Percy had proposed to Annabeth in June. The rest of the summer steamed on by with a vigor, and the pair soon found themselves on the threshold of senior year at Goode High.

Athena had given her permission on the sole condition that Annabeth would not be sharing a bed with Percy until after the marriage. Dr. Chase's condition, on the other hand, was that Annabeth was not to be married until after both she and Percy were eighteen years old. Annabeth herself had quickly consented to her parents' conditions lest people began thinking. It wasn't normal, at this contemporary age and time, for a couple to be married at the age of eighteen.

With her birthday having gone by July 12th, Percy's soon followed. Percy was now eighteen years old, his birthday being on August 18th. The two had celebrated his first day of adulthood and their second in anniversary in great enthusiasm as Sally and Paul joined them for a night out in New York.

Percy and Annabeth were anything but normal of course. The offspring of two powerful rival gods? Not many people could boast about that.
Sally and Paul had done their best to keep the engaged couple occupied by taking them up to Montauk some weekends. Percy would tell Annabeth stories from his childhood, giving her a personal tour of every nook and corner of the cabin.

They had even managed to scrap up enough money for a vacation for a family of four to Hawaii. Being a son of Poseidon had its perks when vacationing on an archipelago. The family was treated with the bonus package, enabling them to experience attractions that a regular tourist family wouldn't be able to.
Snorkeling with the dolphins, SCUBA diving? That was no big deal with a son of Poseidon on hand. The entirety of July was spent on such activities.

The arrival of August brought school forms and liability forms that required parent signatures and approvals. And for Annabeth, of course, there were questions about reasons for transferring schools and et cetera. Annabeth was a little nervous at the prospect of attending a new high school, this being her first time attending any school for a full scholastic year.

But Percy was always there to reassure her, giving her a hand squeeze when she expressed her worries, mumbling in her gently, "Don't worry Wise Girl. Remember, I'll be there for you. Besides, a daughter Athena, nervous for school?" The last statement earned him a punch from him as she retorted, "Shut up Seaweed Brain!"

Percy would chuckle at her then red, embarrassed face as she huffed to blow the blond wisps of hair flying into her face.
Now, here they were on the first day of school. Annabeth too had one request, a request that Percy had a hard time comprehending.

"Percy?" Annabeth spoke up at the breakfast table as she watched her fiancé gulp down his orange juice.

"Hmmm?" he looked up from his glass as he set it down on the table.

"I have a small favor to ask you."

"Sure, what's up?"

"When we get to school, don't get mad at me…" she trailed off.

"Of course not. Tell me what's on your mind, Wise Girl," Percy was genuinely curious at Annabeth's mood. It wasn't as if she hadn't already had the 'first day of school' jitters already, but this was something new.

"About school, I was thinking. Honestly, to be truthful…"

"Annabeth, you're rambling," he pointed out as she blushed a little.

"Ok, fine. Here's the deal. People know who you are since you've gone to Goode already."

"Yeah, so…?" Percy wasn't exactly sure where she was headed with the train of thought, but he wasn't particularly keen on it already.

"This is my first real high school experience. I just don't want our whole engagement thing to be in the way."

"What are you trying to say exactly?" Percy asked slowly.

Annabeth realized what he was implying and quickly corrected her mistake, "No, no. I'm not suggesting we date other people. I just want to have a regular high school experience, you know?

Since you are 'the Percy Jackson' I feel like people would only start rumors. What I'm trying to say is this is that we should stay clear of it all. I'd rather deal with the Titan army again than deal with vicious high school girls spreading rumors about why we got married."

"Agreed, but how do you suggest we go about it?" Percy was genuinely baffled. He wasn't aware that this was an issue on Annabeth's mind.

"Also, I don't want to ruin your reputation."

"You're worried about me losing my rep?" he chuckled. "C'mon Annabeth. That's hardly something to be worried about."

"Swim captain of Goode's All-Star Varsity team? I think that's a big deal."

"Look…"

"Percy, it's for your own good. College apps, all of it, it counts. Senior year counts, and I don't want to be the one to ruin it for you."

"You're the best part of senior year."

"Percy," she began menacingly.

"I get it. I get it."

"The marriage is strictly something off-limits at school, and we will carry on with our lives like its normal. We can't let the whole fact that we're engaged be put as a road block on senior year."

Percy looked a little hurt at her harsh words, "I didn't know you thought of it like that."

Annabeth stopped herself, "No, Perce, I didn't mean it like that. You know that's now what I meant! I just didn't want people treating us differently because we're married. You know how high schoolers are, especially New Yorkers. I just don't want nasty rumors to spread and affect our senior year. I just want to be like the other girls as dumb as it sounds."

"That's not dumb at all. I understand where you're coming from. But, are you also saying you won't be jealous if some girl flirts with me?" Percy asked her teasingly to which Annabeth retorted.

"Shut up Seaweed Brain! If anyone flirts with you, they will be dead. Annabeth Chase will not let anyone steal her fiancé," she slapped him in the shoulder as he mock-winced in pain, flashing her a wink.

"Besides, no double standards. If someone just happens to be interested in me and wants to discuss architecture at DQ, I can't refuse, can I?"

"Annabeth," Percy growled warningly," I swear I will rearrange his face so that he looks like Minotaur dung once I'm through with him."

"You know it's all just a joke, right Perce?" she pecked him once on the cheek as he pouted silently, wrapping her arms around his neck as his own slid around her face. She knocked her head once against his.

"It's not a joking matter still!"

"You're such a child!"

"You're such an owl face!"

"You're such a fish face!"

"You're such a wise girl!"

"Was that supposed to be an insult?"

"Be quiet!"

"Anyway, going back to the topic on hand," she broached the subject again, looking him as straight in the eyes as she could with her close proximity.

"You never told me your solution."

She saw the confusion clear in his deep sea green eyes, drowning in them, forgetting for a second what she was about to say. She didn't know what she had done to get such luck, to have such a caring, understanding, and handsome boyfriend. She didn't dare say it out loud, but he was a million times better looking than Apollo and Adonis combined.

"Earth to Annabeth," Percy jolted her out of her fantasy about him.

"What?"

"Your solution."

"Right…"

"Well?" he prompted.

"Percy, I want to go to school pretending like we don't know each other."