That dinner I was unable to meet Percy's eyes, or anyone's. Piper kept throwing my smirks like she knew everything I had thought in my crazed dream. It felt so real. And I didn't want him to stop. Dinner was filled with small talk, mostly stories of Ms. Cuttinghma's life.

Her daughter Lily's wedding, and how her last name was now Bing. How her ex-husband Clark came back into their lives, and she's slowing warming up to him. Lily has 4 kids and is expecting 1 more, the oldest Melody, Isabel, Ian, Lucas, and if it's a girl Alexis, if a boy James.

After dinner, Everyone trickled out of the room, I wander around, but then settled in a gazebo tucked in a group of trees, secluded and far from the YMCA, watching the sun begin to set.

"How could you not tell me?" I was startled by Percy's voice. He was leaning causally against the archway frame, but his voice was nothing close.

I felt blood rush to my cheeks, "It never came up-"

"Yes it did. I asked you about your life. You never thought to include that?"

I slowly stood up, "I wanted to but-"

"But what? What excuse do you have?" He stepped towards me,

I backed up, "Percy-"

"Let me guess, I cut you you off?"

"Hey-"

"It slipped your mind?"

"Listen-"

"You didn't want to?"

"No-"

"It didn't fit what we were talking about?"

"Wait a minute-"

"You didn't care?"

"Whoa-"

"You told me but it was too loud to hear?"

"Hold on-"

"What excuse was it?"

"Let me explain-"

"Or am I missing one, maybe you weren't wearing your ring? Or it wasn't public yet? Maybe it wasn't final? What could be so important to stop you from telling me about your engagement when I asked about your life?!" His voice rose, "What could be so fucking important?! Tell me Annabeth! Tell me why you lied right through your teeth?! I deserve to know-" He stood even closer to me

My muscles tensed, I could see Helen's face twisted in the same rage, her hand, fist, foot-anything that would release her anger in her raised hand. I feel the warm tears on my face the next morning, the cool razor blade against my skin, the thick layers of concealer I applied everyday, the scratchy material of the butt-ugly scarf I found at a goodwill that was large enough to cover my entire neck, or the knee-length long sleeve sweater that save me 25 minutes off my cover-up time. All I wanted to do was curl up. But he wasn't Helen, and I wasn't the same girl. Fueled with anger, I stepped forward, so we were almost nose to nose, "Stop! Why is it so goddamn important to you? Why? Why do you need to be poking around in my life?! I can keep my reasons private! There is absolutely no reason you have to know anything about my life! It's my life! I own it! You are no longer a part of it! Do you know how hard I worked to get you out of my head?! You did that to me! You seemed just fine! Percy Alexander Jackson! You have no solid reason why I should let you in! You need to tell me why you need to fucking now what's going on in my life! You do not deserve any explanation! You deserve nothing! You need to tell me! WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT TO YOU?! WHY?! YOU BETTER TELL ME RIGHT NOW OR SO HELP ME-"

"I'M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU!" His voice roared, silencing every bird. His words bounced around my head, shivers ran up my spine,

"FOR GOODNESS SAKE MOVE ON! LET ME GO!" My voice matched his loudness

"I TRIED! ANNABETH YOU ARE A WEIGHT ATTACHED TO MY HAND I CANNOT DROP! I TRIED! SINCE THE DAY AFTER OUR CALL! I DATED OTHER PEOPLE, I PICKED UP ANOTHER HOBBY, I TRIED EVERYTHING! WE ALL CAN'T JUST FORGET PEOPLE AND OUR FEELINGS FOR THEM LIKE YOU CAN!"

"I DIDN'T MOVE ON! I SPENT YEARS WORKING ON FORGETTING YOU! YOU SHATTERED ME AND LEFT ME TO PICK UP ALL THE LITTLE PIECES!"

Percy stepped back, dragging his hands through his hair, then started slow clapping his voice calm, "Well done Annabeth. I almost believed you,"

I groaned, "I wasn't lying,"

When Percy spoke again, his voice was loud, "YES YOU WERE!"

"I WASN'T! I'M STILL IN FUCKING LOVE WITH YOU! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR? WILL THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY?"

Percy rushed towards me, with a look like he was going to hit me, His hands knotted in my hair-then he was kissing me and I felt 16 all over again. Like this kiss would fill my dreams, and I'd lay in my bed just getting giddy thinking about it. Every ounce of me yearned for his touch. My anger fueled into this kiss, Percy pushed me against the archway, my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. A bubble of passion expanded in my chest, making me kiss him even harder. He growled into my lips, his hands explored my torso. I tugged on his lower lip. My hands tugged at his hair.

Oh god. Henry.

What am I doing? I'm ENGAGED!

"Percy" I rushed to untangle myself from him, and back away, "We can't-I can't-I'm engaged!"

And with that I rushed back, leaving Percy calling my name. I felt like Cinderella, running away from the perfect movie-shot-in-slow-motion kiss.