Chapter One: When Life Goes Wrong

Annabeth woke to the soft patter of rain on her window sill. She rubbed sleep from her eyes.

Work was suspended that day, and no one was allowed out of doors until noon when The Matching began.

Annabeth felt no anxiety about the outcome of the ceremony. She wished she could see Luke beforehand, but of course, she would see him walking towards her after their names were called and she would see him afterwards in their new city issued apartment.

Annabeth spent a longer time than usual in the shower, washing her hair, and humming to herself. After she climbed out she had a quick breakfast of oatmeal and dried fruit. In books she had read, people had mentioned eating fresh fruit, but Annabeth had never tried any. It wasn't available at reasonable prices.

Annabeth worked on her blueprint for several hours - she was still not satisfied with the layout of the ground floor. She tweaked the placement of several walls and moved the entire kitchen to a different location, feeling that it should be closer to the living and dining rooms.

At eleven Annabeth began to ready herself for the ceremony. There were two colors that you could wear to the ceremony: white and gray (the colors of Olympia). Annabeth had selected a gray fit-and-flare dress. She had found that the color made her eyes stand out. She applied the minimal makeup she had been given with the dress, and pulled her hair back in a simple braided twist. She surveyed herself in the mirror, suddenly anxious to look her best for Luke, though she knew he wouldn't care as long as she was his match. Which she would be.

The ceremony took place in the middle of the city square. Girls stood on the right side of a large archway, and boys stood on the left. In the middle was a raised slab of concrete that was several inches higher than the surrounding pavement. When a match was called, the two who had been matched went to stand on the slab, to say their vows. The ceremony was simple but significant in the lives of the participants.

As Annabeth stood in line she worried the hem of her dress. She'd spotted Piper, her dress wrinkled and her face tearstained, but hadn't been able to speak with her.

An Olympian official began to speak from a projection that materialized in the air right above the archway.

"Good Afternoon." The official said.

Annabeth met Luke's eyes from across square. She gave him a wide smile and he returned it. See you soon, Annabeth mouthed. Luke might not have understood, but he still smiled.

The official began to call out the names of girls in alphabetical order according to last names. Annabeth was relaxed when she heard her her name called. She stepped forward, ready to hold hands with Luke and say their vows, make their promises to Olympia. Then the official announced the name of her match, and it wasn't Luke. Annabeth's vision blurred. Blood roared in her ears.

Percy Jackson, the official had called.

Percy Jackson, not Luke Castellan.

Annabeth walked up to the slab. She felt like she was in a dream. The colors, the sounds, were so odd, so unexpected that they could only be the product of a sleeping mind. A boy with dark hair and startlingly green eyes walked up and stood next to her. Annabeth remembered that they needed to hold hands. The thought repulsed her. Percy Jackson's hand was not the hand she was supposed to hold. Percy Jackson was not the person she was supposed to say her vows with.

Annabeth choked out her responses, her throat clogged, and her eyes burning with held back tears. Her mind blared one thought: this wasn't supposed to happen.

She finished her vows and walked over to the small area where the rest of the matched waited.

When Luke joined the group of matched couples, clutching the hand of a girl with bright red hair, Annabeth felt that her heart was cracking open.

The government issued apartment was drab. The walls were solid glass and Annabeth had a view of the city, but the inside of the apartment was unadorned. There were a few pieces of white furniture scattered around the main room, and several stools were lined up at a high counter in the kitchen, there was a bed in one room but nothing else. Annabeth's stomach had turned when she realized that she was expected to share a bed with Percy.

Now dinner had come and gone, and it was almost time to go to bed. Annabeth had changed into a light blue nightgown. She felt embarrassed in it in front of Percy. It had been intended for Luke.

She felt her stomach turn again as she realized that Luke would soon be sharing a bed with the red head he'd been matched with.

As she got ready for bed, brushing her teeth and washing her face, she heard the bed shifting and knew Percy had climbed into it. Sure enough, when she stepped out of the bathroom, he was in bed. She flushed when she saw his eyes flick over her nightgown. Then she felt anger. He was never supposed to see her in it. He wasn't supposed to be her match.

Annabeth climbed into the bed. She found it too small. She wanted more space between Percy and herself. Her leg brushed against Percy's and she quickly pulled it away.

Percy cleared his throat. "Um, Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Annabeth mummered.

She felt something breaking down inside of her and hot tears wet her cheeks.

And once she began to cry, she couldn't stop. Tears dripped down her nose and cheeks and she felt Percy's eyes on her. "Sorry, I just-" she stopped. She couldn't tell him.

But he guessed anyway. Shifted uncomfortably, he asked,"You thought you'd be matched with someone else?"

Annabeth nodded and turned her head away slightly.

She nestled deeper into the covers and her pillow dried her tears. But she continued to cry, big hiccuping sobs that made her body shake. She felt Percy shift beside her and then everything fell silent.

In the morning Annabeth slipped out of the house in search of Luke's address. He was in the same highrise and she had overheard his address while apartments were assigned. She had to see him, even though she was not allowed to visit him without Percy. She found his apartment quickly and rang the bell. Then she remembered that Luke also had a match and she was most likely home. She was about to turn away when Luke opened the door.

"Annabeth!" He said, a smile lighting up his face.

Annabeth launched herself into his arms after Luke had shut the door. She looked around for any sign on Luke's match. "Rachel, the girl I was matched with, that's her name, is out. She went to the yoga studios on Eighth Street. She's really serious about yoga -actually she wants to teach it. She'll be gone for a while."

Luke said.

Annabeth curled up next to him on the couch, tucking her feet underneath her. She leaned against Luke's shoulder. "I don't understand why we weren't matched." She whispered.

"I don't either." Luke frowned.

"But we can see each other while Rachel does her yoga. No one will ever know." Annabeth said.

Luke exhaled and leaned his head back. "I'm not sure Annabeth. We have partner's now, and if we were caught…"

"But we won't be caught."

Luke's eyebrows pulled together. "Annabeth, we could be. You know that."

Annabeth looked him straight in the eye, holding his gaze for a long moment. "Answer this question: do we love each other?"

Luke nodded and a smile tugged at his lips. "We do."

"Then it's settled."

Annabeth wrapped her arms around Luke and for a moment everything felt like it was going to be okay again.