Chapter 23

The party was fun for Leo. He didn't mean to force himself saying that cause it wasn't true. Leo was having fun. Leo was having fun. Leo was havi- Oh who was he kidding, Leo was too distracted to be having 'fun'.

The realization came to Leo as he finally comprehended the fact that Beckendorf was going to MIT for college. This was news to him at the time. He was shocked at the time, he now realizes that it shouldn't have been a surprise for Leo. Beckendorf was a genius and cool. He appealed to both the nerds and the jocks at the school. That was something. Of course, the college talk made Leo consider about his own future, to which Leo was quite ready for. To be honest, Leo hated talking about college and he hated talking about the future. He hated change. Why couldn't things be just the way there are? He didn't want Beckendorf to leave the workshop. He didn't want to graduate and he didn't want to leave anywhere. He had good friends, a good school, and overall a comfortable life. Why did things have to change?

As he was cursing the world and time itself, he felt bad for being a bad date for Calypso. He didn't try to be, he really didn't, but he couldn't help but have his high school existential crisis at the party. It's an everyday problem for all of us.

Calypso was laughing as she wiped a sweat off her brow when she came outside the dance hall to join Leo. She seemed in a really good mood and Leo thought she was cute when she laughed.

"Hey," Calypso, despite her laughing, noticed Leo's mood. "What's troubling you?"

Leo shrugged. "It's nothing, sunshine. Not anything this bad boy can't handle."

"I know you, Repair Boy," she said. Calypso crossed her arms and waited.

There was an awkward silence as Calypso was attempting to pry an answer off of Leo while he did his best to stay quiet (which doesn't happen often).

"Geez," she said, rolling her eyes. "You sure are stubborn."

He stuck his tongue out in retaliation. "You're the one to talk."

"Touché. But I'm not saying this to insult you, Leo. I'm saying this out of my own concern for you. So please, be honest with me."

Leo sighed. He always hated it when she got sincere with him.

"I don't like change."

"Hm?"

"I said," Leo said with a struggle. "I don't like change. I don't like the idea of Charlie leaving me alone in the workshop."

"Hey," she sternly said. "You're not alone anymore. You have me now."

"I- I know, but still," Leo said. "I have a feeling that this is going to be the last time this happens. Things change. Nothing lasts forever in life. Soon enough, we're all going to college. I know, I know, that's in a year or so but I don't want it to happen."

"How so?" she gently asked.

"I finally found friends, Calypso. For the longest time, I was alone. I finally found a place where I feel like I truly belong and it doesn't feel good to know that it's not going to last. I'm going to be out of place again and there's nothing I can do to change that."

Leo sat down, leaning against the wall. He felt the music bump against his back, but he ignored it. Calypso joins him as she sat next to him. He felt himself on a roll so he continued. "Everyone is going to be fine without me. Frank- even if he's shy- is a good dude who's going to make friends easily. Travis? He's such a respectable, funny guy that he's going to find his own place anywhere he goes. Jason and Percy just naturally attract people. You know that no matter where they go, people will follow them. And me? I'm no use. I'm going to be the seventh wheel again. It's not fair. I finally found a home to care about, and it hurts to know that it's going to be gone."

Calypso sat there, digesting his words carefully. "You're scared to be left alone," she noted.

Leo shrugged, almost as if he was ashamed to admit it. "I mean, yeah. I guess."

She hugged her legs up as she rested her head on her shoulders. Leo stiffened up but Calypso took no notice of his awkwardness. She continued the conversation as if nothing happened. "I used to be afraid being alone too. I mean, I still do. I can still feel trapped in my house."

Leo stared ahead as he remembered when Percy talked about Calypso's past. "You're here now. You're free." He tried to comfort her.

It was Calypso's turn to shrug. "Maybe I am free under legal terms. But I can still feel myself trapped at my home." She shuddered at the thought of it. "This is all new to me."

"Pardon?"

"This," she gestured to the school, her dress, and to Leo. "Everything is new to me. The city, high school, romance…. Everything I thought I would never get to experience is now finally here. And there's something essential that I learned with these recent experiences."

"And what's that?" Leo asked in curiosity.

"Life goes on, Leo," she simply stated.

"Excuse me?" Le asked incredulously. "You mean to tell me that after all I've been saying, all you got to say is to 'suck it up'?"

Calypso sighed. "No! Of course, that's not what I meant. But Leo, change is inevitable in life."

"I know, that's why it sucks."

Calypso just shook her head but gave him a meaningful smile. "Yeah, change is inevitable, but don't you get it?"

"Get what?" he asked.

"That everything that happens to you is temporary. So that you're allowed to truly appreciate the good times when they come and you're truly allowed to be patient for the bad times. I always wanted a life worth living for as a kid. Now, I have it and I'm grateful for the fact that it's always changing."

"There are better things ahead, Leo," she stated. "And in my life, those better things was you." She turned her head so that she could kiss his cheeks. "And you said you're alone?" she said after she kissed him. "Well guess what? You're stuck with me, Repair Boy. You got plenty of company to keep."

Leo tried to stop himself from stuttering or blushing too hard. "Whatever, Sunshine," he tried to say. "You're too annoying to keep around."

Calypso smiled. "So you want me gone then?" she asked.

"No," he mumbled. "Your annoyance happens to match my annoyance as well."

Calypso laughed and kissed him again. "I'm glad to know that I'm warming up to you." She picked herself up and dusted off her dress. "Come on, let's go back to the dance. I'm sure your friends are waiting for. Like always." She reached out her hand.

Leo gave a massive grin. "You bet, Sunshine." And took her hand.

They walked back to the dance. Leo didn't know what the future was waiting for him, but in the end, he thinks he's going to be fine. In fact, the future doesn't seem so scary to him at all. It just might be warming up to him. Just like someone he happened to know…

After he painfully witnessed the couples (who were, unfortunately, his friends) make out with each other, he wanted to call it a night. Despite the great song that was playing, Percy decided to step out of the dance floor and look for the blondie princess. He felt himself smile when he first saw her leaning across the wall, but his smile melted when he saw that she was frowning. Maybe he was supposed to be slowing with Annabeth? If he was supposed to, well then he screwed up big time. He let out a big breath as he prepared himself to go talk to her.

"Hey," he said casually.

"Hey, yourself," Annabeth said, slightly annoyed at him.

"Sorry, about that." Percy winced as he could see that she was clearly annoyed.

"Sorry about what?" she demanded as she crossed her arms.

"You know… er, the dancey thingy?" he helplessly gestured toward the dance floor.

She gave him a smirk. "You're darn right about the 'dancey thingy'. You owe me a slow dance."

Percy felt himself smile as her comment. Maybe next time, he thought. "Of course, Blondie." He then reached for her hand and gestured over the exit. "Come on," he said. "Let's ditch this party." He gave her a wink.

Annabeth blushed, but it was too dark for Percy to see. "Go where? I'm not going anywhere if what you-"

"No sex," Percy blurted, not realizing that what he was suggesting sounded very dirty. "Sorry, I meant that there's a special place I wanted to show you."

Annabeth raised her eyebrows in skepticism but shrugged it off. "Alright, Seaweed Brain. Show me this magical place."

Percy gave her a big grin that made her look away. "You won't regret it."

They were on the way to 'the place' in his car, Blackjack, when Percy started a conversation. "So what did you think of the party?" he asked.

Annabeth shrugged at the shotgun seat. "Oh, it was good. It would have been better if I wasn't stood out by my date during the slow dance." She playfully poked Percy's arm each syllable she spoke.

"Hey, hey, hey," Percy tried to defend himself good heartily. "I said I was sorry. I told you I will make it up to you."

"And what do you have in mind? I can be very unforgiving Seaweed Brain."

Percy shrugged as he pretended to consider his options. "Oh, I don't know. This?" He pointed at the place he was referring to before. They have arrived to the place and Annabeth eyed the place with surprise and wonder.

To say the least, it was a swimming pool. But that was an understatement. There were swimming lanes, slides, diving boards, and practically everything you ever needed was there. Annabeth looked at the place in disbelief. "Percy, this is amazing! But I didn't bring a swimming suit."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Percy dismissed the problem. Luckily, he came prepared. "Check the trunk and you'll see that Piper helped me out by stealing your swimsuit back."

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "So you came prepared."

Percy gave her a grin. "Of course, you ready for a swim?"

The chilly November night made the jacuzzi all the better in their mind. Percy sighed in content as he felt the breeze hit his face and felt the warmth of the pool. "This place is amazing," Annabeth said, to which, Percy agreed.

"I'm surprised no one is here," Annabeth noted as she looked around.

Percy smiled. "Well, it is a closing day."

Annabeth frowned. "Does that mean we're trespassing?"

Percy laughed. "No, not at all. I get to have a free pass here."

"Why is that?"

"This place was dedicated to my father."

Annabeth tilted her head in confusion. Percy noticed it and continued on. "When my Father died, Mr. Grace and Mr. di Angelo thought it would be fitting to make a memorial place for my father. Mr. Grace wanted to be all seriousy and grim, but Apollo and Hermes suggested a pool area. They thought it best represented his spirits."

Annabeth looked around the place with new awe. She then understood what the place meant to him. "Aw, Percy, I'm so sorry."

Percy shrugged. "It's okay. It's nice actually to have a place that was meant for my dad. Whenever I feel like I don't remember much about my Father or if I don't feel like I'm much, I would come here. I would to swim or just try to feel like my Father was around here. See that over there?" he pointed towards a small European shrine with a cross and an olive tree nearby. "It says "to Barnacle Beard", which I thought was fitting." He said it with a sad smile.

Annabeth moved closer to Percy as she tried to comfort him. "I'm so sorry, Percy." She said. "I really don't know what to say."

"Nothing really," Percy admitted. "As you said before, I was thinking about the future and I thought of this place. I wanted to make my Father proud of me, just like I am of him."

"I know he would be, Percy," Annabeth reassured him.

Percy glanced at her. "You really think so?"

"I'm certain of it," Annabeth said. "Say, isn't that an olive tree?"

Percy glanced back at the shrine and couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, that was from your mom. They used to argue all the time, but she planted the tree as reconciliation and respect. It's kind of touching actually."

Annabeth reminded herself to thank her mother for that. "Is this why you wanted me to take me here? Percy, I'm so honored. Thank you."

Percy blushed at her sincerity. "Don't mention it," he tried to wave it off but he was clearly happy too. "I just thought it was a good place to start."

Annabeth nodded as she wadded closer to him. They inched closer and closer together. "Anything on your mind?" she asked when they could practically feel their breaths from each other.

"In fact," Percy said with a smirk. "I do."

Annabeth smiled. He was too cute sometimes. "And what could that be?"

"This."

Whatever Percy did, that was only something a pro could do. He practically somersaulted in the air and then the water, grabbing Annabeth along with him.

After they reached surface again, Percy was busying laughing. "Percy! What was that for?" Annabeth yelled, not at all prepared for what just happened. Percy was busy enjoying the prank he pulled when an idea came to her. "You're were very bad to do that." She purred.

Percy stopped as the tone of her voice made him very, very scared, yet very aware. She inched closer to him, tracing a finger across his chest. She tried to ignore the blushing on her face as she felt his muscular chest and carry on with the plan. "You know, I just might have to-" she didn't stop to finish her sentence as she judo flipped Percy. Percy found himself underwater as Annabeth was on top of him. They were both smiling after what happened and Percy could see how truly beautiful Annabeth looked. Even if they were underwater, breathing could wait. Right now, Percy was too busy noticing how beautiful Annabeth was at the moment. Needless to say, they were both sharing air anyways shortly after. It was, indeed, a pretty swell underwater kiss that Percy ever had.

They both gasped for air as they reached for the surface. Both Percy and Annabeth were breathless as they tried to comprehend what has happened.

"Jeez, Blondie," Percy said laughing while furiously blushing at the same time. "What was that all about?"

"Hey now," Annabeth retaliated, but she too was laughing. "I could say the same thing about you."

"That's not fair, you're the one who judo flipped me underwater!"

"You're the one who committed two flips in the first place!"

Percy grinned as he threw his hands up in defeat. "Aw, come on! You are so not making this easy for me."

It was then when Annabeth warped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "I'm never making things easy for you, Seaweed Brain. Get used to it."

When they kissed, Percy felt that his brain was melting. He felt some sparks in his gut and a tingly sensation on his tongue.

Yeah, Percy decided. This was definitely something he could get used to.

The end guys. I mean, not really because there is an epilogue I'm going to write, so I'll leave my speech there.