CHAPTER 21

A year later…

Thalia invited everybody to her vacation house to celebrate the start of summer. Everybody was there. Not any snotty elite socialites. Just normal, good friends. Percy went since Thalia forced him to be there. Ever since Annabeth's accident, everything went peaceful and quiet. It was foreign to Percy, but nice. Reyna had turned herself in and Octavian was arrested for a murder and an attempted murder.

As for Annabeth, Percy didn't know where she was. After recovering she figured she needed to take time away from everything that had happened in New York. Which Percy understood, even though he didn't like it one bit.

She had forgiven him. For that he would forever be grateful. And he knew there was no chance for him to be with her again, though… he did hope.

It had been a year.

He didn't know if he would ever be able to move on from everything, but he guessed this party was a start.

Thalia's vacation house had a huge beach as a backyard and three stories. He wondered why she didn't live here instead of her apartment back in Manhattan.

Many girls approached him, mainly immature girls who just turned twenty one and were drinking their asses off. Yeah uh, no thank you. He politely rejected each of them and soon he saw Thalia approaching him, looking already a bit hammered. Nico's arm was slung around her.

"Percy! You made it!" Thalia said, throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a hug—more like a tackle.

"Yeah, I did. Great Party, Thals. You've really outdone yourself this time."

"Thanks!"

"You up for a drink bro?" Nico asked him.

"Nah, I'll pass. I think I need to be sober to drive myself home tonight."

"Oh come on, you big wuss. Tonight's the night to just start over, alright? Hook up with a girl, Perce. With your looks you can get anyone here." Thalia said with a smug smile.

"Alright, maybe just one drink."

"Yus!" Thalia head locked Percy and dragged him over to the bar.

Nico got them all drinks and dragged Thalia over to the dance floor. Percy smiled at his two friends. Lights were moving everywhere and the DJ played music that boomed throughout the whole house.

Percy needed a breather and went outside to the backyard.

The party extended to the beach, so Percy went over there taking a drink with him. He sat near the waves a little ways off from the life of the party. The ocean always set him at ease. He set his drink in the sand and laid back on the sand. The back of his hand, brought up to rest on his forehead.

He soon found himself falling asleep. He dreamt of the same thing he had been dreaming frequently for the past year. He dreamt of her.

He dreamt of her lips- and how it felt pressed against his.

He dreamt of meeting her long before everything.

He dreamt of happy days that consisted of only her.

He dreamt of fall leaves and the bench in central park where both of them had waited and waited for the other to come.

He dreamt of her touch, which always seemed to spark fire under his skin.

Her voice, her sweet sweet voice calling his name.

Louder and louder.

"Percy."

Almost real.

"Percy. Percy, wake up."

Percy felt a hand on his shoulder and his eyes flitted open to see grey. A beautiful, striking silver grey which he knew he could get lost in forever. His eyes widened seeing how close she was.

"Annabeth?" He said a bit stupidly.

She gave him a small smile, "Yeah…it's me. You done sleeping? Everyone's gone already. It's morning."

Percy sat up with her still crouching down next to him. He took her in for the first time in what seemed like forever. She was wearing a simple sweater and jeans but she looked like an angel, a goddess—anything and everything ethereal. Everything he wanted and desired for right there next to him. He couldn't believe it.

Her intelligent eyes sparkled as the sun rose up in the sky.

"You going to look all day or actually say something other than my name?"

He broke out in a boyish smile, "Sorry, I just...didn't expect having you wake me up. Let alone be here."

She sat down in the sand next to him.

"Yeah, Thalia called me over. I thought I'd been away for a good amount of time. Enough to clear my head."

"Will you be staying?"

She turned to look at him, "Yeah, I think I will be."

"That's great." He mentally face palmed himself. What kind of a stupid answer was that?

Her lip went up at one end in a slight smile as if she was unsure of something, before she turned her gaze to the ocean. They stayed there in comfortable silence, watching as the sun kept rising. The warmth of its rays reaching the soles of his feet.

There wasn't any hope for them to be together, but there was a way to get her to be by his side—so he asked the one question that would do that.

"So you think we could be friends after everything we've been through?"

Her grey eyes, glinted bright with the sun's morning rays, looked over at him. Emotions rushing past them so fast he couldn't keep up. Then again, he had never been able to tell what she was thinking.

"I would like that."

They stayed staring into each other's eyes. Not looking away, her eyes seemed to suck him in. He longed for her touch, but he knew he would never have it. If he walked away from her only a friend, Percy knew what would happen next. She would move on to another guy, who didn't come with so many hidden motives and secrets. She would be happy and he would be happy for her. But he would still live for wanting her. And he would never really get over her, since...

she was the love of his life.

Was that the life he wanted?

As long as she was near him. As long as he could be around her. He would be okay, right?

As he was thinking these things, he found himself moving closer to her. He couldn't stop himself as he moved ever so slowly towards her—his lips moving down to hers in another second. She kept still as he dipped down and kissed her, sparking up every nerve ending and vein in his body.

It was a quick kiss and Percy pulled away, but just as he was about to apologize, Annabeth's lips found his—her hands holding his face to bring him closer.

His heart leaped as he kissed her back, deepening the kiss immediately as if he had waited way too long for this. He turned to lean over her as she slowly lay back on the sand.

They pulled away and Percy looked into her eyes again, keeping his lips hovering over hers.

Her lips suddenly broke out into a smile.

She smiled her true smile this time,

warm and genuine.

She pecked him on the lips one more time,

"Took you long enough."

A/N: And that's a wrap, people.

Thanks to all my supporters who have been keeping up with my stories from day one. Haha, love all you guys!
Be sure to review this last chapter too!

Until I think of something else to write about next.

Bye, guys!~~