The day after the trial was Halloween. I flew back to CalTech along with Percy and his friends. We were escorted into the airport, through security, to our gate, and onto the plane by two Air Marshals, so we could prevent any other issues with the law and not have Percy arrested again.

I fell asleep on the flight home, sandwiched between Leo, who was staring out the window and talking incessantly about the clouds with Jason (seated in front of us), and Percy, who was listening to to music with his AirPods and staring off into the distance. I was exhausted, having spent the greater part of the previous few days either studying, preparing for Percy's defense with Themis, or constructing the scale model of New York for my project.

"Psst, Annabeth." Someone poked my shoulder and woke me up.

"Whoever just did that," I grunted sleepily, "I will kick your ass and throw off this plane if you don't let me sleep."

"Please, Annabeth, I need to talk to you."

I opened my eyes. Percy's headphones rested on his shoulder, and he looked uncharacteristically serious.

"What about?" I sat up a bit straighter.

"It's about...." Percy shifted uncomfortably. "...Luke."

My heart rate quickened. "What about him?"

"I don't think your relationship with him is healthy."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not saying you should break with him," Percy said hastily, "but I don't think he's doing good things for your life. Also...." He appeared to be steeling himself. "...I like you, Annabeth, a lot."

"Percy, I'm sorry but I only see you as a-"

I was interputted by a young woman's voice. "Percy! There you are!"

We both looked up. A young lady around eighteen or nineteen with freckles, frizzy red hair, and green eyes stood in front of us with her hands on her hips.

"Rachel?" Percy said blankly. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going home, silly," Rachel said, batting her eyeslashes.

All the alarm bells started clanging in my head. I scrutinized her closely.

"Who are you?" I asked suspiciously.

Rachel regarded me icily. "I'm Percy's girlfriend. And who are you?"

"Annabeth Chase."

"Oh, the girl who broke his heart. Yes, he told me about you."

I addressed Percy. "Is this true? Are you dating her?"

"I...I..." Percy stuttered. "N-no, she's not."

"Poor Percy," Rachel said, clucking her tongue. "Still hurt from his lawsuit and his broken heart."

"No, I'm not!" Percy said. "Listen, Annabeth, Rachel isn't my girlfriend! She's just a friend."

"Percy," Rachel said in a tone of a concerned parent, "I know you're still in shock that you're dating someone as beautiful as me, but it's happening."

"No, it's not!"

I noted that my best friend's distress and bewilderment was increasing by the second, so I said, "Listen, you need to leave. You're stressing Percy out."

"I don't have to leave. I'm his girlfriend, and last time I checked, it's you whose stressing him out."

"You're not his girlfriend," I scoffed.

"Oh, yes, I am. And I'll prove it to you."

Rachel then proceeded to pull out her phone, open up a specific app, scroll up the screen, and handed the device to me. "Here. Read that."

I glanced down at the screen. It was a text chain between Percy and Rachel, and the specific time period I was in was during the second day of Fall Break.

Rachel: Hey, cutie ;)

Percy: Wassup, Ray?

Rachel: Just thinking about you <3

Percy: I just saw you two days ago, lol

Rachel: I know, but it's been too long 😘

Percy: Haha, you're cute when you're clingy

Rachel: Only for you, babe. What're you doing rn?

Percy: Just hangin' with Estelle

Rachel: Cool. I can't wait to meet her sometime!

Percy: Can't wait either. I gotta go, my mom's calling me for dinner

Rachel: ok, see you later 😘

Percy: bye, babe ❤️

I finished reading with my hearbeat increasing and handed the phone back to Rachel. "Why the hell would you lie to me, Percy?"

"I...I d-didn't," he stammered. "Annabeth, we aren't...we aren't dating!"

"Save it," I snapped, unbuckling my seatbelt and standing up. "I know the truth."

"Annabeth, wait!" Percy grabbed my arm and attempted to stop me.

My eyes flashed irately. "Let go of me, now."

Percy's eyes widen fearfully, and he released his grip. I stormed off to the bathroom, while Rachel snickered in the background. I closed the bathroom door and sat down on the toilet, processing my emotions of hurt and betrayal. How could Percy do this to me? Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to permit them to fall.

I sat in there until a flight attendant announced that we would be landing in five minutes. I stood up, inhaled shakily, composed myself, and headed back to my seat. Rachel had departed, and Percy watched me approach anxiously.

"Annabeth-" he began, as I sat down again.

"Percy," I interjected, "you need to leave me alone. I trusted you, and you betrayed me."

"Annabeth, please-"

"No, Percy. I need space from you right now. We'll talk about it later; clearly, there are things you aren't discussing with me."

As soon as the plane landed and arrived at the gate, I pushed past Percy and hurried off the plane with my backpack. I almost sprinted to baggage claim to meet Luke. He awaited me there, already grasping my back in one hand and a bonquet of roses in another.

"Hey, Annie," he said cheerfully. "I was...what's wrong?"

Luke caught sight of the expression on my face: my scowl and slightly puffy red eyes. "What happened?" he asked with increased urgently.

"P-Percy has a girlfriend, apparently," I said bitterly.

"What?"

"Yeah; they started dating over Fall Break."

"So he flirted with you while having a girlfriend? He's a fucking player?"

"I guess so."

"Oh, Annabeth, I'm so sorry." Luke placed the bonquet on my suitcase and opened his arms. "Come here."

I walked forward, and he enveloped me in an embrace. I placed my head on his shoulder and allowed the tears to fall.

"Annabeth!" Percy's voice spoke from behind me, sounding pleading. "Please, let me talk to you!"

"Get away from her," Luke growled. "You've hurt her enough. So, get lost, criminal."

"Don't call me that."

"That's what you are, Jackson. Stay away from my girlfriend, or else."