A/N: I haven't updated in like two years. But I think I just might finish this story. I should let you know I have not read the Blood of Olympus yet (i'm in denial about the series ending) so please no spoilers in the reviews. Thank you!

Hangover

I woke up in a daze the next Saturday morning, with absolutely no desire to leave my bed or my apartment for that matter. The events of the night before came back to me in waves, which wasn't working wonders for my infuriating migraine. I felt like my skull had been cracked open and a thousand needles had been stuck into my brain. Hangovers were just the best.

I glanced over at my side table to check the time on my alarm clock. It was one in the afternoon, but that was a normal time to wake up for the morning after. If I was being completely honest I wish I'd slept into the next day – anything to not have to think about a certain someone in my current condition.

I had no clue what in the world had made Annabeth go from hot and horny to cold and bitchy, but when it came to her I could never really be sure what her next move would be. That became especially clear when she broke up with me out of nowhere five months ago. The worst part of it all was that any progress I had made on moving on had now been completely reset, and I felt like I was back to square one. I did not want to be at square one. Square one sucked.

The sound of my doorbell pulled me out of the sea of self-pity I was about to drown in. I was not at all happy to have to move, but out of obligation to whoever was on the other side of my door I made the effort. I was surprised to find that it was Calli I was obligated to.

"I come bearing gifts," she smiled, holding up a brown paper bag full of what smelled like freshly baked bagels. I chuckled and stepped aside to let her in.

"I tried calling you this morning, but you wouldn't pick up," she said as she walked in, "I figured you were still asleep so I came here instead. Truth is I saw you and Annabeth leave the club separately last night, and you both looked pretty pissed off. I was concerned."

Concerned? What reason on earth would Calli have for being concerned about my relationship – or lack thereof – with Annabeth?

She must have read my confusion because she sighed and went on to say, "Truthfully, I felt a little responsible. In my drunken state it seemed I might have given you some very misguided advice. Obviously whatever I suggested didn't work out."

"It really isn't your fault Calli, it's not like you forced me to do anything. Ever stupid decision I make is my own," I laughed, and then looked down at my toes, "Including what happened between us that day. I mean I know we dropped it but – "

"Actually Percy," she cut in, "That's the main reason I came to see you today. I think it's high time I apologized for the way I reacted. Even if you did lead me on until the last minute, your change of mind wasn't on purpose. And no one is obliged to have sex with anyone right?" She smiled and turned around to start walking towards the kitchen.

"Right..." I said after a couple seconds of processing what had just happened. Did a girl just tell me I wasn't the one who screwed up? Neat.

Calli set the bag on the kitchen counter and walked back to me and then towards the door.

"Well I'll see you Monday, Percy," she smiled.

"Wait, you're not gonna stay and enjoy those with me?" I asked, pointing my thumb towards the bagels behind me.

"Sorry but I have plans today, just thought I'd stop by to make peace once and for all, and to make sure you were doing okay." And with that she opened the door and began to walk out.

Just a split second before she closed the door behind her I called out, "Calli!"

"Yeah?" She peered back in.

"Annabeth knew about our little incident, and I just realized I have no idea how in the world she would have heard about that," I looked right at Calli, challenging her to lie to me in the midst of our newfound peace. But she looked genuinely confused.

"What? That's weird. I mean I did talk to one friend about it but..." She trailed off.

"What's that friends name?"

"Simon. Why?"

"Just curious," I waved it off, "Anyway thanks for the bagels."

"No problem, bye," she waved as she finally left, shutting the door behind her.

Later that evening I decided to go out for a walk. After my hangover had mellowed down, I had gotten tired of staying inside doing nothing all day. The streets of Manhattan were a much better alternative.

After my fair share of walking around, I stopped at a Starbucks around the corner to get myself a cappuccino. Once I received my coffee I turned back around to begin leaving, and instead I found myself bumping into a big mop of blonde hair and with coffee everywhere.

"Oh my god, I am so -" but when Annabeth finally looked up and saw it was me who she had spilled her coffee all over she froze. And then almost and split second later let out an obnoxious laugh, "- so not sorry. Don't you watch where you're going Jackson?"

I rolled my eyes at her, "Don't you have better things to do then stalk me, Chase? No one runs into their ex three times by accident."

Annabeth scoffed, " I'll have you know I do have better things to do than stalking you, which is exactly why I am not doing that."

"Excuse me," the Starbucks employee called out, "you're blocking the counter. Could you please take this outside?"

Annabeth looked at the employee, "There's nothing to take outside," then she turned to me and gave me the dirtiest look she could pull off – which was pretty fucking dirty – , "we're done here."

She stormed out. For some ridiculous reason, I followed her.

"You know I don't get why you have to be so nasty all the time," I called out after her, "you're always acting as if I'm the one who broke up with you!"

Annabeth turned around sharply, her blonde hair whipping around her, fast and swift. Had I been any closer it might have chopped my head off.

"Oh no, no, no. I am the one who broke up with you and broke your heart, don't worry I haven't forgotten that. And you better not forget it either."

I didn't say a word for a the first couple of seconds, then, "Anyone ever tell you what a true and pure bitch you are Annabeth?"

"You tend to make that pretty clear everytime we 'run in' to each other," she snapped, "and speaking of which, how do I know it isnt you whose stalking me? A puppy lost without his owner," she mocked.

Now she was really starting to piss me off. I don't know why I was letting her get to me like this, but something at the back of my head knew that the truer her words were the more they would upset me.

I stepped closer to her, my face inches from hers.

"Don't for a second," I started, low and steady, "think that I give two fucks about you after the way you left me. All I have left for you now is intense, burning hatred."

"Well good," she hissed, stepping even closer to me, "because my hatred for you is all consuming. I've never hated a single thing as much as I hate you."

"So the feelings here are mutual then?" I asked.

"Completely," she replied.

And then our lips hit each other hard, and next thing I knew I had Annabeth backed up against a wall, both our coffees spilled on the floor. My hands ached to touch her, but I kept them away from anything below her neck in fear that I might rip her clothes off right there on the street. Annabeth must have been having similar urges because stopped the kiss abruptly.

"So," she asked, "your place or mine?"

A/N: Believe me, you wanna stick around for the next chapter ;)