CHAPTER 7

"Hey, this is our first date after all. Don't you want to go someplace more fancy?"

"No, I'm fine with this place. Let's go." She said, giving him that dimpled smile that got him to do whatever she wanted him to.

She took his hand then pulled him towards the Arcade place, "Come on, It'll be fun." She said, laughing at his hesitant expression.

"Oh, I know it'll be fun. I'm the guy, here."

"Yeah and I'm going to cream your ass at every game-now let's go get tokens." She jumped with excitement making him smile with amusement as she tugged him towards the machines.

They played most of the games. And let's just say, she kept well to her word.

Percy played the first game, which was a driving arcade race, with a smirk on his face. But with each game they played the smirk quickly disappeared and he was trying his best at each one.

Every time, he sorely lost to her. How pathetic was that?

She laughed at his stunned face as she picked up the plastic gun out of it's holder. She never looked more sexy than in that moment as she drilled down all the zombies that came at them. Her score skyrocketing as her character killed all the targets.

Damn, he wondered if maybe she should be a cop because she was an excellent marksman.

By this time, Percy was just staring.

He put down his own gun then went over to her, sliding his arms around her waist and whispering dirty things in her ear.

She took a sharp intake of breathe, "What are you doing?"

"Distracting you from winning. This is my last resort."

She turned her head and looked at him, breaking into a smile, "That's very fair of you."

"Mhmm." He placed kisses against her neck, making her squirm.

But inevitably she beat the game like all the others.

She patted a hand against his face, "Aw, is the poor baby tired. Should we go read books now?"

He lifted his head, then gave her his best grumpy face, "You are not getting away with this. I will beat you at something."

"No one's stopping you." She said with a smirk that was sexy instead of frustrating.

They played one last game. It was another shooting game, though Percy was confident this time.

He shot down all the enemy spies appearing on the screen then had a look of surprise as the screen said that he won by the end of the game.

"YES!" He yelled in happiness, jumping up and down with his fist in the air.

Annabeth was simply looking at him with an amused smile and her arms crossed over her chest.

Percy placed the gun in the holder then did a victory dance, making Annabeth laugh. She then took him by the arm and pulled him out of the arcade, "Alright, Mr. I-won-one-game, let's go get something to eat."

He stopped in his tracks then looked over at her, "Wait," he said, leaning down so that his face was close to hers, "You lost to me on purpose, didn't you?"

Her smile became wider, "I'm down for Italian."

He let out a sigh, then pressed a quick kiss on her lips, "I can't believe my date shot zombies for me and I didn't do a thing."

Her laugh was the best thing to hear as they made their way to a restaurant for dinner.

~o00o~

If he thought his past occasional secretive hook ups with Annabeth were amazing, dating life was so much better.

Percy didn't know he had missed dating so much.

They had gone on several dates now. Sweet, fun and lovely—like her. She liked to joke around a lot too, which never left them one boring moment.

Plus, she was the perfect girlfriend.

And to be honest, he was the perfect boyfriend.

Things were on another level with her and he had no intention of coming down.

They were standing in line at the usual starbucks they always went to. He was laughing at some stupid joke she had learned from Piper.

"It's so stupid." She said, though she was laughing herself.

Finally, it was their turn to the cashier. She smiled one of her charming smiles at the cashier, making the poor guy look flustered and nervous.

She ordered her usual then the guy asked for her name.

"I'm Anne. Not Annie or Anna—but Anne. Like the girl from Ann of Green Gables except with an actual e at the end." She said, pointing over the cash register to the cup the cashier was writing on.

"Uh,— right." The guy said.

Percy tried really hard not to laugh as he ordered his too.

The guy asked his name and Percy followed Annabeth's example.

"Alecs—except the 'x' is replaced with a 'c' and an 's'."

Annabeth looked over at him with twinkling amusement in her eyes.

He came over and she kissed him on the lips, "You learn so well." she said in a mock impressed voice.

Percy broke into a laugh, handing her her coffee and getting his own.

~o00o~

She waved him off, "I have to finish this report, Percy. It's important."

He kept on kissing down her neck, resting his chin on her right shoulder—standing behind her desk chair, his arms wrapped around her shoulders as she typed away on her laptop—her books laid out next to her.

He nipped at her ear, "Come on. You can finish this report later." he said.

"I can't. Really, Percy. Stop."

"Mhmm." He murmured, kissing her lucky spot right behind her ear and near her jaw.

She let out a soft gasp, then turned—her eyes narrowing, "I hate that you know my weak spots way too well."

He snickered as she grasped the front of his shirt and pulled him down closer, a smile on her lips.

She reached a hand up to his jaw, "You growing a beard?" She said against his lips.

He pulled away, and stroked his chin, "Yeah, I think I'll be able to pull off that lumberjack hunter look, yeah?"

She gave him another kiss, "Fine with me as long as it doesn't cover your lips."

Percy chuckled under his breathe then swung her up from her desk chair into his arms.

~o00o~

They were sprawled out on his couch. She had her feet resting in his lap as she read some book he never heard of. He was reading a book himself, something he never did, though she insisted that it was good for him to start doing.

After a while of quiet reading, her feet rose up and rested on his chest—intruding between him and his book. She let out a relaxed sigh, "Much better."

Percy let out a snort then set down his book, taking her legs and then getting on top of her—making her yelp.

He snatched the book she was reading out of her hands and placed it down next to them on the coffee table then leaned down towards her. With his arms holding him up to keep him from crushing her he kissed her smiling lips.

"No this is much better." He said against his lips.

She tugged him closer, "Yeah, you're right."

~o00o~

Thalia watched as her cousin and best friend were cuddling next to each other on her couch. She had to admit, they were pretty damn cute together.

Annabeth was snugly sitting between his legs and Percy had his face buried in her neck. They were a very attractive couple and the talk of the whole university though they didn't know it themselves. The beautiful Chancellor's daughter and the charming player bad boy.

Heck, there were even polls to see how long they would last.

Anyways, they were watching a movie with—Jason and Nico over by the kitchen picking out drinks for the rest of them.

Thalia looked over to Nico and Jason, arguing about which drinks to get. She rolled her eyes then focused her attention back to the couple on the couch.

She knew they both definitely were not virgins, but their love was so innocent and happy that it was hard to tell—and then again, they acted like a couple who had been together for years.

How they did it, she didn't know?

Thalia just knew that.

Yeah, she was happy for them.

~o00o~

"Your father will see you now."

Annabeth let out a sigh and went past her father's completely unnecessary secretary to push through the wooden, ornate doors to go into the chancellor's office.

Her father's office was roomy and very illustrious— unnecessarily so, but that was what her father liked. She saw her linebacker of a dad sitting in his wheely chair which looked small compared to him and was cushioned rich with dark auburn leather. She remembered always sitting in her father's chair when she was younger, spinning round and round—then getting reprimanded for it.

She still got reprimanded, just for different things.

Frederick Chase looked up, his grey eyes similar to hers sparkled like they always did when she visited him, "Ah, Annabeth. Come, sit."

Always commanding—her father.

She took a seat, "You wanted to see me?" She said, stopping herself from calling him dad and cringing inside—knowing what might come next.

"I have great news." Her father's eyes sparkled more, leering into hers like he always did. Great news to him was probably not going to be great news to her.

Hell, he once thought boarding school would be great news to her.

Thank God she had told him she would quit guys for the rest of the school year if he would just keep her from..boarding school. She shuddered just thinking about it.

Seriously, her dad was a bit extreme—nor really extreme sometimes.

"What is it? Do tell." Sarcasm laced heavily in my words, though he thoroughly ignored it.

"I sent in your application to several ten schools, including Yale and Harvard Law. You got in and I want you to transfer in the fall."

Annabeth narrowed her grey eyes at him, "What? You sent in my application without me knowing?"

"I did." he said it like it was the most natural thing to do.

"Why in the world would you do that?"

"Because it's what's best for you" She turned her eyes to look out the window—always, always—it was what was best for her.

"and I knew you wouldn't let me if I told you I was going to send it. This is a very good opportunity, Annabeth. I'm sending you there whether you like it or not."

She whipped her head to him, "No, I'm staying at HB. I like it here. I have friends here. And I'm studying what I love to do. You're not making me go far away to study at another school."

His stern grey eyes went almost feral, "Don't raise your voice with me, Annabeth. My word is final."

"I'm not going." She said in a softer voice.

"What is it about here?" He crossed his arms waiting a moment before speaking, "Do you have a boyfriend keeping you here?"

"As a matter of fact—I do."

"Well, then end it with him, because you are leaving. After summer break. I think Harvard will suit you better."

She stood up from her chair, "I'm not going, dad. And you can't make me go against my will."

Annabeth then pushed her chair back and walked out of the Chancellor's building, hearing her father's voice call after her.

She slammed her fist against a locker close to hers, making the sound reverbrate through the halls. She leaned against the lockers, her head swaying back to rest against the metal.

Ever since her mother's death.

Ever since.

~o00o~

Percy opened his apartment door to see his beautiful girlfriend standing there, looking a bit tired and stressed.

"Annabeth, you alright?"

She ignored his question, "Do you have alcohol? Wine or beer, I don't care."

He smiled slightly in amusement, "Yeah, sure. Come in."

He set a drink in front of her, watching her drink it in one gulp, before taking his own and chugging it down as well.

She handed it back, "More, please."

"Um, seriously—did something happen?" He asked, pouring her another glass.

She took it and downed it just as easily, running her fingers through her hair, "My dad." She took a long breathe, "He wants me to transfer out of here to Harvard."

"Wow, Harvard. That's big."

She set her fourth glass down, "Yeah, and I don't want to go. My life belongs here, with you, Percy—studying what I love to do. My dad insists on me studying law. I don't want that. I just—" She suddenly looked very tired and helpless, "Ever since mom died... he has been acting up and working to make my life as miserably perfect as possible. I can't handle it anymore. Does he think he's the only one who lost her? I did too."

A stray tear fell down her cheek and it was the first time Percy saw Annabeth look so defeated.

"Hey." He came over and held her, brushing away her hair from her face, "It's all going to turn out okay." He kissed the top of her head, before holding her close again.

His thumb swiped gently over her cheek to catch the tears that were slowly falling.

She turned her face against his chest, letting out breathes, in and out, "I'm sorry, I needed to vent."

"Yeah, It's fine. You can vent anytime you want with me." Especially when she was going to look so sexy doing it.

Her grey eyes found his and they twinkled a bit from her drying tears. They were suddenly even more beautiful from the moonlight that was pouring in from the skylight above them.

Pools of radiant silver in the orbs of her eyes. He was breathless as he leaned down to softly kiss her lips in a passionate, but caring embrace. She, in turn, swiped her tongue over his bottom lip...

A few moments later, Percy had her up against the bedpost of his bed, relishing in everything that was Annabeth. They never had gone any further than mere hook ups.

But he was in the rush of the moment, and he wanted all of her.

This was going to go farther than usual—and he was definitely more than okay with that.

~o00o~

Someone shuffled beside him. He opened his eyes to see Annabeth sitting up, her back to him— and her very sexy back to him. His eyes automatically went down the line of her beautiful backside as she brushed her fingers through her hair with one hand.

He sat up as well then raised a hand to move her hair to the other side of her shoulder, kissing her neck as he did so.

She turned her head to him, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, not really." He said with a smile, resting his chin on her shoulder like he always did.

She leaned forward and picked up his button up shirt, slipping it on and somehow getting lazy— just buttoning it up only halfway— he didn't mind.

She turned back to him, the shirt brushing against her upper thigh, and smiled—sinking into him for a kiss, before making her way to the bathroom.

Annabeth held herself with such grace and unpurposed elegance. Damn…

He was already deeply in love with her.

And they had gotten to that intimate stage last night. And it had been the best that he had ever had.

If things were this great, something bad was definitely going to happen.

That's just the ways things went— at least in his life.

Though he hoped it wouldn't come true.

Unfortunately— it did.

A/N:

Since I think I skipped a day, updating. Here's the next Chapter for you guys.

Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for the lovely reviews

Updates are coming tomorrow, hopefully ;)