Annabeth swung on the rusted metal swings in front of the pond while waiting for Piper. Cars and bicycles cruised by on the road next to the small park. On the other side was a small hotel that she was staying at for her stay at the beach, and she was waiting for Piper to run up the street from her beach house so that they could go out for the evening and possibly meet up with Reyna. She took a deep breath through her nose and sighed, the scent of salt air combined with the smell of a pond was strange, but one that she associated with summer. The swings creaked and groaned every time she swung up, and her feet hit the branches of the tree that hung in front of her.
"Hey!" A voice called. Annabeth started to slow her swinging as Piper came around the swing set. Her hair was still wet from her shower after they got back from the beach. "My dad took forever in the shower!" She said in between breaths.
Annabeth grinned "Did you run here?" she asked.
"No, I walked here." Piper said while rolling her eyes. "Are you ready to go?"
"What does it mean to be 'ready'?" Annabeth asked while getting of of the swings.
"Now is not the time for extensional questions, Annabeth. There's a really cute necklace I want to get tonight."
The sun was starting to set as they made their way into the town's center. The air smelled like salt, malt vinegar and smoke. The sidewalk was uneven, and on their right side were benches for people to sit on. People drove up and down the avenue at impossibly slow paces because of how busy it was, and were constantly honking at each other. Annabeth and Piper made their way up the main avenue, bumping into people constantly since there were so many.
"I believe that this place is the epitome of what they call 'light pollution'." said Piper as they continued to walk. "You know? Like how could you have those moments where you see the stars at the beach when there are so many lights around?"
"I mean, the sun hasn't completely set yet, but yeah, it's practically impossible to see the night sky from where we are." responded Annabeth. She began to pull her curly hair into a bun and sighed at the temperature change.
"I told you. You need to let the skin there breath, and you never wear your hair up." Piper said while elbowing Annabeth.
"Whatever." "Also since we are on the subject of the night sky…"
"No we weren't" Piper said.
"We were before you said something irrelevant." Annabeth said. "I want to buy this mug that has stars on it, and when you pour in it, the constellations show up. It's really cool, and it's sold at Pop's."
"Oh cool, that's right by the store that I want to go to also."
"There's a jewelry store over there?" Annabeth asked.
"Yeah, it's really cute, we should go there after Pop's."
The girls walked up to pops, a small store on the avenue that had a old red sign that read "Pop's Popin' culture shop" There was an old red eve the hung over the building and the door was the same shade of red, which always reminded Annabeth of the fire trucks that her brothers used to play with. The actual entrance to the store was about the size of a closet door, and they walked in one behind the other.
The inside of Pop's looked like it belonged in the 60's and not in the 21st century, contrary to it's name. Checkered floors, a jukebox, records, antique comics, Pop's even had old tin cans and cups from the time period. It really was a blast from the past in there. It smelled like candy and paper, and there was always classic rock playing over the speakers, courtesy of one of the workers pulling out some record. The records were all on white shelves on the left side of the store, while the mugs, keychains and other trinkets that they had were on the shelves on the right side by where the girls were standing. Even the lighting made place look "old" in Piper's words.
"Is this the cup that you're looking for?" Piper asked, while holding up a black box with stars on it.
"Yes!" Annabeth said while reaching out to grab it. "Isn't it beautiful? And look! They have so many mugs too."
"So why do you want this one specifically?" Piper asked.
"I'm not sure. I mean, my mom would tell me stories about them when I was a kid, so maybe that's why." Annabeth said. "But Piper, it's so pretty!" she exclaimed.
"Are you talking about our transition mugs?" A voice asked from further in the store. Annabeth and Piper turned around and saw someone who was presumably a worker standing at the edge of one of the aisles, holding a stack of comics. He was tall, with black hair that made it look as though he had ran from off the beach and into work, and taken part of the sea with him because his eyes were a sea green. He had tanned skin, not like the lifeguards who have tanning competitions, but definitely noticeable. He wore a blue t-shirt and black shorts, with beat up converse hi-tops.
"Yeah, my friends obsessed with the constellation one." Piper said.
"Well, not obsessed…" Annabeth began.
"Annabeth, don't lie to the man."
"My name is Percy?" he added in, the end of his sentence going up like a question.
"Ok, so yes, I really like them. However, they are really expensive, and this makes me pretty sad." She said while looking at Percy.
"I mean, they change what they look like when you pour water in them. But yeah, they are really expensive. Sorry?" He said while laughing slightly.
"It's fine" Annabeth said while laughing a little too. Percy walked over closer to them and bent to so he could begin to put the comic books he was holding on the lowest shelf.
"So, is there anything else that you're looking for?" he asked.
"A solution to this cup problem. She's been having a serious crisis about this." Piper said.
"Piper no one asked." Annabeth said. Percy and Piper laughed.
"Well, I can't change the price. It's $13. Do you have enough for it?"
"Um, yeah, I just… don't want to spend that much money on a cup."
"But it's cute." Piper said. "And so is he." She said while whispering into his ear.
"Oh my god." Annabeth said while covering her face.
"What is it?" Percy said while standing up from the lower shelf.
"Nothing!" They both said at the same time.
"Okay?" Percy said while giving them a questioning look. "Well if you need anything, I'll be over by the register."
They watched him walk away and when he was back at the register reading a comic book, they both burst out into a fit of giggles.
"Piper!" Annabeth said. "I can't believe you said that in front of him!" Annabeth whined.
"It's not like he heard." She said while rolling her eyes. "So, are you going to get the cup or not?"
Annabeth looked at the cup, and sighed, it was just really, really cool. And really, really expensive.
"No, not tonight. But I will before we will leave." She declared as she put it down.
"Are you sure?"
"Don't ask that." Annabeth said while closing her eyes tightly. "Let's go to the store that you wanted to go to now."
"Whatever you say." Piper said while shrugging. They walked out the small door, Annabeth first, and Piper noticed that Percy was watching them leave the store. She shrugged it off and walked through the doorframe and back out into the nightlife.