Leo Valdez, October 15, 3:00 PM

It's been too long since the both of them went missing. Annabeth and Percy aren't dummies and they're not complete slack-offs either. They know the sports teams need them, their classes are waiting, and the fact that they're not even there is absolutely chaos for Goode. They've literally been missing for a week.

Piper, Hazel, Frank, and Jason hadn't been sitting together at all. This week was separation city. Piper was back with the fashionistas, and from afar, I could tell she had put on more makeup. Side effects of being around fake-ass bitches, I guess. Hazel and Frank were sitting together with the chess club, but Hazel was invested in her headphones, most likely blasting Taylor Swift. As for Jason, Jason had his guitar out on the cafeteria table, strumming chords with the rockers.

And I was alone. Again.

And I had to watch their drama. Like, when Piper and Jason accidentally end up in line together, they'll always have a glaring match. Plus, they were SO close to being Jiper endgame. But, no. Frank and Hazel were still dating though, so I guess Frazel is still a thing. But their drama is absolutely ridiculous.

My drama too, I thought. They were my friends. Were.

I pulled out my phone. I was finding the both of them and, somehow, getting them to apologize, because this had gone on far too long.

Yeah, that's the other problem. My first game plan was to check Snap Maps, but both Annabeth and Percy are smarter than I thought, because they seemed to be on Ghost Mode. Snap Maps: Failed. But McShizzle will try again. I quickly rushed to my room and pulled out my double-screen computers. Yes. I was literally going to hack their phones. I knew their IP addresses, and there wasn't much further to look.

Percy Jackson, October 15, 4:00 PM

I hated this. I needed to be back in school, but here I was, unwilling to drag myself off my Coastline home. My parents weren't home, so I decided to stay in their house. It was as cold and empty as my soul. Ugh, since when did I get so poetic?! It'd been a week here, and I guess groceries were running low, but DoorDash was my God and I was summoned, yet again.

That's when I saw the text.

Leo: where are you bro

Leo: u LITERALLY DISAPPEARED

Leo: dude u need to help the gang is falling apart

Maybe it was better that way. Piper always loved fashion and being the only fashionista in the group might be a bit harsh. And Jason had hardly spent any time with the band. Frank probably needed to win back his title of chess champion, and Annabeth and I...

Leo: im not gonna lie ik about u abt annabeth

Leo: and maybe i might've stalked u and figured out exactly where u were but still

Leo: we may not be best friends but ik one thing: u need to talk it out

Me: ur wrong.

Me: u r one of my best friends as of now

Leo: ...

Leo: r u being fr man?

Leo: me? what about beckendorf?

Me: i can like multiple people, yk

Me: and being me means i can also like techies like u valdez

Leo: LETS FUCKING GO! so r u gonna follow my advice?

Me: ...maybe

Leo: good enough for me!

Annabeth Chase, October 15, 4:30 PM

Leo was texting me off the rails. And I had to admit, while I'm really good with my poker face, I couldn't restrain my groan of anger. I was currently hanging out in my dad's house, since he was away on a business trip and my stepmom was with my stepbrothers in San Francisco for their Boy Scouts trip, so it was empty.

Leo: IM NOT GONNA STOP TILL U ANSWER ME ANNABETH

Leo: ANNABETH

Leo: ANNABETH

Leo: ANNABETH ANSWER

Leo: ANNABETH

Leo: ANNABETH

Me: WHAT THE FUCK LEO

Leo: there we go

Leo: listen ik what happened between u and percy but the gang is broken up and u need to help me fix it

Me: im not really good at fixing things dude

Me: im more of a 'break them down' type of person

Me: if u want me to smash something no prob

Leo: ... does that mean you'll come back

Me: is percy back?

Leo: no u two have been missing for a fucking week and the teachers r saying ur home #s aren't picking up

Me: uhhhhh dude listen idk

Leo: ik where u r rn i stalked u

Me: ... creepy

Leo: best friends can be creepy but they know what's best

Leo: u need to talk it out with percy period

Me: uh ig ill think abt it

Leo: YUSSSSSS

The kid was annoying, but he had a point. I didn't really have a right to be mad at Percy. If he wanted to kiss a million girls, it was his choice. It wasn't his fault that I even agreed to kiss him in the first place. I don't remember ever telling him to stop.

Because I didn't want him to stop.

I wanted him all over me, loving me, telling me that I he was mine. I wanted that golden tongue of his to never stop sucking the life out of me, devouring me painful piece by painful piece. Because his love was as beautiful as it was painful.

I knew it was wrong.

Oh, Percy Jackson was a fucked up case on his own, but I was fucked, too.

I, Annabeth Chase, was done for. And all I wanted at that moment was to hug him. Tell him I was sorry. Because I thought it was hard not being able to kiss him, but it was harder not being able to ever love him in any way ever again. I wanted his friendship. Because I'd never been loved and hated like that by anyone other than him.

And no one could make me this sappy. Ew!

Percy Jackson, October 15, 2:00 AM

Am I taking a walk at 2 AM? Yes. Yes I am. I didn't know where my feet were taking me. Suddenly, the familiar crunch of twigs beneath my feet caught my attention. I was by the lake again. The same lake that I had kissed Annabeth for the first time in. I sighed and kept walking. The soft, lush grass soon squished under my feet as I walked toward the water.

Water always had a way of making me feel better.

When my mom was more free and less crammed up with all her work, she used to take me to the beach every Sunday, letting me drift through the waves like a little fish.

She actually called me 'Nemo' because of how much I loved the ocean.

Footsteps behind me caught my attention and I saw a certain golden-haired girl wearing a red Kansas Chiefs hoodie and a pair of jean shorts.

"Kinda weird that you're wearing a Kansas Chiefs hoodie if we're in New York," I said pointedly, making her laugh. "Aren't you supposed to be rooting for the New York Jets?"

"Everyone knows they're trash," Annabeth scoffed. "You even said that yourself."

I chuckled. "I did, didn't I? That's one way to tell me that you missed me."

I stood up and faced her as she walked forward, millimeters from my body. I wanted to grab her by her waist, pull her clothes off with my teeth and love her like the goddess she was, even if she'd never fucked before.

"I'm sorry," we both said at the same time.

Silent snickers escaped our lips, cutting through the silence of the night.

"Look, Percy, I have no right to tell you who you can kiss. We're friends and you should be able to trust me with all of your information," Annabeth sighed. "That was wrong of me."

"And I probably should've made sure you were okay after our first kiss, or the second," I said. "I'm really sorry, Annabeth. I didn't mean to put a wedge in our friendship."

"That's the most sincere thing I've ever heard you say," Annabeth said, frowning.

"Back at you, Annie." I smirked. "Hope this feels just as sincere."

I grabbed her by the waist and scooped her over my shoulder.

"HEY! HEY! PERCY!" she screamed, flailing.

With a heave, I threw her in the lake, dousing her from head to toe. She resurfaced, wiping the water off her face. "PERCY JACKSON!" she yelled.

As she pulled herself out from the water, I knew I was done for. I was a really fast runner, but she was a turbo-fast runner because of her lithe body and long legs. After a few minutes of a long chase, she tackled me into the water. I laughed, splashing her as she splashed me.

"Damn, I really do miss being your friend," I chuckled.

"Me, too." Annabeth smiled under the moonlight.

And it never looked more beautiful.

Leo Valdez, October 15, 3:00 AM

I glanced at my computers, shutting them off. Percy and Annabeth were at the lake together, and they hadn't moved for a good hour or so, so I assumed they were friends again. I stretched, heading back up to my room.

Leo McShizzle out.