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“Well, it seems to me that the best relationships - the ones that last - are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with.”

― Gillian Anderson

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After breakfast, Percy decided to head over to 2nd floor. The plan was all perfect... in his head. He wanted to surprise few Selected by randomly knocking on their doors. He knew Annabeth was in room 23 now but he decided he was going to see Rachel first.

I should spend time with people I don't know.

Highly confident, he knocked on room number 1, squaring his shoulders in an attempt to look intimidating.

The girl who opened the door had black hair falling just below her shoulders. She was wearing black jeans, black tops having a gold lightning bolt.

This isn't Rachel.

"Prince?" She said.

"Oh...um... Is this not Rachel's room?"

"Oh. Ah... No" she sounds confused.

"Okay... Can I come in?" he asks.

She frowns. "Can you?"

They both stare at each other before she says "Alright, come in"

Percy steps into a room with lots of snacks. The girl looks alarmed and pushes an entire row under a table.

"Please pretend you didn't see that. Willow would kill me if she found out I was full on snacks. I'm Thalia"

Percy laughs and seats himself on one of the chairs. "Your secret is safe with me"

Thalia narrows her eyes. "I didn't say you could sit but hey, it is your place so..." and she sits on the other chair.

Percy nods. "I'm sorry about that. I just thought room number one belonged to the one who said her name when An... when 'one' was called out"

Not even a minute into a conversation and you already mentioned Annabeth. His mind points out.

"You are right. It did but the girls picked their own rooms on a first come first serve basis then some exchanged rooms with others"

"Oh" Annabeth isn't in 23 then? Bummer.

Thalia laughed. "Is the Prince supposed to be this shy?"

"It is my first time too, you know?"

"Fair enough. What was your plan anyway? Knocking into random doors like that? Just because you're the Prince.."

"Hey! What am I supposed to do? Send letters to each of you? Besides, this way I can see the real you behind all that makeup"

Thalia rolled her eyes. "I doubt that. Many girls here are expecting you to surprise them. They're ready 24/7.... but... You do realise that most girls are down in the common room right? I just couldn't sit in that dress, fake a smile and make small talk anymore"

Percy thinks he should have paid more attention when he was told to sign the selection forms.

"You have a common room?"

"A common room where no boys are allowed access. What did you expect us to do? Sit in our rooms all day?"

"But... You are allowed access till the second floor and the back gardens too"

Thalia sighed, "We have a common room."

"Alright, so any idea who is where?"

"Rachel?" she asked, almost teasing. "No. No idea"

"Well then, knocking into random doors really became random for me" Percy thinks he starts to feel friendly around her.

Thalia did too. She gestured with her hands as she said "What's the point? Only the maids would open doors for you, that is if they are inside. All the girls are in a common room where boys can't go" she shrugged.

"Wait when you said 'boys' can't go.. you mean the Prince too?"

"I mean even the King but I think you can send in messages or something" she lifted an eyebrow. "Weren't you briefed about all this?"

I was given forms which I signed blindly because we had a gang dinner. He decides to not say that.

"Not really. Been busy"

Thalia nods. "Willow may know. She always keeps track of the girls"

Should he know this Willow? Is it one of the Selected?

"Who is Willow?"

Thalia stares at Percy "The guide assigned to us for the duration of The Selection? You really don't know anything do you?"

Percy looks around. "I suppose not"

.........

It doesn't take too long to find Miss. Willow. Thalia mentions that she is a middle age woman, always in formal wear, quote "illegally getting into the Selected rooms in search for misconduct."

So when a Percy sees someone matching the discription coming up to the second floor, he expects her to say something to him considering he is the Prince and all. What confuses Percy is when she walks right ahead as if she never saw him.

He calls out "Miss.. Willow?"

The woman turns around with a pressed smile. "Yes your majesty?"

"Ah... You are the guide assigned for the girls, right?"

"Yes. Is there a problem?"she frowns.

She says that as if she expects him to complain about one of the girls.

"Ah, no", he shakes his head as he approaches her, "do you have a list of who is where in this floor?"

"Yes"

"Um... Can you give me a copy?"

"I would have to clear it with the Queen first" she says stern.

"Oookay... Well, are any girls in this floor right now?"

"Yes at least ten aren't in the common room. I will clear your request and bring it to your office"

"Ah, actually could you bring it here? I'd probably talk to a few girls"

Random strangers.

She nods, still looking stern. Percy feels so much like he is the one interrogated when she looks at him that he bows his head when she does.

Percy gets why she is here. Royal etiquettes teacher.

I wonder what her reaction to Annabeth will be...

By the time he talks to a few maids who all say that their Lady is downstairs, Percy decides to just wait till Willow comes back. Then, he accidentally stumbles on his own feet and almost breaks the door to room number 22.

To his surprise, Rachel opens the door.

"Oh hey,... uhh... I didn't mean to do that"

Smooth Percy, smooth.

She raises an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Um... Can I come in?" he asks, bolder than last time.

"Sure."

He comes in and stares at Rachel. She is wearing a orange tee and a blue pant. The resemblance is uncanny. These are traditional Annabeth cloths.

Yeah bro, time to stop connecting everything to Annabeth.

"What?" asks Rachel.

"Nothing, coincidence. I went to room number 1 searching for you" he admits.

"Ah! That's why you played that game. Pretty smooth prince"

Percy scratches his neck.

"So... How do you like the palace?"

"I haven't been around much but it is really big. Pretty impressive too. There are 5 floors I think?"

"Yeah and we have towers too."

"Woo you must have seen some pretty good night skies huh?"

"Yeah the view is great" he says as he sits down on a chair. Rachel sits across from him.

Now that Percy notices, the rooms are exactly same. He wonders why the girls tried to exchange it.

"They're exactly the same. Why did you move?"

"Huh?"

"The rooms. They're the same"

"Oh, I didn't move. My room was occupied when I came. I think i was the third to arrive? Anyways, I just took the one right next to the staircase"

"Ah. Okay"

"What are you doing here?"she asks.

"Surprising you.... Well not necessarily you, I was just gonna knock on doors and see who answers them"

"But you told me you were looking for me in room 1?"

"Oh that... I just thought I'd start with a face I know.." he mumbles.

Rachel smirks. "Oh did you?"

"I meant it when I said I wanted to see those paintings you know?"

..............

After another fifteen minutes with Rachel where he just continued staring at her paintings with a O on his lips, he bid her farewell and went back to the hallway. Miss. Willow was waiting for him at the other end.

"I see you have met Lady Rachel. She is quite charming." she says.

"Yeah, her paintings are pretty good"

Willow hands over two sheets. "That's your request. The Queen also gave you clearance on everything"

"On everything?"

"Any information I know I can tell you if you wish to hear it"

"Really? Mom cleared everything?"

"Prince, it is your Selection" she says bluntly.

"Yeah.. okay what can you tell me about Rachel?"

"She's already a 2 so it isn't hard to teach her royal routines. She has media support. She is beautiful as you've seen already. Her governing skills are yet to be checked but overall a good candidate"

Percy blinks, "Yes... What can you tell me about her?"

"I just did your majesty."

"Nothing about her character? Beyond what you can see on a first go?"

"She doesn't have any bad habits, no addictions whatsoever, she sounds genuine and yeah... this is important, she can be disciplined for a queen"

Said like a real etiquette teacher.

Just then a girl wearing orange tee and dark blue shorts comes towards them. Percy almost called her Rachel before realising it was Annabeth.

"Hey Perce, wassup?"

Next to Percy, Willow looks like she bursts out of anger.

"LADY ANNABETH ! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING THE PRINCE BY HIS FIRST NAME??--"she takes a deep breath.

Percy raises his eyebrows.

So that is her reaction to Annabeth.

"---This is totally not acceptable! Why don't you understa..."

Percy keeps his eyes on the paper, trying to maintain indifference. Annabeth comes close enough to put a hand on his arms.

Percy decides he wants to play.

"Oh but you also told that Percy could clear that for you. Tell her that we're practically soulmates and I can call you whatever I want."

He turns to her, tone bored as he sighs "And why would I do that Lady Annabeth?"

His eyes are shining in amusement.

This jerk.

"Don't touch the Prince without permission Lady" spits Willow.

Annabeth takes away her hand and glares at Percy. "Revenge will be taken Seaweed Brain."

Willow gestures around in anger. "NO nicknames for the Prince. Not unless you're in Elite and definitely never in the presence of others"

Percy smirks. "You heard her, no nicknames." He tsks as if disappointed.

Okay, me is too curious. (Percy thinks)

"What do you think about this one", he asks Willow gesturing to Annabeth.

Willow looks dumbfounded. "What... Prince.. I should answer that in her absence."

"What?" Prince looks to Annabeth in mock humour. "I'm sure she won't take any offence. Please be honest"

"Well... She.. she.. she is completely disrespectful!" Annabeth opens her mouth in shock while Percy pretends to be surprised.

Huh?

"Is she?" He says as he looks at Annabeth.

"... She is stubborn! Although she knows all princess etiquettes by heart, she refuses to follow ANY of them! She knows she can't step out of her room in this ridiculous outfit but she does! She talks as if she already knows you... "

Which she does.

Percy makes a O as he wraps one hand around Annabeth's shoulders. Annabeth gives him a stink eye.

"... She put on flip-flops to today's breakfast your highness! I haven't seen anyone who has practically spent their life with royal traditions but behaves like this! It will be quite a feat to bring her to the level of a Queen"

Ouch.

Percy is completely elated. He doesn't try to fake emotions anymore and Willow looks from Percy to Annabeth in confusion. Annabeth hangs her head. Percy immediately notices, smiles, squeezes her shoulders and says "Take a joke Wise girl"

He quickly kisses her on the temple and Willow looks surprised. "I can't see one mistake in her discription though" he teases.

Annabeth scowls at him and pulls away "Get your hands off of me, Jackson!", Percy rises his hands in mock surrender.

Willow just stares at them, no longer confident that Annabeth was lying.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

Wise girl, what a question?

Percy stares at her. "Annabeth... It is my Selection".

Annabeth rolls her eyes. "Yeah, doofus, I'm the more intelligent one here"

"Trying to find out who lives where" he says

"Didn't you already do that this morning?"

Nothing could get past Annabeth, could it?

Percy smiles at her."You catched up, huh? I didn't hear everyone's"

"Do you even remember the ones you heard?"

"Not the point. People exchanged rooms, right? Where are you?"

"They changed rooms? I'm in mine... well... Mischelle's. 23"

Oh Annabeth is in 23 then. Nice but won't people fight for that room?

"No one took your room?" He looks at her in disbelief.

"No and I can see why. There are no windows in my room"

Of course. How could there be windows? It is the only different room in this part of the corridor, isn't it? No one knows the full truth though. Not even Annabeth.

"Annabeth that should be one of the most sought after rooms"

"Why?"

"Think Annabeth. You know the entire palace"

Annabeth looks like she is lost before all colour comes to her face. "My room is right below yours isn't? Of course!... no one else knows that. But hey, wait, your room is really big"

"Yeah I think rooms 23, 24 and 25 together make up my room" says Percy. "Hmm... we can send footstep messages" he wiggles his eyebrows.

"That is creepy Percy"

He rolls his eyes. "Says the one who invented them"

Percy then turns to Willow "About the permission. She can call me by name as long as too many people aren't around. No nicknames though, not unless we're alone or it is just the gang". Willow nods, still confused.

"Okayyy.." Annabeth pouts and Percy grins.

"Willow could you do me a favour and asks the girls to stay in their rooms after lunch? Make up a story but don't tell them about me. Tell them to ask for dinner to their own rooms." Willow nods and he turns to Annabeth. "Wise girl? Order mine too. Don't sleep early, I'm coming to you at last. I already know I'm keeping you"

Annabeth thinks that although they're great friends, "I'm keeping you" sounds weird.