Annabeth never replied to the message I'd left her. I didn't really understand why she didn't call me to just tell me she was happy for me. I did what she wanted. I was adjusting too my new environment, trying to make new friends.

Gods, women. You do what they don't want, and they're not happy. You do what they do want, and they're still not happy.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. It was a mad rush to get out of the classroom and to the lockers. Before I could reach my own, I was stopped.

"Percy," Someone perky chirped.

I turned to Melissa. "Hey."

"So," She chimed. "I was thinking we could… you know, maybe see a movie or something?"

See a movie? I watched as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. She looked nervous, but excited at the same time. Like she was just waiting for my yes, and the waiting was the worst part.

My heart sank. Melissa was my first friend at my new school, the one who'd introduced me to Silena, Beckendorf and Clarisse. If I burned her, I'd feel awful.

But I couldn't accept. In the gentlest way I could manage, I told her, "I'm sorry, Mel. I can't."

I watched the gears begin to turn. "Is this about that girl? The one you're always calling or thinking about calling?"

"Annabeth?'

She snapped her fingers. "Yes! Is this about Annabeth?"

Of course it was about Annabeth. Ever since I met her, everything was all about Annabeth. "Yes. I guess it is."

Mel's eyes filled with tears. "I thought you'd gotten over her. I mean, you flirt with me sometimes. And you joined the swim team. And my friends like you. I just thought… why did I think that? I mean, it's so obvious you're not over her and you probably never will be, huh, Percy?"

"Melissa, please don't. It's not you, it's me."

Her eyes flashed. "I swear. Don't even go there."

She stormed away, high heeled boots clicking on the ground. Silena saw her and trailed after her, shooting me a look.

Beckendorf was with them, but he headed for me. We walked toward my locker. "She asked you out, huh?"

"Yeah."

"You said no, huh?"

"Yeah."

Beckendorf shook his head. "Silena warned her not to do it."

I scowled at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Beckendorf sighed, indicating annoyance but his eyes just sparkled like they always did when he talked about his girlfriend. "She's got this thing for love. She said as soon as she met you, she knew you were crazy about someone. She told Mel it was a bad idea to ask you out, but Mel didn't listen."

"Imagine that."

Beckendorf glanced at me slyly. "Silena thinks you should call this girl."

My shoulders slumped. "I've tried. She doesn't pick up. She wanted me to adjust to life in Milwaukee, so I did that. I called her to tell her and make her happy, and she didn't say anything."

My friends grunted. "Rough, man. Seriously rough."

"You're telling—"

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I debated not picking it up, but in the end my curiosity won out. I flipped my phone open and was greeted with Annabeth's picture.

"Dude, it's her!" I exclaimed before pressing the talk button.

The noise of the cafeteria met my ears. "Hello?"

"Percy? It's Annabeth," She stated matter-of-factly. "I'm sorry I never returned your earlier call. So, swim team?"

It was hard to gauge what she was feeling by the way she wa talking. She sounded so professional, like we were business partners rather than friends. It was alarming.

"Yes," I answered. "I'm on the swim team. I swim the two-hundred."

Silence. Then, "Super awesome!"

There was the super again, a dead giveaway that she wasn't happy. "Something going on?"

"Oh. No, nothing. I joined the Mathletes."

I could practically hear her blushing as she said the word. I smirked. "You're a Mathlete now? Seriously, Annabeth?"

"Shut up," She commanded playfully. "I'm also on the chess team and the debate team."

"Wow, you're a nerd."

"Yes," Annabeth countered. "And you're a jock. Shouldn't you be lifting weights?"

I snickered. "Shouldn't you be cleaning your glasses or communicating on a calculator?"

She laughed before growing serious. "Actually, I think maybe I should go."

"Already?" I fought to keep the disappointment out of my voice.

She said something with her mouth away from the phone, probably to one of her nerd friends. "Yeah, sorry. But listen, Percy, I missed you. Let's…" She sucked in a breath. "Let's try to talk more."

"Well, I won't complain. You're the one that cut off all forms of communication." I sounded sharper than I'd meant to.

I could hear her breathing and someone else saying something to her in the background. "I'm sorry," She finally said, grudgingly. "I thought it was for the best."

"It wasn't."

"Yeah," She whispered. "I see that now. I really do need to go, though."

I couldn't help myself. "Hot date with the lead dork of all your teams?"

"Oh, gross! He's…. no," She finally said in disgust. "Just no." Then she laughed. "I'm hanging out with Grover and Thalia, actually. Nico, too. Maybe sometime soon we can all hang out. Bye, Percy!"

She hung up.

I stared at the phone in wonder, thinking that maybe things between us would finally get better. To Beckendorf, I said, "I think this is going to be okay."

Beckdorf gave me a long, measured look. "As Silena would say, 'You're so in love with her.'"

And as I got my stuff out of my lockers, I let myself agree. "Yeah. I guess I am."

(A/N) I am a horrible, horrible person, you guys! I know it's true. Please forgive me.

I've been working on lots of original work, some of which I'll be posting on fictionpress. I've got one story up that I'm working on, and I will be updating that more frequently than any of my fanfictions, so if you're just DYING to read some of my work, there is a link to that at the bottom of my profile.