Luke is gone and I am alone on the fire escape. There are so many conflicting emotions bouncing around inside me that I feel like I might explode. I close my eyes praying that the cool night air will do something to help soothe me. After a while I begin to feel a little better. I head inside and throw myself down on the bed and drift off to sleep.
Back in the gazebo/clearing thing Aphrodite and Ares are busy setting the game back up. I can see Aphrodite twirling the 'mini-me' around and around in her hands, she looks deep in thought. Ares sits down beside her, having finished righting the board, and gently tugs her chin pulling her out of her reverie.
"What are you thinking my love?"
"How easy that was, I barely had to use my influence at all." She smiles a wicked smile at Ares. "And I'm not even getting started. All the fun has yet to come. I can't believe Hermes wants to stop this is the most fun I've had in ages!" She laughs and throws her arms around Ares pulling him to her and kissing him in a way which makes me blush and turn away desperate to wake up.
I wake up suddenly bathed in sunlight and far too hot. I struggle out of bed and head straight for the shower. All the while contemplating what I've learnt in the latest instalment of the 'lets mess with Percy' show. What did Aphrodite mean when she said the fun was only just starting? And about the not really using her influence? I am so confused. I need advice, romance advice and there's only one person I can think of to ask.
"I am so glad you came by! I was so annoyed I missed you the other day." Silena squeals girlishly at me. We are sat in a booth at her Dad's café. I know its messed up, me asking advice from the daughter of the god who is pissing me off but she's the only one I could think of who could help. I couldn't bear talking to my mom because I would have had to explain everything and I'm still not ready. There's no way in hell I could talk to Annabeth about it, that would be way too awkward. Besides I've always thought she carried a torch for Luke so telling her that he and I kissed the other night would probably not be a good idea.
"Yeah sorry about that I wanted to see you I just…"
"Decided spending time with Jason was way more interesting?" She smiles at me and winks knowingly.
"Not at all! That is so not what happened."
"Oh? But don't you guys have a date tonight. That's why he swapped to do the earlier shift."
"Well he did ask me out but I haven't decided whether I'm going or not yet."
"Why not? He's so cute! And he really likes you. He's talked about you non-stop today."
"Is he still on shift?" I glance around nervously worried that he'll overhear our conversation.
"Yeah but he's not due back off his break for another 20 minutes or so."
I sigh with relief and Silena laughs at me.
"I knew it you do like him! So why haven't you decided whether you're going tonight or not?"
"I'm confused. Luke came over last night."
"What?"
"He kissed me."
"What?"
"Silena! Keep your voice down."
"Sorry. It's just this is way better than watching reruns of Gossip Girl."
"I'm glad my messed up life is entertaining you."
"Sorry, again. Look just tell me what happened."
I tell her, artfully leaving out details about the whole Hermes/Aphrodite/Ares game thing.
"Wow that's intense."
"You're telling me." I sigh heavily and put my head in my hands.
"But what has that got to do with going out with Jason?"
I just stare at her.
"What?"
"I can't date two guys at the same time!"
"So you are dating Luke?"
"No! We just kissed I don't know if it means anything."
"So why can't you see Jason tonight?"
"Because I don't know how I feel about him either." I sigh heavily again.
"Oh enough with the sighing. You don't know how you feel about Jason so don't you think you owe it to yourself and to him to find out whether you like him or not."
"I'm feeling a little out of my depth here."
"So just trust me, go out with Jason tonight and have fun! You can decide what to do about Luke later."
"Alright" I throw up my hands in resignation. It's always easier to do what Silena wants, I know if I don't agree now she'll find some other way to convince me.
Just then the shop door dings and I look up and it's Jason. I watch him gracefully move across the café and hang up his coat and take his place behind the counter. As he's tying his apron he looks up and sees me. His face lights up with a huge grin and he vaults the counter to come and talk to me.
"Hey you! Couldn't wait till tonight?" He laughs teasing me. I just stare at him unable to think of anything to say. Silena slaps me on the back and it wakes me out of my daze.
"Um… No I came to see Silena." His face falls immediately and I cringe inwardly, that came out all wrong. Silena laughs a little too hard.
"What she means is she came to talk to me about your date tonight. She didn't know you were working today." She winks at Jason knowingly and I flush bright red. Luckily he laughs.
"I'll leave you girls to talk then." He smiles and walks away leaving me gaping open mouthed after him.
"You are so useless with guys. No wonder you said you needed my help." Silena grabs my hand and leads me out of the shop.
An hour later I'm lying on my bed in despair while Silena pulls clothes out of my closet and tosses them at me.
"Why can't I just wear my jeans and a tee? He knows what I dress like, he said that he liked that I wasn't OTT like you." Silena stops mid throw and looks at me with wide eyes and I worry that she's offended.
"Oh my gosh that is so cute! He likes you even though you dress like a boy" She sticks her tongue out at me so I throw a pair of my jeans at her.
"I do not dress like a boy!"
Silena laughs and picks up a cushion and throws it at me.
"You have to make an effort Percy; I'm not going to 'doll you up' to look like me I'm just going to help you choose something nice. What about this?" She pulls out a dress from the back of my closet. Its pale blue with a lace collar and looks great on me. However I've always been too self conscious to wear it because it's really quite short.
"I don't know. It's really short." I scrunch my face up at Silena.
"That's why it's perfect! You can show off your legs, he'll love you in it. It's not too dressy so it'll suite you perfectly!"
"I don't know."
"Well I do, and you're wearing it."
"Don't I get a choice?"
"Nope."
So here I am making my way to Central Park feeling really self conscious in the blue dress, I'm just thankful that it's not too windy. I let Silena do my hair and make-up and thankfully she stuck to her word about keeping things casual so I don't feel over dressed. As I approach the tree where he told me to meet him I stop in my tracks. He's already there dressed in smart dark jeans and shirt with a pencil blue tie that matches my dress. I just stand there like an idiot staring at him, he glances at his watch and begins to pace, waiting for me. Fear suddenly grips my stomach, is he only here because Aphrodite bewitched him or does he really like me?
