Separated

Seven: Sneak Out With Me

I followed Percy through the winding hallways.

"When I first came here," he began, "I requested to design a room right below mine. I designed it specifically for you, because I had my heart set on bringing you here, at least for a little while." I smiled.

"Thank you." we stopped in front of a wooden door. 

"Here we are." he handed me a key from his pocket. "Would you like to do the honors?" I took the key.

"Why not?" I stuck the key in the keyhole and turned the knob. The door swung open, and my eyes widened. "Oh my gods..."

"Like it?" 

"Like it? I love it!" there was a large four-poster bed on a slightly raised platform on the wall to the right of the entrance with a grey comforter and grey pillows. There was a desk, a closet, and a balcony. "Percy, this is beautiful but–" Percy's smile faded.

"What's wrong?"

"Does Poseidon know?"

"Yeah, I told him. He doesn't really care, as long as the press doesn't find out. Like you said–it would create a scandal that we really don't need." I nodded in agreement.

"Okay."

Percy's goofy grin returned. "Ready to meet up with the gang?"

"It's been forever since I've seen any of them." I said.

"I'll take that as a yes."

***

"Boo." I said, walking up behind Reyna, Nico, Thalia, Jason, Piper, Hazel, Will, and Frank. Nico, Reyna, Frank, and Will screamed in surprised. Meanwhile, the others cracked up.

"Annabeth you asshole don't scare us like that!" Reyna snapped, before it clicked that I was standing in front of her. "Wait, Annabeth?" she hugged me, and I laughed. 

"It's been too long, Reyna."

"If we had our way, you would've been here with the rest of us ages ago. But someone–" she glared up at a balcony where the King happened to be standing. "Didn't want his pretty castle being 'stomped on by a simple commoner such as yourself'." I looked back at the balcony, hurt. The king was now gone. 

"Hey." Jason smiled. "Don't let ol' Uncle Posey get to you."

"Okay." I sat down next to Percy, and he put an arm around my shoulders protectively.

"Don't let Rachel see you two like this, or there'll be a bit of a scandal, don't you think?" Piper warned.

"That's what Annie said."

"Don't call me Annie."

"But Wiseeeee Girlllllll...."

"No."

"Not even–"

"No."

"But–"

"PERCY!" I glared at him, and he shrunk back.

"Okay..."

"So Annabeth, Piper, how's college?" Thalia asked, trying to stray from the subject at hand.

***

"We are so getting ready for the ball together." Hazel announced as we parted ways from the boys.

"I can't believe we have to wear dresses to these things..." Thalia grumbled.

"That's the idea, Thals. It's a formal event." I said, laughing at her hatred of dresses.