if you're one of my readers looking for that heart break warfare update i promised- this is not it. obviously. sorry. I'm hoping to get that out by the end of the week.

i listened to heart it races by dr. dog while writing. feel free to check it out, and leave reviews below! enjoy!

Annabeth was pretty sure she was having a pretty sucky night before the idiot somewhere in the hall started playing his guitar and screeching at the top of his lungs. And it was only three in the morning.

Her volleyball coach had found out last minute that the hotel room she booked could only accommodate five girls- thus leaving one to be kicked to the motel down the street till morning. Reyna had originally offered to be the one to leave, but the rest of the team knew well enough of the girl's cleaning frequencies to know that she wouldn't last the night. And that was how Annabeth Chase, a very nice girl of twenty, was staying the night in a two star motel. Two.

"AND IIIIIIIIIIIIIII-EIIIIIIIII-" An unexpected silence interrupted the screeching, for one moment, two moments… Annabeth raised her head at the sudden pause. Was the guy finished?

"WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOUUUUUUUUU."

Annabeth groaned, sitting up completely in bed. She slipped on the socks next to her bed, clipped on a bra, and trudged, frowning to the door. She flung it open, startling the singer right in the middle of his high note. Good.

"You. What the hell are you doing?" She crossed her arms, glaring at the figure sitting beside her door. He was a teenager, maybe younger, with a scraggly goatee and baseball cap sitting on his long head. In his lap sat a small guitar, scratched with age.

He looked up, wide eyed. "Juniper?"

"What? No. Can I ask you to go back to your room?"

The guy didn't seem to hear her. "Juniper! I'll always love you Juniper!" Annabeth clamped her hands over her ears. The guy was obviously drunk, and screaming like some kind of animal for something green. Or was Juniper someone's name?

"Look, it's 3am, I will call the lobby-"

"Grover!"

Annabeth turned around at the voice, eyes narrowing. More people. Fantastic.

Another boy, much taller, was heading their way down the hallway. When he took in Annabeth standing next to the Grover kid, a slight panic flashed over his face. He began walking faster.

He had a slight tan, clumps of straight black hair falling over his head. He reached just above Annabeth, long legs and gently muscled arms- but he looked all too gullible in his cookie monster pjs to actually intimidate her. Actually, his unimpressive appearance overall just got her more done- why was he sleeping while his friend had been out howling for nearly half an hour?

Annabeth crossed her arms again, not at all self conscious of the fact that she was in owl pajamas and hadn't combed her hair in nearly sixteen hours, and began to hiss at the stranger. "Is this your friend?"

"Haha, yes, actually"- he coughed nervously, "He is. Grover, Grover get up."

"Percy- Is Juniper back yet?"

"Um, yeah buddy, sure, she is-"

"Percy!" The Grover kid pulled his friend down to his level, nose to nose. He was silent for a moment, then- "Take me to Juniper." he whispered, like it was a secret.

Annabeth brought a hand to her face, sighing. This was officially the worst thing to be doing the morning before a competition. "Could you hurry up? It's. 3. In. The morning."

The guy named Percy flashed her a quick grin. "I am aware of that. Really sorry about him, his girlfriend just dumped him and he's a total lightweight."

Annabeth pursed her lips. "Really."

"Hey, man, c'mon." Percy tugged on Grover's arm, pulling him up a few inches off the ground before dropping him again. "Why-" he grunted in effort, "What've you been eating man," he hissed, pulling with all his strength now. Regardless he couldn't get him fully off the ground before sinking again.

"Oh, my gods," Annabeth said to no one but herself. She looked to the ceiling, as if praying for something, before making a really sleep-deprived-induced choice. She helped the random stranger.

Kneeling down on Percy's other side, she hefted arm around Grover's shoulders, lifting him. Percy's shock quickly melted into another grin. "Thanks."

With their combined strength the two half dragged/half carried Grover (who was way too heavy to be true for someone so small) back down the hall. Annabeth would've been fine doing it in silence and making her way back quickly, but Percy had different ideas.

"So um, what was your name?"

"Annabeth," she gave in. "Annabeth Chase."

"Percy, Percy Jackson," Percy smiled. "Are you from around here?"

Annabeth shook her head. "No, I'm from California. My volleyball team was invited to play at this local college-"

"Half-Blood University?"

"Yeah. That." They rounded a corner. The motel smelled like dead dust bunnies, if that was even possible.

"No way! I go there."

"Really?"

"Yeah, sophomore. Me and Grover, that is."

"That's me!" Percy and Annabeth were startled by the guy's sudden outburst, pausing when the guy shot up a few inches and back into their grip, but he went silent once more.

Percy laughed. He had a pleasant laugh, Annabeth decided. "I'm really hoping you're not gonna judge him based on this. He really is, you know, mentally stable."

"That'll be good to know for future reference." Annabeth let mouth twitch up into a smile. He laughed again.

Percy slowed down at the end of the hall, rummaging through his pocket for a room key. "This is us." he told her, stopping at the last door. He slid the key in and pushed open the heavy door.

"We're hoooooommeee." Grover drawled, lifting himself from their support. The sober two watched as he stumbled into the motel room, leaning against the wall before disappearing inside.

"So." Percy stuffed his hands into his project, looking to Annabeth. "It was you know, um-"

"Nice to meet you? Yeah, you too."

Percy grinned. "I'll see you around, Miss Chase."

"And you, Mr. Jackson," Annabeth returned, unable to help herself. The guy was just so… friendly. She waved a quick goodbye before turning and heading back to her room. It was past 3am, but Annabeth Chase wasn't tired anymore. Her head was, oddly, occupied with something else.

When she reached her door, she noticed the scruffy looking guitar still lying next to it. Without a moment of hesitation, she scooped it up on her way inside. She was gonna see this guy again.