I'm going to start off saying sorry. Sorry for not updating in a very long time. It's been what? A month? Well, never mind that at least I am back! Hehehehehe. I'm just having problems with my clearance. Next week is our summer vacation! YEHEY! Ok. So, everybody wants to kill Luke eh? Maybe after this chapter, someone might commit murder. Hahaha, just kidding. Seriously…

Disclaimer: I have no right to own Percy Jackson.

Annabeth was sipping her coffee while staring aimlessly at the table. She just made one of her hardest decisions. Thalia had just called her. But Nico was just using Thalia's cellphone. Nico had told her through Thalia's phone that Thalia was on the hospital. Nico said that Thalia had slipped on the edge of the stairs and had hit her head hard. Now, Annabeth was still on vacation until the next month and because Thalia was on the hospital she had to… "Hey!" Percy sat in front of Annabeth and also noticed her sad face. "What's wrong?"

"Thalia's in the hospital." Annabeth answered listlessly.

"Oh."

"I also have to go back to New York by next week." Annabeth tried for a smile but obviously failed.

Color drained out of Percy's face. "Why?" Percy's voice broke.

"I have to come back for Thalia. She is my best friend." Annabeth answered.

Percy nodded. He knew that no matter what he does. Annabeth won't change her mind. It was her best friend on the line. And Percy was merely a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. Annabeth reached out to touch Percy's hand which sent a thousand volts to Percy's body. "I'm sorry." Annabeth took back her hand and Percy suddenly wished that she didn't.

"It's fine." Percy said dejectedly. "But what about the search?"

"I have a good feeling we'll find him before I leave."

"How can you be so sure?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Just a hunch."

"Alright. Well, since you're leaving…" Percy started.

"Where are you taking me, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth complained as Percy was racing towards the hotel's garden while holding Annabeth's hand.

Percy was planning to take her to the meadow. It's where there were many sweet smelling flowers and a playground. Kids would show up late in the afternoon. But it's still morning, he still had time to impress Annabeth. Percy found the meadow two days ago while wandering around the hotel. Annabeth had caught up with Percy and noticed that their hands were still intertwined. Annabeth grabbed her hand and stopped in her tracks. Percy noticed that Annabeth wasn't following and looked back to see her hands in her waist and her face with a stern look. "Where the heck are we going, Jackson?" Annabeth was baffled and annoyed at the same time.

"It's a surprise." Percy insisted.

Annabeth sighed. "I hate surprises." She said simply.

"Please?" Percy folded his hands together and begged.

Annabeth sighed again. "Fine." Percy grinned ear-to-ear. "Just this once."

"Come on." Percy dashed again and Annabeth had to keep with him.

Annabeth saw Percy stop and was about to ask why but faltered when she saw the meadow. "Wow." Annabeth eyes gleamed. "I never—I've never seen anything like this."

"Glad you liked it."

"This was the surprise?" Annabeth asked.

"Mm-hmm."

"I thought you were going too far from the garden but this was—this is totally… amazing! When did you see this?"

"Two days ago while I was wandering. I thought that you have to see this before you go. There's a playground over there where kids play in the afternoon. The flower beds-" Percy was pleased to see it. "—Ahh, the flower beds. You can't go without laying down on them."

Annabeth tried to consider what he was saying. She hated flowers, but it seemed peaceful to see the flowers swaying with the air. Annabeth saw the roses, there were also irises, chrysanthemums, azaleas, hydrangeas and other flowers that she didn't know the names. "This is beautiful" Annabeth muttered and turned to look at Percy but he was already running towards the flowers beds.

Percy laid down the flower beds and stared at the clouds. He felt Annabeth moving closer to the flower beds and he smiled. He thought of other ways to spend time with her. "The clouds are nice aren't they?" Percy asked Annabeth.

Annabeth looked up. "Yeah."

"Aren't you going to squish the flowers?"

"I don't really care." Percy said.

Annabeth kicked him softly and said, "You're mean."

Percy chuckled. "Fine, fine. I'll stand up."

Annabeth was already walking away from the flower beds when Percy stood up. Percy suddenly had an idea. He chuckled evilly and sneaked towards Annabeth. He caught up and reached his hands on her waist and started tickling her. "Shit. Percy stop it!" Annabeth tried to be stern but failed because she was laughing too hard.

"I won't." Percy laughed and kept on tickling her. "You know I'm going to miss you, Wise Girl." Percy blurted out while he was chasing Annabeth.

"Yeah, I know I know." Annabeth kept on running away. "I'll miss you too, Seaweed Brain."

Luke was heading to the meadow to think. He suddenly heard noises. Laughing noises. He came to see what was causing them and saw Annabeth and Percy playing around. Luke scowled and came to Annabeth to initiate his plan. Luke put on a fake smile and called, "Perce! Annabeth!" Luke waved and Percy and Annabeth stopped playing and Percy muttered, "Why is he here?"

Luke came close to Percy and Annabeth and turned to Percy, "I have a favor, Percy."

"What's that?" Percy asked half-heartedly. He wasn't in the mood for this.

"May I borrow Annabeth for a while?"

Percy was about to say 'No.' to his face. But he decided to "borrow" Annabeth to Luke for a while. He didn't want to be selfish.

Percy moved a bit farther away from them but he moved from a hearing distance.

"So, did you like the roses?" Luke grinned.

Annabeth was supposed to say, 'What roses?' but remembered the roses she threw away last night. She didn't know that the roses were from Luke. Annabeth tried to hide her guilt with a fake smile. "I… uh… yeah… I loved the roses."

"Cool. So, uh, listen. Are you available tonight?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, why?" Annabeth scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.

"May I take you to dinner tonight?" Luke asked.

Annabeth was stunned by Luke's request. Annabeth looked at Percy's direction that was pretending not to hear but he had smoke billowing out of his nostrils. Annabeth turned to Luke and said, "Okay. I'll try." Just to make up for the roses, Annabeth thought.

"Awesome." Luke kissed Annabeth on the cheek.

Percy saw the whole thing. His volcano was exploding. He wanted to march up to Luke and punch him squarely on the face. But his anger was holding him back. Luke walked away grinning and Annabeth was standing still as a statue. Annabeth came back to her senses and walked towards Percy. Percy scowled and asked, "Are you now happy?"

"Happy with what?" Annabeth asked confused.

"Oh, gee. With Luke asking you out and him kissing you in the cheek. Of course you're happy." Percy said totally pissed.

"Now, what's wrong, Jackson?" Annabeth asked exasperatedly.

"Oh, you don't go using my last name against me, Wise Girl." Percy warned.

"Who said I can't, Seaweed Brain?"

"I did." Percy shouted.

"Fine." Annabeth screamed and trudged off.

Percy felt like punching himself instead. He wasn't just mad at Luke and Annabeth. He was also mad at himself. Annabeth wasn't going to talk to him… again.

Percy wasn't sure if what he's doing was legal. But he wanted to know what was happening. Luke and Annabeth didn't know that spying behind a plant near their table. Luke started talking and Annabeth was looking around to see if Percy was there to save her. But she knew better. They both had a fight. Of course he wasn't there. She didn't know that Percy was just hiding near their table. The waiter came and Luke ordered, "Two carbonaras, please. No cheese." Luke smiled.

Percy chuckled silently because he knew that Luke didn't like cheese but Annabeth loved it. "Uhh, I think you have to put more cheese on mine." Annabeth requested.

The waiter nodded. "That would be all." Luke said.

The waiter left and Luke asked Annabeth, "You like cheese?"

"I love it." Annabeth corrected Luke.

"Oh."

They started talking about random things but Annabeth was getting bored. The food came a little while later and there was an unusually big amount of cheese on Annabeth's carbonara and she grinned.

Percy started to get bored and became thirsty. So, he asked water from the waiter nearby who was surprised to see Percy hiding and almost spilled water but he gave Percy water anyways. After a few minutes, Percy got super bored and was almost about to leave when he heard Luke say, "I like you, Annabeth."

Annabeth stiffened. She was debating whether or not to answer him. Percy felt like he was a statue crumbling to pieces. What if Annabeth returned the feelings? Maybe he should really go to avoid hurting his own feelings. But before he left, he heard something that made his day, "I'm sorry, Luke. But I only like you as a friend but nothing more."

"Oh." Luke's face fell. Percy felt like dancing in front of Luke. And chant 'She doesn't like you.' He felt so giddy that he didn't notice Annabeth leaving. "Anyways, Luke, I have to go." Annabeth stood up and ignored Luke's protests.

Percy tried to sneak up to Annabeth but… "You thought I didn't see you." Luke said to Percy.

"What do you mean by that?" Percy asked nervously.

"I saw you, hiding beside a plant near our table. Were you just spying?" Luke asked rather calmly.

Percy was debating whether to say the truth or just lie and pretend that he wasn't. But Percy's silence made Luke confirm his suspicions. "Why were you spying?"

"Do you have to know?" Percy asked irritated.

"Percy, you're not usually like this. Do you like Annabeth?" Luke asked in a steely tone.

"What if I like her?"

"So, you do?"

"Yeah, I do,"

"I guess, this just goes to Annabeth's decision." Luke muttered.

"But Annabeth doesn't even like you." Percy emphasized on the word doesn't.

"So, you're hoping she'd like you back?" Luke asked angrily.

"Well, yeah!"

"Let's see about that." Luke glared at him.

"Challenge accepted."

And with that, Percy left and Luke was mad. Really, really mad. His own best friend would become his rival. He thought about what to do. Then suddenly, an idea struck him. He could take an advantage to the upcoming dance. He smiled to himself.

Annabeth was staring blankly at her room. She didn't know what to feel. She actually felt bad about leaving Luke. The guy was kind to her but she repays him with rejection. She felt like slapping herself, literally. "But what can I do?" Annabeth muttered to herself. "I don't like him."

She debated whether to go down and apologize to Luke or stay where she is and feel guilty all the way. She decided to go down and apologize but while she was opening the door, Percy was there. "Oh, Percy!"

"Hey!" Percy greeted smiling.

"What are you doing here?" Annabeth asked.

"Is it malice to visit a friend?" Percy asked sarcastically.

"Uhh, no! Well, come in, Percy!" Annabeth motioned him to enter and Percy walked in and asked innocently, "How did the date go?"

"It wasn't a date." Annabeth said softly.

"So, how was it?" Percy knew what happened but he wanted to know what Annabeth felt about it. He was determined to capture Annabeth's heart before Luke does.

"It was fine, I guess."

"Something's bothering you." Percy noticed. "What is it?"

Annabeth shook her head and said, "No, it's nothing."

"No, I know you're lying. Something's up, Annabeth."

Annabeth just shook her head. She didn't know if she should tell it to Percy but Percy said, "Alright, if you don't wanna tell me, it's fine. It's not my job to pry anyways." He left the room.

It hurt that Annabeth didn't trust him. He needed time. Time to think about his actions. Annabeth was leaving in a matter of days. He still had a plenty of time. Annabeth was thinking the same thing. She'd understood why she rejected Luke. And only now she realized it: She was falling in love with Percy Jackson.

Finally. She's in love. asdfghjkl. Hahahaha. Anyways, I might update next next week. I think on our summer vacation. Okay? It was weird writing the meadow part. i think that part sucks. But... Review?

-BE18