Explosive chapter

I've been planning so much stuff to happen and it's all going to happen in the next 5 chapters and I'm not ready for it!

Don't kill me

The next morning Sarah called a quick meeting after breakfast to discuss.

We all glanced nervously at each other as we filed into the room.

"Take a seat please girls. I'm a very impatient person."

We all quickly got into our seats, not fully ready for a rant or lecture from Sarah at this early hour.

"Thank you," She smiled. "I just wanted to say a few small things. Congratulations to everyone who has already done their meetings. You've all done your best, and your best was great. To the few who still have to do theirs today, good luck." She leaned on her desk tucking a piece of brown hair behind her ear. "Another thing is that tonight is the Report. Now that we have a smaller number of you, Apollo will be asking some personal questions as well as relationship questions, because the nation wants to get to know our future queen," She gave us a pointed look. "Remember confidence, poise and posture. That's all, you can go and enjoy your day."

"Would he be asking about my home life?" Piper asked as we made our way to the Women's room.

"I guess," I shrugged. "Why?"

She stopped at the door of the Women's room. "How about we go outside today?"

I nodded and we continued walking in the direction of the front doors.

"To answer your question, my home was boring," We came to the doors, the warm Angeles sun hitting our faces. "Don't get me wrong, I had a house, I had food and everything a 2 could want, I know I'm privileged. But when your Dad completely ignores you and everywhere you go paparazzi and press want you. I didn't feel loved." She sighed.

"Is that why you entered the Selection?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah," She nodded. "I just want to find love, and feel loved."

"Well, you must be used to all the cameras and publicity."

"Well, you're too used the royalty and everything that comes with that," She bumped my shoulder. "How did your meeting go?"

I breathed out through gritted teeth as we sat down on a bench, the green grass plush under our feet and the smell of flowers around us. "I exploded. Percy nearly exploded too. Hera was being such a hellhound and I wanted to slap her."

Piper laughed. "I had more trouble with freaking Octavian. He wouldn't let me finish my sentences and he thought his ideas were better."

"Hera didn't like my ideas either and kept questioning everything I did."

We started to swing our legs like children on the bench. "Artemis is cool though."

I nodded. "Yeah she's pretty cool"

Piper and I sat and talked on that bench until our stomachs started to grumble for food. We went inside and saw that in the Women's room maids had set up a delicious looking buffet.

Pipers eyes widened. "Ooo. Get me some of that," And she took off to grab a plate and some food.

I followed less enthusiastically behind her, putting some fruit on my plate, then some other foods.

I sat down next to Katie who had her mouth stuffed with some food,

She said a muffled, "Hey Annabeth," And I smiled back.

Thalia, Reyna, Piper, Katie, Rachel, Silena and I sat quietly whilst we ate.

"Ah," I groaned rubbing my feet. "My feet hurt. I never had to wear heels before this thing."

"You never did?" Silena's asked.

I shook my head. "No way. I wore runners underneath dresses when I had to go to balls."

"Good gods," Thalia slumped in her chair. "That sounded so posh Annabeth," She tried to mimic my voice. "Oh, why do I have to go to a ball? Oh, look it's Percy my best friend. Oh, why do I have-"

"Thank you, Thalia." I interrupted,

"You have it so easy," Rachel puffed.

"What do you mean?" I asked defensively.

"Well, before the Selection you lived here." She gestured around to indicate the palace. "And now with the Selection you know everything there is to know about Percy. You even got the first kiss."

I raised my eyebrows. "So what if I know everything about Percy? It doesn't change the game."

"Yeah it kind of does," Reyna said. "He already knows you, you already know him."

I drew my eyebrows together in a confused manner. "Yes, it's true I know Percy. I knew Percy as a best friend. We were nothing more. Do you know how scary it is to take a leap of faith and put yourself out there in front of the country? To have the chance that your best friend since birth and the one person you could rely on reject you in front of millions of people? Our relationship would never have been the same if Percy sent me home, we wouldn't have been the same best friends. At least you guys get a fresh page in a new chapter, in a new book. Percy and I have history."

We changed the topic of conversation and moved to the meetings. Reyna said that she had done really well and that she disliked Octavian. Rachel felt like she did okay but Ares was a pain. Thalia said she was so sarcastic that they were all left dumbfounded but she really liked Artemis. Katie didn't like Mr D and Silena said she did awful.

Soon it was time to go back to our rooms and get our maids to fix our makeup and hair for the Report.

"Oh, thank the gods," Justine rushed over and pushed me into the bathroom. "I was worried you were going to spill something on your white dress!"

I gasped. "I would never!"

I smiled at her and she smiled back.

The girls brushed my hair that they had decided to leave out and put them into two cute little buns on the side of my head.

"Oh, you look lovely." Hazel made me spin around, my dress flying out.

Alicia clapped her hands. "Good. Now go. We'll be watching on the TV."

I said my thanks and left the room, walking to the studio.

When I got there, the room was in organised chaos, like always.

I quickly made my way to the fifteen seats set up to the right and managed to get a front seat, saving one next to me for Piper.

Piper quickly came in a beautiful dark red dress that made her skin pop.

Sally, Paul and Percy entered and they were bombarded with people holding clipboards and talking into earpieces.

"It's a crazy life," Piper whispered.

"Indeed it is."

I made eye contact with Percy. He smiled a reassuring smile and I smiled back hopefully giving him the confidence that he just gave me.

"Alright, alright, alright," Apollo stood in front of us getting our attention, "I think the lovely Sarah has told you that today won't just be about you and your relationship with our prince, but also about you and your life. Pretty easy questions if it's about you, okay?"

We all nodded.

"Fabulous, just like me!" He walked off to go talk to Percy about something.

Pretty soon someone yelled, "Live in fifteen seconds!" And everyone took their seats or rushed off the set. Cameras were on and the lights shining.

The national anthem started to play and Paul and Sally introduced the show. They told us some news from the last week and then welcome Apollo to the stage.

"Good evening fantastic citizens of Illèa!" He waved to the camera. "I'm the one and only wonderful Apollo Solace and I'm here to update you on what's been happening in the Selection." He sat down in his interviewing chair. "Last week we had the annual Summer Ball, so we didn't get a chance to catch up. As you can see," He waved his hand towards the Selected. "We are now in the top fifteen! How do you feel about that Prince Percy?" He asked as he turned his head to Percy.

Percy scratched the back of his neck. "I'm quite nervous actually Apollo. It's scary to think that I could be married to one of these beautiful women in a month or two."

"Anyone in particular?"

He grinned. "Not yet."

Apollo sighed. "Oh, well, have you kiss anyone besides Lady Annabeth?"

Percy's eyes flickered to me for a second, then they went back to Apollo. "Yes, I have."

My heart dropped. So, Percy had kissed someone else? Who? When? I knew it was inevitable, but I liked the fact that I was the only one. Was it selfish of me for not wanting to share Percy?

Apollo jumped up excited. "Who?"

Percy smirked and shrugged. "They'll have to tell you"

"They huh?" Apollo raised his eyebrows. "That's indicating more than one."

Percy smiled and shrugged. My heart sank further.

"Do you know anything about this, Your Majesty?" Apollo asked Sally.

"My son likes to not inform me about his love life."

Percy's jaw dropped as he turned around to his mother. "Excuse me? You're the one who comes to my room every night wanting the gossip and details. Of course, I wouldn't tell you."

Sally wiped a fake tear from her eye. "See this? I only get my information from the girls themselves."

"My queen, I totally understand. King Paul, how are you feeling at the moment?"

"I just want to get to the interview with the girls, Percy doesn't give us anything."

Percy's eyes widened and he held out his hands in an exasperated manner. "Is it blame Percy day today? Anyone else?" He asked around the room.

Apollo held up his hand. "Sorry, Your Highness, but I agree with the King and Queen, you haven't given us anything."

Percy gestured to us girls. "Go and ask away my friend, ask away."

Apollo grinned and turned around to face the camera. "First up we have Lady Nancy Bobofit."

I zoned out for a few interviews until it came to Drew.

"Ah, the gorgeous Lady Drew. How are you this evening?"

Drew pushed out her chest. "I'm doing splendid, Apollo"

"That's wonderful. Are you missing your old life at all?"

Drew sighed. "Of course I do. I miss seeing my fans and I miss doing what I love, but I love being here with Percy and the other girls. I wouldn't give it up."

"And have you kissed the Prince?"

At that moment, Drew turned her head slightly from where she was sitting across from Apollo and smirked at me. "Yes, I have, Apollo." And to make everything worse she repeated her self. "Percy has kissed me."

I looked desperately over at Percy not believing Drew.

"That is so exciting! Was it any good, Your Highness?" Apollo asked.

Percy wouldn't meet my eyes. He answered the question with an awkward laugh.

I didn't listen to the rest of the interview. Turns out Percy had kissed Drew, Rachel and Piper, and we haven't even finished all the girls.

"And now it's time to ask Lady Annabeth some questions."

I quickly stood up and sat down in the chair across from Apollo, not even looking at Percy. I felt his eyes boring into the side of my head.

"Hello, Apollo" I greeted smiling, sitting perfectly.

"Lady Annabeth," He nodded. "How's your relationship with His Highness going?"

I looked down at my hands for a second willing the tears to hold and then I looked back at Apollo. "Our relationship is strong, really strong. We trust each other, we support each other. We're a really good team," My thoughts suddenly flashed to when Luke kissed me in a closet, I immediately pushed the thought away. I didn't need that right now. I looked at the little screens around the room showing what the people at home could see. The camera was on Percy as I said those things, and he looked conflicted. He was happy with what I said but sad too as he knew I was hurting.

"That's really good. Some people have noticed that you wear the same jewellery all the time. Why?"

I smiled, this was an easy question. I pointed to my earrings. "These were my mother's. Her favourite animal, same as me, is an owl and I wear these in her memory," I held up my owl necklace for the camera to zoom in. "This was a present from my father for my seventeenth birthday. And this," I held up my bead necklace. "Was a present from Percy."

"Percy?" Apollo raised his eyebrows.

I nodded smiling, "When we were young we decided to get friendship necklaces." My eyes found Percy who was sitting on my right. "Every year we pick the most important event and get a bead to represent that event. It shows our friendship."

"Can you give us an example?"

I nodded and found one. "This one was from the year Princess Zoe was born. She's named after the Huntress constellation, so we decided to get one painted as the night sky."

"And you never take it off?"

I stared into Percy's eyes, "Never," We said in unison.

After my interview, I couldn't stop looking at Percy. He meant so much to me, it hurt. It hurt that he never took his necklace off, it hurt that he kissed other people.

I found out Percy had kissed quite a lot of people. Drew, Piper, Rachel, Reyna, Nancy, Silena, Katie and I had all got a kiss.

After the Report I slipped out of the room, suddenly feeling weird and wanting a walk. I headed in the direction of the front doors for fresh air, slowly walking and thinking.

Why didn't he tell me? He can trust me, can't he? It was worse to hear it from them, than from Percy. I found out like everyone else. Why would he kiss Drew of all people? Didn't he just tell me that he didn't like her? And Nancy too? I was happy for Piper, but it felt weird knowing that the lips that had touch mine, had also touch theirs.

Oh, gods.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw next.

Percy was leaning on the wall, hands around the waist of Drew. She had both her hands on Percy's, MY Percy's, chest and their lips were locked in a passionate kiss.

"Seaweed Brain?" My voice was just below a whisper, weak, powerless and hurt. Tears were pooling in the bottom of my eyes, my heart was beating a mile a minute and I felt like I was going to faint. Hearing about it was one thing, but seeing it? So much worse.

Percy heard my voice and opened his eyes. They immediately widened and shock flashed across them. He broke apart from Drew and pushed her lightly away.

"Percy?" She asked but all he was looking at was me.

What disappointed me the most was that I couldn't read Percy's face. He had emotion, and it was an open book, but I couldn't get anything from him.

Drew followed Percy's eyes and looked at me. And smirked.

Dam Drew and her dam smirk.

Anger bubbled inside me like a volcano. If I didn't get out of here quick, Angeles would end up just like Pompeii.

So I ran, as fast as my wobbly and wearing legs could carry me. I turned around the corner as fast as I could and I could hear footsteps after me, quiet behind my heavy breathing.

I skidded to a halt outside my bedroom, grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. I silently thanked the gods that no one was in there, I just needed time alone to process this. Before I could slam the door shut, before I could cry and scream my hearts content out, a hand held the door back.

Percy's hand.

"What do you want?" I growled. I stepped up to him and poked him in the chest, hard. "You've done enough already tonight,"

Percy grabbed my finger and tried to hold my hand but I yanked it away from him. "What you just saw? That was nothing Annabeth, nothing."

"You seemed quite comfortable when I got there. If I hadn't of interrupted you would have taken her to your bedroom," Words flew out of my mouth before I could even process what I was saying. Seeing the look in his eyes, I knew I hurt him, but he hurt me too. What's the difference?

"Why didn't you tell me that you were kissing other people?" I asked loudly, a tear slipping from my eye. "I thought we were best friends, Perce. We're a team, and teammates tell each other everything. It would have been better to hear it from you, not from them." I felt like ripping off my bead necklace right there and then. All those things I had said to Illèa felt like a lie, everything Percy had told me felt like a lie, everything I told myself felt like a lie.

Anger flashed across his face. "You know what? I don't need to apologise," He stepped closer, effectively making me back up further into the room. He swiftly slammed the door shut behind him. "This is my life! I can go around and kiss whoever I want when ever I want!" He yelled.

I gritted my teeth. "Just last week you told me you didn't like her! You said- you said that you wanted to eliminate her but now you're just- your just kissing her?!" Tears fell down my cheeks. "Did you even think how I would feel? I really really like you, Percy! Do you know how it feels to see you kissing another girl? And not just any girl either, Drew Tanaka!"

He gestured widely around him. "You're in the Selection Annabeth! You're competing against other girls for me! I'm allowed to kiss and date anyone in this competition whenever and where ever I please! Unlike you," He pointed a finger at me. "You go around kissing guys even when it's illegal."

My breath caught in my throat and my heart sank. Percy knew about the kiss? How? I hadn't told anyone, no one had seen us. Unless... Luke told someone.

"What?" I asked. My voice was back to its normal volume, hurt was faded in my tone, disbelief being stronger.

"As if I wouldn't find out Annabeth," He scoffed. "Luke's been bragging about it behind closed doors. Little make out session I heard."

I shook my head and took a couple of steps closer to Percy. "No, no, no. Percy, he pushed me into a cupboard! I didn't kiss him, he kissed me!"

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why would I believe you? You lied to me about actually kissing him in the first place."

I put my hands up. "And what are you going to do? Punish us? Kill us for treason?" I dropped my hands knowing he would never do that to me no matter how much I hurt him. "You feel that feeling inside of your chest right now Percy? That jealously? That hatred towards Luke? That's how I'm feeling right now! At least Luke is a nice guy, Drew's a-"

Percy held up his hand. "Stop."

I scrunched my eyebrows together in confusion. "What?"

"Don't say anything mean towards her-"

"What?!" I screamed, "Are you actually defending her right now?"

Percy flinched at my voice but continued on, "-or I will have to send you home."

My chest raised and fell quickly. Send me home? I thought that was decided as soon as I started screaming at him.

"Send me home?" I asked.

Percy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "The rules say that you're not allowed to say anything offensive about another Selected, and if you do your sent home."

I slowly walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. "So I'm not being sent home? Even though I just screamed at you? Even though I've committed treason which is punishable by death?"

He leaned back against the door, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm not sending you home," His voice was quiet, but loud enough for me to hear.

"Are you sure about that? If I were you I would be sending me-"

"I'm not sending you home okay, Annabeth?" He suddenly burst out. He walked over and stood in front of me. "Get that into your head!"

I looked up at him with wide eyes. "Why not?"

There was a long silence. Long enough for me to think that he was deciding that he should send me home. He was thinking, I could tell that much. His eyebrows were scrunched together and his eyes were staring into nowhere.

"Because I- because I'm-" Percy started but was interrupted by the door opening. My heart sank lower than before as I saw who it was.

Luke walked in wearing full guard uniform, "Annie I-" but stopped short when he saw Percy standing there.

I saw Percy suddenly tense and his hands curled into fist. I quickly stood up and placed a hand on his chest. "Calm down," I whispered. He sent me a look as if to say: How-can-I-calm-down-if-the-bastard-is-in-the-room?

"Please," I whispered again.

Percy stared at me for a moment longer then reluctantly untensed his shoulders and uncurled his fists.

"Luke," I said stiffly, turning around to face him, "What brings you here?"

"Well I heard some yelling so I followed the sound and it led me to your door," He stepped closer and moved his hand closer to his gun. "Are you okay Annabeth?" His eye flickered up to Percy then back to me. "Do you need help?"

Percy stepped in front of me and watched Luke's hand near his gun. "I think Annabeth can handle this on her own,"

Sensing that if the boys started to 'talk' to each other there would be a hospital wing visit I interrupted.

"Percy, yes I am capable of handling things on my own," I turned to Luke. "I'm okay Luke, no need to get worried." I eyed his hand near his gun, wanting him to move it away. He wouldn't hurt us, would he?

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?"

Percy stiffened behind me and was about to make a mistake when I stepped in front of him, deliberately stepping on his toes to keep him to shut the hell up.

Percy made a noise of pain behind me but I kept my eyes on Luke. "Luke, I think it's best if you get back to your rounds. If anything happens and I need you, I'll come find you, okay?"

He didn't move, keeping his eyes on Percy. "Okay?" I asked again louder and more forceful.

He shook his head as if coming out of a dream. "Yes. Uh, yeah. Come find me, Annie."

And he left the room closing the door behind him.

Percy immediately stepped away from me. "If he calls you Annie one more time I'm going to rip him limb from-"

I put a hands on his arm and chest. "No, you won't. Just because I don't like you calling me Annie means that I don't like Luke calling me Annie."

He breathed out rather loudly. "And so I'm only allowed to call you Wise Girl? Why do you even like that bastard? He's no good, I can tell. He's up to-"

I squeezed his arms interrupting him. "Don't assume things you don't know."

He didn't say anything. He accepted me resting my head on his chest, my arms around his neck. He hooked his arms around my waist drawing me in closer.

"Annabeth?"

"Yes?"

"How was the kiss? I mean, was he any good or-"

"It was wrong," I whispered. "I admit I had been dreaming of kissing him since I met him, but it didn't feel right. He was so hard and demanding. You're gentle and careful Percy, your kisses are perfect. Luke's felt just so wrong."

Just so wrong.

Percy kissed me on top of the head. "I'm so sorry-"

"Don't apologise. Please, I just want to forget everything we said to each other. It was awful."

"Already forgotten, Wise Girl."

We staying in silence, just hugging each other in the middle of my room, thinking over things.

Percy soon left, claiming that both he and I needed sleep. He reminded me that tomorrow was Jason's birthday and that he would come by after breakfast. I was okay with this, sure after he left I missed his warmth and his smell but I needed to be alone that night. I needed to undress and get ready. I needed to just lay on the blanket, staring at the ceiling feeling nothing but empty.

I needed to cry.

RIP
Author of: A Loophole
Cause of death:
Angry Fangirls

So I've looked at my plan for this book. Including this chapter I'm thinking it will be around 60 (maybe more) chapters....

I think I'll have to end A Loophole soon, (halfway point is coming quickly) then have a sequel (basically it's a continuation. Just splitting the hole story into two different books)

Thoughts?

Don't forget I love you

-Squirrel