Hi! I'm sorry that I haven't updated in so long, it's just that I've been at camp up until a week ago, and I've been slow at updating. Once again, I'm so sorry.

Disclaimer: Ollie's is an actual restaurant in the city.

So, the dedication for this chapter goes to my real life best friend Summer. And although she doesn't go on fan fiction and therefore will never read this dedication (she doesn't write, she draws and does some photography), I still want to dedicate a chapter to her. She's been my friend since we were 3 ½ and my best friend for almost as long. So, snaps for Summer!

Now, I'll continue with the story! I hope that you enjoy the chapter!

Thalia hailed a cab quickly, and we all squeezed into it. As luck would have it, I got the seat in the middle – squished in between Annabeth and Thalia (who thought now would be a good opportunity to lean over me to talk to Annabeth).

"Wait, what restaurant are we going to?" I asked, interrupting their conversation about how there are so many trees in New York, and how their leaf color is slightly different in Central Park then in the trees spread across the city.

"Ollie's." Thalia replied, finally leaning back in her seat.

"Oh," I said, "That's good. I love their green dumplings." Ollie's is a Chinese restaurant, and Chinese food is hands down the best type of food.

"Green dumplings?" Annabeth asked, looking at me strangely.

"Vegetable dumplings. They are the color green, but they taste great!" I replied, licking my lips. To come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I had those dumplings.

"Oh," Annabeth said, "That makes sense."

"Have you ever been there before?" Thalia asked. I could tell that she needed to find a way to weasel herself into any conversation. Thalia always acted like she needed to be in the conversation.

I remember last Christmas when the entire family was together; Nico was talking to me about how he hadn't been laid for three months, and Thalia found a way to join our conversation and change it so we were talking about how the price for a comfortable mattress had really gone up over the past two years.

"I think once," Annabeth replied, "But I only had chicken and rice, no appetizers."

About five minutes later, the cab pulled up to the curb and we all got out. It felt nice to stand up, and finally have the ability to move my arms and legs.

I began to follow Thalia and Annabeth to the restaurant's entrance. Right before we entered the restaurant, Annabeth softly said to me, "She really hasn't changed one bit since last time I saw her."

"Yeah," I replied, holding the door open for her, "She hasn't changed much at all since she was little."

"I can see that," she said. We came right behind Thalia, who was waiting in line to talk to the women who was holding a large pile of menus.

"A table for three." Thalia said, once we reached the front of the line.

The women stared at what looked like a table chart, and then said, "Please follow me, right this way," she said, and led us off towards the back of the restaurant, "Right here," she began putting menus around the table.

"Excuse me," Annabeth said, "Is it possible to switch to another table that isn't in this room?" She seemed to be hiding behind me, and only peering behind my shoulder every so often.

"No, I'm very sorry miss," the women said, gesturing to the table, "But we're quite busy today, and this is the only table for three left."

"Oh, okay," Annabeth said. She began to scoot across the booth so she was right up against the wall, "I guess this is fine, then."

Once the waitress walked off, I was about to sit on the seat across from Annabeth, when her hand caught my wrist, "Sit next to me, you're larger than Thalia."

"Uh, okay," I said, sliding in next to Annabeth, "What's wrong?"

She looked across the room at a booth on the other side of the room, "My ex boyfriend is here, and he's here with a girl."

"Aw, sorry," Thalia said, looking across the room at the guy.

"Couldn't that be his sister or something?" I asked. She didn't quite look like his sister, but I was trying to be helpful.

Annabeth slapped my arm, "He only has a twin brother. Besides, I dated him for a year, you'd think I would know if he had a sister. And even if he did, I would know what she looked like."

"True," I said, feeling stupid, "Oh, that could be his twin!" Trying once again to be helpful.

Instead, she shot me a glare, "Right, you dated for a year and would know the difference between him and his twin." I said, thinking out loud.

"Yes, o brilliant one! You finally figured out what the large problem is!" She said, "Plus, it only took you five minutes!"

"Very funny," I said, "There is no need for sarcasm here."

"There is always a need for sarcasm," she said, smiling.

"Wait, who is this guy? He looks oddly familiar," Thalia said, stretching out her neck so she could see him better.

"His name is Connor Stoll, and he probably looks familiar because he's Luke's second cousin," Annabeth explained, taking a sip of water, "When we were younger, his family visited Luke's every so often and we almost instantly became friends. And then it ended up that he was going to the same college as me, and we got together from there," she began opening her packet of chop sticks, like she was using it as a method of distraction from looking at him, "And Percy, could you please wrap your arm around my shoulder convincingly because he's looking." She mumbled the last part, making it difficult for me to understand.

"Wait, what?" I asked, confused. Everything was happening so fast, I couldn't quite keep up.

"Your arm goes around my shoulder, now." Annabeth said, looking down at the table.

"Oh, okay." I said, as I tentatively wrapped my arm around her shoulders. Annabeth's body was shaking (probably with nervousness), and she was very cold. I silently hoped that I was warming her up.

"You two make a very cute couple." Thalia said, digging through her purse.

Annabeth and I looked at each other, the same expression on our faces, We do? No, that's not possible.

"Uh, thanks, but I doubt it," I said, "Thalia, what on earth are you looking for?"

"It's a surprise," she said, still focused on the inside of her purse.

"Well, I don't like surprises all that much," I said, using my free hand to smack Thalia's, to get her attention, "Could you please do me a favor and tell me what you're looking for?"

"Ah, found it!" she announced, jolting upwards, "Smile, guys!"

"What-" Annabeth began, but was cut off by a large flash and the sound of a click.

"That picture will be uploaded to Facebook once I get back and have time to use my laptop. You can get it from there." Thalia said, returning her small camera back to her purse.

"You will delete that picture now." I said, trying to grab her purse with my free hand. Sadly, she had it well hidden. Trying to delete that picture is now a lost cause.

"You guys both look fine, don't worry!" Thalia assured, while she picked up the menu and began to flip through it.

"That's not what I'm worried about," Annabeth said, as she looked over at Connor Stoll walking straight towards us. The flash of the camera must have made him notice us, which really wasn't a good thing.

"Annabeth!" he said, once he arrived at the table, "Wow, it's been so long! How are you? You look good."

"Connor," she said, smiling nervously, "I've been good, how are you?"

"Great!" He exclaimed. He then turned around, and gestured towards the girl who was still sitting at the table to come over, "I would you like to meet my girlfriend, Hailey."

"Hi," our entire table said, in unison.

"Hello," she said, waving.

"Hailey, I would like to meet a few people. This is my… friend, Annabeth. And across from her is my cousin's girlfriend, Thalia. And this is…" he said, pointing to me.

"My boyfriend, Percy," Annabeth said, leaning into my shoulder blade.

"Oh, nice to meet you." Connor said, shaking my free hand.

"Nice to meet you, too." I replied. He had a firm grip, which Annabeth probably liked. She seemed to like 'more professional' people.

"Well, we should probably get going," Connor said, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder, like mine was around Annabeth's, "We have tickets to go and see a movie. "

"Have fun!" Annabeth said, dryly. She was coming off sounding a bit forced, but he didn't seem to notice.

They merely waved, and then walked out of sight. Once she was sure that they had left the restaurant, Annabeth wiggled out of my grasp, "Thanks for that, you were great."

"Thanks, and you're welcome, it was no problem." The truth was, I forgot that my arm was around her shoulder. It just felt so… comfortable resting there.

The waitress walked over, and took our orders. Our food came shortly, and as it turned out, the green dumplings were a big hit.

"Can we please have a check?" Thalia asked, once the waiter was clearing the table.

He nodded, and took off with our plates. A few minutes later, he returned with our check (which we split three ways), and three fortune cookies.

Thalia was the first crack open hers, "Okay, let's see what I got here," she said, as she began to chew half of her cookie, "It says, 'A woman who seeks to be equal with men lacks ambition.'"

"That fits you, Thalia." I said, laughing.

"I don't think that I like this one all that much," she said, burying it into her purse, "If you find mine so funny, Percy, what did you get then?"

"Well, let's see!" I said, cracking my cookie in half, "Here, 'The days you work are the best days.' Aw, crap."

"If only you'd listen to it," Annabeth said, shaking her head and laughing.

I rolled my eyes, "I try to. It's not true, though. My favorite days are the ones where I sit and watch the TV."

"You're pathetic. And, yes it is. You just don't have a good work ethic," she said, "Okay, now let's see what I got, 'The one you love is closer than you think.'"

"Ooh," Thalia said, "Maybe it means you still love Connor."

"I doubt it," Annabeth said, looking intensely down at the fortune cookie, "These things are stupid."

"How come they weren't 'stupid' when I got mine?" I asked, as I got out of the booth.

"Because yours fits you," she said, "Mine, on the other hand, doesn't."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"I just- just, I just know." She said, following me out of the booth, "Well, I really should head out. I'm running slightly late. Lunch was great and it was nice catching up, Thalia."

"Now that you and Percy are neighbors, I'm sure I'll be seeing you more often." Thalia said, giving Annabeth a hug.

"Definitely," Annabeth said, as she held open the door, "See you around, Percy."

"Yeah, see you around." I replied, as she began to head down the sidewalk.

"You guys do look cute together, you know." Thalia said, once Annabeth was out of sight.

"Please, could you stop with that? It's not true." I said, as Thalia hailed another cab.

"We'll have to wait and see," she said, stepping into the cab, "C'mon, Percy, let's go. I have to leave soon." I hurried and followed her into the cab. This time, it wasn't nearly as tight. Thank god.

***

Ah, I have another character. They really seem to be coming at the most random of times. I really wish they would come when I want them to. It would really make my already difficult life, easier.

Thea Green: Annoying, loud, chatty, and intense. Is Patrick's cousin.

Thanks for reading! Please review, they are greatly appreciated!