Annabeth Chase

I feel Luke glaring at me, but I don't look up. I can't. I'm too afraid that he'll hate me for not telling him. I hate myself for not telling him sooner. It would've prevented these complications. 

I can't stand the silence any longer. "Luke, please talk to me," I beg, "say something."

I meet his eyes, but I look away when I see the hurt in them. "What is there to say, Annabeth? You lied to me."

"I didn't lie. I just-"

"You just didn't tell me the small unimportant fact that you're engaged!"

I figured Drew must have told him after I left. That was the only reason I could think of for him to be acting like this. He hasn't said two words to me since the incident. "I really am sorry, Luke. I didn't want you to find out this way. I was going to tell you, but then you..."

I can't say it. I can't say you kissed me. It would mean admitting something else. "Don't act like you're innocent, Annabeth. You kissed me back, and you know it. Don't deny it."

He's right. I did. And I've felt nothing but guilty about it ever since. I love Percy, and I made a commitment to him when I said yes. I never thought in million years that I'd end up kissing another boy. It doesn't help that I had a crush on Luke for a long time. A tear falls onto my cheek.

"I know. I'm not going to deny it."

Luke raises his eyebrows. "And?"

I don't want to do this, but I have no choice. "If you're asking how I feel about you, I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear."

I see sadness in Luke's eyes, but I also see strength. "I want to hear you say it," he responds.

I feel horrible about this. "I don't love you, Luke. There was a time when I thought I did, but I know now that Percy is the only man I could ever truly love. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay," says Luke, but I see the tears shining in his eyes. I've hurt him so much. I wish there was some way to make it up to him, but I can't give him the one thing he really wants. I can't give him my love.

"Luke-"

"Seriously, Annabeth, I'm fine." I know he's not, I can see it in the way his shoulders slouch and how he rests his head in his hands. When I see him like this, I want nothing more than to comfort him. But I think that would only hurt him, and confuse me. 

Ever since he kissed me, I've been struggling with my emotions. When I was younger, I really did think I was in love with Luke. In some ways I still am. But I can never love him the way I love Percy. Because Luke betrayed Thalia's trust. He betrayed my trust. 

Percy was there for me. When Luke left, Percy stayed and comforted me. We rely on each other because we love each other. I can never truly love Luke again because I don't trust him. 

I hear a voice announce, "Luke Castellean and Annabeth Chase!" Oh, gods. The interviews. I follow Luke onto the stage where we are greeted by Caesar Flickerman. We sit down next to each other on a couch and Caesar sits in a chair. 

"So," says Caesar, not wasting a second, "did you two know each other back in your district?"

Luke and I glance at each other, panicked. I'm silent, not knowing what to say, and Luke finally speaks up. "We had met briefly, but we weren't well aquainted."

Hopefully the Capitol doesn't have experts who can tell if we're lying. Luke is pretty convincing, though. I honestly wish he were telling the truth. Everything would be so much simpler.

"So, Annabeth," says Caesar, looking me in the eyes, "your dress seems to be made of owl feathers. Do birds have a special significance to you?" 

At least this is an easy question. "My mother, Athena, is the goddess of wisdom and war. The owl is her symbol."

Caesar nods. "Interesting. Do you have a godly parent, Luke?" Shit. This won't be pretty.

Luke scowls. "My parentage is hardly important. My father doesn't seem to care, so why should anyone else?"

Caesar frowns slightly, obviously realizing he's hit a sore spot. "Okay. Now Annabeth, I hear something exciting happened the morning of the reaping?" 

I blush slightly. "Yes, my boyfriend proposed to me."

"You said yes, I presume?"

I laugh. "Of course. I love Percy very much."

Caesar smiles. "I'm sure he'll be cheering you on tomorrow. What about you, Luke? Is there a special someone back home?"

Luke chuckles. "No, there's no one back home."

I raise my eyebrows, sending him a pretty clear message. Obvious, much? He shrugs discreetly. 

"Hmmm," says Caesar, "Annabeth seems to disagree with your thinking. Care to fill us in, Annabeth?"

Oh, shit. Gods of Olympus, I'm stupid. "Well-" A buzzer goes off. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in. Saved by the bell. 

"Sorry, folks, we're out of time. Let's have one more round of applause for Annabeth Chase and Luke Castellean!" I survey the crowd as they applaud. I notice a small, dark haired boy dressed in black standing in the shadows. His eyes widen when he sees me staring, and I realize I recognize him.

What is he doing here? He ducks away in the crowd, but there is no mistaking what I saw. 

We walk off the stage and Luke says something to me.

"What?" I ask. I was distracted. 

"What were you thinking, Annabeth? If that buzzer hadn't gone off when it had...."

"I know," I sigh, "I make mistakes sometimes! No one is perfect, Luke."

"Why does it seem like you're accusing me of something?"

Boys. "No one back home? Could you get any more obvious?"

"I was being honest!"

"RIght after you told them we didn't know each other before we came here?"

Luke sighs. "I guess you're right. It wouldn't be the first time, and it probably won't be the last. I'm sorry."

I can't take this. "Stop it, Luke," I say.

He looks surprised. "Stop what?"

"Stop acting like you're okay. We both know you're not. I don't like it when you try to hide things from me."

Luke looks stricken. "What's the deal with you?" he complains, "one moment you tell me you don't love me, and the next you seem genuinely concerned for my wellbeing. Make up your mind already! It's me or Percy, Annabeth. There's no in between. You need to make a descision. And until you do, don't bother talking to me."

He starts to walk away. "Luke-" I try to call after him, but he's already gone.