They made their way through camp to the Big House, where all the Cabin Heads were meeting on the porch to travel together to the cars that would take them to Olympus. Annabeth could see Leo and Jason standing off to the side. Leo appeared to be showing Jason some contraption he had made. It was pocket sized and whirred with gears and sparks. Leo gestured animatedly as he spoke, and Jason was good-heartedly trying to follow along, but Annabeth could tell he was lost. Percy had worn the same expression when she'd gone off on a tangent about architecture.
Stop it.
As she and Piper climbed the steps to the big red barn's porch, Annabeth saw Jason look up and lock eyes with Piper, and a big, goofy grin spread across his face. As they approached, Annabeth could hear Leo.
"And then if you spin this wheel, the camp blows up…not… Seriously, Jason, man, pay attention! What are you-"
Leo wheeled around and rolled his eyes when he saw the girls.
"Of course." he mumbled. "You're gaping at your stunning girlfriend. And here I am, taking my Wheelamajig to the biggest Olympian social event of the season."
"Hi, Leo." Annabeth drawled pointedly.
Leo jumped, cringing slightly. "Well… ah… I can't exactly take you… I mean…. you wouldn't want to go with me."
"You didn't even bother asking!" Annabeth pouted.
Leo brightened slightly, a look of half hope dawning across his face. "Well, Annabeth, would you go to the dance with me?"
"No." Annabeth replied remorselessly.
Leo sighed. "Do you want your knife back, or should I just leave it in my heart?"
Annabeth considered him. "Leave it. It shows you've got a broken heart, and minor goddesses love the occasional pet project."
Leo scowled. "As always, Annabeth, your confidence in my love life is steadfast."
"Yeah, tell me Leo, how did the snow goddess and you work out again?"
"PIPER." Leo exclaimed. "You told her about that?"
Piper giggled, but she was still looking at Jason.
"Remind me to bring a barf bag to this shindig." Leo muttered.
"Careful, Leo, your happiness is showing again." Annabeth said dryly.
Leo glared at her, "Don't act like you're so much better than I am, Annabeth, just cause you know how to hide your feelings better than I do. Who is this Son of Poseidon we'll need to avoid tonight?"
It was Annabeth's turn to yell at Piper. Before she could properly chew the daughter of Aphrodite out, Chiron called for their attention. It was time to go to Olympus.
Annabeth didn't know what the tourists must have thought when they saw nine formally-dressed teenagers enter the Empire State Building lobby.
"Travis. Connor." She hissed. "Don't touch them."
She had interrupted the Hermes siblings in the middle of pickpocketing some poor old lady. Travis and Conner scowled identical scowls at her. When they reached the front desk, Annabeth said crisply, "600th floor, please."
The guy at the desk's eyes leapt up from his computer screen, and he surveyed the group of demigods skeptically.
"No such thing, sweetie." He replied, eyeing them with disdain. "Maybe next time lay off the drink before you start asking-"
"Bart." Annabeth said exasperatedly. "Come on. I literally come here everyday."
His eyes widened. "Annabeth?" He said incredulously. She shot him a look, and his face broke out into a grin. "Whoa, sorry, kiddo. Didn't recognize you." He gave her a once over. "You look-"
"Save it, Bart." She snapped. "Just take us up."
She stalked away from the security desk and led the way to elevator, Leo, behind her, saying "Wow, Annabeth, I didn't know you were into thousand-year-old porters whose names rhyme with-"
"Can it, Leo. Don't be jealous just because you know it's more action than you ever get." Annabeth hissed viscously, and he shut up, looking slightly freaked out. Annabeth knew that had been uncalled for, but she wasn't really in the mood to put up with his antics at the moment.
Once they were all in the elevator, Annabeth punched the highest button, scowling at Olympus's sense of irony as the song "Big Yellow Taxi" played.
Piper was bouncing on her toes with excitement. "I can't believe we're actually going to Olympus!" Jason smiled at her. "I've never been either. It will be quite an experience."
Understatement. Annabeth thought to herself.
When they reached the top mortal floor, the elevator jerked into hyper-speed and flew up. When it came to a rest, the doors dinged open, and Annabeth heard the collective intake of breath from her comrades.
The city was illuminated against the night sky in a pale, golden light, looking exactly like a piece of Ancient Greece that had been preserved in its full glory. Greek-style houses and buildings filled with minor gods and goddesses and other spirits lined the cobblestone streets. Some of the city's inhabitants fell into line next to them as the procession of demigods made its way to the Throne Room.
Entering the center of Olympus, Annabeth could hear the Three Muses playing whichever song a particular partygoer desired to hear. Nectar was overflowing from the fountains, which were marooned like golden icebergs in the sea of people.
The place was already fairly packed, and Annabeth recognized several gods from a distance. They were in human form, obviously: trampling party guests would kill the ambiance.
"Whoa," Katie Gardner breathed. "Look at the beautiful flowers growing around the pillars."
"Really?" Connor said incredulously. "All this, and you're worried about plants?"
She slapped his arm playfully. "Shut up, you."
"Piper." Leo said excitedly. "Piper. Do you know if she's single?" He indicated towards a tall, red-haired goddess, whose face looked as if she were a New Yorker forced to attend a small barn party in Iowa.
Piper waved her hands at him. "Shoo. Go try your luck, flame boy."
Leo grinned and broke away from the group. He was nothing if not confident. Annabeth sighed. Others tore away from the core group of demigods, stepping onto the dance floor or heading off to try the food.
Piper looked at Annabeth anxiously. "Do you mind if…" She trailed off.
It took Annabeth a minute to catch on - Piper was asking if it would be okay for she and Jason to leave Annabeth alone. It took another minute for Annabeth to come to terms with the fact that she was that girl—going stag to Olympus's party, an object of pity to her peers.
"Oh-yeah—sure…" She stumbled on her words a little before she pulled herself together with a smile. "You guys have fun. Enjoy the night."
Piper shot her a grateful look as she and Jason disappeared into the throng of partygoers.
The muses began to play a slow, mourning song, something along the lines of a Taylor Swift tune. Annabeth scowled at herself and started walking. She tried to move with purpose, even though she had no destination in mind, but pretending like she knew what she was doing had gotten her this far, right? Fake it 'till you make it?
Right, cause that's healthy.
Oh, shut up.
"I won't say I told you so." A familiar voice said matter-of-factly behind Annabeth. Her heart sank. As if she needed this now.
