Annabeth's POV

I stride back into my cabin after sitting on the dock for an hour or so. I pick up my cell off the couch and notice I have a missed call from Luke. I heave a sigh of relief. Something to get my mind off of my next door neighbor and his antics. I press the CALL BACK button and hold the phone up to my ear. I roam around the main room as it rings, making a large circular path. When I'm just about to hang up, he answers.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you," I smile, happy to hear his voice.

"Hey." His tone is more serious that it usually is, and I immediately key on it.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" I ask as my brows knit in concern.

He gives a short laugh that doesn't sound humorous at all. "You always put me before you, Annabeth. I always liked that about you, how you care so much for others."

I don't like where this is going. "Luke?"

"I slept with Thalia last night."

I freeze and drop the phone. What? Thalia? Luke? I scramble to pick up my cell. I walk back outside, hoping some fresh air can help me.

"Um, what?" I squeak, unable to believe what I had just heard.

"I slept with Thalia last night," he repeats, sounding tired. I hardly feel bad for him, though, as the news starts to sink in. I walk back out onto the dock, noticing that my neighbor's lights are finally on.

"How?" I ask, hoping he gets the gist of what I'm trying to say.

"I took her out to a bar last night to celebrate after the concert - which went great, by the way." I didn't care. "Then I danced with her, and we made out." My jaw drops. "Several times," he goes on. I feel my eyes starting to sting with the beginnings of tears. I dry swallow, trying to stifle them back. He continues, "Then I took her to my room and we, well, yeah. And gods, Annabeth, I'm so sorry, but I liked it."

I suddenly can't do anything. My body literally freezes with shock and I can't. My insides are being ripped from the inside out, and all I can do is stand there and listen to the apologies of a guy I thought I loved. This isn't love, I think, that isn't love.

"It's okay," I hear myself hollowly say. "We're done."

"Annabeth, I'm so sorry-"

I can hear the tears in his voice, as if he really does feel bad about it. It doesn't matter.

"Bye, Luke." I hang up on his protests, but there really isn't anything else for him to say. The hand holding my phone drops to my side as I stare out over the water. I thought he was different, and sweet and caring and not a cheating jerk. I feel my phone vibrate in my hand, but don't answer it. I don't want to hear anything else he has to say. What if it's Thalia? I don't want to hear from her either.

The wind spikes up a little, blowing salty air into my face. I breathe it in and let it back out. I again breathe it in, and in, and in, and in, and- I'm hyperventilating. Stop it! Stop it! But like before, I can't. I grab my chest and fall to my knees, gasping for air I cannot seem to get as tears flow freely down my face. My phone scuttles a few feet away from me but doesn't fall off the dock. Not that I'd grab it anyway. It hasn't brought me any good news the last few times I've answered it. I hear a door slam in the distance. I double over and press both arms into my stomach, rocking myself back and forth as I try to gain some sort of control over myself. I blindly press my forehead against the wood of the dock, sobs ripping from my chest. Through my cries, I hear the quick thump, thump of feet running towards me and someone shouting.

Gods, it hurts. I just want to be numb. I don't want to feel anything. My sobs turn to screams. I can't believe this, even as the truth of it sinks into my bones. I saw the pictures of them on the news, but I guess I didn't look at them close enough. Damn, but it hurts. I hear someone trying to talk to me and a hesitant hand on my back, but I can't open my eyes to look. If I open my eyes, everything will look the same as it was five minutes before Luke called and shattered my world.

I don't know how much time passes before my screams fade into hoarse whispers. As my outburst dies down, I can hear what whoever next to me is trying to say.

"Anna? Anna, please, you're scaring me, what do I do?" The panicked voice of Percy Jackson flows into my ears. He's crouched down next to me and trying to turn my face toward his. Finally, I let him, and I see his face is very pale. He looks at me, then pulls me into a tight hug.

"Oh thank gods, you're not dying," he breathes, holding me close. I don't respond, and he quickly lets me go. I pull my legs up and hug my knees tightly to my chest. He turns red as he explains, "I saw you walk out here on the phone, then drop. I thought you were having a heart attack, so I ran out here and I - yeah," he finishes, putting a hand to the back of his neck. "I didn't know if I should call 911 or what to do. I'm sorry."

I turn my face toward the ocean and don't reply. I appreciate his actions, really I do, but I can't seem to make myself care.

"Are you okay?" he tentatively asks, leaning toward me. Again, I say nothing. If I say something, it only enforces what Luke has said as reality, and it hurts. I try to stay numb, but then Percy sighs and stands to leave.

I don't know what drives me to do it, but my hand darts out to catch his. "Don't leave," I hear myself plead. He looks shocked, but sits down next to me anyway. We don't say anything, but he puts his arm across my shoulders, letting me know that he's there if I need him. He's so sweet.

You thought Luke was too, my mind reminds me quickly. Percy and I sit on the dock for what feels like days, but is probably actually only an hour or so. He begins to get fidgety, and starts nervously chattering about random things. He talks about his friends, and his mom, and about getting kicked out of a few Wal Marts in the city. He means well, and I listen.

But then he talks about that country guy Luke Corn Flakes or something. A knife twists in my insides.

"Castellan," I correct numbly, my voice scratchy. He perks up at my voice and turns to me, hoping I'll say more. And I do, surprisingly. "I used to date him," I clear my throat and add, feeling my stomach constrict at the use of the past tense. Percy doesn't push me to say anything else and stays silent as well. However, I find myself opening up the rest of the story to him. "We met in Richmond, near the Ironworks..."