Before any outrage could happen I rushed out of the room and got a cab home. Chiron called me with Annabeth's requests for the game, which included a private box, and then I went to bed.

The next night I was told to meet her in the box that her manger had secured for us. Even though I could afford one, I'd never sat in one of those boxes in my life.

"You're late," Annabeth said coldly as I entered the private room with a code that had been given to me.

She sat at one of the barstools at the bar, a leather bound notebook snapped closed in front of her.

For once in her life, she wasn't dressed in designer. She was wearing a plain sweatshirt and jeans with a Yankee cap, which I was certain she had bought for the game.

"Watching the game much?" I asked as I pointed at the windows on the private room, which had drawn curtains. "I didn't even know these room could have curtains...."

She shrugged as she stood up and joined me by the curtains. "I requested them. And the game hasn't started yet, Jackson. Otherwise I'd be watching it."

I laughed as I threw myself down on one of the nice couches in the room. "Sure, Chase. You just don't seem like the baseball type. Do you need me to explain the rules? Like, what a base is?"

"No, I think I'll be fine," she snapped as she drew back the curtains and peered out. "I think I'll go out on the balcony."

She raced outside, leaving me feeling partially guilty. Sure, I'm sure it was true the girl hadn't seen a baseball game in her life, but I could tell her intelligence meant a lot to her and insulting it wasn't going to make this whole experience any easier.

After debating it over in my head, I headed out to the balcony where Annabeth was sitting. She sat at the closets seat to the front and peered out at the field where the players were warming up.

I sat a few seats away from her in the same row and stared at her. She ignored me.

Before I could even open my mouth to talk, the door slid open and some person who worked there rushed out.

"Miss Chase, your regular?" he asked.

Annabeth just shook her head. "Not today, Tony. Tell Lucia hi for me, alright?"

He nodded and scuttled off, leaving us alone again.

"You know him?" I asked with a chuckle.

She nodded and avoided my gaze. "His wife, too. I've been going to games ever since I moved to New York. So, no, I don't need you to explain to me what a base is."

My face turned red as she stared intently at the game. "Look, I'm sorry for assuming that you knew nothing about baseball. I'm just nervous about this whole thing. I've never fake dated a celebrity before."

"And I have?" she asked with a snort. "When my manger came to me with this idea...I nearly fired him."

"Really? I feel like that last guy you dated wasn't a real winner," I blurted out. "Sorry, that was uncalled for—"

"No, you're right," she responded as she turned to look at me, her expression softened. "I wish I hadn't dated him, either. He was human scum, but let's not talk about him. Let's talk about this plan. See, over there?"

She pointed to a box next to ours. The balcony seating was empty but I could see through their windows. A few men sat, all of them talking and holding a beer.

"Is that who I think it is? I—I know that guy!" I commented.

"Yeah, every celebrity does. He's a reporter for the Daily Mail," she said in a disgusted tone. "That company has been writing lies about me ever since my first show."

I frowned as she continued to stare in through their curtain less window. She was probably judging their lack of a curtain. "Weren't you eight in your first show? What could they make up about an eight year old?"

She shook her head. "I was seven. And they said that the only reason I got the job was because I was a Make a Wish Kid."

"Jeez," I commented. "Then why is he here?"

"Oh, he comes here once a week," she said with a grin. "This is strategic, Percy. Tony, he has a sort of big mouth, so he's bound to let it slip to them that I'm here. Then they'll take pictures of us together and the story will leak. Wait—they're heading out, talk loud!"

My eyes widened as I scanned my brain for things to talk about that wouldn't give the deal away. "So, uhh, nice weather today, right?!"

The weather?! I'm really talking about the weather of all things?! I thought while Annabeth giggled. And I practically screamed it, too.

Although my choice to scream was...debatable, it caught the attention of the Daily Mail photographer as he broke away from his group of friends and walked over to the edge of his balcony.

"It is beautiful weather," Annabeth commented with a grin. "Almost fall. God, I love fall!"

I almost burst out laughing as her casual banter was as lame as mine.

"Yeah me, too," I replied with a smile. "I love Halloween. That might be my favorite holiday of all time."

She shook her head. "Thanksgiving for sure."

"Thanksgiving?!" I asked with a laugh. "That's, like, the most lame holiday! It's just mainly food. It's just pre-Christmas."

"And giving thanks! And family..." she said, her voice trailing off. "Well, maybe not that last one. But the food is great, Percy! Like pie. Pie is better than cake."

I gasped dramatically as if Annabeth had just killed someone I loved in front of me. "Not cake! Cake is obviously superior. Ever heard of a birthday pie?!"

Annabeth laughed, and I noticed when she laughed she actually looked pretty cute. She stopped looking so serious, which was abnormal for Annabeth. At least the one I knew. "No, for birthdays I have cake, not pie."

"Well, good," I replied with a grin. "Oh, look the game is starting!"

Annabeth smiled and then peered over at the balcony. "Oh, look, he went back inside. But I think he took a few pictures of us. Wanna head inside now? There's a television in there with the game on it."

I sighed, but decided not to protest. "Uh, sure. You sure you don't wanna stay out here and watch?"

She shook her head. "It's much more private in there. I really don't want that photographer to be taking pictures of us all night long."

Annabeth stood up and headed back into the private room. After peering at the field one last time, I made my way back inside.