{Percy}

I stare at Chiron's image.

"Percy, thank the gods you're ok!" Chiron said. "You need to stay here. This is serious."

Chiron went on and on. I figured out a long time ago how to look like you're paying attention but really be zoned out. Annabeth had already explained this to me. The dangers, the magic, the blah blah blah.

Finally he left, and then Annabeth and I began to talk. Then an iris message
from a child of Hecate came in, just as Chiron had said.

"Ok, the potion wears off Wednesday at 1:25 PM. There is a way to cure the potion, but the mix is complicated, and if I had everything in the cauldron by 10 PM, then still, it'd take till Wednesday just to make it, not to mention the love potion had already run its course and we'd still have to get to you. Either way, there's no way I'd finish making it tonight either. Just keep Percy locked in the room with one of you around at least until Wednesday."

"Ok." Annabeth nodded. Leo, outside of the box, nodded as well. After all, he could hear everything.

It was later that night when it happened. Annabeth was talking to me, when outside there was a bang. Leo was collapsed on the soundboard.

"I'll go check that out-"

"Annabeth, no. At least get Jason an Piper up here first." I say.

"Nico's around here somewhere, hiding in the shadows." Annabeth said. "It's probably just Leo being the lazy idiot he is and just going to sleep on duty."

"No, stay here." I say. "Or untie me so I can go with you."

Annabeth's eyes darted back and forth in decision. If she wanted to be with me like I wanted to be with her, surely she'd untie me for a few minutes. Plus, I was feeling really cramped.

"Alright, but only for a bit." She untied my hands and I flung my arms around her.

We kissed, and then a sound caused us to break away. Like somebody had bumped into something and it his the floor, with a crash.

"That was the drums," I say, uncapping Riptide. "Jase, Pipes, if that's you, it's not funny."

No answer.

I gulped. "Could it be..."

"She didn't have the key though," Annabeth said. "The gods promised safety."

"Yeah..." I reply, not so sure.

Footsteps approached the sound booth window, and outside I saw Clarisse... With a bag.

"Look what I found," Clarisse threw the bag in front of Annabeth and I.

Annabeth bent down, and so did I. Annabeth looked through the bag and found an interview recorder, an iPhone, and a notepad. On the notepad, it said:

Percy! I'm listening to you!

You're truly, Carey

My heart skipped a beat. She left that there? All for me?

I looked at Annabeth, bewildered.

"You're blushing." Annabeth realized, and sat up straighter. Tears glistened on her cheek.

"What?" I asked. Suddenly I felt the red that I thought was my cheeks color. "Oh..."

Annabeth stood, wiping tears off her face with her sleeve. "Talk to you later."

"Annabeth wait-"

But she was gone, leaving only Clarisse, and a bag. Clarisse walked in and tied me up. "Somehow she snuck in and snuck out..."

"Must've had a sleep potion for Leo."

"And look what I found beside the elevator on the floor," Clarisse took a navy Yankees hat out of her back pocket. Annabeth's invisibility cap. How did she know where that was?

"Ooooook..." I say slowly. So Carey is that determined? Um, take a hint? She just won't stop, will she?

"Yeah. So that's how she snuck in here, probably wanting to see you and kiss you and that stuff that's really gross."

"Right." I say. Is that girl really that desperate? I'm pretty sure she could have any guy in the school.

"I wonder about her." Clarisse said. "I'm not child of Athena, but she must be an extreme stalker. Or..."

"A monster? By now she'd already have turned though. And she couldn't be a goddess, because she's been around too long... I get it she could be, but gods are usually really busy." I shrug. "They wouldn't have time to do something that big. To pull that big of a stunt."

"Yeah. That makes since. So why the hell does she stalk you that much?" Clarisse asked. "She's known you for 6 months. Only 6 months. And she's gone way too far."

"I agree. But what does it mean?" I asked. "Why does every girl in the school like me?"

"Have you seen yourself?" Clarisse asked.

"Well..." I didn't know what girls saw in guys, so I admit, "no. I don't know what girls see in guys."

"Blondes usually go for dark headed people. Dark headed people usually go for blondes." Clarisse said. "But some people go by different standards."

"Yeah... Ok..." I say. "Cool."

"We like tall, muscular, sporty guys. And your eyes? Wow. They're amazing." She said.

I wrinkled my nose. "Clarisse, are you saying that you think I'm cute?"

"Percy, I'm not going to lie, yes I think you're cute." Clarisse said.

What? What? WHAT? Did she just say what I think she said? Did she just compliment me- woah, wait what? She said I was CUTE?!?! FOR REAL?! I KNOW I MUST BE CUTE IF CLARISSE THINKS SO. GEES THAT WOMAN FINALLY COMPLIMENTED ME. THE WORLD IS SPINNING OFF ITS AXLE, DAYUM. CLARISSE THINKS IM CUTE!!

"Why are you making that face?" Clarisse grumped.

"Because that's there first compliment I've ever gotten from you!" I say.

She blushed. "Whatever, loser. Shut up and nobody hears about this."

There's my old pal. Back again. Woo. I almost thought that she was being nicer for once!