I Still Know You

Annabeth was staring at me; they were at the table that was right next to the door we had entered from. She was no less surprised than I. However, she managed to wipe that gawky look of her face within seconds, the way she can do with any emotion at any time. Her lips curled into an absolutely fake smile as she called out, "Percy?" she laughed, "What are you doing here?"

The guy sitting on the table across from her was sitting with his back to me. He turned around to see who Annabeth was talking to, looking a little confused. He wasn't the only one.

Cali lightly touched her fingers to my shoulder and said, quietly, "Who is that?"

I gave a sigh and replied, "My ex-girlfriend."

Then I looked back at Annabeth and forced a dashing smile of my own. I was just about to answer her question as to what I was doing here, but she seemed to have spotted Cali. Before I got a chance to speak Annabeth asked, "Who is that?"

Well, I don't know why I hesitated but I really didn't know how to answer that question. I started to mumble "This is –"

"Hi, I'm Cali," She introduced herself, all smiles and holding her hand out to Annabeth, "Percy's date."

Annabeth shook Cali's hand, but something twitched in her emotions, a little flicker of something in her stormy grey eyes when Cali said "date". I wasn't really sure if Cali mentioning that was a good or a bad thing.

"Well, that's just wonderful," Annabeth said with that same plastic joyfulness.

"This is Chris, my boyfriend, by the way," she added.

I took a look at Chris. We both shook hands. And I tried my best to pretend that Annabeth's having a boyfriend or not didn't faze me.

Cali decided to save me by taking my hand and taking us to a table for two on the other side of the room.

"Thank you." I told her.

"Not a problem."

As we sat down a waitress came to give us glasses of water and take our order. As we ordered our food I found that the woman was repeatedly smirking at me and I didn't have a clue why. After she took our order and left Cali turned to me with a smile and said "She likes you."

I felt my face heat up and I probably looked like a tomato.

"Nah," I waved away the idea.

"Of course she did," Cali insisted. She slowly reached for my hand that was set atop the table, "Who wouldn't?"

She gave me a gorgeous, genuine smile that I returned, and after a few more seconds she retracted her hand.

"I'm sorry…" I said after a moment of silence

She laughed, "What for?"

"For this whole thing. Pretty awkward first date, huh?"

She giggled, "It isn't a problem. Although…" She started to chew on her straw as she smirked; "You know, a 'first date' would mean that there would hopefully be others…" she blushed and looked up at me. I smiled at her, and I was probably blushing too.

"Hopefully." I told her.

…

The rest of the date went quite well. Cali was sweet, smart and funny and most importantly she managed to get my mind of Annabeth even when she happened to be right across the room from me. There was never a dull moment and our conversations kept flowing. The food was great too.

Afterward, Cali and I had a few drinks, and soon we were just a tiny bit drunk.

But of course, after a while Annabeth managed to get inside my head again and I had this sudden urge to turn around and see what she was doing. And being as impulsive as I am, I did. And I didn't like what I saw.

Annabeth and Chris were locked in a tight embrace, eating each other's faces off. It looked pretty disgusting – and I'm not being a hypocrite. It only looked disgusting because it was in public. Also probably because some hot shot was kissing my girlfriend.

Ex-girlfriend I reminded myself.

The way they were kissing though, it was that we-totally-did-it kind of kiss. Or maybe I was just over exaggerating and over analyzing the situation. I didn't know shit.

"Percy," Cali said. I was brought back to the table.

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay. You still have feelings for her, its natural. But you need to know it's over, and you've got to move on. And you've got to let her know you've moved on." Cali touched my hand again.

After a long silence I said, "Yeah… Cali you're right."

She smiled, "Of course I am. So are you ready to start getting over her the way she got over you?"

"How do you plan on helping me do that?" I asked her.

She didn't reply, at least, not with words.

She leaned in from her side of the table and she pulled me toward her. Then I was kissing her, and she was kissing me. She was a fucking awesome kisser. I wonder if she thought the same about me. We kissed for a while, until the feelings got stronger, and I put it off, because we were in the middle of a restaurant. Cali looked disappointed that I pulled away, but then I smirked at her and whispered into her ear, "How about we ask for the check and get the hell out of here."

A smirk formed on Cali's face as she nodded. About five minutes later I was leaving the restaurant with Cali, right in front of Annabeth.

Now I'm sure a bunch of people would hate me for this but, Annabeth really wasn't even my girlfriend anymore and neither Cali nor I had had sex in a while.

I needed someone, and I got someone. It ain't a crime.

…

The door to my apartment flung open as Cali and I burst in, kissing furiously. I slammed the door shut with my leg.

Cali's hands tugged at my hair, as my hands grabbed her ass through her shorts. She let out a soft moan, while still kissing me, and her hands dropped to my shirt as she started to unbutton it. Her fingers roamed my chest, and she sent chills throughout my entire body as her fingers grazed my torso. I grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head. I started to kiss her neck, collarbone and I kissed every inch of her chest that wasn't covered by her bra. Then I cupped her through her bra and she let out a moan as I started to massage her. She returned the favor as she grabbed my semi-hardened erection through my jeans and I let out an involuntary groan.

I couldn't take it anymore and rushed her to the bedroom and started to take all her clothes off. Her bra, her heals, her shorts. I left her panties on. Still a bit drunk, I felt like being a tease.

I threw her onto the bed, me on top, our lips glued to each other. This time she reached into my jeans and rubbed my through my boxers. My breaths became shorter and my dick became harder. She kept rubbing, and so I reached down and started rubbing her through her panties. She let out the sexiest moans I had ever heard. She was so fucking wet. I slipped my fingers into her panties and slid them over her clit. She let out a whimper and her hips thrust forward towards my hand, wanting more.

Annabeth used to do that. The same whimper ever time I'd touch her, the same thrust towards my hand.

All of a sudden I stopped touching Cali. I slid my hand out from under her, but her hands stayed in my pants. As much as I loved having them there, I took her hand and removed it myself.

"I can't." I told her.

She looked pretty taken aback. I didn't blame her.

"Excuse me?" she scoffed.

I took a deep breath as I climbed off of her, "I can't. It isn't right."

Cali jumped up and started putting her clothes back on.

"I can't fucking believe this. You don't just…" She was running around gathering her clothes, out of breath, "You don't just fucking do that! You can't just invite a girl to have sex and then not have sex with her! Are you gay?"

"What!?" I yelled, "What, no. No, no, no."

Cali shook her head. She was fully dressed now, walking fast towards the door, "It's that fucking Annabeth girl isn't it? She's got you wrapped around her little finger."

I didn't argue with Cali, because she was right. It was because of Annabeth. I just couldn't, even if it made me naïve, because sure as hell Annabeth was out there having sex with "Chris" and not giving a fuck about me while doing it.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm an ass hole. I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have –"

And she slapped me right across the face, so hard that my face turned sideways. When I looked back up she was rushing out the door and slamming it shut. Last thing I heard her yell was "Fuck you, Percy jackass!"

I couldn't help but notice that the wordplay on my name was quite clever. And I deserved it.

…

Next few weeks at work Cali didn't even look at me. But I did send her I'm sorry flowers and pizza. Not because I liked her but because I really was sorry for my stupidity. After a while I guess she understood that, or she didn't like to keep grudges, because she was fine with me. She was still cold, yes, but she was fine. I really appreciated that, because I'd never met anyone so forgiving. It made me feel worse for what I did to her.

So that's why, that one afternoon my coworkers and I were making plans to go clubbing Friday night, I asked Cali if she wanted to join. She might have said no to me, but Mellissa, one of our coworkers and Cali's friend, convinced her to tag along.

…

I was waiting in my apartment for Mick, my coworker whose uncle owns the club we were going to, to come pick me up. I was sitting ready in dark jeans and a black flannel tucked in matched with a leather jacket and leather belt. I'd used a bit of jell on my windblown hair, to keep it just a tiny bit pushed back.

I only dressed up like this on occasion, and I would never admit this but I kind of liked it.

Soon enough the buzz filled my apartment which meant that someone was waiting for me downstairs.

I grabbed my wallet and me cell phone (I only rarely turned it on) and headed downstairs.

Mick parked his car outside the club, and when I saw the never ending line, I really didn't feel up to it anymore. It was Mick, Mellissa, Cali, Don and I.

As Cali walked out of the backseat, she gave out a long sigh, "How about we just go to McDonald's?" She suggested.

Mellissa and I laughed, "I'm cool with that!" Mellissa giggled.

Mick rolled his eyes, "Have you all forgotten whose family owns this place? Watch in learn kids."

He walked right up to the front of the line, giving the six-foot-three body guard a dashing smile.

"Tom," Mick exclaimed, "Long time no see buddy!"

Tom turned around to see Mick and surprisingly smiled back.

"Mick, buddy! Where've you been?"

"Oh you know," Mick replied, "working. I actually brought some of my friends here so we could get our minds off all the stress."

"Well then, come on in the lot of you! Enjoy yourselves!" Without hesitation, Tom unclipped the red velvet rope to let us in. And without hesitation, we went through, jeering and sounds of protest following us from the people still waiting in line.

The ambience of the club was great. Everyone was dancing, laughing and having a good time. The lighting was perfect, bright colors flashing around. Not many cheap kids, sexy waitresses and bar tenders and good music.

The five of us went over to the bar and got ourselves drink after drink. Soon enough we were all completely drunk and scattered about, doing our own thing.

Mellissa and Don went to dance, and Mick went to flirt about with the waitresses. Cali and I were the only two left at the table. As I gulped down my next shot of vodka, Cali turned to me.

"I was wrong you know," She said in a drunken slur, "you shouldn't get over Annabeth, you should try to get her back. You obviously still love her. You need to fight for your love!" Then she started laughing and yelling "Fight for your love!" repeatedly. Somewhere deep down the tiny little sober part of me knew she was right, but I just laughed with her. I didn't even know what we were laughing at.

And then there she was, in a gorgeous blur of blonde curls and a sexy black dress that showed off her hot legs. Annabeth was in the middle of the dance floor, right where I could see her from my spot at the bar. And she was with two guys. Not one, but two. And neither of them were Chris.

Being as drunk as I was already, I didn't know what I was feeling more, jealous and angry or turned on and horny. Watching Annabeth move like that, rubbing up against two guys, well it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.

It would have been more amazing if any one of those guys were me. That's when I decided I was more jealous and angry.

Cali followed my gaze to Annabeth and let out a whistle. "She even turns me on."

I jumped off my seat and started towards her on the dance floor. I heard Cali yelling motivating, drunk things to me as I made my way through the mass of bodies dancing around.

When I was close enough, I called out her name. She looked up, the confusion showing in her stormy grey eyes. And it seemed uncontrollable. It was obvious she wasn't even slightly sober. I worried for a second just how much she'd been drinking. It didn't last long though, as I wasn't sober enough to care for more than two seconds.

As Annabeth's eyes met mine, they widened in surprise. She froze completely. She was just staring at me for a couple of seconds. Without thinking I yelled out "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

She untangled herself from the two men and her feelings of shock turned into those of rage.

"Excuse me?" She scoffed, "What do you think you're doing? You have no business caring about what I do, or judging me for it! What are you, stalking me now?"

"What?" I yelled back over the loud music, exasperated, "That's ridiculous! What would I get out of stalking you? You aren't all that interesting, you know!" That was a lie, but he was angry.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and scoffed again, "You're the one who is ridiculous! What were you thinking? So what if I'm dancing with two guys that aren't you? You can't say anything to me because we're not a couple anymore."

I normally would not have answered that the way I did. But then again, I normally would not have even gone up to Annabeth in the first place. Blame it on the alcohol.

"Maybe not, but I still know that you're fucking better than this Annabeth!" I yelled at her.

"How would you know? You don't know me anymore." She snapped.

"You know that's not true." I said steadily.

"It is." She replied as cautiously.

I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close to me.

"It's not," I whispered, right in her ear, "And you know it. You also know you're better than this. You deserve better."

Annabeth slowly lifted her head to look up at me. I was still holding her; she was pressed up against my chest.

I don't think I remember her stormy grey eyes ever looking so intense. I just started at her, our faces an inch or two apart. Her full lips were dabbed with red and seemed to look more beautiful than ever, more tempting.

Before I could think about what I was doing, I brought my lips down onto hers, and I kissed her.

AN: Lol don't worry, next chapter will be everything you need!