I do not own PJO. All credit goes to the genius Rick Riordan

Chapter Two:

Love

Percy

I stared down at my pizza slice, feeling sick to my stomach. I couldn't help it. Steven did that to me. I mean, he was a really nice guy, and I was happy for Annabeth, but…

"Hey." Annabeth slid next to me on the bench, and I lost all train of thought. She was beautiful. Her straw-colored hair glowed gold in the sunlight, and her stormy eyes sparkled when she spoke. Her right thigh was pressed against my left, sending shivers up my spine. Try as I might, I could never seem to get her out of my head. She and I had been friends for years, and recently I had noticed tiny little things about her that I had never given a second's thought before. I had begun to hope that we could move past being friends.

Then she met Steven.

"Hey, Annabeth," I pushed thoughts of Steven to the back of my mind. She was here, talking to me. That was what mattered. "Wassup?"

She groaned. "We have to write a thousand-word essay on King Lear for English, due Tuesday. I have enough on my plate without teachers giving me huge assignments!"

I pursed my lips and shrugged, "Doctor's Note?"

She blinked, surprised at my answer. Then she tilted her head back and laughed in that cute way of hers, her shoulders shaking and the back of her hand covering her mouth. I relaxed with relief.

"I don't think so, Seaweed Brain." She grinned at me, and my mind melted. I hated it when people tried to nickname me, but when Annabeth called me "Seaweed Brain," it had the opposite effect. All of my cares and worries would disappear.

I shrugged again. "I guess you're right. Dr. Thorn wouldn't go for it. Besides," I added, "what would it say? 'Please excuse Annabeth Chase from her assignment. She has Senioritis?'"

She laughed again, "I'm a junior, Percy."

"Senioritis is a very serious and contagious disease," I spoke like a narrator on a Tylenol commercial. "If not treated right away, it can cause laziness and procrastination. Some more serious victims might even need their College Eligibility surgically removed."

By the time I had finished, Annabeth was holding her sides and resting her forehead on my shoulder, her laughter echoing around the courtyard. I found myself laughing with her, thinking, Why is this so easy? I didn't want the moment to stop.

"What's so funny?" Nico slid onto the bench across from us, much to my disappointment. Before Annabeth could sit up, he mouthed a quick, Sorry in my direction, and I gave him my deluxe I'll-kill-you-later stare. (A.N. I'm sorry, but I love the I'll-kill-you-later stare! I just had to use it!) He shivered.

"Nothing," Annabeth sat up, still giggling, her eyes shining as bright as the sun. "Percy was just trying to cheer me up about the King Lear assignment."

Nico nodded. He and Annabeth had the same English class, so he knew what she was talking about. "What's Kelp Head's big idea this time?"

"Doctor's Note," Annabeth giggled again, and I couldn't resist smiling. "Once again, Seaweed Brain shows off his brain capacity."

I pouted teasingly. "I can think," I protested. "Most of the time…" The two of them erupted in fits of laughter, and we were still like that when Thalia, Jason, Leo, and Piper came by with confused expressions. Soon, the seven of us were laughing and chatting like we hadn't a care in the world.

Then Steven showed up.

"Hey, Percy," he nodded coolly at my scowl, then came over and kissed Annabeth. I could feel my heart break in two when she kissed him back. He sat on her other side and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her away from me. The pieces of my heart sank to my stomach when she let him. I knew that she didn't mean to hurt me, but I couldn't stop the pain in my chest when she was with Steven.

Annabeth seemed to think that Steven was perfect, but I knew better. I'd stumbled into him in hot and heavy make out sessions with his girlfriend. His other girlfriend. But every time I tried to tell Annabeth, he would write me off as a selfish jerk who hated seeing them happy. And Annabeth drank in every sap-covered word. She was the only one of our group who couldn't see Steven's attitude for what it really was: poisoned honey. He had Annabeth wrapped around his finger, but I couldn't tell her because I was too afraid. Too afraid of losing all I had of her forever.

"Hey Steven," I didn't bother to disguise the ice in my voice, and Annabeth sent me a warning look, to which I shrugged. I looked around the table, to see several people watching me with sympathy. Everyone else glared at Steven with undisguised hatred. But, every time Annabeth glanced their way, the loathing or compassion in their expressions disappeared. I was the only one who openly hated Steven. Then again, my reasons were the only ones that weren't just because he was a lying cheat.

"So," Steven spoke up, and Annabeth turned her attention back to him. "I heard a rumor from Rachel that I wasn't your first kiss. Is that true?" He gave her the absolute worst puppy dog look ever. But—like I said—Annabeth was wrapped around his finger.

"Oh, don't worry Steven," she answered quickly. "That kiss was completely platonic. Right, Percy?" She turned to face me, and I felt my face flush. (A.N. Annabeth and Percy were each other's first kiss. There is no way in Hades I'm messing with that! I just hope what I came up with fits the storyline.) I had the urge todisagree, but I wasn't going to lie. I nodded.

"I never heard this story before." Piper leaned over the table, and my face flushed harder. "What happened?"

"I-uh-um," I stammered, collecting my thoughts. "It was last year, around June. She had discovered coffee that morning, and was a little hyperactive." I chuckled at the memory, and Annabeth punched me in the arm.

"Ow," I muttered. "Anyways, on our way back to the truck, she rushed out halfway onto the street, looking behind her at me instead of where she was going. Then a- a drunk driver pulled around the corner and sped towards her." Annabeth shivered next to me, and I reached over and picked up her forearm, running my fingers across a thin pink line on her upper arm. I looked up to find every single person in the courtyard silent and watching the two of us, mesmerized by the story.

"I knocked her out of the way," I continued, "pressing us both against the wall on the other side of the street." I noticed Steven tense up at that, and he held her hand possessively, probably knowing what was coming.

I swallowed hard, and continued. "We were both breathing heavily, light-headed and winded. The last thing I remember was that her breath smelled like mint before she… thanked me." I stared at Annabeth's arm, listening to the wind racing through the courtyard's pine tree, as that was the only thing that was making any noise at all. I continued running my fingers up and down the line.

Finally, it was Jason who spoke up. "I'm guessing that you two didn't get out of the accident scot-free." He nodded at my fingers on her arm. "How bad was that scar when you first got it?"

"It stretched from my shoulder to my elbow," Annabeth replied. The others grimaced sympathetically, and I dropped her arm.

Nico turned to me. "You know, Perce, I think I finally understand why you want to be a writer. You're quite the storyteller, especially on the spot." (A.N. Yes I know Percy hates reading. Like I said in my other story, this is my fan fiction. I can do what I want with it. [Insert maniacal laugh here].)

I felt my face flush. "Thanks, man." I silently thanked them for not adding the obvious to the story. I had told them that it was around that time. Now, they must have figured out that it was during the kiss. When I started to… When Annabeth became so…

"So," Steven pulled me out of my thoughts with a question directed at Annabeth. "As reconciliation for not knowing her birthday, I'm planning on taking you out tonight." This was another thing that I hated about Steven. He never asked Annabeth out. He just told her they were going, and expected her to forgo any previous plans and go. Annabeth called it being assertive. I called it being an ass.

"Oh, um, well," Annabeth stuttered for the right words to turn him down. "You see, Steven, I already promised to let Percy and Thalia and the others take me somewhere. But," she added quickly when she saw his expression, "you can come with us, right guys?"

Judging from their expressions, everyone else seemed about as happy with that arrangement as I was. Luckily, Piper saved us from an embarrassing explanation. "It's always already cramped in the back of Percy's truck without Steven. I don't think there'll be room for him."

"He can meet us there."

"If Percy's willing to tell us where we're going."

I glared at Piper for pretty much saying that it was my fault. Even though it… kinda was. When Annabeth turned to look expectantly at me, I winked and put my finger to my lips. She responded by scowling. "Why can't you put aside your mysterious hatred for Steven and play nice?" she complained.

I turned to stare emotionlessly at Steven. He shifted uncomfortably, and reached around Annabeth to put out his hand. "Truce?"

Annabeth smiled expectantly at me, but I wasn't in a forgiving mood. I picked up my bottle of root beer and stood up. "Later," I tossed over my shoulder on my way to the gym. I was confused about a lot of things at the time, but there was one thing that I was sure of. There was no way in hell I would ever forgive Steven for cheating on the girl I'd…

Fallen for.

So? How did I do? Please comment! Five comments and I will upload Chapter 3!

If you liked this story, check out my other fan fic: Graecus Hollywood Arts!

Thanks!

AtlantaJackson95