How Fates Can Twist

Chapter 4

Annabeth's POV

They ended up staying seated in the pizza parlor for the entire afternoon, Annabeth practically interrogating the boy. The entire time she felt like she was missing something, like there was some grand idea that was just out of her grasp. So she kept asking him question after question, hoping that eventually she would find the missing piece.

She didn't find it, though she did get more insight than needed into the gods' personal lives. Evidently they weren't so worried about privacy when it came to each other, and Percy had seen some things that made him want to bleach his eyeballs.

He began cracking jokes and it seemed like he was much more comfortable than earlier on the street when he kept staring off into the distance. It was funny- over the course of the day, Percy had gone from a powerful warrior who could strike down a hellhound with one blow to a nervous teenage boy that couldn't meet her eyes, and now to a confident and funny dude. Once again, Annabeth didn't know what to make of him.

'I haven't had a chance to speak to anyone since I said yes' he had told her. For some reason, those words felt like a knife in Annabeth's chest. Like they were a sour spot she desperately wanted to avoid. But she didn't know why, and it killed her.

Eventually the sun began to set outside the window, signifying the evening. It was only a matter of time before Annabeth needed to be on her way, alone. Lupa's instructions played in her mind. Don't trust anyone who isn't a part of your pack. That meant Percy. She couldn't stay with him any longer, as much as the feeling in her chest wanted her to.

She knew she had to be alone. The feeling was familiar to her.

"I should get going," she spoke, standing up from the restaurant table. "It was nice to meet you, Percy."

Annabeth saw a flash of panic in his eyes as his hands flew to the top of the table, but he remained seated.

"Where are you staying tonight?" Percy asked, fidgeting with a dirty napkin as the nervous teen in him returned.

"Somewhere," she responded, already making her way to the door. He didn't need to know any more about her whereabouts.

"Would you like a hotel room? There's a nice place a few blocks down the street," he offered.

Annabeth hesitated a moment. She hadn't slept on a bed in weeks.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch. I just want you to have a place to stay tonight," Percy replied.

It was a generous offer- too generous to come from a stranger who didn't want anything in return. Annabeth knew that. But maybe Percy wasn't as much of a stranger as she had thought. His stares were always kind and familiar, and she could swear she knew that smile. Plus she would do just about anything for a shower right now.

She turned back towards the table.

"Alright," she responded. "A hotel sounds nice."

Being alone again could wait till the morning.