Annabeth once again stood next to percy as the sales lady hurried about her. This time, she was clothed in a white silk blouse, grey stained-glass patterend leggings, and black platform sandals.

The lady spun her around one more time. "It's perfect. What do you think?"

It was the first she asked her opinion the entire time there, but it wasn't a hard question. "I love it. How much is it?"

The women spun around and biskly walked over to her clipboard. "Let's see...an yes...uh huh..good. That'll be $2,870. Will you be paying with credit, debit, or cash?"

Annabeth whitened. $2.870?! For a pair of leggings, a shirt, and some shoes?!

"Oh, well you see-"

"Credit," Percy interrupted,

she wirled her head around at him. "Are you crazy?" she whispered. "Who has that kind of money? I didn't even ask for this!"

"Relax, its fine. We won't be getting all your stuff here. I just figured that it's been a while since you've had anyone do anything nice to yo, and this is basically all I'm capable of Th rest of your clothes will be relatively normal. Good?"

She shooked her head. "Why can't we just get all my clothes normal priced?"

"We just spent over sn hour listening to her criticize every angle of your body and analyze every stitch of fabric in your sholthes. That's why. It's too late to go back.

Annabeth looked ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he laughed.

"For being ungrateful."

"You don't have to apologize. I'd consider you ungrateful if you didn't complain about the price."

With that, the two left the store and head back to car. Since they'd been in the store, it had gotten much sunnier. The cold didn't seem as intense, althought she could feel it on her back, but overall it was a nice day.

"Now to Macy's," Percy said, interrupting her thoughts. "They'll have everything else we're looking for."

"That's still pretty fancy," she complained. "I haven't done anything for you, yet you've done everything for me. What will I possibly ever be able to do to reypay you? How can bear the kind of debt?"

Percy gave her a sarcastic smile. "Easy be my friend."

Annabeth looked up. clearly socked at his request. "Be-"

Percy stared ahead.

"-your friend?"

"Sure," he laughed. "I've already told you, that's why you're here."

She frowned. Caution was something she lived, or rather had lived, with every day of her life. She never knew who she could trust, yet Annabeth didn't feel any negative motivation in his words or actions. She could usually tell when she was being played a fool. It had happened so many times before, but this time...

"You coming or not?"

She hadn't realized that he'd already parked the car and was now standing only a couple block from Macy's. The classic patterend road in front of the super store shone brightly in the sun. Hundreds of people went about their business in the area, and the entrance to the store was bustling with constomers.

Percy glanced at Annabeth, who was still trying to catch up. "You ready?"

She nodded.

Soon they had an entire trunck full of clothes for her. They were all fairly casual, most of them being jeans and a variety of tops. Percy had also brought her several pairs of shoes, along with a large amoumt of other necessities.

Finally they made it to the register. Percy pulled out his wallet, ready to pay.

The women at the counter rang up several bags worth of clothes. "That'll be 5,320 dollars. Would you like to pay with check or credit.

"Credit," he quickly replied.

"And would you like someone to help with your bags? We charge and additional 10 dollars, but it would help with the walk."

"No, that's fine," Annabeth jumped in. "We can hanble our own bags from here."

"Okay, have a great day!" the sales lady said.

Percy rasied an eyebrow at her.

"What?" she asked. "I don't like people doing things for me. It's bad enough you're here."

He laughed. "Fine, but you're carrying half."

She cracked a small. "Well of course. It was my idea in the first place."

In no time they were headed back to his apartment, slowly moving along with traffic. It was rush hour by then, so they essentially only moved a couple yards every minute or so. The ride there wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Usually, their conversations would be brief and uncomfortble, but for the first time, Annabeth felt like she could really open up to him. He was relax, and his mood seemed to be rubbing off on her.

What is going on, she thought. I've just met this guy, yet here I am telling about my father, and all the promblems I had gone through as a kid. What am I doing?

"Percy?" she asked,

"Yea?"

"What was your childhood like?"

He shrugged. "It was what it was. My mom and I used to be pretty poor. we lived in East Central Park, and it was a struggle just to pay the monthly bills. She worked at a candy shop, so as a kid that was always fun, she married the richest guy she could find, who aslo turned out be a complete jerk."

"Oh..." she wisely commented. "So that's why you're so wealthy?"

"Yes and no," he replied. "I did receive a large amount of money when my step-father died, however I built up most of what I own today from the money he willed to me."

"Did you ever go to college?" she asked, completely engrossed in his story.

Percy made a face. "Yea, but it wasn't for me. I went just long enough to get a degree, then I quit."

"Really?" she asked. "I'd love to go to college. I've just never had the means."

Percy glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"I've always had this thing for architecture, and creating things," she continued. "If I could go, I'd probably never leave."

"Have you ever had any schools in mind?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Please. I don't even know what schools offer what. I have no education past high school, and my grades even then were only average. It was hard to concentrate during those years, especially with all that happened to Thalia and myself."

"Still," Percy said. "You shouldn't give it up. You never know what could happen."

"True, I did meet you, and that was the farhest thing from what I ever expected."

He smiled. "See? Give it some time. Anyway we're here."

Annabeth looked out the passenger window. They were back in front of his apartment, the blue car pulled up sloppily next to the curb.

Percy called back to her. "Help me with the bags."

Annabeth found it odd that no one even glanced at them as they walked into the room carrying several bulging bags of clothes.

"Is this normal for you?" she asked suspiciously.

"Not at all," he said with a confussed look on his face. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason whatsoever," she replied a little too quickly.

Percy gave her a confussed look, but kept walking.

Once again Annabeth was taken up the elevator into the lavish apartment. She set her share of bags onto the floor, and sat down on the edge of her bed. It was around noon, so good amount of light streamed through the windows, giving the room a warm feeling.

"Are you hungry?" Percy asked.

She nodded. "A little bit, but I can wait, so don't rush or anything."

"No, it's not a problem," he continued. "We've been out all day, and you're probably tired, so why don't you make yourself at home. I'llthrow some lunch together."

"You can cook?" she asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Well, no not really," he said. "But i can handle most basic things. I was thinking we could have some pizza. Dose that work?"

Annabeth nodded. "Of course."

Percy smiled, "You like anything special on your pizza?"

"Not particulary, no."

"Do you have anything against blueberries?"

She gave him a confussed look. "Huh?"

He laughed. "As I'm sure you're aware, I use blue in everthing. I like to incorporate blue foods as much as I can into my diet, so would it be a promblem if I put blueberries on the pizza?"

"Oh, uh...no, I guess not," she replied.

"Good, because I probaly would have wheter you wanted it or not." he sail while laughing.

Soon enough, the pizza was in the oven. Annabeth sat on one of the couches that looked out into central park. It was an amazing view; the entire reservoir clearly visible, and the eastern skyline marked perfectly in the bright blue sky. Percy sat down on the other end of the couch, his feet propped up on a coffee table. Looking at him, after long day of walking around, he seemed happier than he did before. When she met him, he looked depressed, almost like her, but now...something was diferent. Percy look happier, and the bags under eyes weren't as prominent.

Ding!

Percy stood up. "The pizza's done. Stay here I'll bring it over."

He brought over the steaming hot pizza and set it on the table. It looked fairly strange, with random splotches of gooey blueberries, and melted cheese inconsistently spread around it. Percy either didn't notice or didn't care. Annabeth didn't mind though, She was lucky to get any food at all.

"It's not bad," she said, trying a piece. "You wouldn't think that this would be edible."

He shrugged. "I don't care either way."

I knew it, she thought to herself. Maybe he dosen't have tast buds. I was being nice, But this is horrible.

Percy ended up having most of the pie, while Annabeth only had a slice and a half. By then it was midday, so they spent the next couple of hours putting away her clothes and organizing her area. At one point, Percy had called someone and asked them to pick up some extra things that she would need later tonight, and only several minutes later, a mysterious guy arrived holding a bag toiletries.

At least, night arrived, and after the long day of doing errands and setting things up, Annabeth was able to look foward to sleeping peacefully for the first time in months.

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