Up To Something.

Percy POV

From the moment I arrived at camp I knew something was off. Every thing and every one was fine, but something felt… off. Oh well, I'd find out sooner or later.

I headed down to the arena after putting my bags away in my cabin. There I found Annabeth and Mrs. O'Leary playing Get the Greek with a mannequin made of hay. As soon as I stepped in Mrs. O'Leary stopped playing with Annabeth and bounded over to give me my yearly bath of dog saliva.

"I missed you, too, Mrs. O'Leary." I scratched the large hellhound under her chin.

"Aroooooof!"
"Percy."
I turned around from Mrs. O'Leary to my long time friend—more than friend—Annabeth Chase. She had on a blue V-neck, and white jean shorts. Her curly blond hair was in a loose ponytail and she looked like a goddess. Time slowed as she walked towards me. Gods, she'd been cute when we were twelve, but now that we're sixteen, she's downright beautiful.
"Hey, Seaweed Brain."

"Hey, Wise Girl."
Once we were standing face to face—and not an arena apart—she looked up at me with cloudy grey eyes. I'd grown taller in the past year, which I'm sure annoyed her. She hooked her arms around my neck and pulled me down so our lips were touching. My brain did what it usually did, turned to mush.

We pulled apart and I said something like:
"Uhhh."

"You've always had a way with words."

"Well I—"

"Anyways, Seaweed Brain, I've got things to do, people to see… So I'll catch you later!"

Annabeth pecked me on the cheek and sprinted out of the arena.

What? I was just ditched by my girlfriend.

I pouted and found Mrs. O'Leary's shield.
"Fine, I'll hang out with you, Mrs. O'Leary. You wouldn't ditch me, right?"

"Arf!"

"Good girl." I smiled as I threw her shield.

Annabeth POV

I jogged up to the pavilion where Frank, Hazel, Jason, Piper, and Leo were waiting.
"Is he here?" Frank asked.
"Yeah, he's with Mrs. O'Leary." I slowed down and caught my breath.

"Who's going to keep him busy while we prepare for the party?" Hazel asked.

"I was thinking Jason, Frank and Leo would."
The guys all nodded and walked off towards the arena.

"As for us, ladies…" I cracked a smile.

Percy POV

"Yo, Percy!" I heard Jason shout.

I looked up from scratching Mrs. O'Leary's belly with a tree branch to find my friends walking into the arena, minus our female counterparts. Fishier than Dad's palace…

"Hey, guys." I stood up and brushed off my pants.
"How are you?" Frank greeted as we fist bumped.
"I'm cool. What's going on?"
"Oh, nothing much. You know. Turning into animals and stuff. The usual."
"No, I mean, why aren't Jason and Piper attached at the hip?"

"Oh… Uh…" When Frank got nervous he stammered and occasionally turned into a mouse.

"Hey! Piper and I are our own people, Percy. We don't have to be near each other all the time." Jason stuck his tongue out.

"Hey, now, guys. Let's play nice so we don't totally destroy a camp this summer."
I chuckled at Leo's remark.

"Alright, I'll cool down. Which shouldn't be too hard because I'm the master of cool." I popped my nonexistent shirt collar.

"Lame, Jackson."
"Hush, Grace."

"Guys! Frank turned into a mouse!" Leo shouted at us.
Jason and I looked at a little brown field mouse chewing at Leo's shoe.

"Jeez, Frank. We were just messing around." Jason said.
"My bad, Frank."
Frank squeaked and turned back to his normal self.

"So now that everyone's calm and human—" Leo started,

Frank muttered something.

"Let's go do something amazing!" Leo suggested.

"Let's go to the pavilion—"

"No!" Frank cut me off.

"Uh…"
"What Frank meant to say, Percy, is how about we go to the climbing wall? You look like you let yourself go over the school year," Jason nudged my side and wiggled his eyebrows.

"You gotta keep in shape for Ms. Annabeth Chase."
I blushed and poked my abs. They were still there so I don't know what he was talking about, but a little work out couldn't hurt.
"Uh, sure, I guess."

We all headed over to the rock wall that was complete with lava and other perilous obstacles.

Annabeth POV

"Hold it steady, Piper!" I called.
Piper wasn't too happy about being voted to hold the ladder in place while I attached a banner to the pavilion. If Jason were here he'd just fly up there and boom, we'd be having blue cake, but alas, some things have to be done the hard way.

"Ugh, Annabeth. You're stronger than me, why didn't you hold the ladder while I climbed up?"
"I'm taller than you, Piper. Don't worry, I'm almost done."

Hazel giggled and set the Poseidon table with blue cups, plates, and napkins.

"Done!" I proclaimed. I climbed down the ladder and heard Piper exhale.
"Hey! I'm not that heavy." I pouted.

Piper turned red.

"Oh, no! The ladder itself—Not you—I just—Oh gods."

I laughed.

"I'm teasing you."
Just then Piper and I saw a tiny ruby pop up from the ground. Which only happened when Hazel was nervous or scared.
"Uh, ladies… We have incoming company." Hazel sounded nervous to the maximum.

I turned to where she was staring and saw the guys walking from the climbing wall towards us, Jason and Percy even had some still smoking holes in their shirts.

"I'll go and change their direction!" shouted Piper.

She ran down the hill towards the boys and ran straight into Jason, while still managing to clothesline the two boys nearest him: Percy and Leo. Percy fell right into a puddle of mud. How Piper, Jason and Leo managed to avoid that mud puddle, only the gods will know. Frank turned towards us with wide eyes and Hazel mouthed,

"Not yet!"

Frank nodded and picked up Percy from the fallen pile and dragged him towards the cabins. Probably saying something like:

"Look how dirty and sweaty you are! Your shirt is steaming with lava! You need a shower, bro! Let me help you back to your cabin!"

Frank saves the day.

"Uh, okay but wa—"

Percy was cut off Frank throwing him over his shoulder and sprinting towards the cabins.

I stared after the two wondering where Frank got his strength.
"Well, now that that's taken care of… Let's get back to work!"
Hazel nodded and we began to work again as Piper helped up Jason and Leo.

Percy POV

"Frank, pardon my French—" I started.

"Is that a Canadian joke?" Frank interrupted.

"But what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get you cleaned up, buddy."

"Why?"
"Well, you don't want to walk around camp like a mudsicle, do you?"

"Not really but—"

"There we go, then!"
Frank gave me a lopsided smile and dropped me at the door of my cabin.
"Don't leave until you're cleaned up, Perc!"

He shoved me in my cabin and slammed the door shut. Guess I better take a shower or the big guy might transform into a bear or something… With a heavy sigh I walked into my bathroom with a change of clothes and turned on the shower. Whatever they're planning better be worth this second shower today…

Annabeth POV

I saw Frank walking back towards the pavilion Percy-less, and went into immediate panic mode. When Frank finally reached us Hazel and Piper sat him down next to our other victims—I mean—Leo and Jason. I walked in front of the trio of boys and stared them down.
"Where's Percy?" I questioned.

"He's in his cabin taking a shower. He should be done in a few minutes." Frank answered.

My hand unconsciously came up to twirl a strand of my hair.

"We should be done with preparations then if we all pitch in…"

I chewed my bottom lip and glanced over the pavilion and our group of seven minus one.

"Okay every one… Here's what we're going to do…"

Percy POV

I stepped out of the shower and quickly got dressed. Don't ask me how showers worked for me because, honestly, it's complicated, but enough about that. I have to find Annabeth; she'll know what's going on.

I stepped out of my cabin and into the hot summer air, and headed towards the pavilion. Something in my gut told me to go their first. And once you've been a demigod this long, you learn to listen to your gut. Just as the pavilion was about to come into my view, I saw Annabeth running down to meet me.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain." She pecked me on the lips.

"Hi. What's going on?"
She blinked and tilted her head to the side.

"Whatever do you mean, Percy? Nothing is going on."
"Don't play blonde with me, Annabeth. You and I both know you can solve advanced algorithms in your sleep."

She giggled and grabbed my hand.
"Follow me."
"Do I have a choice?"
"Not at all."

"Didn't think so."

I let Annabeth pull me forward, and stared at her back.

"Annabeth, you know today is—"

"Look, Percy! We're almost to the pavilion."

I frowned slightly and continued to be dragged. Once we reached the pavilion: Frank, Leo, Hazel, Jason, and Piper shouted in greeting:

"Happy Birthday, Percy!"

I blinked in surprise.
"Woah."

Annabeth turned around and pecked me on the lips again.
"Happy birthday, Seaweed Brain."

"Thanks everyone."

I felt my face stretch into the biggest grin I've had in a while.
And then Frank initiated a group hug.

"Come here, guys!"

He herded Leo and Hazel and grabbed Piper and Jason with his fingers and walked them towards Annabeth and I.
Frank hugs pretty tight.

"I love you guys!"

We all chorused a 'we love you, too, Frank. Now let go because our lungs are collapsing'. Or at least that's what I said.

"Let us begin the feast of blue foods!" Leo pumped his fist in the air and ran over to the deliciously blue cake and carefully lit the candles.

"Make a wish, Percy." Hazel said to me. I smiled and blew out the candles.

I wish to stay like this forever.

Every one cheered, and luckily my friends knew about my fear of not knowing what to do when people sung happy birthday to me because they didn't break out into song. Piper cut the cake, and Jason helped pass it around.

Annabeth kissed my cheek and once more, and I thought about how I wanted this day, these few hours, this moment to last for a lifetime.