Those Strange People (A Mortals Meet Demigods Collection)

Miri Fairing

"Luke, hurry up!" I called to my boyfriend.

We were currently on vacation in New York. Luke forgot his coat inside the motel room he and I were sharing. Don't worry, we both had our own bed.

"Got it! What's taking you so long, Miri?" He hopped into the little white Yaris that had survived the trek from Wisconsin.

I just rolled my eyes. "Where do you want to go? We could tour the Empire State Building."

"Sure. You're driving right?"

I sighed, and battled traffic until we reached our destination. Those crazy New Yorkers driving almost got me into ten accidents.

"Here we are. The Empire State Building." I miraculously found a parking space.

Luke squinted up the tall building, blowing his black hair out of his clear, crystal-blue eyes. "Why does it look like we're under a mountain?"

I followed his gaze. "I don't know. Come on, I'm freezing. Let's go inside."

••==••

The elevator guy was reading one of my favorite series, the Mortal Instruments. He looked rather bored, until a girl, who looked about 17, with curly blonde hair hidden under a gray knitted hat came up to him. He quickly handed her a key, and she made her way to the elevator. Luke dragged me into the elevator with him, and I was able to get a good look at the girl.

She had on a black, fur-lined winter coat, skinny jeans, and comfy fur boots. On her back was a blue backpack, and I could see the faint outline of books in it. The girl's eyes were the same shade of gray as her hat, a calculating, stormy gaze.

Luke, being the chatter box he is, was also quietly observing the girl. Then I noticed his gaze travel to a forbidden spot. I smacked him on the head. "You idiot."

The girl smirked at us. "You two a couple?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm Miri, and this is Luke. We're on vacation here."

She wrinkled her nose. "In winter?"

Luke shrugged. "We're from Wisconsin. The cold here doesn't bother us too much."

She laughed. "I'm Annabeth. Nice to meet you Wisconsinites."

"I'm guessing you're a local. What brings you to the Empire State Building?" I asked, gesturing to her backpack.

"Oh, I'm doing a project for my Architecture class."

Luke frowned briefly. I also caught the little flicker of a lie in her face. But this was a friendly chat. Luke and I don't need to offend every person we meet.

"Cool. Do you have any good touristy things that Luke and I can do while we're here?"

Annabeth nodded and started to give us options. I nodded along, picking up a couple of options. Rockefeller Center, Central Park, the Museum of Natural History...

"This is our stop. Thanks for the ideas, Annabeth, it was nice chatting with you." Luke and I stepped off on the top floor of the building. He kept glancing up, and squinting confusedly at the giant rock that seemed to be floating above us.

"I wonder what that is." He said after staring at it for a couple minutes.

I shrugged. "Maybe that Annabeth girl was somehow going to climb up there. She didn't get off when we did."

Luke sighed, wrapping his arms around me. "You're so beautiful in the cold."

My cheeks suddenly were warmed with a blush. "I love you." I sighed, pecking him on the cheek.

"I love you too."

And that was the best part of the vacation yet.

••==••

"I'm gonna walk to that coffee place down the road. Wanna come?"

Luke shook his head. "I need to use the bathroom. I'll meet up with you there with the car."

We parted ways, and I burst out into the windy cold. I glanced back up at the strange floating rock above the Empire State Building. As I walked, I figured many ridiculous theories about why it was there. One of the most strange ones I came up with was that was a mountain where gods lived. What pantheon, I didn't know. Norse, Egyptian, Roman, Greek.... Any one of those.

I entered the little coffee shop, inhaling the warm, cozy smell. After ordering a medium caramel apple cider, I glanced around for a spot. There was a booth seat with a black-haired teen....wait....Luke? I slid into the booth across from him.

"Luke, how'd you get here so fast?"

The teen looked up from the catalog of...were those wedding rings?...and looked at me. "Who?" He had the same style of hair as my boyfriend, a well-sculpted figure hidden underneath a black winter coat, much like Luke's, and entrancing sea-green eyes.

I stuttered. "Sorry, I-I just thought you were my boyfriend."

He chuckled. "I'm Percy. And I don't think you are my wonderful girlfriend Annabeth, are you?"

I chuckled too, tucking a strand of brunette hair behind my ear. "I'm Miri. That's nowhere near the name Annabeth, is it?"

"Nope. Are you waiting for someone?"

I nodded. "Yeah, my boyfriend Luke. He's driving over here from the Empire State Building after his bathroom break. What about you?"

"I'm waiting for my girlfriend Annabeth. She's actually at the Empire State Building too, working on an architecture project." He smiled wistfully, slightly unfocused and dreamy eyed.

We chatted about random things until my cider came and Luke and a blonde came through the door, shivering slightly from the wind. I waved Luke over, and Percy waved at the blonde haired girl we met on the elevator.

"Percy, this is Luke, my boyfriend. Luke, this is Percy, Annabeth's boyfriend." I introduced the two guys.

After a moment of hesitation, they exclaimed, "Hey, you look like me!"

I rolled my eyes. "Boys." I saw Annabeth do the same thing.

"So, now that we've all met, what are you guys doing for your vacation up here?" Annabeth asked.

I shrugged. "Do touristy stuff. Take pictures. The usual vacay stuff."

"What's that floating rock above the Empire State Building?" Luke blurted.

I smacked his arm. The couple in front of us gave us odd looks. "Mount--I mean, the floating rock? Ummm...." That was Percy's brilliant reply.

Annabeth frowned. "You both can see it?"

We nodded. She slid next to Percy, and Luke slid in next to me. "Well, we'll start from the beginning......"

••**==**••

And that is how I met and learned about those two strange people, Percy and Annabeth.