(27th December- afternoon )

Annabeth stayed with her step-mom the past few days,I've hardly had time to be with her.

It was weird how much I missed her.

"It's just a few more days,Percy! Her brothers getting better. Wipe that love sick look off your face before I throw up," Piper jested, stabbing me with a fork.

"Bold words from the girl who stares at Jason from a point blank range with a lovey lovey look for hours on end," I rolled my eyes, "And I can't help it....I miss her."

"We can tell," Leo chewed his brownie.

The bookstore seemed so odd without Annabeth. And being there without her felt like hanging out at someone else's house without their permission.

It's just....she'd spent years here. Every part of this place has been touched by her and taken care of by her.

The fact that her stepmother could even think of.....taking this away from her? I couldn't stomach the thought of what it would do to Annabeth.

Even though she doesn't want to spend her whole life tied down here, I know what this place means to her. What it represents to her.

"We should do something," Piper said suddenly, as she watched Jason to return to the table from the washroom. He raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to fill him in.

"For New-Years. My mom's travelling. I want to do something fun with you all. And she said I could use the jet so I was thinking....road trip/ best day ever?"

"We can drive down to the beach," Hazel suggested, "I heard they're going to have a wonderful fireworks show."

"Sold!"

"You think we're just gonna drop everything cause you made epic plans?" Leo scoffed at Piper's raised eyebrows, "Of course I'm down! Count me in McLean."

"Sure," was Reyna's response, "My sister is going to be out of town and this seems more fun than hanging out by myself."

"Jason?" Piper asked specially, her kaleidoscope eyes trained on him. Of course he said yes, quite red too might I add.

"I'm coming, Piper?" Frank replied, earning a smile from Hazel.

"Noted. Jackson?"

"Count me in. I'll ask Annabeth too."

"I heard Annabeth's name, what's going on?" Thalia emerged, stealing the truffle off my plate.

"That's mine!" I complained, trying to snatch it back before she swallowed it whole.

"We were planning to go to the beach for New Years," Piper explained.

"Sounds good. Luke and I are in," Thalia declared, swiping two more truffles as she went back upstairs.

"When would we leave by?" Reyna inquired, already noting it down in her calendar

"I think it's a dayish to go down there so we'll leave by the 30th?" Piper piped in.

"Thats good. We can rent an Airbnb," Hazel nodded.

"Is your brother going to be joining us?" Frank asked.

She shook her head, "No I think he's spending the night at Will's place and celebrating with his family. My father's going to be off on a business meeting so it'd just be me anyway."

"Seems like we'd all have been alone anyway. Good thinking, Pipes," Jason smiled at her.

"The beach it is," I confirmed as everyone nodded their heads, "Anyways I gotta head out. See you soon!" I said, grabbing my bag and making Piper promise to text me the details later.

The last thing I caught before leaving the table was Reyna's remark on how we all seemed to be living in some high-school drama. Which I was inclined to agree with.

I booked a cab home and changed into a suit as the driver awkwardly looked away. I tipped him generously for his troubles.

I sprinted up the stairs when I arrived. I absolutely hated these meetings.
But I also hated the lectures Dad gives if I miss even a single one. It's a loose loose situation either way.

At least Rachel's companionship was fun. However, she paid attention most of the time so it was me all alone, staring at the walls and wondering how I ended up there.

I passed by my stepmother as I made my way to dads office.

Without bothering to knock, I pushed the large door open. The whole room, filled with almost a dozen lawyers, Apollo, my father and Rachel turned towards me.

Dad gave me a disapproving shake of the head, which lifted my spirits as I took my seat next to Rachel.

"Bad news headed your way," she whispered as she scribbled something down on her notepad.

"As we were discussing, Perseus," dad began.

He used my given name. Im probably super late.

"The date for your wedding with Rachel is set. July 12th, next year. It's boy going to be a grand affair, just a simple ceremony here at home. We'll have a huge celebration for the media and public a while later," Dad explained.

"July 12th?" I asked, trying to digest the date. That was...that was Annabeth's birthday. The fates were definitely playing a horrible prank on me.

"Yes, it's fixed," Apollo grinned, flashing his white teeth, "Can't change it. Feel free to call me dad in law."

There it was again.

That sinking feeling, the world dissolving from under me. The room tilted a bit.

A cage.

I felt like I was in a cage.

"Excuse me," I stood up, trying to push past the falling feeling. I made my way to exit the rook, despite my father's and 'dad in laws' protests.

"He probably has homework," Rachel defended as I closed the door shut, making my way to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Annabeth's birthday. Out of all the days they could've picked....they picked the birthday of the woman I loved.
It was cold.

I didn't even know if dad did it on purpose or not.

"Percy?" Amphitrite called, stafint at the kitchen counter, "Are you alright ?"

"Yeah yeah I am," I lied, filling up a glass with water.

"Is this about the wedding?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"If it helps...I told your father not to go through with it."

"You did?" I turned to face her.

She nodded, "I talked to your mom the other day. She told me all about Annabeth and how in love with her you seemed," she smiled, "And...it appears Sally still doesn't know about the wedding."

"I haven't told her yet."

"Because...."

"Can we not do this right now?" I groaned, tossing the glass into the sing. The clang reverberated  through the kitchen.

"Oh I'm your stepmother and we are getting into it right now. Sit down," Amphitrite said, grabbing me by the shoulder as she forcibly sat me down on a couch.

"You don't want to get married."

"Isn't that obvious?"

"How serious you about Annabeth? Do you love her," Amphitrite asked, settling down on the white couch opposite to mine.

"I do. More than anything," I said, meaning every word of it. I might not be sure of many things. But loving every part of Annabeth Chase was not one of them.

"What about Rachel?" Amphitrite asked, a small smile on her face, "I want the whole story. Now."

So...I told her the whole story.

Okay maybe not all of it and more like the general gist of it. I told her how I loved Annabeth. And now Rachel and I were just friends.

"Thank you...for sharing," she smiled when I was finished, "I'm glad we had this talk."

Amphitrite and I weren't extremely close. And we certainly never had talks like these. However she was my stepmom and I did care a lot about her. Shes super fun to be with and around.

"Weirdly, I am too," I grinned, feeling somewhat at ease. Amphitrite gave me quite a lot of advice during our chat.

"I'll do my best to find a loophole for you. Poseidon might not show you or Rachel the paper's but he certainly can't keep things from his wife," she winked.

"Tha-"

"Mommyyyy!! Brother!!" a thumping sound came towards us as Tyson jumped onto the couch, "I made a painting of a carrot today!"

"Isn't that wonderful?" Amphitrite laughed, ruffling his hair with love, "Go put it up on the fridge. I'll be there a minute," she told Tyson, who happily did as he was told.

"I hope you know you can always count on me," Amphitrite said as she got up, "I am your stepmother you know."

"I know," I grinned, watching as she called out to Tyson.

I texted Annabeth when I returned to my room. Her brother was feeling a lot better, she said.

I had a new ally now. And I was definitely not going to be a pawn for my father anymore.

"Awesome," I whispered as the screen lit up. A message from Annabeth, agreeing to the beach trip

This is going to be a heck of a time.

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Aha! Two uploads on time. Feelin quite proud.
Got an exam tomorrow for a subject I didn't even know existed until yesterday(I wish I was joking. I'm not). Wish me luck!

(Posted: 10/4/22- 1:27am)

Any suggestions?

Stay tuned!!
—S