But I Often See You As Something More

by SamIsEternallyTired

As a lot of years passed by, Percy and Annabeth remained as friends. But what they don't notice are some suppressed feelings. Will these feelings remain suppressed just as how they remained to be friends for years?

22. Ran Its Course

A/N: Last chapter! (Or not, that's up to you guys. Ehehe.)

I hope this update will help you get through the COVID19 quarantine. Please stay at home. Wash your hands and avoid touching MEN (Mouth, Eyes, Nose). Let's flatten the curve together.

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH, LOVES!

BLACK LIVES MATTER! JUNK TERROR BILL! STAND WITH HONG KONG!

If you want to help me, if you have any complains, questions, suggestions or if you just want to talk, message me. I'll reply. :D

Enjoy! :)

---

Chapter 22 – Ran Its Course

Annabeth's POV

I looked out the window and the familiar sight warmed my heart. The Statue of Liberty stood proud and tall. The One World Trade Center, Empire State Building, and Chrysler Building loomed over the busy city of Manhattan. The Central Park was a stark contrast to the buildings that comprised New York City.

I am back home.

I felt the plane descend and the happy feeling to be back home was overpowered by the dread of being back. It was such a bittersweet feeling. I was one of the last passengers to deplane due to my hesitation. Since I was just staying for a couple days, I only had one suitcase with me, which may lead to Silena's dismay.

"Annabeth!"

Someone threw themselves at me and wrapped me tightly in their arms. I saw Nico a couple steps away from us with a huge smile on his face, which meant it was Thalia who was hugging me. I gave him a big grin and mouthed, "Hello,".

"I've missed you so much!" Thalia squeezed me more as if that were possible.

"I've missed you too." I chuckled. "But you could've just visited me, you know."

"Shut up. You know how busy we are here in New York City." Thalia let go of me but kept me at arm's length. "Have you been taking care of yourself?"

"Yes, mom." I rolled my eyes but smiled. "Come on, you guys call me almost every day."

"I just want to double check." She let go of me.

Nico took his turn to hug me and gave me cheek kisses as he released me. He kept his arm over my shoulders and Thalia pulled my suitcase as we made our way out of the airport. We got in Nico's car and I just stared as we passed by the familiar buildings.

I missed walking along these bustling streets.

They dropped me off at my loft so I could rest up for tonight's party. The nostalgia hit me hard when I got in. My loft looks the same despite some small additions such as vases and rugs. What to do with my loft was my biggest problem. I didn't want to let go of it. I mean, great location, great residents, loft with floor-to-ceiling windows. You get the picture. Luckily, Katie and Travis were looking for a place when I was planning to leave New York City.

It has been a year since I was last in New York City. I've been staying with Dad in San Francisco. I could've rented a place but he insisted. I decided to take some time off. I stopped accepting cases and finished the ones I was handling before flying to San Francisco with Onion. Now I'm back for Katie and Travis's wedding. Second one in our group of friends to get married.

Despite the feeling of belongingness, I wanted to get in and get out of New York City. I'm staying for only three days. I arrived on the same day as the bachelorette party and I will be leaving the very next day after the wedding.

I made myself a cup of tea and took a long bath to relax myself.

It's been a year and six months since Percy got married. I went on with my life and even tried to plan my wedding. Luke and I didn't end up getting married the same night at Percy's wedding. I'd really be stealing Percy's thunder by doing that. Luke was right, I didn't want a big wedding like Percy and Rachel's. I wanted a practical small intimate wedding. Get married at the City Hall and rent out a place for dinner with family and friends. It seemed easy enough to plan but somehow, I couldn't do it. My friends even offered to do it for me but I was set on planning it by myself. Maybe I was too distracted in New York City or there was something that was unhealthy for my mental health. This prompted me to decide to leave.

While I was trying to plan my wedding in San Francisco, things between Luke and me didn't work out. I do love him. Very much so. Something just didn't sit quite right with me. I gave back the engagement ring and we're still civil and friendly with one another.

I haven't told anyone about calling off the engagement except Thalia and Nico. Even though I forced them not to tell anyone, they're decent enough not to share something that's not theirs to share in the first place. I have been keeping up with my friends through Iris. They video call me during our weekly dinners so that I wouldn't be left out. Thalia and Nico would call me every once in a while and still more frequently compared to Percy.

I haven't really been talking to Percy ever since his wedding. I was busy planning the wedding and I gave him space to enjoy his married life without me barging in. When I moved to San Francisco, our communication lessened even more. I do get to video call him a couple days in a month.

I did some yoga and meditation after my bath, which helped me with the anxiety I felt from being back here. I ended up going to the diner a few blocks away from my building. The same diner that Percy and I usually eat at.

Kelli's face immediately lit up when she saw me enter. "Annabeth! How long has it been?"

"Long enough." I smiled at her.

"We've missed you here! Are you having the usual?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright. Percy's already waiting for you in your usual booth."

I felt myself stop breathing. My eyes grew at what Kelli said and she looked equally stunned. Maybe I can slowly slip out without anyone noticing. I feel so foolish for actually thinking I should eat here while I'm in New York City. That I could eat here without running into Percy. Only Thalia, Nico, and Katie know that I'm arriving today. I didn't really want to interact with Percy outside the event I went here for.

I slowly turned my head to check if Percy noticed that I was here. He was looking straight at me. Gods dammit. He was all by himself in our booth. There was a mix of emotions on his face. Hesitation. Happiness. Uncertainty. Excitement.

Looks like I can't make a run for it.

I exhaled the breath I was holding and gave him a weak smile as I made my way to the booth. He stood up when he saw me walk towards him. He met me halfway and wrapped me in a snug hug. I initially thought that I would give him a stiff hug or something but as soon as I was in his arms I melted. I felt safe and at peace.

We sat down after our reunion. I also thought I would be awkward around Percy like I wouldn't know what to talk about and try to engage in small talk. I stood corrected. I feel like I could talk about anything with Percy. I was bubbling over with things I wanted to talk about.

Kelli brought over our orders and Percy and I caught up with each other. I asked about Sally and Paul, Raisin, his work, his colleagues, and our friends. Conversely, he asked about my family in San Francisco, Onion, and what I have been doing there for the past year.

"I honestly didn't think I would be running into you." I said.

"I was actually hoping you'd come here once you arrived." He admitted.

"I didn't say I was arriving today." I looked at him with knitted eyebrows.

"I was trying my luck."

"Oh, I see." I laughed.

There was a brief moment of silence between us so, in a panic, I ended up asking him about the first thing that went into my mind which was something I was avoiding.

"So how are things between you and Rachel?" I asked while mentally kicking myself.

Percy didn't say anything and avoided my eyes.

"All good I expect. Does she have an art show? Somewhere international I bet. Hungary? Oman? Zambia? Ireland? Egypt? Romania?" I went on and on just to avoid dead air. "You got to help me out here, Seaweed Brain."

"Okay, okay. I already know about your extensive knowledge in geography. No need to brag."

"I was not bragging. I was simply guessing. So will you answer my question or shall we bicker over my knowledge?"

"Yeah, uhm," he stuttered, "about that we..." He proceeded to grumble something.

"What?"

"We got..." He grumbled once again.

"Percy." I gave him a look. "Seriously, speak up."

"We got divorced."

I stared at him for a couple seconds and then cleared my throat. "I didn't quite get that. What did you say?"

"Yeah, rub it in my face. We got divorced." He repeated.

"I'm not rubbing it in your face!" I defended myself. "I just didn't comprehend it the first time. How are you? Are you okay?" I reached out across the table and held his hand.

"I'm still quite shocked. Everything just happened really quickly." He had a distant look on his face and his reverie broke. "I've moved on already so don't worry about me."

I retracted my hand once he assured me that he was okay. "You should've told me. Bea Wise would've done it as pro bono if I asked. When did this happen? I wish you could've told me." I rested my head on my hand and looked out the window with my thoughts racing. Divorced.

"I just didn't want you to know about my failed marriage and think I'm a failure."

I whipped my head and gazed at him with intense eyes.

"Percy, I would never think that. You just...you used to tell me everything. I value your privacy, I really do. I know it's not my business and I'm not requiring you to tell me but I can't believe you hid something like this from me in fear that I'd think of you as a failure. I would never think of you in that way no matter what."

He gave me a small smile.

"So, what happened? I thought you guys were…perfect..." I trailed off.

"The relationship just ran its course, I suppose." He sighed. "We just fell apart after a couple months into the marriage. We both agreed on the divorce and here we are."

"You guys just...fell apart?"

His pursed his lips into a thin line and nodded.

"But you guys have been together for...ever since we were sixteen."

He winced. "Yeah, okay, you're just rubbing it in."

"Oops. When did this happen again?"

"A year ago."

I looked away from him as I thought of where I was one year ago. "Gods, move to a different state and people no longer update you. In case anyone is wondering, I exist and I still care."

He laughed weakly.

"So how are you managing?"

"I've been focusing on myself. The others have been supportive."

"Alright, that's good."

"They got me to go back to dating again. Honestly, against my will. They set me on a couple dates, which ended up in disasters. I swear, all of them!"

I laughed. "Don't get me wrong but I think they did that on purpose."

"Yeah, I think so too." He laughed as well.

Our laughter died down.

"So how about you? How's Luke?" He asked.

"He's fine." I smiled.

"Where is he off to now?"

"Last time I checked, he was here in New York City."

"Oh. Is he going to go to the wedding?"

"I don't think so. I think he'll be flying to Europe tonight."

"You should be with him right now, spending time with him before he flies away from you for a couple of weeks."

"We spent enough time together. I'll be heading back to San Francisco soon so I'd like to spend my time with people I haven't been around with for a year."

He smiled and then glanced down at the table. "When are you planning to get married?"

"Uhm, I, ugh, we called off the engagement." I said in a small voice.

I was met with silence. Percy slowly looked up at me and just stared at me to a point that I felt uneasy. Maybe I can slowly slide out of the booth and run away to avoid what was about to come.

"Wha-who-why-how-when-Annabeth!" He said in one breath.

"What?"

"And you had a speech about how we used to be open with each other!"

"I just thought that this certain part of my life didn't concern you." I reasoned.

"I was sure as Tartarus that you didn't need to pry in the same part of my life and yet you did. If I didn't ask you then you wouldn't have told me, wouldn't you?" He rubbed his eyes and then pinched the bridge of his nose.

I crossed my arms and took a deep breath but didn't say anything.

"When did this happen?"

"After I moved to San Francisco."

Percy still looked like he didn't have his thoughts in order. "What happened?" He managed to ask.

"We both thought that we weren't right for each other and we were better off with different people."

"Have you told anyone about this?"

"Only Nico and Thalia."

He swore under his breath. "They didn't tell me anything! They could've told me a long time ago. They had so many chances to tell me about it. They are so going to –"

I interrupted him. "I told them to keep it a secret. Yeah, like how you kept your divorce a secret from me. Why are you getting worked up over this anyway?" I gave him an annoyed look.

He gazed into my eyes with such emotion. "Because I..." He trailed off and looked away.

It was a couple minutes of silence.

"Hey, I need to get going. We're celebrating the bachelorette party in a few hours and I still need to get ready."

"Oh yes, yes, of course."

I stood up. "So I'll guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Since he was still sitting down, he smiled up at me. I started walking away from him and before I could walk through the door which I had just opened, he called me. I turned around and saw him standing up by our booth. Still holding the door handle, I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Did," he started, "did it have anything to do with the wedding?"

Oh, it had everything to do with the wedding.

"I - " I hesitated for a moment before boldly saying - "yes."

I walked out the diner without even waiting for Percy's response. I wanted to be alone with my thoughts but not in public. When I entered my loft, I just put my back against the door as it closed.

Divorced. Percy's divorced. Percy got divorced six months into the marriage. Percy got divorced a year ago.

I felt like I was paralyzed by my thoughts. So many thoughts clouded my mind. Okay, our friends really kept us both in the dark with one another.

I pulled myself together and started to get ready for the party. Since I met Katie when we were in college while pursuing different degree courses, I didn't really know the other bridesmaid. I only knew her sister, Miranda, just because Katie mentioned her a couple of times to me. I had no idea what the plan was so I ended up just throwing on a floral wrap dress and putting on heels.

The venue of the party was Katie and Travis's new apartment. Katie's entourage comprised of two bridesmaid, Meg McCaffrey and me, and one maid of honor, Miranda. They gathered in the dining room where a huge cheese plate was on the table. Cheeses, charcuterie meat, nuts, fresh and dried fruits, crackers and breads, jam, and honey. I was in love with the idea. Miranda handed me a glass of wine and told me to socialize.

"Annabeth!" Katie opened her arms and hugged me. "I've missed you!"

"I missed you too!" I smiled.

"I'm not going to lie, it was really hard moving out of your loft."

"I know right! It's so hard to let go of."

"What do you plan to do with it?"

"I honestly have no idea. Maybe rent it out to someone."

"When do you plan to go back here in Manhattan? Travis said that things are, uhm, hmm, different since you left. Some things happened and, uhm."

I laughed at her hesitation. "Don't worry, I already know. It's about Percy, isn't it?"

She took a deep breath of relief. "Gods, I thought I said something I shouldn't."

"Percy and I talked about it. We bumped into each other a while ago."

"But this shouldn't really matter, right? I mean, you're engaged."

"Luke and I called off the wedding and broke up."

"Oh. Oh, sugar snaps. That changes a lot of things now." Katie looked at me with huge eyes.

"Okay, everyone, let's have dinner!" Miranda announced.

"We will talk about this." Katie said before she sat down at the end of the table.

Throughout the night, we got to know each other more as we ate the cheese plate and drank wine. We had a couple games to keep the energy of the party lively.

"Hey, Annabeth."

I turned my head and saw Luke standing by the door of my room.

"Oh, gods, hi! You didn't call or message me that you were coming over." I said as I stood up and gave him a hug.

"Your dad let me in and he wanted to remind you about the open door policy." He chuckled.

"Dad, I am an adult!" I shouted out the door before tiptoeing to kiss Luke on the lips.

"It's still my house." Dad called back, making me roll my eyes.

"Can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure! You know what, you're just in time." I pulled his arm as I made my way to the bed and sat down. "Which one do you prefer? The cotton white or the powder white?" I showed him the two pictures of dinnerware that I was staring at for the last hour or so.

"Those are the same." He scrunched his eyebrows.

"No. One is cotton white and the other is powder white." I insisted.

"Those are literally the same pictures." He looked at me. "Besides, I'm sure the restaurant would know which one would be better."

"Uhm, I think I would know which one would be better because it's my dinner party."

"You're overthinking and micromanaging this." Luke sighed.

"No, I'm not!"

"Can we talk?" He repeated.

I put aside the pictures and sat down so that I was looking straight at him. "Okay, what's up?"

"Are we okay?"

The look on his face broke me. He looked genuinely sad. His slightly raised eyebrows showed worry. He was fighting back tears but his eyes already glistened. It was as if he had been thinking of this for a long time already.

"Because something seems to be bothering you for the past months." He looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. "And I think that that something is making you delay the wedding. On purpose or not."

I brought my hands to my lips and closed my eyes. I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks. I took a ragged breath through my mouth. Luke held my face and wiped away my tears with his thumbs. I didn't want to open my eyes because I felt like I would cry more if I saw Luke's expression.

"I'm so sorry, Luke." I said as I grew smaller.

Luke gave me a moment to compose myself. When I got my emotions and thoughts in order, I opened my eyes and saw Luke's patient yet hurt face.

"I just don't feel the same way as I did before." I explained.

His lips formed into a thin line before he looked away from my face again, nodding to himself. "I noticed it after Percy's wedding. I'm sorry you feel this way."

I reached out and touched his hand. "No, Luke, please don't apologize. It's not your fault. None of this is your fault."

"I just - " he took a deep breath - "feel like I could have done something to prevent this from happening. I'm sorry."

Fresh tears fell and I just hugged Luke for what felt like hours.

We decided to try to make things work but we ultimately agreed to break up. I have been with Luke for years and it felt weird to be no longer romantically involved with him. Thank the gods though that we're still friends after everything.

"So, Annabeth," Miranda called me, causing me to break away from my thoughts, "since you've been friends with Travis ever since high school, is there anything Katie should be worried about?"

"To be honest, I hated the idea of Travis dating Katie. I told Travis to back off and I also warned Katie. Travis and his twin are known to be the playboys in my group of friends." I looked at Katie. "But who knew you would make each other settle down?"

She smiled at me and puckered her lips towards me.

"I know Travis and how mischievous he is. He loves pranks so I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled one on you."

"Travis made Connor go on a date with me just to see if I could tell the difference."

"And did you?"

"I called their bullshit the moment I opened the door when Connor picked me up."

"Word of advice: keep your eyes peeled tomorrow. I am definitely sure he will do something." I laughed.

"I'm surprised you didn't think I didn't have something planned." There was a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Travis was rubbing off on her.

With the alcohol dwindling and the cheese plate almost clear, everyone's cheeks were flushed. Katie switched seats and then sat beside me. She popped in a grape in her mouth and chewed on it before she put her hand on mine.

"Do you think something will happen between you and Percy now?"

"Maybe we'd focus on ourselves for now." I smiled softly at her.

She scrunched up her nose. "With what the both of you experienced, you're right. I feel like you're still processing it though."

"Yeah, he just unloaded that on me a couple hours ago."

"But I am going to bet that something is going to happen." She sat back down, popped another grape in her mouth, and gave me a smug look.

I gave her an equally smug expression.

When the party ended, Katie gave each one of us a hug before we left. Miranda reminded us about the wedding preparation for tomorrow. I got back to my loft and went right to bed after washing up because I'm going to have breakfast with Thalia and Nico.

I opened my eyes and I felt as if I didn't sleep at all. It was as if I just lay down and closed my eyes for a couple hours. I told myself I wouldn't think about Percy but it was the first thought I had when I woke up. I slowly sat up and took a deep breath. I felt tired and lethargic. Maybe I just need a good workout.

I went for a run in Central Park. It felt good and nice and since it was spring, the weather was perfect. Central Park was just beautiful especially with the cherry blossoms. It made me feel better. When I got home, I did some yoga as well. I took a shower and met up with Thalia and Nico at the restaurant. I already brought everything I needed for the wedding with me because I'd be heading to the wedding preparation after our breakfast.

There was really nothing to catch up on among the three of us because they called me so often when I was in San Francisco.

"So," I started, "there's something the both of you didn't tell me."

They glanced at each other.

"Is there?" Nico asked with his voice going up at the end of the question.

"Well, to be fair, you also asked us to keep a secret for you." Thalia said at the same time.

They looked at each other again.

"I thought 'deny until we die'?" Nico asked Thalia.

Thalia stared at Nico with large eyes.

"It's okay. Percy and I exchanged secrets yesterday." I saw the relief on their faces as I said this.

"You met up with Percy?"

"I bumped into him before the party."

"I promise, we tried to tell you!" Thalia insisted.

"Did you really?" I gave them a stink eye.

"Yeah! We kept telling you to check Rachel's latest art."

"I did." I gave them deadpanned look. "What about it?"

"We weren't rubbing it in your face, I swear. You can see the emotion in her art." Nico explained.

"Hurt. Sadness. Pain." Thalia enumerated.

I rolled my eyes.

"Learn how to read art, Annabeth, gods." Thalia let out an exasperated sigh.

After our breakfast, they brought me to Katie and Travis's apartment, where Katie was getting ready for the wedding. Miranda greeted me and handed me a glass of champagne. For the purpose of taking wedding pictures, I wore matching short silk robe. The photographer was just taking pictures of us having fun and getting ready together. We also had some group photos. Katie didn't get a hair and makeup artist so everybody ended up helping one another.

Katie's dress looked amazing. It was floor length A-line white dress with a plunging neckline. Crystals and lilac color flower lace were used to decorate the dress. The skirt of the dress had a tulle overlay with the same flower lace and embroidered with paillettes. The same tulle formed a deep v back of the dress, which reached the waist.

As for Meg and I, we wore floor length mint dresses. The designs were completely up to us but the fabric was the same for our dresses. For my dress, I just chose an A-line dress with a scoop neckline, spaghetti straps, and cowl back design. It was plain and simple. I left my hair down but made sure that it didn't cover my back because that would defeat the purpose of the cowl design.

We went to the wedding venue late in the afternoon. Their wedding was smaller compared to Percy and Rachel's. They had fewer guests and opted to have the wedding ceremony and reception in one place. Travis and Katie rented out Serra, a rooftop restaurant, for the celebration.

Since it was spring, the restaurant was filled with different beautiful flowers that were hanging from the ceiling and climbing every pillar. Fairy lights hung from the wood trellis ceiling. The restaurant was just covered with flowers. The restaurant's setup was completely changed for the wedding. The chairs were arranged and lined up to make an aisle that led to the arch made up of tree branches. The tables were already set and the guests would just have to carry the chairs to the tables once the wedding ceremony is finished.

Guests were already seated and waiting for the ceremony to begin. I already spotted some guests holding on to drinks. The restaurant basked in that warm orange shade from the sunset. When the music started to play, the bridal entourage walked one by one down the aisle. Travis, wearing a suit with a floral tie and a boutonniere, was already in front with his entourage: Connor, Percy, and Nico.

When Meg took her place up in front, I started to walk down the aisle. Nico gave me a big toothy grin, excited at the fact that I got to be here for the celebration. Percy, on the other hand, had an unreadable look on his face for a moment and then his lips slowly spread into a small smile. I stood beside Meg and waited for Miranda to take her place beside me.

Katie stood at the end of the aisle. She looked stunning. She took a deep breath and her expression changed to an unamused one when she raised her head.

"I swear to the gods, Travis, I will marry Connor if you don't switch places right now." She said in a loud voice.

Everyone turned to the twins and laughed when they did in fact change places. Connor clapped Travis on the shoulder and whispered his approval on his brother's wife-to-be. Katie has already got the twins figured out. She walked down the aisle and was greeted by Travis who beamed with pride at her.

"Gods, I can't believe I'm going to marry you." She looked annoyed but you can tell she was genuinely happy.

"Well, you better believe it, Katie Kat."

There was a look of defeat on her face. "You know I hate that nickname. I thought I made it clear."

"If you say so, missus." Travis smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Welcome, family and loved ones. We are gathered here today to celebrate and join Katie Gardner and Travis Stoll in the union of marriage. Today is a celebration. A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family, and of two people who are in it for forever. Now, I believe you prepared your own vows." The officiant stated.

Katie and Travis exchanged vows, recounting how they met and how their relationship blossomed. Travis said that he knew Katie was the one when he found himself thinking of more elaborate pranks because of how easily Katie would figure out his pranks. He loved the fact that Katie goes out of her way to get back at him. They both loved how they keep each other on their toes. They shared how hopeful and excited they are for their future together. It was very sweet and simple.

"May I please have the rings?" The officiant asked.

Connor handed the officiant the rings and Katie turned to Miranda to hold her bouquet.

"Do you, Katie Gardner, take Travis Stoll to be your husband?"

Katie examined Travis with the utmost scrutiny, as if she were double checking that she would be making the right decision, and grinned before putting on Travis's ring. "I do."

"Do you, Travis Stoll, take Katie Gardner to be your wife?"

"I definitely do." Travis said with a smile in his voice while sliding the ring on Katie's finger.

"By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now seal this ceremony with a kiss." The officiant announced.

The couple kissed and the guests clapped and cheered. I was smiling ear to ear as I watched them, taking note of how happy they were. And to think the last time I saw a scene like this, it was Percy and Rachel. I glimpsed at Percy and saw him looking at me. He had the most tender expression on his face as he smiled at me. I smiled back at him before shifting my eyes somewhere else as I felt myself blush.

"Hey, hey, keep it rated G!" Connor teased, making the guests laugh.

I didn't notice that Katie and Travis were still kissing. Travis lifted Katie by the waist and spun her around as she squeaked and laughed. I saw Travis look at Katie lovingly and say, "I love you,".

Katie and Travis excused themselves to take wedding pictures. This gave the guests time to socialize and snack on some appetizers. The couple looked adorable as it seemed like they were teasing one another with smiles that you can't wipe off.

"I didn't mean to pry but I noticed you weren't wearing your engagement ring." Silena asked me in a hushed voice.

I instinctively ran my thumb over where my ring should have been. "I - yeah."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." She smiled and put her arm over my shoulders.

"No, I've already accepted it." I smiled weakly at her. "We called off the wedding."

She stood in front of me and wrapped her arms around me. "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine. I swear to the gods, I am fine." I reassured her.

"I'm pretty sure you already know about Percy."

"Yeah, one day back in New York City and secrets unravel themselves." I joked.

The appetizing aroma wafted through the air and soon enough the buffet was served. We helped ourselves to some food and got seated. I sat with my group of friends and their plus ones. It's been a year since I was with them and I've missed them. For a moment, I caught myself thinking about moving my flight back to San Francisco and even wanting to move back already. I felt guilty for wanting to spend as little time as I could back here.

"I think everyone can agree when I say, 'we missed you'." Silena smiled at me.

"Yeah, when are you coming back?" Thalia asked. "We've gotten weird looks during our weekly dinner when we all turn to and wait for a cellphone to reply to us."

I laughed. "I haven't really thought about it."

"I think someone wants you to go back more than all of us combined." Connor was glancing at Percy repeatedly.

I turned to Nico and held his face by his chin with one hand. "Aww, I miss you too."

With Connor's teasing, I guess it's common knowledge now how Percy's and my relationships turned out.

After dinner, the couple sliced their wedding cake, a gorgeous cake with realistic looking flowers made of icing. The wedding has Katie Gardner all over it: spring and flowers. Travis's hand was over Katie's as they cut the cake. Travis had to chew for a while as Katie laughed at him because she made sure she fed him a huge piece.

They sliced up the cake and offered it to the guests. Hot drinks such as coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were served as well. As we munched on desserts and sipped on hot beverages, family members gave speeches.

Some wedding traditions were still done. Katie asked all the legally single guests to gather in front for the bouquet toss. Thalia, Silena, and I walked up in front along with some other guests. They say that whoever catches the bouquet is the next one to get married. Personally, I didn't want to catch it but the competitive side of me wanted it.

"I am not going to break my heels for this." Silena said as she saw my determined face.

Thalia hitched her jumpsuit's pant legs which motivated me more to get that bouquet. Long story short, I got the bouquet. I raised it to show my victory.

"I just have to look for a groom." I joked.

"Percy volunteers!" Travis whooped.

I laughed and lifted the bouquet in Percy's direction. He put his hand up as if to reach out for it.

To be honest, I was still on the edge of my seat since Katie mentioned she had a prank planned for today. I have yet to see her prank put in action.

They had the garter toss next. Katie sat down on a chair in the middle of the makeshift dance floor. She had an impish smirk and winked before she placed an eye mask over Travis's eyes. She gave Travis a peck and agile like a jaguar, she moved out of his way. Connor sat down in front of Travis and raised his pant leg to reveal his stocking clad leg with the garter around his thigh.

When the sexy music started playing, Travis did a dance that might get him a role on Magic Mike. Very risqué. He proceeded to teasingly pull down the garter. People were trying to suppress their laughs which Travis took as a good sign and took it up a notch. If only he knew he was dancing up against his twin. Yeah, that's going to burn in his psyche. Since the guests were immediate family and close friends, Travis's little number was rather expected. Well, maybe not by Katie's parents.

I have to give it to Katie. Her prank was pure genius.

Once Travis got the garter off, Connor pulled off his brother's eye mask. The look of horror on his face was hilarious although I couldn't help but feel bad for him. Katie stood behind the chair with the most amused expression. She was covering her smile with her balled up fist. When a mischievous smile slowly spread across Travis's face, Katie's disappeared.

Katie ran. Her heels were clacking against the floor as she ran away and Travis chased her. He grabbed her by the waist and picked her up. Chortles and squeals came from Katie while guffaws were from Travis.

"Alright, alright, we all know you work out. Quit carrying Katie and showing off." One of the twin's colleague called out to the couple.

"You got me. That was good." Travis repeatedly commended Katie as they walked back hand in hand to the guests.

The couple got back to the dance floor. They proceeded to have the first dance to a slow and sweet love song. They embraced each other and stared dreamily into each other's eyes. Katie whispered something. Travis visibly soften and a touched smile appeared on his face as if he was on the verge of tears. He closed his eyes as he kissed her and scrunched his eyebrows.

After the first song, some guests joined them on the dance floor. The next songs were upbeat and fun. Other guests enjoyed the open bar. Others went back to the buffet. I did all of those: went back for my nth serving of dessert with Nico, got a couple more drinks with Thalia, and danced with all my friends.

I sat down on our table and went back to eating my cake. I just danced with Nico and we were taking a break. Silena and Beckendorf were still dancing. Katie and Travis were going around to socialize with the guests. Connor was talking to Katie's family. Percy was by the bar.

"Chocolate cake and wine." Thalia passed me a glass of wine.

I obliged. "Mmm, that's good."

"I told you so." She smiled proudly at me

"You haven't been talking to Percy."

I turned to Nico. "Yes, I have."

He kept eating his dessert, unfazed. "Yeah, cause it's a group conversation."

"I mean, do I really have to have a one on one conversation with him?" I pouted.

"Probably not but aren't you best friends?"

"You know what," I said, "I don't like you." I faced Thalia to show that I was rolling my eyes at what Nico said.

"You did mention that you were best friends for - how many years was that, Nico?" Thalia said.

I crossed my arms and glared at my plate. "Why are you guys bullying me?"

They laughed at me. Nico put his arm over my shoulder which I shrugged off. They coaxed me into talking to them. Thalia even bribed me with some more dessert.

"We're just curious as to what happens between the both of you now." Nico explained.

"Maybe we'll just be friends." I said nonchalantly.

"Okay. But tell me, how did you feel when you found out he was divorced?" Thalia asked.

"I was surprised."

"Let me rephrase what Thalia said. What did you feel when you found out he was divorced for a year now?" Nico asked.

"I wish I would've known about it earlier."

"And why is that?" Thalia pressed.

"Because it's big news. I'm his best friend and we're supposed to tell each other everything or at least the big news." I reiterated what they said and smiled smugly at them.

"No, it's because both of you were single and you know something would've happened much earlier if you found out about it." She sat back in her chair. "But whatever you say."

"I think it's better that they just found out yesterday. They've emotionally healed by now. If they knew about it the moment it happened, they might get together and use each other just to move on." Nico weighed in.

Thalia and I turned to him.

"That was very insightful." I said and Thalia nodded.

"So if something happens, we'll be happy for the both of you. If not, well, we know there was a time that both of you weren't seeing anyone but then nothing happens." Nico continued.

I glanced at where Percy was standing. "I love him. As a person. Romantically? I don't know."

"Are you willing to find out?" Thalia asked.

I smiled to myself. "I think so."

Percy looked over to us as if he knew we were talking about him. We locked eyes and he sheepishly smiled because he got caught peeping at us. He finished his drink and made his way to our table.

Percy invited me to dance and held out his hand. I beamed at him as I willingly took it and he brought us to the dance floor. I'll Never Be Free by Ella Fitzgerald and Louise Jordan & His Tympany Five played. The song was familiar; it's something that I would hear from my parents' music collection. Percy placed his hand on the small of my back and I wrapped my arm over his shoulders. His grip on my hand was firm as we swayed and shifted our weight from one foot to another on the dance floor.

"You are perfect." He smiled at me.

I pulled back a bit to get a good look at him. He wore a suit and he just looked very debonair. His jet black hair was styled and pushed back. His sea green eyes were soft as he stared back at me.

"So are you."

"Did you just check me out?" He joked.

"Well, I got to make an informed answer." I cocked my head then grinned at him.

"So you really have no plans of coming back yet?" He asked as he swept me in a different direction.

"Aww, do you miss me already?" I playfully pouted at him.

He chuckled. "You know I do."

"I know." I smiled gently at him. "But even more than Nico?" I chaffed.

He laughed. We danced without talking for a while. I moved my arm higher, bringing myself closer to him. He responded by holding me tighter.

"Do you remember what I told you back in my bachelor party?" He asked in a low voice.

"Which one?"

He hesitated but answered. "When we were in the gentleman's club."

"Of course I do."

Silence.

"You know I love you, right?" He repeated what he said to me back then.

I felt my face soften as I remembered our exchange. "Ever since we were kids."

"Every single day." He reassured me.

"I know."

He took a deep breath and since he was taller than me, he lowered his head so he could place his forehead against mine.

I closed my eyes and smiled. "I've always loved you. More than you think."

I felt him hesitantly move his face closer to mine. His nose slowly touched mine and I could feel his lips cautiously hovering near mine. It was as if he was testing my reaction or asking for permission. I bit down my smile and pressed my lips against his.

It wasn't intense or feisty. There were no tongues or tilting of heads. The kiss was light and sweet. It felt good and right. As if I were looking for this sensation for quite some time now. He gingerly pursed his lips against mine. It was redolent of my first kiss and my goodbye kiss with Percy.

He broke away first. He flashed me one of his most charming smiled that was better than what I ever saw on the pixelated screen of my laptop. Percy guided me into a twirl and gently spun me out with his arm extended. He pulled me back towards him and then my lips were on his. I felt his hand on my bare back as he brought me closer to him, making sure there was no space in between us. My hand that was initially on his shoulder made its way to cup his cheek. My other hand let go of his and buried itself in his soft hair. This kiss was different. It was filled with gusto, fervor, hunger, and yearning.

"Finally!" Someone shouted which caused the both of us to pull apart from each other.

I felt giddy. Percy held my waist and proceeded to intertwine his fingers at the small of my back. I looked around to see who saw our little make out session and our group of friends had smiles on their faces. I buried my face in Percy's chest to hide the embarrassment as I felt my cheeks warm up. He cradled me and placed a kiss on the top of my head.

"Didn't I tell you to keep it rated G?" Connor jokingly reminded us.

I meekly peeked at Percy. He had this look of disbelief and glee on his face. I probably have the same expression.

"Hi." I breathed.

"Hey."

I bit my lower lip and straightened up. His eyes swiftly glanced down and I pulled him down to my lips for another kiss. I think we just need to make sure this was really happening.

We moved away from the dance floor because the only the married couple are allowed to make out in front of the guests. Aside from that, making out with your friends watching isn't really romantic. The music from the party softly played and you can hear distant car horns from time to time. The wind was chilly but I felt warm. I leaned on the ledge and surveyed the streets and buildings. Percy was beside me and we stood there in comfortable silence.

"So," I started, "what happens now?"

Percy looked at me with so much emotion that I could feel myself growing more amused as each second passed by.

"I want to give it a try." He said in a manner as if he was asking for my permission.

I was busy thinking of the dynamics of the relationship since I still live on the other side of the continent. Moving back to Manhattan just because we're going to be together now makes me feel like the reason I left in the first place seem petty and shallow.

"I've wanted this for so long - you have no idea - " he gushed - "and I just know that I am going to regret it if I let this opportunity slide again."

I faced him. "For how long?"

"What?"

"For how long have you wanted this?" I asked.

"Ever since we were kids." He bowed his head, avoiding my eyes, as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"No." I was in disbelief.

"Yeah, but I was always too afraid to make a move. You didn't seem to like the idea of us in that way and I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I didn't want to lose you." He had a wistful expression.

I just stared at him.

"So I crossed that possibility off until recently."

I turned my head up to stare at the beautiful evening sky. The moon was bright against the dark sky but it was impossible to see the stars in Manhattan. "You and I have been best friends for a really long time now but I often see you as something more. For years, I would catch myself wondering, 'What if?'. What if you chose me instead? What if I chose you? What if?"

Percy didn't say anything. He was probably still processing everything that was laid out in our conversation. I mean, I was definitely still thinking about what he just said.

I tore my eyes away from the sky, looked at him, and smiled timidly. "I'm choosing you now."

Like a kid about to open his present, he bit down his grin. "Yeah?"

I tried to stifle my smile from growing wider and then nodded. He held my face for a moment, studying me. I was doing the same thing. I wanted to memorize everything about this. The way the corner of his eyes crinkled as he smiled at me. His sea green eyes were wide and twinkling with delight. The loving look he gave me. The warmth of his hands as he gingerly caressed my cheeks that I could feel heat up. I held his wrists and rested my cheek on his hand. The proximity of his body to mine. The fragrant smell of his perfume. My heart was fluttering and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. It was so loud that I wouldn't be surprised if Percy heard it. I had butterflies in my stomach, which were pretty much there ever since our slow dance and never left. The feeling of exhilaration and contentment that this was finally happening. He slowly brought his soft lips to mine. I tilted my head to kiss him deeper to which he reciprocated. He moved closer to me, pressing his body against mine, and I felt my back touch the ledge. I had to pull away. Even though we were away from our friends, I could still feel their eyes on us.

"You can feel them watching, don't you?" He chuckled as he placed his forehead against mine.

"Yeah." I giggled.

We laughed. He held my hand as we walked back to the party. No surprise, our friends were already eyeing us. I stopped for a moment which made Percy look back at me.

"Since we're sharing secrets now, I just have to ask."

He moved closer. "What is it?"

"What," I hesitated, "what made you make up your mind on your wedding day?"

He was taken aback by my question but his face visibly softened. "I heard that you were engaged."

"Oh." My stomach sank.

He awkwardly laughed.

"You know, for best friends, we keep an awful lot of secrets from each other." I pointed out.

Our friends had excited looks on their faces when they saw us holding hands.

"Pop another bottle open!" Connor cheered.

"Looks like I won our little bet, Annabeth." Katie smirked.

I rolled my eyes but smiled. "You win. So what would it be?"

"Wait, I'll think of something." She grimaced.

"Make her come back already!" Nico suggested.

"See? I told you Nico misses me more than you do." I teased Percy who just hung his head.

We enjoyed ourselves for the remainder of the party. I spent as much time as I can with my friends since I was leaving the next day and who knows when I'll be around them again. I sipped my coffee and happened to glance at Percy, sitting across the table from me. He caught me looking at him and winked as he flashed a dashing smile at me before sheepishly looking away.

"Where's the honeymoon?" Thalia asked.

"Netherlands!" I took a guess.

The incredulous look on Katie's face meant that I was correct. "How did you know?!"

"It screams 'Katie'." I explained nonchalantly.

"How did you manage to talk Travis into it?" Silena joked.

"I actually thought of it." Travis smiled proudly and kissed Katie's temple. "It's a win-win for both of us. Tulips, bike rides, and lounging on the beach."

"Tulips!" Katie repeated with much excitement. "Oh! Remember when you were receiving red tulips before? Did you ever find out from who it was?" She turned to me.

"It was Percy. I'm surprised you still remember that." I gave her an unbelieving look.

"Of course, someone was declaring their love for my friend and well, look at how that turned out." She wiggled her eyebrows at me. "Wait, wait, can you repeat what you told me last night? 'Focus on yourselves'?"

I looked at her with my mouth agape.

She laughed at me. "I'm happy for the both of you though."

"Does that mean you're coming back?" Nico asked.

"I swear to the gods, Percy has got to step up." I touched Nico's cheek. "I still haven't figured that part out."

When the reception drew to an end, Travis and Katie got the guests to bring home the bagged leftovers. Their flight to Amsterdam was later tonight so they'll just drop by their apartment to change and get their luggage. All the guests bid the couple goodbye as they got in the car and drove off.

"I'm assuming you're going with Percy." Nico turned to me.

Percy was standing a couple feet away from us and he smiled at me when he saw me looking at him again. "I guess so." I looked at Nico.

"I guess this is goodbye." He hugged me and gave me cheek kisses.

Thalia hugged me tightly, just as tight as she hugged me when I arrived. "Please come back as soon as you can."

"I told you, you could just visit me in San Francisco."

"We have jobs, Annabeth." She whined. "You know, maybe it's time for you to go back to work."

Silena, Connor, and Beckendorf hugged me goodbye as well. Percy went over to me and I linked my arm with his. We walked to his car which was parked a couple blocks away. Parking is hard in Manhattan. I didn't mind the walk at all. I actually found it therapeutic and it made me sentimental. Being back in Manhattan after a year of being away made me feel culpable for wanting to be stay away as far and long as possible. The idea of me flying back to San Francisco tomorrow already made me feel homesick. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. The walk was also enjoyable because of the company; I was arm in arm with my best friend, who I was making out with a couple hours ago.

For the nth time, I caught Percy peeping at me. I slightly moved away from him and turned to him, cocking my head.

"What?" I asked in an amused tone.

"I just can't believe that this is finally happening."

"25 years in the making, I suppose." I said, making him chuckle.

Just like a gentleman that he is, Percy opened the passenger door of his car for me before jogging to the driver side. He checked if I was alright and swiftly kissing my cheek before driving away. I didn't have any idea where we were heading but I couldn't care less. As long as I was with Percy, he could be driving to San Francisco and I wouldn't mind at all. Different lights would illuminate over Percy's face as he drove by buildings, streetlights, and other cars. He had a faint smile that reached his eyes. His eyelashes, something I have been envious of for years, naturally curled up.

"What?" He asked but kept his eyes on the road.

We slowed down at a traffic light before fully stopping.

"I like you." I confessed casually.

He looked over to me with a pleased expression. "What was that?"

"Oh, don't get too cocky." I rolled my eyes.

"I just want to hear it again."

"I like you."

He reached over and placed his hand on my cheek. "I like you too."

I put my hand over his and moved my head to place a kiss on his palm.

A couple of minutes of driving, I figured out that Percy was driving to my building. I asked him why it seemed like we went around Manhattan and he said I caught him red handed. He wanted to remind me of what I left.

He parked outside my building. He got out of the car first and went to my side to open my door and offer his hand. Percy insisted on bringing me up to my door. We greeted a surprised Karl, who looked happy that I got back. Percy and I walked to my unit, taking our time together.

We were quiet as we stood outside my door. I shyly looked up at Percy and we stared into each other's eyes before slowly leaning in. It was a wholesome good night kiss. We reluctantly parted, smiled at each other, and let out the breaths we didn't know we were holding, chuckling to ourselves. I looked down and saw that Percy held on to my index and middle fingers. He squeezed and rubbed it in his hand.

"Uhm," I stalled, "keys."

He let go of my hand as I retrieved my keys from my bag and unlocked my front door. I opened my door and looked at Percy. He stared at the floor as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Do you want to come in?" I offered.

He looked at me through his lashes. "May I?"

I reached for his hand and pulled him in.

I convinced Percy to get comfortable. He took off his suit and tie and rolled up his dress shirt's sleeves while I took off my heels and padded around barefoot. Even though I love seeing him in formal wear, this laid-back version still made me swoon. I was unwrapping some of the leftovers from the reception. Percy was beside me, preparing coffee to pair with the desserts.

"It's been a while since I've been here." He noted as we sat down on the kitchen island.

"Yeah, I missed my loft. Only thing that's missing is Onion."

"With the tap tap tap of his nails against the floor and his ears down." He laughed. "I miss him."

"Why don't you visit us in San Francisco?"

"You still don't have plans of coming back?"

"I haven't thought about it yet." I said in a small voice, going back to my thoughts a while ago.

"So, how are we going to make this work?"

We spent some time making up a plan, sorting it out. The coffee helped us stay up. We were set on reaching an agreement that we were willing to pull an all nighter if we had to. Our plans started out great but slowly became illogical. From visiting one another once a month to moving somewhere in between California and New York.

"Wait, when are you flying back?" Percy checked what time it was as he stretched.

"Today, after I have brunch with Mom." I yawned.

Percy faced me, visibly disheartened. "Oh, I should probably go and let you rest."

I placed a hand on his knee and moved my face closer to his. He smiled and lightly pressed his lips on mine. I was already decided to let Percy go home because I was afraid that letting him stay would rush our relationship. He placed his hand on the back of my neck, playing with my hair. I gripped his shirt sleeve. He looked at me adoringly and it was a good thing I was sitting down because it made my knees weak.

"Stay." I whispered.

He kissed my forehead. "Okay."

Unfortunately, I didn't bring my father's old college shirt for my pajama. I couldn't lend anything to Percy. He assured me it was okay and he was willing to sleep in his dress shirt and slacks. I was thinking of how I can talk him into stripping down to his boxer briefs - to make himself more comfortable of course - when I suddenly remembered one of the boxes I left here was filled with Percy's things. Since we used to have sleepovers all the time, he had a stack of clothes in my closet and other personal belongings in my loft. I didn't want to bring his things with me to San Francisco. Aside from that, I barely met up with him when I was still in Manhattan and whenever I did, I would forget to bring his things with me.

"I was wondering where this went!" Percy said as he scoured through the box.

He managed to retrieve an old college hoodie and sweatpants. We cleaned the kitchen and got ready for bed. Doing simple chores together felt nice and normal. I changed into my comfy pajamas and so did Percy. We were side by side in the bathroom as we brushed our teeth, which involved the both of us playfully glancing at one another.

It was in the wee hours of the morning but I was far from being sleepy. This was because of the caffeine from the coffee and the ecstasy from what was happening. I sat down on the couch, facing the floor-to-ceiling windows which had the view of the city. I hugged my knees and glanced at Percy who was sitting on the opposite edge. I stared at him and just like before, I tried to remember everything about this moment as much as I can.

The cool hue painted the loft through the huge windows brought about by the blue hour. I felt grateful for being able to experience both golden and blue hour during my stay here. I loved the blue hour, probably more than the golden hour. It was fleeting, around 20 to 30 minutes before sunrise, but it made me feel calm, peaceful, and serene.

From formal wear to lounge wear, Percy managed to look utterly attractive. Fine as Tartarus. He looked ready for cuddling. Percy's hair was still sleek and styled, just a little bit tousled. I couldn't wipe off the huge smile on my face and it looked like Percy couldn't either. Butterflies in my stomach increased since Percy and I are finally alone.

He looked at me and we locked eyes for a moment before I bashfully looked away, smiling to myself and hiding my smile behind my hand. This went on for a couple times; dodging each other's stare while trying to steal a look at one another.

It felt as if we were back in high school: that giddy feeling you get when you find out your crush likes you back and that shyness when you're finally alone with them. Ecstatic but also nervous and hesitant.

I looked back at Percy and my smile slowly disappeared. We gazed at each other for a moment before we reached for each other. With extended arms, he held my face and proceeded to press his lips against mine. I kneeled over, towering over him, and placed my hands on the sofa and on both sides of his head. He buried his hands in my hair, lightly massaging my scalp. He deepened the kiss and I felt his tongue move against mine. I moaned as he started to kiss down my jaw and neck. He was sucking on my neck and I straddled him to move nearer to him. His hands made its way to my waist and up my back, underneath my shirt. I couldn't tell if the warmth I was feeling was radiating from me, from the excitement, or from his warm hands. I felt his nails scratch my back as he brought me closer. I wouldn't be surprised if there were red scratch marks. His hair was lush in between my fingers. I balled my hands into a fist, slightly pulling his hair. He moaned and pulled away. We stared at each other, breathing hard, before kissing again.

I sucked on his lower lip and heard his breathing hitch as I bit his lip. I crossed my ankles around his waist and he carried me upstairs. He laid me down on the bed and we gazed at each other. We let out a delighted laugh. I got cozy on the bed. He tucked me in and was about leave. I held on to his hand and looked up at him with scrunched up eyebrows.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To sleep on the couch."

"What are you talking about?" I sat up and flipped the blanket to make him occupy the space beside me.

He got in the bed and under the blanket with me. We were lying down beside each other, stiff and awkward. I turned to him and we started laughing to ease the tension. Once the laughter died down, we grasped for each other.

I felt safe and warm in his embrace. I could feel the tender love as he brought me closer to him. I put my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me. I draped my arm over his chest and started drawing circles. He placed his head on top of mine and squeezed me for a second. In this position, I didn't know if he could feel my heart beat through my chest. I put my leg over his and it felt good how our bodies entwined. It felt natural. I moved my head to look at him and pecked his lips.

"Good night, Wise Girl." He whispered and kissed the top of my head.

"Good night, Seaweed Brain." I took a deep breath and snuggled closer to him.

Assuming that it was already dawn, the sky would have different shades of blue and a tinge of orange and yellow as it got nearer to the shining sun. It was as if there were layers of color in the sky; from dark to light blue to orange to yellow. This was translated into the different colors in the loft. The cool hue changed into a warm orange.

I woke up to my alarm ringing. I slowly got up and leaned on my elbows. Percy was still fast asleep, handsome and adorable as ever. I gingerly moved some hair away from his face.

This was actually happening.

I kissed his cheek and gave him a quick squeeze before I unwillingly leave the bed. He surprised me by holding me snug against him and burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"Good morning." He murmured.

My arms snaked around him. "Good morning."

"The best way to wake up, if you asked me." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"You're making it hard for me to leave." I groaned.

"That's the plan." He started kissing my neck.

"Gods." I breathed as my eye rolled back and eyelids fluttered close.

Percy rolled on top of me but made sure I didn't feel his weight on me. He nibbled on my earlobe and I could feel my breathing hasten.

"No, no." I said. "I have to go."

"Yes, yes." He coaxed me.

"Mom will kill me if I stood her up."

He pulled away. "You're right. She'll come after me too. Go shower and I'll put out your clothes."

I threw my head back as I laughed and gave him a peck before getting ready for brunch with Mom. I took a quick shower and got dressed. I just wore high waist skinny denim jeans, tucked in tank top, oversized chunky cardigan, and ankle boots. I swiftly applied makeup, which made me conscious because Percy would just watch me as I readied myself. He had the same faint smile from last night and I couldn't stop myself from smiling as well. We left the loft together and I made sure he brought his box with him. He dropped me off at the restaurant where Mom and I will be having brunch. We parted with a kiss and he offered to fetch me afterwards.

"When are you coming back?" Mom asked me once we have ordered.

"Everybody has been asking me that." I hung my head.

"I mean, you haven't been working for a year now. Financially, I don't know how long you are going to last." She explained in a matter-of-factly tone.

"I'm coming back soon. I just don't know when specifically."

"Besides, for a couple months of pining, I think one year to bounce back is enough."

"Mom!" I gave her an incredulous look.

She shrugged. "So, how is your father?"

We caught up with each other. I updated her with what I have been up to in San Francisco. I suspect she was just convincing me to go back sooner than I planned. She brought me up to speed with what was happening at work. I am not going to lie, it made me miss work. As crazy as it sounded, spending a year stress-free made me long for it.

We shared a hug after our brunch and she wished me a safe flight back. A couple minutes Mom left in a cab, Percy showed up to pick me up. It looked like he took a shower. His black hair was unkempt; definitely different from last night. He wore a dark blue sweater, jeans, and sneakers. Very casual. He greeted me as I got in. Even with his sunglasses on, I could tell that his smile reached his eyes.

Percy brought us back to my loft so I can pack up for my flight back. He tried helping me but he couldn't keep up with my packing system. He ended up just watching me and focusing on his phone every once in a while.

For a three day stay, I brought a lot of things. I zipped my bag close and let out a big breath. I scoped the loft and my heart ached. I sat down beside Percy and rested my head on his shoulder.

"When are you coming back?" He placed a hand on my knee, making me smile when I noticed he was wearing our friendship ring again.

I put my hand over his and laced our fingers together. "I don't really know. Why?"

"So I would know when to file for a leave and book my flight."

"You don't have to. I'll be back." I reassured him. "Sooner than you think."

I pulled back to take a good look at Percy and his sad yet hopeful expression. I smiled at him and kissed him when he smiled back at me. I was already looking forward to returning because I had another reason to be back.

---

A/N: Thanks for reading! :)

I was imagining the chorus of Hozier's Would That I playing during the couch scene. I hope this helps set the scene.

I hope this update will help you get through the COVID19 quarantine. Please stay at home. Wash your hands and avoid touching MEN (Mouth, Eyes, Nose). Let's flatten the curve together.

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH, LOVES!

BLACK LIVES MATTER! JUNK TERROR BILL! STAND WITH HONG KONG!

Tell me what you think of the chapter. Write a review. It makes me smile throughout the day. So make me smile and write a review :D

Question One of the Chapter: Have you ever dreaded being back in a certain place?

Question Two of the Chapter: Would you like me to have an outtake?