Chapter twenty one

"Percy" I pleaded as we stopped far enough away for one one to hear, but still close enough to get back if we needed to. Not that we would need to. Being on the beach with him, first date memories came back, but the reminiscing would have to wait.

"I love you" I said, getting it in before he could talk. His face displayed shock at my interruption. Obviously he had had a whole speech planned out, but I didn't want to hear it. I should have looked at the picture yesterday, should have talked to him today, should have not walked out of his house in the first place but I did all those things. And I had to make things right before he broke up with me. "about yesterday and the way we left things. Then I ignored your calls, texts and you and I'm sorry"

"Annabeth" he sighed, pulling me in for a hug which was something I was not expecting. Thankfully I hadn't drank that much so I still knew what was going on, even if everything did feel a little fuzzy.

"I trust you, okay?" he said, holding my face in his hands "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. And just so you know, I would never cheat on you" he smiled, but I couldn't bring myself to laugh. We still had a lot to talk about, but that could wait for a time when nobody could walk up and hear what we were saying, "I love you" he said, his face so sincere as his eyes searched mine.

"I love you too" I replied, kissing him with all my might. As usual, the world fell away, my focus completely on Percy as he held me in his strong arms "I hate fighting with you" I whispered as we pulled away from each other "Yeah, the past 24 hours haven't been that great from me either. I came close to stealing a ladder from someone and climbing up to your bedroom window" he admitted, taking my hand. We started to stroll along the beach back to the party that was now in full swing.

"Yeah that would have gone well" I smiled, imagining the romantic but slightly terrifying scenario in my head. No doubt he would have fallen off the ladder due to something, which is why my window was not made for climbing into "Just please, don't ignore me for longer the 24 hours in the future"

"You think we're going to fight again?"

"Well, I do have a tendency to say stupid things, so fighting is inevitable" well that was true "Yeah, you have been known to be a bit of a seaweed brain"

"Maybe" he smiled "But I'm your seaweed brain"

"Mushy much?"

"I don't know, I think you bring it out in me" he teased, getting me another drink. I was suddenly feeling in the party mood, now that we had made up. Yeah conversations were going to be had, but they could wait. Tonight, I was going to have fun with my friends and my boyfriend.

The sun had fully set now, the moon rising high as we partied on, no one caring that it was a school day tomorrow. Nico had arrived and Thalia seamed happier then ever with her arm around him as she curled into his body. We even got him to shake hands with Percy, declaring a truce whilst they weren't in reach of a swimming pool, and whilst there was still tension, that slowly slipped away with the amount of beer consumed.

The night was going good, Thalia was happy, Piper and Jason were happy, I was happy. For a few minutes everything was great. Then something came to shatter all the happy, in the form of Luke. How he even knew about this was a mystery, but he was here shouting at the top of his lungs "THALIA, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU"

He had obviously been drinking, his eyes crazy, his hair flying in the wind. He looked scary enough that Percy pulled me behind him, becoming my sort of human shield, but I was ready for the inevitable fight. Getting up, Thalia got this wild look in her eye as she was pushed behind Nico, his body protecting her from the angry tornado.

"Get out of my way" Luke snarled as he saw Nico standing in front of Thalia, but he wasn't budging. Percy moved to Join, as well as Jason coming forward to protect her. A circle had now formed around us, people stopping what they were doing and looking at the scene. "Luke" Jason warned pushing to the front of the group "not here man"

"Oh look who it is, everyone's saving Grace" Luke spat out "You really shouldn't be here Luke" Jason said, any effects of the alcohol wearing off from all the adrenalin pumping through us. A couple of Luke's friends had come with him, surrounding him like a mob, matching us man for man.

This was so not going to end well.

"What do you want Luke?" Thalia asked, stepping through the crowd much to Nico's displeasure. She stood tall, and even though she couldn't tower over him, she wasn't going to let him get the best of her. "i want you back Thalia. I was stupid to let you walk out of my life"

"Yeah you were" she agreed. I watched Nico through the whole thing, his face staying passive but his eyes spoke a different story. He really liked Thalia, and from what I could see she really liked him too. She wouldn't let Luke back into her life, not now, after everything that's happened.

"I want you back babe, please"

"Luke" she said, ripping her arms out of his grasp "I can't get back with you"

"But Thalia"

"I'm seeing someone else"

"You are? Who?" oh shit he was getting angry again. Nico stepped forward, putting his arm around Thalia protectively, almost as If her were marking his territory. It all happened in a few seconds, Luke's fist coming out which Nico swiftly blocked, pushing Thalia out of the way just in time. The boys pounced on both sides, Jason managing to hit one of Luke's friends square in the jaw. The Percy took a punch to the face from somewhere, and that's when I just snapped. I know you're really not supposed to use what you learn in self defense classes for anything other the self defense. But fuck It I thought, jumping right into the thick of it.