Chapter 5. Administrative Assistants' Day

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"Can I take this blind fold off now, Mr. Jackson?" Annabeth said, impatiently, as she felt the cab go to a stop. She felt like a child being led to a surprise.

She heard her boss chuckle as he unbuckled his seat belt. She did the same.

"I could let you, but what would be the fun in that?" She could hear the smirk in his voice.

Percy stepped out of the taxi cab and walked over to Annabeth's side and opened her door.

"If I fall flat on my face, I am holding you personally responsible and will be expecting a raise and holiday bonus."

Percy chuckled and gave her his hand and guided her out of the cab. He paid the driver as Annabeth stood, awkwardly beside, still blind.

"Mr. Jackson, being blind in the middle of the street isn't exactly the safest thing, nor the smartest, to be doing…"

"Okay, fine, you can take it off now." But instead of waiting for his assistant to take off the handkerchief/makeshift blindfold, he untied it himself. She shivered as she felt his fingers brush against her neck.

Annabeth waited for her eyes to adjust as she blinked in the midday sunlight. Her gaze met the gaudy neon sign in front of her. Circe's.

She couldn't help from a grin spreading across her face, "Oh my gods! I love this restaurant."

Percy asked, as he led her to the door, holding it open for her, "You've been here before?"

Annabeth nodded, walking inside, "Just a few times. When I was younger my dad brought me along on a business trip here to the city and we ate here and a few times for my birthday over the past few years.

Percy nodded.

Annabeth continued, "How did you get a reservation? We always had to make them weeks ahead. This place is like, A-List exclusive."

Percy grinned, "Let's just say I have connections."

To prove his point, when the hostess saw him, her face literally lit up. A woman with heavy makeup and an incredibly tight top, greeted them. When she spoke, she sounded like a high school girl talking to her crush.

"Oh, Mr. Jackson, I've been wondering when you would show up." She looked at Annabeth as though judging whether she was prettier than her. Her voice was considerably icier than before, "So you're Mr. Jackson girlfriend, huh?"

Annabeth began to protest, "Oh, um, no I'm his-"

Percy interrupted her, "Oh, yes, yep. Annabeth. She's my girlfriend."

She looked at him with a puzzled expression. Percy squeezed her hand as the hostess turned to grab some menus and whispered in her ear, "Just play along. It'll save us a lot of flirting from the waitresses during lunch."

Annabeth nodded, though not without blushing deeply.

The hostess led them to a table. As they walked she mentioned, "I'm Maddy, but if you see my aunt, call me Medea."

Annabeth said, "Wow, I guess it's been awhile since I've been here because I didn't remember the staff to be so friendly and, er, personal with the guests."

Percy sighed, "They aren't with most people. Circe, Medea's aunt, is friends with my dad. That's why I don't have to make reservations…Also because she has a little, er, crush on me."

Annabeth laughed, "I can tell." She noticed how Medea would flip her hair every ten seconds and sway her hips much more than needed.

Finally they arrived at their table. It was near an indoor waterfall and in perfect line of sight of the hostess podium.

Percy pulled out Annabeth's chair for her, the perfect gentleman he was, before sitting in his own.

Medea rolled her eyes, "I'll be back in a few to get your drinks.

Annabeth looked around, "I really appreciate this, Mr. Jackson. This is so sweet of you, but honestly isn't it over the top? No one even celebrates Administrative Assistants' Day. You didn't have to do this."

"Well, I'm an over the top kind of guy. Anyway, you deserved it, you've been working hard."

She smiled. Annabeth crossed her legs under the table as she opened her menu, accidentally brushing Percy's knee. She tried to hide her blush by hiding behind the menu. She cleared her throat, "So, um, what do you suggest?"

Percy froze when her calf brushed him. He, too, cleared his throat, rather awkwardly, "Um, well the spicy tuna rolls are good…and the miso soup, vegetable tempura, dragon ball rolls, sashimi, bento box-"

Annabeth interrupted, "Mr. Jackson?"

"Yeah?"

"You're rambling."

"Oh." He said, reddening, "Sorry."

Annabeth smiled, lightly, "It's okay."

Medea came back at that exact moment to save them from an awkward silence. She yawned, "Drinks?"

Percy said, "Coke."

Annabeth said, "Green tea."

Medea nodded, seeming somewhat annoyed at the fact that Annabeth even dared to order something other than a soft drink. She left to retrieve their drinks.

Annabeth cleared her throat, "Has there been any progress on Mr. Beckendorf's new inventions."

Percy said, chuckling "Well my dad gave him a new budget of $200,000 so I hope so."

It was one of those movie magic moments where they simultaneously took sips from their drinks. They made eye contact and Percy winked, making Annabeth blush. She looked away, smiling, before continuing the conversation, "Um, Mr. Jackson, I know this is really naïve of me, but…how did Open Seas. Inc. evolve to the company it is today?

Percy, surprising, laughed, "That's not naïve at all. To be honest, I didn't evne know what my dad's company was about myself until I started working. It's a multinational capital management company, but it didn't start that way."

Annabeth blinked, "What did you father originally intend for the company?"

Percy said, "Well, we first started off as a naval shipping company, but then we expanded to cruise ships, then we started manufacturing products. Eventually we started investing and buying out for other smaller companies all over the world. My dad is in Japan right now growing our verticals over there. He got so busy with all those overseas projects he didn't have enough time for the domestic stuff so he put me in charge. We have offices, restaurants, hotels, and factories; everything you can think of."

Annabeth asked, "What about architectural firms?"

Percy blinked, " …No. The one thing we don't have. We hired people from Fulton Architecture to do all the architectural jobs, but I heard he's a pretty immoral guy and just ruthlessly fired his assistant so we're looking a new firm to work with."

Annabeth nodded, slowly, deciding not to mention that she was that certain assistant, "Why not just have Open Seas establish a firm? The company certainly can afford it."

Percy blinked, "You know that's a good idea. I'll bring it up with my dad as soon as he comes back from Tokyo."

Just then Medea came back with their drinks, "Okay, your orders?"

Percy said, "Um, I'll have the sashimi platter with a side of vegetable tempura."

She nodded, writing it down. She turned to Annabeth, "And for you?"

Annabeth said, "I'll have the shrimp tempura with a side order of California rolls."

Medea sighed, "Alright, I'll be back soon...or not. Idk."

Annabeth said, dryly, "Oh, well isn't she just a ray of sunshine."

Percy chuckled, "Yeah, well, the price of being friends with the owner means that we have to put up with the worst server. Circe only lets Medea serve personal friends."

Annabeth laughed. She continued, "So, um, you were saying about your dad's-

He said, "Enough about work, I know everything on your resumé, but it doesn't exactly tell me much about you."

"Um, well there's not much to know. I was born in Virginia, but my family moved to San Fran-"

Just then Percy's phone rang. His face reddened, obviously embarrassed, but he looked at the number anyway, "Shit. Sorry, Annabeth, I have to take this."

Annabeth nodded, "Go ahead."

"Hello?...Yes, that's me…No…She's here? But that's three hours early!...I'm sort of in the middle of something."

Annabeth absentmindedly stirred her drink.

"…Yes, yes, I know…Alright, fine…Bye."

He hung up and looked at Annabeth with a sheepish expression.

Annabeth asked, "Everything alright?"

Percy sighed, "I'm really sorry, Annabeth. The new client, Calypso Atlas, is at the office and I really need to be there."

Annabeth blinked, "Oh, well okay." She stood up.

Percy protested as he put on his jacket, "No, no, you stay here. Go ahead and enjoy lunch. You can have them put my order in a to-go bag and take it home. Go ahead and take the rest of the day off. Just have, Medea put this on my tab."

Annabeth said, weakly, "Oh, um, alright. Bye."

Percy apologized once more before leaving in a rush. First the flowers, then lunch, Annabeth was really starting to dislike this Calypso person.

Annabeth sighed, settling back in her chair just as Medea came back with their food.

She set it down on the table, "Where's Percy?"

Annabeth mumbled, "He had to leave."

Medea gave her a somewhat sympathetic expression, "Oh, poor girl; stood up by People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive."

Annabeth rested her head on her hand, "Can I just have these in a takeout box? Also, he said to charge this to his tab."

Medea said, "Alright-y, then."

After a few awkward moments of sitting at a table by herself in the middle of a crowded restaurant, Medea came back with the food in takeout boxes.

Annabeth thanked her and left, hailing a cab, half-heartedly. She had to admit, she was taking this way harder than it should be. Percy is a busy man. You can expect him to take a few hours of his day and spend it just on you. You should've seen it coming.

She decided she couldn't go home to an empty apartment; Thalia was at work, so she decided to go to Central Park.

Walking aimlessly through a park on a crisp September day really gave a person time to think. She thought about how the sun was really bright, she was screwed if she didn't pay her tuition yet, she need to finish here essay for class tonight, and Percy Jackson was her boss and she absolutely could not seduce him.

Eventually, it started raining so she exited the park to walk home. She arrived just as Luke came to pick Thalia up for their date.

Thalia all but pounced on her when she came home, "How was your day? Boss man give you a present?"

Annabeth blinked, "It was fine."

Thalia kept on talking as she continued getting ready for her and Luke's date, "What did he get you? Anything good? Particulary anything you can share with me?"

Luke chuckled, "Come on, Thals, let her breathe. So how your day, Annabeth?" He ruffled her hair. Luke was like a big brother to her.

Annabeth said, "A card and he took me out to lunch."

"Where? Where did you go?"

"Circe's."

"No fucking way. That's place is expensivet," Thalia said as she ran around the apartment looking for shoes, awe-struck.

Annabeth nodded, deciding to just put on a fake happy face than have to admit she was basically stood up.

Luke sighed, "Come on, Thals. We need to go. Our reservation is at seven."

Thalia said, "Fine. Okay, Annabeth, we'll see you later."

Annabeth said, "Bye."

Luke put his arm around Thalia, "Um, happy administrator something day."

Annabeth smiled, lightly, "Thanks. Bye."

After they left Annabeth finished the sushi for dinner and went to go get ready for night classes.

It was going to be a long night.

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Annabeth yawned as she trudged out of the elevator and down the hall to their door. Night classes usually meant sacrificing sleep. It was late, and she was ready to crash. She fumbled in her backpack for her keys, but tripped over something in front of the door.

On the welcome mat, was a vase of pure white lilies.

Annabeth bent down and looked at the card;

A-

Happy AAD! Sorry I had to go at lunch. I'll make it up to you. I promise. You're the best.

-P

A/N: Please leave your questions, comments, and constructive criticism in a review below!