Chapter 9

I was completely and utterly paralyzed.

I should've been expecting something like this to have happened eventually – my secret hangout was a tree in a public park, for crying out loud. But of course, with my luck, the one time it would happen would be with the guy I had a huge crush on and his gorgeous girlfriend. How could I have been so stupid? And why couldn't my peaceful hangout have been on a swing, or in a wide-open field? Hell, even the bottom of the ocean would've been okay – because now I was stuck in a very, very uncomfortable position.

Calypso's lilting laugh floated up to me, interrupting my thoughts. I tensed as Percy's dark mop of hair came into view as he stood directly below me, spreading a checkered blanket over the grass. A brown picnic basket came into view as Percy sat, making small talk with Calypso. Percy opened the basket and pulled out two sandwiches, some water, and some fruit.

"These sandwiches look delicious," Calypso said, from somewhere nearby. I guessed that because I couldn't see her that she was sitting directly across from Percy – and that she wouldn't be able to see me through the thick leaves that surrounded me. Percy, however…

"My mom and I made them – I almost dyed the bread blue but she said it would be a bit much," Percy joked, and Calypso laughed. I smiled in spite of myself.

For the next fifteen minutes, I listened to Percy and Calypso banter and eat the contents of the picnic basket, all the while desperately looking around for a place to escape. Unfortunately, the only climbable branches were right below me, which meant that the only way down was to be seen by Percy and Calypso, which was a fate easily comparable to being eaten by a giant spider. And I hated spiders.

Then, something Calypso said caught my attention.

"So, did you ever find a tutor? I'm more than happy to tutor you if you want."

I glanced down at Percy, who was about to eat a grape when Calypso had asked the question. He froze for a second, before nonchalantly popping the grape in his mouth.

"Yeah, I did – Annabeth is tutoring me."

Silence.

Finally, Calypso spoke up. "You know Annabeth likes you."

Percy laughed. "Well yeah – we're friends, so I'd hope so."

Calypso let out a strangled laugh. "No, I mean, yes but-"

Percy held out his arms in a 'come here' gesture. Calypso's cinnamon colored hair came into view as she settled into his arms, her arm draped casually around his stomach as he leaned against the trunk of the tree.

"You don't need to be jealous, Cal – Annabeth is just a friend, a tutor. I don't think of her as anything more than that."

Percy's words came as a slap to the face, and I reared back, almost falling out of the tree. I was so sure that Percy had felt the chemistry that I had – that undeniable spark that passed between us whenever we came into contact. I thought Wednesday had meant something. I was wrong – dead wrong to have been worried about anything. I should have been relieved to know that I wouldn't be responsible for ruining a relationship, but I couldn't shake the hurt that I was suddenly feeling, deep in my chest. It had all just been one-sided. I was such an idiot. But then – what was that moment?

Shaking, I watched as Calypso kissed Percy, and he her, before turning away uncomfortably. I just wanted them to leave so I could get down from this cursed tree, burn it, and then go to the dojo to burn off some steam.

After a long while, I heard them packing to leave, and thanked my lucky stars. Neither of them had seen me, and I was almost home free.

"You know, when I said that Annabeth likes you – I meant as more than a friend. You know that, right?"

I froze. My heart stopped, and all brain function seemed to cease entirely. The only thing I could physically do was listen for what Percy said next.

There was a pause, a quick beat before Percy said, almost nonchalantly: "Oh, I know, but that doesn't change anything."

And in that moment, I died.

I held back the tears until I was sure they were gone, my breathing accelerating as I fought the onset of emotional hysteria. As I heard their footsteps fade, I clambered down from the tree as I finally allowed myself to cry. I sat slumped against the tree, my nose running and tears streaming down my face. Almost abruptly, I stopped. A vision of the tutoring session on Wednesday had entered my mind, as well as every moment up until that day at the pool. Were all the smiled, the jokes, the flirty shyness – was it all a lie? Had Percy just been leading me on this entire time?

My mind whirred as I replayed each scenario, my memory setting on our almost – kiss. Was that too, a lie? It felt like it.

Anger coursed through my veins as I stalked to my bike. My emotions powered me home to change into my karate gear and then to the dojo, where I ignored the worried glances of Beckendorf and Chiron. The punching bag was in the far corner of the brightly lit dojo, and it was were Thalia and Rachel found me several hours later, my knuckles bruised and bloody, tears streaming down my face.

"Wait, so he almost kisses you and then tells Calypso that you're just friends?"

Rachel poured another cup of coffee as Thalia and I sat at her kitchen table. After finding me at the dojo, Rachel had called an emergency sleepover and had driven me to her house while Thalia went to notify my parents and pack my stuff. After I had calmed down, Rachel and Thalia had poured me coffee, gotten me ice for my knuckles, and demanded details.

I sighed. "It's not that. He almost kissed me, yes – but then today he not only said that we were just friends, but that he knew that I liked him!"

Rachel's mouth fell open. "What?! That dirty rotten –"

Thalia cut her off. "I know it sounds bad, Annabeth, but I know my cousin. He would never lead you on like that."

I took a deep breath, sipping the coffee in my hands. "How can you be so sure? It certainly seemed like that to me."

Thalia looked me square in the eyes, her blue piercing my grey. "Because even you know Percy wouldn't do that. Deep down, you know."

I broke her stare, gazing down at my cup of coffee. "Well what else could it be?"

"Maybe he genuinely has feelings for you, but he just doesn't know what to do about them yet." Thalia spoke softly, her words gentle and light.

I shook my head. "That's not possible." I stood, draining the remaining coffee and going to the sink, wincing as the hot water from the tap hit my bruised knuckles.

"Why not? Annabeth, it makes sense – you guys are great together and you both know it. I may not be best friends with Percy, but we've all known him for long enough to know that he's not a bad guy, so that could only mean that –"

"No! It doesn't mean that! Percy could never like me, of all people!"

Thalia and Rachel stood in stunned silence, digesting what I had just said. Rachel opened her mouth to say something, then closed it, then opened it again. "This is about your mom, isn't it?"

A lump appeared in the back of my throat. "No, it's not." I said, trying to change the subject.

Thalia caught on. "It is," she said softly, and the pity in her voice set me on edge.

"I don't want your pity," I spat, turning to face them.

Thalia's gaze hardened. "This isn't about pity, Annabeth."

I glanced down at my feet. "Can we just not talk about this right now? This is about Percy, not my mom."

Rachel nudged Thalia. "Just let it go, Thals."

Thalia sighed, rubbing her temples. "I will, for now," she warned. "But we need to talk about it sometime."

I sat back in the chair, my eyes watering. "So what now?" I asked, trying to offset the edge of sadness that now haunted my voice.

Thalia put an arm around me. "Talk to him, Annie – it's the only way to know for sure."