Alex hated her mother for making her go on a "date" with Percy Jackson. She hated that kid. "Oh, I've saved all of Brooklyn and some powerful gods, I'm all that!" is how she translated Percy in her mind. He just pissed her off. She still had dressed up, though. She couldn't look badly for anyone - even Percy Jackson.

Percy was only slightly nervous as he walked to the coffee shop where he and Alex were supposed to be meeting at. His mother thought he should get back into the dating game since he and Annabeth broke up, so she set him up with her friend's daughter. It was odd, and by what he heard, Alex hated him. He had a small thinking that this day wouldn't be good.

Percy was still at the coffee shop when Alex arrived, 15 minutes late. He smiled at her as the walked in, to which she had just rolled her eyes to.

"Hey," Percy greeted. He held out his hand to shake. When Alex showed no movement of returning the gesture, he put his hand down. "I'm Percy."

Alex just rolled her eyes at him again. "Whatever. Let's just get this date over with."

Percy nodded. He walked out of the coffee shop, making sure Alex was by his side. "You know the feeling's not mutual?"

Alex looked at Percy oddly. "Like I care. What are we gonna do?"

"Well," Percy started, "I didn't really know what you liked to do, so I was just thinking we'd go to ArtWalk."

ArtWalk: The first weekend of every month, there was one block of Brooklyn dedicated to, what would you know, all kinds of art. Alex had gotten in the program multiple times, and always went to the event. (It was also a why she didn't want to go on the date, since she'd be missing it.)

Alex raised an eyebrow. "You, Percy Jackson, go to ArtWalk?"

Percy laughed, "I always try to find the chance to."

Alex smiled, ever so slightly. The night was looking a bit better. "Alright, let's go."

On their way there, Alex and Percy had already done four pranks, and counting, on people. Alex made a hot dog float in the air, Percy splashed a jerky man with water. Alex made a person act like a monkey while Percy made a bunch of bubbles come out of someone's mouth. Alex tried, and failed, to show that this was the worst night of her life. It was sad since they hadn't even reached their date destination yet.

Percy looked at Alex. "I hope I'm not killing you with my presence."

Alex smirked, "Well, it's only been 20 minutes, usually I can handle 30."

"At least we get to look at art for ten minutes," Percy replied, smirking back.

Alex just responded with a light punch to the shoulder. "Oh! Let's start with photography." Alex dragged Percy over to the one store that was showing the camerawork.

Percy nodded, following along. They went into the store and the pair greeted the cashier. There were pictures on the walls and in the windows. The first one was the classic close up of a flower.

Alex and Percy said at the same time, without meaning to, "Those have become such a cliche."

Alex stared and laughed. "That was a little weird."

"Just a little," Percy laughed along. They looked at the picture a few ones over, which was a stop sign with neon lines around it.

Percy squinted. "Is that an actual picture?"

Alex nodded and pointed. "They probably took it from a moving car behind a window with the flash on or something, and changed the lines with Photoshop. I've done it before, it's really hard to get a good picture."

"Nice," Percy said. He and Alex looped around the store, making a few comments here and there.

They left the store, and Alex was making her way to the paintings. Percy asked, "I take it you're an artist?"

Alex scoffed, "More like aspiring to be. I mean, I've been in ArtWalk a few times but I doubt I'll make it big."

"What?" Percy said. "Alex, I know you're gonna make it big."

Alex gave Percy a sharp look. "Why do you think that, sea stoner?"

"You've got the edge that all artists need, and I can tell you won't give up. In my," Percy checked his watch, "40 minutes with you, I can bet that you'll make it as an artist."

Alex turned her head, thankful that it was getting dark so that Percy couldn't see her blush. "Thanks," she said simply.

"And sea stoner? Really?" Percy asked, laughing.

Alex laughed with him. "Yes, really. There's the shop," she said, bringing Percy into a store with various paintings in it.

There were mimics, paint splatters, spirals, and different scenes of things. At the very back of the store was the self-portraits. The two looked around, commenting on the ones they did and didn't like. They came to one where they couldn't agree: it was a painting of a hand reaching for a telephone, that was it. They got in a childlike discussion about it:

Alex: "This painting is so dumb."
Percy: "No, it isn't. The dark background is supposed to make it seem mysterious. It's supposed to be like a scary movie scene."
Alex: "There is nothing scary about a phone, you penis neck!"
Percy: "I know you are, but what am I?"
Alex: "Sea stoner!"
Percy: "Witch!"

A staff member walked up to Alex and Percy. "If you two can't be more calm, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Percy and Alex glanced at each other, then back at the worker. "We're fine." "Completely under control."

The worker nodded at them, then walked off.

Alex and Percy looked at each other and laughed. "I'm sorry," Percy said. "You're right. It's a stupid painting of a random phone."

"I'm always right," Alex answered, giggling. They went down the aisles and into the self portrait section. Alex stopped at the sign that said "SELF-PORTRAITS" while Percy went on.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked from the other side of the sign.

Alex shook her head. "Nothing!"

"Then come over here," Percy gave a small laugh.

Alex bit her lip. "I'd rather not."

"Why?" Percy asked, confused.

"I'll meet up with you later, okay?" Alex suggested, backing off.

"Hey, hey!" Percy followed Alex as she left the store, grabbing her hand to stop her. "Do you really hate me that much? It's been over a hour, you're free to go home if that's what you want."

"No.." Alex said. "I'm actually.. Enjoying myself. I told myself I shouldn't have any fun on this date, but that got broken once you mentioned ArtWalk and sprayed that guy with dirty lake water." She laughed. "I just don't like self portraits."

"Why?" Percy questioned. "They're not gonna come out and attack you or anything. Well, not unless you put a spell on them or something."

Alex rolled her eyes with a small smile. "Lets just go somewhere else, okay?"

"Alright..." Percy looked around for something to do. "Would you like.." he turned back to Alex and raised an eyebrow. "A sno-cone?"

Alex burst out laughing. "I would love a sno-cone."

Percy smiled and they walked over to the vendor. Only when Percy paid was when they realized they had been holding hands the entire time. Embarrassed, they dropped their hands, pretending to be busying with something else.

As Percy was paying, Alex noticed a stack of crowns on the vendor's cart. She took one and put it on her head. Percy and the vendor laughed.

"Thank you," Percy said, walking off with Alex and two sno-cones.

The two walked in silence, slowly eating their flavored ice.

"So, you're a princess?" Percy asked Alex. Without realizing it, they had started walking in the direction of Alex's house.

"Hell yes, I am!" Alex took a bit of her sno-cone. "I can't believe I actually had fun."

Percy smiled. "What made you hate me so much?" he asked inbetween chewing ice.

Alex shrugged. "I guess I was just jealous. I always thought, wizards are awesome, wizards are the best legend ever, then I learned that demigods are walking around being awesome, too. I don't know, it's weird."

They arrived in front of the sandwich shop. "Well," Percy said, "this is your stop."

Alex smiled. "Thank you for the wonderful night."

"Would the princess care to give the peasant her phone number?" Percy asked.

Alex got out her wand and turned it into a pen. She wrote it on Percy's hand. She went to the sandwich shop and waved.

"This means another date, right?" Percy asked.

Alex laughed and said, "We'll see," before she ducked into the restaurant.