AN: Please review! I would love to hear back your opinion on anything you liked or disliked about this story. I hope you enjoy it and review when you finish reading!
I put down my sketch pad slightly frustrated knowing I'm way too distracted to finish the task. It just wasn't right. The proportions were off, I must have made an error in my calculations. It doesn't matter, I reminded myself I can start the design over later. It shouldn't take too long.
I'm Annabeth Chase. And I just had a few more building plans that needed to be finalized for the reconstruction of Olympus. I crossed my arms and leaned back until my head rested on Percy's, my boyfriend, chest. He brought up a hand and began stroking my hair. We were sitting in a shady spot by the creek in Camp Half Blood's forest. It was the same spot Percy had broke Clarisse's spear the first time he played capture the flag.
And it was August 18th. That meant a lot of things. It had been a year since the battle of Manhattan. Which means it had been a year since Michael Yew and Silena Beauregard and.. Luke and so many others had died. On the bright side it was Percy's 17th birthday.
I had arranged for blue pancakes to be served for breakfast that morning. Percy had loved that. Also Tyson had come for a visit and would be staying a few nights. He was in the camps forges with the Hephaestus cabin right now. And I planned on surprising Percy later too. Because it was also our first anniversary today.
I sighed contentedly. Nothing, even finishing the final monument for Olympus, could ruin this day.
"Yuck," Percy stiffened. Who the heck was that? Percy was wide eyed thinking it was probably a monster or an intruder. Which is logical on his part since the forest was usually stocked with them. But I didn't sense danger in the one worded shrill. In fact the voice had seemed familiar, but what would a certain goddess be doing at Camp Half Blood…
"Why would you ever want to spend time in the woods?" Percy must've seen her before I did because his jaw dropped as he looked at "Aphrodite? What are you doing here?" I asked. Aphrodite seemed surprised by the tone of unpleasantness in my voice. I gulped. I didn't mean to sound that bad. "I mean what brings you here?"
Aphrodite smiled as if to say now that's more like it. "Why to see you two. My favorite demigod couple." Aphrodite gushed. I stood up and looked down at Percy expecting him to do the same. He was still gaping at Aphrodite. "Percy!" I scolded. He jumped up mumbling an apology.
I cast a glance at Aphrodite. She was gorgeous though she looked different from the last time I saw her(she had that ability to change her physical features). Her hair long and brown today fell down straight. And she had emerald green eyes and she was wearing a purple satin dress with matching high heels.
I tugged at my plain t shirt and messy curls. Why can't my hair look that soft and shiny? "And on your one year anniversary. How adorable. How have you celebrated?" she asked bring me out of my thoughts. "We ate blue pancakes." Percy said lamely. Aphrodite looked disappointed. "That's it?"
"Well I have something planned for later in the day." I responded defensively. "You do?" Percy asked turning to me. "Yeah, it's a surprise though." I say before he can ask. "Well I'm afraid you'll have to save that for another day." Aphrodite said pulling out a tube of lipstick from thin air. Literally. She began to apply it. "Why?" I asked slightly annoyed.
"Oh because I need you to do me a favor." Aphrodite said closing her hand around the tube of lipstick and when she opened her hand again it was gone. I ignored this. "What if we don't want to." I say matter of factly.
Aphrodite's eyes flickered red as fire. Her expression dangerous. "Oh you will do me this favor. Unless of course you would like a curse that would hinder you from ever being loved again. Or Percy falling in love with one of my daughters. You're choice." Aphrodite said evenly. I gulped again.
"Um, what favor do you need from us?" Percy asked for me. "Oh it's rather simple. All you have to do is travel to Maryland. There's a small city just north of Annapolis. There's a man that lives in a cottage on Peckleberry street. I left something there. It's important and I need it back."
"You want us to get it? What is it exactly?" Percy asked. "You don't need to worry about that right now. Just get there and you will know it when you see it." Aphrodite said smoothing out her skirt. "You're not going to tell us what it is?" Percy frowned. "No." Aphrodite said simply. "You expect us to retrieve this for you but you won't even tell us what it is?" I chimed back in.
"That's right." Aphrodite answered mischievously. I sighed. It's not like we had a choice, we were forced to do this for her. "When's our deadline?" I say. "Oh right, forgot about that." Aphrodite started. "Way to go, Annabeth." Percy grumbled. I elbowed him in the ribs forgetting momentarily that he's invincible. "Ow," I say as I rub my arm.
"No, it's not Annabeth's fault. The deadline is important. I need this by the full moon." Aphrodite said. "The full moon? That's tomorrow night." I blurt out. "Is it? Oopsies. I had no idea. You know I had meant to come by sooner and tell you so you would have more time but I forgot." Aphrodite says bashfully.
"Well thanks for the thought!" I remark sarcastically. "You're welcome," Aphrodite says nicely. I roll my eyes. "So tell me, why can't you do this?" I inquire harshly. "Annabeth," Percy warns placing a hand on my back.
Aphrodite ignores this exchange though. "I can't because that man is terribly in love with me. If I go back there he'll drone on and beg me to stay. I don't have the time for that so you'll just have to break in and steal it back for me." she explains.
"How are we going to get there?" I wonder out loud. "Drive or take a Pegasus. I really don't care." Aphrodite says feigning a yawn. "I wasn't asking you." I say balling my hands into fists. "Annabeth," Percy says my name again turning me toward him this time. "Just one second," Percy throws over his shoulder to Aphrodite before we turn our back towards her.
"What do we do?" I ask. "We could see if Blackjack is up for the trip. Or we could ask my dad for some underwater transportation." Percy suggested. I nodded "We better pack right now. We can meet at the stables as soon as we're done." I say. Percy agrees and we turn around to face Aphrodite.
"Ok, we're ready. We can do this." Percy tells her. "Great," Aphrodite exclaims. I scowl at her bubbliness. "I'll be here tomorrow after sundown to collect. But let's make it the big house instead of here." Aphrodite said looking around. "Sure thing," Percy smiles. He's so cute. He doesn't even have to try hard and he just looks so attractive. Sorry, distraction.
"Annabeth, one last thing darling. If you succeed I will grant you a wish. It has to be within my domain of course. Love, beauty." Aphrodite says. "Maybe something about that nose." Aphrodite says as an after thought pointing at my nose.
My jaw drops but before I can say anything Aphrodite begins to glow. She waves in farewell, we avert our eyes as she reveals her true divine form. A pink light flashes and she's gone. "Ugh, I really don't want to do this." I complain to Percy. "I know, I don't want to either. But it'll be over before we know it," Percy consoles placing his hands around my waist. "Alright," I say placing my hands around his neck.
He kissed me pulling me closer to him. I smile against his lips as I place one hand on the side of his face and the other I tangle in his hair. I groan after a minute before pulling away. "We have to go. We only have-" I glance at my watch reading the time. It was four in the afternoon. "-less than 28 hours."
"Ok," Percy says simply. We begin walking and he takes my hand as we walk through the woods to our cabins. "So what's this surprise..?" Percy asked. "It's a surprise Percy. I can't tell you. You'll just have to wait and see until we get back." I intone. Percy pouted momentarily but then his expression turned thoughtful.
"If we get back. I don't know about you, but I have a feeling there's something Aphrodite wasn't telling us." Percy says. I draw circles with my thumb over the back of his hand silently for a moment. "Oh, I know there's something she's not telling us." I say. "But don't worry. I'm sure it's nothing. This'll be a piece of cake." I say confidently. Percy agrees as we reach the cabins. He kisses me on the cheek before departing to his cabin as I head into mine.
Don't forget to review. Tell me what you think is going to happen next. What do you think Annabeth's surprise is? What's up with Aphrodite sending Percy and Annabeth to this man's house? What did Aphrodite leave at the man's house? Heads up next chapter will most likely be longer.