A/N: I'M SOO EXCITED! AND I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT! I'M ABOUT TO BLOW UP AND I THINK I LIKE IT!

No, that would be terrible. You wouldn't get to read my story anymore! Hahaha but I'm excited for this one. I love Aaron. He's like, my all-time favorite character. So, please, read on! Ok? Ok!

I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR WISHING ME A HAPPY BDAY! I had a GREAT time!

Disclaimer: I find it kinda silly (and stupid) that I do this every chapter. But, whatEVER. If I must, then I will. I do not own any of the characters in this story. Well, except for Aaron. You will NOT take Aaron away from me! He's mine!

I also own Principal Stevens, but who wants him? Ewwww….

Chapter 8

Frantic Phone Calls

Aaron knows a lot of things.

He knows when his sister is upset, or just acting bitchy. He knows when his sister is really happy, or just hiding something. Aaron knows when Annabeth is sad, or irritated, or just plain miserable.

Aaron knows his sister. And he knows when he can't control what she does. But right now, when he sees her kiss Percy Jackson – and he knows she knows he's watching – it seems like he doesn't know her at all. Which is saying something. It's really saying something. To know that your sister is being used when she obviously can't see it. It's just sad. It's depressing. And it's nerve-racking. Because no matter what Aaron says now, Annabeth won't listen.

Sometimes, Aaron thinks Annabeth wants him to pull all his hair out.

When he hears the front door open, he doesn't move from his spot by the window. He wants to make sure Annabeth knows he saw the kiss.

"You know, it kind of makes you a perv when you just watch us from the window like that," she says while hanging up her sweatshirt, not even bothering to give Aaron a glance.

"Do I honestly look like I care?" Aaron asks, pointing to his chest.

Annabeth sighs. She's already tired of this. Aaron doesn't get mad often, and Annabeth never likes it when he is. Especially since Aaron can hold a grudge much longer than she can.

"You know, I really think you need a reality check."

Aaron looks at her again, completely taken aback. A reality check? "You know, I really think you need to start acting your own age," he fires in return.

"I could say the same about you."

"You're acting like you're forty."

"You're acting like you're five."

He rolls his eyes. "How am I acting like I'm five?"

"Because you haven't even paid attention to how Percy acts now. He can be really nice when he wants to be. You just need to get to know him better."

"What if I don't want to get to know him better?" he points out.

"Then you're proving my point. Five."

He scoffs, and sits down on the couch to put his head in his hands.

Annabeth sits across from him, and as she stares at her brother, defeated and mournful, she finally notices how exhausted he looks. And concerned.

He's only worried about her.

Crap. Now she feels guilty. Why does Aaron always have to do that?

"All right, I'll make you a deal," she declares, suddenly jumping up eagerly like she used to do when she was little.

Aaron eyes her tensely, alarmed by her sudden change in attitude. "What's the deal?" he asks cautiously.

"What if we have him over for dinner next Friday?" She looks triumphant, as if her plan was the greatest plan in the world. Aaron's seen that look many times. It's her special 'I want something but I can't have it unless you say yes, so you'd better say yes' look. He despises that look.

"What is that going to accomplish?" he says as if he was talking to a small child.

"You'll get to know him better and see how he acts. And…if you still don't like him, I'll consider…breaking up with him." She says that last part like she's asking herself whether that is the right word to use. Is it? She doesn't know yet.

Aaron blinks. Is she really suggesting that? He doubts it. "Hmm…I guess it can't hurt to try. But what's Percy going to say when you ask him to come?"

"Oh, he'll say yes."

~oOo~

"Absolutely not," Percy says from across the table that following Monday at lunch, with Thalia on his right.

"Why nooot?" Annabeth groans over the usual chaos of the lunchroom across from Percy. Grover is next to her, on her left.

"Because if I say the wrong thing, your brother will castrate me!"

Thalia bursts out laughing, nearly spewing her milk on everyone, which causes Grover and Annabeth to join in. A few inquisitive looks come in from other tables.

"It's not funny! I'm one hundred percent serious!" Percy looks so freaked out Annabeth almost feels bad for laughing, but he's getting worked up over nothing.

"Percy, it's not a big deal! Aaron will learn to like you, just like I have," she tells him.

"Might take a bit longer for him, though," Grover mumbles.

"What was that?" Annabeth asks.

"Oh, come on, Annabeth. Percy told me about the time when Aaron screamed at him in the principal's office. Do you honestly think he'll like Percy right away?"

Annabeth thinks for a moment. "Probably not. But he promised he would try. But thanks for the warning, Grover."

Grover shakes his head. "Hey, I'm just glad you turned the tables around on Percy. I was getting tired of watching him make out with a different girl every other day."

They all laugh again, except for Percy.

"Hey! I did not make-out with a different girl every other day!"

Grover looks at him. "Fine, every week, then."

Percy looks like he's going to protest, but stops himself before he can because he realizes that Grover is probably right about that. It causes him to feel a little agitated with himself. Why would he want to go out with a different girl every week? And…why is he just realizing this now?

"I think it's hilarious," Thalia declares. "I mean, I don't think Annabeth's had a boyfriend since… Luke? Yep, it was Luke. And even then she didn't get as worked up as she did with Percy."

Percy smiles widely when he sees Annabeth's cheeks color.

"What did you get so worked up about?" he asks quietly.

"Whether you… wanted to talk to me or not. After Aaron caught us."

Percy continues to smile until Thalia nearly yells, "Awwww! Annabeth's blushing! Look at this, Grover! This is something I never ever thought would happen."

Grover laughs loudly. "I'm still trying to figure out who this Luke guy is."

"Yeah, who is he?" Percy says, looking suspicious.

"That's not important right now. Will you puh-lease come over on Friday for dinner? Please?"

Percy rolls his eyes at Annabeth's pleading look. He does not want to spend a Friday night

getting glared at by Aaron. He'd much rather go out and do something enjoyable. More specifically, he'd much rather go out with Annabeth and do something enjoyable with Annabeth. But it was important to her, so he… had to do it. To make her happy.

"Fine," He says at last while angrily stabbing his lunch with his fork.

"Yes! Thank you!" Annabeth leans across the table and gives Percy a quick peck on the cheek. She gets up and throws her lunch away to head to her next class, leaving Percy in his shocked state.

After a pause, he says swiftly, "I love it when she does that," as if he was floating.

"What? Kiss you?" Grover asks, looking shocked. "'Cause I've seen a lot of girls kiss you, man."

"Yeah, I know, but… it's different with her."

Thalia pretends to gag, "Stop acting like such a lovesick puppy before I barf, please."

Percy's smile widens, but disappears just as quickly when he hears his phone ringing. He doesn't pick it up.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Thalia asks.

"Nope," he answers, with an almost miserable look on his face.

~oOo~

An hour later, Annabeth is wondering around the school during her free period looking for Percy. Thalia told her about his odd behavior after she left the lunch room, so she wants to see if he's alright.

It didn't take Annabeth long to find him. He was in the school courtyard, viciously talking into his phone and looking very upset with whoever he was talking to.

She walks closer, noticing that he is nearly on the verge of tears. Percy always seems so put together, and it shocks Annabeth. She's never seen him look so wounded.

When she's close enough to hear Percy's hushed voice frantically speaking into the phone, she calls out to him.

He turns sharply, and when he sees that it's only Annabeth he smiles kindly at her, trying to hide the fact that he was nearly crying a moment ago. He holds up his finger, silently asking her to wait a minute.

"Look, I have to go," he says irritably into the speaker. There's a small pause. "Because I do!" he yells, and hangs up before the person can reply.

"Hi," he says, looking embarrassed.

Annabeth frowns, "Who were you talking to?"

Percy runs his hand through his hair nervously. "It…It's not important."

She scoffs, "It clearly is if it's making you this upset."

"I'm not upset…I'm…angry."

"At who?" Now she's concerned. She's never seen Percy look so flustered.

She doesn't like the fact that she can see his hesitation.

"My dad," he finally gets out. "He's back in town."

Oh.

Well that wasn't what Annabeth was expecting at all.

A/N: I AM SO SORRY AND YOU AL MUST REALLY HATE ME AND THINK THAT I DIED OR SOMETHING BUT I DIDN'T SO HERE I AM! YAY!

I've just been really busy through out October, and this week we had a four day weekend so i found the time! yay!

This is most definetly NOT my best chapter. i personally think it's too rushed and that its just...not good. but tell me what you guys think! ok?

OMG GLEE IS ON TONIGHT! WHO IS EXCITED? I AM! DARREN CRISS ALL THE WAY!

Also, i am currently working on a Glee one-shot. haha i've been having this idea in my head for a while now and it keeps GROWING! So, i need a favor. if any of you are interested in Glee, i only have some of the parts of it written down, so if you would like to hear it, MESSAGE ME! THANK U!

AWSOMEKELLY OUT!