CHAPTER 10

So, Hey! Thanks to ALL of you who reviewed, favorite and followed, I was motivated to write another chapter. :D Hope you like it.

"So…how was the play?" Sally Jackson inquired as they were gathered in the dining hall, waiting for Annabeth to arrive.

"Annabeth didn't enjoy it." Percy stated, "She doesn't like sappy romances. They make her sleepy."

His mother raised an eyebrow at him, "I meant how you thought the play was, Percy; not Annabeth. I can ask her myself."

"…"

"…So?"

"…It was nice."

Sally smiled at her son. "You always had a soft corner for romances, didn't you?"

Percy merely nodded as he stared the door. Where the hell was Annabeth? She was twenty minutes late. Maybe he should...

"Why don't you go call her?" Sally said, reading her son well, "She is never this late." Apparently that was all Percy needed to hear before he left the room.

~0~0~0~0~0~

Where was the bloody journal?! Annabeth thought, as she stood on the stool, looking over cupboard. She cursed her own self for not being an inch taller. She needed to find her journal. Ever since she was a kid, she had written about all the buildings and structures she's seen in it. She could not afford to lose it. If only she could see over the cupboard, she faintly remembered asking one of the maids to keep some of her belongings there.

Almost immediately, there was a knock on the door. "Annabeth, are you in there?"

Percy.

Great, exactly what she needed right now, someone who wouldn't let her think straight. "Come in," She answered, "it's open."

Percy then entered the room, his eyes widening at the sight in front of him. Annabeth was standing on a stool, looking over her cupboard, searching for something desperately. Her hair was falling on her face, one hand on her hip. She was… breathtaking.

"I…um…you were late for dinner." Percy managed, flustered. Had he just admitted that he thought she was breathtaking?

Annabeth turned to look at him, wide eyed as realization struck her. "Oh God, I forgot about it. I couldn't find my journal, it was kept up here somewhere, but I can't see anything from here. It was so important to me!"

Percy chuckled lightly, it was so like her. He moved towards her, and offered her his hand, "Get down first, or else you'll trip."

Nodding, and slightly flushed, Annabeth put her hand in his extended one. The moment their hands touched, an electric current seemed to pass, only to be ignored. It couldn't mean anything, could it?

As soon as she was down, Percy jerked her hand of his, as if it were poisoned. Great, now he was imagining things. "Move aside."

"Huh?"

Percy chuckled again, "Move aside, Annabeth. I'll find your journal for you."

"Oh, okay." Annabeth quickly moved aside, not wanting to come in contact with him again.

Percy easily climbed on top of the stool, looking over her cupboard. He stared wide eyed. Just how many books did she have? "Um…Annabeth, what color is your journal. You seem to have a lot of books up here. Do you actually read all these?"

It was Annabeth's turn to chuckle, "Of course I do! And it's blue." Annabeth said, observing Percy as he rummaged through her books, his muscles flexed. It was about time she admitted that he had the looks of a Greek God. She blamed it on those sea-green eyes, his messy black hair and lean body. She wondered if it was due to those training sessions…

"Here," Percy said, interrupting her thoughts. "Isn't this the one?" He handed her the pale blue journal. Annabeth smiled as she softly thanked him while he got down. He handed it over to her, making their fingers brush. Annabeth jumped slightly as she felt it again, the electric current she had felt earlier. She could feel her cheeks heat up.

Percy, on the other hand, was frozen. Was she…No, he told himself firmly. There was no way. Shaking his head, he moved towards the door, "Are you going to come?"

Annabeth nodded, "Yes, give me a minute."

Percy nodded as he left the room, moving to wait for her in the hall way. Annabeth left the room precisely a minute later, her journal resting safely on her bed as they made their way to the dining hall, together.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

"Sally Jackson let Annabeth go out?" Mrs. Owen asked Chiron. "You told me she would be safe there! What if he saw her?"

Chiron pinched the bridge of his nose, "I have no idea why she did it. There…She seems to have some sort of ulterior motive, and it seems to concern Annabeth."

Mrs. Owen widened her eyes, "She's using Annabeth?"

Chiron nodded hesitantly, "She does care for her, but there also happens to be something else."

"She's going to be spotted if she keeps this up." Mrs. Owen was frowning now, they had to stop this.

"I agree, but the worst part is that we can do nothing to stop it." Chiron was worried; they couldn't afford her being identified. "I have to go out of town today; I'll hopefully have some answers when I return."

Mrs. Owen nodded, like Chiron, she was worried sick. But nothing mattered now; they just had to keep Annabeth safe.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

It had been three days since Percy and Annabeth's little outing, and two days since they had seen each other. Chiron was out of town for some days, which meant no training sessions till he was back. Secretly, Percy was glad. No training sessions meant no seeing Annabeth early in the morning, no getting flustered and not saying what he didn't mean to.

He shook his head as he made his way out of his room; he was getting flustered for no particular reason. So what if he liked observing her, it didn't have to mean anything, did it?

No, it didn't. He told himself firmly, it only- Percy's thoughts were cut short as he collided with a body. To prevent the fall, he circled his arms around the other person's body, unintentionally drawing closer and moving forwards, colliding with the wall.

He looked up, "Sorry, I- Annabeth?" He stopped mid-sentence, color rising to his cheeks. What was she doing near his room?

"I…um…your mother…" Annabeth tried forming a coherent sentence. She looked at Percy's face, intently observing her, color rose to her cheeks. Their faces were inches apart, and his arm was firmly wrapped around her waist, why was he not pulling away?! The touch was making her giddy.

Percy stared at Annabeth's face. Was it just his imagination, or was she blushing too? She was looking up at him now, with those perfect stormy grey eyes, her lips parted a little, moist and kissable. Percy lowered his head a little, his gaze shifting to her lips. His left hand was still firmly rested on her waist. As if in a daze, his cupped her cheek with her right hand as he lowered his face even more- when he felt her hand on his chest.

"P-Percy…" Annabeth whispered, not knowing what else to say.

Percy jerked away from her, as if she had slapped him. "Annabeth- I…" Percy started, realizing what he was just about to do, but Annabeth was already out of the door, already out of his sight.

Well…Shit.

Okay…So here it is! Please review and tell me what you feel. I really crave reviews.