"Pretty swanky."
The four were once again in Anna's silver car, currently pulling up into the hotel. All Olympic athletes would be staying in the Olympus Hotel, one of the finest in the world. They'd be staying at the same chain in Athens, though whether it was an Olympus, or possibly an Atlantis was still being debated among the athletes.
"Yeah, it's amazing. The architecture is stunning. It's completely modeled after-"
"Hey Anna?" Thalia called from her position in the backseat that she had lost to Percy once again. "Yeah?" Anna asked, turning to look back at her friend. "Shut up."
Percy glanced at the blonde beside him. She had consented to Thalia's wishes, but he could have sworn he'd seen a flicker of hurt pass over her eyes. He knew firsthand that Thalia could be a little overbearing. She tended to steamroll over whatever she didn't like, and that included her friends' feelings sometimes.
"So you like architecture?" Percy asked Anna softly, making sure that Thalia and Grover couldn't hear. The blonde beside him pursed her lips, but nodded. "Yeah, I actually love it." She admitted softly. Based on her volume, and Thalia's previous reaction, Percy guessed that he was the first person she had confided in, something that made him extremely happy.
"So what do you love about it?" Percy asked, genuinely curious. Anna turned her head, and gave him a curious look. "You like architecture?" She asked, confusion and disbelief tainting her tone. "Well… no, but I know it makes you happy, and I get the feeling no one has ever questioned you about it. So, Anna Sophos, why do you love architecture so much?"
It seemed that Percy's willingness to listen lighted a spark within Anna. "It's just, when people build things, they're creating something permanent. Nothing in my life has ever been like that before. Even my sport, everything depends on something else. If I lose a pound, all of my skills have to be adjusted. If I fall, I might never compete again. But with building, I could design something permanent. I could improve so many things."
Percy didn't know much about architecture, but he understood what Anna was talking about. He couldn't say that he had ever had the same desire, but he sympathized with the reasoning behind her love of architecture. It certainly reinforced his earlier thoughts about beauty and brains. Though he doubted any Olympian could survive with simply beauty. Even Calypso was smart, in a devious manner.
Speaking of which… "Look, I'm really sorry about Calypso you guys." Percy said, now speaking to Thalia as well. "If she does anything, just let me know. I'd say she's not that bad, but-"
"But that would be a lie?" Grover interjected. Percy twisted around to glare at his best friend. "But you both kind of made her blacklist. But hey, Silena is your friend, right? So it'll be three against one, I'm sure you'll be fine." Normally Calypso would be fine with those odds, but Thalia and Anna were not normal girls.
He remembered a time when Calypso had been Cal, sweet, kind and caring. She had been just the kind of girl Percy wanted to spend his life with. She was beautiful, inside and out. She had spent her life basically imprisoned by her father, so when Percy finally convinced him to allow him to date Cal, Percy had thought everything would be perfect from there.
Unfortunately, freedom changed Cal. She suddenly became all about what she could have, and started reaching for goals she had never cared about before. And then when Percy found out that Calypso was basically selling their relationship, telling the media things that should have stayed between them, it was the last straw for Percy. He had never wanted the fame, in fact he hated it. So he had cut his ties with Cal, and tried to move on, even though his broken heart had ached painfully. He had thrown it all into a relationship that turned out to be nothing more than a trophy for Calypso.
Percy sighed, and his thoughts absentmindedly turned to Rachel Elizabeth Dare. He smiled, thinking to himself. He had liked the girl for several months, but it had never turned into anything real. She was unique, and so refreshingly normal. She was just an art student in New York, not an athlete of any sort. In fact, she had paid serious cash to some doctor to have a note to get out of gym class. Percy loved hanging out with her. She was a journalist, and a PR student, but she knew how to keep their life private.
Percy still felt some pangs of longing for her, and he had shared a meaningful kiss with her before, but suddenly, with Anna next to him, he forgot what Rachel ever was to him. To be quite honest, Anna was scaring him a little. He didn't understand how he could fall this hard, this quickly for a girl. He supposed they were just two of those people who instantly 'clicked'.
He knew she felt it too. It was just undeniable, the attraction between them. Percy was hardly shallow, but he wasn't stupid either. He knew that they were both attractive, but more than that, they connected. They exchanged playful banter, and Percy found that he genuinely cared about Anna.
Percy was startled out of his thoughts by two cell phones going off. Both Thalia and Anna reached for their iPhones, having received a text. Almost acting as if they were parts of the same body, they uttered a profanity at the same time.
"What's wrong?" Percy asked, hoping the two girls were okay. "We have practice." Anna answered, her face white. Percy frowned. "Why is that bad?" Thalia gulped, looking scared for the first time Percy had ever seen her. "In thirty minutes." Anna said nervously, quickly finding a parking spot.
Still, Percy and Grover did not understand the issue. "So? Thirty minutes is more than enough time." Grover said flippantly. Apparently it was the wrong thing to say. Both girls seemed to crackle with electric anger.
"More than enough time? Grover, thirty minutes is barely sufficient warm-up time!" Anna cried distressed. "Thankfully practice is only five minutes away, but we have to unpack, and-"
"Leave that to us." Percy interjected. The other three glanced at him curiously. "Well you girls can't be late! Grover and I will take your luggage up to your room, and you guys head over to your practice. Is it an open practice?"
Thalia nodded. "Yeah, actually most of the other athletes will show up." Percy grinned. "Great, just give us directions, and we'll catch a cab." Anna grabbed his hand, and Percy's stomach did somersaults worthy of an Olympic gymnast, but unfortunately, he realized the contact was only so that Anna could write down the address.
As the girls drove off, Percy caught Grover smirking at him from the corner of his eye. "What?" He asked, avoiding his friend's eye. He already knew the answer. "Dude, you've known her for six hours, and you're already so whipped." And with that, Percy grabbed Grover's shaggy head, and pulled him down, fully intending to give him the noogie of a lifetime.
A/N: Okay, kind of a short chapter, but it's another filler. I am currently doing a happy dance at the moment, for three updates in one day! Success! I will try my hardest to update twice tomorrow, because the next two chapters will be full of fluff and drama! And for all of you who are hoping for Percy to find out who Annabeth really is, it will be coming soon, I promise!
And for all those who wonder why I update so fast, here are my answers. A) I have no life B) My father took away my Christmas gift, NCIS on DVD Seasons 1-7 and C) I'm seeing my family who I haven't seen in a year and a half. Of course I'm reminded of why I go to school abroad, and I'm spending all my time avoiding them :P
