A/N: Sorry everyone! Ugh, this came out pretty late since this was effing hard to right. And this chapter was longer. I won't make this A/N any longer, since I don't want to spill anything. But, this was my favorite chapter so far even though it didn't came out the way I want it.

Thank you to these super awesome people: Norsk Unicorn, JustLucky05, Smiles Burn In The Styx, ainegelic, Sweet Cats, JoshsonofAres and June Green.

(Too tired to write some more.)

The first rays of sunlight hadn't even reached her window when Annabeth heard her phone ringing from where it was placed on top of her dresser. She wasn't really in the mood to pick it up, for the first sign of sleepiness was just starting to arrive in her system after being conscious the entire night. Surely, no matter how long she shut her eyes closed, the image of Percy would force its way into her vision, sending her brain and heart to overdrive. It was odd and endearing at the same time, with reasons she'd rather not share. Her relationship with Jason was enough to rattle her composed and collected attitude, but adding her mixed emotions with Percy was a whole new story.

Without even lifting her half-lidded eyes to check the caller I.D., she pressed ignore and buried her face in the pillow. So much for missing out on her beauty sleep.

The phone buzzed again and this time she frustratingly picked it up.

"Hey. Annabeth's not around so whatever you-"

"Uh, Annabeth?" the voice tentatively asked.

"Who are you?"

"Uh, it's Percy."

"Percy," she repeated, her sleep-hazed mind shifting into focus. "Why are you calling me?"

"Um," he sounded anxious. It worried Annabeth's heart a little. "I need help."

Annabeth pulled the covers up to her chin, settling herself comfortably on the bed. "You need help."

"Yeah," he answered.

"Yeah."

"Are you repeating my words, Annabeth?" he asked.

She let out a yawn. Man, her eyes were going to droop with every passing second. "Am I repeating over your words? No, I am not."

"Silly," Percy remarked back.

"You need help?" she asked, even though she perfectly knew the answer.

"Yes."

Her lids were already closing. "Can we just talk about this later?"

"No," Percy replied flatly.

"Why? Percy, I'm-"

"Because I'm outside your door."

Her gray eyes shot open. "What?"

"I'm outside your door, Annabeth."

Annabeth got up from her bed and stretched, her joints cracking and popping from stiffness. She put on a decent shirt and let the blue striped pajamas stay. That was just Percy outside her door, anyway.

Percy.

. . .

Percy!

Her feet dragged her to the nearest reflective surface and checked her face for any mark or dirt that would be deemed unattractive. Annabeth tied her hair into a ponytail, after learning to know that her hair would be such a disaster. She was in the middle of searching for some nice clothes to get change into, when her hand suddenly froze, the tips of her fingers barely touching the flowy material of a blue dress. What the hell was she thinking, putting on a dress when it wasn't even fully morning and she had just woken up for fudge's sake? Heck, for the record, Annabeth didn't even like dresses. Furthermore, what the hell was Annabeth's freaking mind thinking, trying to make herself comfortable and presentable to Percy, when they're just going to freaking talk about Calypso and their should have been happy relationship?

"What the hell," Annabeth muttered when she realized what she was doing.

She ran a nervous hand through her hair, ruining the should have been neat ponytail. "What's happening to me?"

Annabeth was scared out of her wits. This, this feeling she felt for Percy was something new. It was funny and exciting and scary all the same. She liked the fresh change of emotions and outlook in her life. She was like a new kid in a class, in Percy Jackson's class. And with every passing minute, Annabeth found herself being enthralled in learning all of his wonders, his strange way of creeping and occupying her mind. It's scary at the same time, for the reasons that Annabeth didn't have any clue what was waiting at the end of that feeling. And it's a great pain in her ass not to know, because she almost knew everything. Percy believed she knew everything. How she wished Percy was just as easy to read as any other book. Unfortunately, he wasn't.

A sound from the doorbell shook her out of her reverie. Oh yes, Percy was outside her door.

Annabeth hastily grabbed for the door, not wanting to have him wait longer. He might think she's stalling, or doing something or- ugh, she couldn't let him think, period.

"Hey," Percy voiced out. He looked distractingly handsome just by standing outside Annabeth's doorway with that knowing smirk, and it took all of her willpower not to wobble in her step.

He let his sea green eyes linger on her appearance for a moment, before a concerned look glazed over his features. "Uh, Annabeth, are you okay?"

Of course he would ask, Percy pretty much cared about everything including the distraught Annabeth was. Her hair that was previously thrown into a neat ponytail now resembled a bird's nest, while half of it was still in the elastic band. Her supposed to be decent shirt was worn reversely and rumpled, like it had been slept on. And finally, her blue striped pajamas would have been cute, yes, they were cute. But, all in all, this Annabeth wasn't the Annabeth Percy usually sees. This Annabeth was a mess.

Ignoring his question, she glanced up at him. Her grey eyes seemed unfocused and wide. "You need help, right?"

Funny, Annabeth thought. She appeared to be the one needing help right now.

"Annabeth, I-"

She cut him off. "Yeah, sure. Come inside."

He stared at her back, wondering how she knew he's about to apologize. Percy then started to wonder whether she has any clues about what he feels at all.

"Don't mind me. Just a little tired," Annabeth said when she went over to the fridge as Percy sat himself comfortably on her couch, beside an Annabeth pillow. Yes, it smelled like her hair.

He instantly spoke up. "If you're tired, I could just-"

"No, I am fine. Here, take this juice," she insisted, placing a glass of orange juice on the coffee table.

He set his phone down beside the glass before taking a sip. Just the right taste, he thought.

"Alright. Just make yourself comfortable while I go and change into something decent. I look like a mess," Annabeth said with her hands on her hips, her head bowed down to scrutinize her outfit. She scrunched her nose in disgust.

"You don't look like a mess, Annabeth," Percy argued, shaking his head to prove his point. Then, out of the blue, he commented. "I think you're hot."

Annabeth blinked at him, her hand frozen mid-air from where it should have tucked the stray curl back.

And when Percy decided to play his words back that he silently cursed himself for voicing his thoughts out loud. Of course, he could easily form a response from there: a) "I think you're hot. Maybe you have a fever or something that's why you're somehow disoriented." b) " 'I think you're hot', was what Calypso texted me." c) "I think you're hot." And no response from there on. He opted for the last.

Annabeth swallowed thickly. "You think I'm, uh. . .hot?"

Percy's eyes didn't waver from her inquisitive stare. "I think you're hot," he repeated, much certain now than earlier.

Annabeth nodded slowly like she did understood him, when in fact, she has no clue how he thought so. How this disoriented Annabeth could be called 'hot', she didn't know. But, the compliment had her smiling, anyway.

"Uh," Percy continued, like he was trying to explain his reasons. "Since I think it's quite intimate and endearing to see a person in their most disheveled state first thing in the morning yet still managing to be beautiful all the same. Like, uh, waking up perhaps, with a bed head, morning breath and eye dusts but they can still take your breath away with a smile."

A warm, fuzzy feeling had spread all over Annabeth's stomach. Her heart took a double skip and a slow but careful smile broke on her face. How could Percy possibly do this? How could he make her smile, laugh and blush like it was a natural thing to do?

Percy was staring at the floor, wringing his fingers nervously. The sight of him being nervous about it was enough to make her heart fall. He was scared just like Annabeth, and the thought of it weighed down her heart. What they were treading on was an unknown place both of them were curious. And they were taking baby steps towards it.

She smiled to herself. So much for Percy trying not to be a romantic. "Uh. Thanks, Percy. For the compliment. It means so much."

He tentatively looked up but upon seeing the smile on her face, he smiled back, enough to overshadow the light of the morning sun. "No problem."

She gestured to her bedroom door. "So. . .I guess, I shouldn't change since I'm hot and all?"

He beamed. "Get change. You are so hot that I'm almost having third degree burns."

She chucked an apple at him from her fruit basket. "Shut up, Jackson."

He swiftly caught it with his palm. "Thanks, Chase."

Upon entering her door, Annabeth instantly changed into something more comfortable, glad that she didn't have to impress Percy at all. She chose to wear a hoodie and sweat pants before setting her hair into a loose ponytail.

When she came out, Percy was lounging on the couch, flipping an architecture magazine from her rack.

"Hey," she started, to catch his attention. His head easily snapped up to her.

"Hi. Thank goodness. You're back," Percy muttered before scooting over to give her space. She settled beside him.

"So, what do you need help for?"

His face darkened. "Uh, when you told me to break up with Calypso, I did. Well, I tried."

A knot formed in her throat. "How?"

He gripped the arm rest of the couch, hard. "Well, after I took you home, I found her standing outside my porch. I let her in and we talked about it."

Annabeth felt a queasy feeling lurched over her. She hated it. "Then, what happened?"

"I tried to finish it there but she said I was crazy. That I was just confused. She said she'll do everything to get me back. And then she was gone."

"Is it. . .is it true? Are you confused, Percy?"

"No," he answered clearly.

She placed a reassuring hand over his. Annabeth tried to ignore the tingling sensation in her skin. "Then, we'll try to make her understand that."

He smiled at her. "I wonder what happened to the grumpy Annabeth I met on the first day."

"You were smug and stuck up!" she argued.

"Nah. You're just grumpy."

She snorted and glanced at her fridge. "I am hungry."

"So. . .what do you say, I'll buy some food at the nearest store and you tidy up the place?" Percy suggested. He already stood up, beaming down at her. "I'm eager for some food fight, Chase."

"Okay," Annabeth agreed, before pushing him out of her apartment. "Make it fast. I want to see you lose for the second time around."

Percy didn't comment on it, but as he ran down the stairs, he looked back and gave her thumbs down. Annabeth swiftly went back inside, eager to clean her apartment. She hadn't been able to check it for a while, with all the work and schedule were doing to her. But her days had been fun, anyway.

She was in the middle of wiping the dust off from a cabinet when she heard a phone ringing. Annabeth was pretty sure it wasn't hers; after all, it was inside her pocket (her pajamas have pockets), so that meant it had to be Percy's. She tried to ignore it for a couple of seconds but the incessant ringing wouldn't stop and Sebastian's voice was already rocking her ears. So, she's planned on answering it, telling the person that Percy wasn't around and then it's okay. Surely, no one would need to know about the girl who answered.

But then, when she found out who was calling, her blood boiled and there's a bitter taste flooding her mouth. She couldn't even being herself to so much glance at the phone -at the name without disgust, because it was so, so unbearable.

Calypso.

She spat her name like it was the worst curse that had befallen on earth. Or perhaps the worst girl in Annabeth's world.

And there's the feeling of protectiveness that washed over heart. She wanted to protect Percy and his fragile heart and his emotions. Annabeth wanted to tuck him away, to hide him inside her closet so Calypso couldn't see him. So Calypso couldn't hurt him. Annabeth knew she'd probably overthinking this, but hey, when was the time Annabeth Chase didn't overthink things? It was a ridiculous thought, after all. Who was she to hide him? Who was she to deny the world of a beauty that Percy Jackson was?

She picked up Percy's phone and answered the call.

"Hey. Percy-"

Annabeth instantly cut her off. "This isn't Percy."

Her voice was devoid of any softness or traces of being apologetic, it was just plain angry and rude. Normally, Annabeth would fuss about it but then, this was Calypso. The same Calypso who made her boil higher than any boiling point that was ever recorded.

"Oh." Calypso's tone had become gravely and stoic. "Who is this then?"

She should have said the truth: "Hey. This Annabeth, Percy's friend," but she was keen on ruling and acting with her emotions right now that she spent no time thinking about the words that tumbled out of her mouth.

"This is Percy's girlfriend," she swallowed thickly. It's too late to mop and regret and retract her words back. "Annabeth."

"Ah," Annabeth could hear every ounce of jealousy dripping from the girl's voice. "So, my assumptions were right."

She tried to ignore whatever assumptions Calypso was having and instead muttered the words she wanted to throw at her. "Stop bothering Percy. Couldn't you see he's with someone already?"

"Why? Are you threatened by my presence," she spat her name like a mucus, "Annabeth?"

"Why would I be? You do not even qualify as a threat-material, honey," Annabeth replied back, inducing a certain amount of smugness in her voice. She had no idea how she was able to form words like that, but it seemed bitchy enough to annoy the hell out of Calypso.

Her words seemed to have the effect she wanted from the girl. "We aren't done here, Annabeth. We aren't done."

And then the line ended.

Annabeth smirked to herself, quite proud of her accomplishments. But then, after a few a seconds, the reality of the words she said hit her faster than the fastest bullet train.

"Fuck."

She had just invaded Percy's privacy, annoyed the hell out of Calypso and worst of all, she pretended to be his girlfriend without Percy knowing. His girlfriend. Annabeth didn't know what made her say it, but at that moment she felt pride coming off from her when she had announced it. And now, that pride didn't seem to help her in any way possible. How was she supposed to get out of this mess without Percy, Thalia and Oh My Gosh- Jason knowing? It would be such a fucking disaster.

Of course, she could just pretend that the conversation didn't happen, but Calypso didn't seem the type to back off. And with the words she left to Annabeth, the girl was planning something, something that could throw the blonde off guard.

When she heard the front door open and Percy's goofy face came into view, Annabeth used all of her reserves of 'Everyday is a Sunny Day' happy face.

So much for trying to be Percy's girlfriend.

It was when Annabeth and Percy had finished their fourth to the last practice that Calypso showed up. Fortunately, Percy was still in the men's shower room and judging by it, he'll be late for some minutes before he comes out.

So, when Annabeth saw Calypso's face peering out beside the lamp post, she was almost glad Percy wasn't with her.

"Annabeth," Calypso muttered in a form of greeting. She tried to smile at the girl, but it came out as a grimace. An ugly one at that.

"Hi Calypso," Annabeth replied, trying to reduce the hostility as much as possible from her voice.

Calypso crossed her arms over her chest, a defiant look in her face. "I'm going straight to the point. Break up with Percy."

Annabeth's jaw dropped. Break up with Percy? How was she supposed to break up with him when they weren't even together in the first place?

"What are you talking about?"

"You heard me Annabeth," her face morphed into a scowl. "And besides, you owe me a favor, right?"

Her mind flashed back on the memory of them in the bar. The man ogling Annabeth. "But don't you think that costs way too high?"

"I don't care."

"You don't care?" Annabeth's anger rose. "After you left him with those bruises and charred skin and broken heart, you don't care whatever he feels at all? Calypso, are you fucking blind? He needs peace. He needs a fresh start. And that doesn't include you!" Annabeth shouted.

She clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles almost turning white. She knew it wasn't her place to talk about it, she was just pretending, after all. But, she didn't need to be his girlfriend to be able to defend Percy. She was being a friend, a buddy because Percy badly needed it.

Calypso's eyes flared. "He's just confused. You're making him confused. Percy loves me. He'll never want another aside from me. His heart is mine to break."

Annabeth was almost to retort back, but a new voice stopped whatever it was she's about to say.

"I was never yours, Calypso. My heart was never yours."

They both looked up to see Percy standing beside Annabeth, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His mouth was stretched thin and his usually bright sea green eyes were clouded in hatred.

Calypso was startled. She didn't seem to expect his response. "Percy, I- No! You love me. You just don't know it, Percy. You need me."

When he spoke, his voice was thick and hard, lacking of the usual warmth Annabeth had gotten used to. "I don't need you. I never needed you. Stop trying to win me back. This is over. We're long gone, Calypso. Was it that hard to understand?"

Her face was flushed red from anger. She pointed an accusing finger at Annabeth. The blonde flinched. "Was it because of this girl? Because of your new girlfriend?"

Percy's face snapped back to Annabeth, with an incredulous look in his face.

And before he could question what Calypso was saying and before Annabeth had formed a coherent thought in her mind, she locked her fists in his collar and yanked him down to her level, her lips pressing hard against his.

It was more than enough to silence the three of them: Calypso was looking at them, her jaw dropped, Percy was. . . well he's occupied, and Annabeth couldn't even talk with all the sudden rush of feeling flowing all over her body.

At first, Percy's lips were still from the shock, but then he recovered and kissed her back. And when he did, it was hard and passionate, his lightly charred lips wounding over Annabeth's. It took all of her willpower not to wobble slightly, because Percy was making her knees go weak. She was losing her grab of any proper thoughts that was supposed to be in her mind, and instead it was filled with Percy and everything about him.

When Annabeth was able to pull away (That was effing hard, by the way), her breaths were ragged and short, and she whispered hoarsely on Percy's ear, "I'm pretending to be your girlfriend. Play with it."

She expected him to nod or at least squeeze her hand to know that he understood, but instead, he kissed the place where her jaw and neck meet. Annabeth shivered and closed her eyes involuntarily. "Did you have to do that? You could have nod."

He whispered on her ear. "That's how I respond to my girlfriend."

Annabeth backed away to see Calypso's reaction, but the girl had already strutted away. She smirked. "I would love to see her reaction."

Percy placed his hands inside his pockets. He was smiling a little. "She probably freaked out."

Remembering their position, Annabeth took several steps back, blushing madly and refusing to look Percy in the eye. "Right. Uh, sorry about that."

Percy too, kept his gaze on his shoes and his hand rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "We'll have to talk about Calypso."

"Right."

"But the kiss? It was my pleasure."

Ugh. I think I kind of messed it up. I just had to finish Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell last night so I'm having some kind of headache for staying up late. BUT, that means I'm in a hangover from a book, and I'd just have to write something to cure that.

And if you're looking for something dramatic and funny, read Finding Mr. Flood by Ciara Geraghty. It's cool.