I stared at her. Annabeth blushed, than I blushed.
"What now?" She asked.
"What?"
"Now that you chose to save Olympus for all eternity, there's nothing exciting to do anymore." She smiled and kissed me.
"Well, we can go play with Mrs. O'Leary." Just thinking of Mrs. O'Leary made me smile. She was the world's friendliest hellhound that now belongs to me. "Or we can go underwater again."
Annabeth Chase was my girlfriend and my battle colleague. We fought battles together in everything, chariot races, capture the flag, you name it. I helped her in tough times, like after Luke's death and she saved my sorry ass from time to time. Annabeth's cell phone rang, she pulled it out of her cell and placed it to her ear and said "Hey dad... No it's been great here... I'm right outside of Camp Half-Blood by that little, romantic picnic area... Okay..." There was something growling behind us. I drew my 3 foot sword with leather bound grip, Riptide, and slashed it behind me. Right before me, there was a girl, the second most stunning girl I've ever seen (Annabeth in her swimsuit is the most stunning). The girl had hazel eyes, white blonde hair and she was wearing a sun dress. Fortunately, my sword had missed her completely. Annabeth hung up and turned around with her celestial bronze knife. When Annabeth actually realized who the girl was, she strapped her knife back on her arm.
"Hey! Melinda, how's it been?" Annabeth hugged the girl.
"Annabeth!" Melinda squealed, although she sounded more disgusted than excited but Annabeth didn't seem notice.
"Hi, I'm Percy." I grinned and waved.
"Is that him?" Melinda asked Annabeth nodded. "Oh my gods, it is such an honour to meet you. You're Percy, right? The Percy Jackson, who've been through so many battles, and fought the Minotaur before any training at all! You are my idol." Melinda hugged me, her soft, blonde hair smelled like the salty ocean. Then she did the most unexpected thing, she drew out a four foot sword and said "Battle me, Son of Poseidon."
"Well, I better get into camp, so, I'll let you two practice." Annabeth smiled and went past the magical border to Camp Half-Blood.
I reached for my pen but it wasn't there. I looked back at Melinda and she was holding the Riptide in its full form. I dodged half of her hits and frantically tried to concentrate on calling the ocean, but every time I tried, the swords were inches away from killing me. I tried using the empathy link Grover and I had, but no luck either.
"C'mon Percy, fight me like the man you're not." Melinda taunted. Her voice sounded like three Melinda's talking at once instead of one and her eyes suddenly started to glow fiery red.
By then, I was scared, more than scared, I was freaking out. I ran, dodging any tree in my way, which was a dumb move because the entrance to Camp Half-Blood was about a mile away now. I searched my pockets, hoping that the Riptide would've come back, but nada. I found a whistle that Daedalus had given to me a few years ago before he died. The whistle was supposed to bring Mrs. O'Leary to me, wherever and whenever I was in need. I blew the whistle and Mrs. O'Leary came running, breaking anything in front of her. When she got here, I climbed onto her furry back and held onto her collar.
"Girl, I know that you hate it but, shadow travel to Nico di Angelo for me, will ya?" I asked, Mrs. O'Leary nodded and ran into a boulder.
I heard random, pointless sounds. I managed to look behind me and I saw Melinda not too far from us.
"Faster, girl. Faster!"
Mrs. O'Leary howled and charged. After a few minutes of shadow travelling, I saw Nico. Who was summoning the dead... Again. This is one of the flaws of having the son of Hades as my best demigod guy friend.
"NICO!" I yelled when I saw him.
"Yo! Percy, what's up man?" he replied.
"There's some monster chasing me, there she is!" I pointed to the bush that just rustled.
Melinda stood up from the bush, her eyes were hazel again but when she saw Nico, she changed. She had jet black hair, teal eyes and was wearing all black with skulls. She looked vaguely similar to Nico's sister, Bianca di Angelo. Nico blushed. Now to think of it, I never saw him blush before.
"There you are Percy!" She squealed as if she didn't try to kill me before. "You must be Nico." She smiled. I was about to warn Nico but Melinda's eyes flashed red again. "I'm Melinda."
Nico shook her hand and stared at her as if she was a million drachmas. She faked giggled and stroked his cheek. To Nico, I can tell that Melinda's his Underworld heaven, but to me, she's no prettier than Mrs. O'Leary's crap. Melinda Leaned in to kiss him. I checked my pockets and the Riptide was back. I clicked it and stood in between them, the Riptide to her face.
"I don't know what you are or why you came but, do not touch Nico." I warned her.
"What are you doing Percy?" Nico asked in shock.
"Yeah, what are you doing?" Melinda agreed.
"I'm protecting Nico." I replied.
"Protecting him from what? Protecting him from his first kiss?" Melinda shot back.
"From getting Nico killed." I slashed my sword, she should've burst into dust but it went harmlessly through her.
"Nice try!" She lunged towards me. I dodged her and ran directly to Nico. I grabbed his Stygian iron sword and stabbed her. She screamed in pain, her eyes glowed but she didn't disintegrate, she melted. Now I am positive that Melinda wasn't a monster; she had to be something worst. Before her entire body had turn into liquid, she screamed Son of Hades, shall not remember. Then Melinda added something else that sound like gibberish. There was one final scream, than she was gone. I turned back to Nico.
"Hey man, do you remember anything that had happened before?" I asked, handing him his sword.
"Um... Yeah, you wouldn't let me kiss Melinda." He yelled at me in ancient Greek. He basically said that I should be rotting in his dad's dungeon right now but since he's a 'nice person', he'll let me go.
I nodded. Nico ran into a shadow of a tree and vanished. I never really understood shadow travel. Do not fall for Melinda, think of Annabeth and how much you love her whenever you see a pretty girl, my son. Trust me. My dad had said, in my mind. The godly parent shouldn't interfere with the demigod's life, but they are allowed to send little mind messages like that. Okay dad. I thought. I imagined my dad, nodding his head and his eyes full of concern. I just realized that I didn't see my dad in almost a year. I rummaged through my pockets and found 2 golden drachmas. I prayed for my dad to send some mist from the ocean. Within a matter of seconds, there was a rainbow in front of me. I silently thanked him.
"O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering." I pleaded, and threw the drachma into the mist. "Show me, Poseidon, Lord of the sea."
An image of my dad filled into the mist.
"Dad!" I yelled.
"Huh? Oh! Percy, did you get my message? You must protect Nico. It seems as if he's took a liking to Melinda. Remember; do not talk to anyone almost as breathtaking as Aphrodite or as caring as Calypso."
The thought of Calypso being alone on the island made me want to tear up.
"Dad, can you do me a favour?" I asked.
"Yes son?"
"You didn't give me a sixteenth or seventeenth birthday gift..." I began.
"Oh yes, 2 sand dollars it is then, my boy!" Poseidon poked around in his little satchel and took out two sand dollars.
"No! It's not that. Can you please convince the gods to bring back Calypso? Please."
"Well, I don't know Percy. The gods sent Calypso in Ogygia because she helped the titans." My dad replied.
"Well there's no way that Olympus could be destroyed now, is there?"
"I will try my very best Percy, but unfortunately, Zeus is temperamental and can strike you at any time."
"Thanks."
"Oh and Percy, if you hear thunder or see lightning you must get into the water, I will find a way to protect you." He smiled and waved his hand across the message and the image dissolved.
The mist was still there and I thought of my mother.
"O Iris, goddess of the rainbow. Accept my offering."
I threw in the drachma.
"Sally Jackson."
An image of my mom filled the mist. She looked like she just woke up, her brown hair looked as if it exploded, her eyelids drooped but she was beautiful in her own way.
"Hi mom."
"Huh, oh hi Percy." Her voice was nasally.
"Are you sick?"
"Yes, but I have to get this other book done and Paul isn't feeling that great either." Paul Blofis was my stepdad and ex-English teacher. Compared to my ex-stepdad, Gabe, Paul is 100 times better. My mom finally got to live out her dreams as an author but seeing her like this made me feel nauseas.
"Well, can I talk to Paul, please and mom, please just go to bed, and if you really want to finish the book. Take some Tylenol and work on the book."
"Thank you for your concern Percy... PAUL! Percy wants to talk to you."
"He's home?" Paul asked from another room.
"No, he's using Iris message."
"Oh," Paul entered the room, looking like a zombie.
"Hey Paul!"
"Hi Percy, your mother and I aren't feeling great so if you can, make this quick."
"I miss you guys and I think there's some kind of monster..." suddenly, something swung it's claws across the Iris message.
I let out a girly scream (which nobody knows about), in front of me, there was a glowing red eyed, vampire, cat, fairy, thing. Somehow I knew that freak was Melinda. She raised a claw and scraped my chest. If it weren't for the curse of Achilles, I would've been sliced like a loaf of bread.
"So... Purrr-seus, I see that you have bathed in the Rrrr-iver Styx." Melinda hissed.
"What do you want Melinda?" right now, I'm pissed, beyond pissed.
"I want... TO DESTROY YOU!" She sounded more pissed then I did.
Melinda yelled something in ancient Greek, and a blinding light came from behind her. When the light dimmed, I expected Apollo to be there but instead it was Annabeth, two Annabeth's. Two identical Annabeth's.
"Annabeth?" I yelled.
"It's me Percy, I'm Annabeth." The Annabeth's said in unison.
"I'm going to quiz you then. When Annabeth went to Greece a few years ago, what did she want to see the most."
"The Parthenon." They said again.
After a few questions with the same result, I decided that there was one thing that only Annabeth Chase and I know how to do. I studied both of them and noticed a scar on the first Annabeth's waist from when she had saved me from a poisonous dagger. I marched right up to that Annabeth and cupped her face with my hands. I pressed my lips onto hers as Melinda melted. I tripped over my untied converses and yanked both of us to the ground. Minutes later, we were in my cabin, at camp. With the worst timing ever, Clarisse kicked open my door and found us making out on the floor. Annabeth and I were giving her pleading looks and she nodded.
"Hey guys, Percy and Annabeth aren't here either!" She yelled. Clarisse turned to us (still lying on the ground, with arms around each other), and winked.
She slammed the door and Annabeth stood up.
"Wait, where are you going?" I asked, shocked.
"I'm going to go tell the others that we're safe."
"You can do that in ten minutes." I announced.
"Fine, Seaweed Brain."
"Great!" I tackled her with a kiss.
"Wait, I gotta go to the bathroom." She ran into my bathroom.
I emptied out my pockets; there was my Riptide, Daedalus's whistle, three paperclips and a ring (which was really expensive) that came with a note.
Dear Perseus Jackson,
This is a ring for you to give Annabeth. It is a 2.5 karat diamond ring.
Do not worry, Athena approves of you.
Love: Poseidon/dad, Aphrodite, and Athena
Even the gods know that I was madly in love with Annabeth. I heard a flush; my mind was flooded with thoughts of how to ask Annabeth to marry me. Annabeth finished washing her hands, unlocked the door and stepped out.
I went up to her and said "Well, Annabeth, I just wanted you to know that I am crazy, head over heels in love you and I can't get you off my mind. Whenever you're not around, I'm a shipwreck and I just love you more than the sea." Okay that might sound a little bit corny but hey, I loved the sea. "I hope you love me as much as I love you. You were the first demigod I've met, I- I- I just want you to be mine forever."
"What are you saying Percy?" She replied in shock.
Annabeth's cheeks became red; I got down on one foot and... She fainted.
[Camp Half-Blood Infirmary]
"She's okay right?" I asked with fear.
"I just want to know how she fainted." Chiron felt her forehead.
I just nodded.
Annabeth blinked and opened her eyes.
"My dear, are you alright?" Chiron asked.
"Yes, I just..." Annabeth began.
"Tell us what happened." Silena Beaugarde asked from the back of the crowd.
"Well, I just remembered Percy giving a speech and getting down on one knee with a ring and that's it."
Everyone gasped, and started to murmur amongst themselves.
Well I got nothing to lose, so I got down on one knee, again and held the ring to Annabeth, and said
"Annabeth Chase, ever since you I met you nine years ago when we were twelve, I liked you. Back then you were cute, but now you are intensely beautiful, with or without makeup and I used to be out of your league but you stuck by my side. To me, you're a million times more beautiful than any Aphrodite girl of Aphrodite herself." Some Aphrodite girls fainted. "I said to me. I love you more than anything in the world, and that includes the sea. I want you to be mine. Before, I used to be mad at Luke because he got all of your attention, but he's," I gulped. "Dead. If you don't believe that I love you a lot, ask anyone. They'll tell you that I stare at you during lunch and I talk about you every second of the day. Annabeth Chase. Will you marry me, and become mine?" a tear trickled down her cheek.
"Yes." She grabbed my face and pulled it towards her, her nails were clenching on so hard that I felt blood, but I ignored it and kissed her. Our tongues tackle as if they were in a battle.
That night was the best night of my life.
[Beach]
Chiron let us stay passed curfew for as long as we would like.
We lay down and looked up at the sky; I squeezed her hand tightly afraid she might leave me.
I picked up a stray stick and wrote:
Percy Loves Annabeth
In the sand.
"Aw... That is cute!"
She snatched the stick from me and wrote
I Love you Percy
"Annabeth, I love you too. You're the reason why I'm still here."
"What do you mean?"
"The dagger, you took the dagger and saved my life. Not to mention the fact that I stayed mortal for you."
She laughed and slapped me.
"Wait, you stayed mortal, for me?" She asked.
"Yes, I love you more than Aphrodite can love anyone."
Annabeth giggled but then her expression stiffened.
"Percy, how did you know that I was the real Annabeth and not Melinda?"
"Your scar from the dagger. That was from when I knew that I loved you more than I thought." I kissed her.
A bright light shone from above, 3 gods appeared, Poseidon, Athena and Aphrodite.
Annabeth and I hesitated; we looked at each other, stood up and bowed.
"Mother, I can explain." Annabeth began.
"Dad, Annabeth and I are um... Getting married." I blushed.
"Percy, as the note said, I approve of you marrying my daughter."
"Aw! I love seeing younglings fall in love." Aphrodite gushed.
"Son, I put the ring in your pocket, do you think that I don't know this." Poseidon chuckled.
"So everyone approves of this marriage!" Annabeth smiled. I never saw her so happy before.
"Well, my daughter, Zeus does not approve but he's grouchy all the time." Athena smiled. I could finally see the family resemblance between her and Annabeth.
"Well, dad is just a fat old pig. He doesn't appreciate love like Uncle." Aphrodite said, thunder roared loudly. "No offence dad!"
"Son, I must say, you are much more confident than I was to your mother. I never had the chance to ask her, the gods didn't give me enough time. Yes I'm talking about you, Zeus." My dad yelled at the sky. "Son, are you sure that this is the girl you are destined to marry." Dad asked seriously.
Instead of saying yes, I dipped Annabeth and gave her the most assertive kiss possible. I looked up and said "Dad, does that answer your question?"
The three gods smiled, and disappeared into the darkness.
I turned to Annabeth and asked "You do love me right?"
She smiled and said "I do."
I was overwhelmed with happiness. I stared at her. She seemed different now, more mature.
I finally have someone to call mine.