Hey guys! So I had a bad week. I got grounded. I got sick. My mom said it was bad luck, but I think the gods are amd at me. But I guess they forgave me today, because I talked to my cruch! EEEPP! Sorry about my personal life thing. I've decided to try and communicate with my readers more. For every new review, I'll PM you guys. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: Percy and the others belong to Uncle Rick.

Annabeth's POV

"Alright, what was that?" asked Thalia. "He kissed you."

"It wasn't like he kissed me on the lips." I answered. Although he did do it this morning.

"What?" Thalia's eyes widened.

I realized I had said that out loud.

"He, um, might have, um, kissed me this morning in the hallway."

"You didn't tell us the whole day?" asked Rachel. "Seriously!"

"But you're going to break up with him, right?" asked Grover. He was really protective when it came to his friends.

"If I break up with him, he'll just keep bugging me to go out with him. Besides, if he breaks up with me, it's not like I'll be hurt or anything."

Grover and Nico both seemed satisfied with that answer. Thalia and Rachel, however, were not fooled.

"We need to talk," said Thalia. "About girl stuff." She dragged me and Rachel to the janitor's closet and shut the door. She turned to me.

"Annabeth, I know you like him, but you need to consider the dangers. He might be going out with you for his own benefit."

"Thalia's right." said Rachel. "Percy isn't who he used to be. In the past, he might've treated you like a special part of his life. But now, what is he going to do? We both know he didn't ask you out because he likes you, and don't deny it. The question is, why did he ask you out?"

"Guys," I said. "You know I'll be able to handle it. So what if he asked me out for his own reasons? It's not like we have any special bond. And I know he'll break up with me. So I'm prepared for the worst."

"Alright, just checking up on you." said Thalia. "Now let's walk home."

After we said goodbye to Grover and Nico, we walked home in silence. I guess they understood I wanted to think. After I got home, I plopped down on the couch.

"Annabeth, are you home?" asked my stepmother.

"Yes!"

"Can you come help me with dinner?"

"Sure!"

My stepmother, Susan, and I had a pretty good relationship. At first when my dad married her, I despised her. I thought she was the most disgusting thing on the planet. But she was always nice to me. Eventually, I began to like her better. Soon, we had a special mother-daughter bond. She even looked like me, except that she had brown eyes.

"Is Matthew and Bobby home?" I asked.

"No, they're going over to a friend's house tonight. And your father's working late, so it's just the two of us." She replied.

After we ate dinner, I headed up to my room. I took out a random book form my book shelf and sat on my bed. I flipped open The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. I was on the part where Tom had just kissed Becky, and had just promised to love no one but her. But I knew it wouldn't work.

"Annabeth! It's time to sleep!" Susan called.

"Alright!" I replied. I put the book away and closed my eyes. I hadn't even got to read the book. What would happen to Tom and Becky? Heartbreak? Love? I sighed. Tom, the delinquent who had a good heart, and Becky, the innocent schoolgirl. Another pair that couldn't work out. I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts on how impossible Tom and Becky and Percy and I would ever get a happy ending.

I woke up, rubbing my eyes and glancing at the clock, which read 7:30.

7:30! School starts in 15 minutes!

I threw on some clothes, brushed my teeth and combed my hair (barely). I was rushing down the stairs, when Susan stopped me.

"Annabeth-"

"I'm skipping breakfast!" I shouted.

"I need to-"

"I'm going to be late!"

"The school-"

"Mrs. Hollis is going to-"

"Annabeth!" she barked, forcing me to listen. "The school's closed. Some kind of gas leak or something."

"Oh." I scowled. "That would've been nice to know 5 minutes ago."

She laughed. "You're going out anyways. One of your friends called, said that he needed help studying. I told him you'd be there at 9."

I frowned. Nico and Grover would've told me yesterday if they needed help studying. Both of them were doing pretty well in school. Well, except for P.E. Maybe Susan had said it wrong, maybe it was Thalia or Rachel.

"Annabeth?" she asked cautiously. I realized I still hadn't answered,

"Okay, sure." I said. "Who called?"

"His name was…" she struggled to recall. "Perry Johnson?"

"I don't know a Perry Johnson."

"No. It was…Percy Jackson!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

A mixture of emotions was rising up. I forced an expression of calm. "What did he need help with?"

"He said that he needed your help with English."

Clearly, he didn't remember a thing from our childhood. I was not going to do well helping him with English. Why not math? Heck I could even help him with P.E.! Wait, why would I want to help him anyway? He was a lowlife jerk. Who was also my boyfriend. And my crush. Ugh! Why was this so frustrating! Should I say no? It would be better not to see him at all. But Susan had already scheduled. It would be rude to quit. Maybe if-

"Annabeth. You've been standing there for 5 minutes."

I cleared my mind of thoughts. "Sorry Susan. Little distracted today. I'll go get ready."

"If he gives you any trouble, it's off with his head." She joked.

It looks like he'll be headless tomorrow. I thought.

Percy's POV

I was pacing in my room. Annabeth would be here in 20 minutes. Why was I nervous? It's not like any of those kisses meant anything. Right? You might be asking why I'm nervous if I'm the one who called her. Well, actually, I called her because I planned to break up with her. Then, Susan picked up the phone instead. Susan didn't know me, but I knew her because Annabeth told me about her. I remembered that day really clearly. That was the day she told me she really liked me. That was the day our friendship changed.

"Percy." Annabeth looked at me. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"What? Did I do something?" I asked.

"No, it's not you. It's…it's nothing."

"I may not have that girl sense that Thalia does, but I'm your best friend. I know you."

Annabeth smiled. "I really like you Percy. I like you a lot."

I wanted to be really careful about what I said. "Annabeth, we're not in high school for another month. Your dad would freak if you broke his rule."

Annabeth frowned. "You don't like me?"

"Of course I do. I like you a lot too Annabeth. It's just; I don't want to make a bad impression with your dad."

At the mention of her dad, Annabeth flinched. I asked her what was wrong.

"He's getting remarried." she said tearfully. "I-I always thought he'd never love anyone but my mom. Even if she did die. H-her name is Susan, and she's a bitch. She doesn't like me at all."

"You must be really miserable, especially if you're cussing."

"I don't want to lose you too."

I thought this would be a bad time to bring it up, but I had to tell her sometime. "Annabeth, I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"Kronos asked me to join the gang, and I said yes."

Annabeth jumped up from my bed. "You WHAT! You're going to quit right? Wait I get it. This is a joke. It's hilarious. Haha!"

"Annabeth," I said quietly. I'm serious."

"You IDIOT! You're going to smoke? Do drugs? Get drunk? Beat up kids? That's disgusting! I can't be a friend of someone who makes such rash decisions!"

"Well then, maybe you shouldn't!" I yelled. "My decisions are none of your business."

"Then I'll just leave and stop being your friend. I can't believe a trusted you with such important matters to me, then you just drop a bomb like that!"

"Then why don't you leave!"

"I will Seaweed Brain!"

"You're such a Wise Girl!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

And with that, the door slammed shut, leaving me to fully regret that day.

I was in the very room where that happened. The last time I was called a Seaweed Brain.

Anyways, back to the Annabeth situation. Luke called this morning, saying he had spilled some chemicals "accidently" and I was apparently toxic. And he wouldn't have to take that social studies test today. He told me that I had better get a move on breaking up with Annabeth; there were plenty of other girls who were much hotter.

When Annabeth's stepmom answered the phone, something made me stop. It made me ask for Annabeth to help me study instead. I wonder why…

Then, the doorbell rang. I walked over to the door, fully expecting to see Annabeth looking at me in some disapproving manner, She'd probably hit me with a book or something.

Instead, I found myself face to face with Rachel.

So you guys found out about the past! But what was Rachel doing here? Hmm? My gods, I left you at a cliffhanger. I'M TURNING INTO UNCLE RICK! The real cover image for the story will be posted soon. Review! ~Cynthia