We walked in the gym, hand in hand and I felt people's eyes on me. Then Percy asked me to dance and I said sure, even though I secretly was thinking YES.

He smiled and we went onto the dance area. I tried to avoid his luring stare, and his strong arms wrapped around me, and instead turned my attention to the gym.

There were yellow and white balloons strung through almost everything, the table, the chairs and the walls, and it looked really nice. I kept pretending to be staring interestingly at the magnificent wood chairs, I mean they were just so great, when Percy gently pulled my chin towards his face and whispered against my forehead, "I like this dance. What about you Wise Girl?"

I held back a shiver.

"Yeah, but I-uh-think I should go find Luke, I mean he was the one who I came here with in the first place..." And since his lips were near my forehead, my eyes were around his jaw area, so I saw it tighten and release, tighten and release, until he finally said,

"I think that's a great idea,"

And this time I didn't even try to hold back my shiver as I turned away to go find Luke.

I went searching and really I was only half in it because my mind was spinning with thoughts of my best friend. Lately it had been really awkward, I think it's because Percy has this girl named Rachel who I think he likes a lot, I mean he already kissed her.

Even though I was Percy's first kiss, she kissed him too.

I remembered the story clearly.

It was a beautiful day in July and Percy and I had just come back from the pool. I was in a really good mood so I let Percy drag me to get ice cream.

He was across the street, he had run ahead of me to get to the ice cream truck.

"Annabeth! Come here I want to get ice cream," Percy screamed at me. I chuckled at his immature behavior and I went to cross the street. I looked up just as I was about to cross to see Percy scream with his eyes wide open. I was so startled that I said "Percy? Is there something wrong?"

And instead of him responding I saw him sprinting right towards me, screaming his head off.

He tackled me and out of the corner of my eye that wasn't being obscured by Percy's body tackling me, I saw a car pass right where I had been two seconds ago.

Time seemed to slow down. I turned my attention back to Percy and he looked so cute right now I swear.

His eyes had a scared and afraid look like he had almost died, or worse, I had almost died, which actually did happen.

His hair was touseled and handsome, but for some reason right now it looked so much better now that I was so much closer to him.

I put my hands through his hair, and without thinking, I thanked him.

By pressing my lips to his.

I don't know what I was thinking but I was so grateful for what he had just done for me, for what he would do for me a thousand times and his lips were soft.

It was kind of like kissing a stress ball, but his lips tasted like vanilla ice cream, so I didn't object.

Percy was the first to pull away, a wild look in his sea green eyes.

"What was tha-"

But I cut him off again with a huge hug.
"Thank you Seaweed Brain,"

My seaweed brain, I thought to myself.

I didn't even realize I had stumbled into a room while I was reminiscing the old days. I heard some shuffling around and something drop, and naturally I was curious, so I peeked inside the room a little further.

And I gasped. Luke was on the bed, with Rachel on top of him and they were kissing. I stumbled out and they didn't hear me, luckily, but I had tears in my eyes so I started running. I was running to my home. to the person I would love no matter what, someone who would be loyal to me always, who I just NEEDED so deeply in my state right now, and it was like my eyes had finally been opened.

I was almost angry at myself for waiting for this "issue" to happen before I realized how I just needed comfort, for my someone to forgive me for everything, I didn't realize that I needed him this much before. I wanted him so badly, it hurt my heart a little bit. Of course, if you didn't realize it yet, naturally I ran to Percy. It turns out that I was crying. I didn't even realize it at first, but then I felt wet tears running down my face. I felt myself gasp, but it was like I was a stranger in my own body.

I just couldn't believe that just happened, and I gasped and gasped. I replayed it in my head, even though I didn't want to. I found Percy at the punch table and before I was even in five feet radius, his back straightened and he spun around. He saw me and his punch cup dropped out of his hands, his eyes looking like they did on the day he saw me almost get hit by a car. Now thinking back on it, I might have looked like I did get hit by a car.

My dress was torn from running, and my hair was in soggy ringlets down my neck. I'm sure my mascara was running down my cheeks too, but I didn't care. I was limping and stumbling as if I really did, actually, get hit by a car. I stopped as soon as he saw me and just stared at him, the tears falling, and it was like we were the only two people in the world. He was staring intently at me, concern running deep in his face, and I was staring at him, my tears falling and falling. I ran to him sobbing, and he grabbed me, firmly, but gently at the same time, and he looked at me, me in his arms, so fragile. I hated him seeing me like this. I was supposed to be the strong Annabeth Chase. He took me and held me, not even asking why I was crying, but I didn't want that.

I crashed my lips to his and he was startled. He didn't kiss back. His lips tasted like strawberry, and something salty, which I think was my tears. He pulled away and I started crying harder. He didn't like me the way I liked...no loved him. He stared at me in shock. All thoughts that had been about Percy liking me were wrong. Just then Percy picked me up bridal style, and carried me outside. We sat on the bench outside. I cried and he held me, silently rubbing circles down my back. Finally I think his curiosity took the best of him. "Wise Girl.. Just explain." I sniffled and I mentally slapped myself with a hockey stick. "Luke...Luke...he...he..."

Percy's gaze hardened and he stared up at the sky angrily. His voice was only a whisper and I might have not heard it if I hadn't been snuggling on his chest and hugging him like my life depended on it. "Just tell me if he hurt you." "Well..."

I looked at him and I saw his mouth in a firm line. His eyes were angry and he almost looked scary. He got up and led me to his car. I started crying again. He put me in the passengers seat, and knelt down on the pavement by his feet. "Hey...that...that''s okay." He stroked my cheek and he said, "I'll be right back, okay,"

And he walked into the school. He tripped a little on his way in, but then he straightened up and brushed off his shirt, looking if anybody had saw him. I got scared and lonely after a little while, so I followed him in. I heard some yelling, faint, and I wouldn't have heard it if I wasn't trying to hear something.

Everybody else was dancing and laughing, so unaware. I ran into the room where I heard the yelling. Percy was standing near the doorway, fat glops of water running down his cheeks.

Rachel was on the ground, sobbing. Luke was standing up, and I think he was the one getting yelled at. I didn't hear it all but I did hear, "I love her you idiot! And you should too! You don't know what a thing you had Luke! You selfish arrogant uh..ummm.. mean person! She was sobbing about what you did to her! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? He roared. I would have almost laughed if I didn't feel like dying.

Percy would never call anyone anything worse than an...idiot. There. I said the word. I'm sorry. Luke yelled and threw himself at Percy. I was about to join in to protect my home when Percy put an arm out and stopped him, Luke still running and screaming against his Percy's hand pressing against his forehead. Luke then managed hit Percy's stomach and my beautiful seaweed brain doubled over.

Luke screamed and kept hitting him.

Then i screamed and ran in.

I'm not sure what I was doing, but I landed a solid and strategized blow to Luke's jaw and there was a crunch and Luke was on the floor. Unfortunately, so was Percy.