Jeez! I am zippy! Well, we're getting close to drawing to a close. Maybe. I'm not sure. Anyway, here's yet another chapter. Bottom, here I come! =P
Disclaimer: First point: I'm not a guy! Do the math!

The rest of the week went by in a blur. We practiced every day, and I could hear us gradually getting better. I wondered when we'd be ready to show Annabeth. Every night I'd see her - or sense her - out on the beach. My thoughts kept going back to my new prophecy. The world... Who could that mean? I shook my head.

I walked into my cabin after yet another round of playing "I'd Come For You." It really was my favorite song, but I still wondered why Will had picked it out. Annabeth would probably know. I sighed again. I was thinking about her too much. Her birthday was now a week away. I'd never tried to talk to her, and every time I saw her, she looked worse.

I shook my head again. I flopped down on my bunk to find that I'd landed on something hard. I immediately sat back up; it had grazed the small of my back, my weak spot. I looked at the thing. It was a grey box. I opened it, and atop of stacks of pictures was a note. It read:

Percy,

Don't forget the good times. Keep the faith. And most importantly, rethink your own thoughts. Good luck.

-Chiron

I looked at the first picture. It was of me and Annabeth, on top of everyone's shoulders as they carried us toward the canoe lake. I smiled wider than I had all week. That was the night Annabeth and I had gotten together. It was the best night of my life - so far.

The next one was of Annabeth and I sitting on the beach. Her head was on my shoulder, and my arm was around her. We were watching the sunset. That one made me sad. We used to do that every night.

I looked through them all quickly until I reached the last and most recent one. It was Annabeth and I racing down Half-Blood Hill, on the last day of camp last summer. I smiled at that one too. I'd won.

I walked outside to the sword arena. I was frustrated. Not at Annabeth, but at myself. I'd hurt her, even though it wasn't technically my fault, and I couldn't fix it. It was killing me, I knew it. I hardly ate anything, and hardly got any rest, which was killer if you bathe in the River Styx. But I knew the Ares cabin was practicing, and even though it wouldn't hurt, tiring me out seemed like a good self-punishment.

I waltzed in, looking calm and collected. All eyes turned on me, and I just nodded. I let Clarrise beat me up a little a few times, and left. It was almost time for dinner, so the sooner I got there, the sooner I could leave. If I didn't show up, it would raise some eyebrows. I didn't want the whole camp to know I was depressed.

I left after about, oh, two minutes, and went to bed early. I just lay there for the longest time, thinking, again, about my prophecy. It obviously meant me. Luke was a hero, but he was dead. And it had to be a he. So no Annabeth. But who was the world? It ran through my head too many times. I eventually drifted to sleep, and actually slept through the entire night for once.

Two days before Annabeth's birthday, I confronted my "band." I addresed Will, mainly. "Are we ready?"

To my complete and utter disappointment, he shook his head. "You want it to be perfect? We need to practice for most of the day, today and tomorrow."

I ran my hands through my hair. "Oh crap. This is bad." Then, the most brilliant idea ever popped into my head. I told them. Everyone's eyebrows went up in shock. I think Thalia's went the highest. She'd always agreed with Annabeth on the whole "Seaweed Brain" debate.

"You know, that's...perfect!" Nico said. "I guess Annabeth finally rubbed off on you."

I smiled. "Grover, go tell everyone. You know, the usual way." He nodded and gave me a mock-salute, then ran off.

"Hey Percy," Will said to me. He gestured toward a small spot away from Nico and Thalia.

"Yeah?" He whispered in my ear. "That's a great idea. Thanks Will."

He shrugged. "Again, no problem. Nobody willl ever be able to repay you enough. This should be a good start."

Grover came running back into the meadow. "It's going around, Percy. Where were we?"

I smiled at him. "Come on, guys. Two more days. One, two, one two three four."

The next day, when the conch horn blew for dinner, we all let out a huge sigh. "Well, tomorrow's the day. Everyone knows the plan?" I said. My friends nodded. "Good. I'll be in my cabin until Grover tells me to make a break for it. See you guys tomorrow. I'm not gonna go to dinner. If Chiron asks, tell him I'm at the beach."

Before anyone could react, I was headed toward the water to think again.

I slowed my pace as I climbed a sand dune. Annabeth was sitting right in front of it, I was sure. I moved all the way to the other side of the beach, where I knew she couldn't see me. I thought about the prophecy again. Then it hit me what it meant. It just gave me another reason to do what I was doing tomorrow.

I sat on the soft, white sand for hours, long after the sun had set. I sat until the moon was right above me, and I slipped my foot in the water to check the time. It was midnight. I walked back to bed, nervous about the next day.

But I knew what and who I needed to ask.

Okay, two more chapters! I'll be finishing today or tomorrow! Woo! I rock! Thank you, thank you! R&R! GoOdByE! =P