Chp 15
Annabeth's POV

I smiled as I woke up to Percy wrapping his arms around my waist and nuzzling his face into my neck. "Morning." He said, kissing my cheek. I turned in his arms to face him. "Morning." I said, smiling softly as sun streamed through the large windows and casted early morning beams onto us.

"How come you're up so early?" I asked, him usually being a 'I like to sleep in when I don't have studies' person. He grinned and cupped my face, rubbing his thumb on my cheek. "Because my self conscious was wanting to see your beautiful face again." He said.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling. He kissed me, and I smiled into it. He pulled me closer, resting his hand on my waist. "Oh, and also we promised my mom we would go to her publishing press conference." He mentioned.

I suddenly perked up, and turned away from him to check the time on my phone. It was a few minutes till eight o' clock. "We should get up." I said, pulling the duvet off my legs. I stood and turned to see him still lying there, propped onto his elbow with a raised eyebrow.

He looked so handsome with his hair being illuminated, and his toned, skin showing as he didn't have a shirt on. "Annabeth." He groaned, lying on his back and covering his face with his hand. I rolled my eyes at his laziness and walked to the closet.

"You're really just going to leave your poor, shirtless boyfriend lonely?" He asked. I thought for a moment before turning to him and saying, "Yeah." He pouted, making him look so adorable. "You're cruel, Annabeth Chase."

I chuckled as I closed the closet and said, "If you want I'll call Melody to come -" he protested, blushing deep red. I grinned triumphantly and went to the bathroom. I got showered and washed myself off.

I got out and changed into a pretty summer dress that came to just below mid thigh and then went back into the room. I felt my skin get really hot as Percy looked up then turned back to getting something out the cupboard, then quickly looked back at me.

I rolled my eyes before going to him and lifting his chin with my finger. "It's rude to stare." I said softly, grinning as he blushed. He took the chance to steal a kiss - but I didn't hesitate in returning it. I left him to go shower as I made my way to the kitchen.

I found Melody there. She was staring into space her coffee untouched in front of her. "Earth to Melody." I said, making her look up and sigh. "Sorry." She apologized, looking back down at her coffee.

"Everything okay?" I asked, trying to be polite. She shrugged. "Did Tony send you an email?" I tried, speaking softer and smiling softly at her. She didn't do or say anything for a few moments, then slowly nodded.

I didn't know how to comfort her sometimes. She didn't want to talk about him when she needed to because she wasn't used to the 'opening up to friends because my heart is broken' thing.

She seemed more secluded and less energetic since he left for Paris. When he had mentioned he was going, I just thought if how great that is for him. And then it came to the day he left and how they acted towards each other at the airport that made me actually think 'oh my gosh, Melody'.

"He said he was fine. He's adjusting to the long hours. He's enjoying it there." She said. "He said he misses all of us. He misses me." She shook her head, rubbing her forehead. "Mel, you dint have to be struggling through this alone. I'm here if you want to talk about it." I said, resting a hand on hers.

"But what is there to talk about? He's gone, I miss him, end of story." She said. She looked up at me. "Annabeth, I don't know what's even happened to me. I just feel so - depressed." I sighed.

"It's only been a month since he left, I understand that you still miss him a lot. We all do. But you have to just throw yourself back at life, it's what he would want you to be doing." I said. I smiled and left her with that to think about as I made myself coffee.

Percy soon joined us, greeting Melody. I felt bad that here I was trying to ease her broken heart and my boyfriend is being all lovable and oblivious. We ate some cereal, chatting lightly amongst ourselves.

"Hey, we should go." Percy said, checking the time. I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my bag. "Bye Mel, see you later." I said, and she waved goodbye with a smile as we left.

We went to the hotel the press conference was being held at. Percy's mom had gotten super credit for her books after she published her first one, and had become one of the best sellers in her series.

We walked in and saw all the people arriving. Sally was chatting away to a group of people with Paul having a conversation with some guy nearby. We went and greeted him first. He smiled, hugging us. We went over to his mom, and waited as she was talking to someone.

The other people saw us and smiled. Sally stopped in the middle of her sentence and turned to see us. She grinned. "Percy, Annabeth! I'm so happy you could come." She gave us both a big hug and then apologized as she turned back ti her conversation.

We found a seat and I heard a beep on my phone. I frowned as I saw a message from one of my lecturing friends. It said to call her if I wasn't busy. So I did as it was still another half hour till this started.

"Hey Ann! Just talked to Bruce." She said, talking about our lecturer. "He's called for our lecture to be changed to today as he has something that has come up tomorrow." She said.

I sighed. "What time?" She was quiet for a moment. "It says here at ten thirty. That's in an hours time." I rubbed my forehead. "Yeah, okay. See you there." I said. She said goodbye and I put my phone in my bag. "Perce, something's come up. I have to go." I said.

He pouted. "Oh." He said. "Okay." I felt bad. This was important to his mom, and his mom was very important to us, so this was very frustrating. I sighed and I stood, gesturing I would be back. I went over to where Sally was getting a drink with this group of people.

"Sally, please do not hate me forever." I started, smiling sheepishly. She chuckled, turning to me. "My lecturer just changed my lecture to today in an hours time, and I can't miss it." I said.

She smiled. "Don't worry my dear, I'm sure you guys would probably get bored anyway." She said, making me chuckle. "Thank you Sally - you so don't have to go to my graduation now." I said, hugging her. "Oh please, it's not the end if the world!" She said, waving it off as if it were nothing.

"I just dint have anyone to keep poor Percy company and entertainment now." She joked, and we both looked over to where Percy was sitting. He raised an eyebrow with a smile and stood. I said goodbye and walked to him.

"You're so making me and the guys supper tonight." He said, making me laugh. "Fine. I'll see you later." I said, kissing his cheek and pulling away to walk out, but he pulled me back towards him and said, "I love you."

I smiled. "I love you too." I said. He grinned, then let me go. I sighed as I walked out to get a cab to my apartment.

~ That evening ~

Will answered the door and smiled, giving me a hug. He let me in, us exchanging the normal 'I'm fine thanks and yourself' greeting. Percy was chatting with Kieran in the kitchen.

They both looked up and Percy beamed. "Hi, enjoy three hours of staring at the bald lecturer?" He asked, smirking at me. "Oh shut up. Just because your mom let you leave because I wasn't there isn't funny." I said, rolling my eyes as I went to their fridge and got out some wine.

He chuckled and kissed my cheek. "Missed you too." He said, casually. "Bruce isn't the most pleasant person to have to listen to for a long time." Will mused. We laughed.

"So what are you making us for supper?" Kieran asked, joking around. "I ordered pizza." I simply said. Percy looked at me. "I thought you were actually making something. I could have done that myself." He said, shaking his head with a smile.

"Okay, first of all I am paying. Second of all, you really wanted me to burn down your kitchen?" They laughed and the Will flipped a book open that was on the table, Kieran checking a message on his phone. "Oh, uh, I had to ask you something." I asked Percy.

He nodded and I said, "Can you, just for some time, not come around to my place for a while?" He frowned. "I mean, it's so soon after Tony has left, and it is kind of like shoving the bitter sweetness into Mel's face with having you there." I explained.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mel still really upset?" Will asked, and I looked over to him, nodding. "Yeah." I said. He thought for a moment. "Can't you, like, talk to her and stuff? I thought girls were good at that kind of stuff?" He asked.

I chuckled. "I could, but she doesn't want to talk about him so there isn't much I can do." I said. It made me smile at how protective he was over her. So as we ate dinner and the evening came to an end, I said goodbye to the guys and Percy convinced me to let him walk be to my car.

As we reached my car, I turned to him. "Please tell me if Mel gets any more cheerful again - we hate seeing her down." He said. I smiled and he kissed me. I true he'd it and pulled away. "Sleep well." I said. He kissed my cheek once more then stepped back and let me get into my car and drive off.