Author's note-

So this is Percy's birthday present from me...

I hope you enjoy, and please review.

-SOS

"Annabeth, I have the biggest problem ever!"

Rachel Dare, Annabeth Chase's best friend, rushed into the library. She was panting, and her eyes darted wildly around the room, searching for her friend.

"Shh!" came the reply. After all, it was a library.

"Annabeth?" Rachel's voice was much softer. "I need your help."

Annabeth looked up from her book of building designs and sighed.

"What do you need now, Rachel?"

Rachel pushed Annabeth's book aside and closed it. She shoved a piece of paper and a pencil in front of Annabeth's face.

"You need to draw Percy the Empire Stare Building. His birthday is tomorrow and I have nothing to give him!" Rachel explained.

"Why cant you just draw something?" Annabeth asked. "You're a good artist"

"I'm only good with drawing people. You're the architect. You can do it, right? For me?" Rachel pleaded.

"But Rachel, he barely knows you! How will he know it's from you? He'll think its from his friend Piper or something..." Annabeth tried one last time to convince her friend it was a bad idea.

"It doesn't matter," Rachel said. "Just draw the picture."

Annabeth reluctantly took the paper home but spent the whole evening working diligently on the ppicture. When she was done, she signed it and walked over to Rachel's apartment to give it to her.

The next day, she walked right past Percy's locker, pretending not to notice as the popular boy was surrounded by his fans who wanted to see the present from "his secret admirer." Instead, she headed straight to her first period class, which was art.

Not surprisingly, she was the first one there.

"Let me see some of your drawings, sweetheart." Her art teacher, Mrs. Kerr, loved Annabeth's drawings and loved to gush about them to her fellow teachers.

Annabeth laid out her latest drawings, of the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower, on the table. Before Mrs. Kerr had the chance to even speak, a person burst into the room.

Annabeth was surprised, because no one ever came to art early, but even more surprised when she saw who the person was.

It was Percy Jackson.

"Thanks for the birthday present, Chase." He grinned and sat next to Annabeth.

"It wasn't...I didn't give any present to you!" Annabeth felt her face heating up, because a crowd of Percy's fans had gathered outside the door and were watching the scene play out.

"Oh really? Then why is this drawing signed by you?" Percy smirked.

Annabeth's heart sank. She had signed the picture. She had signed the picture that wasn't supposed to be from her, it was supposed to be from Rachel, and now Annabeth had ruined all of Rachel's chances of being with Percy, ever.

Despite all Annabeth's brain telling her not to, a tear slipped down her cheek.

Fortunately, no one saw but Percy. Unfortunately, Percy saw.

He hugged her lightly.

"Hey, it's okay," he whispered. "Lots of girls have a crush on me."

"I don't have a crush on you!" Annabeth almost yelled. "The picture wasn't supposed to be from me, it was supposed to be from my friend! Happy birthday anyway, Percy, but I think I'm better off without you."

And with that, she ran out of the classroom.

Annabeth ran for what seemed like miles before collapsing against a locker. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, then realized something.

The locker she was leaning against was Percy's locker.

She quickly stood up, hoping nobody saw. Then she noticed Rachel walking down the hallway.

Rachel waved to Annabeth, who didn't wave back. Usually she did, so Rachel was worried. She ran down the hall to Annabeth.

"Hey, Annie!" Rachel said brightly. "Did you see Percy yet today? I think he really liked the picture!"

Annabeth burst into tears. In between sobs, she was able to tell Rachel what had happened.

Rachel hugged Annabeth.

"It's okay, I knew he didn't like me anyway," she said. "But hey, look on the bright side! Percy Jackson, the most popular boy at the whole school, likes you!"

Annabeth almost groaned. How was she going to fix this mess?

At lunch, she walked to the library to skip eating and read a book. But before she could sit down, a familiar face appeared in front of her.

"Hey, Annabeth!" Percy whispered, since they were in a library. "Do you want to come look at books with me?"

Now, that was what Annabeth would like. A date with a cute guy looking at books. Then she realized Percy was still standing in front of her, so she smiled nervously.

"I guess so," she replied reluctantly.

"Great!" Percy led her to the very back of the library.

"This is my favorite part of the entire school!" Annabeth said enthusiastically, looking at all the mythology books. "My favorite is Greek mythology."

"Mine too!" Percy exclaimed softly. "When I was younger, I used to pretend Poseidon was my dad, since I didn't have one."

Annabeth laughed. "I used to think Athena was watching over me, giving me good grades!"

"Maybe that's why you're such a Wise Girl," Percy responded, grinning.

"Why thank you," Annabeth answered regally. "Maybe that's why you're such a Seaweed Brain!"

Suddenly, the bell rang, startling them both.

"Bye, see you later," Annabeth said, gathering up her books. Percy waved and walked away.

Well, I guess he's kind of cute, Annabeth thought as she walked to her next class.

The rest of the day, Annabeth didn't see Percy. She looked in the halls, in the classrooms, and even by his locker.

He was nowhere to be found.

After school, Annabeth quickly completed all her homework in the school library before going home.

Bobby and Matthew were in the process of begging their mom to go to McDonalds.

When Annabeth's stepmom gave in, the two boys cheered.

Annabeth sighed and put on her old jeans to go to the fast-food restaurant.

When they got there, Annabeth was the first to notice Percy in the corner.

She couldn't go over and say hello, because her stepmom had instructed her to play with Bobby and Matthew before they ordered.

Annabeth stood lamely at the bottom of the slide, watching her step-brothers play.

Suddenly, she felt an arm around her shoulder. It was Percy.

"Hi, Annabeth," he said. "Come meet my mom."

Annabeth followed him over to the table where he had been sitting, where a pretty but tired-looking woman with brown hair and multicolored eyes sat.

"Annabeth, this is my mom. Mom, this is Annabeth."

Annabeth smiled and shook his mother's hand.

"So, Percy, why are you here?" Annabeth asked casually.

"Oh, we came here for my birthday dinner," Percy grinned, looking at his mom.

"Cool. Happy birthday, I forgot to actually tell you," Annabeth replied.

"Thanks," Percy responded. "Come with me."

They walked outside the restaurant, where they sat on a bench.

"Annabeth-" Percy tried to say, but he was cut off.

She kissed him on the cheek.

"That was your birthday present," she whispered, then ran back inside.

The next time Percy saw her, she refused to talk to him.

She didn't talk to him until the next year, on his birthday, which was when she kissed him again and told the entire school they were officially together.

Sometimes Percy wondered what had happened to her friend, the one with the red hair.

But he was content with the artist he had.