"Hey, you're out early!" Annabeth laughed, grabbing Percy's shoulders before he tumbled into the street. "Watch where you're going, Seaweed Brain."

  She was wearing jeans and an orange camp T-shirt and her clay bead necklace. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her gray eyes sparkled. For a moment all Percy could do was stare at her. She smiled, rolling her eyes as she grabbed his arm and led him through the crowded sidewalk towards the movie theater. 

  This took much longer than they expected, however, because the streets were jam-packed with traffic, plus school had just let out, so parents were rushing to pick up their kids.

  "Why is it so busy?" Annabeth huffed as they waited to cross the street.

  Percy chuckled. "Calm down, Annabeth. It's just a normal Friday afternoon. Maybe we should've chosen a movie that showed later, though. This was a horrible time." Annabeth glared at him, as if it was his fault, but he could tell she was just frustrated and wasn't keen on taking the blame.

  There was a lady standing next to them, also waiting for the traffic to clear. She was wearing  a flowy red dress and dark red lipstick. She looked at them and smiled.

  "Having a good day, dears?" She asked.

  "Not with all this traffic," Annabeth mumbled.

  Percy nodded at the lady. "Yep. Just trying to catch a movie."

  The lady sighed. "Yes, I'm trying to get to a restaurant for dinner with my boyfriend, but it seems walking wasn't a good idea."

  "I don't think driving would be much better."

  "I suppose not. What time is your movie?"

  Annabeth exhaled. "Four. But the ticket said to get there early."

  The lady looked at her phone. "Are you just headed to the Manhattan movie theater?" They nodded. "That's about a 10 minute walk from here. It's already 3:37!"

   Annabeth glared impatiently at her. "Yes, well Percy was in school so-"

  "Weren't you in school as well? You two look the same age." The lady frowned at her suspiciously.

  Right then the sign above them signaled for them to cross the road, and Percy and Annabeth darted away, leaving the nice woman looking baffled.

【＊＊＊】

  Finally, they had arrived at the movie theater. They rushed up to the ticket taker, a seventeen year old boy, and Annabeth thrust her ticket at him.

  "Second screening for..." She looked at the ticket. "Twilight?"

  "You're late," the boy said in a bored voice.

  "By one minute!" She protested. The boy shrugged and took their ticket, letting them inside. 

  "Theater 5, straight down the hall." They rushed into the room.