Apparently there was some confusion with what Drew meant by mission success in the last chapter so lemme clear that up:
Drew's plan was to leave her phone out when she saw Annabeth. She knew Annabeth was at least a little curious about the texts. In reality, the other person who had "texted" in the name of Percy wad just another Selected. Just like how Drew planned, Annie got jealous and tried to find out if the texts were true by pretending to have forgot her swimsuit in the lockers.
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"Love is a curious mixture of opposites, a blend of extreme selfishness and total devotion. A paradox! Besides which, love, everybody is always talking about love, love, but love isn't something you choose, you catch it like a disease; you get trapped in it, like a disaster."
- Amos Oz
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Percy was angry. "You seriously think Annabeth has something to do with this? Jason! Think! Don't you think she would have hurt me by now if she wanted to? Jason. YOU are not buying it. I can tell!" He argued.
Jason looked conflicted. "I admit. It makes no sense."
Paul put one hand on his shoulder. "Then we have a bigger problem."
They all locked eyes and spoke together. "Someone is framing Annabeth."
Percy nodded and turned to find that the T.V. was in mute the whole time and he realised that the program was already over. It now showed the news of a bomb blast from somewhere.
He turned up the volume for more bad news.
The bomb blast had happened in Huston province - the place where the underground team had gone missing.
Percy's blood ran cold...
IMMEDIATELY after that, the king, Percy and Jason abruptly halted the meeting.
"Huston province is what the RIS is working on right?" Paul asked.
Jason expression read panic. He zoomed out of the room and slammed the door as he left. Paul looked at him in surprise.
Percy mirrored Jason's expression. "Paul, I think you're gonna have to handle my meetings tomorrow." He took a few steps to the door.
"But the Platinums, we should make a strategy-", the King looked offended at this point.
"Yeah, uh, work on that too." He opened the door. "I'm sorry, this really is an emergency."
In no time, he met Jason back in the control room. Jason was yelling at Leo to which Leo responded hurriedly while tapping away at the master keyboard.
"-No, Jason, it is not possible-"
"WE'RE THE HIGHEST DEPARTMENT, JUST HACK INTO IT!" Jason ran a hand aggressively over his head and his expression was one full of worry.
Percy pushed him by his shoulder. "Dude calm down."
"I sent him. If anything happens to- what am I gonna tell S-"
The one sitting on the seat next to Leo spoke, "Look, we're not sure if anything is worth worrying about. So shut up and let Leo do his work." He was typing away as fast as Leo.
Percy didn't recognize this new guy. He frowned at him.
"Oh, hello your majesty, I'm Harley. The vice-"
"He is my intern." Leo finished.
Harley huffed, "Yeah right, I started working here way before you!"
Percy and Jason shared a look. "How much do you know about this mission?"
"Not much. Jason just told us that some of our men were into finding these villains - did you say Platinums? No originality. They should've gone with-"
"I don't care", Percy said. "Get out."
"WHAT?" Leo rushed. "He's my right hand!-"
"-no I am not-"
"You guys wanna try typing over hundred lines of spotless code?" Leo growled. "That's what I thought. Both of you sit there and wait till we're done. You're disturbing us."
It was a longer wait than expected. After 20 minutes, when Jason looked more calm, Percy decided to bring up the one thing that has been eating away at him for a while.
"Hey, this probably isn't a good time but-"
Jason scowled. "Gods, I hate you. What now?"
He looked down. "I've been thinking about the Selec-"
"Geez, not this again."
Percy pouted. A few minutes of awkward silence passed.
"Fine, tell me."
"Question: How do I feel less of a jerk when I'm genuinely dating more than 5 people at once?"
Jason looked away. "Seriously?" He looked straight back at Percy, "you don't."
"I was expecting a 'it is what selection is' answer..?" Percy tried.
"No, it is how you've let it be." He said harshly.
Percy decided to go back to his thoughts. To say the truth, this was the first thing Percy was worried about - the guilt of being with many girls at once.
Lol, no, wait, I'm not guilty of that...
It was more of a fear that he would create some bad blood for life and hurt the girls he actually grew to care about now- like Rachel, Calypso, Annabeth, Reyna, Piper...
His initial plan was very simple. Keep the girls in separate portions of your thoughts. That is, when you're with one person, you only think of that person and how she makes you feel and how the relationship feels and don't care about anyone else at that point. It did go well untill they reached the two month point.
By now, he knew he was more interested in pursuing certain relationships more than the rest simply because they got along better. The problem was, he wasn't able to compare them because he had lived with this strict philosophy of not comparing since the start. The more he got close to the girls, the lesser he refused small physical contact like holding hands or smiling or even kissing...
And the more he did this, the more he saw the others get hurt.
Why can I not date these people one after another and figure it out??
Ugh.
The question was simple: he had to give a fair chance to everyone so he had to choose between not opening up with anyone or opening up with all.
He had chosen opening up with all.
But now it felt like his feelings were all over the place.
Did he like Annabeth - who has been with him through his worst, seen it and accepted it - more?
Or was it Rachel - who had this aura of mystery, beauty and friendliness?
Or was it Calypso - the most royal like, calm, composed, in love with nature and absolutely freaking gorgeous?
Maybe was it Drew? The flirty, confident, open, sarcastic, maybe slightly rude (but he didn't mind)
Or was it Reyna? Piper? Valentina? Zoe? Katie?...
He just didn't know!
And... It felt like everyone was hating on him. Jason and the guys keep telling him to get his head straight. Malcom is barely holding himself together from breaking his face. The Selected too! They either get jealous or possessive or angry or distant and Percy hated it. It was starting to happen more often.
Wow, looks like I'm stuck halfway in between the Selection. I can't go back and start different but going like this isn't going great.
Should he even care?
But he did! His guilt was eating him out!
Jason sighed. "So what did Annabeth say this time?" Percy frowned. "Well you always go into these deep thoughts about the Selection when Annabeth shouts at you."
"I wish that happened."
"What?"
"I wish she'd just shout at me and hit me a few times and we could call it even."
Jason frowned this time.
Percy closed his eyes. "I feel like we're falling apart to be honest. The last time Annabeth was upset, she did start shouting but it went into this 'I'm done with this' state. She didn't even explain about the tournament thing. Then there is my mom who is now telling me that she regrets shouting at Annabeth like that." He sighed. "It's not just Annabeth though."
Jason lifted an eyebrow. "It's not Annabeth?"
"Well, Calypso definitely didn't look pleased when I accidentally brought Annabeth up."
Jason snickered at that. "That went well for you didn't it?" He shook his head.
Percy glared at him. "Also, Rachel kinda asked me yesterday if we could meet up today. When she saw Calypso..." He looked uncertain. "I don't know... and she is not even Annabeth, she rarely brings anyone else up."
"Wait, let me get this straight. The fact that Lady Calypso and Lady Rachel aren't fine makes you feel...?"
"Bad? Like a jerk? Concerned? I don't know."
"Okay, we have a problem. Prince Percy, you do realise that the Selection is about the Prince and not the Selected? You cannot think about everything that is wrong with the idea of Selection after getting so far into it. They know what they're up against. Your job-" Jason pointed at him. " - is to find out which woman out there is most willing and capable to handle your mess and the kingdom's mess for the next 50 years. Don't stress yourself with their feelings. Concentrate on your own, even if it makes you a jerk."
He faked a smile. "Yeah, you're right." Percy hit him on his thighs. "That was deep. We should've been drinking."
Jason smiled sadly. "You know what Percy? How about you take some rest. Looks like we're gonna know the whole situation only tomorrow."
Jason hesitated. "Just remember: Annabeth has not been proven innocent
"Huh?"
"The Platinums. I'm sorry. I get it. It doesn't make sence but protocol says Annabeth is suspect number 1."
"So?"
"So I don't want you alone with her without one of us."
Percy sighed but nodded.
The conversation wasn't very alien. They had talked about Percy's feelings before. That is why, they will never figure out what made them so careless. Why, you ask? Well, Harley overheard it all.
~~~~
Piper had never had a boyfriend before. Everytime she told someone this, they'd assume that she is lying. Apparently she looked too beautiful to not have a boyfriend.
She never felt like that.
Piper, to Piper, was the most useless person she knew. While each one of the Selected had hidden talents they slowly started to show - Rachel had painting, Calypso was nature, Reyna was a warrior, Zoe was the best at archery and Annabeth... Annabeth was a one woman walking army.
Piper had nothing except she knew how to perform some basic first aid and stitches.
"Aw. Aw. Jeez. Did you really apply the numbing cream or-" Jason asked in pain.
"I'm cleaning your shoulder with rubbing alcohol. It is gonna sting." She pointed out.
Jason had stepped in the mini first aid room next to the common hall in the morning of July 5th for redoing his wound dressing. Coincidentally, Lady Piper was there at the same time to get some tablets for a headache. She had watched him struggle with the dressing for exactly 2 minutes before deciding to help the poor soul.
She throughly cleaned the bullet wound. She was so into it that she didn't notice that Jason had actually become very silent.
"Lady Piper."
"Hmm.."
"Your eyes... what color are they?"
She sighed. "It is a pigment disorder." She wrapped the thin cloth across his shoulder.
"Oh." He looked clueless.
She chuckled. "Don't worry. It is genetic. Isn't contagious."
"Na, I didn't think it was."
She looked up at him and noticed for the first time how close he was. Jason was seated on a high raise mechanical chair while Piper stood next to the counter with the medicine bottles and the bandages. He must have been observing her the whole time. That explained why he wasn't looking away like how he was when she put an injection on him to make sure that the wound doesn't get infected.
The closeness made her blush.
"Why is that?" She asked.
"Because they're beautiful." He replied without skipping a beat.
That made Piper skip a beat though.
Gods help me.
Why were they still staring at each other?
Why is he not looking away?
This close, Piper could practically trace his face inch by inch. His blond hair fell on his forehead with no real pattern, his eyes were bright blue pearls, smile uneven but face completely genuine, arms thick and strong like that -
Suddenly the door swung open.
Immediately, as if repelled by same poles of two magnets, they stepped away. Jason cleared his throat.
A very confused guard stood on the other side of it. "Um... Leo says it is the info is almost... um... you might wanna get Prince Percy...?" He frowned at the general direction of Lady Piper and seemed to indirectly ask a question to Jason.
Jason put both is hands in the air and dragged the guard in. He looked really awkward. "Connor! Have you met Connor?" He asked Piper.
Piper blinked. Jason turned to Connor. "Connor, have you met Lady Piper?"
The guard blinked. "Were-were you busy? Did I interru-"
"What? Pfft, nooo. Lady Piper was just helping with my stitches here... it's all done now."
She didn't mean to but she sounded disappointed. "Yep. It is. "
The guard looked at her. "Right..."
Gods, why is it so awkward?
"FYI Jason?" He hit Jason on the back and smirked. "I'm Travis."
~~~~
On July 5th, Annabeth woke up early. The first thing that came to her mind was her fight with Percy the day before and now that she thought about it, it felt pretty stupid. Her plan worked out of course - she left her swimsuit in the lockers, pretended to get it while in fact wanting to confirm if it really was Percy texting Drew. She knew that if what he'd texted - Tomorrow 2'O Clock. Don't be late - was a real date, then it was probably him texting.
She walked out of her room in a plain brown dress with her hair in a ponytail. Breakfast wouldn't start for another hour at least but she wanted to roam around and clear her mind.
Sigh. Okay now I found out that it was Percy. Does that make me feel any better?
No, it makes me feel pathetic. I should have done anything in the first place.
Now, I have to apologize to Percy which I don't wanna do.
Sigh.
She left the Selected's area and went to the east wing hoping that no one would be present. To her surprise, she saw Lady Katie and Lady Piper.
"We have news", Katie started.
Piper went on. "Apparently Miss. Willow convinced Percy to let us all have a Privileged-only meet. We're to assemble in 4th floor ..."
"- it says 'Room of requirement 3'. What is that?" Katie pointed out the paper she was holding.
"That's where they have drinking parties or games. Why?" Annabeth pointed out.
"Ah makes sence, we are gonna play drinking games mostly."
Miss Willow wants them to play drinking games..?
This isn't gonna go well, is it?
"Anyway, be there." Katie told. "By the way, I'm sorry."
Piper looked over from the other side. "For what?"
"For not believing you. For believing Drew." She said. "The whole time, I mean."
"You should be sorry." Annabeth pointed out.
Piper nudged her. Katie chuckled. "I deserved that."
"What changed your mind?" Piper asked.
"Just some stuff at the tournament. Drew told me you and Rachel were cheats because you always had the Prince wrapped around your fingers but... something made me realise Drew was the real cheat."
Annabeth noticed how she said "you and Rachel". She didn't like that thought.
Piper challenged her. "And what if we were cheats?"
Katie shrugged. "Drew's still the more pathetic one. She keeps getting jealous over every little thing you do with the Prince. She doesn't show it of course but it's obvious."
Annabeth knew how she herself was often jealous of everyone too. She didn't like this comment either. "I thought you were friends with Rachel?" She pointed out.
"I am. Rachel is a nice girl. She could definitely get close to anyone. One of those characters, you know? No wonder the Prince likes her."
Annabeth definitely didn't like that comment.
"Look, I'm just saying I'm sorry if I treated you badly before. I didn't know you and I shouldn't have but... honestly, I don't think you should judge Rachel without knowing her side of the story too."
By now, Annabeth wanted to throw her out. Instead, she gave her best I-don't-care smile. They turned a corner...
... And came face to face with Prince Percy.
All four of them stopped. Percy asked. "Hey... ah..." He looked awkwardly at the three of them.
Piper recovered first. "We were just walking. My room's here. I'll... um... see you later?"
Percy half frowned; half nodded.
She walked behind him and gave Katie an obvious they need privacy face.
How did she just know? I didn't even tell her anything.
After Katie left, Percy was more awkward than before. He managed an awkward laugh. "Ah, how... how are you?"
Really?
"You..." Her anger bubbled up inside. "I catch you half naked with a girl and you say how are you?"
His expression immediately changed. He frowned. "Look, I just wanted to swim. I wanted to finish a date so I did. It has nothing to-"
"Do with the fact that you were flirting with her?"
His expression turned into confusion. "What? Wait, even if I- how do you-"
Anger radiated out of her like perfume. "I saw the texts, Jackson. You can't fool me with this one."
"What?" He looked genuinely lost. "What texts?"
"The swim-"
"No. Annabeth. Wait." He said. "There were no texts."
Seriously? Is this guy serious right now?
"You think I'll-?" She was angry.
Percy gripped her by her shoulders. "THERE. WERE. NO. TEXTS. You can believe me because the last time I had a phone with me, it nearly killed me. I'm NOT gonna use one untill Leo reprograms the whole system into something safer."
She couldn't think of a reply to that.
"You must've misunderstood, Wise Girl." He reasoned. "But, I will check it up with-"
"Drew?" She scoffed. "The one girl we all know wants the throne?"
That effectively shut him up. He raised an eyebrow. "I see." He moved away. "And, you thought I didn't know this, right?" He looked angry.
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Well you are a real Seaweed Brain sometimes but I thought you had enough time and resources to see that she is just a slu-"
"Shut up." He said harshly.
She folded her hands together in front of her. "What?"
"You and I both know whatever you were gonna say wasn't something a Selected is allowed to say." His voice was cold and harsh, like a warning.
"Fine." She said. His expression went back to normal just for a second. "But that kind of a date is really uncalled for."
And, the anger was back on his face. He mirrored her position. "Who decides my dates?"
"Huh?"
"Answer the question." He said. "Actually, don't. I do and I can decide to do whatever I want to. You know that. Piper knows that. Drew knows that and even my little sister knows that." He raised an eyebrow at her.
She opened her mouth and closed it. She hated it when he was this right about something.
"Okay look, Annabeth. I'm just gonna say it." He said. He brought his hands to his chin and rubbed his thumb over his jaw. "You need to grow up." He pointed out.
That got her attention. "Percy, I'm not-"
"Jealous?" He sighed. "Are we even going to deny this?"
She gritted her teeth and looked away. He stepped closer to her and made her look up. She huffed; he kissed her nose.
"You're cute when you're jealous like right now but not when you're closed off like yesterday."
Annabeth looked up to see a smirking Percy. She pushed him away; he laughed. "Get lost."
"I'm tryna help." He pointed out.
"Well," she scoffed, "why don't you go help Drew?" Annabeth realised her mistake too late.
He gave her a knowing look. "You're looking at it all wrong." He said. "One morning you're having fun, we're laughing and it's all great. Then, suddenly, you're shouting at me for something I'm supposed to do. This-" He pointed in between them. "This is not going to work-"
She stared at him. Unintentionally, he was squeezing her heart with that one statement.
"-if that keeps happening. I was going to let you girls deal with your stuff but clearly, you haven't. And, that is because you're seeing The Selection as one big thing instead of many small things."
"What do you mean?"
Percy hesitated. She put her hands over his wrists. "Tell me," she insisted.
He looked away and bit his lip. "Okay I wasn't going to tell this... But..."
"Say it."
"Simple. You create folders in your mind..." He stepped away. "When you're with me or seeing me, you only open my folder and you don't bring drama from anywhere into it. When you're with the Selected, you deal with them. When you're with the gang, you have fun. You get the idea, right?"
"That is your masterplan to deal with the Selection?"
"Do you have a better plan which doesn't make me feel like I'm betraying 19 others when I'm on a date with one?"
Good point.
"So you're not serious about any of us?" Her heart felt heavy at the thought.
"Annabeth, that's not what I said." He pleaded. "Please don't twist -"
As soon as he said it, someone from behind Annabeth yelled. "Percy? What the- where did you-?"
Annabeth turned around to find one very-much-in-a-hurry Jason. He was giving a look like: Man, not this now. As soon as Annabeth saw, he faked a smile.
What is going on?
Percy glared at Jason and he backed off.
"What happened?"
"Nico's here." Percy said. Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, he came early. I don't know why; he just did. Um... maybe you should show him around? Give him some company? It could take your mind off of everything and he would feel better too." He looked behind her and Annabeth was sure it was Jason making some other face again.
"I'll tell you everything once I know more." He said. "Just, think about what I said, okay? If it makes you feel better, you're the only one I said it to."
It kind of does make me feel better.
Damn, I really am jealous.
~~~~
What really is going on in Huston province? Is someone in trouble?
I basically wanted at least one chapter to reflect on Percy's feelings so that's why I wrote this instead of jumping straight into the Selected drinking party. Don't worry, everything will happen at its own pace.
Percy isn't a bad guy guys. It's just the circumstance that is driving him crazy, just like everyone else.
*Cue evil laughter*
Have you missed me?
I'm back for good!
Leave a review *smiles*. Tell me your thoughts.
