A/N: This one is long, I promise!

ANNABETH POV

"Thanks, Percy. I swear if I wasn't in love with you…" I mumbled.

"Get over it, Annie, it's just a beach party." Silena said.

"You can sit out with me." Thalia offered.

"I mean I get it, Son of Poseidon and all but seriously." I pirouetted in a haltertop blue two piece.

"That's the one." Silena declared. She tossed me a soft, white cotton dress.

"I don't do two pieces." Thalia said after trying on a third one.

"Go back to the black one piece then." Silena ordered.

Thalia went to change. I picked up my

gift.

"What'd you get him?" Silena asked.

"A drawing and a card type thing." I told her. "You?"

"A long letter of advice." She explained.

"Ok…?"

"I got him a Green Day CD." Thalia said, throwing on her shirt and shorts.

"He doesn't like Green Day." I said.

"Exactly. Now let's go." Thalia said.

Silena led the way to the beach.

"I feel exposed." I stopped before we got there.

"You look fantastic though." Silena told me.

"Can I just stay here?" I asked.

"No!" Thalia and Silena cried.

"What?"

"Go!" Silena pointed.

"Fine!" I walked forward. There was music blaring and the beach was decorated. People milled around. I bit my lip nervously.

"Where's Percy?" Thalia asked.

"There he is!" Silena pointed again. I walked over after a rough shove from Silena.

"Hey, Percy." I smiled. His jaw dropped.

"You look…really…wow." Percy said.

"Thank you. Enjoying sixteen?" I asked.

"I feel the same." He said.

"You want your gift now?" I asked.

"You didn't have to get me anything." Percy said.

"Well, I did. Accept it and move on." I smiled. *

"Now, I guess." He decided.

I gave him package. "Read the letter when you're alone."

"Why?" Percy asked, unwrapping the gift.

"You'll see when you read it." I told him.

"Not now, right?" Percy smiled.

"Right." I confirmed.

He finished opening the gift. "Wow, Annabeth, this is really good. Thanks."

I grinned. "No problem."

"Listen, I wanted to talk to you." He started.

"Go ahead." I said.

"Annabeth!" Silena came running towards me. "I have to tell you something."

I groaned as I turned to face her. Percy chuckled.

"Can it wait?" I asked.

"No. It's important." She told me and grabbed my arm and started pulling me away.

"Sorry, Percy." I called. "Tell me later."

He nodded but looked upset.

"What is so important?" I asked after Silena stopped.

"You might want to know that Percy and Rachel kissed."

"What?!" I hissed. "When?"

"Before the Princess Andromeda mission. She's here tonight. I think she wants to ask him out." Silena continued.

"Well, I kissed him first!" I yelled. The party got quiet. Everyone turned to look at me.

"Go back to your activities." I told them. The voices started back up.

"Why is she still at camp?" I asked. "She's a mortal!"

"I don't know but here she comes." Silena said.

"Speak of the devil," I muttered. Thalia rushed towards us. "You heard?"

I nodded. "What am I going to do?"

"Stall her at all costs. Percy only has to read your letter right?" Thalia asked.

I nodded again.

"I'll get him alone, you and Silena stall that one." She tilted her head in Rachel's direction.

Silena and I headed off. We split off to make it easier. Right before I reached Rachel, Connor blocked me.

"Hey, Annabeth!" He greeted me cheerily.

"I'm kind of busy right now." I tried to move around him.

Connor looked me over. "You look really pretty."

I pasted on a tight fake smile. "Thanks but I really have to…" I tried, unsuccessfully, to weave around him.

I huffed. "What do you really want?"

"Want to dance?" Connor asked hopefully.

No, I'm trying to salvage the tattered remains of my love life. "Maybe later." I glanced over his shoulder and started to walk away.

"Wait." He said.

I folded my arms. "What?"

"I'll tell you later."

Thanks, for that waste of time, I thought. I looked around for Rachel. She was talking to Percy.

Nice job, Silena and Thalia.

"Hey, guys." I smiled as I reached them.

"Actually, Annabeth, I was trying to talk to Percy." Rachel told me.

"Well, now I'm here." I said.

Percy frowned. "You guys still aren't getting along."

Rachel and I exchanged a look. Percy was still oblivious.

"Have you read my letter?" I asked.

"I started to then Rachel came." He explained. I gave her a tight smile.

"Well, why don't we just go over there and chat while you finish that letter." I said. I grabbed Rachel's arm and pulled her away.

"What is your problem?" She shook her arm from my grasp.

"My problem?" I asked.

"What does that letter say?" Rachel asked.

"Some things." I told her.

"You haven't won yet."

"Percy is not to be won or lost. I was just telling him how I feel." I said.

"Before I could." Rachel added.

"I gave him that letter before I got there." I said.

"Real brave." She mocked.

"What were you going to…" I stopped.

"This isn't even worth it." I turned and walked away.

Connor met me halfway to Silena and Thalia.

"What now?" I asked.

"You want to go for a walk with me? I have to tell something."

"I really don't have time," I said.

"Please?"

"Will you leave me alone after?"

"If you really want me to…"

Connor led me to hidden spot of the beach. We could still hear the music so Connor asked me to dance.

He put his arms around my waist and I put my hands on his shoulders. I tried not to look as annoyed as I was.

"So, you wanted to talk to me?" I remembered.

"Yeah, I wanted to tell you I've had a crush on you for a while."

"Oh, I like Percy. Sorry, Connor." I told him. I pulled away and ran back to the party.

"Where were you?" Thalia asked.

"Where was I? Where were you?" I asked.

"I got Percy alone then Rachel started going over to him and I assumed you guys would handle it."

"Believe me, I tried. I got held up by Connor who insisted on engaging in a twelve hour conversation," I said, rolling my grey eyes. "Silena kind of fell out on me."

"I don't know where she went." Thalia frowned.

"Where's Percy?" I asked, looking around.

"I don't know."

"Thanks for the help, Thalia." I said with a sarcastic grin. She smiled back and I walked away in search of Percy.

"Annie?" Someone said.

"I thought I told you never to call me that!" I spun on my heel. Percy held his hands up in surrender.

"So I was wondering if you wanted to take a swim with me?"

I wrinkled my nose. "I don't swim."

Percy ran his hands through his hair. "And they call Athena kids smart…I was suggesting some alone time."

"Oh, I got it." I let him lead me into the water.

"So you like me?" He asked.

"That's what the letter said."

"Why didn't you tell me to my face?" Percy questioned.

I started defending myself. "The last time I tried action, you ended up bringing a mortal on my quest! Then I tried—"

I didn't get to finish but I didn't mind. Percy pulled away.

"That was a really nice way of telling me to shut up."

Percy grinned. "Any time."

Before you judge me, the only reason it was Percy's birthday was because Annabeth needed to give him the gift without looking out of place. And I'm not sure about Percy and Green Day. Oh, and thoughtlanded: Thank you! Guest on chapter 8: I'm really glad you like them.

[~CharminglyWitty~]