A/N: YEAH. This is Chapter 9. Sorry guys if I wasn't able to update last week since I had to finish this one-shot, And My Heart Falls A Little In Love. If you guys haven't read that yet, please check it out. PLEASE.

And. . .woah. 40 reviews? You guys are totally awesome! I feel so loved (no, not me, my story actually). Anyway, I might consider updating at least twice a week since I want to finish this before school starts. The problem is, I have a current issue about my internet connection, so yeah.

Still, a bunch of thank yous to: Sweet Cats, ainegelic, June Green, Norsk Unicorn and Smiles Burn In The Styx

"Hey," Percy muttered before sitting beside her on the bench.

They had just finished practicing for the day and they still haven't talked formally about the uncalled silence between them since his ex-girlfriend texted him. And who Annabeth assumed to be the same Calypso she met in the bar. She didn't tell him about it yet, it's too early to make conclusions. Besides, Annabeth didn't really had the chance because Percy was barely saying a word to her. She didn't want to stir more awkwardness in the air between them.

"Hi," Annabeth replied, out of habit.

Percy took a deep breath and stared at his feet. "I'm not angry."

"I'm not saying you are," she said.

"You don't want to talk to me, do you?"

Annabeth fumbled with the ends of her obi, tracing her embroidered initials. "I do want to talk to you, Percy. It's you who's not making an effort so."

He wrung his fingers nervously. "I'm sorry for being a jerk the other day. I'm sorry for ruining that victory dinner."

"It's fine. I'm just upset about your reaction, that's all. You're being passive. That's not the Percy I know."

Percy released a breath and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah. But, my mind's preoccupied all the time. I can't focus. I'm thinking of every single thing but then hate myself for thinking of it at all."

Annabeth shifted closer to him so their elbows touched. "Wow. You're thinking."

"I'm trying to spill out my problems at you but here you are teasing me like I barely think. That hurt, Annabeth," Percy said, but he smiled at her anyway.

"Come on," Annabeth whined. "Take a joke, Percy. I'm trying to lighten the mood here."

"Thanks for doing so."

"Is that a sarcasm?"

"Depends. I don't know really."

"Ugh." Annabeth made a move to fling her arms in the air. "You should totally spill your problems to me. We can't have you unfocused for the competition, Percy."

Percy nodded. "Yeah. And I really need a girl opinion about it. Perhaps, you could help me."

"I can give special advice."

"Last time I checked, you're an architect, Annabeth. Not a psychologist."

"Well, I just got a degree right now." She stood up and yanked him away from the bench. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

She continued to drag him. "I'm not listening to you without food, Percy. Treat me."

They chose to talk at the same restaurant they went to last time. But now, Percy insisted that he'll pay so as to apologize to Annabeth and a thank you too, in advance.

As they waited for their food, Annabeth started the conversation. "So. . .what do you want to talk about?"

He kept his eyes on his lap. "I need help about Calypso. My ex-girlfriend if you'd remember."

Annabeth's breaths became shallower. She shouldn't be shocked about this. After all, this had been the cause of the problem from the start. "Yeah? I remember her."

"I have already told you about her recent moves to get me back, haven't I?"

She nodded. "Well, what had really happened before you two broke up?"

Thankfully, the waiter had arrived and served their meals. It gave them a time to adjust, to somehow prepare how the whole situation would fall on them. Annabeth took a sip from her glass while Percy had a bit of his steak.

"Do I. . .do I need to tell you how we met?" Percy inquired.

Annabeth shook her head. "You don't need to. What I need to hear is the thing that had happened."

"We were good. I mean, we never really fought. We also share a lot of similarities that's why we were easily drawn to each other. Calypso. . . was the kind of girl I knew I would love."

Her stomach twitched. Annabeth had started comparing herself to Calypso. What she did and didn't have. What attributes could possibly Percy liked. Then, she suddenly shut out the thoughts. Why was she comparing herself to that girl? That wasn't a good sign.

"She's beautiful. . ." I am beautiful. Everybody says so.

". . .she's nice. . ." I am nice, aren't I?

". . .caring and sweet too." Ugh. Well, at least I am smart.

Uh oh. I shouldn't be thinking of this. Shut up, Annabeth.

"She was really great." He let out a small smile.

Annabeth forced heart gaze on her drink, not wanting to see how happy he was when he thought of Calypso. It didn't really make sense. Why was she acting like this?

"But then, she suddenly left. Without informing me when everyone else knew about it. I searched for her demanding to know what I have done. But, she was just gone. I asked her parents, I asked our friends. No one knew where she went. I was really broken. I tried to figure out where I went wrong. All those times, I was blaming myself."

Percy clenched his fists on his lap. "After a month, someone told me she already had another boyfriend. And that was confirmed. I still didn't know where she had gone. I tried to move on, but it was hard. Then, three months had passed and she came back."

Annabeth watched through the window as a boy helped a girl stand up. "And you accepted her?"

"Yeah. She told me she was sorry. And just like that, we were back. Others said I was pathetic, but I didn't really care. All I knew was that Calypso was back."

"You were quick to forgive," she commented. "Why did she came back?"

"Her guy ditched her. Calypso went after me and said she wanted me back. I was foolish to agree so. We were together for a while until she told me she needed space. That our relationship didn't work. That I was choking her. I tried to stop her but. . . she went away again. That's the current situation."

Annabeth swallowed a lump in her throat. How can someone do that? How could Calypso do that to Percy when he's everything nice? There's no other choice on this one. He should end it now.

"That's . . .harsh."

"The truth is. . . I really want to end it already. I want to finish completely the relationship that should have ended two years ago."

"Why don't you? Finish it, I mean."

He ran a hand through his hair. His aura looked defeated, helpless. It's as if he was stressing on the problem longer than he should.

"That's the problem. I couldn't bring myself to end it."

"Do you still love her?" she asked. She's anxious to know the answer but afraid of it too.

He took a deep breath.

Seconds.

Seconds.

Seconds.

"At first, I thought I did. But, I guess I never really loved her."

Relief flooded through her veins. Why was she relieved to hear it?

She phrased her words carefully. "Then, if you don't love her, why are you having second thoughts?"

"Because, I'm afraid to hurt her. I'm afraid that the truth would crash her as much as it did to me. I'm stupid like that."

Annabeth's stomach dropped. That's the reason why she chose to work practically rather than emotionally. She wasn't really good at hiding or showing her emotions, which caused a great problem on her part. Her thoughts floated back to her relationship with Jason. Everytime she thought of him, she felt guilty. Hadn't she been leading him on to something that wasn't really there? Hadn't she been lying to him with his every 'I love you' as she responds those words back? Wasn't she hurting him more as she tries to protect him from the harshness of the truth? That she didn't really love him the way she should?

Annabeth Chase was a terrible liar.

That's the sad reality about love. It makes us the worst liars.

"You do know that denying Calypso the truth would just hurt her more. You're stacking up lies to cover the truth, Percy. No matter how much you try, you can't erase that fact. It'll pain her sooner or later," Annabeth said with much conviction than she ever had. It was a pathetic act, trying to reprimand him when she's a liar herself.

After some while, Percy nodded, smiling at her. "You're right, Annabeth. I should end this. You are always right, anyway."

She didn't look at him. Percy was wrong.

He was so, so wrong.

"You are always right, anyway."

Those words felt like a stab to her. Why was she hurting Jason? Why was she trying to deny him of that truth? Why was she feeling these things she shouldn't feel for Percy? Her mind swirled with so many questions and she felt so stupid for not knowing the answer to any of them.

"Hey Annabeth."

Percy's voice broke her train of thoughts.

"Uh, yeah?"

"You should come over to my house. Mom demands to see you," Percy said. He was grinning now, perhaps relieved of the burden he was carrying a while ago.

"Really? Sally must have loved me," Annabeth muttered.

"Ugh," Percy mumbled. "She adores you. Totally. I won't be surprised if she tries to adopt you soon."

She smiled. Annabeth would want Sally as a mom. Really. "Of course. Everyone loves me."

Percy took a sip of his drink. "Can't blame them. You're pretty much lovable."

He looked at her, really looked at her as if he was seeing her soul. There's something eerie about the flicker of his sea green eyes, which appeared to be much brighter than before. Annabeth felt shivers ran through her spine.

She returned his piercing gaze with her gray eyes. It was like a staring contest, but not so much.

"If I'm pretty much lovable, does that follow the notion that you love me as well?" she asked playfully, remembering how he asked her if she was attracted to him.

This was flirting, she thought. Even though it's somehow mild, their banter could still be categorized as flirting.

"That's different." His gaze didn't waver. "But, I could try, of course. . ."

Percy's eyes flitted over to her lips. "If you want me to."

Annabeth's pulse raced faster. This is flirting. Written in big, bold, black letters: FLIRTING.

She should hate this. But she found herself wanting to flirt back, which was unacceptable.

Annabeth choked on her spit. Sweet.

"Hey. Hey, Annabeth? Are you okay?" He leaned across the table to have a good look at her. He's closer now, which was supposed to piss her but she wanted to be closer to him too. Stop the thoughts, Annabeth.

No, I'm not. Thanks to your flirting, Percy Jackson.

But, she nodded her head. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

"Sure?"

"I am. Now let's go to Sally," Annabeth muttered and stood up. Percy followed her soon.

They walked towards Percy's car (he insisted he drive so Annabeth had to ask Thalia to pick up her car).

They were debating about which was way cuter: a panda or a polar bear, when Annabeth tripped on something. She wasn't sure if it's a stone or whatever, since it's fairly dark but she surely lost her balance.

Of course, the Fates weren't really intervening when she collided with Percy's built chest. Not really. They swore.

Annabeth's face instantly warmed up. She didn't imagine this would be that hard. Not that she was imagining Percy's chest or his flat stomach or toned arms. She wasn't imagining any of it. Shut up. She wasn't. Really.

"Are you okay? You're being clumsy today, Annabeth," he said with a teasing tone.

His hands were pressed against the small of her back and she couldn't form a coherent response. Annabeth tried to stand up straighter and that's when her eyes landed on a face behind the lamp post. She could remember that hair, that face and those eyes. Those eyes that were now watching her with something close to jealousy- no, much more than that.

Annabeth stiffened. She took in their position: she was too close to Percy that to any other person, that position might mean something.

"Annabeth? Let's go in the car."

"Yeah," she muttered timidly. She couldn't forget those almond eyes.

"Watch out for the eyes that may stare at you, Annabeth."

Oh fuck.

That was Calypso.

Ah. Ooooh. Sorry for that 'word'.