AUTHOR'S NOTE: A little gift for Percy's birthday (almost). I was too excited to wait a day haha xo

I'm really sorry for disappearing off the internet for so long! I've had a major writer's block, and I've been working on this fic for ages! If you want to know what I've been up to, be sure to follow me ( greenapplesarenotred) on Tumblr!

I generally don't do this, but I've got some things to discuss, ask for your opinions on, so I'd like for you guys to

PLEASE READ THIS!

Here's a bunch of things I have to talk about, and I would love your opinions on these suggestions/ questions.

1. First of all, I'd like to truly apologize for my absence. I've only just been reading through your reviews, and I want to be sure that all of you know how much they mean to me! I absolutely love when you have feedback, and it honestly makes my day when someone enjoys my work and lets me know. A huge shout-out to Escape4rmReality because of your constant reviews, honestly, dear, bless you. Another to sirwolowitz101, because your review on Say What You Gotta Say- I read it just today, I apologize- was the reason I got around to posting this piece of trash. Everyone else, I love you and I really do appreciate you guys. THANK YOU

2. This is a story I'm more or less done with. I've written out the whole thing, except I have to fix one plot hole, which is why I haven't posted it together. It's a multichapter fic, although I can't be sure how many chapters as yet. I just wanted to let you know!

3. I know I've asked for your opinions before, and I haven't seemed to deliver on them. I promise I'm working on it. I'm just not happy with the quality of my writing anymore, and I want to give you guys the best of my abilities!

4. UPDATES on my current stories! My spy AU, Where I'll Wake Tomorrow, is going to undergo a MAJOR change. I'm going to spend about a month mapping out a better version of the SAME story. I know I'm terrible at keeping up with you guys, but this is a promise! My previous fic, the one with Reyna- Just Like A Movie- I have an epilogue, but I just want to recheck it. It should be up some time this week!

Lastly, the Harry Potter AU- The blurb that I posted a while ago; Good news: I'm going to do it! Bad news: It's probably after I get some of the other long term stuff, like this fic and the spy AU, off my chest!

5. I'm still going to be posting a lot of my one shots. I have plenty WIPs. In fact, if you'd like, I can post about five of my WIPs some time this week and y'all can tell me which one you want me to work on first!

Please leave a comment on whether you like my new (reformed) plan of action, whether you'd like to do the vote and whether you enjoyed this fic!

You guys are my world xxx

Annie

PROLOGUE:

New York is bright and sunny on this particular morning. It's not very surprising- April is a good month. The streets are bustling with activity as on any Thursday.

Percy Jackson, a young man working in public relations for Lindsay Technologies, one of the leading companies in the country, is sat at a coffee shop, bored out of his mind as his best friend has a nervous breakdown. He should be at work right now, but he's never missed a single day, and had decided that he can spare her some time, and now regrets it thoroughly as she wails about whether or not to take a break from her ridiculously busy job at Urban Architectural Designs, LLC, to attend a friend's wedding all the way in Hawaii.

"I don't think I should go, though." Annabeth bites her lip. Percy shrugs.

"In my opinion, for what it's worth, I think it'll be pretty cool. What's so terrifying about meeting a couple of your friends from college, anyway?" Truth be told, he just wants her to take a break. She's been working herself to the ground the last few months, and because she's his best friend, he worries about her.

Annabeth opens her mouth before shutting it again, but Percy knows what she's thinking about- Luke Castellan, the guy she'd been in "love" with for years. He wants to roll his eyes at her. Love is a myth- The only thing that draws people to each other is pure sexual attraction. He'd been with girls before, but never let it get too serious. He'd hate to be stuck in that rut. The last time he'd thought he was in "love" was with his high school girlfriend that he'd been with for a whole two months before breaking up. He vaguely wonders what Calypso's been up to these days.

"Is your friend going to be attending? The pretty one? Red head?" He knows the answer because he's been texting Rachel, but asks anyway, trying to change the topic. Luke is always such a painful topic to speak with Annabeth about. He doesn't know who gets more stressed about it- Her, or him. The blonde scowls at him.

"Rachel? I assume so- She and Piper were pretty tight. Probably still are. Doesn't mean I'm going, and I'm definitely not taking you along." She tells him flatly.

"I can't believe you're turning down an opportunity to go to Tristan McLean's daughter's wedding, though." Percy wonders what it's like to be so famous. He would've voiced it, but it's a sore spot for Annabeth, whose own father was actual Swedish royalty and was, for some reason, treated as well here in the United States. Go figure.

"It's Jason's wedding, though- He's as good as family. I just- I don't know what to do." Annabeth whines, holding her head in her hands. Some of the others in the coffee shop look around to pass on a weird stare at her, but she pays them no attention.

Just then, the bell rings, signaling someone's entry. Percy peers over Annabeth's shoulder to look at the newcomers. He can't help himself- he's gotten over his ADHD as he grew older, but he's always found it impossible to ignore people who enter a room after him. He sees a petite woman with short auburn hair enter. She pauses, holding the door open, as if waiting for someone to join her.

The man who enters is somebody Percy recognizes almost instantly. Tall and well-built with a walk worthy of a model. Luke Castellan enters the small café looking like he just stepped out of a photoshoot, and even that, Percy thinks a little grudgingly, he makes look effortless.

"Um, Annabeth." Percy pokes her head, that's now on the table. She looks up at him miserably.

"What?"

"Luke's just walked in."

"Ha-ha. Very funny. Just cause I said I wouldn't go- I mean really I'm not an idi-" She argues, just like the idiot she truly is.

"Annabeth?" A voice calls from beside them. The two of them turn to face Luke, who's beaming at Annabeth. He's looking at her like she's his sun and moon, and it sickens Percy to the stomach. What amazes him more is that Annabeth never seems to notice, probably because of the moony eyes she gives him every time they meet. Like right now.

"L-Luke." She stutters, turning a bright shade of pink that Percy thinks makes her look pretty cute. Luke reaches out to her the same time she jerks to her feet, and after some awkward hand gestures, they settle into what seems like a really uncomfortable hug. Annabeth draws away first. "What are you doing here?"

"At a coffee shop? I don't know, Annabeth, but getting myself some coffee is sounding good right now." He says with a straight face, and Percy lets out a snort. For all her smarts, Annabeth sure knows how to make herself look like a complete dumbass in front of Luke. He must've been loud, because the blonde looks at him for the first time.

"Percy, my man! How've you been?" He claps Percy on the back just a little too hard for it to be friendly. Percy smiles through a scowl.

"Been good, Luke. And you?"

"Been great, man! Oh- I almost forgot. Uh, this is Audrey, my- er, fiancée." He slides his arm around the woman he came in with. She smiles softly, a dimple forming on her cheek. Something about the way she looks with his arm around her strikes Percy as odd. Like she's not comfortable being called his fiancée. "Audrey, this is Annabeth Chase. A friend from college, and Percy Jackson. A friend of Annabeth's. He's as good as a friend from college, too, because he spent literally every weekend with the bunch of us." He laughs goodnaturedly.

Percy likes Annabeth a lot. It's the reason they're friends. It's why he wishes there was a way for him to forget the way she looked when she shook Audrey's hand. Like she was trying to regain balance after the world had been pulled away from under her feet. He wants to reach out to her and tell her it's alright, but how can he? She'd been infatuated with Luke for years.

Love's a trap, he wants to tell her. And you're playing right into its hands.

"Oh, you're the Annabeth from college!" Audrey laughs. "I've heard so much about you. I think we'd get on great."

"You most definitely will." Luke agrees. "Oh, you'll have plenty of time to get to know each other, I'm sure. Are you going to be going down to Hawaii next month, Annabeth? I know Jason's like a brother to you."

"Uh-I, um. Yeah." Annabeth struggles for words so much, it embarrasses Percy.

"Great. Too bad you're coming alone; Hawaii's a pretty romantic." Luke shrugs, but Percy can swear there's something really smug behind his eyes. Annabeth must see it too, because she turns beet red.

"Actually," She says, clearing her throat. "I am bringing someone along. My boyfriend." She struggles with the last part. Percy wants to hit himself in the face. Anything is better than having to witness your best friend try to impress someone and then fail miserably. Luke's eyebrows are so high they could disappear into his hairline, and there's a flash of annoyance that's gone so fast, Percy isn't sure if he imagined it.

"Who?" He demands coldly, and Audrey places a slight hand on his shoulder. He relaxes his features, probably realizing he was halfway to creating a scene, but it had definitely given Annabeth some confidence, because she stands up straighter. She looks composed as she inches closer to Percy, who meets her eye, and realizes that, for the first time, Annabeth Chase has no plan.

And she's panicking.

Still, looking cool as a cucumber, she reaches out, slipping her hand in Percy's.

"Percy, of course!"

There's a stunned silence, and Percy isn't sure who's more in shock- Luke, him or Annabeth. The only person who seems oblivious to the tension is Audrey, who claps her hands together in delight.

"How wonderful! Oh, the two of you seem like you have great chemistry!" She gushes, and Percy clears his throat, unsure of what to say or do.

"Yeah." He says, knowing the second the word leaves his mouth that it's wrong. Annabeth's hand tightens slightly in his, warning him not to make things worse by trying to fix it. Luke makes a sound somewhere between a scoff and a snort.

"You two?" He points his finger between the two of them. He looks like he wants to object, but instead, asks, "When?"

"A year ago, isn't that right, babe?" Percy answers coolly, not trusting Annabeth to speak. She nods her head quickly. He pulls her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist. She feels limp, like she's not even trying to hold herself up. He doesn't dare look down at her. "It's nothing extraordinary, really- We've been friends for years now. It seems almost natural." He doesn't want to get into talking about their feelings. It's a downward spiral; Annabeth would never be able to lie that deeply to Luke, and Percy'd never be able to sound convincing.

"That's nice." Luke nods, voice tight. Beside him, Annabeth squeaks in agreement.

"It's pretty great. A girl like this one," He gives her a squeeze. "Doesn't come around too often." A flash of annoyance flashes in Luke's eyes, and Percy thinks it's unfair that he can wear anger and jealousy- Two of the most ugly emotions, in Percy's opinion- and still look so good.

"I'm sure. Well, look at the time. Audrey, we're late." She looks like she's about to complain- They did, after all, only just come in. But he holds her hand, tugging her out and giving her no time to argue. "We'll see you guys around, definitely in Hawaii." He raises his hand in farewell and Annabeth has the time to call out a high pitched "Bye!" Before the two of them leave the café.

There's a heavy silence hanging between them as Percy and Annabeth watch the couple turn on to and then disappear down the street. Percy feels Annabeth release a labored breath, and he looks down to meet her eyes. They're a bright grey with little storms brewing in them.

"What did I just agree to?" She mutters dumbly, and Percy has to admit, taking a day off of work for this seems worth it.

"Looks like we're going to Hawaii," He tells her before adding, "Babe."