Chp 1
Percy's POV

I grinned as Thalia greeted me at the door to the apartment she shared with her friend. I had never met the friend before, but was hoping to. "Sup Perce!" She said, letting me in.

I smiled as I saw Jason, her brother and my cousin, Leo and Piper. Hazel and Frank were out on a date for their anniversary and weren't party animals, so they were excluded. "So when is everyone arriving?" Leo asked, taking a sip of his beer that was in his hand.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Are you suggesting no one will show up? Have you go insane? I have the best parties." She said, smacking him upside the head. He rubbed it and rolled his eyes as she stuck her tongue out, the doorbell going.

Soon enough the semi fancy apartment was filled with people, the music being played loudly. People were dancing, drinking, talking and making out everywhere. I, as always, perched myself on the side, my beer I my one hand and my free hand in my jeans pocket.

I loved watching people fooling around, just like they used to at high school parties. I usually blend in with the crowd, dancing and chatting, but some times, like now, I just chill, in the mood for good music and a drink, but no energy to dance with girls pressed against me.

"Oh, man! You need I come dance!" A tipsy girl said, coming into the kitchen and getting some liqueur Thalia had in the cupboard. "Body shots!" She screamed, before disappearing into the crowd, leaving me to laugh by myself.

I got into conversations with some of the people I knew, although I knew everyone here, and decided to dance a bit. I didn't drink more than two beers the whole night, not wanting to get tipsy.

Soon enough it was eleven thirty and the apartment was empty except for the lot of us that it had started with. Piper was sitting on Jason's lap with Leo sitting next to them. I sat on a single person couch and Thalia sat on the arm rest of it.

"Well, that was some party, right?" She said, grinning as tequila and cocktails got to her. She giggled, drunk as a skunk. We all looked up as the front door was opened. I felt my heart beta spike at the beautiful girl that came walking in.

I thought she had a heart attack as she stared at the mess in the room. There were paper cups lying around, someone had decided it would be cool to bring streamers, and, what I could only hope was a drink, was spilt on the floor.

"I said you could have a small party." She said, her tone angry. She wrinkled her nose as she stepped over paper cups to place her bags on the kitchen counter. "Ann, you missed the most amazing party of the century!" Thalia said, stumbling to her feet and grinning at her house mate as she walked back to access the lounge.

"You're drunk." She said sighing at my cousin. "Oh, come on. Don't be so serious!" Thalia said as 'Ann' started picking up cups. "Well maybe I would t be so serious about this if you had just listened to what I said." She said, her tone stiff.

Thalia tapped her chin. "You have a fight with the old boyfriend? I knew it. Someone's mad because she had a row with an ass." She said, grinning with triumphant as she sat back on the arm rest.

"You have too much to drink? I knew it. Someone's drunk because they don't like listening to their dearest friend." She said, mimicking Thalia and giving a sarcastic smile. I couldn't help my stomach twisting as Thalia said she had a boyfriend.

"And he's not an ass. He just makes things difficult at times." She defended. Thalia scoffed. "He is, with a capital A. If you'd only been there when Jimmy had that party last year and he'd been all over those chicks." She retorted.

Annabeth stiffened. "You know what, I'm not going to listen to anything you say when you're drunk, so don't even bother continuing." She said her tone stern, clearly mad that Thalia was basically putting out that her boyfriend cheated.

"Denial, the worst of cases you've picked up." Thalia said, 'tsking'. "What am I denying?" She asked, staring at her friend. "That he's a lying, cheating bastard." Thalia said, oblivious to the storm brewing in her friends eyes.

"Not tonight." She said, kneeling to gather the streamers, her tone softer. "Hey, Annabeth?" Piper said, standing to try and break up the mini fight going on. "Don't worry, we'll come by in the morning and help clean up. It's our mess anyway." She said, going over to her and putting a hand on her shoulder.

She stood, looking to see if Piper was serious. She sighed and put the streamers back on the floor. "Thanks." She said. Piper gave her a hug. "Go to bed." She said, pushing her in the direction of her room. "Night guys." She said, glancing our way. She seemed to do a double take when she saw me, but her eyes quickly left mine.

"You still love me, right?" Thalia asked. Annabeth sighed. "We'll see in the morning. You're going to hate me in the morning when I say I told you so and you have a major hangover." Thalia was silent for a moment. "Well then doesn't that make us equal?" She asked, and Annabeth chuckled a melodious sound and closed her door.