So, our truck wasn't in the best condition. We had planned to drive all the way to New York City, no breaks, from St. Louis, but the car was trash. Percy said he had a cousin in Ohio, and she would probably be able to give it to us, for a price. I hesitantly agreed, and he looked overfilled with joy.
"I haven't seen her since last year! Oh, you'll love her! She's from California, too and..." well, you get the picture. We finally got to a tiny little house, and Percy pulled up.
"She's kind of...scary. Don't be afraid, though." He reassured me. I nodded and stepped through the tiny door frame.
"Perce?" A familiar voice asked.
Where do I know that?
"Thalia! I've brought my girlfriend, Annabeth, too!" Percy called.
Then, a girl stepped into the hallway, gasping.
She was exactly the same. Her short black hair had the same blue highlights. She still wore all black, and her lighting bolt earrings were even the same.
"Thals." I breathed.
"Annie?" She whispered.
"I thought...Luke..." she stopped her sentence to hug me.
"I'm so sorry." I said. "I left you, and I thought.."
"Shut up. It's not your fault. I found my long lost brother, Jason, and I moved in with him. It's because of you I'm here." She explained.
I smiled in relief. Percy then jabbed me in the shoulder.
"I didn't know this was the Thalia." He said. I smiled at him in return.
"Does this count as a landmark?" I whispered. But not quietly enough.
"What?" Thalia asked. I laughed and Percy helped me explain the story, from the bar, to here, and everything in between.
When we finished, Thalia smirked.
"Who would've thought, my cousin with my best friend." She said. I laughed again. I seemed to be doing that a lot. Thalia showed us around the woods, and showed us a pristine lake. It was bright blue, with hints of sea green, almost like Percy's eyes. Thalia then left us alone, and invited some of her friends over. I leaned my head on Percy's shoulder.
"What were your parents like?" I asked.
Percy chuckled. "Somehow, I knew you were going to ask that."
I smiled at him.
"My father left my mom after she got pregnant, so I never knew him. My mom was pretty cool, but she married this abusive jerk, Gabe. Mom eventually divorced him, and married again. This guy was chill, and I was gone when she had my little half sister."
"Well, that's a happy ending." I said.
"It is now, since you're here." He said, and kissed me. I pulled away after a second.
"What's my famous question?" I teased.
"What was so terrible about Luke?" He said softly. I shuddered.
"He, he was a very angry person. He, um, took it out on me. Physically. He also verbally abused me too." I whispered.
"Annabeth, I will kill him if he ever touches you again." He said.
I kissed his cheek. "He'll never find us." Percy grabbed my hand.
"Really?"
"Really." I stood up, and started to walk into Thalia's house, ready to meet her friends.
TIME LASPE
Thalia grabbed my hand and pulled me into the living room.
"Guys, this is Annabeth." She introduced.
"Annabeth, this is Hazel, and her boyfriend, Frank." Hazel was short, and had frizzy curly dark brown hair. Her eyes were like melted gold. Frank had short black hair, and was very bashful.
"Jason, and his girlfriend, Piper."
"Pipes?" I asked.
"Hey, Annie." She gave me a sad smile, and I gave her a happy one in return. Jason had cropped blonde hair, and his electric blue eyes were just like Thalia's.
"Leo and his girlfriend, Calypso."
"That's why you were in Utah." I though out loud. He nodded eagerly.
"Finally, my boyfriend, Nico."
"We've met." He said curtly.
"How?" Thalia asked.
"He was visiting his friend in the hospital and I was there too." I said harshly. Thalia nodded.
"Well, let's play Truth or Dare!" Leo yelled.
I nodded eagerly, trying to get off the subject.
"Frank, truth or dare!" Leo said.
"Truth." Frank said nervously.
"Who was your first crush?"
"H-Hazel." He said, his cheeks turning fire hydrant red.
"Percy, truth or dare?" He said.
"Dare." He responded confidently.
"I dare you... to let your girlfriend style your hair any way she wants for the rest of the game." Percy just kept grinning.
"Go, Annie." I glared at him. I grabbed my loose ponytail, and put his hair in a tiny ponytail, so not hair would fall in front of his eyes.
"Nico, truth or dare?" Percy taunted.
"Truth." He said darkly.
"Is it true you dated Will Solace before Thalia?"
"Yes. Annabeth, truth or dare?"
"Um, truth?" It came out like a question.
"Did you ever love Luke?"
I just stared, dumbfounded.
"Once."
"This game is over." Thalia commanded. The group split up and Percy took me to the bedroom.
"Are you-"
"If you say okay, then you'll expect me to say yes, but I'm not, Percy. I really loved Luke at a time, and being with Piper or Thalia doesn't help me get over him, and I think he's going to-"
He kissed me.
"Hey, its okay to not be okay." He said.
"But-"
"You know what? Ask me a bonus question." He prompted.
"Why do you love me?" I shot.
"Because, you're you."
"And nobody wants that!" I said.
"I do. I love you. The way your eyes scan everything, every stupid pun you make, your hair, every time you say a mindless fact, I love it! I love you, because, you're you." He finished. I stared at him.
"Really?"
"Really, Annabeth. I love you, and you'll never have to change for me. " he promised.
"Can we get out of here? I want to go to New York City." I begged.
He threw his head back and laughed.
"Of course. Anything for you."