Percy

I watched as Annabeth's eyes widened. I had just told her about my latest ghost friend. I hadn't known what to expect of it but well... she was not speaking. I raise my hand to touch her cheek but drop it. Of course she has feelings for Ke or why would she turn speech less?

"You should ask her out to the ball soon."

Ke's voice vibrates in my head like a ping-pong ball.

"I don't think she would be willing to come... Man this sucks! Just after I... I'll just get out of here."

I think back quickly and stand up.

"Annabeth it is okay if you want to be alone right now." I try to sound casual about it but I fail remarkably. She looks up at me and nods. I force a smile and turn away just when my phone rings. It' Paul.

"Hello Paul." I say quite tonelessly.

"Percy we need to fix a costume for you and your date! Who is your date." Paul was yelling over the line hysterically so I had to keep my phone an inch away from my ear.

"I already have my costume for the party and as per my dates..." I pause for a second, thinking about Annabeth then reply, "I don't have one."

"WHAT! You are the HOST! You ought to have a date! I am fixing you up and-" Then phone flew away from my hand and was pressed against Annabeth's ear in a flash.

"Vampires have good ears. She has probably heard both ends of the conversation. I mean your friend Paul has quite loud voice like a dozen of screaming baboons."

There was a kind of nasty sarcasm in Ke's voice as he said that.

"He is a nice person!" I snap back at him as he rolls his eyes.

"Of course Percy has a date! It is me Annabeth Chase!" Annabeth sounds like her usual haughty self as she ends the call and glares at me.

"Who were you going to go with by the way?"

I flinch. Annabeth has glared daggers at people before but I have never been on the receiving end of them.

"I thought you wouldn't come with me after... you know..." I shrug a little while keeping my eyes trained on the ground.

It would be inadequate to say that her next move startled me.

She grabbed my shoulders and kissed me. Her eyes closed and her soft lips hard on mine. I was shocked for a moment but then I put my hands on her hip and kiss her back. This kiss unlike the one before is hard and hungry. I turn her around and press her back against the wall of the coffee shop behind which we were having our conversation.

The kiss is fast and passionate. My hands wound around her waist as I pull her even closer to me. She get's the idea and wraps her arms around my neck, her fingers twisting my hair, and pushes me towards her so that our bodies push against each others. I could feel her racing heart and knew that she could also feel mine. With a light shove I press one on my hand against the wall while the other is still around her waist.

This kiss is nothing like the one before. The other one was short, sweet and innocent but this one is hungry, passionate and heavily charged. I knew if we were to go any longer things would heat up even more so I break away first and breath heavily though we were still pressed together with our hands around each other.

"Tell him.." Annabeth whispers quite breathlessly. "Tell him that I had loved him."

I smiled despite myself as she puts more emphasis on the past tense of love.

"He can hear you." I say softly as I kiss her jaw. Her lips twist up before she says,

"and I will avenge him."

I nod and kiss her nose then her cheek. Then I breath against the crook of her neck and grin at the irony of the situation.

"But I have moved on." She tilts her head a little to let me plant a kiss on the side of her neck.

"Tell her I am glad."

Ke's voice is like a far lull this time. I understand that it was his way to give us some space.

I whisper against her neck, "He is glad." She shivers as my breath hits her skin and nods.

Annabeth pushes me gently and keeps me at her arms length before smiling mischievously and saying,

"I have to buy costume for a party. What was the theme again?"

~oOo~

The party was a drag but the after party was the charm.

After shaking hands with all the important business figures of northern hemisphere, I and Annabeth finally had chance to relax and feel like useless drunk teenagers. But of course she was now where near drunk but the ground was sure wobbling underneath me a little. But it was alright as surprisingly having a twin ghost to help with navigation when you are intoxicated sure does adds up to impress your girlfriend.

Well potential girlfriend.

The whole of Tranzcourt College were dancing wildly on the floor. But Jason was busy taking angry shots while watching his girlfriend cling to Dennis Carondolet with burning rage. Thalia and pulled Annabeth away and they both were profusely torturing the DJ with vampire charms and words so I decided to saunter over to my- Ke's cousin. Only Annabeth knew I could talk to him. She had restricted me from telling anyone about him unless I wanted her to be cross with me. Which I was keen on avoiding. I could cut my favorite pillow panda through the center if it made Annabeth happy. Although I doubt that she would want to kill my panda.

"Hey man what's with the long face?" I was surprised at my ability to not slur. I wasn't exactly high but wasn't on a low too.

Jason looked at me and for once in this whole evening a grin broke through his face, flashing his canines a bit but in a decent and attractive way. Not that I found it attractive like the girls around did but I could tell it was nice.

"A hot coffee for the host." Jason winked at the bartender who looked at him with flushed cheeks.

Well there was a coffee machine in the bar which I had forgotten about. I made face but gulped the hot substance down my throat and turned around in time to see Piper sending Jason death glares. He just looked away but smirked none the less.

"What is going on? Are you or aren't you bothered with you girlfriend throwing herself at Carondolet? Although I get a feeling that she strictly doesn't fancy him." There was a sharp pain down my skull as the hot coffee was slowly driving away my mini intoxication.

Jason sighed and launched to tell the tale of his rather drastic evening. My eyes widened a little, "Have you told anyone? Where is that girl now?"

Jason shrugged and said, "Probably at the hospital or wherever it is that Carondolet freak took her."

I wanted to laugh. After being a vampire himself he had no right to call even a person with a thousand and eighty pounds of weight a freak.

"No I haven't told anyone else about this. I told you because... I trust you more." Jason dropped his head for a second probably embarrassed.

"I trust you too." Ke sounded grave and I guessed that the fact his dear brother wasn't able to hear him was weighing him down more. I instinctively felt bad for Ke and spoke up,

"I trust you too." Ke beamed a little as we saw Jason's face which was rivaling a tube-light's glow. But I also knew that I meant what I said. I couldn't shake the feeling that Jason is my brother.

"Anyway we need to see if Carondolet has the crescent mark on him body. Seeing how he was infatuated he was with Annabeth a few days ago I had initially suggested her to elope with him but Piper had glared daggers at me, just like yourself right now, and had volunteered to check it out without going all hot and heavy."

Jason sighed and took another helpless shot.

I looked at Ke whose eyes were narrowed as he was staring at Dennis and Piper.

"What's wrong?" I thought to him quietly.

"Something doesn't feel right about them... That guy with ash mauve eyes feels eerily familli-"

He was cut short by Annabeth dragging me towards the dance floor as a slow song started to play. Jason had also reluctantly grabbed Thalia's arm and was throwing dirty looks at Dennis while swaying his sister.

I looked into Annabeth's stormy eyes. They were unusually bright. I smiled at her and put one of my hands on her waist and ad with the other I laced her fingers with mine. I looked at her outfit again. As me and Annabeth were the only one who had attended the real party we were still wearing our costumes. I had a a frock dress with knee breeches and a brown coat and other silly clothing. I had refused to put on the white wig even in the party as it made me look like mama penguin. Annabeth was wearing a beautiful white and blue gown with a low corset. The blue went well with her eyes and she had but her hair in ringlets and then had pinned them up to give them an elegant air. Al in Al she looked like an angel. Plus her dancing was perfect. I couldn't even count the number of times I had stepped on her floor sweeping gown which would have made any other girl tumble down face first on floor but well... she is Annabeth.

After a few sways and twirls Annabeth put her hands around my neck and rested her cheek on my chest, listening to my heart beat I guess. I place one hand on the small of her back. She shivered but smiled none the less. With my other hand on her back I pulled her close to me so that our chests were pressing against each others. Annabeth looked up at my face and laughed.

"What?" I asked defensively. Okay maybe I was not all that handsome but I did not look like a joker!

"Your eyes had that adorable glow Percy." Annabeth said while we moved slowly to the music.

"What ever you say Anna." I coursed myself the moment I had called her that. Ke used to call her Anna when he was alive. Sure like hell Annabeth's eyes grew sad and she looked away. I quickly tried to think of something else.

"What about Wise Girl? I mean you are always lecturing me around." I said with mock seriousness.

Annabeth looked at me again, her face amused, and said,"You would have been kicked out of college by now if it weren't for my lectures... Seaweed Brain.

"Hey!"

"Well considering the level of your dumbness and your love for the ocean I here by christen you Seaweed Brain." Annabeth smirked as I scowled.

"I have already been christened." I said in my defense.

She rolled her eyes and continued, "Doesn't matter. By the way thanks for my nick name... Seaweed Brain" She smirked triumphantly as I glared playfully at her and further she just had to say, "Your nick name isn't the least bit insulting." Pouted again as she laughed, flashing her perfect white teeth and slightly pointy canines.

I leaned closer to her so that my lips were just above her ear. Her breath hitched and it was my turn to chuckle.

"So Wise Girly... would you like to be my... girl friend?" I whispered into her ear.

Her gripped tightened around my neck as her heart beat picked up pace. My own heart was threatening to pop out. From the corner of my eyes I saw Piper leaving with Dennis.

"It's a trap! Do something Percy!" Ke's voice rang urgently through my mind.

I hesitated for a moment. Going still against Annabeth What should I do?

"I..." Annabeth hesitated.

"There is no Time Percy! Please you are the only one I can ask for help. You have to distract him by the time Jason realizes what is going on or he would kill her the moment they are alone!"

Ke's voice was frantic as he wildly pointed at the door through which they had left. I reluctantly pulled myself out of Annabeth's embrace and ran for the door. I didn't turn around to look at her because I had a feeling that something was going to happen today. Good or bad i didn't know and I cannot confuse Annabeth more than she is right now as who to choose between Ke and Me.

I ran out and called out after Piper as she was busy unbuttoning Dennis's shirt and kissing his neck. She looked at me and fright took over her face as she screamed.

"PERCY! BEHIND YOU!"

That was the last thing I heard before I blacked out.

What happened? Is Percy okay? Keep reading to find out! Please review!