Chapter Twelve

"You're going out with Percy Jackson?!" Piper practically screamed. Apparently she had noticed the little exchange we had had earlier, and ambushed me the second we got into my room. Jason sunk into the bean bag in the far corner, Piper sitting on his lap and Thalia taking the bed, placing the pillow over her face. "Yeah I kind of am"

"Since when?"

"Last night I guess" the words sounded weird as I said them I sank into the desk chair "I thought you were tutoring last night? That's why you missed the party"

"we did do that. We then went and had dinner"

"Where did he take you" this. This is what I had wanted to avoid. Usually when it came to boyfriend talk, I was on the sidelines looking in, watching as the other two gossiped on everything to do with their men. Now I had a man.

Jason groaned from beneath Piper, hiding his face in her shoulder. They had been sentenced to my room by mum, until she could contact their parents. His face had gone hard in a kind of protective way when Piper had first asked, whipping out his phone and texting someone in a fury.

"His mothers restaurant"

"Oh Jacksons, that's such a nice first date place"

"Yeah, It was" I smiled, thinking it over. "We then went down to the beach" I didn't want to tell them the details. What we had talked about, what was said at the restaurant "And last night was such a nice night as well. What was the first kiss like?"

"it was nice?" not really knowing what to say.

"Nice?!" Piper exclaimed, making Thalia groan from beneath the pillow "did you at least feel something?"

"You're kidding me right" how could I explain it with out it coming out as some crappy romance novel Grandma loved to read. I didn't see the fireworks, but I defiantly felt something everywhere. And the world disappeared around us. Last night it had felt like it was just Percy and I on the beach. While five miles away my friends were trespassing on someone's land naked.

"Details girl"

"Piper, please not all of us want to hear the details" poor Jason being subjected to an onslaught of girl talk. He wasn't usually around when this subject was bought up, off playing basketball or something with his guy friends, with Percy. "Well guess what, you don't have a choice" she smiled, giving him a kiss on the cheek before resting her head back into his shoulder and turning back towards me.

"It was the most mind blowing kiss I have ever experienced. Happy now?" I asked, ready for the questions to be over.

"Yes, yes I am" she smiled. Thalia grumbled, throwing the pillow at me "so what's the status now?" she asked a little groggy. I lover her seriously, even when she was feeling like crap, if boy talk was happening, she wanted to be a part of it. Jason had completely switched off right now, typing away on his phone instead of listening to us.

"Well he did call me his girlfriend today" the smile was back, the giant jaw aching one. I loved being called girlfriend, and calling Percy my boyfriend."That must have been a hell of a date" Thalia exclaimed, her mind going to a place that I wish I didn't know as well as I did. "We didn't have sex Thalia"

"Thank god" Jason added, his eyes getting serious now "I don't want you rushing into anything too serious Annie"

"Yes dad"

"I'm serious. I couldn't pick a better guy then Percy, but he is a guy. And I know how guys think"

"Jason. I'm not ready for that yet" I insisted, knowing I was the truth. I was a long way off before that day came, even if I had been crushing on the guy since the start of sophomore year "Good. And if he hurts you"

"You'll be the first to know" I assured him. Piper got up from her place so Jason could move and give me a hug. Growing up, I wish I had had a brother. But I had one now. And I loved it.

The next morning, two things happened, my nose brace came off – finally. My nose was still a little tender but the bruising had gone down and it was back to it's original setting. And the parents came to collect their children. Mum had called, and to say they were beyond pissed was an understatement. Phones, iPods, laptops and cars had all been taken away with complaining from my friends. Guess the usual weekend ritual would be disrupted for several weeks because the Grace's looked ready to kill.

Ms. Grace looked stunning as usual, her blond hair flowing in the wind as she ripped her kids a new one, their father just standing to the side on his phone. Yeah, wasn't really the best family situation with them. She was a lawyer working long hours, and he was the CEO of one of the biggest computer companies. Rich but absent parents, which is why mum had basically adopted them. But with Thalia's car out of commission they hadn't really been able to get here for breakfast like they usually did.

Piper's dad on the other hand. He was an actor, something that Piper didn't want made public. She stayed away from the designer, refusing to throw her fathers name around, and while they were close and he loved her, he was also pretty absent, choosing to leave Piper home alone most of the time. And it worked. But without a mother it was hard. Cue Athena Chase, Pseudo mum of the year.

To see Tristan standing in the doorway talking to my mum about Piper was something major, but at least he wasn't shouting and dragging Piper out of the door. They second they left with a hug goodbye, I got a text from Percy asking if I wanted to hang out with him. With a yes form mu, I went to go spend my Saturday with my boyfriend.

Sunday dinner came around fast, and soon mum, dad and I were standing outside the Jackson house, mum holding a bottle of wine in her hands. Thankfully it was a casual occasion, which mean I could wear my jeans – thought not the pair in the back of my wardrobe with all those holes in that mum threatened to cut up – and a smartish top. I didn't look too bad if I do say so myself.

Sally welcomed us in with a warming smile, and the familiar surroundings of the house came into view. The giant window that over looked the ocean, the sea theme. But because I had seen it before I could focus more on my boyfriend.

"Wow seaweed brain" I smiled, stepping into his arms as kissing him lighter then I would have liked because dad was standing right there and he still wasn't fully comfortable with me dating "You clean up nice" he was wearing black jeans, a random California top with a surfer on it with a button up over the top, the sleeves rolled up. "Thank you wise girl, you always look beautiful" he said, leading us towards his parents.

I finally met his dad, or Step-dad as Percy had explained. Phill stood tall against Sally and you could tell that they were very much in love. He was the only father Percy had ever known, and standing together in the living room they looked like a family.

The introductions went down, the conversation started flowing and everything was going smoothly as Percy grabbed my hand, leading me away from the kitchen. Thankfully Sally was picking dad's brain on his latest book for him to notice us disappear "and where do you think you're taking me seaweed brain?" I laughed, climbing the stairs with him ahead of me, still holding my hand "I am sneaking some alone time with my girlfriend" he said, opening the door to what I could only assume was his bedroom.

"Finally" he whispered pressing his body to mine and crashing his lips to mine the second the door shut behind us.