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Of Corporate Scandals

Chapter 11. Only Classy Girls

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"Five, four, three, two, one, SEND!"

Everyone cheered and clapped as Percy clicked the mouse and emailed the very last plans and documents to the Water World contractors. Annabeth smiled as she watched her boss excitedly fist pump the air.

Zoe Nightshade, head of the Management Department, patted Percy's back with a knowing smile, "Well done, Mr. Jackson. You successfully finished the Water World project without making a complete fool of yourself. Now I can relay back to your father that you are not an incompetent failure."

Percy blinked, "Uh, wow. Um, thanks Zo..."

She crossed her arms and said, dryly, "Do not call me that, Mr. Jackson."

Drew Tanaka, an executive in marketing retorted to him as she filed her nails, "Well, don't forget, Jackson, you still need to seal the deal with Atlas or daddy won't be happy with you."

He was about to reply, but Charles Beckendorf cut him off, "Oh, hush, Drew. Don't be such a prat. We still got time for that."

Hazel nodded in agreement to Beckendorf as she jumped into their conversation, "Yes, we do, but the sooner we seal that deal as well the better."

The young CEO nodded; making a face of mild irritation as Annabeth she surveyed the other executives banter back and forth.

Percy cut them off, "Alright, enough of that. That's a battle for another day. How about we go down to the bar on West End and have a drink or two?"

"-Can't. I have a date.-"

"-I can't. Need to finish some stuff.-"

"-No. My kids have a PTA meeting.-"

"-Sorry. My wife thinks I need to spend more time with her.-"

One by one, excuse by excuse, all the executives dropped out of Percy's celebratory drinking party. They all congratulated each other once more before going to their respective trains, cabs, and cars to head home to their families and significant others.

Percy sighed as they all left, glancing over at Annabeth, who had been sitting, in the corner, feeling out of place with all the executives there and her being just an assistant.

He walked over to her and sat on the corner of his desk and faced her, "I guess it's just you and me, Annabeth. Ready for a night of alcohol and partying?"

Annabeth smiled, standing up and pulling her bag over her shoulder, "Hey, two is better than one, right?"

Percy nodded, grinned, "Right."

One cab ride, seven blocks, and a large tip to the brawny bouncer later, Percy and Annabeth were settled in a corner near the bar inside a noisy, lively club. The dance floor was a few tables away and packed with scantily dressed, drunken youths dancing naughtily to the beat of the pounding music.

"Two martinis, please. Oh, and a round of shots."

"Right up, sir."

The loud, thumping base emitting from the speakers on the DJ booth reverberated through Annabeth's head as she situated herself on the bar stool. She crossed her legs and looked at her at her boss, "Why did you order shots?"

Percy grinned at her, "Hey, it's not a celebration unless we do that shot game."

Annabeth cleared her throat as she sipped at the wine he had ordered for her earlier, "I'm not a heavy drinker." She smiled, meekly, "I don't think I could get past the first one."

He chuckled, paying the bartender as he was handed ten shot glasses filled with some hardcore liquids. "Don't sweat it. Just gulp and feel the high. It's a really easy game. One rule: Whoever passes out first loses. The winner may draw whatever one feels appropriate on the loser's face with a Sharpie."

Annabeth shot him a look, "You're not serious, are you?"

Percy laughed, handing her five of the ten glasses, "Of course not." Though, it very much seemed like he did mean it.

Annabeth warily took one of the glasses.

"On my count, okay, Annabeth? 3, 2, 1, drink!"

Ten shots later, Percy was regretting playing that game more than ever. "Annabeth, wait! Come back!"

The blonde had discarded her blazer at the bar and tossed her heels somewhere within the confines of the dance floor. She was currently stumbling her way through the maze of dancing, sweaty bodies, laughing in a drunken state of glee. "Nu uh!" She slurred, "Ya have ta catch me. It's a game, remember?"

Percy sighed, running a hand through his messy black locks, "Annabeth, please!"

She giggled drunkenly in her intoxicated state as Percy grabbed her wrist. She practically collapsed onto him as the alcohol affected her balance. Percy should've listened to sober Annabeth when she tried to refuse the shots. It was clear she was a light weight, and wasted beyond belief. Drunk Annabeth was so not-Annabeth Percy could hardly believe his eyes.

"You're drunk, Annabeth. You have to stay with me." Percy pulled her away from the grinding couples, "I'm taking you home."

Annabeth fell into another state of giggles as she shrieked, "No way, partner. I'mma dance this night away. Woo!" She yanked her arm out of his grasp and plunged back into the sweaty mass of dancers.

Percy tried to get her back and muttered to himself, "Oh, this was a bad idea." He figured that she would eventually tire out and he could take her home them without any struggle.

After a half an hour and no sign of his plastered assistant, Percy set out to look for her. He found her, after a scope around the club, pressed up against the wall by a tattooed thug with her blouse half open and her pencil skirt hitched up to mid-thigh. They were kissing so passionately it gave the impression that he was trying to consume her face.

A pang of red-hot rage flashed across his eyes and bubbled up. He shoved the guy off her and pulled Annabeth away.

She giggled as he forced her into a chair and put her shoes and jacket back on. "What the hell were you doing, Annabeth! Do you even know that guy?"

"Nope," She popped the 'p', "but he's a great kisser. Reminds me of like a dog"

Percy sighed, pulling her back up to her feet and leading her to the exit, "Come on. Time to go."

Annabeth was still a giggling mess of alcohol and smeared mascara and lipstick when the cab pulled up. Percy helped her inside.

"Address?" The cab driver asked.

"Where do you live, Annabeth?" Percy asked as he buckled her in.

She poked his nose, "In New York, silly."

He sighed, pushing her hands away, "I know, but what's your address."

She announced quite loudly, still in her drunken state, "I live in an apartment in Manhattan."

Percy cursed, silently, knowing he wasn't going to get any information out of her. He wished he hadn't left his phone at work or else he would've called Thalia. He sighed, finally sliding in beside her and telling the cabby his address, "I guess I'm taking you home."

It wasn't a very long ride, what with the traffic not being as heavy at this time of night. He sighed, glancing down at Annabeth. She had passed out half way there with her head splayed across his lap. She wasn't waking up anytime soon.

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The light was too harsh for this to be a good start to the day. Her head ached as if every pulse in her body was a blow to her brain. Her mouth was dry and her eyes with crusted shut with sleep.

The first thing that registered in her brain was that these weren't her sheets. Annabeth still had her eyes closed, but she could still tell that she wasn't lying on her small queen bed with cotton sheets at home. These were soft, much too soft to be the cotton she owned...more like silk.

She opened her eyes and sat up, surveying her surroundings. She was lying on a high, king sized bed with blue silk sheets and jumbo pillows. The right side of the wall was not a wall at all, but a floor-to-ceiling window of the beautiful Manhattan skyline. There was a black wood nightstand next to the bed with a silver, chrome alarm clock. 7:36.

In front of her was a matching black, wood dresser with a large flat screen taking up most of the surface space. A door near the window lead to a closet and there was a black, leather arm chair near that with a door leading to the rest of the house at the front.

To her immediate left was another door, but this one, she noticed for the first time, had light emitting from the crack at the bottom as well as steam.

She could hear the sound of the shower on as well quiet humming. She wracked her brain for any clue of what had happened last night, but came up empty. Where the hell am I and what the hell happened?

Oh my God...

Did I have sex last night?

No! Wait, I'm still fully clothed so of course not.

Annabeth glanced down at herself. The buttons on her blouse were unevenly buttoned and her charcoal skirt was hitched not-so-modestly high, but she was still clothed. She saw her heels perched at the end of the bed and no doubt her hair was a disaster, but that still didn't answer what happened.

Just then she heard the shower being turned off and someone whistling as they stepped out. She froze and a few minutes later her boss stepped out of the bathroom dressed in a white T-shirt and boxers. She almost drooled at the sight of his perfectly mussed wet locks that were plastered to his forehead from the towel.

Percy pulled the towel off his head, "Oh, Annabeth, you're awake."

This was weird. This was definitely weird. This was definitely a 'morning after' situation. She was in her boss's bed and he was standing a few feet away from her in boxers.

Annabeth climbed off the edge of his bed, "Mr. Jackson...what happened last night?"

Percy looked away, awkwardly, "Um, well, you got really drunk and passed out. I didn't know where you lived so I just took you here." He decided to skip the part about her drunken rampage.

Annabeth's cheeks reddened as she looked down. She buried her face in her hands with a groan, "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have all those shots."

Percy waved off the apology, "No, I made you. Don't feel bad." He quickly added, "And don't worry, I slept on the couch."

If possible, her cheeks reddened even more. She glanced at the clock and her eyes widened, "I need to get home. We need to get to work by eight!"

Percy put a hand on her shoulder, "Relax, Annabeth. I called in and said I was taking you to a job site and we wouldn't be in until later."

Annabeth nodded, "Um, okay, but I still need to get home and change-"

"You can get ready here."

"But my clothes," She looked down at her beer and wine stained blouse and the who-knows-what stains on her skirt, which was ripped in the back, by the way, "I can't go to work like this."

Percy said, "I have that covered," He led her over to his dresser and pulled out the second drawer from the bottom.

Inside was an assortment of women's clothes; from lingerie, to work attire, to cocktail dresses, to casual clothes.

...

"...And why do you a drawer full of random women's clothing."

Percy cleared his throat, "Um...Personal circumstances..."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, knowing what he meant. All of the clothes were souvenirs of the numerous one-night stands Percy had had.

Annabeth crossed her arms, "If you think that I'm going to wear the same clothes a girl you 'had intercourse' with wore, "You can think again. This is disgusting."

Percy looked taken aback, "Hey! I washed these. They're clean. Besides, I only sleep with classy girls."

Annabeth raised her eyebrow and picked up a lacy, red thong with a bunny tail attached to the back, "You call this classy?"

Percy snatched it away and threw it back into the drawer. He rummaged around and pulled out a few items, "Here, these look like you're size and I don't even remember where these are from."

Annabeth sighed, "Fine." She picked them up and went into the bathroom.

After showering, she stepped out of the marble shower and examined the articles of clothing Percy had chosen. She fingered the soft material of a pale blue blouse with a ruffled top and the courser material of the heather gray pencil skirt. She pulled the clothes on. Percy had been right on the dot; the size was perfect. The skirt was a little shorter than she usually wore, ending at mid-thigh than her usual knee-length.

She threw her hair up in a bun and fixed her makeup with the spare makeup in her purse and slipped on her heels before walking out of the bathroom.

She exited the bedroom into a wide, open bachelor pad.

One of the walls was, like his bedroom, a floor-to-ceiling window with a perfect view. All the furniture was black leather and the flooring was a dark wood. Posters of the Beatles and Led Zeppelin were all over the place as well as pictures of Percy growing up.

She walked around until she found her boss sitting at a stool in the kitchen. Everything there was made from black, obsidian granite and stainless steel.

Percy looked up from his phone, "Hey." He grinned, "I told you they would fit. You look good."

Annabeth blushed, "Thanks."

"I ordered breakfast from the bakery downstairs. Let's eat before we go to work. Bagels. Yum."

Annabeth smiled as she sat down on the stool across from him.

"So," Percy asked as he took out the bag of bagels, "Do you like cream cheese?"

A/N: Please leave your questions, comments, and constructive criticism in a review below!