2. Awkward

Grover looked in the direction Percy was pointing. He spotted the blonde girl over at a table talking with football player Luke Castellan. "I don't know who she is." Grover replied. "Never seen her before. She didn't go to school with us, right?" Percy shook his head. He would've noticed her. But why was she talking to Luke? Sure, a lot of girls like Luke. Percy knew that. He was on the football team and he was what most teenage girls would call "a hottie". With his nice body, somewhat spiky blonde hair, and those pale blue eyes, girls were constantly trying to be the next Mrs. Castellan.

Percy didn't like him. He thought he was a fake. Luke would show up to school with a new girl and then dump her unexpectedly and mope around for the next few days until he found a new girl. But the sad Luke after a breakup, Percy knew it was all an act. Girls loved sensitive guys. Luke knew that. He wasn't heartbroken, he was a player. So why was this girl talking to him? Percy didn't know exactly what came over him, but he didn't want this girl to get hurt by Luke like all the others. Usually, Percy wouldn't care. But this time was different. Percy found that he did care. A lot.

"I'm going to go talk to her." Percy found himself say. Grover stood there dumbfounded. "What?" he asked incredulously. "No offence man, but she's talking to Castellan. And you know, you're-." Percy shot him his best death glare. Grover smiled sheepishly. "Why do you even want to talk to her anyways? She's just another girl falling under Luke's spell…and you walked away." Percy stormed off, away from Grover. He didn't mean to treat his friend like that, he just needed to know who this girl was.

As he approached her, Percy noticed how good she looked in her sleeveless gray dress. It matched her eyes. When he got closer to her, he stopped. What was he going to say to her? Percy had never really talked to a girl like this. Wrapped up in his thoughts, he was startled when he felt someone tap his shoulder. "Excuse me?" A soft voice asked behind him. He whipped around to find her. Percy felt his breath hitch in his throat. It was the first time he really noticed her. She had a nice tan and an athletic build. Her eyes seemed to be studying him like a text book. A small smile played on her pink lips. "Um, you're blocking the punch." She said simply, waking Percy out of his daze. Immediately, he felt embarrassed. Leave it to Percy to be the awkward guy blocking the punch bowl. "Oh. Um, sorry about that." He cursed at himself. Still totally awkward. She scooted past him and grabbed a cup. He needed to talk to her. But for some reason, this seemed to become a challenge.

"So, um, you didn't graduate from here, right?" He mentally slapped himself. What if she got offended? What if she actually went to his school and she was mad that he never noticed her? But she simply shook her head. "Nope. I didn't graduate from here. I went to a private school." Her voice was smooth, but it had a bit of an edge to it. "What's you're name?"

Percy almost forgot how to respond. His name? Did she ask for his name? Apparently she did, because she was now looking at him with a confused expression. "Percy Jackson." He said, trying not to sound too lame. She smiled. "I'm Annabeth Chase. I'm here for a friend who just graduated." Luke. Percy thought. "Well, I uh, have to go now. My friend is, uh, eating too many enchiladas." Wow. Score one for Percy in the loser department. Before Annabeth had a chance to say anything, he scampered away from her.

He cursed at himself over and over in his head. Why couldn't he just talk to her like a normal person? But that was just it. He wasn't normal. He wasn't Luke. He wasn't some genius. Hell, he wasn't even Grover. At least Grover had the decency to talk to girls. He moped over to Grover who was munching away happily on his umpteenth enchilada. "You talk to her?" He said in between bites.

"Yeah. I talked to her. I was pathetic, though."

"Don't worry. She's just a girl. I bet you weren't that bad."

Percy's shoulders slumped. Grover was right. Annabeth was just a girl. So why was he making her such a big deal? Percy decided he needed some air. He told Grover he was going to go mingle (as if) and walked off towards the elevator. He rode up to the last floor. The dinner was being held in the ballroom of some fancy hotel, which meant that there was probably a fire escape or stairwell leading up to the roof where guests weren't allowed to venture. The elevator came to a stop and Percy scrambled out to find an exit. Finally, he reached the stairs leading up to the roof.

The air was much cooler up there. The wind tossed Percy's raven hair back. He let out a content sigh. This was so much better than being crammed in a ballroom with all the people he's wanted to get away from all year. Percy looked down off the ledge of the roof. All the cars zipping down the New York streets looked like tiny ants. Percy felt as if he were a god of some sort. Just had the power to swoop down and crush anything he wanted to.

"What are you doing up here?"

Percy whipped his head around to find Annabeth leaning against the doorway to the stairs. "Well I could ask you the same thing." He replied. What was she doing up here? This was supposed to be his moment to get away from things. And no offense to Annabeth, but she was kind of serving as a distraction. "My friend and his girlfriend started making out. It got awkward, so I left. Your turn. What are you doing up here?" Annabeth told him.

"Just getting some air."

"Well it's your school's graduation dinner. You should be down there."

"Oh, it's hardly my school."

Annabeth stared at him. What was he talking about? "How can it hardly be your school?" she asked. "I just don't fit in. I guess it's just weird hearing people talk about their futures when I have no idea what to do with mine." Percy couldn't believe he was confessing this to her. He barely even knew Annabeth. She walked over and sat down next to him. Both their feet were dangling off the edge off the roof. "You know," Annabeth started. "It's ok to not know what you're going to do with your life yet. How old are you?"

"17. I'll be 18 in August." Percy said, looking into her deep gray eyes.

"Exactly. You still have time. You're not even legally an adult yet." Annabeth smiled.

Percy let out a breath. Why was she even talking to him? She could've seen him up here, remember that he was the idiot who blabbed about his friend's enchilada problem, and then waltzed away not wanting to be seen with him. So why was she still here? As if she read his thoughts, Annabeth continued. "We shouldn't even be up here. We should be down in the ballroom, enjoying the party. Especially you, Percy."

"Why are you so smart"

Annabeth let out a laugh. "What are you talking about?"

"You're giving me the best advice I've heard all night and I just met you. What, are you some genius or something?"

Annabeth blushed. "If that's what you want to call me, then sure." It was then Annabeth noticed how green Percy's eyes were. They were a sea foam green, but with forest green rimming the iris. "Wow." She breathed.

Percy looked up at her. "What?" he asked.

"Your eyes. They're beautiful."

"Well I could say the same about yours."

And so they sat there in content silence. Annabeth had a small smile playing at her lips while Percy looked off into space. "You know," Annabeth started, breaking the silence. "I came here for a friend tonight. But he was just more interested in sucking face with some girl. I almost left. But I'm glad I didn't. It's so peaceful up here with you, Percy."

Percy almost choked. Annabeth actually liked being up here with him? "Who's your friend you came with?" Percy questioned.

"Luke Castellan."

Percy cringed. He should've known. Annabeth was certainly pretty enough to be one of Luke's victims. But wait a minute. If Annabeth said he was kissing some other girl…

"So you're not going out with him?" Percy blurted. Annabeth threw her head back and laughed, her blond curls bouncing. "No way. Luke's a total player when it comes to girls. We've known each other for ever. He's like a brother to me."

The green eyed boy let out a breath. So Annabeth wasn't dating Luke. For some reason this really made Percy happy. He looked over at Annabeth and said something he never thought he would say. "Say you'll go out with me."

"W-what?"

"Say you'll go out with me."

"Percy, this is ridiculous. I barely even know you."

"So you're saying you don't want to go out with a guy?"

"No, that's not what I was implying."

Suddenly, Percy cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Annabeth Chase doesn't want to go out with a boy!" A few walking New Yorkers looked up at the roof top to see what the commotion was about.

"Percy, would you shut up!"

"Annabeth Chase doesn't want to go out with a boy!"

"Percy!"

"Annabeth Chase doesn't want to go out with a boy."

"Fine!"

"Annabeth...wait, what?"

"If I go out with you, will you please shut up?"

Percy broke out into a huge grin. "Of course, m' lady. It's a date then. Tomorrow night."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. What did she just get herself into?