A/N:  First Edit: 10 May 2017 / Second Edit: 10 June 2018/ Third Edit: 4 April 2024

Jessica Hope (POV)

As I push my swim gear into my locker, I hear Nikki's voice calling my name. Nikki Has been my best friend since high school. I turn around to find her standing there with a coffee cup, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Here you go," she says, handing me the cup. I thank her with a smile and take a huge gulp, feeling the caffeine rush through my veins. 

Nikki's gaze is intense as she looks at me, and I can't help but feel a twinge of curiosity. "Why are you staring at me?" I ask, puzzled by her expression."Well, am I supposed to ignore the elephant in the room!? Did you ask out Percy yet?" she bursts out excitedly, unable to contain her curiosity. 

I let out a sigh, feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation swirling inside me. "No... but-" I start to say, only to be cut off by Nikki's exasperated sigh. "Come on, Jess! You've known Percy for over a year now! You both joined the Olympic swim team together at the same time! If that isn't meant to be, then I don't know what is!" she exclaims, her arms flailing in annoyance as she plops down on a nearby bench, making space for me to join her.

I roll my eyes at her theatrics and sit down beside her. "If you had just let me finish my sentence, you would have found out that he asked me to dinner at his house," I reply, a hint of excitement creeping into my voice. Nikki's eyes widen in disbelief, and she stops her dramatics, turning towards me with a mixture of shock and excitement. 

I feel a blush creeping up my cheeks as I glance shyly at my lap. "OMG!! Are you serious?" she exclaims, grabbing my shoulder and lifting me up, her laughter mingling with mine as we jump around the locker room in excitement. I thank the stars that Coach had already left, sparing us from her disapproving glare.

"Jess, we need to go shopping!! We need to buy you something super sexy!!" Nikki exclaims, her eyes sparkling with excitement. I roll my eyes again, but I can't help but giggle at her infectious enthusiasm. This dinner feels like a step in the right direction, and I can't wait to see where it leads. Grabbing my backpack, I follow Nikki out of the locker room, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement bubbling inside me.

As we arrive at the nearby mall, I can't help but notice the emptiness of the shop fronts. Online shopping seems to be taking over, but Nikki seems undeterred as she grabs my arm and pulls me into a Berksha store, the big clearance stickers plastered across the front catching my eye. "We could find a great deal here!" Nikki tells me excitedly as she leads me to the sale rack.

We sift through dress after dress, but none of them seem quite right. Just when I start to feel discouraged, Nikki pulls out a black dress with sea-blue embroidery . At first glance, it might seem simple, but as I take a closer look, I see that it's elegant, with just the right touch of flair. It reminds me of Percy's ocean eyes, and I can't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my chest. "This one is perfect," I whisper to myself as we head to the dressing room to try it on.

§§ Time Skip: Percy's House §§

I step out of my Prius, feeling a nervous excitement coursing through my veins. Adjusting my black dress and running my fingers through my hair, I take a moment to compose myself before ringing the doorbell. I hear Percy's voice cursing from inside, his unique choice of phrases always managing to make me smile. As he rushes to open the door, I can't help but feel a flutter of anticipation in my stomach.

Percy stands before me, his raven black hair still damp from what seems like a recent shower. His charming smile lights up his face as he pulls me into a one-armed hug, and I can't help but feel a rush of warmth spreading through me. "Hey Jess! Welcome to my humble abode," he says, his voice smooth like butter, sending butterflies dancing in my stomach. "Thanks for inviting me over for dinner," I reply with a gracious smile as he releases me from his embrace.

As we make our way to the living room, I notice the Greek figures and statues adorning the house. Percy's love for his Greek heritage is evident in every corner, and I can't help but admire the cosy ambience of his home, its almost too put together to be a guy's house especially a guy like Percy. 

"So, how was the drive here?" he asks, his voice filled with genuine interest. "Not too bad," I replied, dodging a particularly intricate lampshade. "So, what would you like to drink?" Percy asks, disappearing into the kitchen. "A glass of wine would be lovely," I say as I settle down on the comfy leather sofa. Percy returns with a glass of wine, and I take a sip, feeling a sense of ease wash over me in his presence.

"The others will be arriving soon," Percy informs me as he takes a seat opposite me. "Others?" I ask, confusion creeping into my voice. I had thought it was just going to be the two of us. "Yeah, Ryle, Jacob, Leah, and Gabrielle will be joining us," he explains, and I can't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. I had hoped for some alone time with Percy, but it seems this dinner is more of a team gathering than a romantic date.

Nevertheless, I plaster a smile on my face and engage in conversation with Percy and the others as they arrive. Time seems to fly by as we chat and laugh together, but in the back of my mind, I can't shake the feeling of longing for some one-on-one time with Percy.

When Percy announces that he's going to get some snacks, I see my chance. "I'll help," I blurt out abruptly, surprising everyone with my sudden eagerness. Percy looks at me with a puzzled expression, but I ignore it as I follow him into the kitchen. The dim lighting and intimate atmosphere make my heart race, and I can't help but feel a surge of nervous energy coursing through me.

"Percy?" I begin in a hushed voice, but before I can finish my sentence, a girl with beautiful blonde hair and steel-grey eyes walks in, I could not tell if I wanted to be her or be with her. She is dressed in a tailored pantsuit and her is hair up in a ponytail. 

Percy's attention immediately shifts to her, and I feel a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Hey, seaweed brain," she says, her voice laced with familiarity. My heart sinks further as I realize that she must be Percy's girlfriend. 

"Hey, wise girl, How was work?" Percy replies, his eyes lighting up with affection as he greets her with a hug. 

Annabeth returns his hug, her eyes sparkling with adoration as she looks between Percy and me. "Too long but I will tell you about it later, I don't want to bore our guest! Aren't you going to introduce us?" she asks, nudging Percy playfully, her gaze shifting to me with a kind smile.

Percy looks momentarily flustered, as if he's just realized that I'm standing there awkwardly beside him. "Oh, right. Jess, this is Annabeth. Annabeth, this is Jess," he says, gesturing between us. "Nice to meet you, Jess," Annabeth says with a friendly smile, extending her hand towards me. I take it, trying my best to smile despite the knot forming in my stomach.

"Likewise," I reply, my voice coming out a little more strained than I'd intended. Annabeth's grip is firm and confident, and I can't help but feel a twinge of envy at her easy charm.

As Percy and Annabeth chat animatedly, he grabs her by the waist giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek and she returns the favour, I can't help but feel like a third wheel. I stand there awkwardly, trying to find a way to excuse myself from the situation. I can't help but feel like I'm intruding on a private moment between them, and I shift uncomfortably, suddenly wishing I hadn't volunteered to help with the snacks.

Before I can make my escape, however, Percy turns to me with a sheepish smile. "So, what do you need help with?" I ask, trying to break the awkward silence that hangs between us.

Percy looks at me, his expression softening with a smile. "Just grabbing some chips and dip," he says, motioning towards the bowls on the counter. "You can grab the Doritos while I get the salsa."

I nod, grateful for something to do, and reach for the bag of Doritos on the shelf. As I do, Annabeth steps forward, her movements graceful and confident. "Here, let me help," she says, reaching for the bowl of salsa. Our hands brush briefly, and I can't help but feel a jolt of electricity shoot through me at the contact.

"Thanks," Percy says, a hint of relief in his voice as he takes the bowl from Annabeth. "Sorry for the mess," he adds, gesturing towards the scattered toys on the floor, "I was babysitting my little sister this morning," he chuckled as he recounted the tale, "She's my half, but let me tell you, she's got a knack for creating chaos just like her big brother."

"Estelle is most definitely your mini-you, Percy " Annabeth replies, her tone amused as she bends down to pick up a toy truck. "It's like an obstacle course in here." I laugh, feeling the tension in the room start to ease as we work together to tidy up. Percy joins in, his laughter is infectious as he helps Annabeth pick up the toys.  

As we finish setting out the snacks, the atmosphere in the living room becomes increasingly lively. Ryle, Jacob, Leah, and Gabrielle all greet me warmly, their smiles putting me at ease despite the lingering awkwardness of the situation. Percy introduces Annabeth to the group, and I can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as I watch them exchange greetings. Annabeth fits in effortlessly with our friends, her easy charm and quick wit drawing everyone in.

"Hey, guys, let's play a game!" Leah suggests, her eyes shining with excitement. The idea is met with enthusiastic approval from the group, and soon we're all laughing and joking as we dive into a game of Truth or Dare. 

As the game progresses, laughter fills the room, and I can't remember the last time I felt so carefree. I watch as Annabeth takes her turn, her daring dares and insightful truths keeping us all on our toes.

"Truth or dare?" Leah asks, a mischievous glint in her eye.Annabeth considers for a moment before flashing a confident smile. "Dare," she declares.

Leah grins wickedly. "I dare you to do your best impression of Percy." Annabeth chuckles, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Challenge accepted," she replies, before launching into a spot-on imitation of Percy's signature goofy swearing.

We all burst into laughter, and even Percy can't help but join in. Despite my initial jealousy, I can't help but admire Annabeth's ability to lighten the mood and bring us all together. The tension from earlier seems to melt away as we take turns asking each other probing questions and daring each other to perform ridiculous stunts.

As the evening wears on, I find myself seated next to Annabeth. Despite the initial pang of jealousy, I can't help but find her pretty cool. She has an easy confidence about her, and her steel grey eyes sparkle with intelligence as she engages in conversation with the group.

"So, Annabeth, what do you do?" I ask, trying to keep the conversation light despite the knot forming in my stomach.

"I'm an architect," she replies with a smile, and I can't help but be impressed. "I work for a firm upstate, designing buildings and urban spaces."

"Wow, that sounds fascinating," I say, genuinely intrigued. "I've always admired people who can create such beautiful and functional spaces."

Annabeth nods, her enthusiasm evident. "It's definitely challenging, but I love it. There's something incredibly rewarding about seeing your designs come to life."

As we speak, I can't help but to warm up to her and admire her passion and intelligence. Despite my feelings for Percy, I can't deny that Annabeth is pretty and quite interesting.

§The end of the night §

As we say our goodbyes and the group starts to disperse, I catch Annabeth's eye and offer her a genuine smile. "Thanks for tonight," I say, my voice tinged with sincerity. "I enjoyed hanging out with everyone."

Annabeth returns my smile, her eyes softening with understanding. "Me too," she replies, her tone warm. "If you ever want to grab coffee or hang out again, just let me know. It'd be fun."

I nod, I can't help but chuckle at the unexpected turn of events from the evening. It was supposed to be a romantic hangout, but it turned into quite a fun evening with friends. I decide to call Nikki and fill her in on the hilarity.

"Hey, Nikki! You won't believe the rollercoaster I just rode!" I exclaim as soon as she picks up.

"Spill it, Jess! I'm all ears," Nikki replies eagerly.

"Okay, so get this: Percy, the guy I've been crushing on, turns out he's got a girlfriend!" I blurt out, barely able to contain my laughter.

"No way! That's gold," Nikki responds, her amusement evident in her voice. "Well, looks like you're in for some unexpected twists."

"Tell me about it," I say with a laugh. "But you know what? His girlfriend, Annabeth, is actually pretty cool."

Nikki gasps dramatically. "Plot twist! Maybe she's the one for you," she jokes.

I can't help but giggle at her comment. "Who knows? Stranger things have happened," I say, feeling oddly optimistic.

"That's the spirit, Jess! Always expect the unexpected," Nikki says cheerfully. "But seriously, give me all the juicy details. I need to hear everything!"

THE END