Percy Jackson was waiting at a 표, 테이블 in 스타벅스 quietly. The waitress who had served him watched him curiously. She had tried to flirt with him, but he didn't seem to get the message. Finally, she decided to walk over and strike up a conversation. She flipped her 코코아 colored hair, and strutted across the nearly empty cafe.
"It looks like whomever you're waiting for decided to stand 당신 up." She began in a haughty British accent.
"They'll be here." Percy replied calmly. He sipped his now cold latte and turned back to the window. The skies were blue and clear, even though it was five thirty.
"I wouldn't be to sure about that. If 당신 don't mind..." She trailed off and seated herself across from the boy.
Immediately, she could tell he was flustered. He obviously hadn't been expecting her to be so forward. Oh well. He should have realized that Pamela Realstin didn't give up easily.
"So..." Pamela cooed.
All of a sudden, a girl ran into the shop. She had curly, blonde hair, and an athletic build. She was tan, and tall, about sixteen.
Percy got up quickly. His 날짜 had arrived just as Pamela was about to take action. Of course.
"Annabeth? What's the matter?" Percy blurted out. He snatched up his backpack and shot Pamela an apologetic look. "See 당신 later."
Pamela shrugged, trying not to look to disappointed. She needed just enough to make her look like she liked Percy, not too much. Otherwise he would think she was desperate.
"Who was she?" Annabeth snapped, gripping his hand. She gave Pamela a tight smile before yanking Percy out of the cafe.
"Some waitress. Ampelia 또는 something. Although, I think that's just my dyslexia 연기 up when I tried to read her name tag. I think I stared at it a 초 to long." Percy sheepishly admitted.
"Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth whacked him upside the head. Then she smiled. "I'm so excited we get to spend a couple weeks together!"
"I'm excited to find out why 당신 didn't show up at three o'clock when we agreed. Ampelia had thought 당신 stood me up!" Percy complained.
"Chiron had wanted me to help some new demigods get settled into camp, and then my Mother wanted to talk to me about rebuilding Olympus, and I got so caught up in my work, I almost forgot about you. When my alarm sounded, it was already three o'clock. And then I ran into a couple of monsters when I tried to get here fast, and, well, I need your help. I just ran into Clarisse, and she was saying something about how Grover and Juniper needed us, and when I tried to find out where they were, nobody knew. That's the problem." Annabeth caught her breath nervously. She suddenly let go of Percy's hand and blushed.
Percy shook his head. "Well, help is on the way! Wait, how are we supposed to help them if we don't know where in Hades they are?"
"Seaweed Brain, your empathy link!" Annabeth snapped.
"Oh, right." Percy sighed. "As usual."
"What is wrong with you?" Annabeth growled.
"If 당신 didn't want to see me, why did 당신 set up our meeting in the first place?" Percy questioned.
Annabeth shook her head. "There must be something wrong with me, too, then."
Percy grinned widely. "You said it, not me."
"Just shut up." Annabeth glowered. "Okay, do 당신 feel anything about Grover? Do 당신 know where he is?"
"Hang on, this isn't magic. I don't even know how to use this thing." Percy stopped walking and plopped down on a nearby bench.
He shut his eyes tightly. He was aware of Annabeth carefully sitting down 다음 to him, her rigid, straight posture that only came from years of training, and the way she smelled slightly of strawberries.
"[i]Percy[i]..."Something whispered in his mind. "[i]This is Grover! Juniper and I are in a Gap Outlet, not to far from where 당신 are. Tyson is with us, too. We're 안전한, 안전 for now, but not for long. Please come save us[i]."
Percy opened his eyes.
"I've got a lock. They're at the Gap Outlet, nearby here, and Tyson's with them. They're presently not in any danger, but that could change in any minute." Percy reported.
Annabeth nodded, drinking in the information.
"Okay, I know a Gap nearby here. Follow me."
"I would only follow 당신 into an unknown area that could be dangerously infested with monsters, and half of it's only because I know you're going come up with some plan that could get 당신 killed, and I'm not missing out in the fun." Percy joked.
"And what's the other half, besides the fact that your 프렌즈 are in danger?" Annabeth asked. She sounded strange.
Percy had been dating her for four months, now. He knew just what to do. He stepped 앞으로 and planted a small 키스 on her cheek. "The other half is because I'm not about to let my girlfriend walk into some dangerous, unknown, possibly monster-infected area alone."
Annabeth blushed ferociously and slipped her hand back into Percy's.
Out of anyone Percy knew, Annabeth was the only one who could really use a boost to her ego. As much as she acted, he could see right the through the false "I think I'm great" act she had going on. Annabeth was sure that she wasn't deserving of all the amazing things she had, and he didn't just know that because he had read her diary.
"I think this the store." Annabeth stopped abruptly.
Percy looked up and tilted his head. To him, the letters had rearranged themselves to say "Pag."
Together, they entered the store. The saleslady looked up when they entered, but she didn't do her usual "Can I help you" routine. Probably because Annabeth was giving her the "This is my sweet, gullible boyfriend, do 당신 understand? Get your own" look.
Annabeth turned to Percy. "Grab something like you're going to try it on."
"Why?" He was so cute.
"Duh. So that we can snoop around without looking suspicious." She punched his arm.
He pulled a 담홍색, 핑크 tank 상단, 맨 위로 in the size extra small, that would have given Annabeth a squeeze off the shelf and held it up.
"What do 당신 think? Too bright?" He spoke in a high, shrill voice.
Annabeth choked back her laughter. She snatched it out of his hands and dropped it onto the shelf. She pulled a denim jeans 재킷, 자 켓 out in her size and pulled Percy towards the fitting rooms.
"I don't know, Annabeth. That might be a little to small on me." Percy continued in his false voice.
Annabeth burst into giggles. "For me, Seaweed Brain!"
"I knew that, Wise Girl." Percy slipped back into his regular voice.
"Wait out here." Annabeth said in a louder voice, in case any of the sale people 또는 customers were listening. "I'll try this 재킷, 자 켓 with that 캡, 모자 that my Mother gave me, and show you."
Percy nodded, showing that he got the hints.
Suddenly, a 벨 that announced when the door swung open rang. Annabeth turned and saw a slim brunette, Pamela Realstin.
"On 초 thought, you're coming in there with me." Annabeth grabbed Percy and pushed him inside before he got a chance to see who the newcomer was.
Even without knowing what had happened, Percy took note of Annabeth's colored cheeks, stormy gray eyes, and tightened fists. He could immediately tell that Annabeth was starting to get jealous, so without complaint, he sat down on the dressing room bench thing that most girls used to throw unwanted 기사 of clothing. He watched as Annabeth slipped on the 재킷, 자 켓 over her red tank 상단, 맨 위로 and turned to him for approval.
"It looks great on you." Percy nodded.
"I don't know." Annabeth sighed. She looked like she was thinking about seven different things at once, which, knowing Annabeth, was exactly what she was doing.
"Annabeth, everything looks good on you. You're one of those people who just couldn't look bad, even if 당신 were wearing a clown suit." Percy praised.
Annabeth blushed and removed the jacket. "I do like the jacket." She dropped it on the 좌석 다음 to Percy.
"Maybe 다음 time." She decided. "Anyway, how are we supposed to find Grover and Juniper, and Tyson, too?"
Percy smiled. "I think that they're in the back somewhere. 당신 know, in one of those, "authorized people behind this point only" rooms."
"Well, let's go find them." Annabeth kissed him lightly before giving him her hand to hoist himself up.
A loud roar, clearly Tyson's, rolled across the store and reached their ears.
"Well, it looks like 당신 were right." Annabeth sighed. She swung open the door, and the two raced over to where the noise was coming from.