Annabeth sat in silence, knowing without a doubt she was leaving Percy in suspense. He wouldn't meet her gaze, and he was attempting to pull the blanket over his head, failing sadly.

"Why?" Annabeth asked suddenly.

Percy shot her a look, "Why not?"

"Because the first thing I said to you-"

"What's your point?" Percy cut her off.

Annabeth furrowed her brows, "I was cruel-"

"Again, what's your point?"

Annabeth looked at him, refusing to answer. She brushed his unruly black hair out his face, staring at his broken green eyes. She knew exactly why this couldn't happen, because she knew Luke wouldn't keep his promise. He would just come back.

Unfortunately, Percy was too much of a kelp head to realize that.

Annabeth cocked her head, "We were best friends the day we met. How?"

Percy smirked, "Guess I'm just so cool, you can't not to be friends with me."

Annabeth scrunched up her nose, "I don't think that's it."

Percy pushed her away by her forehead, "Ouch, Wise Girl."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "You little sh-"

"Language!" Sally called.

Annabeth blushed and Percy grinned smugly.  The blonde looked up at Sally as she exited the kitchen. She wore an apron dusted in flour and chocolate and... blue food dye.

Percy smiled lazily at his mother, "Hello, mother."

"Hey, Percy. Annabeth dear, could you go out and buy me some salt? Apparently, I'm low-"

Annabeth smiled, "Of course, Mrs. Jackson."

"Call me Sally, please."

Percy smirked, "I'm going too-"

"Nope." Annabeth cut him off.

"I'm coming. Suck it." (am I the only one that had majorly dirty thoughts here?)

"Fine." Annabeth muttered.

~

"Pleeeease?" Percy begged.

"No! We are not spending two extra dollars just so the cookies are blue, Seaweed Brain."

Percy huffed, "Then can we at least get blue soda?"

"If it comes originally blue, then yes." Annabeth smirked.

"Fine. Blue raspberry crush it is."

Annabeth shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"I thought I told you you would get dizzy, Wise Girl."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes, "And why would you care?"

"I answered that earlier." Percy winked at her.

Annabeth's mind blanked. He loved her.

~

Annabeth glared at Percy, 'We came to buy some salt and we spent two hundred dollars!"

Percy smirked, "Expensive salt."

Annabeth inhaled through her nose, "You owe me like... a hundred dollars."

Percy huffed and dug through his pockets, "I have a crisp hundred. Got it two days ago," he grumbled.

Annabeth narrowed her eyes, "Where do you get all this money?"

"Nowhere." he snapped.

"Percy-"

"It's none of your business, Annie."

"I told you not to-"

"Too bad."

Percy got out the car, slamming the door behind him, leaving Annabeth to stare after him in shock.

~

Annabeth quickly followed after Percy, shaking her head. This was not normal for him. Last time he snapped at her, they weren't the best of friends.

Annabeth waited while Percy unlocked the door, carrying three of the six bags of 'groceries,'. The door swung open and both teens walked into the kitchen, setting the bags on the counter.

Percy smiled at his mom, "We spent quite a lot of money... And we forgot the salt."

Sally sighed, "I guess you don't get cookies."

Percy made a face and slunk to the T.V room. Annabeth looked at Sally, "Why does he have so much money?"

Sally shot her a look, "Percy? he doesn't have much money. He doesn't even have a job."

"Then why did he have a hundred dollar bill?"

Sally frowned, "I wouldn't know."

Annabeth also frowned, looking in the direction Percy had gone.

~

Annabeth pulled out her phone, dialing her dads number.

"Hello?"

"Hey dad. Can I stay at a friends tonight?"

"I guess so, do you have everything you- never mind. Be back tomorrow since your mother is visiting."

"What? Why?" Annabeth cried.

"We can talk when she gets here, Annabeth."

The line cut.

Annabeth sighed and looked over at Percy's bedroom door. He had recently slammed that exact door, knocking a picture off the wall. The picture...

Annabeth walked over to his door and kneeled down, picking up the broken picture. Percy looked about ten years old, his mom standing with a protective arm around his shoulders. An older version of Percy stood next to his mother-

Annabeth looked up as she heard a faint click. She shook her head and walked into Percy's bedroom, expecting to see him on the bed.

Instead, she saw him right outside his window, standing on the fire escape. The click must have been him closing the window. Annabeth, being the curious girl she was, decided to follow him.

~

After following him down the fire escape, only being able to hope he didn't see her, she got suspicious. Percy looked around, and Annabeth had to duck out of view to avoid being caught. Percy ducked into an alley, losing Annabeth.

Said girl huffed, kicking a rock.

"Three hundred."

Annabeth looked up. That was definitely Percy's voice. Annabeth looked into the alley, her heart sinking.

Percy was standing with a guy with torn jeans and a wife beater. He was holding something behind his back, shooting the guy a challenging look.

"Two-seventy-five." the guy growled.

Percy shook his head.

"Two-eighty?"

"Deal." Percy hissed.

Annabeth's eyes widened as both the guys exchanged their prizes.

Percy was dealing drugs.

~

As soon as Percy exited the alley, Annabeth pulled him to the side. A look of alarm immediately took over his face.

"What the hell, Percy?"

"Annabeth, I can explain-"

"Please do!"

Percy looked at her desperately, "Back at the apartment. Please?"

Annabeth wanted to object, but she nodded slowly, "I expect to hear everything. Leave nothing out." she growled.

~

Percy yelped as Annabeth pushed him through the door. She grabbed the money from his hands and tossed it onto the table.

"Explain." she demanded.

Percy sighed, "You know Piper McLean, right?"

Annabeth narrowed her eyes, "Yeah, what does she have to do with this?"

Percy rolled his eyes, "She has everything to do with this."

"Get to the point."

"Well, she went missing three months ago, right?" Annabeth nodded, "I helped her."

Annabeth nodded again, gesturing for him to continue, "She had to live somewhere, as you know. Me, Jason, and Leo all decided to help her pay for the apartment. So, of course, I needed a way to get money. The guy you saw me with, that's Chris. He's not that bad, but he can get extra..."

"Picky? Greedy?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah, greedy. He normally just buys a bunch of old junk from me, but sometimes he requests drugs. Don't ask where I get them. Please."

"Where do you get them?"

Percy huffed, "A friend."

"Which friend?"

Percy glared at her, "You don't need to know."

Annabeth sighed, "Why would you do this for Piper?"

"Because her dad keeps my mom is business."

Annabeth furrowed her brows, "So, you're doing this for your mother?"

"Pretty much," Percy sighed.

Annabeth bit her lip, "Okay. But you have to stop. You had to have paid Piper enough to last her for quite a while. You have to get out of this, Seaweed Brain."

"I'm trying," he whispered.