Annabeth

I didn't know that I needed an escape, but I could tell immediately that laser tag was going to be something that I would turn to often. The act of running around in the dark, creeping around corners, being vigilant and, best of all: 'shooting people' let me push all my stress and worries away. I was having more fun than I had had in years, maybe my whole life. Even though I saw the leaderboard, and Percy was very close to the top, he's not the most strategic player, just running aimlessly, hoping to find an opposing player and get a good shot in. I, on the other hand, started to think about how we should go about finding the other players. I found myself tapping Percy's arm a few times, pointing to the directions I think we should go, and even starting to gesture at him, telling him what to do.

I was worried all the way up to Percy's apartment that I would be so terrible and he would regret to bring me to what is obviously his personal activity, based on the guy at the front desks reaction. Everyone needs their personal escape and while I could never imagine bringing anyone on mine, I'm glad that Percy showed me his.

I was also freaking out before we got here because while I was sitting in Percy's apartment, I got a text from Chiron asking me to join him for a dinner sometime, which is terrifying. I haven't seen him in so long, and I'm worried about what he might do to me. Especially because I will be asking him if I can leave. This a subject that I am going to have to be very cautious about because, while my debt to Chiron has officially been paid as of a year and a half ago, he never told me that I was done, and I have been too scared to ask. Until now. Things are different now. A year ago, I never would have thought that I would be running, carefree through a darkened maze, but like a prisoner emerging into the sunlight, I can see that there is much more to life than trying to keep my head down and obey everyone's order. Asking Chiron to let me go will not be easy. I'm one of his best runners, not to mention the fact that I know a lot- some might say too much. But on our way here, my mind was made up. I cannot live the rest of my life the way I am now. God, there's no way that Chiron will let me go; however, I am nothing if not determined.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Laser Quest, but the dark, sprawling maze was definitely not it. I was feeling overwhelmed as we took those first few steps into the maze: the dark, the scrambling feet, and then the high walls surrounding us, but then Percy's arm brushed up against mine, and a sense of calm flowed over me. I went on autopilot, but it wasn't a mindless state- instead, it was if I could hear and see everything. One might think that this over actually be overwhelming, but it wasn't. It was a change in perspective, a change from the feeling that nothing was in my control.

Percy had his back turned, and a woman snuck up to a wall below us, and instinct took over, and I, Annabeth Chase, made my first kill in laser tag. The incredulous look that Percy gave me after he realized that I had successfully shot another player, made me want to laugh. For the next little while, we run and shoot at the other players, quickly taking down almost every player in the game. I was shot twice, but only because I was busy trying to cover Percy when he made a dumb decision and left himself vulnerable.

Percy had just been hit for the first time, and we were crouched behind a wall, waiting for the minute, until his gun is reactivated. I'm breathing hard.

"How are you so good at this?" Percy asks me while trying to catch his breath.

"I don't know. Guess I'm a natural." I don't tell Percy that this isn't the first time I've shot a gun, and it definitely won't be my last. The lasers are nothing like real guns, but throughout the game, at times I have felt like I'm in a drug deal gone wrong and I have to actually take out my handgun. The images pass quickly though, and I soon realize that the images I'm seeing are only in my head and this is all a game.

My arm is exhausted from holding up my gun for the past hour, and I rest my head against Percy's should, not really thinking about it. I feel him tense up a little, but he quickly relaxes.

"Would you like to take a break, Annabeth?"

"No. We still have some players to get." Right when I finish speaking, Percy's gun comes back online.

I scramble to my feet, reach down and pull Percy up. "Let's go, we have a lot of people to shoot."

When both of ours guns finally run out of time, Percy leads me to the entrance of the maze. My eyes hurt from the glare of the neon signs after being in the dark for so long.

"Want to meet me out here in a couple of minutes?" Percy asks me.

"Yeah sure." The women's change room is clean enough, with the smell of sweat. There are a few girls changing, but no one speaks. I quickly shed the workout leggings and pull on my jeans. On my way to the bathroom, I glance in the mirror.

My hair is a disheveled mess, but my eyes are happy and alive and my cheeks are bright from running around for the past hour. The distraction that Percy offered was just what I needed. For a couple hours, I got to outrun and shoot my demons away. No more drugs, friends of the guy I like being paid to catch me, crazy families or controlling drug dealing bosses. I don't know how I can repay him, but I want to.

I finish pulling the rest of my stuff out of the locker. I wish that I had brought a better jacket than my windbreaker. When I exit the change rooms, the guy from behind the desk earlier and Percy are in the corner of the fluorescent arcade, playing one of the car racer games. I can't help the smirk that slides onto my face as I position myself in the corner because the intensity that the guys are playing with is almost too much. Percy is hunched over the controller, leaning his body as far as it will go into every turn as the desk guy swears at the screen.

"Ah, fuck a tit," desk guy growls as his car goes careening off the track and disappears into a fiery inferno. The red bolded letters appear on his screen declaring him a loser as Percy's reads as the victor. "Again? You've been on a roll this month." He mutters, hauling himself out of the chair. I guess this is also a weekly occurrence. Percy gives a low chuckle as he pulls his phone out of his back pocket to take a picture of the screen. I step up beside him, leaning against the back of the chair. My smirk turns into a full-on smile as Percy catches my eye and turns a nice red.

"Grover and I have been playing this game forever. It seems too late in the game to stop now," Percy attempts to defend himself, as he grabs my hand and leads me towards the door. I would normally have a witty come back, or at least a response, but Percy's hand in my causes my world to tunnel and all other thoughts to leave my brain. There's only time for me to throw a quick wave at Grover, who has positioned himself back behind the desk as Percy tugs me out into the much darker New York cold. I shudder as the first blast of wind blows between two buildings. I want to put my hand in my pocket because my wrist is really cold but Percy is still grasping it, and there is no way that I am going to be the one who breaks the connection. The wind blows across my face, stinging my cheeks and causing my hair to become a tangled mess on my face. We walk in silence, but it's not one that either of us wants to interrupt because it's a nice silence. The streets are emptying out, partly because of the time of night, but also because we are moving away from the busier parts of town. The whistling wind and our breaths our the only sounds, and it's so peaceful.

I don't ask where we're going because I really don't care. Percy could lead me into hell, and I honestly wouldn't notice. As we walk, my legs slowly becoming numb, I steal glances at Percy and our hands. I really like him. A lot. And this should scare me. This is not good because I live this secret life that does not allow for feelings. It does not allow for significant people, because they get hurt, or hurt us. But I'm not scared. At least not now. Because I like him. And I feel safe around him. Safe is not a word that I toss around lightly. It holds a lot of weight that does not apply to my life- or it didn't. But now I'm not so sure. I don't want Percy hurt- never, not ever, and I would push him away at the first sign of trouble, but until then, I realize that I really want to be around him. He's funny and kind and breaths a life into my that has not been there for a long time. I picture us sitting in English, the cafe, walking around aimlessly, playing laser tag. I can picture all this, and it gives me a very excited and hopeful feeling. My hand tightens its grip on his.

My thoughts caused me to zone out, and it's not until I hear the tingling chams of the bells above a door, and the warm surge of air that engulfs me, do I come out of my thoughts. Percy has to lead me into a charming little cafe. He nods his head towards a corner table, and lets go of my hand to approach the counter with the glass display case off to the side. I pull out a chair, shivering into my very inadequate jacket- I wish I had something more, but right now I don't have enough money to put towards a proper jacket. The cafe is pretty barren, with whitewashed walls displaying framed pictures of a foreign city that I believe is a middle eastern city. Perhaps Tel Aviv? Percy presses the little bell, as no one has come from the back to see us. Immediately a rather large woman with a headscarf comes out from behind the strings of beads, leaving them shaking in her wake.

"Percy, honey. How are you? The usual?" she greats Percy warmly, actually grabbing his hand across the counter. "I was wondering if you were even going to come."

"I know Hanita. I'm sorry I'm later than usual. Could you actually double my order, please? Thanks." Percy fishes a few bills from his pocket and makes his way across the deserted cafe.

"You come here every week?" I ask as I rub my hands together, trying to get some feeling back.

"Yes, it's my favorite for getting a chicken club and coffee. You like that right?" He's suddenly a little anxious. "Because I ordered you one, but I didn't ask if you were vegetarian or-"

"It's fine chicken club is great." I cut him off, not wanting him to panic. "I-" I never finish the sentence, because Percy has reached across for my hands, grabs both of them and brings them up to his lips. He cups them, gently blowing on them. I'm in actual danger of fainting.

Well. Sorry? I honestly don't know if anyone who followed this story previously even read this update or cares, but I had to write more. There can be a life update in the next chapter- which I have actually written already, along with most of the story, so I promise, this will happen- if anyone cares. Anyways, a lot has changed in my life- I guess that's what two fucking years does. You guys could never know how sorry I am, but I just couldn't then. I need to finish this now.

-Demi