This dress is the one. I exit the changing stall and bump into Thalia, arms full of more dresses. There's a particularly horrid orange one near the bottom.

"Ooh I like that one. Ready to go? I've seen enough tulle and silk to last me a lifetime and a half."

"Not so fast. Where's Percy?" I ask. He said he'd try on a dress, and I plan to hold him to it. Maybe the orange one...

Thalia looks at me like I'm crazy. "He's not supposed to see you in your dress!" I'd never pegged her as superstitious.

I roll my eyes at her. "He said he'd try on a dress. Give me the orange one." I pull it from the pile, and it's even more dreadful than I thought. It's very garish, covered in lace and ruffles and glass beading. "Did this thing come from 18th century France? Good gods, it's hideous." Thalia shrugs, and we begin wandering through racks of dresses to find Percy.

He's helping Ellen pit the dresses back on hangers.

"Percy!" He looks up, holding the pink princess dress.

"Annabeth, you look..."

"Nevermind. Seaweed Brain, you said you'd try on a dress. Go." This makes him freeze, and before he can protest we set the plan into action. Thalia takes the pink dress and I thrust the orange one into Percy's hands, while an amused Ellen leads him to the back of the store.

Thalia leans against the counter. "He's actually gonna do it? Damn, he's more of a pansy than I thought." She hangs up pink dress, and starts putting another reject on a hanger. "I don't see the appeal of trying on fifty million tutus that-"
She's going to hate me for this.

"Thalia," I say, hanging up another dress. "Go pick a dress."

"I've got a dress." She motions to the black silk slip thing.

"That is not a dress. That's a tunic. Go pick a dress, or I'll make you wear pink."

This brings a look of fear into her eyes, and Thalia runs off in search of something not pink. Laughing, I call after her. "There's one on rack 27 that's very punk-rock!" It's black, but the bottom is a smoky gray. The tulle skirt is angled layers, giving it a slightly shredded look. It's something she'd like wearing anyway, so maybe she could get use out of it.

She disappears to the back of the boutique just as Percy makes his way to the front. Holy Hades... He looks ridiculous. I reach for my phone, and snap a quick picture before he can run. "You..." I can't stop laughing. "I don't think it fits."

A very flustered Percy pouts back. "No shit, Sherlock." And the dress doesn't fit. While the waist is too tight, he's swimming in the chest. He's practically got a giant pocket that's falling down so he too of his chest peeks out. The ruffles paper to be driving him nuts, because he shifts uncomfortably and scratches at his side. Dear gods, this is worse than I expected.

"Can I go change now?"

"Yeah. That doesn't look very comfy." As he turns away, I hear him mutter about that being the last time he ever promises anything.

He doesn't make it back to the changing cubicles. A grumpy Thalia comes out wearing the dress from rack #27, and Percy shrieks playfully. "It's the Loch Ness monster!"

Thalia is not amused. In a very serious and very cutting voice, she offers Percy a threat. "One more word, Jackson, and you'll have to be buried in that thing."
He doesn't need to be told twice and scurries off to change.

Thalia stomps over in her Doc Martins and plops down on a chair. She crosses her arms and slouches.

"I think you look great. And you can wear the boots." I try to appease her by offering the Martins. She hates heels.

Still no change. "Y'know, your face is going to freeze like that." A grumble. "And," I whisper. "You won't actually have to wear it. We'll be long gone before anyone makes you wear the dress." A thought comes to me. "And you can get the tunic."

Her blue eyes look up, and a sly grin appears on her face. "Fine."

She returns to the dressing room to change back into black leggings and a one of her giant T-shirts. This one says 'Death to Barbie'.

I sigh and continue hanging up dresses. Percy still hasn't emerged, and I get the feeling it'll be a while before blood circulation returns to his torso.

Over the next few weeks, we go to more wedding appointments. As Thalia would (and did) say, "a shit-ton of meetings that are a waste of time." They weren't a complete waste- we got the date, location, theme, guest list, catering, and cake flavors down pat. Two first-class plane tickets to Greece were booked for September 2nd, and a rental house for when we got there.

Also over those few weeks, the Escape Plan comes along quite nicely. Thalia drags me to one of her late-night meetings with Luke, who turns out to be a huge advantage. I still don't trust him completely, but I don't have a choice. He presents us with fake identification, which we hide in the backpacks in Thal's closet. One week when I went to the city, I made a $200 withdrawal from an ATM. Thalia did the same on multiple occasions, as did Luke. He also booked plane tickets to two different airplane flights- one to Chicago, one to LA. Thalia booked another flight to New Orleans. There's no way they'll be able to track us.
Oh, and Percy and I are technically together. There was an official announcement of our engagement last week. On our own definition, though, we're dating. Nothing major, just holding hands and dancing and kisses on the cheek and whatnot.

It's July now. It's hard to believe I've been here a month. It feels like a lifetime, and in a way, it was.

On July 3rd, Percy and I take a walk in the garden. We're always taking walks in the garden, but this one is for serious business.

"So, we're having a party tomorrow. It's formal, at least for the first hour. Dad throws it every year- usually it's just an excuse for explosions and business conferences. We're allowed to have our own little thing later."

The plans for the Independence Day party have been going swell. Leo helped plan the fireworks (Percy said something about him being a pyromaniac) and Hazel, Frank's girlfriend, is going to make brownies. We all sat around one afternoon and made a playlist, which was more chaotic than it sounds.

"Okay," I say. "And...?"

Percy shrugs. "We're supposed to be social. Thalia's supposed to be nice. Dad has some idea that if I'm friends with his business associates' kids then I'll be able to garner favors for when I run the company."

Poseidon used his son like a pawn in a chess game, and it wasn't fair. Percy was a human being, not to be toyed with! But you're doing the same thing. My subconscious has been very directive these past few weeks. You'll break his heart, maybe you should stay... So many comments.

"Ugh, social." I whine. "I can't deal with humans for that long!" Percy looks at me like he thinks I'm serious, and I stick my tongue out. "I'll be fine, unless they're stuck-up pricks. Then I might have to commit a murder or two."

"Mhmm." His thumb runs over my hand. I feel myself wanting something, but I can't define what it is.

"I'll tell Thalia to be nice, but she might not show. Parties aren't her thing." Or people, but Percy could probably figure that out.

He's going to say something back, but a shout interrupts him. "Lovebirds!" Speak of the devil...

"Thalia."

"Snot-nose fish boy."

That relationship hasn't changed. Though they may be civil, they still aren't friendly. It's a mystery, because they've got a lot of the same qualities. They're loyal, stubborn... Loyal... Stubborn... You know what? Maybe they aren't as similar as I thought.

"You guys want to play Adventurers? 'Cause I'm bored out of my skull."
I look at Percy. Percy looks at me. We not simultaneously, and start running to save the princess.

"Thalia the Brave!"
"Annabeth the Wise!
"Percy the... Uh..." Poor Percy's never played with us and he doesn't have a name.

"Pansy!" Thalia suggests.
"I am not a pansy!" He snaps back.
"Percy the Courageous!"