The stormy gray eyes watch intensely as Percy and Piper talk and laugh with each other, acting as if they were old friends when they only just met. A very familiar, unpleasant feeling fills in the pit of Annabeth's stomach, but she isn't quite sure what it is. Jealousy maybe, but that's silly, she tells herself. They're just friends.
"They seem to be enjoying themselves, don't they?" an amused voice remarks, and Annabeth jumps to find Jason standing a few feet behind her.
His voice has a hint of bitterness in it and she suspects that he had been watching them too.
"Oh," Annabeth says lightly, "I don't care." But Piper lets out a loud, girly giggle and Annabeth can't help but quickly turn her head towards the two.
"Really?" There's a glint in Jason's eye.
"Of course. Besides, it's none of my business who my boyfriend talks to. He's allowed to be friends with whomever he wants. That should be the same way with you and your girlfriend anyway."
Her last comment annoys Jason. "She's not my girlfriend."
Annabeth doesn't say anything; she continues to watch Percy and Piper.
Although Percy has been kissing Annabeth since the minute he stepped off the Argo II, he can't keep his eyes off of Piper. When they start to flirt again that night after dinner, Annabeth can't help but leave the table abruptly with all eyes on her.
Trying to fight off tears, she has trouble making her way back to her cabin in the dark. She runs hard into something-a tree?-but no, it's Jason. He grips her arm to prevent her from falling.
"Annabeth? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she says through gritted teeth, although she's not so sure herself.
But the next thing she knows, Jason's lips are on hers and they feel soft and warm and tender. Her head is spinning around quickly and she feels overwhelmed and confused but she's kissing him back anyway. But then she notices something else-her eyelashes are wet-and then she realizes that she's crying.
She feels Jason's thumb gently brush away a tear as his tongue slips into her mouth and she's kissing him like she's never kissed anyone before.
After a few minutes they break apart, breathless.
Another tear cascades down the side of Annabeth's face-she honestly doesn't know why she's crying-she thinks it's because of Percy and Piper-but then Jason reaches over and wipes her cheek with the end of his sleeve.
"Percy doesn't care about me," Annabeth says, trying to sound tough but it comes out as a whisper. "He cares about Piper instead."
"You have nothing to worry about," Jason murmurs back, his electric blue eyes shining in the moonlight.
"Why?"
"Because I care about you instead."