Percy absolutely did not want to go to the party his mortal friends had dragged him to. He didn't want to go to a house overrun by crazy, horny, drunk teenagers. Kyle, his friend on the swim team, insisted that Percy should come and "live a little." Guillermo was quick to agree. Claire, his gay best friend, said he needed to "get some." No one listened to him when he said he had a wonderful girlfriend whom he was extremely loyal to. Janet, Claire's twin sister who wasn't gay, which was their only difference, agreed with the rest of the gang.
Percy tried everything to get out of going to the party. He tried to fake the flu, he tried to stay at camp and pretend he was out of town, Hades, he even hid in his room and pretended to go missing again just so he wouldn't go to this party.
"Come on, Perce. You're a senior and you can't be an actual senior without going to a party," said Guillermo.
"I'm good with being 'not an actual senior,'" responded Percy. And as he expected, no one listened.
"I will drag your body with my bloody hands if it means getting you to that party."
"Ok, sister, that's a little too overboard, but I'm on the same boat as her," said Claire.
"Come on, Percy, it'll be a lot of fun, you won't regret it," said Kyle. Little did he know how false that statement was.
Percy figured that his friends wouldn't stop trying to make him go to the stupid party so he gave in. He asked Annabeth to come with him but she had an internship that she couldn't miss, and Percy understood that, so he sulked over to the party with his mortal friends.
- - - - - -
The smell of alcohol brought back unpleasant memories of Smelly Gabe. He spent practically the entire party with a scowl. Guys avoided him, but apparently girls thought scowls were hot for some reason and came to talk to Percy.
He wanted to run away and hide in a corner, preferably with Annabeth.
But that didn't stop his friends from dragging him even further to the biggest game of truth or dare he had ever seen. Shots of vodka sat in the middle of the circle for anyone who turned down a truth or dare. Just looking at the empty shot glasses around the circle was enough to make him sick.
His friends, he was really reconsidering calling them friends, sat down on either side of him to make sure he wouldn't escape. He managed to be freed of any truth or dares until Amanda Keller, AKA the girl who tries to seduce Percy on a daily basis, called on him.
"Hey Percy!" She called with a sinister smirk. Percy looked up from fiddling with his hands and noticed practically the entire party staring at him.
"Truth or dare!"
Percy hesitated. He didn't want to be asked an embarrassing question and have to answer, but he also didn't want to get stuck in a closet with a girl he barely knew. The crowd of teens noticed his hesitation.
"Pick dare, Percy," said Kyle. His breath smelled of alcohol. "Dare, Dare, Dare, Dare," he chanted. Soon enough, everyone in the game was chanting it.
"Alright! Fine! I'll do a dare," Percy said exasperatedly.
"Jackson, I dare you to take your shirt off and let me keep it," she said. The crowd wolf whistled and cheered. Percy's face was red and Amanda looked very happy with herself. That made Percy mad. He didn't want to take his shirt off because he didn't want anyone to see his scars. At his swim meets, people were far enough away not to notice, but here, everyone was watching. Also, he really liked the shirt he was wearing. His mom bought it for him.
"Come on man! That isn't even a hard dare! And besides, you're in a speedo at swim meets!" Kyle reminded him. The rest of the crowd seemed to agree with him.
"Alright fine," Percy said. He reached to the back of his collar and took the shirt off. Amanda the perv was smiling until she saw the scars that littered his torso. "Happy?! And you're not getting this shirt," Percy said before he stormed out of the room, his shirt still clutched in his hands.
Percy made his way outside, the cold night wind ruffled his hair and brushed against his bare chest.
He wanted to go home.
Percy turned on his iPhone 4 and decided to call Annabeth. Which was probably a bad idea since every single monster in the state of New York would come for him, but Percy didn't consider the threat. He just wanted to hide in the comfort of his girlfriend and escape the prying and curious eyes of the mortals in the house behind him.
"Percy?" Annabeth asked through the outdated phone.
"Annabeth," Percy breathed a sigh of relief, "thank gods. Can you pick me up from a mortal's house?"
"Why were you at a mortal's house?" she questioned.
"My friends," he said the word bitterly, "decided to drag me to this party and it didn't turn out so great." Percy was still in a grumpy mood, but just talking to Annabeth made him calm down. She asked for the address and Percy told her, said "see you later," and hung up, not wanting to be on the phone any longer in case of a monster attack.
Percy waited for ten minutes and listened to the sounds of New York. The sound of cars racing by, honking and yelling soothed his tenseness. He really hated being the center of attention, especially in a room full of mortals who jump to conclusions faster than you could say "It's not what you think!"
Percy saw Annabeth's car pull up. She stepped out and Percy practically ran to her and enveloped her in a hug, not noticing that he still hadn't put his shirt on, nor the redness in Annabeth's cheeks. He buried his face in her curls and hugged her around her slim waist. Almost immediately, Annabeth's arms wrapped around him.
"Come on," she said in his ear, "let's get you home." Percy held onto her for a little longer before nodding and letting go.
- - - - - -
Percy dreaded school the morning he woke up. He had spent the weekend at Annabeth's, watching movies, cuddling, kissing, and making pillow forts. Being with Annabeth eased the worry of the mortals.
He was about to exit her apartment when he hesitated. Annabeth noticed his hesitation
"You'll be fine Percy. Besides, their opinions don't matter. You're not even going to see any of them when you graduate. We're going to New Rome together, remember?" she said.
"Thanks, Annabeth. You always know what to say," he said and kissed her cheek. She smiled and ran her hands through his hair.
"It's because I know you, Seaweed Brain. Now hurry up, I don't want you to be late to school because of me," she responded. Percy smiled and rolled his eyes fondly.
"One last kiss?" he requested. Annabeth gave him a peck on the cheek, to which Percy frowned at, and said, "There, now go show those mortals who's boss."
Percy stole one more kiss before leaving for school. He shouldered his backpack and began his speed walk to Goode.
Short lil thingamabob
