Jessie Grace's POV

I sat in my room, staring at the ceiling. The past few weeks had been insanity. I couldn't wrap my mind around what was happening, and everyting was so unlike me. I was Jessie Grace, girl who only cared about winning in a soccer game. Not Jessie Grace, girl who only cares about winning the boy.

But the second Scarlett had started looking at Ashton that way, I couldn't take it. When it went on, I cringed. I turned possesive, and Ashton and I weren't even technically together. 

We'd gone on one date to the movies, and it hadn't ended up being just us- a bunch of Ashton's friends and their dates were there too. 

So this week would be the end-all-be-all. Because on Saturday night, it was the Valentine's Day Dance. 

Everyone was going, and I'd heard Ashton's friends asking him who he'd go with. If he was realy into me, he'd ask me. If he liked whatever species Scarlett was... then I wanted nothing to do with him.

Ashton had been driving me crazy. I couldn't stop thinking about him. At practice, I kicked the ball like it was Scarlett's head if she touched him. At night, I'd fall asleep next to a pillow and dream that it was him. It was starting to get really creepy, and I couldn't take it any longer. I needed Ashton to choose.

"Hey, sweetie, can I come in?" My mom asked. 

"Sure, it's open." My mom's name is Piper Grace, and she is everything you could ask for in a mom. She is funny, nurturing, pretty, and overall just awesome. But even when I was talking to her, I wished I was somewhere else.

My mom peeked her head in and smiled at me. 

"I'm making tacos for dinner- are you going to be here?" I nodded, smiling.

"Yup. Thanks, Mom," I watched as she closed the door, and then I stopped her. "Wait- when will that be?" 

My mom looked at my clock, then down the stairs. 

"Well, it's only 5:30 right now- maybe seven? That way Curt and Karrie can eat with us too." I smiled.

"Thanks."

She closed the door, and I grabbed my coat, following her. 

"I'll be right back, Mom," 

"Okay," she smiled, a tad puzzled. "Be safe." 

Ashton's house was only a ten minute walk from my house, and the snow didn't bother me, so I decided to make the trek. I had to stop the spinning that was driving me insane. 

I'll be honest, I was freezing. The jacket I'd chosen was way too thin, and I'd forgotten gloves and a hat, or even ear muffs. But I knew that if I turned back, I wouldn't go again. 

So I trudged onward, my mind racing from picture to picture, scene to scene, until it settled on the little white house with the green door and the wreath on it. It stood straight in front of me, and a scene played out in a way that I hadn't expected. 

There in the front yard was Ashton with a girl. They were building a snowman together, laughing and talking. I stood frozen in the middle of the road, only four or five houses away, watching, waiting. My mind began to spin quicker and quicker until it stopped and everything went black. I felt my knees buckle, felt my head hit the ground, and heard a scream.

"Jessie!!!!"

                                                                                           ~

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

I woke up to frightened faces in hats and coats with a searing pain in the back of my head. A gazillion questions roared in my ears. But my eyes focused on one person, the only face I wanted to see. Ashton's.

And that's when I realized I wasn't in a hospital bed with a beeping life stablizer thing- I was in Ashton's living room, the microwave beeping because my hot cocoa was done. The was sitting across from me, but she wasn't someone I recognized. A smaller boy was sitting next to her eating a cookie, and Ashton was next to me, handing me hot chocolate. 

"What happened?" I asked, not sure what to say. 

"You fainted. There wasn't any blood, thank God. You sort of fell onto the snow bank. Does your head hurt? I have some Advil if you want it- or something to eat maybe?"

I forced a smile, because Ashton really was trying to make me feel better, but I didn't feel that great.

"Ashton, give her some space- she just fainted. She might need a minute." The girl said. 

"Oh. Sorry. And here's your phone- I made sure it didn't get cracked." Ashton handed it to me, his hands warm against my cold ones. 

"I'm Ashton's older sister, Riley. Sorry he forgot to introduce me." I shook hands with her, and the second she touched me, I felt a burden lift off my shoulders. Ashton hadn't been with some girl- he'd been with his sister. And that was no crime. 

"This is Aidan, my little brother." Aidan just smiled a toothy grin, then turned back to his cookie. He reminded me of Toby, my own little brother. 

"What time is it? I'm supposed to be home for dinner around seven..." I regretted saying anything, thinking I should've just asked for a phone to call my mom, but Ashton responded too quickly.

"It's 6:45- I can walk you home if you feel up to it." 

"That would be great," I said, standing up gingerly. My legs didn't feel nearly as wobbly as I thought they would've. 

"I'll be right back, Ri," Ashton said, grabbing two jackets and a scarf. 

"See you soon!" 

We stepped out into the cold, and I almost tripped donw the stairs, but Ashton caught me. 

"You sure you don't want Riley and I to drive you home?" I shook my head.

"I'm fine, but thanks." My teeth chattered as Ashton put his arm around me.

"Is this okay?" He asked. He was so unsure, something I'd never seen in Ashton. I nodded, and he pulled me closer, taking off his jacket and handing it to me. "You looked cold," He smiled.

"Thank you," We walked like that for a while, moving slower than either of us were used to. But I enjoyed it. It was nice to take things slow every once in a while.

"Hey," he turned to face me, and I realized our faces were only inches apart. I could feel his breath on my face. "I was wondering... The Valentine's Day Dance is this weekend, and there's this girl I wanna ask-" 

My face turned ghostly white. He was asking another girl. 

"And?"

"And I was wondering, if it was you, how would you want me to ask?" 

Everything was wrong. It had been perfect, but now...

"I guess casually but sweetly. You know, like how chocolate chip cookies are. They're so ordinary, but they're so declicious and..." He nodded at me, smiling. My house was only a few houses away.

"So, how about it? This is pretty sweet if you ask me- walking in the snow together, both freezing... And I'll ask you perfectly ordinarily. Will you go to the Valentine's Day Dance with me?" 

The words poured off his tongue so easily, but I didn't know how to respond, much less process.

"Me? You're asking me?"

He laughed, and it sounded so perfect, too perfect. "Yeah."

"But-"

"But what?" He started to look worried.

"Me?" I turned to face him, lock my eyes with his. He was serious. "Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes!" And then he swooped in like an eagle and kissed me. And it was perfect. But not too perfect. 

"It's like chocolate chip cookies," He whispered. "Perfectly ordinary, but perfectly sweet."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey guys! So... do you like this chapter? Or did you, I guess? I had so much fun writing this... Ashton is literally perfection :D 

What did you think? Comment down below!

QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER:

Which DDIHS (Demigod Daughters in High School) boy is your favorite? I know there are really only two but you can choose :)

XO

~PercyAnnabeth20owl