A/N: Umm…Hi? I'm so sorry for the month-and-then-some-long delay. I had a lot of entrance exams for colleges and I needed to focus on those. However, I am back now and hope to establish a regular updating pattern.

Also quick note, the bold texts are Luke, the underlined ones are from Annabeth

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.

Percy was out of breath now. He knew this was a bad idea, especially in Times Square, on a Saturday. Dammit. Piper ran up to him. "Did you get him?" Percy, too tired to reply, shook his head. He was slowly catching his breath now. "Shit." She yelled, drawing the attention of various pedestrians. "Yeah." Percy repeated, his voice hollow. "Shit."

He felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned around to face-

"Percy, please. Before you get mad, let me explain." Luke pleaded. "I know I don't deserve to give an explanation but please."

"You have thirty seconds, Luke."

"Okay so listen. I loved Annabeth-and that's the thing! I really did. But she wants to build something permanent…I'm not the right person for her and I don't want to hurt her-."

"So, you cut her off?" Percy growled. He took a step towards Luke and was about to raise his fist when Piper placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I want to talk to her, but I really don't know what to say and I-." His phone rang. He picked it up and cast a furtive glance at the pair of them and he walked away. Percy made to go after him, but Piper stopped him, saying "Percy, no. Let him go. I think the best course of action is to tell Annabeth."

Percy nodded. "Guess our day is off?"

Piper looked at him as if he were crazy. "No. No I don't think it is."

The Next day

Percy drove Annabeth to school as per the plan. He laughed and joked around with her as per the plan. He didn't let the pain of her not even talking to him about college show on his face as per the plan. He walked with her to their locker as per the plan. He attended his class with Annabeth whispering hints about math throughout the class as per the plan. He walked with Grover to Biology who couldn't stop congratulating him-as per the plan.

At Lunch, Grover accompanied him to the cafeteria, but before they could reach it, he pulled Percy aside.

"Something's up. What is it?"

Percy's heart sank. He had tried to hide this from Grover because Grover did have a history of not being able to keep a secret. He was supposed to be the one to tell Annabeth, not Grover, so he decided not to tell Grover; he'd get to know pretty soon anyway.

"Grover-."

"Percy, cut the bullshit. I know when something is up and when something isn't. And you don't look as happy as you normally would."

"I'm just tensed about nationals next week dude. You don't have to worry about it."

Grover looked at him carefully. Uncomfortable, Percy forged on. "C'mon Grover. I'm hungry."

As they entered the cafeteria, Piper grinned at him. Jason was sitting there as well. This was odd because he never joined them for lunch. He was grinning at Percy as well. He got up and wrapped Percy in a hug. "I'm so damn proud of you my dude. NYU!"

Percy blushed and looked away. "You're one to talk, Harvard." Jason laughed. "I'll see you later, dude." He patted his shoulder and walked to the gym for his basketball practise. He sat down, but there was one notable absence.

"Where's Annabeth?"

"Someone missing me too much?" Annabeth said, walking over to the table, grinning. "No, I just wanted to see how many of these cookies I could eat without you taking them."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me." He retorted, narrowing his eyes.

Annabeth pouted, and despite the fact that she had just disregarded his accomplishment, his heart melted.

Piper pinched him and glared. "We will have to tell her."

Annabeth looked between the both of them sceptically. "Piper," she began slowly, "Are you cheating on Jason with Percy?"

Up until now Grover had been sipping at his orange juice quietly. On hearing this, he spat out whatever had been in his mouth. "I'm sorry what?"

Even Percy, who had been psyching himself up to tell her, lost all focus. Piper screeched out a "What?".

Percy shook his head. "Where did you even get that idea?" Annabeth glared at him. "Oh, I'm sorry Seaweed Brain, not all of us can get information just by hidden messages and fleeting glances, so just tell me-."

"Okay!" Piper exclaimed, clapping her hands together before either Percy or Annabeth could cause bodily harm to one another." Annabeth, the both of us were just chilling out on Saturday, we were going to the aquarium where we saw-."

"Luke. We saw him. He said that he ghosted you 'cause he doesn't love you and has no idea to tell you." Percy finished for her. Screw the plan. He had always been instinct and, well, plans weren't his forte. Annabeth laughed when she heard this. "Good one, Percy." She then froze when she realised they were not lying. "Choose your next words very carefully the two of you. I swear, if the both of you are lying, so help me god-."

"Annabeth-this isn't-what's going on?" Percy stammered. "What's going on is that the two of you are spouting bullshit. Luke is-he wouldn't do that me. We love each other." She thrust her phone at the two of them.

Babe

Hey…im sorry for standing you up.

Read 11:29 p.m.

Hey…is everything ok?

Read 11:30 p.m.

Yup…everything's good.

Read 11:30 p.m.

Wtf Luke! What's going on!

Read 11:31 p.m.

Can we talk tomorrow? I know that it's really sudden but pls.

Read 11:32 p.m.

Luke…ok. But you better have a damn good explanation

Read 11:35 p.m.

Ily

Read 11:36 p.m.

Goodnight babe

Read 11:40 p.m.

"He's going to break up with you, Beth. He told us as much on Saturday, and you need to trust us." Percy said, now pleading for her to see reason. The reason was right there for her in black and white.

Annabeth's eyes grew cold. She looked at the two of them and said, in a monotonous voice, "I'm going to meet him now. I want you to leave this—us alone. We're happy, and fine together. I can't let a simple crush which you have on me allow me to lose this. I can't believe you'd be so selfish."

Percy's heart dropped. "You knew?" He whispered. Annabeth didn't answer. She just walked away. Grover looked at him and his gaze was sympathetic. "Well…fuck."

After Lunch, Percy had a class with Annabeth. She walked in with a spring in her step. She didn't even look at him. She smiled at the teacher, and Percy noticed that her hair had been messed up and her lips were swollen. He looked away, unable to look at her at that point. The teacher took attendance, and all Percy could think about was the look she gave him. He sighed and put it out of his mind. He had other things to focus on.

As Percy walked towards the pool, he was nearly deafened by the sheer amount of noise that hit his ears. This was important. He scanned the crowd for his friends and family. He spotted Grover, Piper, Jason, and his mom. He didn't see Annabeth, and he wasn't surprised. She had been speaking only to Grover for the past week, and even that had been sparingly. But regardless, the swimming meet. This school was one which even Goode hadn't been able to beat. He stepped up to the pool and waved at his friends. The cheers grew louder and crazier. He grinned but that grin faded as he gazed down at the pool. The noise faded to a dull roar and he took a deep breath. As soon as the gun was fired, he jumped in the pool. But this was different. Normally his mind was blank.

This time, however, he could see Annabeth and Luke laughing at him. Luke was telling her, "I told you he was a loser. He was your best friend? Ha! A joke of a human." He touched the wall and turned around. Bring his hand out in an arc, push the water back, keep kicking. I'm not a loser. I'm not!

He brought his head out to breathe and he went under again. Again—bring his hand out in an arc, push the water back, keep kicking. He did this again and—

His hand hit the wall and he heard a horn. The cheers grew ten times louder and he was numb, but he could dimly register his coach slapping his back, grinning at him. Grover was the first to reach him. Laughing, he wrapped Percy in a hug. They had won. Percy was going to NYU. It really was a pity Annabeth wasn't here—here on one of the best nights of his life.

A/N : Again, I'm really sorry for such a long delay. I've had a lot of stuff on my plate—and still do, honestly. So, I really don't know when the next chapter will be out, but I will try my level best to get it out soon.

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter—do review, it gives me some motivation to write more, and I will see you all next time.

Bye!