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Chapter Two

A Bit of Partying

Annabeth POV

The limo pulled smoothly up to a brightly lit building. I stared out the tinted window and saw formally dressed party guests streaming in, laughing and mingling. A tingle of nervousness slipped down my spine. This was where I'd meet the boy I would be pretending to love for the next six months.

"Thanks, Dre. I'll text you when the party's over, 'kay?" I pushed open the door.

The driver tipped his hat. "Have a good time, Miss Chase."

I emerged to a barrage of flashes. A thick pool of paparazzi instantly surrounded the car, shouting questions. The doorway was only twenty feet away, but it took us fifteen minutes to get there.

The party was in full swing by the time I entered, Rachel and Thalia hanging onto my arms. Rachel was striking in a flame-red minidress and black pumps. Thalia was in her usual black, this time in the form of a knee-skimming lace backless dress.

"So." Rachel elbowed me in the ribs. "You ready to meet your hot lifeguard love?"

"So ready." I said sarcastically, mimicking her suggestive tone.

We circled once around the massive ballroom. By the time we reached the refreshments table Rachel had darted off, screaming about an Olympic swimmer. I scanned the crowd for a familiar face and steered Thalia over to meet the director.

"Hello," I said politely.

The man turned. He was short and paunchy, wearing a bright leopard-print blazer and matching pants over a neon-purple dress shirt. A glass of wine dangled from his fingers and from the way he was swaying, it probably wasn't his first.

"I should've brought my sunglasses," Thalia said under her breath. I elbowed her.

He smiled thinly. "You must be Arabella Crane."

"Annabeth Chase, actually. This is my friend Thalia. It's great to meet you, Mr. Die—I mean, Mr. Deyo—"

"Mr. Dionysus." He pronounced it dee-yon-ee-sus. "But you can call me Mr. D." He took a big gulp from the glass in his hand and smoothed his overgelled black hair.

"Mr. D, then. I'm so honored to be starring in your movie." I told him.

"Sir," he corrected.

I could tell I wasn't going to like this particular director. "I'm so honored to be starring in your movie, Sir."

"Naturally." He inspected his nails.

Before I could say anything more, Thalia pulled me away. "That man is a nightmare," she huffed. "And he's your boss?"

"I know. Maybe I could—"

I was cut off as the first notes of a loud, punk-rock song blared out over the speakers. Thalia let go of my arm. "I love this song!" she squealed, throwing herself onto the packed dance floor.

I smiled but chose not to follow her. The green dress I was wearing was a little…short for dancing. I turned to make my way back to the refreshments table, caught my new heels in a speaker cord, and tripped right into two muscular arms.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. Thanks, I hope I didn't—" I untangled myself from the guy and stared up into two familiar sea-green eyes.

Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.

The boy smirked. "Wise Girl. Still clumsy. You haven't changed a bit."

~Annabeth Flashback~

"Oh my god! I hate you!" I sprinted away from the boy chasing me.

"Hate's a strong word." He caught up and grabbed the back of my shirt.

"It should be, because I'm feeling very strongly about you right now!" I retorted. Seeing the mischievous twinkle in his eye, I quickly added, "And not in a good way!"

"Oh, Wise Girl, you know you want some of this." He gestured to his swim trunks and shirtless top half, snickering.

I couldn't help but gag. "Excuse me? Like I would ever be caught dead—Whatever." I turned and stormed away.

"Hey. What'd I do?" He planted himself in front of me, but the corners of his lips curved up and the humor was clear in his eyes.

"You pushed me into the lake from the high-dive board. And I don't know how to swim!" I placed both hands on his chest and shoved hard. He didn't budge.

"You fell in!" He said. "It's not my fault you're so…clumsy."

"Just leave." I sidestepped him and made for the thirteen-year-old girls' cabin.

"I can't!" He called after me. "You're stuck with me…all...summer…long…"

~End of Flashback~

I snapped out of flashback mode to see Percy Jackson, bane of my existence, staring at me. He shook his head in mock-disappointment.

"Still the same spacey Wise Girl."

The hated nickname ignited my fury. Memories of the four tortuous years of summer camp I'd had with him flooded my brain till I could hardly speak.

He looked me up and down, a smirk touching his lips. "You haven't changed at all. It's actually quite disappointing. And I see I can still get under your skin. Just like the old days, eh?"

"Very much like the old days." I replied, matching his tone. "Why are you here, Seaweed Brain?" I pushed as much venom as I could into the sentence.

He ignored the nickname. It didn't annoy him a much as Wise Girl annoyed me. "Didn't you hear? I'm in a movie." He smirked. "This is a cast party, right? I'm cast."

I gripped the edge of a table, the world beginning to spin. "You're…starring…in my movie?"

"That's what I just said. Guess you aren't so much of a Wise Girl after all." Percy crossed his arms and leaned against a chair across from me.

A horrifying thought occurred to me. "You're not playing Nate Copely, are you?"

"The lifeguard? Yeah, why?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Oh…my…god." He was my love interest? I was having a serious talk with Mr. D, because I just could not pretend to—oh god, I was going to pretend to love him! I couldn't even stand in the same room as him without blowing up. How was I supposed to spend six months with him pretending we were in love?

Anyone but Percy…Anyone…The whole world went black.

When I came to the world was rocking. I smelled men's cologne and coughed.

"Finally." Percy's voice penetrated to me. "I thought I was going to have to give you the Heimlich."

The rocking stopped but the pressure on my back remained. I looked up. Percy smirked down at me, and I abruptly realized I was sitting in his arms, bridal style.

"Ugh!" I flailed and he tightened his grip. "Let me down!" I demanded.

"Nope," he smirked, knowing I hated every minute of it. "You might faint again."

"Faint? " I started, and then remembered. My love interest…for a second I felt like passing out again. "Put me down now."

"Okay." He dumped me unceremoniously in a chair. "You're heavy."

I spun and stomped off, wishing I'd never come to the party at all. Percy caught up in three easy strides.

"Wise Girl." He grabbed my wrist. "What's wrong?"

He was actually pretending to care. I shook him off. "Don't call me that."

"What? Oh, Wise Girl?" He snickered.

"Just leave me alone." I set off, looking around for Rachel and Thalia. If I stayed a shouting match would ensue, I was sure of that.

Percy mock-frowned. "Is Annie Beth in her time of month?" he asked in a baby voice, poking me in the side.

"Don't touch me. Where's Rachel?" I scanned the crowd.

"You mean the redhead? She's over there." He grabbed my waist and turned me around. "And she looks like she's having fun." He snickered into his glass of champagne, which he'd taken from a passing waiter.

I pulled his hand off and saw Rachel. She was sitting on the lap of a random guy in a gray blazer.

"Rachel!" I yelled. "Get over here!"

She looked up and sighed, but came over. "Why? It's barely nine. Can't we stay longer? What are you, twelve?" She pulled her dress down, as it was approaching obscene.

"No." I grabbed her hand and yanked her along.

"Annabeth!" Percy dropped his champagne and chased after me.

"Whoa." Rachel planted her heels. "You know Percy Jackson?"

"So what if I do?" I tried in vain to get her moving.

Rachel leaned in. "So what if you know the youngest swimmer to earn six gold medals? So what if you know the mega-hot Calvin Klein underwear model?"

Behind her Percy snickered. He'd heard her last comment.

"I do, and I really, really wish I didn't. Help me find Thalia." I went on my toes, scanning the pulsating crowd in front of the DJ.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" Rachel demanded.

"It wasn't important." I snapped.

"Wasn't important—" Rachel spluttered, but I'd already located Thalia and started dragging both of them to the exit. Percy followed.

"Why are we leaving?" Thalia tried to pull her hand away. "I just requested the DJ to play 'Skulls of Darkness'!"

"I met someone." I dragged them out into the cool night, amid a haze of flashbulbs. I texted Dre quickly and waited for my ride.

Rachel quickly filled Thalia in on the Percy Jackson thing. I ignored her.

Percy came up behind me. "Can I buy you a drink?"

"We're underage," I snapped. And I wouldn't go if you paid me.

He winked. "Doesn't stop me."

Dre pulled up, thankfully. I opened the door and slid in. Rachel and Thalia climbed in next. I leaned over and slammed the door, then locked it for good measure.

"Hey." Percy knocked on my window. "Call me." He grinned and held up his iPhone.

"Go, Dre. Full speed." I said.

We tore away, Percy's laughs ringing in my ears.


Percy POV

I laughed as the car pulled away, imagining Annabeth fuming inside. Taunting her never got old. Sure, she looked good, but on the inside she was sour and bitter. Like a piece of moldy pie.

I returned to the party and immediately ran into Nico. He was panting.

"Why do you look like you've been chasing after a girl?" I asked him. His spiky black hair was flat with sweat, and his normally olive-pale cheeks were reddish.

"Because I have. I was dancing with the most beautiful girl—she had wavy black hair and knew every word to 'Flames of Death'…and then her crazy blond friend pulled her away. I didn't even get her number." He sighed.

"What did she look like?" I loosened my tie and frowned. It still smelled like Annabeth.

"Blue eyes, black hair, adorable freckles, black lace dress…" he recited quickly. "Name's Thalia. It's a really pretty name…I tried some of your pickup lines, she seemed to like them. Thanks, man."

"No problem." I thought back to the girl Annabeth had called Thalia.

"Good news. I think you'll be seeing a lot of her."

Nico's eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Yeah. You know her crazy blond friend? That was Annabeth Chase."

His mouth opened and closed like a fish, but no sound came out. I continued, "I know her from way back. She's in the movie, and Thalia is her best friend. So it's guaranteed you'll see her again. I'll even get you her number."

"You know Annabeth Chase the famous actress?" he finally managed.

"Yeah."

"Does she…like you?"

I laughed. "Most definitely not."