I'M A HORRIBLE PERSON! I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOUR-ISH MONTHS! ARGHHHHHHHHHH.

Okay, to make up for my sins, I will be posting chapters ATLEAST once a week till the story ends. I could post two or more, but I WILL post atleast one. Thank you all for not burning my door down.

Chapter 11: And Then, Call Me.

"Why the hell would you do that?" Percy yelled, the second the door shut.

"Look, I'm sorry-" she began calmly.

"No, you're not going to play the 'I'm your mother and I'm concerned' card! Could you, for once, keep out of my fucking nose business and let me live my life?"

"You're swearing at your mother, Percy."

"I'm gonna go find her." Percy said, fumbling for his coat and keys.

"Can you listen to me for just a second?"

"Jesus, fine. What, you're going to tell me she's a mass murderer now?"

"Why did you fall in love with Annabeth?"

"What?" Percy stared at her. He had a million sentences defending Annabeth mentally prepared.

"Um, well, she was my best friend, and she always knew what to do, and she would never take my shit."

"She was strong. I liked her." Sally said quietly.

"She is strong." Percy said defiantly.

Sally looked at Percy sadly. "Look, I don't have some personal vendetta against Annabeth, okay? I just think that…."

"What?" Percy pounced.

"She's confused. And if you end up wanting her again, there's a big chance you'll be rejected all over again."

"You're paranoid because you're my mom, okay? She does know what she wants, and if I can just find her and apologize-"

"Don't be naïve, Percy. Where do you think she is? At her hotel room, crying? She's with Ryan right now."

Percy glared at her. "How can you be so sure?"

"Percy, I've learned a few things over my fifty years of existence."

Percy broke out in a cold sweat. The more he thought about it, the more he could see Annabeth laughing with Ryan in his hotel room. He fought to keep the glare on his face.

"Go early in the morning Percy. After a good night's sleep." Sally said, tugging on his arm. "I'm sorry, whatever happens."

It was anything but a good night's sleep. Percy tossed, then turned, and then tossed again, not sure why Annabeth being with Ryan affected him so much. He'd had girlfriends walk out on him before for other men, but it was always just followed with a shrug and a 'Screw you' from him.

He thought it would be somewhat acceptable to go at seven o'clock in the morning (basically when he couldn't wait any longer). He slipped out of the house and headed to his and Ryan's hotel.

The cab ride went by in an instant and he found himself walking through the revolving doors, hoping and praying that she wasn't there. He got a heart attack when he saw a mane of blonde hair, realizing it was the hotel concierge when she turned around.

Percy tapped his foot nervously. He didn't know exactly which room Ryan was staying at. Should he wait in the lobby? What would he even do if he found her there?

Just as the thought sprung to his mind, he saw her.

She was laughing, looking over her shoulder at the elevator, out of which Ryan stepped out, doubled over in laughter. Percy's legs froze to the ground. He felt a pang in his chest.

She had spotted him. The smile slid off her face in an instant. She said something to Ryan and he nodded in assent, sitting down in one of the chairs in the lobby.

An instant later, he was being pulled to one side, almost out of Ryan's view. Almost.

"Why did you come?" She asked.

"Were you with him last night?" He demanded at the same time.

"No, I just, I mean yes. I'm sorry." She said softly.

"You're sorry? You regret doing whatever you did with him- and I have a pretty good idea of what you did with him- last night?" He said loudly, causing Ryan to look up, finally. He looked confused when he saw Percy. They locked eyes, Percy beckoning him to come closer.

The cameramen had also showed up. Perfect.

"I- look, I wanted to give him a chance, okay? Explore my options. I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"So, my mother badmouths you, and you run away feeling hurt, and that night, you decide to give Ryan a chance? Why not before then?" Ryan was walking over to them. The cameramen were following curiously.

"Okay, going to him was a mistake. I shouldn't have done that."

"It was a mistake." Ryan said softly, causing Annabeth to whip her head around. Her face was white.

"No! I just meant-"

"You meant it was a mistake, Annabeth. Stop telling us what we want to hear. You told me you loved me last night." Ryan spoke again.

Percy felt hollow inside. "What do you actually think of us, Annabeth? Neither of us know." he forced his words out.

She was staring at both of them, speechless. "I'm just trying to give both of you a chance, I'm really sorry." She finally said.

Percy's anger was replaced by a lump in his throat.

"That's the problem. You keep saying sorry. I fell in love with the old Annabeth, the one who wouldn't have apologized for giving us both a chance. You would have kicked my ass if I had questioned you in a hotel lobby like this. I thought I liked you being vulnerable, but this… Annabeth, she's not vulnerable, she's majorly confused. You don't know which one of us you like, but you keep telling both of us you love us." Percy said sadly, stepping away from her.

"Stop screwing with us, Annabeth." Ryan followed suit.

Annabeth looked at both of them, tears welling up in her eyes. She realized she was about to cry, and blinked them back fast. That small action caused Percy to smile. She did that all the time when they were sixteen, when times got tough.

"I understand." She said. "You're welcome to go, both of you. Off the show. Talk to the host, though. He'll kill me if you just disappear without telling him."

"I'm going home, Annabeth. Thanks." Ryan said, touching her arm.

"Figure it out. I'm not asking you to be exactly like what you were when we were seventeen- people change. Figure out who you are now, and then, call me." Percy said.

Ryan called the host and informed him they were both leaving. It was in the contract they signed- they could leave at any time. Even so, Percy heard a wail from the other side of the phone call.

Percy and Ryan said goodbye, and then walked out of the hotel.

Leaving Annabeth there, alone. She had some figuring out to do.

THE STORY IS NOT OVER YET, PEOPLE. THERE WILL STILL BE CHAPTERS.

Predict what you think will happen next. And review. Please. Praise, feedback, critism, what you ate for breakfast, anything.

I will post another chapter in less than a week. Or a week at maximum. Yeah.