Hey guys! Here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: Does anyone actually read these? I put (maybe) toomuch effort into creating unique ways to say I'm not Rick Riordan, so if no one actually looks at them then… okay.

"It's my fault." Jason jumped in quickly, and Annabeth noticed Percy casting him a meaningful look. "I forget about the whole thing between you two, and I invited him, I'm sorry."

Thalia slapped him over the head (playfully, obviously), once they got close enough. "How could you forget?" She asked him. "Jason, this was supposed to-" she looked at Percy quickly. "Let her, you know."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Jason raised his hands. "I forgot, but since he's here.."

No, Annabeth thought, but didn't say anything. She looked over at Piper, who was standing off to the side, staring at Jason. Of course, Annabeth remembered, blondies.

Piper had been awkward the entire time they had talked to Thalia, and Annabeth really wanted them to get along. She would feel bad about starting all of this on an even worse note by kicking Percy out. She could do this, for Piper.

"It's fine." Annabeth interrupted. "I'm over it." Percy looked at her with surprise, but she just ignored him. "Percy can stay, I don't care."

Piper snapped out of her little trance, to look up at Annabeth, in surprise. "What?" She whispered to her. "Why would you do that?" Piper continued.

For you, dumbass, Annabeth thought, but decided to keep to herself. She tried to smile. "How about we go on a walk." She asked. "Piper, I have to ask Thalia something real quick, why don't you go talk to Jason."

Jason looked at her, and raised an eyebrow. Sure, Jason and her hadn't talked since she and Percy had broken up, but he hoped that he would understand what she was trying to do. She wanted to make sure Piper was having a nice time, and not awkward.

She looked over at Piper, who was blushing. "What the hell Annabeth?" She said, "That's going to be awkward."

Annabeth laughed. "Blondies." She then said.

Piper glared at her, and then walked over to Jason. She looked over at Percy, who was staring at her. Once they made eye contact, Percy quickly shook his head and turned away. He muttered something under his breath, and started walking between the two rows of people- Jason and Piper, Thalia and Annabeth.

Annabeth almost felt bad for him. He looked so… pathetic.

Thalia was laughing at her. "Are you trying to set up my brother and your friend?"

"Maybe." Annabeth smirked.

"I don't know how I feel about this," Thalia shook her head, "But I'll go along with your nefarious deeds. How's life been Annie."

"Normal," Annabeth said, "You know, tomorrow I'm going to be designing a new edition on site at this gym."

"Oh, which one?" Thalia smiled at her, knowing there was only one gym they could be talking about.

Annabeth nudged her. "You know," She said, looking back up at Percy, who was now scrolling through his phone. "Look," Annabeth said, "He looks positively pathetic. Why don't we walk with him. I don't want to feed the awkwardness."

Thalia immediately frowned. "Why are you getting all soft on him?" She asked. "An hour ago, you were crying."

Annabeth winced, trying to push that thought out of your head. "Look, I feel bad about it. I sense he does too. I'm still mad at him, but for the time being, how about we just call a truce?"

Thalia rolled her eyes, "I don't like the idea of it, but I'll go with it." She looked up at Percy. "Hey asshole!" She shouted, and Percy turned immediately, "Come over here, you look pathetic."

Annabeth wanted to laugh at the fact he immediately knew she was referring to him, but Percy looked so sad, that she didn't want to make things worse. Percy waited for them to catch up with him, holding up his phone. Annabeth let her eyes look at what was on his screen- a contact, named Rachel.

Who the hell was Rachel?

"Hey Annabeth." Percy said, smiling forcedly, to the point even Annabeth could notice it. "Thalia." He nodded at her.

Annabeth looked away, blushing. Through everything, she hadn't noticed how… handsome- no, that wasn't the right word, straight hot, he had become. He'd always been attractive, good looking, whatever you wanted to call it, but right now he was just.

"Damn." Annabeth couldn't help but mutter under her breath- hopefully Percy hadn't heard, and by the looks of it, he hadn't. But honestly, toned muscles, messy hair, piercing eyes, a swoonable body.

He was something more than hot. She looked over at Thalia, who obviously wasn't experiencing the same wave of heat as she was.

"How's Cali?" Percy asked, his voice smooth yet almost, in the tiniest way imaginable, weak, and vulnerable.

Annabeth shrugged. "It's good. Normal. My firm is nice. I've made some friends."

"Are you seeing anyone?" He asked, and Thalia practically choked.

"Uh," Annabeth stared him down. "No. I've dated a bit, but no one right now." She added.

Percy nodded. "That's good." He cut himself off. "I mean it's not good, obviously you want to have a fulfilled dating life, but, I mean, cool," he stuttered. "That is good information to have."

"What about you?" Thalia interjected, surprising Annabeth. Why would she care, Annabeth thought, is there something that she wants him to tell me.

"I've messed around." Percy said. "Nothing serious." He said everything in a rush- super quickly, so it sounded like a lie.

Thalia furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't think so. I heard that you were dating Rachel Dare." She said.

"Oh. RED?" Percy said. "That was two months, I-I broke it off. Um," He added, "We haven't talked since then."

Rachel? Wasn't she the girl on his phone- the contact Annabeth had seen. "Are you lying?" Annabeth asked.

Percy looked surprised. See this was why Annabeth should have a word filter on at all times- she should have thought before she spoke. "You don't have to answer that." She said quickly, and Percy just looked at her.

He stared, his eyes full of something that Annabeth couldn't identify, it was weird.

And even after they had hung out, after Piper had told her, almost sadly, that Jason was actually her new boss, and the whole set-up wouldn't work, after she had eaten, after she had searched through her email, she couldn't quite identify it.

It was only that night, when she was laying in her bed, that she realized what it was. It was something she saw every morning when she looked in the mirror at herself- even if it was just a flicker.

Regret.

Another sad chapter, sorry guys, there is going to be a lot of these. (Angst is one of the categories I put this in, so…)

Some people have been asking, and I'd like to clear something up: I have an update schedule! As long as I don't say otherwise, I'll always update Monday's, Wednesday's, and Saturday's!

Anyway, let me know what you think! I'm sorry to say that happy stuff will come later on (probably way later on) as the plot develops. Also, the KBHK sequel is going to come later than expected, probably after this story is finished (sorry guys, I've been busier than expected, and have taken on too many writing projects at one time).

Stay safe and healthy! Much love to you all! I appreciate all of the support!

TheLilLion