I had thought of this story in the middle of the day today, so I decided to write it, and I hope you like it! Please remember that this is an AU and there are no demigods.

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or the cover image

Chapter 1

Percy

Being rich can be pretty tiring. Yeah, yeah, it sounds like a snobby thing to say, but that's how Percy felt. It was the same routine all the time. The servants and maids would wait on him hand and foot, and he would always tell them the same things; I'll call you when I need you.

Percy's parents, both extremely wealthy CEO of two of the most important companies in the country, were never home, since they were always out on business, so needless to say, Percy got lonely.

Especially since Percy's younger brother, Tyson, was never around due to his studies, Percy found his friends in his servants. His best friend, Grover, was among them. He and Grover spent all of their free time together, and Percy would always rant to Grover about he was tired of having his heartbroken.

Being eighteen years old, Percy's parents expected him to be as successful as they were at his age, which was a lot to put on an eighteen year old.

As if that wasn't enough, Percy was dealing with his idiotic girlfriend, Brooke, who he loved very much, but she was a little…needy. When they had first started dating, she was kind and sweet and gentle, but he had been starting to notice the way she changed, just like all of the others…

She would start out by being humble, and kind to everyone she meets, and then as their relationship progressively got more serious, she would start to demand things. She expected Percy to buy her everything she saw, and for her birthday, anniversaries, or any type of holiday (especially Christmas and Valentine's Day) she expected a new Mercedes-Benz in the driveway.

Grover had tried warning Percy of this. Since he was one of the most wanted bachelors on the Upper East Side of New York City, he had to watch out for the ones that had only wanted him for his money, and he had run into plenty of them.

He had thought Brooke was different, but he was starting to see the change happen to her as well…

One day, Percy was sitting in his room that overlooked the city skyline, and was staring at a picture of him and Brooke when they first started dating. His arm was around her shoulders, and they were laughing while standing on the beach at Long Island Sound.

"You still worried about Brooke?" Grover asked, startling Percy slightly, from his thoughts. Percy laughed nervously, although there was no humor behind it.

"Yeah," he said softly, "I thought she was different, man."

Grover sat down next to Percy on his bed, and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I know, and I know it hurts."

The incident that was running through Percy's mind of earlier that day kept replaying, over and over, until it drove Percy's heart into the ground.

He had been going to Brooke's apartment, since it was their seven month anniversary, and he had thought that she would like the simple, but meaningful gift he had gotten her. When they first started dating, she had found a sand dollar in the beach, on that same day that they were standing on the beach in Long Island Sound. So Percy thought that it would be a cute idea to get that sand dollar made into a necklace.

He had gotten a rose to go with it, and when he showed up at Brooke's door, she looked all ready to go out on some five-star date. She was dressed in a tight red dress, and her hair was curled to perfection, and Percy had thought that she looked beautiful, but he hadn't planned anything spectacular. He had hoped that they could just spend the evening together.

"Hey you," she greeted him with a kiss, and Percy smiled against her lips.

"Happy anniversary," he said, and Brooke's eyes lit up at the sight of the jewelry box in Percy's hand.

"What'd you get me?" she asked quickly, disregarding Percy's greeting. Percy handed her the rose, which she smelled and smiled at him before he handed her the box.

He watched as her expression changed from excitement to disappointment as she opened the box and looked at the sand dollar necklace.

"What the hell is this?" she asked, with a hint of annoyance in her voice. Percy frowned and stared at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Brooke let out a nervous laugh, and looked around behind Percy as if she was looking for something.

"Is this some kind of a joke?" she asked, and Percy felt like she had just punched him in the gut.

"It's the sand dollar you found me on our first date," he said, trying to hide his disappointment in her reaction.

"Percy, you literally strung a chain through a shell," Brooke said, "you call that an anniversary present?"

Percy felt like his heart had crumbled to pieces when he realized that she was just like the others. She wasn't at first, but now she was. The fortune and the wealth had gotten to her head, and there was no going back.

"Forget it," Percy laughed dryly, but there was no humor behind it, "you're just like the rest of them."

Brooke laughed, although it had a mocking tone behind it.

"What? You mean the ones who actually expect a gift from their boyfriend after seven months? Not garbage."

"Whatever Brooke," Percy grumbled, and that seemed to tick her off. She shoved the box back in Percy's hands, and looked like she was going to fume.

"Take your stupid shell and get out of my apartment," she growled, and then threw the rose onto the floor. Percy gripped the box tightly and with a heavy heart, left the apartment, although his heartbreak was clouded with anger at the time.

Now it wasn't.

Now that the anger had disappeared, he was filled with sadness and dread.

He stared at the box with the sand dollar necklace inside of it, and let out a sigh before running his hands through his messy black hair.

"I'm sorry, Perce," Grover said, "I know it's tough."

"It's frustrating!" Percy groaned, "she's the fifth one."

"I know," Grover said, "you'll meet that girl one day who loves you for you. I promise."

Percy let out a sigh and looked at his best friend.

"I hope you're right, G-Man."

"Aren't I always?"

Percy grinned and punched his friend lightly in the shoulder.

"Don't get too cocky, now," Percy warned and Grover laughed, while shaking his head.

"Me? Cocky? Do you know who you're talking to?"

Percy chuckled, and leaned back onto his bed, while staring up at the ceiling. He had had five girlfriends, and each of them ended with the same reaction to wanting things, things, and more things. His first girlfriend, Carly, had only lasted a month until he started to see her true intentions. Then there was Jenny, who lasted only three weeks. Then there was Valerie, who was four months until he started to see her real colors. She was a close runner up to Brooke. Then there was Hollie, who lasted two days.

And then Brooke.

Seven months.

He had thought that she was different, he really did, but now he realized that no matter what he did, he was always going to be seen as Percy Jackson, the son of millionaires, Sally and Poseidon Jackson.

He groaned and sat up from his bed while looking at the box with the sand dollar in it. He took the box, and threw it into the trash, not even hesitating to this time.

"You alright?" Grover asked when Percy sat back down, and Percy nodded.

"It's just frustrating," Percy sighed while leaning back once more. The two boys sat in silence for a moment, until Grover let out a gasp. Percy frowned and looked at his friends strangely.

"I just had an idea," Grover said, and Percy rolled his eyes.

"Oh boy, this should be good."

Grover pretended to look hurt for a moment before shaking his head and looking at his best friend.

"What if you met a girl who didn't know who you were?" Grover asked, and Percy raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm pretty well known around here, G-Man. That'd be kind of tough to do. And besides, if they didn't know who I was already, they'd eventually find out," Percy said, while gesturing towards his room, "it's not exactly subtle."

Grover shook his head.

"No," he said, "I mean, what if you pretended to be someone else. Not Percy Jackson, heir to millions of dollars, but just Percy. A regular guy, looking for a girl who will love him for him."

Percy frowned at his friend, but as the idea seemed to swirl around in his head, he seemed to grow accustomed to it.

"You're a genius, Grover," Percy said with a grin, and Grover grinned with a chuckle.

"I get that a lot."

What do you think is going to happen? Sorry it's short, this is kind of a prologue chapter, but the chapters will get longer as the story progresses.

Thanks for reading! xx

~stay beautiful~