Percy scratched the back of his head. “So. . .how'd they get you to come?”

Annabeth furrowed her brow. “Piper's a good friend. You?”

Percy shrugged. “Jason kidnapped me,” he said, his face completely straight.

Annabeth studied him. She bit her tongue to keep from saying, Sure you aren't Piper's boyfriend?

Instead, she muttered, “Nice.”

And now the awkwardness was sinking in.

“Annabeth!” Piper called from the backyard. “Come on! We're going to start the games. Percy, too!”

Annabeth made her way over, Percy following.

When they arrived, Percy looked around. “Um. . .did you say we're going to start?”

Piper nodded.

Annabeth shared a look with Percy. “Pipes, there's no one here.”

“Sure there are,” Piper responded. “There's four of us, five if you count my dad. Right, Jason?”

Jason also nodded. “Yup. Just enough to do a one-legged race, I think.”

“It is,” Piper agreed. She rubbed her hands together. “I'll be on Jason's team. Which leaves you two to team up.”

Annabeth stared blankly at her best friend for longer than a few seconds.

“What about your dad?” Percy asked, also seeming hesitant.

Piper waved her hand, indicating it didn't matter. “He's referee.”

Jason held out two small bungee cords, one orange and the other purple. “Just tie your left legs together at the starting line.”

Annabeth didn't take the cord. “Seriously, Piper, where is everybody?”

Piper sighed exaggeratingly and gestured to the four of them. “We're all right here. Now are you going to tie yourselves together or do I have to?”

–––––––––––––––––––––––––– ✨

Annabeth was not enjoying herself.

Percy seemed to share her views of the situation.

They stood before a spray painted white line, standing as far apart as they could when tied together at the legs. Jason and Piper were finishing tying their own legs, and Tristan McLean stood at the other line across the yard, ready to declare one team the winner.

“Okay.” Piper clapped her hands together, limping to the line with Jason. “Now for team names.”

Annabeth sent her friend an unbelieving glare.

Piper smiled cheerfully and pointed to herself. “We're Team Jiper. You two are Team Percabeth.”

Percy frowned. “Perca–what?”

“Percabeth,” Piper repeated. “I smooshed your names together.”

Annabeth opened her mouth to protest, but Piper cut her off.

“When my dad calls go, we race to the other line. Whoever gets there first wins.”

Percy held up his hands. “Wait, wait, wait. . .Percabeth?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Piper, this is ridiculous.”

Piper held up her forefinger and moved it back and forth. “Uh uh uh, don't address me as Piper. It's Jiper. I'm apart of a team now, as are you, Percabeth.”

Annabeth held in her anger. She had been right. Piper was definitely on a mission to torture her, and this had been a big mistake.

And so she came to the only conclusion possible – beating Piper at everything she threw at her. She could take it. Later, she would kill her.

Before Percy could ask another clueless question, Annabeth wacked his chest with the back of her hand (because of the height difference, that's where it landed). He looked at her, surprised.

She didn't meet his gaze, keeping her head straight forward. “Focus.”

Percy was now amused. “Okaaay.”

Annabeth gave him a look. “Just beat them,” she said, mildly pleading.

Percy seemed to get the message. He nodded curtly.

Piper pretended not to notice the exchange. “Alrighty, Team Jiper for the win! Dad, tell us when.”

Tristan held up his hand. “On your marks, get set. . .GO!”

Percy started to move forward, but Annabeth grabbed the back of his shirt and held him back. She pointed to their feet. “Right, then left. Same time.”

Percy nodded and copied her as she took a step with her right foot.

“Left,” she commanded. They continued like that for a few more paces until she decided they needed to speed up. “Faster. Left. . .right, left, right. Left right left right left––”

Annabeth stopped calling out the sides as they fell into a perfect sync. She didn't have to look at Piper and Jason to know they were behind.

Percy looked, though. He managed to keep up as he huffed out, “They're catching up.”

Annabeth risked a look herself, and realized he was right. The other team seemed to be trying really hard, and although they weren't quite as organized, they were making progress.

Annabeth looked up at Percy's concentrated face, studying it for a moment.

Then she grabbed his hand. “Forget it. Just run.”

Percy was forced to put his arm around her to keep balance, and they rushed for the finish line. Their footing became sloppy, but their speed increased by a lot.

Tristan was cheering, calling out names, but neither Percy or Annabeth were listening.

Soon they were just barely tumbling over each other, holding on for what felt like dear life.

She couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face, matching Percy's, as they crossed the finish line first.

As soon as they slowed down, Annabeth knew there was no saving their balance. They both let out breathless laughs, landing in the soft grass next to each other.

Piper and Jason crossed just after them, also grinning widely. They hit the ground with a lot more force, and Jason ended up on top of Piper.

Annabeth enjoyed the show, the two flustered teenagers scrambling to separate themselves.

Then she realized she was tied to a stranger. Percy was already tugging at the ropes, and Annabeth moved to help him.

The purple bungee cord came away, leaving slight red marks around their ankles, but Annabeth didn't care.

“What's next?” she asked.

Piper, now recovered, looked up. “Uh. . .bobbing for apples.”

Annabeth had forgotten her earlier complaints, and allowed Percy to help her up. She brushed her jeans off and looked to the two buckets full of water and floating red apples.

“So we take turns? Whichever team ends up with the smallest sum of time wins?”

Piper smiled at Annabeth's new willingness. “Not quite. You're still a team. Which means you have to work together.”

And just like that, Annabeth's reluctance returned.

“Gods,” Percy muttered.

But her determination wasn't going anywhere.

“Don't worry, it could be way worse,” Piper assured them. “You have to help your teammate get an apple. That's it. You can do whatever you want.”

Annabeth looked at her in question. “Um. . .Pipes, you're basically saying we can just hand each other apples. That's not a challenge at all.”

Piper smirked. “Not quite. Jason?”

Jason pulled two scarves from his back pocket (which was starting to get suspicious) and handed one to Percy.

“Is this supposed to be a blindfold?” Percy asked.

Piper nodded. “This way, none of us can peek. Annabeth and I have to keep our hands behind our backs and search for an apple with our mouths. The boys can help us however they can––blindfolded.”

Annabeth looked at the blindfold in Percy's hands.

She sighed and moved to tie it for him.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––– ✨