The date went smoothly from the private ride to the actual restaurant part. The editor of Daily Mail was there, just like Annabeth had predicted, but he didn't seem too interested in us.

"He hasn't taken a single picture of us the whole night!" I hissed into Annabeth's ear as our food was being cleared away.

Her eyes shifted over to the editor, who was currently typing on his phone. "I bet he's getting his reporter or something. Editors are bosses, right? He probably doesn't deal with taking pictures..."

"I guess that's true, but we need to step up our game and act super in love. Like, so in love that whenever people see us they wanna puke," I muttered.

She snorted but placed her hands over her mouth to conceal it. "Alright..."

We paid the bill and as we stood up I wrapped my jacket around Annabeth and held her hand tight.

As we walked out of the restaurant we were immediately greeted with the bright flash of cameras and the yelling of reporters.

"Annabeth Chase—is it true you're dating Percy Jackson?" one reporter asked as she snapped several pictures of us.

Annabeth grinned as she gripped my hand tighter. I nodded at her slightly. "Yes, it's true. Percy and I are dating."

The reporters went wild as we both smiled and posed for them. We patiently answered their questions until Annabeth's private car arrived.

"Well, that was a wild success!" Annabeth said as the driver closed the car door for her. "We did it! Now everyone's going to be talking about us!"

I grinned. I couldn't help but be proud, although this situation probably shouldn't make me feel proud. "I know, I know. When I first heard this idea...I thought it was barbaric!"

"I agree!" Annabeth protested as the car pulled up to my apartment. "Oh, here's your stop..."

The driver got out of the car and opened the door for me. I stared at Annabeth, who was peering down at her shoes, a look of disappointment on her face.

"You wanna come up with me?" I asked her hesitantly. "I mean, wouldn't it be weird if the paparazzi saw you on your way home alone?"

A grin spread across her face as she nodded and practically jumped out of the car. She dismissed her driver as she grabbed my hand in hers.

"I think I see some paparazzi," Annabeth hissed as she grasped my hand tighter.

Suddenly an idea popped into my head. Before I could stop myself, I placed my hands on Annabeth's face and pulled her into a kiss.

Instead of pulling away, she blushed and wrapped her arms around me. I felt the flash of cameras and the roar of reporters. They'd seen us.

We pulled apart hastily, the kiss quickly fading and being forgotten as several reporters started asking us questions, but Annabeth ignored them lead me to my apartment and waved at the reporters as the door closed.

I burst out laughing the second we got into the elevator. "That wave! My god, Chase, you're a pro!"

She shrugged as she curtsied sarcastically. "Thank you, thank you!"

I led her into my apartment where I took her coat and purse. I didn't know where to put them, so I just shoved them on a chair.

Annabeth was by the windows again, peering down below. I could tell that was her favorite part of my apartment by the expression her face. She was so transfixed on the buildings it was nearly inspiring.

"You think there are any paparazzi still down there?" I asked as I stood next to her and peered downwards.

She shook her head. "No, I think they all flocked out when they saw we clearly weren't answering their questions. So...you still okay with this deal?"

I chuckled, which caused her to smile briefly. "You kidding? Chiron's just informed me that my music has doubled in streams."

"Well, I'm glad that's all you get out of this," she teased as she stuck her tongue out at me, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Ha ha, you know that's not all I get out of this," I shot back, my face turning a light pink. "I get to have awesome dates with a pretty awesome girl."

She nodded as she bit her lip. She looked as if she were about to debate me, but what she did was even more shocking.

Annabeth pulled me into a kiss and wrapped her arms around me. The kiss was real, and even better than our first. That one was rushed, even staged. But this one...there were no cameras, no reporters, no public eye. This one was real.

As we pulled apart, before Annabeth could speak, I rushed away from her and started pacing in the living room, my hands pushed deep inside my pockets.

Annabeth stood there staring at me as if she'd done something wrong. She wore a confusing expression and kept opening her mouth as if she wanted to speak but just couldn't.

"Is your car still here?" I asked wearily, my voice all groggy. Why couldn't I think straight?

Annabeth only briefly shook her head as if she had broken her skull. "N-no...my driver g-gets off of w-work at midnight..."

Suddenly I was rushing through my wallet and handing Annabeth money. "Here, for a cab—"

God, I'm such an idiot! Why are you paying for her cab? She's going to think you hated the kiss..., I thought anxiously. She's going to hate you!

"Oh, t-thanks..." she whispered as she accepted the money and shoved it in her pockets. "Walk me down there?"

I grinned as I took her hand and walked her down the hall, to the elevator, and then down the street to flag down a cab.

"I'm sorry for being weird," I admitted as I opened the cab door for her and handed her her coat and purse.

She smiled as she accepted the items before examining the cab in disgust. "It's okay. I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah, call me when you want to set up our next date," I replied.

"Goodnight, Percy," she said as she planted a kiss on my cheek before ducking into the car. She closed the car door and waved at me.

All I could do was stare at her and blush.