up onto the mattress while I left the other one dangling off the edge. "Guess I was just so wrapped up in spending time with Annabeth that I didn't realise how left out you felt." She bit her lip, dropping her eyes as if she was ashamed in some way. She was never the type of person to convey her feelings and admitting that she felt left out would be hard for her, I could tell.

"Thalia, just because I like spending time with Annabeth, doesn't mean I don't like spending time with you. It's only because she barely even looks at me in school that I want to be with her when I'm not. You understand that, right?" I was using the softest voice I could manage. I had to be careful with what I said to her. She nodded and I relaxed a little. "You should've just come and talked to me rather than taken it out on Annabeth. That wasn't fair on her."

"I know. I'm sorry." She sighed, still not looking up at me. "I didn't mean to be so harsh on her, I guess I was just a little jealous and it kinda slipped out." I sighed, smiling at her softly. I was glad that she was being so open with me because sometimes she would shut herself away and refuse to say why she was angry. "It's just...you were spending so much time with her and every time I tried to talk to you in school it was like you were somewhere else. Sometimes you just look at her across the corridor and you just space out."

Well, that's embarrassing...

"It made me feel like I didn't matter to you anymore." She whispered.

"That is not true and you know it." I frowned, snatching up her hand in mine. She looked at our hands for a second. "Don't ever think you're not important to me."

She half smiled and then looked up at me with weary eyes. "You said I was self-centred and pathetic."

My heart skipped a beat. I guess I had said that and I felt awful. "You know I didn't mean it." I told her. "I was just tired and angry."

"You were right though." She murmured. "I was being self-centred and protective over you. I tried to keep you from Annabeth and that wasn't right."

"I like it when you're protective over me." I smiled and she smiled back at me. "I would have done exactly the same if it was the other way around. Remember when you started going out with Luke?"

She half smiled, letting out a little laugh. "You were not happy."

"Not happy?" I frowned. "I was furious." She giggled at that. "Come on." I said, leaping up from her bed and grabbing her laptop from her desk.

"What are you doing?"

"I haven't watched Game of Thrones in weeks and you're catching up with me." I smiled, kicking off my shoes and climbing in bed beside her. She giggled shuffling up beside me as we both leant against the headboard.

And that's how the rest of the night went. I watched Game of Thrones with Thalia curled up under my arm, feeling relieved that we'd finally made up. Life just wasn't the same without our TV Show marathons, just the two of us. And having her here, looking so much more vulnerable as she clung to my T-shirt, I felt very protective of her. I knew I'd do anything to keep her safe.

~xXx~