Chapter 4

Author's Note: What's good everyone? Simple's back as always with another new chapter for you all to enjoy. I hope you like it. But before I go can I ask for one teeny tiny favor? I want to reach 25 reviews by the end of this chapter. I know I'm asking a lot but if everyone who reads this latest chapter reviews then we'll destroy my goal. Please help a brother out! Flame away if you must but do me the solid of reviewing. Anyways, that's all from me. Enjoy as always! Special thanks to SeaweedOwlBrain, my favorite Co-Author that I've ever had the pleasure of working with.

Annabeth POV

Percy and I looked over at the entrance to the shop. I immediately recognized the attractive redhead who's always hanging all over Percy.

Rachel.

The name in and of itself almost made me puke. So what, did Percy invite her here to fuck with me or was her arriving just a coincidence? Either way the answers needed to start coming fast or shit was about to hit the fan.

Percy POV

Oh fucking shit! Was the first thought to race into my mind. Rachel freaking Dare, again! Just from the look on Annabeth's face I knew I was totally screwed no matter what I would say. Her glare could have made the stoutest of hearts quake. I was scared shitless, trust me.

Rachel was quick to notice my presence, almost like she was drawn to me or some weird shit. Then she saw Annabeth. I swear, the glares being cast across the room would have made any mere man tremble in his boots.

Rachel sauntered over towards us, a smile now covering up the immense hate just displayed across her face that she had for Annabeth.

"Hey Percy, fancy meeting you here." Rachel said to me, without even acknowledging Annabeth's presence. "So why are you taking out the trash?"

Annabeth's face lit up at Rachel's snide comment. I felt the need to defend Annabeth.

"You know she can hear you right?" I asked Rachel.

"Well I heard blondes were not only dumb but also deaf so I wasn't too sure." She responded.

Ouch! Shots had definitely been fired.

Annabeth stood up and looked Rachel right in the eyes.

"You know Rachel, you're a real bitch." Annabeth started, "No wonder Percy was just telling me why you two aren't a thing."

Now it was Rachel's turn for her cheeks to change to the color of her hair.

I'm glad there was a table between these two, otherwise they would have been strangling each other. Everyone in the coffee shop was staring at us and the girls didn't even seem to give two shits, which succeeded in only heightening the intensity of the situation. I definitely needed to diffuse this mess and fast, otherwise this was going to turn into a giant shitstorm. The last thing I needed was to be in the middle of another fight, especially not a cat fight.

Rachel was quick to answer Annabeth's rap of her reputation with me, "Yeah, well at least I'm not the one staying in an abusive relationship with a complete asshole!"

That stopped me dead in my tracks. I hadn't expected to hear that come out Rachel's mouth in a million years. I looked at Annabeth and just from the expression on her face I could read two things. One, that she hadn't expected that either and two, that it was true. The hurt that flashed briefly across her beautiful features told me everything I needed to know. Someone had seen or said something, that much was obvious.

You could hear the "Oohs" from around the shop.

And that's when I finally decided to step-in, unwilling to let this continue. "Come on Annabeth, let's get out of here." I held out my hand to her.

Annabeth speedily rejected it. "No thanks Percy. I'm not going anywhere else with you."

For the second time I felt myself thinking Ouch! That one hit home for sure.

"And as I was saying Percy, before we were rudely interrupted, was that there isn't and never will be an us. I'm with Luke and you need to accept that." And on that note Annabeth stormed out of the little cafe.

I was on hot pursuit following her out the door but not before scowling at Rachel for her actions.

"Annabeth, please wait, don't leave…"

She spun around, tears streaming from her eyes. "Why should I Percy? You all but threw me under the bus, allowing her to walk all over me. What excuse do you have for me this time?"

To be honest, I had none left. There was no plausible excuse for my actions. "Annabeth," I said. "I'm sorry I let her say the things she did but I can't control Rachel, she's her own person. Besides, you're being entirely too irrational."

And that's when I realized I had most definitely said the wrong thing. Tears still running her face reddened and she screamed, "I'm being irrational?! Last I checked you were the one who beat the shit out of a defenseless guy!"

"That's not fair," I stated. "I did that for you."

"No," She said. "You didn't do that for me, you did it in my name. Huge difference. Now if you'll excuse me Percy I got to go."

Wiping tears from her eyes she opened the door to her Porsche. I grabbed her wrist in a desperate attempt to remedy my actions.

"Please don't do this Annabeth." I pleaded.

She wrenched her wrist from my grasp. "You made your decision Percy, now I'm making mine." With that she jumped into her car, backed out, and sped off.

It's funny, with Annabeth going as she had I felt a hole start to form in my heart. I found it odd considering I barely knew the blonde head turner who happened to be a California native. Who knew I'd fall for a California girl.

I turned back to the shop, dreading having to return to face Rachel. I walked back towards an inevitable discussion.