Chapter 10

Annabeth didn't know what to do. She didn't predict that everybody would be staring at her, when she walked in.

Well, thank God for Thalia.

"Hi, Percy! Carry on with your speech. And sorry we're late." She said loud and proud.

She went over to where the drinks were to get both her and Annabeth a drink.

Annabeth simply took a seat near the door then looked back to Percy, giving him a sweet smile—like the ones she used to give him when she was younger.

He still looked shocked, but managed to continue. Annabeth wasn't listening really to his speech— she was too busy looking at her his face. Her ex-brother's hot face.

Ew, what was she thinking.

You couldn't blame her though. Percy looked ridiculously amazing. Ten years really did make a difference for the best. Not that he wasn't charming before.

He still looked like those high fashion models in those hot topic magazines Annabeth used to read. Except, now, he had a light layer of stubble that neatly grazed his jaw making him look a hell lot sexier. His clothes definitely helped that image of an ideal spoiled rich billionaire player, but Annabeth knew better. In his eyes, when he looked at her, there was warmth behind the cool facade he was probably putting on for everybody. And it only seemed visible when he glanced in her direction—which was a lot of times.

After everybody cheered for Percy's speech, they all went back to partying and Percy—well— you can imagine where he was headed.

Without breaking eye contact with hers, he set the mic down and went over to her, a radiant and hopeful look on his face. He then smiled, seeing for sure that it was actually her.

Annabeth stood immediately and went over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a big warm hug. He seemed at first shocked by the sudden warm comfort that the closeness of her presence brought, but then he sighed in a sweet smile.

"Annabeth." He said in a soft voice.

She didn't know how long they were hugging, but it seemed like forever— not that she was complaining. It was more than nice to have his protective brotherly arms around her again in that comfortable embrace which she always liked to think was only meant for her. Of course, it wasn't— at least not any more. She was at his engagement party after all.

This hug was reserved for someone else now. Nevertheless, she enjoyed the hug.

"I missed you." She said in his ear, before pulling away. Annabeth thought she felt him slightly shiver from her whispers, but dismissed it as soon as she thought it.

"How— Why? — When?"

Annabeth looked amusedly at him, "Yes?"

Thalia came bounding to them with drinks, "Aw, isn't this great! A sweet reunion of ex- siblings and childhood friends!"

"I'm guessing you were a part of this, Thalia?" Percy said as more of a statement than a question.

His eyes never leaving Annabeth's.

"Of course it was. Surprise! Happy engagement!" Thalia said excitedly, "I just met Annabeth yesterday myself. She's staying for two months for a business trip."

Percy simply smiled, "I'm glad."

Annabeth smiled back, "I'm glad too."

"Well, I'm going to go over to the dessert table, so, I'll just leave you two to catch up on your sibling love."

And with that she left.

Percy turned to Annabeth, still smiling. His eyes were as bright and striking as she remembered and his face looked even more ridiculously attractive up close.

His head tilted sideways, making him look endearing as ever with his eyebrows scrunched up a bit.

"It was you." He said.

She gave him a weird expression, "What?"

"At the airport."

~o00o~

"The airport?" She looked curiously at him, making her look adorably adorable. He could see the little six year old girl who always gave him that look when he did a stupid magic trick for her. She had always been a great audience, never knowing how he did the trick ever.

Of course, she wasn't the little six year old anymore. Not at all. Her face had definitely changed. And now that he was closer to her, he could see that ten years had done her very very good. She was beautiful—easily labeled gorgeous. Her youthful prettiness from when she was only a freshman in high school was replaced with something more extraordinary and mature.

Something which was incredibly magnetic.

And that made Percy wonder— how many guys had she dated?

Percy scolded himself the second he thought that. Seriously, the first thing that came to his mind was that?

Clearing his head, he immediately pushed it off as some of his protective brotherly nature appearing again.

"Yeah, the airport. You were on the same plane as Crystal."

Annabeth's brows went up at the mention of that name.

"Oh yeah, Crystal. How is she?" She said smiling.

"She's actually over there." He said, flatly, pointing over to the tables in the front of the room.

Annabeth looked over to see Crystal and Rachel still bickering to each other about stuff- stuff which were probably about Annabeth. Rachel's expression was dangerous, dangerously jealous.

She waved at Crystal and of whose response was a cold glare and a smirk.

"..And she still hates me." Annabeth said looking back to Percy with a sort of sadness.

"Don't mind her. She hasn't grown up yet."

"I see." she said looking to her fingers folded in front of her, then looking back up with a grin, "So- how was the last ten years for you?"

He laughed at the casualness of how she said it.

"It was… bearable."

"bearable?" She said with another lovely smile.

"Well, how could it be anything more when I didn't have my ex sister to bother. You don't know how boring that can be." He said with mock exasperation.

"Wow. It's great to know that you missed me as your personal punching bag." She said sarcastically.

He laughed, "Only you would understand my acts of affection." he said, resting his arm around her neck—always the perfect height.

She looked up at him, narrowing her eyes in annoyance at him. Yet, the smile playing on her face ruined her attempt to look bothered.

Percy knew she missed his brotherly acts of affection.

Suddenly out of the corner of his eye, Percy saw a very angry, jealous Rachel finally coming their way.

Oh. no.

Rachel stood right there near us, interrupting our wonderful sibling moment.

Clearing her throat very obnoxiously, she called his name.

"Percy sweetheart. Who's that?" Rachel said nasally.

Annabeth turned to her and smiled genuinely.

"Hi, I'm Annabeth. You must be Percy's fiancé."

"Yes. That I am."

In comparison, Rachel was a plastic witch and she was giving Annabeth the dirtiest of glares. The black haired witch sister came toward us as well.

Annabeth smiled at her, "It's been a while, Crystal. How are you doing?"

"I've been living rich for ten years. How could I not be doing fabulously?" Crystal said looking her up and down and then sneering.

Percy gave her one of his glares. Why were the both of them acting like stupid high school brats? Gods.

The tension between the four of them was definitely dangerous. Even other people started to notice the coldness rising from the part of the room where they were standing.

"Why are you even here? I don't remember inviting you." Rachel said mock innocently.

"I came with Thalia and I wanted to see Percy again. Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." She said, looking to Percy with her radiant grey eyes. Percy looked back with the same intensity. It seemed like everybody noticed the strange magnetic pull between them.

Everybody but themselves.

Everybody including Rachel.

Rachel became even more furious.

"Well, now you should go. The door is that way."

Percy knew what Rachel was doing. She was trying to taunt Annabeth into fighting back and showing her any reason to hate Annabeth even more. Unfortunately, Annabeth was not somebody you could take down too easily.

The blonde beauty simply smiled again.

"I'm sorry to have caused you any trouble." she said, "I'll be leaving then. Oh and congrats on your engagement."

Rachel huffed— her face becoming as red as her hair.

Annabeth's grey eyes met Percy's again, "Bye, Percy. I'll see you around."

And with that, she then left with Thalia following close behind.

Percy so wished to go with them and hang out with her and Thalia— just like when they were younger. He wanted to know her again.

And touch her again. The hug was too short. He wanted to be able to—

Woah. What was he thinking? He shook those thoughts away and realized Rachel was talking to him.

"How could you let that girl get in here? She ruined the party! And she deliberately humiliated me."

Percy gave her the eyebrow, "Humiliate you? how?"

"By— by.. by."

"By what? Talking politely to you? She was trying to be nice and you just told her to leave, being the great host that you are. Besides, she isn't just anybody. She's my sister. It might not be by blood, but she's still my sister. So I suggest you treat her that way." he said with cold, silent malice.

Rachel was shocked by what he said. He never had talked to her in that way. But, seriously, when she kept badmouthing Annabeth, he couldn't just stand there and let her.

Percy spoke in a low voice this time without losing the same cold malice as before.

"Rachel, our relationship is simply through a contract— it would do you well to remember that next time."

Then he walked off, leaving Rachel to stand in her stunned silence.

Author's Note:

Hello friends.

Thanks for reading this sort of long chapter. It has less errors since I looked over it a billion times.

Hopefully that will make you all happier. LoL.

Anyways, stay tuned for more updates and don't forget to reviewwwwwww C:C:C:C:C:C: