𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 | 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇

chapter 6

please don't kill me after this...

"What??" Percy asked, Annabeth just as red as he was.

"You heard me. Kiss her," Piper demanded. Man was she persistent. Percy nodded. Annabeth closed her eyes, looking uncertain if this was the best idea as if Percy had AIDS or something, and she didn't know if she should do it or not.

"PERCY!" Percy turned his head to see... Luke? Oh no. This was gonna be the perfect year for Percy. A new beginning! Why was Luke here? Well, as long as Kronos wasn't here everything would be good.

"Who's that?" Annabeth asked. He turned and saw her blush. Dammit.

"Hey, Luke," Percy said, "what brings you here?"

Luke scratched the back of his neck. "Um... well my mom kinda needs, like, therapy. She's going crazy." His face dropped. He gave Percy a sad smile. "So now I'm living with my dad."

"Don't you hate your dad?"

"I didn't have much of a choice." Luke's dad. How do you describe a guy who leaves you and your mom because he found someone else? A guy who didn't give two fucks about his kid? A guy who only cares about money?

"Why didn't you tell me? You know that I moved here five days ago, right?" Percy asked. The real question was why Luke was being... nice.

"I moved here a month ago. I heard you moved and that today was your first day here. I don't go to school here, though, I go to Titan High, not here," Luke said.

"Oh, that's why you weren't at school back home..." Percy realized why Luke had been absent back at Goode for two-three weeks. "Um, well, this is Piper, Jason, and, um, Annabeth. Annabeth blushed when Luke saluted her. DAMMIT. NO.

"Don't you have school?" Jason asked Luke.

"Nah. We got a day off today."

"Why?" Piper asked.

"Does it matter?" Luke asked. "If imma get a day off, I don't give a fuck what it's for." Typical Luke.

Annabeth was blushing like crazy. She leaned over to Percy and whispered, "has he always been this hot?" and that was his last straw. He got up and said, "I need to go to the bathroom. Be back soon."

They all nodded and continued talking. Annabeth being drawn to Luke, yet again. Percy couldn't stand it.

He went to the bathroom. And stayed. For much too long.

He finally went back, about 10 minutes later. When he got there, only Jason and Piper were present, and they were making out behind the wall.

Percy cleared his throat. They blushed and pulled apart. "Sorry," Jason said. "Where are Annabeth and Luke?" Percy asked.

"They went on a 'walk'," Piper said, smiling to herself.

"Oh," Percy said timidly. "Oh." SHIIIIIIT. No. No. NO. Luke wasn't a good person. Or maybe he was, and Kronos had just been a bad influence. But Annabeth seemed to good a person for him. She was intelligent and funny and sassy (though not as much as Percy).

But why him? I mean, sure he was a year older (Thalia's age), and almost all the girls drool over him, but why him? He was basically a bad boy. He had a criminal record, and terrible grades, even worse than Percy's (if that was even possible)...

"Hello? Earth to Percy!" Jason was waving his hand in front of Percy's face. "You okay, man?" Percy nodded.

Piper grinned. "Is someone jealous?" Percy blushed and Piper laughed, Jason tagging along with her.

Finally, about 20 minutes later, Annabeth came back smiling to herself, alone.

"Where's Luke?" Jason asked.

Annabeth smiled. "He had to get back to school. He has to use the bus to get there apparently..."

Piper laughed. "Is he another do-gooder?"

Annabeth shook her head. "He's kind of a bad boy, you know?"

Piper nodded. "Be careful with those, though."

"But he's funny," Annabeth began "and he's witty and strong and is hot."

Percy was really mad. Why did Luke always have to ruin everything? Why? Why was his friend hot and popular with the girls? It just wasn't fair! And now all of Annabeth's attention was on Luke. They were literally just about to kiss! He was so close to having his first kiss (even if he was already seventeen) with an amazing person. Stupid Luke.

What was he supposed to do now?