I never knew my heart could beat as fast as it was at that very moment. I heard that voice just two days ago and I never thought that I would ever do again. Percy's arm was around me once again, ignoring the fact that this was technically a sign of public display of affection. "Luke?" I gasped, finally letting myself look at him: the same blue eyes, the same scar, the same blonde hair, the same face.

"What are you doing here?" the look on my boyfriend's face was just as intimidating as the look on the other man's face, probably even more.

"I came for them"

"They don't want to be with you." This was Nico now, standing protectively in front of Thalia and coincidentally right beside Percy.

He frowned, "You speak for them now?"

"No, they don't." Thalia placed a hand on his shoulder, "But we're not going with you."

Before I could even speak, I wasn't beside Seaweed Brain anymore. Instead, Luke was holding me by the arm right beside him with his grip as tight as a vise. Percy stood up abruptly, "Luke, stop." I groaned, "It hurts."

"You can't take her or Thalia. They belong here. You don't and I want you out of my house." This was said with so much force that even I shook in fear that maybe he was going to hit me (and I'm really sure that he won't). My eyes were already shedding so much tears that I couldn't help but gasp every once in a while from the lack of oxygen.

Luke, for his part, took one step forward just to punch Percy on his face. Jason was ready to interfere when Nico held him back because all of us know that this was the fight that both of them were waiting for. "Annabeth," he said through gritted teeth, "Go to Thalia and stay there."

I nodded before taking Thalia's outstretched hand and she pulled me to her side, hugging me in a way that only she can. It was hard for both of us to see them so ready to throw punches at the other because we both care in a way that is very hard to distinguish from actual love. "Percy, Luke, please stop this. It's no use. Nothing will come of it."

"That's where you're wrong, Annabeth." The Luke standing in front of me wasn't the Luke I used to admire. It was filled with so much anger and violence that it surprised me. "I've been waiting for this moment ever since I realized that he liked you."

"This isn't you."

He laughed, cold and mean and heartless. "This is exactly me."

My eyes were forced to watch the horror in front of me, half-blind from the tears that I have shed. The other guys were ready to interfere, to stop the madness but they knew that whatever they're trying to do would be useless against people as stubborn as Percy and Luke. And Jason was close to ripping the pillow he was holding to half just to stop himself. The only person standing in his way was Nico and even he seemed to be having a hard time in controlling his body.

I knew it was wrong to say this but as I watched Percy dodge every single one of the other man's crazed attempts, I never saw him more beautiful than at that moment, almost dancing. He learned to fight from Luke so their ministrations were already very much expected so it was no use. But they kept at it.

A particular crunch got me out of my thoughts. I refused to know who was mostly affected because it would never benefit me. Apparently, this was Nico's cue to finally pull them away. It was hard to do, seeing that he needs the help of Jason and Beck just to stop them from biting each other's faces off. "Please." It was my last plead and I really hope that it made a difference.

The dinner I ate last night was threatening to make a very dramatic reappearance when I saw my boyfriend's broken nose. My stomach has always been strong enough to handle situations like these but maybe because of my sensitivity and the absolute possibility that I would lose him just got the best of me and I was trying to keep myself from puking at his feet. Plus, that probably wasn't needed.

Other than the nose, there wasn't anything else. There were no bruises other than one on his cheekbone but that would probably heal in a few days, and the way that his eyes were shining when he saw me practically stated that he wasn't emotionally injured. "You didn't have to do that." I told him, lowering my head so that he couldn't see all the emotions that were finally settling from their former hurricane.

"I didn't have to but I need to." He said simply, placing too fingers on my jaw. "Plus, it was all worth it."

While Will Solace tended to his bruises and his nose, I held his hand. When I had the chance, I would look at Luke and give him a disapproving shake of the head. Much to my surprise, a small smile just appeared on his still handsome face and it infuriated me. How dare he smile when Percy was probably going to lose too much blood than is necessary!

"Come with me." I growled at him, my eyes flashing with so much anger.

The moment we stepped out of the house, he pushed me against the nearest tree. "Why are you with him?" he whispered to my ear and I shivered. "You can do so much better."

I was transfixed by his words, finding myself staring at those blue eyes I once found attractive. His face was so close to mine that I could fully examine the scar running from his right eye to his jaw. "Why is that?"

"Because, Annabeth, you're beautiful and smart and kind and brave. Why are you with him?"

"I love him."

He laughed out loud. "You loved me too."

"Once, when you didn't turn into this monster" You could already hear the venom that I was intending so much to put. "What happened to you Luke?"

He didn't answer. Instead, his lips were on mine, moving in a way I never thought he would ever do. But I didn't kiss him back. Of course not! Why should I? I've already have everything that I need from my perfect boyfriend. I can't possibly ask for more than that. But I also learned not to push him away. So I let him finish, holding as still as a statue as he attacked my lips with his. "I know you can do so much better than that, Annie."

"Yeah but you don't deserve it." I found myself saying.

He didn't let me go because he was kissing me again, this time soft and slow, very much like Percy's. And I instinctively wrapped both of my arms around his neck, getting used to the new feeling. I knew it was wrong but I've always found myself curious on how kissing someone like Luke would be like even though there was something about how it was done that made me uncomfortable. This was the guy who I once treated as a brother, the guy I once loved, the guy who changed so much that I didn't know him anymore. And this wasn't my boyfriend; this wasn't how Percy would kiss me. And I knew that I would regret doing this, considering that I could talk him out of this in the first place."Stop!" I gasped, pushing him away.

"Why? Afraid that your little boyfriend might find out?"

"Yes! No! I don't know. Luke, this isn't what I wanted." I cried out, filled with obvious pain. "I never wanted this."

"Oh don't lie to me, Annabeth."

I just shook my head again and grabbed the nearest branch, pulling myself up. "I loved you as a brother. Maybe there was a time when I did like you more than that but you changed. I don't know you anymore."

Since I refused to look at my boyfriend, I climbed up using that tree, entering my balcony with ease. And I sobbed, wiping my lips over and over again until all I could taste was my blood. He deserves better than me. I was a cheater. I kissed someone else when he was willing to give his life up for me. It felt as if my heart weighed more than a thousand pounds, my chest feeling heavier than it should be as my breathing turned erratic. But I refused to recognize how my lungs were performing because I deserved it. My eyes hurt but I didn't care. "I'm sorry." I repeated over and over again, to no one in particular. "I'm so sorry."

He found me about half an hour later, running over to my side worriedly. "Wise Girl?" he asked.

But I just said those two words again, the only words he needed to hear just for him to realize that I have done something wrong. "It's not your fault." It was automatic for him but it didn't work this time.

"Yes it is!" I screamed at his face, falling to his arms as I cried and cried and cried on his shoulder. "Percy, Luke kissed me and I kissed him back and… and… I'm so sorry."

He froze for a good thirty seconds but melted, rubbing my back. "It's not your fault." He told me, placing me on his lap as he rocked me back and forth like a baby.

When I looked at the face of the man I trust, I realized that he was sincere. His face contorting to kindness, still marked with all those bruises but I never thought that he would ever look so perfect. Those beautiful sea green eyes were staring at me, telling me that it was alright and that he wasn't mad and that he understood. But I couldn't stop apologizing, seeing that it was the only thing I could do. "I love you, Percy. Only you." He smiled but didn't say anything else. He didn't need to.

"You should rest. It's been a long day and you need it."

I nodded hesitantly before letting him carry me to the bed, placing a soft kiss on my lips that was filled with obvious love. "Go to sleep, my Annabeth." He told me smoothly, "And when you wake up, I'll be here." And for the first time on that hour, I smiled.

It was morning when I woke up, seeing that I slept at about six already. And true enough, Percy was beside me, his arms wrapped protectively around my waist. I turned just to see him, looked at every single feature of his face. He has always been cute when he slept, looking like the angel who fell down from heaven just to help me through my life. My fingers unconsciously started tracing his jaw, running my thumb over his untouched lips, grazing lightly on his eyelids. "I wish that we could be together forever." I told myself.

"Don't worry," he mumbled lightly, startling me as he kissed my fingertips. "We will."

We didn't talk about Luke. We didn't talk about my kiss. We didn't talk about the fight they had the day before. The topic was avoidable but every time I look at his face, I would hear that crack and the hiss of pain. My friends didn't know what I did but they knew that something happened when I brought him outside. Thalia could see it in how I looked at Percy, the guilty feeling still lingering in my features. But every time she would ask, I would lie or if not, I'd change the subject. I'm not very comfortable in talking about it, even now.

Percy refused to take me out of his sight. The only time he would give me my privacy was when I'm going to the bathroom and even that comes rarely. Some girls may hate the fact that their boyfriends are following them around but I was grateful for his patience and devotion to the promise he made. I will never break-up with you. He would go to the ends of the earth before he would ever consider breaking this. And that got me guiltier than I already was.

The PDA rule was ignored because we realized that we can't really help ourselves especially when we want something. Percy and I made-out a lot in every single place that you can find. And he would tell me how much he loves me and I would apologize over and over again for what I did in the first place. He told me, rather fiercely, that Luke was the one who initiated it and that I just got carried away. He even blamed himself for not being there but I told him never to say that again.

It was the day before we leave when I realized that his nose has fully recovered, looking the same as it had before and I was glad that I don't have to give my other schoolmates more proof in believing about the fight they had. Apparently, there were rumors spreading around about them seeing me with another guy but, even though I knew that it was perfectly true, they did make some modifications.

"I can't believe that we're already supposed to go tomorrow." Nico sighed, wrapping a tentative arm around his girlfriend.

"Wait, tomorrow's a Friday, right?" my boyfriend suddenly said, sitting up straighter than usual.

I raised an eyebrow at this. "Yeah," I answered, "What's the difference?"

The smile on his face was different from the usual smiles he possessed. This one was mischievous but genuine at the same time and there was a hint of a smirk there. In the many years I have known him, this was only the second time wherein I saw that look on his face. And it always meant that he was up to no good. "We can stay here for the weekend."

There was silence for an entire minute. Everyone was staring at him as if he just came from another planet. I have considered this every once in a while but there may be so many consequences to the unprecedented change of plans. "It is possible but don't you think that someone will notice if we're not on the bus or something?" I said, being the logical person that I am.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just make some excuse. Plus, we need our privacy. Don't you think this week has been completely useless because you feel as if someone's always watching you?"

Sadly, he was right. "Fine but just because we need time together." Silena smiled at the last word before grabbing her sister's hand and pulling her to the kitchen, probably to talk about something I'll know about in sooner or later.

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