Percy is gone and I'm left alone with my thoughts. And maybe for once, that's a good thing. Maybe I need some time to think things through... some space to get clarity on some aspects or maybe just to fall asleep over and over again so that I don't feel a thing anymore. Maybe that should be my new goal. To not care.

My birthday is in 3 weeks and the only thing I have to show for it is being taken for an idiot and a best friend that doesn't tell me anything anymore.

I try to fight these thoughts, but in the end, they always win and I'm down to my last solution. Take a long shower to drown them out.

The water envelops my body and I feel the tension disappearing. My music is loud and I'm screaming the lyrics into the empty suite.

Driver's license by Olivia Rodrigo plays and I sing my heart out.

"Natalie?" I hear my name and instantly stop. I look around to find a towel and to my great luck, there are none. "Natalie" I hear it again this time closer.

"Don't come in here I'm busy!" Footsteps come closer and as quick as I can, I climb out of the shower. Running to the door, I feel my foot give way under me as I slip. Crashing down I wince in pain as I instantly feel a bolt of pain through my butt.

"Are you okay?" I crawl towards the door scared of my balance failing me again and close it. With my back to the door, I scream "Yes..." I scream out of breath "No. Can you bring me a towel?"

"Umm... sure." Footsteps come closer and I open the door wide enough to let my arm through to grab the towel.

Slowly standing up with the towel around my now cold body I walk out to see Percy sitting on his bed. "You doing okay?" I walk past him grabbing clothes out of my bag. Trying to avoid his question "Yeah, I just fell that's all."

He gives me a stare that shows that's not what he meant "I'm fine Percy it's just not a great feeling."

***

I get dressed and instantly get back into bed. "How did you slip from getting out of the shower?" Percy snorts after a long silence.

"I- I panicked when I heard someone and slipped okay..."

"Okay, but who else would it have been." I stare at him blankly... "I don't know... An intruder."

"An intruder... who knows your name. Real smart." He scoffs.

"Can you just leave me to be sad in peace?"

He puts his finger on his chin as if he's thinking like a cartoon character, his eyes looking up at the ceiling before returning to mine. "Mmm... No, I'm good."

"So what are we going to do today?" My expression changes to one of disbelief. "Percy, I'm staying in this room till we go home."

"Oh come on you can't do that. We have 20 more days till you're 18 and 19 more days till I am 18. We have to go live and make mistakes and you still have to kiss someone... remember." He wiggles his eyebrows at me.

I cover my face with a pillow "Don't remind me."

"Come on Nat, today it's going to be me and you. Like the good old days."

I laugh at his comment. "Well if you put it that way." A smile makes its way across my face.

***

We walk down the street "You know what... I think I'm happy being the old lady with a lot of dogs... no offence to cats but dogs are more cuddle worthy."

"Nat you're not going to die alone. You're being overdramatic." I stop and stare at him. "I never said I was going to die alone." He turns, and his eyes are wide. "That's not what I meant." He panics "But that's what you said." I look at him and burst out in laughter.

We slowly start walking again and after a few turns, we reach a little passage.

He grabs my hand and we enter the passageway. It feels like a different world. It is filled with cobblestones and moss and at the far end is a little shop with yellow light shining through the window. We walk towards the store. It seems forgotten. It's an old store with dust covering the outside of the window sill. On top of the door hangs a sign that reads "The little book tavern."

He opens the door and it lets a little bell ring above his head as we enter. There are twelve rows of shelves lining the store and the Genre of each section hangs above the rows.

He leads me to the middle of the store and after quietly looking around the store he turns to me. "Okay... here's the plan."

My brow lifts "Oh no." I reply sarcastically.

"Just listen. Go get your favourite book."

I look at him in disbelief but do as told. I walk through the store looking through all the genres till I spot my favourite. I quickly grab it off the shelf and make my way over to Percy.

"Alright. What now?"

"Now we swap. We are going to read each other's favourite books before our birthdays."

I give him my book. And he hands me his "What's this?" I laugh.

"It's my favourite book." He retorts. "Percy, the Marvel comic of Spider-man is not a book."

His face falls "But it is. It has pages and a cover and everything. Even words."

"Percy... it's a comic book." I let out a sigh.

"But it's special to me." I look at him. A small smile tugs on my face as he sighs "Fine" He drags his feet away from me, the comic book in hand as he turns into a small section on the other side of the store.

A few minutes pass and then he is in my line of vision again, holding both the book and the comic book. "Okay I'm getting you both but you have to promise me you'll read the comic book too. It can even wait to be read last I don't care you just have to read it."

I've watched all 9 of them, but I guess reading the comic won't hurt.

"Ok then if you say so."

We pay for the books and walk through the alley we came from and at the end, I turn right back to the hotel. "Where are you going?" Percy calls behind me. I turn on my heel back to him my brows furrowed. "We're not done yet, come on."

A smile stretches over my face and I quickly make my way over to him as we walk to the beach. The streets are littered with small tables it looks like a street fair is in progress.

Percy stops in front of me "Before you get too excited. Can we just get something to eat?" I giggle and give him a nod. We walk around until we finally find a place that sells actual food and not just snacks and take a seat under an umbrella on the beach.

"So, where's Isabella?"

He stops for a moment. "I don't know. Last time I saw her was when she was with Grayson."

I mentally slap myself for not thinking about how this could've affected him. "I'm sorry, Percy."

He looks at the waves. "Don't be, it's fine."

The sun is setting. Rays of orange and yellow hit the water. We finish eating our sandwiches and throw our trash into the trashcan.

"Let's go check out the fair." He pulls me towards the fairy-light-lit street market. Kids are running past us, music is playing and everyone is dancing in the middle of the market.

We walk past each stall with our books in hand, admiring their homemade crafts. Making our way towards the circle of people that crowd the dancers in the middle. Cheers come from all around as more people enter the circle.

They jump in and dance, they are grabbing each other's hands and twirling, I'm awestruck looking at them.

An old lady makes her way toward Percy and me and reaches for his hand. His eyes grow wide "Why don't you ask her to dance?" the lady looks at me and then back at him. He struggles to form a sentence "I-I... we can't! We have books." He shows her the book in his hand and she takes the two books from me. "I'll hold onto these now take this gorgeous girlfriend of yours and go dance."

She puts his hand in mine "She's not my girlfriend." He says his cheeks glowing red, as we walk into the circle making the old lady laugh.

We enter the circle and he stretches out a hand toward me. I look him in the eyes and let out a chuckle before grabbing it. He pulls me closer and I let my arm fall onto his shoulder. He lets his other hand softly hold onto my hip. My head rests on his chest and I feel his heartbeat quicken with each step.

"What's wrong?" I lift my head to look up at him and he gives me a questioning frown.

"Your heart rate just went up?"

He laughs suddenly pulling me away from him. He spins me out from his chest and right back again. "I just thought about all the ways I could've messed that up." He smiles a blush creeping onto his neck. I chuckle at his response. His face is a few inches away from mine. His breath fanned my face. I clear my throat as I pull away from him. "We should probably go before that old lady steals your comic book."

Instantly he starts looking around until he spots her and I follow him out of the circle. "Thanks for holding these for us."

She waves her hand "Oh dear, don't worry about it." Percy smiles at her and walks towards the exit. She grabs my arm as I pass her. "You better hold onto that one." She points over to Percy. "Oh, we're not together," I explain to her. She gives me soft smile making the wrinkles around her eyes more prominent "Honey, I saw the way he looks at you. It's like you're the answer to all his problems."

I smile at her and start running to catch up to him. "What did she say to you?"

I think about her words and smile again. "Oh just that you suck at dancing."

"I KNEW IT!" He shouts. "This is why I don't dance." He says letting his shoulders fall with his movements. The sky has changed to a dark purple as we exit the market. I bump Percy with my shoulder. "What do you want to do now?" I ask him.

"It's your day you can choose."

"Can we go to the beach?" I ask. He nods his head. We run onto the beach until we are just close enough to the ocean where the sand isn't wet. I fall onto the sand putting my hands behind me to stabilize myself as Percy takes a seat next to me. Putting the books down beside him. The moon is full and shines over the ocean. Waves crash down and rise again every few seconds. The world is peaceful for once.

"What are you thinking about?" Percy asks making me tear my gaze away from the waves.

"Just life... how it has a funny way of working out."

He lets out a snort "Well that wasn't cheesy at all." I shove his arm "Oh shut up." I laugh at my own response "Yeah that was a crappy answer."

"I have an idea." Percy stands up, holding out a hand for me.

I take his hand letting him pull me up "Am I going to regret this?"

He gives me a grim smile and I knew. I instantly start running. I turn to see him hot on my heels and before I know it he has picked me up. "Percy! What are you doing?" I scream.

He walks back to where we were sitting and I wait for him to stop and let me down but he keeps walking. He walks into the ocean "Put me down!" I scream. I know the water is going to be cold. "Well... if you say so."

In an instant, the saltwater swallows me whole. I hit the ground and instantly jump up. The water is freezing. I shiver as I look at Percy who is now laughing his ass off.

"Oh, so it's funny now." I shiver as I talk, wrapping my arms around myself to keep warm. He still has his eyes closed, not paying attention to me. I grab him by the neck and with all the power in me, I pull him into the water with me.

His entire body is soaked in the cold water and he's gasping for air. "Yeah not that funny now, is it?" I laugh

I walk out of the water clothes drenched and cold. I wave my hands around in an attempt to dry them a little before picking up the books and waiting for Percy to join me.