ARTEMIS POV
As soon as I got home, I pulled out my phone and typed Percy's number and paused. I looked over at Leto. "Should I call him?"
Her ears perked up when she saw I was talking to her and she tilted her head. I pressed my back against the wall and slowly slid down until I was sitting. Leto took this as her cue and walked over to me, laying down and putting her head in my lap.
"I mean, I really, really wanna call him, but I don't want to seem too desperate or eager, you know?" I pet her head, glancing back over at my phone. "But I really want to call him." I sighed and looked at Leto. "It's times like these when I wish you could talk."
She gave a small whine and I laughed, sliding out from under her and walking into my bathroom and taking a shower. During the shower, I decided I was not going to call Percy until tomorrow, sadly.
I wrapped a towel around my body and wiped off my mirror, looking at my reflection. I had strong cheekbones and icy blue eyes with a pointy-ish nose and chin and silver hair. My eyelashes were pretty long, too, so that's always a plus. I had a few freckles on my nose, but most of my freckles were on the rest of my body, especially my arms and legs. Overall, I was actually kinda pretty, but I never considered myself anything more.
Rolling my eyes, I walked into my room and into my closet, putting on my normal sleepwear, that is, an oversized t-shirt and fuzzy socks. I walked back into the bathroom and took out my contacts and put on my glasses and pulled my hair into a messy bun before grabbing my current read, The Young Elites by Marie Lu. I turned off my lights and turned on my lamp and got under all of my blankets.
"Leto!" I called and almost instantly she was on my bed, curling up next to me and snoring away. I rolled my eyes and started reading, falling asleep around one in the morning.
I woke up the next morning at about ten, thankful it was a Saturday, and stretched. Leto did the same as I did and then bolted towards her food bowl. I laughed and walked over there, filled it up, and went into the kitchen to make a bowl of cereal.
I picked my phone up off the counter and remembered Percy and almost instantaneously called him. It rang a couple times and before the last ring, someone answered.
"Percy?" I asked, perking up.
"No, this is his girlfriend, Annabeth."
I gasped slightly and bit my lip. Before I could say anything, I heard Percy in the background.
"What are you doing with my phone?" He asked unhappily.
Annabeth giggled. "Well, someone called so I answered. It's okay, I think she hung up anyways."
"She?" He asked and I heard shuffling and indistinct words.
"Hello?" Percy's deep voice echoed through the speaker and for some reason, I stood still.
Annabeth's whiny voice followed. "Babe, I told you she hung up so we don't have to worry about her anymore."
"Artemis?"
I inhaled sharply and ended the call, setting my phone down on the counter and putting my head in my hands, sighing.
Suddenly, my phone's ringtone blared and echoed throughout my apartment and I debated on whether or not to answer. Before it went to voicemail, I picked it up and answered it.
"Artemis?" Percy said and I froze again. "Artemis, I am so sorry. Annabeth isn't my girlfriend and she had no right to answer your call."
I sighed and closed my eyes. "It's fine, Percy."
He let out a breath of relief. "Okay, okay. Can we start over?"
I smiled to myself. "I-I think I'd like that."
"Okay. Hey, Artemis."
"Hey, Percy."
He laughs quietly. "I'm glad you called me."
"Yeah?" My smile widens and I push myself up so I'm sitting on my counter.
"Yeah." There's a moment of silence, but it's not awkward. "Would you, um, maybe want to, uh, hang out today?" He pauses. "As friends, of course." He quickly added
I laugh softly at his stuttering. "Yeah, um, definitely. I'd love that."
"Can you be ready in fifteen minutes? We can get some breakfast, if you'd like."
"Oh, uh, yeah! That'd be great. Text you my address?"
"Yeah, okay. See you in fifteenish?"
"See you then."
"Bye,"
"Bye,"
We both hang up and I set the cereal box down and send him my address. Then, I run into the bathroom and brush my teeth and hair, straightening it super quickly and glancing at the time – 10:23. With only five minutes to get dressed, I run into my closet and look through my clothes. Eventually, I decide on ripped jeans and a white, t-shirt crop top and my black Converse.
As soon as I finish tying my shoes, my doorbell rings and I smile to myself and run to open it.
"Hey," I say, looking him up and down. He's wearing light denim jeans, black boots, and red plaid with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. "Come on in, I just need to grab my phone and wallet."
I smile, walking up to him and looking up at him.
"Ready?" He asks, pointing towards the door.
I nod and follow him and he opens the door, holding it open for me. "So where are we going?" I ask as we walk down the stairs and outside.
He opens the door of his '65 Mustang and lets me climb in before shutting the door and climbing into the other side. "Well," he turns the car on. "I was thinking maybe Starbucks?"
I nod. "I love Starbucks!"
He pulls out of the parking space, pulling onto the main road. Within ten minutes, we're there and I climb out quickly, my stomach growling like crazy. Luckily, when we walk in, there aren't many people here so I walk straight up to the counter, ordering a caramel frappucino and a honey blueberry muffin.
"That'll be $6.73." The cashier says, looking bored out of her mind.
I pull out my wallet, but before I can hand her any cash, Percy's chest is pressed against my back as he leans forward to hand his money to the cashier. "I got it." He says before pulling away. "Keep the change."
I inhale sharply, looking back at him as I wait for my drink and food. "I could have paid."
He smirks. "I know."
"Then why didn't you let me?"
"Then that wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me, now would it?"
I roll my eyes as they say my name, taking my stuff. "Where do you want to sit?"
He leads me to a table for two close to the very back of the room and sits down. "How's the muffin?"
I look at him, mid-bite, and quickly try to swallow as he waits for an answer. "Couldn't have picked a worse time to ask a question, could you?" I laugh. "But it's really good. Did you not want anything?"
He shrugged. "Not really, I'm not much of a coffee or tea person."
I stare at him, wondering if he's being serious or not. "Are you kidding me?"
He shakes his head. "Nope. Coffee's too bland and bitter and tea is just really herbal-y, I guess. I don't really know how to explain it."
"Hmm." I mutter, then a thought hits me. "Wait, do you not like sweet tea?"
He thinks for a moment. "I have no idea, I've never actually had it."
I bite my lip, giving him a bewildered look. "Are-Are you sure you're okay? I mean, I couldn't live without sweet tea. I'm addicted, honestly. If I don't have it at least once a day, I get super crabby and rude and it's really bad."
He laughs. "I'll have to try it sometime."
"What about now?"
He raises an eyebrow. "How?"
"Well we could go back to my apartment and I have some there. It's also the best, you know – Red Diamond. We don't have to, I mean-"
"I'd love to."
I grin widely, standing up and finishing the muffin and throwing the paper bag away. "You, my dear, are about to have the best experience of your whole life."
