A/N: I'm back! And yes, I AM ALIVE! And I AM STAYING ALIVE! I just want to apologize for the month worth wait for an update. It's just because I read a book and I AM a slow reader. I have been experiencing a major family problem. And I just had review classes for the college entrance exams.
School is starting this Wednesday. I'm currently a senior and I WILL be very busy. That means that I might update later than usual or maybe earlier than usual because my school decided to give e-books a shot. That means I could write during classes. Mwhaha.
I really want to apologize for the really late update. And this chapter has 15,000 words. My way of making up for it.
Well, wish me luck for my senior year and for the college entrance exams. :)
Percabeth is coming soon. I promise. ;)
If you want to help me, if you have any complains, questions, suggestions or if you just want to talk, message me. I'll reply. :D
Enjoy! :)
Chapter 10 – Just A Little Time Off
Annabeth's POV
I woke up feeling quite better than how I felt for the past days. I sat up and looked at my phone that was on top of the table beside my bed. Today is Friday. I have been sick for six days already. It was already ten in the morning. I took a deep breath and slowly sat up.
I smiled and did a short victory dance when my head didn't spin. I went to the kitchen and saw that Percy prepared me some breakfast. I trudged to the dining table and sat down. I ate some waffles and some fruits. Percy never let me near oily foods ever since he found out I had flu. The closest I got was…a burger and that was it. After I ate breakfast, I washed the dishes and sent Percy a message that I was feeling better today.
I went to the living room and watched a show that was featuring Paris. I always wanted to travel around the world but I never had enough time to. Maybe someday, Luke would take me around. I ended up falling asleep when I was watching an old movie.
My nap has brought me to dream about travelling around the world.
I was in a tub with bubbles floating around me, candles lit all around the tub, and the smell of lilac hanging in the air. I looked around and saw that there was a speaker beside me, softly playing bossa nova. I closed my eyes, smiled, and slid lower into the tub, totally contented. I felt very relaxed and I just wanted to stay in that tub for days. But when I started to feel like a prune, I got out, wrapped a towel around me, and changed it with the silk robe that was hanging behind the door. I removed my hair from the messy bun that it has been and just ran my hands through it.
I exited the bathroom and entered the room. The door that was leading to the balcony was open. The wind outside was letting the light breeze in and pass through the curtains. I slowly walked outside and held on to the railing. I looked at the faint city lights and the beautiful Eiffel Tower. I closed my eyes, listened to the cars passing by, and took a deep breath, enjoying the cool air. I heard the door click and didn't mind it. A few minutes later, I felt arms wrap around my waist and pull me towards them. I leaned back against the body behind me and I felt that person slowly and lightly kissed his way from the part where my shoulder and neck meets up to my ear. The moment was perfect.
He whispered in my ear, "Hey, Wise Girl."
My eyes opened with shock. I slowly turned around and saw Percy giving me a sexy and knowing look while he was still holding me by my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck and swayed a bit. He bit his lip before smiling at me. I smiled back at him and let my hands slide down to his chest.
"There's wine in the room. A perfect way to celebrate our first night in Paris." He said.
We stared into each other's eyes and then he led me back into the room. He opened the bottle and poured some into two wineglasses. He gave one to me and I took a sip before sitting down on the bed.
"Where's Rachel?" I asked him.
"Rachel?"
"Yeah. Is she on her way here to Paris? Is she going to meet up with us?" I asked, thinking that his fiancée would meet up with us or she was already here.
"Do you mean Rachel Elizabeth Dare?" His eyebrows scrunched up.
"Yeah. Your fiancée, Seaweed Brain." I said as if it was the most obvious thing.
"My fiancée? What are you talking about, Annabeth?"
"You're engaged to Rachel. Both of you have been together ever since high school."
"I think you bumped your head, Wise Girl. Rachel and I are just acquaintances. I rarely talked to her when we were in high school." He gave me an embarrassed look.
"What…is happening?" I muttered to myself.
"What did you say, Wise Girl?"
"No, nothing." I said and smiled at him.
"Okay. Do you have anything else to say?"
I shook my head.
"Okay. I have something very important to tell you." He held my hand as he said this. "Annabeth…I am in love with you."
I stared at him, not able to comprehend what he just said. Percy took my silence as a sign for him to continue.
"Annabeth, I love you very much and there is not a day that I didn't. Ever since we were kids. I really really love you, Wise Girl." He gave my hand a squeeze after talking.
I found my voice after a few seconds and said, "I love you too, Percy."
He smiled widely at me, held my face, and kissed me. I was astonished with what was happening. My eyes were open and my eyebrows were scrunched up. But I started to relax and give in. I closed my eyes and started kissing him back but I was immediately jolted back to reality.
My eyes opened and I looked around. I was back in my loft, lying down on top of my couch with the TV still on and Raisin on my belly, fast asleep. Percy brought Raisin over since he's sleeping at my loft because of my flu and Raisin would be all alone in his apartment. I cautiously sat up, retrieved my phone from my room, and sat back down on the sofa with Onion beside my feet and Raisin on my lap. I got a couple missed calls from Percy and one from Thalia. I put it on the coffee table and stared into the TV, thinking about my dream.
I dreamed about being in Paris, the City of Love, with my best friend, Percy. We were in a beautiful hotel. He wasn't engaged to Rachel and he said the he loved me. I said that I loved him back and we kissed. Why wasn't I with Luke, my boyfriend? Why was I with Percy? Of all the places, why were we in Paris? Why wasn't he engaged to Rachel?
I shook my head and pushed those thoughts away. I called Percy but he was busy. I turned the TV off and just made myself a snack. I made a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich and enjoyed every bit of it. Percy didn't want me to eat oily foods because of my flu but sometimes when he's not around, I would sneak some.
I noticed that I was running low on my fruits and I didn't have coffee left. I looked around and realized that I needed to go grocery shopping. I listed down what I needed before taking a shower. I wore a casual shirt, shorts, a sweatshirt, which I left unzipped, and running shoes. I tied my hair into a high ponytail, put on some lip balm, grabbed my phone and wallet, and left my loft.
I messaged Percy that I went out to go grocery shopping and buy Onion his dog food. I walked to the pet shop where Tammi worked at.
"Hey, Annabeth!" She greeted me happily as I entered the shop.
"Hey, Tammi." I smiled.
"Where's Percy?"
"He's still at the hospital. You know how busy he is."
"Oh yeah. So I'm guessing you need dog food for Onion."
I smiled, "You read my mind."
We went to the aisle filled with dog foods and got Onion's usual dog food. I got a whole sack, some doggy treats and chew toys. I told Tammi that I'd go back later to pick up what I bought and thanked her when she said it was fine. I paid for it and went to the grocery.
I sent Percy another message, telling him where I was. I got a cart and put on my earphones. I turned on my iPod and carried on. I grabbed a box of cereals, coffee, cartons of milk, and as much fruits as my cart can carry. I was picking out some vegetables when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I removed one earphone and answered my phone.
"Annabeth Chase."
"Hey, future cousin-in-law." Thalia said in a sickly sweet voice.
"Hey, Thalia." I smiled as I tucked my phone between my ear and my shoulder.
"Is my chicken cousin with you right now?"
"Nah. He's still probably working at the hospital. I'm actually grocery shopping right now."
"Oh. So I heard that he has been staying over at your loft for the past week. Is he finally changing his mind and be with you?"
"No, my friend. I got a flu and he has been taking care of me despite my protests. He keeps using the who's-the-doctor card on me."
"Oh, cut him some slack. He just wants to be with you."
"Whatever. It's rather normal for him to act like that. He's the overprotective person, especially when you're sick."
"Actually, now that you mentioned it, he never did that when I was sick."
"Maybe he was busy at that time." I said as I grabbed some vegetables.
"He never did that when Nico was sick. He's only like that when you are sick."
I kept quiet and pushed my cart away from the vegetables.
Thalia laughed, "He loves you, Annabeth."
"Yeah, loves me as a friend."
"Oops, my bad. He is in love with you."
"Shut up."
"See? You're just in denial." Thalia laughed again.
I was about to tell her my weird dream but kept it to myself, "So, what made you call me?"
"To tease you with my chicken cousin…and to ask you if you checked your e-mail recently."
I immediately stopped pushing my cart, "What?"
"Did you check your e-mails? Yes or no?"
"Uhm, no. Why?"
"You'll know. Anyway, I have to go. Enjoy shopping." She said then hung up.
I took my phone away from my ear, put it back in my pocket, and continued pushing my cart. I was looking for the brand of shampoo that I use when my phone vibrated again. I fished it out of my pocket and answered without looking at who was calling me.
"Annabeth Chase."
"Hey, Annabeth."
"Hey, Connor. What's up?" I asked him and continued looking for that bottle of shampoo.
"Have you opened your e-mail?"
My eyebrows scrunched up, "Uhm, no. Why?"
"Oh, nothing. I'll talk to you later." He said then hung up.
I shrugged, put my phone back in my pocket, and continued grocery shopping. I got a couple more calls from my friends, namely Travis, Nico, and Silena. All of them were asking me about my e-mail. Every time I ask them what's with my e-mail, they would just change the subject and hang up on me.
I got a couple boxes of pancake mix and I was ready to bring my cart to the cashier. As I pushed my cart, my phone vibrated once again. I sighed in frustration, stopped pushing, and answered it.
"Annabeth Chase." I said, annoyed.
"Hey," The person answered cheerfully at first but then turned doubtful, "Wise Girl…?"
"Oh. Hey, Seaweed Brain. Please tell me that you're not going to ask me about my e-mail." I sighed, somewhat annoyed but relieved.
"Uhm, why would I ask you about your e-mail?" Percy asked me.
"Because the others have been. Silena, the Stolls, Nico, and Thalia have all called me and asked me the same thing. When I would ask them why, they would just change the subject and hang up. Do you know why?" I said as I pushed my cart.
"I really don't know. I haven't checked my e-mails for a while now."
"Same here." I put my groceries on top of the counter. "So, what made you call?"
"I just got your messages and I wanted to check up on you. How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling better. I think I'm no longer sick."
"Well, I'll just do a check up on you when I get home and if you are fine then maybe we can go out."
I smiled, "I'd like that."
"Excuse me, Dr. Jackson, but we need you at the ER." I heard a girl say.
"Well, you better get going. Save lives for me, Seaweed Brain." I said then hung up on him.
My groceries were put into paper bags and I was hailing a cab. I put all my paper bags in the trunk, got in, and told the driver the address of the pet shop. I got what I purchased from the shop, thanked Tammi, and told the driver the address of my building. I paid the fare once we got there and got a little help from Karl.
"Thanks, Karl." I smiled as he brought the sack of dog food in my loft.
He huffed, smiled, and said, "No problem, Ms. Chase."
He left my loft and I started stowing away the groceries. I managed to hide the dog food under the sink and refilled my cupboards. I sat down on the couch once I was done. Onion was under the coffee table, fast asleep, and Raisin was on a rug in the kitchen, also fast asleep.
I turned the TV on and watched another travel show. This time, the person was in Venice, Italy. Gondolas, bridges, water. Soon enough, I was asleep.
I was in a kitchen and apparently, I was making something that seemed to be cookies. I looked at the cookie sheets with uncooked cookies on them and the cookies were formed into different shapes. I continued cutting the cookie dough with a cookie cutter until it was all finished and the cookie sheets were filled with cookie dough.
I looked out of the window and noticed that I was in the suburbs and it was Christmas. A few minutes later, I heard someone come in so I turned around and saw Percy. He was wearing a dark blue sweater with reindeers on it.
"How's the ham, Wise Girl?" He asked me.
I was cooking ham? I quickly looked at the oven and then the timer went off. I opened the oven, got the ham out and it smelled delicious.
"It smells good." Percy smiled at me.
I smiled back and asked, "Percy, where are we?"
"We're in San Francisco. In your father's house. Celebrating Christmas with your family."
"Oh. Is Rachel fine with you celebrating Christmas with me and not her?" I asked as I put the cookie sheets in the oven.
"Who? Rachel? Rachel McAdams?" He smiled but I gave him a straight face. "You have to be specific, Wise Girl."
"Rachel Elizabeth Dare."
"What about her? I haven't seen her in probably a decade."
"But you're engaged to her." My eyebrows were already scrunched up.
"What are you talking about, Annabeth?" Percy's eyebrows were also scrunched up.
"Rachel is your fiancée." I started explaining but he cut me off.
He was in front of me in an instant, making me lean against the kitchen counter. He was holding both of my hands and stared into my eyes. Since he was taller than me, he had to bend his knees so we would be the same height. His eyes looked into mine with so much intensity that I couldn't look away even if I wanted to.
"Annabeth, you're my wife. Rachel is most certainly not my fiancée." He seriously said.
I sneaked a peek at my left ring finger and indeed, there were two rings on it. I am married to Percy.
Percy held my face, making me look at him, "You are the only woman who can drive me completely insane, in a good way. You are the only woman that I love. Only you. And every day, you make me the luckiest man alive by being my wife."
He ended his little speech by kissing me. I was surprised so for a moment I was just staring at him with wide eyes while he kissed me. But I thought, "Hey, he's my husband anyway." I kissed him back with gusto, burying my hands in his hair. I was enjoying it but there was a part of me that wouldn't stop thinking that this wasn't right. A couple minutes of kissing later, he carried me and made me sit on the counter. He started kissing down my neck and I just wrapped my arms around him, making him come closer to me.
After a couple minutes, I heard someone close the door of the fridge. Percy and I pulled away from each other and tried to fix ourselves. I saw my brother, Matt, with a glass of water in his hand.
"Oh, don't mind me but maybe you should tell Dad that dinner would be a little bit late." He smirked at us.
I woke up breathing hard. I slowly sat up and looked around. I was in my loft and it was late in the afternoon. I turned the TV off and just sat down, thinking.
Why in the world was I dreaming about Percy? Well, it was rather normal for me to dream about my best friend but not in that way. In one day, I dreamed about being with him twice. What is wrong with me? I am dreaming about being with my best friend who is engaged to one of my high school friends and is also his high school sweetheart. And, come on, I'm in a relationship with someone! Seriously, brain, stop it!
I stood up, fixed my hair, and looked for something to do to take my mind off of things. I could read a book. I could cook. I could start on the work missed due to my sickness. I went to my room and looked at my bookshelf, searching for a good book to read. I realized that I already read all of the books that I have. I got the Kindle that Percy gave me and saw the book that Percy bought me years ago, Something Borrowed. I haven't read that yet despite the years that I owned it. I really don't know why but I decided not to.
I looked at the cook books and scanned them. I looked for something I could cook but by simply looking through it made me remember the dream that I had just a couple minutes ago. I put away the cook book and called Mom. I told her that I was feeling better and maybe I could go back to work tomorrow. She said that she'll get Drew to fix my schedule.
I sat on my bed. Maybe I could go out. I made up my mind and got Onion's and Raisin's leashes. I put on their leashes and left my loft. I messaged Percy before heading to Central Park. I walked the dogs around and it kind of got my mind off of things because I have to make sure that Raisin wasn't being squished by Onion.
"Annabeth?" Someone called.
I stopped walking and looked around for the person who called me. I saw a brunette waving at me. I blinked a couple times and realized that it was Katie. I smiled, waved back, and walked towards her.
"Hey. What are you doing here?" I asked her as I got to her.
"I was walking around and I ended up here. What about you?"
"I'm walking the dogs." I said and showed her the leashes in my hands.
"Oh wow. What are their names?" She asked me then crouched down to play with them.
"The Rottweiler is Onion and the pug is Raisin. Percy owns Raisin and Onion is mine."
She stopped playing with them and looked up at me, "This is Onion?"
I nodded my head.
"He's so big compared to the last time I saw him."
I just laughed and she continued playing with them. She straightened up and asked me what I was up to now. I told her that I could show her around New York City if she wanted.
"Please! I feel so alone and lost here." She laughed lightly.
"Have you tried any restaurants?" I asked as we walked out of Central Park.
"The restaurant we ran into each other and some fast food chains."
"I'll bring you to one of the cafés that Percy and I enjoy eating at."
She gave me a knowing look and smiled at me.
"Oh not you too. Percy is engaged and I'm with Luke. So stop it."
She laughed, "I didn't say anything."
"Shut up."
We walked to the café. I was walking Onion and she was walking Raisin. While we walked, we talked about things that happened since we parted ways after I graduated Law. She was an interior designer and decided to move to New York City because she wanted to work in a different atmosphere. It was just to have experience. If it wouldn't work out here then she'd go back to England. It was a brave thing to do. She stepped out of her comfort zone and worked in a totally different place. But the good part in this is that if she went back to England, it would be as if she never left.
We arrived at the café and the employees greeted me. I greeted them back and got us a table. Katie asked me if dogs were allowed in the establishment and I told her that the owner of the café and I were friends. The owner said that having dogs in the café could intimidate the possible thieves and it would invite other dog owners to come. Katie smiled and we ordered as the waitress came to us. I got a slice of red velvet cake and a cup of brewed coffee. Katie ordered the sugar free cheesecake and a cup of tea.
"So, Annabeth, how about you? How's life?" She smiled at me then patted Raisin's head.
I told her everything. I went to New York City because I think that there are more opportunities here and my mom, who was a lawyer herself, was based here. I told her the story behind my wonderful loft and my job. I was a lawyer and my mom and I were working by ourselves. I told her everything that she needed to know about.
"Percy is engaged and the wedding would be happening some time during summer." Katie said after taking a sip from her tea.
I nodded and continued eating my cake.
"You aren't affected by the engagement and all?"
"Well, Percy asked me to be his best woman."
"What in the bloody hell is that?" She asked me and sliced her cake.
I laughed at her sudden outburst and answered, "The feminine version of a best man."
"That's rather stupid. No offense to your beloved best friend. Anyway, I wish you luck to that wedding, Annabeth."
We laughed together and continued talking. A couple minutes later, I saw someone outside the café. I quickly told Katie to look away from the window as I did the same. She asked me why but I told her to just do it.
"Hey, guys! You won't mind if I joined the both of you?" The person called as they entered the café.
I sighed and straightened up, "Hey, Travis. I don't know if Katie here would be fine with it."
Katie looked at me and quickly said, "No, it's fine with me."
Travis willingly sat down beside me and smiled at Katie. Katie gave me a puzzled look but smiled back at him. I, on the other hand, heavily stomped on his foot.
"Uhm, Katie, this is Travis, one of my friends since high school." I unwillingly introduced them.
They shook hands for a while and Katie noticed Travis's bruised cheek.
"What happened to you cheek?" Her voice filled with concern.
"A person punched me and tried to run away." He said as if it was normal.
"Oh, you poor thing." Katie said and gently touched his cheek.
I was giving Katie a warning look, which I think she was ignoring. Couldn't she tell that I didn't like the fact that she met him?
"It's normal for me." He said.
"Travis is a crime scene investigator." I quickly said before Katie could ask anything.
Katie slowly nodded her head, "That's cool."
Travis smiled and said, "Annabeth told me you're an interior designer."
"Yeah, I am."
"Well, I'm planning to have my apartment renovated. Maybe you should do it." Travis smoothly said.
"Oh, wow, that's great! I'm just warning you that I'm from United Kingdom and you might not like the design." Katie bit her lip.
"Your accent is pretty much is a giveaway." He winked at her. "And if you want, I could bring you around New York City."
She giggled and I just wanted to gag. Travis's phone buzzed, he excused himself, and looked at it. Meanwhile, I lightly tapped Katie's legs with my feet and gave her a look, telling her to stop it. We had a short, silent conversation with our eyes before she looked away from me because Travis was done with his phone.
"It looks like there's something that came up at the office. Here's my address." He wrote down on a tissue paper. "And my number. I'll see you later, Katie."
With that, he left the café.
I looked at Katie, who was staring down at the tissue paper, and called her attention. She looked up and gave me a smile that a high school girl would give when her crush for how many years asked her out.
"Katie, no." I started.
"Why not?" She whined.
"Katie…I have known Travis for so many years. I have seen girls come and go and every time they go, they end up broken hearted."
"That's the way it should be. He decided that that woman is not the one for him." She defended him.
"No, hear me out. He is a ladies man. A playboy perhaps. He has been dating women and he has been 'cheating' on them. Why? Because he gets bored with them. Katie, you mean too much to me. I can't and won't let you wander in his evil lair filled with broken hearts of different girls. I don't want you to get hurt because of him. Katie, please understand." I said and gave her a pleading look.
She just looked at me for a couple seconds and finally said, "Okay, okay. Fine. I'll stay away from him, just for you."
I smiled, "Thank you."
"But, of course, I'm keeping this." She said and snatched the tissue paper that Travis wrote on.
I rolled my eyes and we continued talking. After probably an hour, my phone rang. I excused myself and answered it.
"Annabeth Chase."
"Hey, Wise Girl. I think I'll be late. Lots of patients here tonight." Percy said.
"Oh, no, it's fine. I'm with Katie anyway. Save as much lives as you can, okay?" I smiled.
"Okay. I miss you already."
I laughed but played along with him, "I miss you too, Seaweed Brain."
I hung up on him and looked at Katie. She was making faces and playing with Raisin.
"Was that Lover Boy?" She teased.
"Actually it is Lover Boy. Except not my Lover Boy." I stuck my tongue out.
She suddenly had a serious face, "Really, Annabeth, you aren't affected by it?"
I shook my head.
"You really don't have feelings for him?"
"Nope."
"You…are definitely dense."
"Excuse me?"
"You have been with this guy for twenty-four years! You had your first kiss with him. He was always there through the ups and downs of your life. And deny it or not, you think about him every time you guys are apart." She explained.
I was about to protest but she immediately cut me off.
"Well, you most certainly don't think about your boyfriend."
I have to admit, she's right about that but I just kept that to myself and let her continue.
"When we were in Harvard, you barely thought about meeting up with Luke, let alone Luke himself. Why was that? Because you were busy thinking about finally seeing Percy through the screen of your laptop." She ranted.
I just stared at her because she is correct.
"Only fools don't end up together after that."
"He is the one who asked someone else to marry him!" I exclaimed. "He is the one who has a fiancée!"
Katie was surprised by my sudden outburst but quickly recovered, "Because you didn't show any sign of actually having feelings for him. Of course he would feel dejected! After years of hoping you would have feelings for him, it would be a miracle if he's still hoping. Actually, no. He's no longer hoping. That's why he asked someone else to marry him."
"Well, he should be the one who goes first. He should be the one who'll show feelings for me." I defended.
"Maybe he did. But somehow you managed to have ignored it. Or you ignored it and you somewhat pushed him away and made him think you don't have feelings for him."
"Just drop it, Katie."
She dropped it and looked out the window for a long time. I sighed and looked out the window too. A few minutes later, she broke the silence.
"I shouldn't have gone too far. I'm sorry."
I smiled at her, "It's fine. Just so you know, his cousins always do that on a daily basis."
She laughed, "See? Even his cousins agree with me!"
"But that can't make him change his mind and feelings towards me."
"You sound like you want it to happen." She smirked at me.
I gave her a warning look and she just held her hands up.
"But I have a feeling something is bound to happen." She shrugged.
I rolled my eyes and said, "It's kind of getting late."
"Oh, sure. Uhm, I'll see you later or around New York City."
"I was actually about to ask you if you wanted to go to my loft." I laughed.
"Oh, sure, of course." She said as she stood up. "I just hope I won't be interrupting your night with Percy."
"Shut up. He's working late in the hospital tonight."
We walked back to my building. It was around thirty minutes passed six when we got there. We went up to my loft and when we got in, the dinner table was set for two. Katie and I exchanged puzzled and confused looks. I closed the door and removed Onion and Raisin's leashes.
"Hey, Wise Girl." Someone called out.
Percy showed himself after a few minutes. He was wearing his usual slacks, dress shirt, and shoes. But his necktie was missing and he unbuttoned the first two buttons on his shirt.
"I hope you don't mind that I made us dinner." He looked at me and noticed that I was not alone. "Uhm, hi, Katie."
I bit my lip, trying not to laugh, and said, "I don't mind. And I hope you don't mind that I brought Katie along with me."
Percy blushed and said, "I don't mind at all."
I looked at Katie and she looked like she about to burst into laughter in a few seconds, "Katie, I hope you still remember Percy."
She nodded, waved, and smiled at him. Percy did the same and walked to the kitchen.
Katie turned to me, blushing, and said, "You said that he was working late tonight. I should get going."
"No, it's fine. Stay. Have dinner with us." I smiled at her.
"I might be disturbing your night with him."
"No, stay, I insist."
She whispered, "Tonight might be the night he says that he chooses you over her." She laughed and said. "If you insist."
"Shut up." I smiled wider.
"I'll just freshen up. May I ask where your comfort room is?"
I pointed where the bathroom was and went to Percy once Katie was on her way to the bathroom. Percy prepared some salad, quesadillas, and ice cream cake. I went over to him and gave him a punch on the arm.
"What was that for?" He asked me and rubbed his arm.
"For lying to me. Telling me that you're working late tonight."
"I was surprising you. Surprise."
I rolled my eyes and laughed, "So am I staying in tomorrow or am I finally allowed to go back to work?"
He touched my neck and said that I might be cured. But to be sure, he got the thermometer and checked my temperature. As he waited for the thermometer's final reading, he kept asking me questions: Did you feel dizzy at some point of the day? Do you feel cold? Any muscle pains? Did you have the urge to vomit?
The thermometer beeped, he checked it, and said that I no longer had flu. I did a victory dance. When I was done, I noticed Katie was watching me. I laughed and invited her to eat.
We ate dinner and, thankfully, no awkward moments.
But I spoke too soon.
"So, Percy, what makes you stay here at Annabeth's for probably a week now?" Katie asked before eating her salad.
"Well, Annabeth got a flu and I took care of her." He simply said.
"Won't your fiancée wonder why you are staying at Annabeth's? Won't she be suspicious if there's something going on between the both of you?" Katie asked.
I nudged her foot with mine as a warning.
Percy looked at me before answering her question, "Rachel is fine with everything. If I'd stay over at Annabeth's; she'd be okay with it. If I'd spend the day with Annabeth; she'd be fine with it. Rachel understands what Annabeth and I have been through and how much Annabeth means to me. Rachel is very understanding. If I kissed Annabeth's cheek in front of her, she would understand that that was a friendly gesture. And right now, Rachel is in London because there is an art exhibit there and the same time, she's looking for a wedding planner. She comes home tomorrow."
Katie nodded her head and no longer asked about Rachel throughout the whole dinner.
They got to know about each other more and when dinner was finished, Katie thanked us for the wonderful dinner and left.
I washed the dishes while Percy fed the dogs. He stood beside me once he was done and helped me with the dishes. We just talked and talked about our day and when we were finished with the dishes, I realized that I was supposed to check my e-mail.
I ran to my room, got my laptop, went back to the living room, and turned my laptop on. Percy sat down beside me and looked at the screen too. Most of the e-mails were from WWF, Earth Hour, and more. One of the latest e-mails was from Luke. Whoops. I'll write back as soon as possible. Then the latest e-mail was titled, "The Night We Reunite". Percy and I looked at each other. I opened the e-mail and just as I suspected, it was an invitation to our high school reunion.
I groaned but continued reading it. It was happening tomorrow night in Goode High. The theme was prom. I felt happy because for some reason I still have the dress I wore on senior prom. While I was annoyed, saying that the reunion would be a waste of time, Percy on the other hand was excited. I groaned and fell back on the sofa.
Percy looked at me and said, "Come on. Ten years of not seeing your high school classmates. It would be a blast!"
I covered my eyes and groaned again, "It's a nightmare."
I felt Percy stand up and heard him walk away. I sighed. Stupid reunion. A few seconds later, I felt someone's arm wrapped around my waist and hoist me up. I was face to face with Percy and he was giving me a knowing look.
"We can dance." He said then quickly clicked the remote he was holding and Michael Bublé's version of Sway played.
We danced to it for a while. Well, it was pretty much Percy swaying me around and I was just following him. He dipped me, we stayed in that position for a few seconds and then he made me twirl numerous times. When I was spinning, he clicked the remote and Flightless Bird, American Mouth was playing. He held on to me before I could fall, put my arms on his shoulders, put his arms around my waist, pulled me closer, and swayed.
"We can dance. Fast or slow." He said in a low and seductive voice then he chuckled.
I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and relaxed. We swayed slowly from side to side and I was just in pure bliss.
"Too bad we can't do this on the night itself." I mumbled against his shoulder.
He stopped for a while and continued swaying, "What are you talking about?"
"Rachel would be here tomorrow. You'll be with her the whole night. Telling others that you guys are getting married in a few weeks." I said but there was a part of me that was saddened by this.
"Doesn't mean I can't hang out with you." He protested.
"It pretty much does. What part of you and Rachel would be telling others that you guys are getting married did you not understand?"
He didn't answer and he just tightened is hold on me. We danced until the song ended. I let go and smiled at him. I told him that I was going to bed early because I was going back to work tomorrow. He just nodded and fixed the CD player.
I got ready for bed and already got comfortable on my bed. I was toasty warm and I was just waiting for Percy to join me in bed.
He crouched down beside me and said, "Hey, Annabeth, there's an emergency at the hospital and they need me. Don't wait for me because I'll be back maybe early morning."
"Be careful, Seaweed Brain." I whispered.
He kissed my forehead and left me.
I instantly fell asleep, feeling sad. And a few hours later, I felt someone lie down beside me and wrap their arms around me. I smiled and went back to sleep.
When I woke up, the smell of coffee was very present in my room. I slowly sat up and looked at Percy's side of the bed, which was neatly fixed. I got up and showered. I wore the usual high waist pencil skirt, blouse, and pumps. I tied my hair into the usual tight bun. I went to the kitchen and saw Percy, already wearing his dress shirt, slacks, and tie. I sat down and watched him cook.
"Good morning, Seaweed Brain." I smiled.
He turned around and smiled back at me, "Good morning, Wise Girl."
"What's for breakfast, chef?"
"Actually, there's no breakfast. Your breakfast is waiting for you in your office. So I just made you a cup of coffee." He handed me a hot cup of coffee.
"Thanks." I said then took a sip.
"So are you excited for tonight?" He asked me.
"What's with tonight?"
"It's the high school reunion."
I groaned, "I really have no idea what's going to happen. I haven't even told Mom about it and she might make me work overtime."
"I could talk to her if you want." He offered.
"No thanks. I'll do it myself." I said and downed my remaining coffee.
I went back to my room and looked for my old prom dress. Once I got it, I called the place where I usually have my clothes dry cleaned. I told them that I'll drop off the dress and I should be able to pick it up before six in the evening.
We left the building. Percy brought me to where I'm supposed to drop off my dress and to my office, said his goodbye, and left. I greeted Drew, went in Mom's office, kissed her cheek, and told her about the reunion. Fortunately, she allowed me to leave earlier than five. I went to my office and ate my breakfast, which was already delivered.
I worked hammer and tongs so I could catch up with all the work that I missed. I even missed my lunch just so I can accommodate more clients. My phone has been ringing non-stop and I just kept ignoring it. At the end of the day, I think I talked to around twelve clients. Since tomorrow was Sunday, I won't be going to court and Mom was kind enough to not let me go to work.
I looked at the clock and it was already four. I looked at my phone and most of the missed calls were from my high school friends. I called Thalia first and asked her why she called.
"I was going to ask you where you were going to get ready." She said.
"Oh, I really haven't figured that out yet. Do you know any place we can get ready?" I asked her.
"Actually, Silena already got us an appointment. She said that that salon has been the salon that most celebrities go to."
"Wow. Thank you, Silena." I said.
"I'm actually on my way there. Do you need a ride?"
"I'll just meet you there. I'll see you later." I said then hung up on her.
I called Silena next and thanked her for what she has done. Then I called Nico.
"Hey, Nico, what made you call?" I asked him as he answered.
"I just wanted to ask you something."
"I'm all ears."
"Will you go to prom with me?" He asked me.
I have to admit, that made me blush, "Of course, Nico."
"Great. I'll pick you up around six." He said with a smile in his voice.
"Great, I'll see you then."
With that, I hung up. I went to Mom's office and told her that I'll get going. On my way out of the office, Drew told me that the dress is already done. I thanked her and left. I went to my loft and got the things that I needed. Jewelies, my clutch, shoes, and perfume. I got my dress from the dry cleaners and went to the salon that Silena booked us in. It's a good thing it was near Central Park, which means that it's just near my building.
"Hello, do you have a reservation?" The girl in the front desk asked me.
"I believe I'm with Silena Beauregard." I smiled at her.
"Oh, yes. Please follow me." She said and guided me inside the salon.
I saw Silena and Thalia already seated down and being worked on. I greeted them, fixed my things, and got seated.
People smothered beauty products on my face and neck. While someone was applying make-up another person was doing my hair. After what felt like an hour and a half, they were done, which was very good because my butt was numb. My hair was in a curly, messy up do and had flowers in it. It's the kind of hairstyle that you see some brides have. The make-up was alright.
My dress was a tube, floor length dress. It was white and had a lot of silvery and glittery beads. It hugged my abdomen as I wore it. My heels were gold and had a jewel-embellished strap that was snaking its way up to my ankle. I wore a necklace with an owl pendant, given by my mom years ago. Since I was wearing a different necklace, I removed the necklace that Percy gave me. What I did was I removed the ring and wore it.
Thalia and Silena looked beautiful. We were fixing each other, spraying on some perfume, doing last minute touch-ups. Silena gave me some lotion and told me to put it on the skin visible. I did what she told me to do and realized that the lotion had something like glitter so now my skin would sparkle a little when light hits it.
"Oh, my date is here." Silena announced.
"Well, we'll see you there." Thalia said.
"I'll introduce him to you guys, of course. Wait, I'll get him." She smiled.
Silena came back with a huge, bulky guy wearing a tuxedo. He was tall. He had black hair and brown eyes. It looked like he didn't want to be introduced and Silena had to talk to him several times before he said yes.
"Thalia, Annabeth, this is Charlie Beckendorf but you can call him Beckendorf." Silena introduced us.
I stuck my hand out to him and he shook it with one of his huge hands, "Hi. I'm Annabeth."
Thalia and Beckendorf did the same and she asked him, "So, what do you do for a living?"
He replied with his very deep voice, "I'm a sports agent."
Thalia nodded her head, "Ah, I see."
"Well, we'll see you guys later." Silena smiled at us.
They left and Thalia and I looked at each other. We talked about Silena's new boyfriend and tried to predict the surprises that tonight would bring. We wondered what happened to Castor and Pollux, the brothers whose father owns a wine factory. We wondered what happened to Chris Rodriguez, Calypso, and more.
A couple minutes later, my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and rolled my eyes. I excused myself from Thalia and answered it.
"Annabeth Chase."
"Hey, Wise Girl. Where are you? Is someone going to pick you up? I can pick you up if you want. Do you have a date? Who's your date?" Percy interrogated me.
I was about to tell him where I was but I saw Nico pull up, "Well, my date just arrived. You'll have to wait to know who my date is. And you're with Rachel."
I hung up on him and greeted Nico as he entered the salon. I hugged him.
"You look beautiful, Annabeth." He said with a tint of red on his cheeks.
I blushed and said, "You don't look bad yourself."
We smiled at each other for a while and he put on the corsage he got. It was made out of calla lilies and it was very beautiful. I asked Thalia if she wanted to come with us but she said that she was waiting for someone. Nico and I said our goodbyes and left. We got on Nico's black Porsche Carrera GT.
When we got there, Nico opened my door for me and we went in Goode. It has been ten years since I last went here. Everything looked the same. We went to the court and it was designed beautifully. Nico and I went around and talked to our old classmates. I was talking to Castor when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around and saw Grover. I excused myself from Castor and hugged Grover.
"Grover! How long has it been?" I asked.
"A couple months already." He looked at me. "I see you still look beautiful as ever. I think Percy still fusses about how thin you are."
I laughed and agreed with him, "So, how's Japan?"
"It's fine but I'm still surrounded by plants there. Any news about Percy?"
"You should ask him yourself when he arrives." I said, trying to avoid telling Grover about Percy's engagement.
"Is he still with Rachel?" He asked me.
I nodded my head, "How about you? Do you have a special someone in your life right now?"
He smiled, "Yeah, I do. She's here right now. Oh there she is." He waved at a girl.
The girl smiled and walked toward us. She was a short girl with amber colored hair and green eyes. She smiled at me and stuck her hand out to me. I shook it.
"Hi, I'm Juniper." She said.
"Annabeth, this is my fiancée, Juniper." Grover smiled at me.
"Oh wow, it's so nice to meet you. Congratulations." I said. "When are you getting married?"
"We don't have a date yet and we're thinking of a long-term engagement." He said.
"How did you guys meet?" I asked them.
We talked for a while and then Nico came up to me holding two cups of punch. I thanked him, got a cup, and took a sip. Nico wrapped his arm around my waist. I think I know what he's up to. Grover was giving me a puzzled look.
"Grover, I hope you still remember Nico di Angelo." I said.
"Of course I still remember him. He's Percy's cousin. It's just…I didn't expect the both of you to end up and be married."
"I beg your pardon…"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just assumed because I saw that you're wearing a ring…" Grover trailed off.
I looked down and realized that I accidentally wore my friendship ring on my left ring finger. I laughed and told Grover that I wasn't married. I told him that I had a boyfriend, who was off travelling around the world, and Nico was just playing. Yet Nico didn't remove his arm from my waist and I didn't remove my ring. We talked for a while before parting ways to catch up with other people.
"Oh, Nico, please tell me you're not doing this again." I said once Grover left us.
"Why? I just want to show my cousin what he'll be missing once he gets married to her." He gave me an innocent smile.
"You're going to make the others think that we're together."
"The better." He smiled. "More people will put their attention to us and that will catch Percy's attention."
"Whatever, Nico. It will never work." I laughed.
We walked around, talking to old classmates, catching up with them. Soon enough, everybody was there. I saw Thalia talking to Castor, Grover and Juniper talking to Calypso, Silena and Beckendorf talking to Pollux, but Percy and Rachell weren't here yet. Nico and I were talking to Chris Rodriguez.
"So, Chris, where has life taken you?" Nico asked.
"I have been travelling a lot. I'm actually a travel writer." He smiled.
"Oh wow, I always wanted to be a travel writer. You go around the world, writing about the places you have been to, suggesting what the best tourist spot people could visit, and the best part is you get a taste of different cultures." I mused.
He smiled, "I heard you're a lawyer and you're a coroner. Pretty cool jobs."
I smiled, "Yes, they are."
"So how are things between the both of you? To be honest, I really didn't expect the both of you to end up."
I looked at Nico, who pulled me closer to him, rolled my eyes and said, "Actually Chris, I have a boyfriend. He's probably on an airplane right now. Well, Nico, here, just can't keep his hands off of me."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Chris immediately apologized.
"How about you? Anyone special?" Nico asked him.
Chris blushed and said, "Yeah, I brought her along. Her name is Clarisse La Rue."
I nodded and smiled, "What does she do for a living?"
"She's an anger management therapist." He smiled.
"How did you guys meet?" Nico asked.
"We met when we were in college."
A few minutes later, a tall girl with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes walked to us and introduced herself. She was Clarisse. We talked for a while and then I finally spotted Percy and Rachel.
Rachel wore her red hair down and she looked stunning in her dress. She had Percy beside her. Percy was wearing a tuxedo and he looked ravishing. They smiled and waved at people who greeted them but Percy seemed distracted. He was looking for somebody.
"Looks like my cousin is here." Nico whispered after we parted ways with Chris and Clarisse.
"Yeah, he is." I said.
"I bet he's looking for you."
"Oh, shut up, Nico."
"Well, come on, let's talk to others." He said and brought us around.
Well, after ten years, Chris was a travel writer. Castor and Pollux took over the family business and fortunately, neither of them became an alcoholic. Calypso turned out to be a landscape architect who goes out sailing most of the time. Others became what we predicted them to be and others just gave us the wild card. Others were working and others went back to college. Others had families, kids of their own, engaged, in a relationship, or single. Bottom line is it was great seeing them again.
We walked around talking to people. Nico was letting others believe or think that we are together but I tell them the truth and it's up to them to believe me or not. It has been probably an hour and a half into the party and I still haven't exchanged a word with Percy. Something tells me that this is part of Nico's plan.
There was a program. We got seated and Percy was not on our table. There was a presentation, like a tribute, to our batch. It was all about us and our success together. I saw pictures of Percy, the swimming competition champion. Rachel was part of a TV show, Work of Art, and won. Grover won a science quiz. I won a math competition. And many more.
Once the presentation was done, dinner was served. Nico got me another cup of punch but I smelled a hint of alcohol in it so I declined. Looks like someone spiked the punch. After dinner, people went around to continue talking to others. I looked over at Percy and Rachel and they looked very sweet with each other. Holding hands, hugging each other, stealing kisses. They were getting a lot of smiles and hugs. Looks like they finally announced that they're getting married.
"Didn't people say that it was bad to stare?" Nico whispered.
I realized that I was staring at them.
"Don't tell me you miss him." He chuckled.
"Whatever, Nico." I smiled.
"Just go over there, grab him, and tell Rachel that he was never hers to begin with." He joked.
"But that means that I'll have to give up being married to you, hubby." I played along with him.
Nico laughed and pulled me closer to him, "Because I just love showing you off to others."
We continued walking around, talking to people, and Nico won't just let me near Percy. People started dancing in the middle of the court. Nico pulled me towards the dance floor and I just went along with him. We were dancing to Fly Me to the Moon sung by Frank Sinatra. He was swinging me around and I was having fun. I laughed as we danced. I had my hand on his shoulder and the other was in his hand. We were dancing and I got a good glimpse of people. Others were already making out, others had enough alcohol in their systems, and in other words, it was prom all over again. I saw Dakota, our foreign exchange classmate from Rome, walking around with a drink in hand.
After that number, they changed it to I Only Have Eyes for You by The Flamingos. Nico and I looked at each other and just shrugged. I put both my hands on his shoulders, he put his on my hips, and we swayed.
"So, are you having fun?" He asked me.
I smiled, "I am. How about you?"
"Having so much fun. I'm glad I have you as my prom date."
I blushed, "I'm glad too."
I let my hands slide so my hands were flat on his chest. I put my head against his chest and he tightened his hold on me. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment.
When the song ended, Nico and I decided to sit out the next couple of songs. He excused himself and left me for a while. I looked around and smiled. I miss being around these people. I saw Silena dancing with Beckendorf, Grover kissing Juniper, Dakota drinking, the Stoll brothers laughing by the ballot boxes, Castor and Pollux discussing something, Chris cuddling with Clarisse, and, uhm, Percy and Rachel making out. I sighed. I looked for Thalia but she was nowhere to be found. She is notorious for leaving events like these early. I looked around and everybody was still in the same place. I got my clutch and left the court. I messaged Nico that I'll just go get some fresh air and I'll be back in a while.
I walked around the school for a while and ended up in the swimming pool. For some reason, the lights in the pool were turned on. I removed my shoes, lifted my dress, sat down, and soaked my feet. I just cleared my head. There was something back there that made me want to leave but I don't know what it was. I stayed there in the pool for a few minutes then I figured Nico would be looking for me. I was about to get my things and head back when someone covered my eyes. I smiled and put my hands over that person's hands.
"Shouldn't you be back there, Seaweed Brain? Your fiancée is waiting for your lips to be on hers." I said.
The person removed their hands over my eyes and sat down beside me. Percy was wearing his tuxedo, sitting on the floor beside me.
"Nico was worried about you and told me. I figured that you'd be here." He said.
"What part of get some fresh air can't he understand?"
"It's been fifteen minutes since you left."
"So?" I asked.
"Bottom line is we were both worried about you."
I scoffed, "My safety should not preoccupy you right now."
Percy ignored what I said, "I see that your date is my cousin. How dare he betray his own blood?"
"Betray his own blood?" I asked.
Percy didn't answer back.
He looked at me after a while and smiled, "You look amazing tonight, Wise Girl."
I smiled, "So do you."
"So, why did you go with my cousin?"
"To be honest, he was the only one who asked."
He looked at me in disbelief, "You're lying. I bet there were lots of people who asked you."
I rolled my eyes, "Yep, I shot down all of them because I knew Nico was the one."
He laughed a bit and stood up. He offered me his hand and I got it. He helped me stand up. He carried my shoes, I got my clutch, and we went back to the court. Before we entered, I asked for my shoes. I wore them on and stopped Percy from entering.
"Percy, there's lip gloss on your jaw, your top lip, and on the tip of your nose." I said and entered, leaving him there.
I went in and looked for my date. Nico was by the punch bowl, drinking. I went over to him and punched his arm. He just looked at me and continued drinking.
"You're going to regret that tomorrow." I said.
"Want some?" He offered but I shook my head. "Oh yeah, you don't drink."
"And Percy might beat you up if you got me drunk." I added.
He rolled his eyes, "Did you and my cousin have a good alone time together?"
"It would have been better if he didn't have traces of lip gloss all over him." I joked.
"Hey, he left his fiancée to look for you. Take that as a compliment."
"Why didn't you look for me?" I asked.
"Because I couldn't stand the sight of both of them making out. A missing Annabeth Chase is the only thing that will make Percy stop and leave her."
"So that was your plan all along?" I asked in disbelief.
"Here comes Lover Boy." Nico said before walking away from me.
What did he mean by that?
"May I have this dance, Wise Girl?" Someone asked me.
I turned around and saw Percy smiling at me with his hand held out. I smiled and took it. He brought us to the dance floor and we started dancing. But the moment we started, the fast song immediately turned into a slow one. A couple people left the dance floor but Percy and I remained. I wrapped my arms around his neck, he wrapped his arms around my waist, and we slowly swayed to Unforgettable by Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole.
"Shouldn't you be with your fiancée?" I asked him.
"I haven't danced with you for a while."
"We just danced last night." I stated.
"You caught me red handed." He chuckled. "She started talking about the wedding so I decided to dance with you."
"Don't you like talking about your wedding?"
"I'd rather dance with you." He smiled.
"I see. You're running away from your own wedding." I nodded.
"I didn't say that."
"But that's what it meant." I teased.
He just brought me closer to him and we danced. After the song, we decided to sit out the next one. I went back to Nico, who stopped drinking and was smiling at me as I sat down beside him. He asked me if I wanted to dance and I just nodded and we went to the dance floor. We danced to Stevie Wonder's I Just Called to Say I Love You. It was a good thing that the songs that followed were fun songs so we stayed and continued dancing. You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate, Superstition by Stevie Wonder, and more. As we danced I would catch glimpses of people around. Juniper and Grover were laughing and dancing, Chris and Clarisse drinking, Silena and Beckendorf talking, the Stolls busy laughing, and Percy and Rachel wrapped in each other's arms, kissing. But there are times when I would catch Percy looking at me. Or was that just my mind playing tricks?
We were having fun but they cut off the music and someone called our attention. Calypso went up the stage and smiled at us. Everyone stopped dancing and just stared at her. Nico put his arm on my shoulder and we waited for her announcement.
"Hello, once again, I'm here to announce this year's prom king and queen." She said. "And this year, our prom queen is Rachel Dare."
Everyone applauded and Nico just scoffed, saying that it was rigged. I elbowed his ribs, making him laugh. I looked over to them and saw Percy giving her one last kiss before she goes up the stage. I don't know but something in me just sank down, something like my stomach. Rachel went up the stage and Calypso put the crown and sash on her. Rachel blew a kiss and I assume it's for Percy.
"And this year's prom king is…Connor Stoll." Calypso announced.
"Now that was rigged." I said and laughed.
Nico laughed along with me but both of us clapped as Connor went up the stage. He wore the crown and thanked the people who voted him. The Stoll brothers are famous for pulling pranks on everyone in school. Tonight, I'm betting that they have pranked almost everyone here.
"Well, without further ado, our prom king and queen." Calypso announced and clapped as they made their way to the dance floor.
Fascination by Nat King Cole started playing and they danced. Rachel was laughing and Connor smiled. Nico looked at me and gave me a disgusted look. I laughed and elbowed him. Nico was really mean when it comes to Rachel. Wait, erase that. Nico and Thalia.
They danced for a while then soon enough, people changed the song and Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel by Tavares played. Nico and I looked at each other and decided to sit this one out. After dancing to a lot of songs, we finally got tired. Once we got seated, I looked over where Percy was sitting but didn't see him there. He must be dancing with his queen. A few seconds later, I saw Percy walk towards me. Uhm, no, dance towards me. He was smiling and just pulled me off of my seat. He brought me to the dance floor and made me twirl. We danced with each other until Rachel asked me if she can cut in. I eagerly let her get Percy from me.
I was about to go back to my table when Dakota caught me. He asked if he could dance with me and I was feeling too kind so I agreed. We danced for a while.
"You know, Annabeth, I always liked you." He said.
I smiled at him and thought of a way to get away from him because he was radiating the smell of alcohol.
"Heaven is missing an angel. Because you're here, Annabeth."
"Dakota, I think you should sit down." I suggested.
He gave me a smile that seemed seductive. I held his hands and led him to a table. He then made me tag along. His hold on me was quite strong, so I politely asked him to let go. Suddenly he moved closer to me, grabbed me, and started kissing my neck. I felt his hands on my waist as he pushed me against the wall. He was giving me wet kisses and I was just too shocked to do anything. He got me pinned against the wall with a firm hold on my hips. He kissed his way down my neck and I was still frozen.
All of the sudden, Dakota was knocked out on the floor. I looked up and saw Percy with an angry expression on his face and his hand balled into a fist. I was just staring at him. He looked away from Dakota and then rushed up to me. He held my face and looked into my eyes. We stared at each other for a couple seconds and then he hugged me tightly. I was on the edge of crying but I just sucked it up.
"Annabeth, are you okay?" He asked me, rubbing his hand up and down my back.
I nodded and just hugged him tighter, burying my face into his shoulder. He released me and asked me if I wanted to freshen up…also wash my neck. He made me wear his blazer. Warmth spread over my body the moment I wore it and the faint smell of his perfume greeted me. He brought me to the bathroom. Once I got in the bathroom, I just scrubbed my neck until it was red. It was just disgusting. When I was done, I went out and looked for Percy. I spotted him. He was talking to Nico. He looked mad and Nico just looked down at the floor, occasionally looking up and talking back. I swiftly walked to them and listened to what was happening.
"She could have been raped. She was harassed and where were you, huh?" Percy angrily said.
"I'm sorry but I just needed to go to the bathroom." Nico said as he looked down at the floor.
"Percy," I touched his shoulder, "everything is okay. Don't blame Nico for what happened and can we just forget what happened? The past is past."
Percy looked at me and his eyes immediately softened, "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I'm just looking over you."
"I know. I understand." I smiled. "Where's Rachel?"
"She had to run to the bathroom."
I removed his blazer and gave it back to him.
He wouldn't get it back and said, "You use it."
I shook my head, "No, let your fiancée use it. And I think that Nico and I should get going."
He unwillingly took it from me and gave me one more hug before letting me leave. He told me to call him once I got home.
Nico and I left the court. He gave me his blazer and we walked to his car. I complained about how much my feet hurt after all the dancing that I did tonight. He laughed lightly and offered to carry my shoes. I politely declined and we got in the car. He drove to my building and insisted that he brings me up to my loft and I get changed before he leaves. I unlocked the door to my loft and went in with him tagging along. Onion suspiciously sniffed him but then realized that he was a friend. I gave him back his blazer and took a shower. I hung my dress and made a note to bring it to the drycleaners tomorrow. After I took a bath, I changed into the most comfortable pajamas I have. I wore an old shirt and shorts. I brushed my teeth.
"Nico, I'm done." I announced as I entered the living room.
He looked dead tired and as if the world was on his shoulders.
"Nico, I just want you to know that I don't want you to worry about me. I am a hundred percent fine. You should go home, take a quick shower, and go to sleep. You'll do that for me, okay?" I said.
"I'm just…Annabeth, I…I'm really sorry for not being there." He said.
"No, Nico, just forget that it ever happened. Everything is fine. Now, go home. Not unless you want to sleep over." I smiled.
He smiled at me, "Okay, okay. I'll go now. You better have a good night sleep."
We shared a hug and he left. I looked at Onion, who was looking back at me. I sat on the floor and played with him until there was a knock. I opened the door and saw Percy, still wearing his tuxedo.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
"I just came over to check on you. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, where have you been? Shouldn't you be at home already? Or be with your fiancée?"
"I just dropped Rachel off at her apartment and I immediately went here." He explained.
"Well, everything is okay. You go home and get some sleep. You look as bad as Nico does. I'll take care of Raisin tonight, okay? Now, go home." I instructed.
He gave me a small smile and his eyes softened. He kissed my forehead. We shared a hug and he kissed the top of my head before he left. I locked the door and went to sleep.
I woke up early the next day. I decided to go out and jog. I left the two dogs in the loft and went out. I jogged for a couple hours. I just wanted to erase everything in my mind. Percy, Nico, Thalia, Rachel, Luke, the engagement, Dakota, last night. I shook my head and pushed the thoughts further away.
After I jogged, I was dead tired as I walked back to my building. I went straight to the bathroom and took a shower. I wrapped a towel around my body and went to my room. I was humming a song that I heard last night. When I got to my room, I let out a short, loud scream. There was a person on top of my bed. The person sat up and immediately covered their eyes.
"I'm sorry, Wise Girl. I didn't mean to." Percy apologized profusely.
Instead of being mad, I ended up laughing at him, "That was just a fail, Seaweed Brain."
He stopped apologizing and laughed along with me.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be spending time with your fiancée before she leaves for another art exhibit somewhere far from here?" I asked.
"Actually, she has an art exhibit here in New York City. Tonight. She told me to invite you."
"Oh wow. Who else are you going to invite or she's going to allow you to invite?" I asked as I wore on my robe.
"Well, she said I could bring my cousins if I wanted to."
"Are you bringing them?"
"Maybe only Thalia."
I gave him a tired look and said, "Percy you will eventually forgive Nico sometime soon. And please, I want soon to be later today."
He rolled his eyes on me which made me raise my eyebrow.
"Percy, why are you so affected by it? I'm the victim here and you see that I have already moved on. Why does it seem like you want to go back to that moment again and again?"
He looked like he wanted to punch something but instead he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I just wish that I could go back and do something to prevent it from happening. I could think of a lot of ways to prevent it but apparently, I can't go back and do it. Last night, I kept thinking of what could have happen if I weren't there to stop it. I just…don't want you to get hurt or anything. I'm supposed to look over you but last night, I almost let you slip away."
I let down my guard and gave him a hug, "Percy, stop torturing yourself. You were having a good time with Rachel and I shouldn't really be in your mind when you're at it. I am to blame for everything because I just stood there frozen. So please stop torturing yourself and forgive Nico. I know that you are just watching out for me but eventually, you'll have to stop. And I know and understand that you are not always there to watch out for me."
Percy eventually let it go. I told him to invite Thalia, apologize to Nico and invite him while I change. I changed into shorts and a shirt and went to the kitchen. I prepared fresh fruits and made eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce. Percy and I ate breakfast together and talked. When we were done with breakfast, I washed the dishes while he fed the dogs.
"Why aren't you with Rachel right now?" I asked as I rinsed all the soapy dishes.
"She's catching up on her sleep for tonight and she's jetlagged so yeah, here I am."
I nodded, "I see."
We did our jobs for a while, not talking, and once I was done, I told him that I would be doing my laundry. I told him that he could go and do something else if he wanted to but he decided to stay and help me. He fixed the dishes while I segregated my clothes. Of course, there are some clothes that I should wash all by myself.
Percy went in the laundry room a few minutes later and helped me. We worked in sync. I put the dirty clothes in the washing machine and he gets all the wet ones and puts them in the dryer. When all my clothes were dry and were safely placed in my room, we decided to play with the soap suds. I got some on his hair, face, and neck and he got some on mine. We had an exchange of soap suds until we heard someone call out.
"Hello?"
Percy and I stared at each other and I stood up to see who it was. When I saw who it was, my heart was filled with joy and excitement. I ran, full speed, towards that person and tackled them. I just hugged the person so tight and I didn't want to let go.
"It's nice to see you too, Annabeth."
"I missed you so much." I mumbled against his shoulder.
I released him then gave him a kiss. Luke was carrying me while I had my legs wrapped around his waist. I haven't seen Luke for quite some time and I was so happy that I got to see him again but Onion seemed to be irked at the idea that Luke was here. While Luke and I were having a moment, Onion just barked angrily at him.
"You didn't tell me you were visiting." I said.
"I e-mailed you a couple days ago." His eyebrows scrunched up.
"Oh, I have been busy lately." I bit my lip.
"That's okay. At least I'm here now, right?" He smiled.
I smiled wider and kissed him again. I looked down at Onion and he was still looking menacingly at Luke. I let go of him and asked him if he wanted anything. He said that he was fine and asked me why I was covered in soap suds. I laughed and explained what happened to Percy and me in the laundry room. Speaking of the devil, Percy went in the kitchen, covered in soap suds.
"I cleaned the laundry room because I felt bad leaving it covered in soap suds." He announced and realized I wasn't alone. "Aw, hey, Luke." He smiled and gave Luke a brotherly hug.
"Hey, what's up? I hope you were watching over Annabeth while I was away."
"Yep, not a single scratch on her." Percy smiled.
They smiled at eat other for a while and Percy said that he should get going, saying that Rachel might be awake already. I told him that I'll take care of Raisin for now while he's with Rachel. Now, Luke and I were alone.
"So, where have you been this time?" I asked once we were comfortably seated on the couch.
"I've been to Los Angeles, Miami, Sydney, and Chicago."
"Wow! That is a lot."
"I know. And it's a good thing my next flight would be a couple days from now."
My eyes widened, "That means you'll be staying here for a couple more days?"
He smiled at me, "Yes, it does."
I smiled and could no longer contain my excitement, "Oh, we can do so many things together! We can go watch Broadway shows, go to a carnival, and go to museums. We could have lunch in Central Park or take a stroll on the West Village. They say the cupcakes there are sublime. We can eat at Grimaldi's Pizzaria. Good pizza. Or we can–"
He cut me off by kissing me, "Let's get to that once I get some sleep."
"Oh yeah, you're jetlagged as well. You sleep on my bed, okay?"
He smiled and kissed me before leaving the room.
I thought of things we can do for the afternoon and came up with getting a take out from Grimaldi's, eating it in Central Park, buy cupcakes from the bakery in West Village, go to an amusement park, and then go to Rachel's art exhibit.
I watched TV, played with the dogs, and read a book. Soon enough, I was reading Bram Stoker's Dracula. I stopped halfway into the book, tied my hair, and took a shower. I quietly went to my room and got the things I needed. I wore a white dress with a floral pattern. I fixed my hair into a high ponytail. I got my Clubmaster shades and hung it on the hem of my dress. I went back to reading my book. When I was done with the book, I decided to check up on Luke. I went to my room and saw him looking at me with squinting eyes. I smiled at him and he patted on the space beside him on the bed. I climbed on the bed and lied down beside him. He hugged me and we just stayed in that position for a few minutes. Later, I sat up and told him that we'll be heading out. He rubbed his eyes but agreed.
While he got ready, I wore my wedges and put on some lip balm. He wore a plain shirt, jeans, and running shoes. He noticed I had my shades with me so he also got his.
We left the building and headed to Grimaldi's Pizzeria. We ordered my favourite and the brought it to Central Park. We ate the pizza and then lied down on the grass, looking at the clouds. We admired the sight of people having picnics and children playing. The grass was as green as it will ever get and the sun was just shining brightly today. Thank God I brought my sun glasses. We just sat there, letting time fly by, and enjoyed the fact that we were with each other.
He would often steal kisses from me and I would just laugh and kiss him too. We were later making out under a tree and I remembered that I haven't told him about the art exhibit.
"Hey, Luke." I started.
He stopped kissing down my neck and looked at me, "Yeah?"
"Rachel is having an art exhibit tonight and Percy invited us. Do you want to go?"
"If you want to go and support your friend then I will go with you." He smiled.
I smiled back, "I'm looking forward to seeing you wear your tuxedo."
"I bet you'll look just as stunning in a beautiful dress."
I smiled wider and continued to kiss him.
We left the park and went to the West Village to buy some cupcakes. We strolled down the tree-lined, cobblestoned streets hand in hand. We got ourselves some cupcakes and walked to an amusement park near my building. Once we got to one, we just had fun and let our childish side get lose. We decided to watch the sun set on a Ferris wheel and it was just one of the best moments in my life. Everything was perfect.
"Annabeth." Luke said while we were cuddled up, staring at the beautiful setting sun.
"Yeah?" I looked up at him.
"I love you."
I smiled and kissed him, "I love you too."
We kissed each other for a couple seconds and continued watching the sun set. Everything was just perfect.
When the sun finally set, we went back to my loft and got ready for the art exhibit. I took a bath first and then wore a dress that I just bought recently. I don't usually buy dresses but this dress caught my eye and I was kind of forced to buy it. Why? Because I was with Silena. She somewhat talked me into buying the dress. And it was designed by one of my favourite designers. Silena influenced me, okay? It was designed by Monique Lhuillier.
Anyway, I wore the dress, which had three colors: black, grey, and white. It was floor length and one shoulder. The color was fading from dark to light. It was chiffon and had a knot detail at the hip. It also had a slit from the thigh up to the end. I also wore my silver heels with a strap around the ankle and had spikes at the toe. I wore my diamond bracelet with this and the friendship ring that Percy gave me for our anniversary stayed on my left ring finger.
I didn't do anything with my hair and let it curl naturally. I wore a clip on the side without my bangs though. It was just simple. I sprayed on perfume and put on just a bit of make-up. And by a bit of make-up, I meant only some lipstick and lip gloss. Foundation, powder, mascara, eye shadow, eye liner. You'll never see me have any of those things in my bag or loft. I got my clutch and stuffed my phone in. I put on some lotion on my arms and on skin that was exposed. I left my room and went to the living room where, I assumed, Luke was waiting.
"Are you ready?" I asked him.
He stood up, turned around, and I could just feel myself blush. He was wearing a tuxedo and he looked charming. Underneath the blazer, he wore a necktie and a vest. He combed his hair and he looked suave.
"You look beautiful, as expected." He smiled at me.
I smiled and said, "Well, you look ravishing."
We left the building and headed to the venue of the art exhibit. We got in easily and there were already people carrying champagne glasses and looking at the paintings and sculptures that Rachel made. Luke wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. I spotted Percy easily. He was just staring at a painting. Luke and I went over to him.
"Hey, stranger." I greeted him.
He looked at me and smiled widely, "Hey, Wise Girl. Wow. You look stunning, Annabeth."
"You do too." I smiled and we shared a hug.
Percy and Luke then shared another brotherly hug. Percy wore a tuxedo. White dress shirt, black vest, black necktie, and black slacks. He also combed his hair so he looked suave and charming.
"So, where is the star of the night?" I asked Percy.
"She's talking to some of her artist friends."
"Why aren't you with her?"
"Earlier today, she told me that she had a painting and I was the inspiration of it. So now, I decided to look at it and here it is."
Luke and I stared at it for a couple seconds and Luke said, "Something tells me that she was mad at you when she painted this."
I laughed and agreed on Luke with it. Percy laughed too. We went around, looking at Rachel's creations and then I saw familiar faces. Percy excused himself and I went over to them.
"I see you guys made it." I said as I approached them.
Thalia wore a black dress that hugged her body and Nico wore black slacks, a white dress shirt, and a black blazer. Honestly, they looked really bored. You know that expression you have when someone forced you to go someplace you never expect yourself to go. Like a gamer in a library or a bookworm in a rock concert. But in this case, it was Thalia and Nico in an art exhibit, especially an art exhibit showing Rachel's works of art. Remember, Rachel was never their favorite person.
"Yeah, more like forced to come." Thalia said. "You'd never see me go here willingly."
I gave her a warning look and changed the subject, "Guys, I hope you still remember Luke Castellan."
Thalia and Nico put on some smiles and greeted him. Thalia later complained about being parched and Luke offered to get some champagne. Thalia and Nico gave me bored expressions and I just laughed at them.
"Guys, you'll have to accept that you will be invited to these kinds of affairs." I said.
"But why?" Nico whined.
"Because your cousin is going to marry her soon."
"But this is boring. Everything here is boring. Even the artist who made this is boring." Thalia said.
I gave them warning looks because people here were Rachel's friends, "Well, suck it up and live with it."
"I mean, what is that supposed to be?" Thalia complained.
"It is abstract art. Don't understand it but admire it." I said.
She just rolled her eyes on me. Nico just laughed and asked me what I have been up to. I told them about my day with Luke and they just listened.
Luke went back, carrying some champagne glasses, "Champagne for you guys and water for you, Annabeth."
We thanked him and took a sip of our drink while we went around, looking at Rachel's works.
A couple minutes later, someone called everyone's attention. Then I saw Rachel, wearing an eye-catching dress, smiling at us.
"A pleasant evening everyone. I just want to thank each and every one of you for coming here tonight. I am deeply honored to present you with my works. And I couldn't have done this without the love and support of the people around me, especially my fiancé, Percy Jackson. Thank you everyone and enjoy." Rachel said.
After her speech, she shared a kiss with Percy. Luke brought me closer to him and kissed my temple. I smiled.
We were at the exhibit for probably an hour or so. When everybody has gone and a couple of people were left, Luke and I chose this time to congratulate her.
"Rachel, congratulations on the wonderful art exhibit." I said after we hugged.
"Thank you, Annabeth." She beamed at me.
"You're very welcome." I smiled.
Luke congratulated her too. Percy had his arm wrapped around her waist and was smiling at us. But sadly, Luke and I had to say our goodbyes and leave.
Luke and I went back to my loft. And it was kind of a heated moment. We were kissing and all but it quickly ended when we got in my loft because Onion started barking loudly and angrily. I stopped kissing Luke and started laughing. He unwillingly let go of me and I unwillingly wanted to go but I had to or else everyone in the building would be awake in a few minutes if it continued. I gave him some dog food and an extra treat. I also did the same with Raisin. I got ready for bed while Luke locked up.
I took a half bath, brushed my teeth, and washed my face. I crawled into my bed and a couple minutes later, Luke followed. We were just lying down there. We talked about his trips while I talked about my life here when he was away. He kept talking about the beautiful sights of the places that he have been to, the wonderful people, and the diverse culture. I talked about the cases that I have handled in the few days.
"Good night, Luke." I said.
"Good night, Annabeth." He replied.
We shared a kiss and went to sleep.
Today was just a perfect day.
A/N: Thanks for reading! :)
Tell me what you think of the chapter. Write a review. It makes me smile throughout the day. So make me smile and write a review :D
Question of the Chapter: Have you gone to an art exhibit? :)