I am so sorry for not updating. The past month has been super crazy and it is gonna stay that way till end of May but I'll try, I promise.

I have been working on this chapter for quite some time and I hope you'll like it.

By the way, the update soon reviews that I got, made my day, believe me. It felt amazing to be missed. Or rather just that someone wanted to read what happens next. But still, it was awesome, kinda motivated me to write more. :)

'Mr. Jackson has been expecting you,' Jared said smiling at me. Doesn't he ever get tired of saying that same thing over and over again? We were standing in the lobby with the huge suitcases.

As we made our way to the elevator, Jared's voice stopped us.

'Miss Rachel is not authorized to go up,' he said. Was this some kind of document that she couldn't sign? Stupid boy.

'Oh cmon! You know she has been there a million times', I said.

He shook his head. 'Mr. Jackson just said you were to go up, Annabeth.' Oh! So everyone was a Miss and Mr and I was just Annabeth? Hmph. How annoying! Street trash! That's what he thought of me, didn't he?

So this guy was not letting Rachel up and was going Mr. Jackson this and Mr. Jackson that. Jared, I mean. So Rachel had given me a hug and kissed me on my cheek primarily because I refused to bend down to let her kiss my forehead. Hehe. I really was losing my mind.

As soon as the elevator pinged into his floor, I was relieved to see no 'Mr. Jackson' in my line of view. But as soon as I started taking my bags out of the elevator, I saw a hand grab the other bag.

'I said I don't need your help,' I said turning to the tall guy next to me with black hair and sea-green eyes. It was hard not to melt into those eyes at the same time it was hard to keep my tears at bay.

'Yeah I know,' he said but reached down to help me with those anyway. He was so complex! I didn't argue any further. There was a fine line between rebelling and acting just plain childish. And something tells me that I really need to watch out for the difference between the two with Percy Jackson around.

'You don't have a lot of choices in the room department,' he said setting my bags down in the living room. I followed his lead and set the ones I was carrying next to them.

'You have four bedrooms,' I said. Seriously?

'Um. I actually converted one to a gym,' he said sheepishly. 'So there are two rooms. Mine or the other.'

'You would give me yours?' I asked, a little surprised.

'Yeah,' he said blinking as if this was a given.

'Nah,' I said and started towards the empty room. He followed me and set my bags down for the second time. The room was spacious as usual. The walls done in light grey, a double bed, a walk in closet that opened into the attached bath, typical of all rooms in this building. He hesitated.

'I made dinner,' he said as if asking a question. Had I not been so upset, I would've actually found that very sweet.

'Yeah alright,' I said, 'just give me a few minutes.'

'Yeah sure,' he said softly but didn't leave. He just stared at me for a few moments and just as he was about to say something, he turned around and left. I stood there staring at the place where he had been standing for some time, thinking what he had been about to say. Probably about what had happened last night.

As I went out to the dining hall, the first thing I noticed was the food. Home cooked meal. The last time I had that was the last day mom had stayed at home before being transported to the hospital. Looking at all the food like that brought tears to my eyes and the past two days have had made me miss her more than ever.

I sat down and waited very politely for my roommate to join me as he was the one who had made all of it. He came and we ate in silence. He finished before me and waited for me. When I was done he started-

'Annabeth listen-'

'Am.'

He sighed and continued-

'Are you comfortable?'

I stared at him in disbelief.

'Very.' I replied curtly.

'Don't be this way, please.'

That set me off.

'And who the hell do you think you are to be saying that to me?' I thundered at him. He was taken back by this.

'Look I know what I did. But at least we can cooperate and make this work to the best of our interests.'

'How can you even talk like that! This isn't a business deal. It was supposed to be a marriage proposal. To the best of our interests?' I mocked his words. 'So far this has just worked to the best of your interest and seems to be going the same way. Give me one good reason why I should cooperate and help you in any way?'

He kept quite, kept looking at me with those sea green eyes, trying to read me, no doubt and would definitely be seeing the hurt in my eyes, something which I was trying very hard to hide. Then finally said- 'We used to be friends.'

I cut him off again. 'And you killed it.'

He pleaded with his eyes. 'Your dad-'

'Don't you dare say anything about my dad. Stay away from my family if you know what is good for you,' I said. 'I mean this.' I added in a low voice.

He nodded. 'Listen-'

'No, you listen. Just because I was good at first doesn't mean that I am going to be that way for the rest of my life with you. You started playing dirty. Do not expect me to be nice in any way.' With that I picked up my plate and headed for the kitchen trying to ignore him. He really was trying but this was no way. I rinsed it and put it in the dishwasher.

He was blocking my way back.

'Please just listen to me. Once, Annabeth please.'

I waited.

'Look at me,' he said.

I swallowed. Closed my eyes, opened them again, tried to ignore the burn of tears behind my eyes, then got distracted with the tear which gave me away. No point now. I looked at him with my eyes full of tears and that treacherous tear running down my cheek.

He reached to brush it away but I recoiled away from his touch. He looked a little hurt but didn't push me further. Thankfully, because I was on the verge of jumping into anyone's arms and crying into their shoulder, even if that person happened to be the man himself.

'I really am trying, Annabeth, and I am gonna try for the rest of my life if that's what's gonna take. But like I said there are boundaries.'

'Love.'

'Yes. I cannot give that.'

'I don't want it.'

'Just be yourself.' Pleading, again.

'This is me.'

'Not this.' Pah! Hope. There was no room for it in me anymore.

'Yes this is. Another side of me which you unveiled,' I said. Now he looked mad.

He jabbed a finger in my direction. 'You know what? You wanna be this way? Fine! Be this way.' And with that he turned and stormed into his room.

'That's real mature,' I said, following him.

'You aren't exactly acting like an adult yourself,' he shot back at me.

Oh. My. God.

'Might I remind you-'

'Save it, Annabeth, good night.'

When I didn't reply to that, he turned around to face me and sighed.

Just as he was gonna say something, I said-

'Save it Mr. Jackson,' hurt now very evident in my voice. 'I will hate you forever.' I pushed past him and into my room and slammed the door in his face.

Twenty minutes later, I was comfortably wrapped in the comforter in the bed. My bed, I corrected myself, when there was a knock on the door.

'May I come in?' Percy asked.

I didn't reply.

'Please?' He asked. His voice, the way he said please sounded a little desperate.

I sighed. 'Come in.'

He came in and closed the door behind him and made his way to sit in front of me as I was propped up against the pillows against the head rest.

'I shouldn't have talked to you that way, I am sorry,' he said. That was a natural apology. I know he meant it. But everything was not okay. I think he saw it in my eyes so I said-

'No point me lying to you about that.' I couldn't forgive him this easily. You do not target my dad and get away with it for the rest of your life.

He looked pained but nodded and continued-

'If there was anything I've learnt from my childhood days was that one should never sleep without sorting out the arguments of the day. I know I have apologized and that it can't cover up for everything that I have done, I can't sleep before trying to make up for tonight, if not the entire thing.'

I looked into his sea green eyes before understanding what he meant and what he was doing. His fingers came to rest against my cheek and his face was about four inches away from mine.

His gaze dropped to my lips and then found its way back to my eyes. I didn't know what to do. So I just stayed very still.

But he surprised me by kissing my forehead, instead. His lips lingering there. He pulled back and leaned towards me and his lips met mine. I stopped thinking after that. He kissed me softly. It felt amazing. He smelled like the sea. Salty and fresh. His hand was in my hair now, holding my face to his.

Just as he pulled back from me and was gonna kiss me again, reality came crashing in and I put my hand against his chest.

'Goodnight, Percy,' I said.

He looked resigned and tired. He pulled back further. His hand left my hair and he stood up.

'Goodnight, Annabeth,' he said and walked out of the room closing the door softly behind him.

I have the next chapter almost ready now, in case, I wont get time to write more. So yay! I wont be gone for long like in this one.