A/N I'm tired, so short AN for today. How are y'all doing?

Annabeth POV

I woke up to someone pouring ice-cold water onto my face. "H-hey!" I sputtered.

"Wake up sleepy-head," Thalia smirked.

"Geez, you could've just shook me or something."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Touche." I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, rubbing my eyes. I got home around 1am, and they still expected me to be there at 9am. Demanding much?

"Whose clothes are that?!" she exclaimed.

"Huh." I looked down and remembered I was wearing Percy's clothes.

"Annabeth," a mischievous grin grew in her face, "What exactly happened last night?"

I nearly choked on my own spit. "You are so dirty minded."

I flipped her off.

She flipped my back.

I made my way to the small bathroom glanding at the clock along the way. "THALIA!" I yelled.

She popped her head around the corner. "Whassup?"

I glared at her and pointed to the clock. "I got home at 1 and you're waking me up at 6?!"

"Oh, sorry," she said sheepishly. "I was thinking we could hangout for a bit this morning before you have to go to work."

I sighed. "Yeah, okay. Just give me a second."

She went back to the living room leaving me to my thoughts. Yesterday was a blur and I didn't have a clue where to start. First, Percy was upset to see me, then Sally got mad, but after she left I accidentally choked him. But over the course of the night, I had a pretty good time. Seeing the Architecture and Design room was a childhood dream come true.

I put my hands on the sink and leaned in towards the mirror. Who was that girl who stared back at me? She sure looked like me, but how could she slide into the Palace and come out unscathed.

Actually, how dare she get out of the Palace without a scratch, when her father and best friend were executed for far less immoral were just kids exploring, he was just a dad trying to help. Here I am walking into the enemy's territory… and enjoying myself. I need to set my priorities straight.

Have I officially been brainwashed into hierarchy morality? Maybe that's why Sally is so nice… her welcoming demeanor is to lure you into their trap.

And I fucking fell for it.

"Annie, hurry up!" Thalia called out. I hadn't brushed my teeth yet or even washed my face, but I couldn't stand to be by myself any longer, or worse, with that girl in the mirror.

"Coming!" Realizing I was still in his clothes, I tore them off and yanked on a pair of my own seats and a t-shirt. Then I ran to the door and slipped on my shoes, checking to make sure my knife was in there.

Thalia was waiting for me in the driver's seat of her beaten up BMW. She got it eons ago at some used car sale and has kept it since. It's old, but tough, tougher than her if it managed to last this long.

She swerved out of the driveway and began speeding down the road. Thalia is the kind of person who doesn't know the weight of her own foot, nor care.

"I need the full run-down about yesterday," she said, turning to face me at a stoplight.

I rested my head against the window letting the weight of my eyelids make the world smaller and smaller until there was nothing but blackness. "Later," I yawned. "I need a coffee first.

She nodded and hit the gas even harder than before. Jeez, woman. Chillax.

"One latte for me and a cappuccino for her," Thalia told the barista. She punched in our order and found a seat in the corner of the coffee shop.

I used to love coming here when I was little because they were always buzzing with people yet it was also peaceful. I'd watch people come and go, friends hanging out for the day, or adults about to go to work. Everyone had their own life but they all passed through the coffee shop. Some would stick around while others would grab and go, like a coffee filter, ironically. It's just a peaceful place for all kinds of people to co-exist.

I looked up at Thalia who was on her phone, furiously texting someone.

I sighed. My phone's WiFi didn't work in any Kingdom except the Zeus one, even in coffee shops. I just use it to play games while I'm here.

"Latte and cappuccino for Thalia?" the barista called.

"I'll get it," I said and got up.

When I get back to the table, Thalia is itching for her latte. "Eager much?"

She flipped me off. I roll my eyes and hand her the cup.

Not a moment after I sat down, she leaned in. "Ok, so tell me about last night."

"Jeez woman," I told her. "Let me drink my coffee first."

"Alright alright," she replied.

I put my cup down. "I don't really know where to start."

"Start when you were still in the trials."

"Wait, how do you know I even made it?" I asked. I couldn't believe everything happened in one day. As far as Thalia knew, I could've lost the trials and been sent home jobless.

She wore her usual smug smile. "I just know, Annie. You still weren't home after I went to bed and you were wearing someone else's clothes. Even if you didn't make it, something went down last night and I want to hear it."

"Way to make me sound like the character in a soap opera," I snorted.

She waved me off and gestured to me to start talking.

"The trials themselves weren't too interesting, just lots of bitches and fake smiles."

"I'll bet," Thalia smirked.

"There was this one judge though who was wearing a Hawiian button down and sipping wine."

"No way," she chuckled.

"I know right! Anyways, that's the most interesting part about the trials."

"What about after the trials?"

"Ugh, fine," I said with a smile.

I started from the beginning of the whole fiasco, where I met Sally.

Thalia was thoroughly entertained, letting her latte get cold as I recounted the story. I didn't leave anything out, including every excruciating detail.

"Quite a night, huh?" Thalia smirked when I finished.

"No kidding. What'd you do while I was gone?"

"Eh, nothing much. Just met up with some friends and hung out for the day."

"Cool," I said.

"What should we do now?" she asked.

I glanced at my phone. "It's already half past 8. I need to get ready for work." Thalia groaned.

From behind her, I saw a familiar figure. It was that Leo guy from yesterday. I barely recognized him because he wasn't in his guard uniform. "Leo!" I waved.

He looked around the room until his eyes landed on me. "Hey Annabeth!"

Thalia looked between us. "Who's that," she mouthed.

"Royal guard," I mouthed back.

Leo walked over to our table. "Sup guys?"

Thalia seemed tense. I would be too, if I hadn't met him before. "Leo, this is Thalia. Thalia, Leo," I introduced.

He stuck out a hand towards Thalia and smiled. "Nice to meet you."

She forced a smile and gingerly took his hand. I hope I didn't look like that when I forced a fake smile, because she looked uncomfortable and constipated.

Leo turned towards me. "Ready for work?"

"You mean, you go to the Palace like this?," I waved my hands at his flannel pants and Lego Movie t-shirt.

"Well, yeah. The lockers are there, so we change before actually going into the Palace part of the Palace," he explained. How did I not know this? Oh right, I was busy in a water war last night.

"Oh, right," I pretended to remember. Boy is Percy going to be in for a fun day today.

"Wanna carpool?" he asked.

I looked over at Thalia for her approval. She nodded.

"Sure," I chirped.

"Okay, just gimme a sec while I get my coffee," he said.

After he left, Thalia raised her eyebrows. "Care you share?"

I rolled my eyes. "He's just a part of the Royal Guard. I met him on the way to Percy's room. He's actually pretty cool."

She raised her eyebrows even higher. "Oh please," I exasperated. "Don't say you think…"

"I didn't say anything," Thalia said, raising her hands, but her expression stated otherwise.

"You are such a hopeless romantic," I teased, knowing she hated sappy romance.

"Shut up."

"Only if you. Plus, isn't it good to have a guard on your side?" I justified.

She shrugged her shoulders. "True."

Leo came back sipping his coffee. "Ready to go?"

"Yep."

"Have a great day, Annie," Thalia said, clearly meaning something else.

I subtly flipped her off. "See ya Thals."

Leo's car was not as nice as I thought it would be for the King's best friend. I wasn't judging or anything, but it was just a regular Honda. It made me feel like the socioeconomic gap between us wasn't as large as I thought, or at least his status wasn't too far from the girl in the mirror.

He cruised down the road with the windows rolled down. "How was your first day?"

"Good," I replied after a moment of hesitation.

"I'm sure Percy was taken aback," he chuckled. I hadn't revealed the True Annabeth to Leo, but I definitely shed some fake layers while we went to go get ice. He, too, liked to have fun, so I didn't hate him. After all, he didn't groan when he first saw me…

"For sure," I said. Then I asked, "What exactly do you do for the Palace?" I tried my best not to say it in a condescending tone.

He laughed. "I'm usually Percy's body guard when he's out giving speeches or attending meetings, but when he's at the Palace, I… huh, I don't actually do very much when he's at the Palace. I just goof around," he realized.

"That sounds like the life," I laughed.

"Sure does."

"Not trying to sound like an idiot over here," I started, "But what's my job exactly?"

He looked back and forth before turning right then pondered my question. "That's a good question. Piper, his usual girl, acts more like an assistant then anything else. She makes sure he gets to his meetings on time and stuff like that, though I'm pretty sure it's not in the job description."

"Okay, so I basically just have to get him stuff whenever he asks and maybe help him with his schedule?" I confirmed.

He tilted his head to the side, frowning at how slave-like the job sounded. "Yeah, I guess," he said slowly. "Think of the job as being his friend rather than a servant."

"Okay," I said to him, but inside my mind was whirling. Even Leo, who has probably been Percy's friend since birth, has to work for his best friend's family to make a living for himself.

People need to wake up, I thought. It shouldn't be normal to give up your social power and succumb to the hierarchy in order to survive.

A/N Ooooh, so now we have some social philosophy coming into play. Annabeth comes from a different socioeconomic background and is trying to find footing in the world of the rich... only, the King's best friend is just getting by himself, so how does that reflect on the Poseidon Kingdom and its social/governmental system? (sorry, if I sound like a nerd, lol. I like economy a bit)

Anyways, don't forget to review! If you have nothing to say, just say "bananas" lol