Riptide

Chapter 17 - That Night/The Next Day (ft. Percabeth)

DISCLAIMER: I do not know how Texans speak, I got all my info off of Google, please excuse any inaccuracies that there may be in this chapter.

Lily hiked up her bag on her shoulder, glancing around the corner. She wasn't wearing anything pink, which was a rare occurrence, having instead opted for all black to blend in better with the shadows. She snuck around the corner and down the hall, quietly opening a door and stepping outside. She paused for a moment, smiling slightly at the feel of the brisk night air, before taking off in the direction of the nearby forest.

~The next morning~

Lily leaned against a tree, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She smiled as she saw her ride pull up.

"Hey, Matt." She said.

"Hey, Lils. You've changed a lot."

"Six years will do that to you."

"Yeah, I guess that true. C'mon, it's a long way to New York." Lily climbed into the car, putting her bag on her lap, and took her hair out of its ponytail, letting it fall freely over her shoulders.

"I've missed you." She told him.

"I've missed you too." He smiled. They fell into a comfortable silence, Matt driving and Lily looking out the window sleepily.

~Meanwhile, back at the house~

Irene woke up with a yawn.

"Ugh." She groaned, rolling over. She didn't want to get up. But she'd promised to help Chiara in the greenhouse today, so she grudgingly sat up, running a hand through her hair. She got dressed and stood up with a sigh, grabbing a hairtie and slipping it onto her wrist just in case. Lily's not here, she noted as she walked past the other girl's bedroom. She reached the kitchen, still rubbing sleep out of her eyes. But her phone is. Weird. She picked up Lily's phone, which had been left on the counter. There was a text on the screen.

Don't worry about me, I'm fine, just going on a trip. I have everything planned out and I'll be back in a week - Lily

"Weird." Irene muttered. "I wonder if Chiara knows."

"I do." Chiara walked in, stripping off a pair of gloves and throwing them in the biohazard bin that probably should have been anywhere but the kitchen. "I saw it earlier."

"Where do you think she's gone?"

"She's probably gone to check on our, for lack of a better word, spies."

~Meanwhile, in
Texas~

"I'm not normally one to complain, but I'm cold as a frosted frog out here and Kim gets hurt faster than a sneeze through a screen door." Amelia sat on the couch, working through a book of sudokus with her phone next to her.

"You're more than welcome to come up to California and see me." Her dad's voice was clear through the phone's speakers.

"I know, but I can't leave Kim. I love the girl but she can't help but get herself injured. I'll make it work."

"Alright, if you're sure."

"This ain't my first rodeo. Anyway, I gotta go, Kim said she'd come round today."

"Love you, Am."

"Love you, Daddy." She hung up, uncurling her legs and standing up. She put the sudoku book on the coffee table, her pen marking the page, and ran a hand through her hair. "Maddie, would you mind looking for another blanket, the ones that are already down here just aren't cutting it."

"Sure, I'll have a look in a minute." Maddie replied from upstairs.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." The doorbell rang and Amelia went to answer it. "Kim! It's so good to see you, I trust you didn't have any trouble on your way over here?"

"No trouble." Kim confirmed.

"I'm so glad. Come on in, I made brownies yesterday and I'd love to get your opinion on them."

~Meanwhile, in New Rome because I apparently can't stay in one place for more than a page~

"I still don't understand how you get up so early." Percy said. Annabeth smirked, putting her hair into a ponytail.

"Good morning to you too, Seaweed Brain." She said.

"Right, good morning Wise Girl. Seriously though, I could never be up this early."

"I know." Annabeth picked up a notebook from her desk. "Love you, Perce."

"Love you, Annie, see you later." Annabeth left the dorm and Percy flopped back down on his bed. "I should get back up." He pulled the blanket back up over himself. "I'm so gonna be late." (His class was an hour later.)