Chapter 8

Percy and Annabeth headed straight home, just like their friends had suspected. They knew it was only a temporary fix, and that they would eventually have to face the music, but they wanted to at least have time to figure out their story's details first. Since it was Friday, they thought they would at least have the weekend to figure everything out, but a demigod's luck wasn't even good enough to be called luck. So, when their friends showed up at their apartment, they were a little surprised by the timing, but not shocked. At least most of the group already knew about their relationship.

They were just minding their own business, making out on their bed, when they heard a knock on the door. Now some might wonder why they were kissing each other when they had some serious shit going on, but that's just how they are. A simple strategic conversation turns into a make-out session, and a full-on make-out session turns into a heated screaming match. It's all a part of the package of Percabeth.

"Who could that be?" Annabeth pulled back from her boyfriend, with him letting out a sound of frustration.

"I don't care, but whoever they are, they're about to be run through with a VERY pointy sword named Riptide," Percy grumbled, storming out of the room.

Annabeth rolled her eyes at him, but followed anyway. This should be good.

She was able to reach him just as he was unlocking the front door, sword in hand. He looked like he was seriously about to skewer whomever was behind that door.

What they saw on the other side was not what they were expecting. At least not so soon.

"Addison?" Annabeth asked, shocked.

"Hey, Annabeth. Can we come in?" her friend asked.

Annabeth had to literally shake herself out of her stupor before she pushed Percy out of the way for her friends to come in, "Oh, yeah. Welcome."

Percy just watched as each and every one of his close friends followed Addison through his apartment door. He had almost forgotten about their problem at school before this interruption. Annabeth's lips could make him forget anything stuck on his mind.

"So...what're you guys doing here?" Percy asked, waving Riptide around as a pointer out of habit.

Annabeth's eyes widened and she quickly pried the sword out of her boyfriend's hands. Idiot, she thought.

"Why do you have a bat?" Jack asked, eyebrows raised in question at his friend.

"What? I don't have a–oh! Yeah. We weren't expecting anyone. Didn't know what to think," Percy lied very un-smoothly.

Once again, Annabeth found herself mentally calling her boyfriend an idiot.

"You never answered his question," She pointed out, putting Riptide against the wall and trying to change the direction of the conversation.

She's always left to clean up Percy's messes. Just ONCE, Annabeth wants him to not almost reveal the entire existence of the greek gods in one conversation. That's the dream.

"We didn't. But I think you know why we're here," Addison said, crossing her arms.

"Actually, I have no idea why they're here since they already knew about us," Percy pointed to his friends, "But I think I know why you're here."

Addison was ready to give some witty retort, but never got to because Percy's answer was not what she was expecting. Chloe, Mike, and Jack already knew?! Then why did they help her find Percy and Annabeth? Ugh, everything is just so confusing right now.

"Wait, you guys knew already?!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms up into the air.

"Yep, but we thought it would be nice to get some payback on Percy and Annabeth for lying to us. So, we brought you to them. Now be angry!" Mike said.

Percy was about to just walk out of the room, but as he was leaving, Annabeth grabbed his arm in a death-lock grip. He did not get to just leave her to explain everything, even though she already did that to him earlier. This one's gonna be bigger, she can feel it.

"Why don't we move to the kitchen table, ok? We'll answer all of your questions there," she offered, already walking out of the room, Percy towing behind.

As she was being led into the Jackson family's kitchen, Addison had a sudden realization. Percy and Annabeth really DO live together. She knew that Chloe said they were staying together, but it had never really sunk in until now.

"Do you guys want anything?" Percy asked half-heartedly, only because Sally had raised him right.

"We're good," Chloe answered quickly, eager to let the interrogation begin.

"Ok, well if you change your mind, there's cookies on the table," he said.

They all sat down at the table. Nobody spoke. Nobody knew how to start. It was very aggravating for the demigods present.

Finally, Mike broke the tension, "So...I wanted to ask a question before Addison starts ranting."

Addison briefly wondered how one of the most popular guys at the school could talk about her so casually, like they were best friends. It went against every stereotype that she believed about them. She guesses that she should just scrap all of those now that she's learned her best friend is dating THE most popular person at school.

"What?" Annabeth asked, trying to turn her attention to Mike, but there was a very distracting crack in the wood on the table that was practically called out to her.

Unlike Annabeth, Percy wasn't able to control his ADHD at all, so the crack got the majority of his attention. If he was really needed, Annabeth would slap him.

Back to Mike. "Well, I was feeling all excited cuz' I was able to keep a huge secret, and then you go and out the secret on my first day, so I was just wondering why?"

Annabeth burst out laughing. Like, full-on laughter. It even broke Percy out of whatever trance the crack had put him in, making him aware of what was going on around him again.

Everyone looked at each other with looks of confusion. The mortals were all wondering if Annabeth was hiding some sort of mental illness from them, one that makes her suddenly break out into hysterical laughter. But that was just their imaginations running rampant.

What was really happening was that Annabeth was in need of a good laugh, and the smallest of things could've set her off. This time, it just happened to be Mike asking a perfectly ordinary (sort of) question.

When she was finally able to control herself, Annabeth said, "I'm sorry. I just really needed a good laugh. Anyway, to answer your question simply, I got sick of hiding the best part of my life."

In most people's eyes, that is not simple whatsoever. But whatever.

"Ok, that's fine I guess," Jack said, "Moving the mic over to Addison!"

"Thanks, er, I guess. Now I don't know where to start. Everything is just a jumbled mess of questions," Addison mumbled.

Percy, ever the kindest, encouraged her by saying, "Don't think about it. Just ask and we'll answer."

Wow. Can he get any better? Addison thought before following his instructions, "Um, how long have you two been together?"

"About a year," Annabeth answered immediately, "But we've known each other since we were twelve."

That was an easy one.

"Ok, why did you keep it a secret from everyone?"

Percy sighed, "We were told by our friends that we're too dependent on each other, so we made a game out of proving them wrong. Whoever broke first lost."

"That's...kinda messed up, but whatever. Next, um, do you love each other?"

"Of course," both demigods answered together.

"Well, that kinda takes away every other question I had. I don't know what else to ask," Addison admitted.

Well, that wasn't as bad as Percy and Annabeth thought it would be. Thought Annabeth did take notice of her friend's change in personality. Usually, Addison is the quiet one, but she was very open today. Annabeth guessed the secret coming out somehow brought her out of her shell, too.

"Seriously?! I was hoping for a popcorn-worthy event! Come on, man!" Jack exclaimed.

Percy smirked. His friends always knew how to bring the mood back to joking around. It's comforting that they weren't super mad at him for keeping something this big from them. And this isn't even his biggest secret! (But they'll never learn that one.)

"Well, I guess we should go watch a movie, huh?" he said, jumping up.

Seaweed brain, Annabeth thought with a loving smile.

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On her way home, Addison was stuck in her own thoughts. Throughout her time spent with Percy and Annabeth today, she had noticed all of the things about them she had never seen before; the way they knew what the other was thinking without any effort, the way they always gravitated towards each other (almost always touching in some way), and the way they were absolutely, without a doubt, the best of friends she had ever seen.

It was almost impossible to not feel happy in their presence. They were so much in love, some might get sick from the proximity. Not Addison though, she was just happy that her friend had found her perfect other. For as long as she had known her, Addison had worried that Annabeth was one of those girls that refused every advance because she thought school was more important than social interaction.

How wrong she was...

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