Sneaking out in the middle of the night has always been one of the only things I can do right. Apparently, Percy decided to go to the beach when everyone was asleep. You see, Mr. Gristle strictly implied a curfew from 10pm-6am and he wants everyone to follow it. The only flaw in their plan was that no one was watching us during those specific nights so the act was pretty easy.

"Are you sure we should do this?" I asked warily as I wiped the sleep from my eyes, grabbing his outstretched hand as he helped me onto a branch.

"Who said we shouldn't?" he looked at me expectantly.

The moment we reached the ground, we ran hand in hand towards the beach. We ran and ran, not stopping as I felt the cool wind in my hair, until I could feel the waves overlapping on my bare feet. Since we didn't really care if someone does catch us, Percy and I chatted away as if it was any other morning (or night). "Look, I still don't know if you're okay with this or anything but I really have to help with the party."

Percy sighed, "You know that if it's for the best, then you can. I'm just saying that I might be a little lonely when that comes."

"Don't worry, Seaweed Brain." I whispered to his ear. "I'll give you something to think about when I'm out."

"Is that a good thing?"

I kissed him for an answer, sweet and passionate. My hands snaked around his neck while his wrapped itself around my waist, as if on instinct. It was my dream kiss, standing on the beach in the middle of the night with the man I love in my arms. And then we would separate to the sight of the sun rising in the east. The idea was too good to be true but, as I said, all teenage fairytales are.

He trailed kisses to my neck, sucking at it gently. "Percy, if that leaves a mark I swear to God you will pay for it." It all came out as a moan so there wasn't exactly much force inserted.

"We both know that you like this, Wise Girl." He mused to my skin, looking at me once with those beautiful green eyes.

Sadly, though, he did. The next morning, I woke up with a very visible hickey right where his mouth once was. I know that people would start asking if I wear a turtleneck in such a hot day. He got a really nice punch on the stomach for that and I hated the fact that he started laughing at me when he saw every single emotion crossing my face. "How am I supposed to hide this now?" I groaned as I examined the purplish-black blotch in front of the mirror. My reflection showed absolute disgust as my fingers thread over my skin. According to previous experience (I'd rather not talk about it), this would probably disappear in a few weeks. But till then, what am I going to do?

"Just put your hair down." He said, rather calmly at that as he stretched his arms above his head, yawning.

"Thalia's going to ask."

"Just tell her then that I like your hair like that and you refused to argue with me this morning."

It was as good a plan as any so I did it, making sure that my blonde curls would cover the bruise thoroughly. I couldn't risk having Thalia have even a single glimpse for she would start asking and Silena would eventually butt in and then, before I know it, I would be locked in a room with them staring me down. "This better work, Jackson"

"Don't worry about it, Chase." He mocked me gently, "I'll explain everything when they do see." This was said as a whisper to my ear and I shivered as his moist breath spread through my earlobe. "But I doubt that will happen."

My mind was reeling. If this doesn't work, I'd fully depend on my boyfriend giving an excuse as to why there's a mark on my neck but there is a possibility that he would tell the truth, even when I strictly told him not to. What am I supposed to do then? My best friend would start lecturing me as if she were my mother and then she would start asking me about my entire relationship and every step that we took into making it the way it is. And when she finds out that we did it twice already, she would absolutely freak out and would go as far as grounding me until I turn forty.

Somehow, I got dressed to a decent enough attire: short shorts, a white tank top, Percy's black hoodie, and some black sandals that I always use. I was so distracted that I completely forgot that I was done with my bath and now staring into space so I hurriedly dressed to the first articles of clothing I could find that was right for my current situation and exited in record time.

No one asked me about why my hair was down or why I was wearing a hoodie with the sun shining so warmly. Thalia was sitting down on the sofa, having a very serious conversation with Jason so she was very busy to realize why I was wearing so. I sighed in relief, plopping down on the nearest chair. "Hey, Annabeth?"

Just when I was getting hopeful, I groaned in my head. But I faced the speaker, realizing that it was no more than Piper who was eyeing me carefully.

"Yeah?"

"What are you wearing?"

I chuckled, waving her off. I really hoped that it was very convincing. "Clothes, duh"

"No, why are you wearing that?" she corrected herself.

This wiped the smile from my face. What am I supposed to say now? I took a deep breath and removed the hoodie, letting her see the top that I was wearing. The other layer was discarded and now hung on the arm of the nearest chair.

"That's much better." Piper cooed.

I made sure that I didn't move much or that if I do, my hair still covers what needs to be covered. Leo made the mistake to move past me so he accidentally brushed off a few strands, revealing my neck fully but thankfully, no one was looking. "You're taking this way too seriously, Wise Girl."

"Of course" I replied, placing my head on his shoulder.

"You know you can't keep this up"

"I'll just let them find out for themselves." He nodded, kissing the top of my head

What surprised me the most was that they weren't even the slightest bit curious why I was acting so weird lately. Of course, Thalia would give questioning looks but she never said a word. Honestly, I had this feeling that she was keeping something from me, much more important than what I was keeping from her. She never really did say what happened during her conversation with Luke.

"Thalia, tell me the truth." I said.

It was the afternoon of the same day. Percy was talking to Mr. Gristle about something that I know he'll tell me about later, if it was important, and the rest were doing what they always do. My best friend and I were hanging out in the front porch, watching all my other friends walk around even when the sun was at its peak. "What?"

"You've been awfully quiet lately, is something bothering you?"

She looked at me with a small smile, shaking her head. "It's nothing. Luke just said something that stuck with me."

I pushed her further. I will never quiet myself until I know why she was acting this way. Did they talk about me? Did Thalia get mad because Luke went to me and not to her? Are they still friends? Are they more? What about Nico? What if they're secretly seeing each other and her actual boyfriend still thinks that her full devotion and love is still with him? What if Luke just brought back more memories that got Thals weak? What if…? "Thalia Grace, I swear to God if you don't tell me what he said this instant, I will personally bring my boyfriend into this."

"Look, he just asked if we want to get together for coffee. I told him that I was going to think about it and he said that maybe it would be best if we would go back to the past, before he turned against us."

My heart froze. All my fears finally came true. I couldn't stand seeing another break-up, especially if one of the people in the relationship was Nico Di Angelo. What if they would never talk to each other again? And he's known for holding grudges. No, Luke couldn't possibly ask her when he knows perfectly well that she has a boyfriend, when she's in a perfectly healthy relationship. "He- he did?" I gulped visibly.

"Yeah," she seemed rather calm about this… "I was just thinking about it, that's all."

"What does Nico think?"

Thalia looked at me, a little sadly. "He thinks that I should do what I think is right. He doesn't want me to go but if Luke was as important to me as he thinks he is, then he would."

"What do you think is right?"

"That's the problem. I want to see Luke, I really do but I'm afraid that it would reignite the feelings that I forgot that I had. What if it goes a little too far? Nico and I are already having such a good relationship. He trusts me enough not to do anything stupid but I don't think I trust myself just as much. I just can't imagine myself with him as easily as I imagine myself with Nico."

I said nothing. I didn't know what to say. This was probably the first time where I can't decide which is better for all of us or which choice would affect the least lives. "Look, if you really want to see him, then you should but if you're scared that Thalico would break-up, then don't. It's as easy as that."

"No, it's not. What if I want both?"

"Thalia, follow your heart. Trust your instincts. Do what you need to do."

She looked sad, "Dammit Luke, why do you have to make it so complicated?" my best friend cursed loudly, enough to be heard by the entire beach.

In about ten minutes, she began to relax, her eyes turning to the normal shade of blue. "Enough of me. How about you?"

What do I tell her? I swore to Percy that I will never give her a hint about what happened to us but she made this entire confession in front of me and I couldn't help but feel the least bit guilty.

"I know you're hiding something, Annabeth. I can see it in your eyes."

I was hesitant but I brushed all my hair to the side, exposing the mark to air for the first time in so many hours. Her eyes widened, her face contorting to surprise and a tint of disgust. "How the hell did you get that?" she demanded, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"It was an accident. Percy didn't really mean to make it happen."

"But how?"

She was making this harder than it should be. "We snuck out in the beach, kissed plenty of times, and he just went there."

"And you didn't do anything to stop it?" I shook my head, guilty.

So, as I predicted, she started lecturing me about the importance of keeping my innocence and that we should be very careful with how we're going to treat each other? Inside, there was some part of me that actually wanted to laugh at Thalia for acting like this. "Annabeth, were you lying about not being a virgin anymore? You know, with Rachel?"

If it wasn't for how she looked, I would have told her something that wasn't true. But there was something about how her eyes were shining that told me that I had no choice but to. What if Percy gets mad at me? What if he doesn't talk to me anymore? What if Thalia would get it wrong and call me something I'm not? I sighed and looked at her in the eye, "No." It was a simple answer to a not so simple question but how I said it made it a little more complicated than it should be.

"I knew you weren't." she stared at the ocean, "But why did it take this long for you to say this?"

"We were afraid that you'd get mad."

"You're right about that but you two are the people in charge of the relationship. When you knew that you were ready, then you were. I can't change the past, as much as I want to."

The answer shocked me. I never thought that she would ever say something. This was probably too vulgar for her to even think off but she did. "I can't believe you just said that." I gasped exasperatedly, hoping she would get why my reaction was as it is.

Thalia nudged me on the shoulder but chuckled, shaking her head. For a long time, I felt like there was nothing wrong, that Luke's visit was just a nightmare that my boyfriend woke me up from, that the hickey wasn't a bad thing. We acted as if none of those even happened and that it was a normal day with her, talking and laughing. It felt as if we were kids once again, carefree and unafraid of reality. *Sigh*. I miss those times.

Percy came about half an hour later (but it only seemed like three minutes to me). I had to say goodbye to my best friend since I'm going to spend the rest of my time today with my boyfriend. I smiled at the idea, reaching out just to tie my hair into a ponytail. He looked at me with raised eyebrow but I knew he has the answer for that unspoken question. "You told her?" he voiced

"I had no choice." He nodded in understanding before carrying my bridal style the rest of the walk back. I whined all the way, complaining that I have two feet of my own and knew how to walk properly. Well that and the fact that everyone was staring at us with wide eyes. This was one of the things I've always wanted to avoid and now, all my work went to waste. But I have to admit that some part of me did enjoy being in Percy's arms.

"What did she say?" Seaweed Brain asked as he placed me gently on the sofa, my head on his lap.

"That we're in charge of this relationship and we're free to do whatever we want. She just wants us to be careful."

"Well that doesn't sound like Thalia at all." I chuckled and kissed the palm of his hand, his five fingers, and then his wrist. "We're leaving the day after tomorrow."

My gaze moved to his eyes. "I don't want to go."

There was something about how I said it that made me a little giddy. I know that sooner or later, we would have to go back to schoolwork or as Thalia sums it, her high school hellhole.

"Whatever this is about, I'd rather you leave me out of it." I heard someone say from the other room. "Plus, Trav, it's practically your fault."

Finally, the speakers revealed themselves to us, proving that they were Travis and Katie arguing about something that I will never understand. I decided that I just ignore them and focus on how my boyfriend was sucking at my neck as if he wanted to give me another mark. "Percy" I moaned, shaking my head vigorously. I already have one hickey to worry about, I can't handle another one.

"Don't worry," he whispered to my skin, his eyes glistening mischievously. "I won't."

He smiled at me and placed light kisses on my face, pressing his lips insistently on mine just to get them moving. And I closed my eyes at the sensation, unable to describe how perfect it felt. I didn't think about the possible signs that my friends are probably videotaping this at the moment, nor did I think about how he would feel again this time. I wanted this last, just a single kiss that would make me feel lightheaded.

"We should really make a rule about PDA's." Thalia sighed and I laughed, pulling away from him. He pouted at first, looking like the most adorable thing on earth, before flashing me a knowing grin that made me blush to a shade redder than a tomato's.

"If we have to follow it then you have to, too." My best friend glowered at me but agreed, shaking my hand with hers.

So, for the rest of the day, we watched each other, intent on making this rule work. The punishment was fifty bucks per minute and I don't have money so I refused to give in to my desires that included those perfect, well sculptured lips of his on mine. I found myself lacking oxygen when I realized that I was fantasizing about him again, groaning as I picked up a random magazine on the table just to distract myself. "Whoever gives in first has to pay double." Travis announced.

If we're going to pay double, then kissing for ten minutes would cost us one thousand dollars. "I hate you, Stoll." I hissed under my breath, enough for him to hear.

"Love you too, Anna." He teased, a smirk permanently plastered to his face.

In a matter of seconds, we were all laughing like we all did before: alive and genuine. When they weren't looking, Percy would give me soft pecks on the cheek and smile when I realized that they were staring at something else, at someone else. "Annabeth if I tell you not to panic, will you?"

My grip tightened on the loveseat. "What is it?"

"Look behind you."