Prisoners

TEN

I could feel the sun coming in through the window. I groaned. It seemed to pry my eyelids open. I just wanted to sleep.

I burrowed deeper into the sheets, their warmth beckoning to me. I rolled over and hit something hard and warm.

I snuggled against it. 

It must have been a person, but I didn't really care; they were warm, and I just wanted to sleep.

The birds began to chirp.

Was sleep too much to ask for?

The person beside me moaned and rolled over on top of me, almost crushing me.

"Jesus, man, I'm trying to sleep here," I grunted, pushing them off.

"Sorry," the person grunted. Their voice was deep; it must have been a guy.

My comprehensive skills are really slow in the morning.

The boy threw his arm over me. I relished in his warmth and snuggled deeper into him. He smelled familiar. The sheets smelled like him too.

I still hadn't opened my eyes.

I heard another groan. "Oh shit."

I decided to ignore him.

"Shit, shit, shit. Fuck."

"If you talk again, I'll shove my knife up your ass," I threatened half-heartedly, my eyes still closed to the blazing sunlight.

"Seriously, Annabeth, you need to open your eyes. But please don't kill me," he added as an afterthought.

I groaned in protest. "No."

"Please, you'll understand."

"Dude, I'm trying to sleep. Just leave me alone."

"Annabeth Chase, open your eyes before I open them for you," the boy threatened. He had nerve, I guess.

"Fine. But only for a little bit," I said, stretching. Then I cracked open my eyes.

And shrieked.

"HOLY --"

"Please keep your voice down."

"MOTHER --"

"What did I say?"

"WHAT THE --"

"QUIET!"

I shut up then.

I glared at Percy Jackson. "How the hell did I end up in your bed?"

He winced. "I don't remember."

I shrugged. "I don't either." I ran over my mental checklist of things I needed to do: meet with Thalia, clean up the party, clean my cell, meet with Dionysus at eight o'clock --

Shit!

I had a meeting with Dionysus!

I got out of bed, relieved to see that my clothes were still on. "Well, nothing happened, I don't think."

"Thank the gods," Percy muttered.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

"Okay."

I stretched, then grabbed my shoes. "Well, bye."

"What? But --" Percy scrambled out of bed. I almost blushed when I saw he didn't have a shirt on.

"Dude, I need to get dressed. I have a meeting with Dionysus about the counselors, so --" I inched for the door.

"Wait! How does this not bother you?" Percy was searching through his drawers for a shirt. I saw his trident tattoo on his back and was glad he couldn't see my face.

I snorted. "It was probably a drunken Thalia's idea of a joke. It doesn't matter."

Percy frowned. "You're okay with this?"

I checked my watch. "Jackson, I have approximately eighteen minutes until I have to be in Dionysus' office. I'd rather not be late."

He held up his hands. "Fine. Go. See if I care."

I narrowed my eyes. His face flashed with hurt for a moment, but then it was gone.

He continued to glare at me as I stared at him. Finally I said, "Does someone need a hug?"

"No," he growled, his face reddening.

"Do you?"

"I'm fine!"

"You do, don't you?"

"Just leave, Chase."

I stepped back at the mention of my surname. "Fine. See you."

Percy mumbled something incoherent under his breath as I left. For a moment, I worried about what he said, but then I shrugged it off. I couldn't be late to Dionysus' meeting. I'd seen what he did to people who were late.

He did not appreciate tardiness.

I scurried through the halls. Even though it was 7:45 in the morning, no one was up. It seemed everybody had a hangover.

I smirked to myself, glad that I wasn't one of them, then groaned. I'd have to drag Thalia out of bed or else she'd get punished and blame me.

Isn't my life wonderful?

I ran into my cell and took the fastest shower of my life. Then I dressed in the clothes that were easiest to reach and ran to Thalia's Quadrant, where she was snoring in her bed, her clothes from last night still on. I wrinkled my nose. She smelled like booze and bad breath.

I pulled her out of bed. She hit the floor with a thump. "Thalia Grace, get your ass out of bed!" I yelled at her while rummaging though her dresser to find some clothes for her to wear. I checked my watch: 7:54.

"You have six minutes, Thalia!" I shouted, piling her clothes on top of her.

She groaned. "What?"

"You have six minutes to get to Dionysus' office!" I said, putting my hands on my hips and standing over her.

She raised her head and gave me a sleepy grin. "What would I do without you, Annabeth?"

I snorted. "Nothing."

She stood up and clutched her forehead. "Gah, the world is spinning. Is it supposed to spin?"

I shook my head and threw her pile of clothes at her once more. "Get dressed! You have four minutes!"

She sighed. "Do I have to go?"

"Yes!" I said, exasperated. "Do you think I want to drag your lazy ass out of bed? No! Am I doing it for your sake? Yes! Now get your clothes on! I'm not waiting for you!"

I glanced at the clock again. Three minutes. Without saying goodbye, I sprinted out of Thalia's cell toward Dionysus' office.

I pushed through a crowd of sleepy boys heading to breakfast and knocked over a girl who was almost asleep on her feet. Ignoring her indignant "Hey!", I ran like my life depended on it.

Which, it sorta did.