Hello Internet.

After I finish this chapter, I'm going to switch gears a bit. Instead of writing under The Experience, I'm going to try using The Destination for once. And, I've not decided, that I'm going to make that account for One-Shots, and this one for actual long stories. So, if you happen to know someone who likes One-Shots, tell them that The Destination writes 'em. I just had to let you know.

Um, yeah, this part is just for future reference. Now if in the, like, 20th chapter of the story, my writing goes... weird, like I start messing up on what my characters are wearing or I don't clarify something, I'm really sorry about that. I'm saying that in advance because we all forget stuff. Even if I am young, I still have a bad memory sometimes. Or I just feel lazy or crapy.

Just keep that in mind.

Plus, April's going to be really busy for me and I probably won't have time to post anything. I've got my birthday (April 13) and City of Fallen Angels (April 5) so yeah! I LOVE THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, SO THERE'S NO WAY I'M MISSING THAT! I'm even going out to Barnes and Nobles just to buy the special edition. ;) (BTW, in the special Barnes and Nobles edition, you can get Jace's letter that he wrote to Clary in City of Glass!)

Now grab a fattening food, sit in front of the screen, get cozy, and READ!

I know I do that. ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of PJO!

6

Annabeth

"SO, YOU'RE A SON OF...?" I ask, not meeting Tyler's eyes. But I can hear him tap the vase of flowers Alec sent me. Percy is still sitting beside my bed, screwing and unscrewing the cap to my medicine. He's been reading the labels to himself for the last few minutes, over and over again-ADHD at work.
"Son of Hephaestus, if you can believe that." I look up at him, his strong hands holding a red carnation that he plucked from the vase. "These are nice. Who sent them?"
"Um, Alec, daughter of Apollo." I say, my fingers anxiously tapping the bed rail.
"Alec?" Percy asks, setting down the bottles and looking at me. "You mean the red head at the Volleyball match?"
I nod, biting my lip. "Yup, that's her."
"Why'd she send you flowers?" Percy looks at me, then the flowers, then back at me like he's trying to connect the dots.
"I, uh, saved her boyfriend." I pick up one of my covers and search for the card Alec sent that now lays between my sheets. "Miles was choking him, and I punched him in the face to get him to let go."
"And, just guessing here," Tyler said, laying down the flower walking over to the foot of my bed. He leans against the rail, smiles, and looks at me intently. "that's how you ended up here."
"Yeah, that's how." I say, looking around the room to avoid his gaze. While my eyes zoom in and out of focus, I spot the card Alec sent and pull it out from between the bed rail and mattress. I uncreased the card, then handed it to Percy. "Alec sent this."
His eyes scan over the small paper, his eyebrows being raised here and there. "She sent you this?"
"Yeah, I guess I should call her soon..."

"Hey, let's call her now." Tyler said, cutting off Percy before he could speak. "I wanna say something about these flowers. It's quite impressive that a daughter of...Apollo?" He asks, looking at me for confirmation, and I nod. "Could grow these. It looks more like Demeter work."
"Well, the Demeter cabin probably did grow them, she just took them or something." I say, waving it off.
"Nah, I think she grew 'em." Percy said, standing up, and grabbing a water bottle of my side table.
"What do you mean?" I ask, "She couldn't have."
"Actually," he says, "I saw her sneak something from the Demeter cabin week ago. And right after we took you to the hospital, I saw her pour some seeds into the ground outside her cabin. She's been growing them for a while...I guess these could be hers."
"Wow, that's..." I say, thinking of a good word. "So nice. I can't believe she'd do that for me."
"She does care, then." Tyler says, smelling the flower and smiling. His brilliant white smile blazing and his blue eyes sparkling in the sun.
"Then we IM her." Percy says, walking in front of the window where the sun spills into the room, unscrewing the cap, and looking at me. "Can you see from here?"
"Yeah," I say, nodding. "Of course."
Percy quickly pours the bottle out of the water, and Tyler cringes and waits for it to hit the floor.
Obviously, he hasn't spent enough time with Percy.
Percy closes his eyes, and the water stops in mid fall. Slowly it thins out, creating a fine mist that slowly falls to the ground. And when it does, it flies back up and starts to fall again. Rainbows glow from the mist, giving us the perfect Iris Message. Tyler blinks a few times, amazed, then looks at the card that Percy is pushing at him.

"What am I supposed to do with it?" Tyler asks, looking over the card.
"Use it. Call Alec." Percy says, clenching his fists, but his eyes are still open. I know controlling water hurts him a bit, but he seems to be OK. But he can't do to much while he does.
"How?"
"I don't know," Percy says, exasperation leaking through his voice. "You're the son of Hephaestus, you're the handy guy, you should know this stuff." He says.
"Yeah, Percy's a real Seaweed Brain." I say, smiling.
"Shut it, Wise Girl." He says, but he's smiling too. "Cause I will direct this water at you."
"You wouldn't." I say, suddenly scared.
"Try me." He says, pulling a part of the water away from the mist and it slowly flies at me.
"Crap!" I shout, ducking as the water circles over my head like a little rain cloud. "Don't do that!" I'm laughing, though, the heart monitor beating faster from the scare.
"You should've seen your fac_"
"Later!" Tyler says, stopping Percy. "I think I figured out how to work this..." He inserts the card into the mist, like the way a vending machine eats your money, and the mist blinks.
"One-Free-Call-Card accepted!" The mist says, blinking again and showing a blurry picture of a smile. "Please say desired reciever to call."

"Uh...Alec..." I say, not sure of her last name.
"Ortega." Percy whispers, and I nod.
"Uh, yeah. Alec Ortega at Camp Half Blood." I say, loud enough for the Message to hear me. It blinks again, then the mist shifts to Camp Half Blood's archery targets. Alec stands in front of one, bow in her hand, aiming for a target that's at least 30 feet away.
"Come on..." She whispers, breathing quietly, then releasing the arrow as she closes her eyes to pray. The arrow soars across the field, the slamming into the target at the bulls eye. "YES!" She shouts after she opens her eyes, jumping into the air and screaming. The people around her turn to look, noticing the IM and I give a sheepish wave, trying not to laugh.
"HEY!" Me, Percy, and Tyler shout, causing Alec to tip over in surprise. She falls on her butt, and looks at the message in surprise.
"Oh, hi! Glad you called." She smiles, her face burning red. "How much did you guys see?"
"Ever since you started aiming." I say, smiling ear to ear.
"Well, that's great." she says, wiping her hands on her shorts and straightening her camp shirt. "Got someone to prove I actually made the shot."
"So, why'd you want me to IM you?" I ask. "Pretty sure it wasn't so I could watch you shoot."
"I don't know," she says, pulling at her dark red ponytail. "I guess I just wanted to apologize, and thank you, in person."

"Oh," Tyler says, cutting in and stepping in front of me. "Did you grow these?" He asks, holding up the flower.
"Yeah, I did. Why?"
"They are amazing. I can't believe you grew them. They look so healthy and beautiful."
"Jeez, thanks." She says, overwhelmed. "Glad you like them. Wait," she says, holding out a hand, then squinting at the screen. At least, I think she's squinting. Tyler's muscular shoulders block half of the image. "what are you and Percy doing there, Tyler?"
"Visiting." Percy said, pushing Tyler away a bit.
"You two better get back soon. Chiron wants everyone in the arena by three. Some big announcement." All out heads swivel to the walls, looking for a clock. "And, just in case you're wondering, it's two fifteen."
"Ah, crap." Percy says, slamming his fist into the wall. It dents a bit from the punch. "Camp's like a half hour drive from here."
"Yup, he won't be happy that you guys snuck out of camp." Alec says.
"You guys snuck out to see me?" I ask, looking at Percy. He smiles, then nods.
"Totally. You're worth it." He says, his voice low, and his tone sends shivers down my spine and makes me blush.
"Yeah, we gotta go." Tyler says, grabbing a coat of the chair and throwing at Percy. "Here."
"This is yours." Percy says, examining the coat. The dark gray sweatshirt has a ketchup stain on the right pocket and a small hole in the hood.
"Yeah, but you're carrying it." He says, smiling. Percy gives him a look, but reluctantly heads for the door with the coat under his arm.
"See you soon, IM me." He says.
"I would, but I don't have any drachmas. " I say sadly, looking at the pale nightgown with no pockets.
"Yeah, sure you don't. But I do." He laughs, pulling five drachmas out of his pocket and tossing them at me. I catch them in my hands, setting them in my lap.
"Thanks, call you." I say, grinning.
"You have to, or I may have to kill you." He laughs again, and I smile as he walks outside.

"You guys are pretty good friends, huh?" Tyler asks, watching me, his fingers lazily trailing the desk against the wall.
"Yeah, since I was twelve." I say, remembering the first time I met him. Yeah, just passed out after fighting a Minotaur. Pretty hot.
"That's great. It must be nice to have a long-term friend." He says, walking closer to me, something pained hangs in the air.
"You don't?"
"Not the point." He says, closing the topic. "Just get better soon. Come back to camp, too."
"Course," I say, trying not to meet the tropical blue eyes that hold me like moths to a flame. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
"See you then." He whispers, leaning down to my level, and lightly kissing my forehead. Sparks erupt over my skin, my cheeks being stained with blood, and my heart pounding hard and fast in my chest. MY eyes go wide when we both hear my heart monitor go crazy. "Cute." He says, smiling, but it doesn't reach his eyes. He exhales, then turns sharply on his heals and walks towards the door; not even giving me a second glance.
"Bye." I whisper, but he's already gone, leaving me more confused then every before.

I slump back down into my sheets and pillows, look up at the ceiling, and pray that tears don't fall. My fingers linger over the sheets, touching the five gold drachmas that Percy gave me. The shinny coins are still warm from his touch, the stamped in picture of Zeus looks at me with steely eyes. My hand reaches to my forehead, nails lightly touching the smooth skin where Tyler's lips kissed. The touch tingles like a live wire, sharp and warm. "Wow..." I whisper.

"Yeah, no kidding!" A voice says. I bolt upright, my eyes wide, and I see Alec's face staring at me. A smile on her lips. "You know I'm still here, right? And that I saw all of that?"
"Oh, crap." I say, burying my face in my blankets as Alec laughs. "How are you still here? Percy left, the mist should've faded!"
"Well, don't ask me how the mist works! Either way, I'm still here. And I heard everything." She whispered the last part and I felt shivers race down my spine.
"You can't say_"
"Relax, I won't say anything. If I did, I think Angela will kill you."
"Heck, no kidding."
"Really, I won't say anything. Chill." She holds out her hands in a signal of peace.
"Yeah, Ok."
"So," Her smile widened, eyes glowing like the Cheshire Cat in Alice and Wonderland. I guess it's a book, but my dad showed me the movie when I was little. "You like Tyler?"
"What?" I ask, my face burning.
"Oh, come on! You are so hooked! Did you see your face when he kissed you?"
"Um, no."
"Well, it says it all!" She smiles more, "You are in love!" She croons, making a heart with her fingers. "Annabeth's in love!"
"No, no. No." I say, shaking my head. "I am not in love with Tyler."
"Oh! Then there's only one other option."
"Which is?" I ask, confusion crossing my face. She smiles, her eyes wide and triumph.
"You're in love with Percy." She says, and my heart quickens. My fingers grip an empty glass the nurse gave me a while ago, and I toss it at the message. Alec ducks, forgetting it's an Iris Message, and the glass smashes into the wall.
"I am not!" I say, hoping that I'm not blushing.
"Are too!" She stops quickly, her eyes going even wider, then looks at me. "Oh! You're in love with both of them." But there's sadness in her voice.
"No," I say quietly, but my voice is shaking. "that can't be true..."
"Come on, Annabeth." She says in a whisper, slinging the arrows over her shoulder, her bow gripped in her fingers, and she starts walking. The IM follows her until she reaches the corner of the woods, and when she enters the forest, the IMfollows. Soon she's walked deep into the forest, withbarelyany light except for the bit that reaches through the leaves above. "You know you like both of them."
"No, I can't." I say, shaking my head a bit.
"Say it."
"Say what?" I ask, biting my lip.
"Say you're in love." She whispers, smiling a bit.
"Not with two people."
"Yeah, with two people. It's possible to love two people at the same time. "
"But_"

"Annabeth. Think about Tyler." She instructs. "You've known him for an hour or so, and you're already looking at him like he's..." She stops to think for a moment. "Taylor Lautner!"
"Taylor Launter?" I ask, a bit disgusted. I'm not a huge Taylor Launter fan. "Why him?"
"Cause he's hot."
"Uh, not really."
"Yeah, he is."
"No, he's not." I say, crossing my arms. "His eyes are all squinty, his hair is weird, and I don't think he's that good of an actor_"
"What! You're not on Team Jacob!" She looks at me, light brown eyes wide, her mouth hanging open. "Like, come on! You seriously can't be on Team Edward-that's crazy!"
"How did we start talking about_"
"Like, Edward? Gross." Alec makes a face, "Taylor Launter is so amazing!"
"Alec!" I shout, causing her to jump. "Focus."
"What? On his abs? They are pretty sexy_"
"We were talking_"
"But when you compare Edward to Jacob, you get the obvious win. Jacob is tan, tall, sweet, hot, and perfect. While Edward is pale, dangerous, overprotective, greasy haired, stupid eyes_"
"ALEC!" I shout, holding my arms out in exasperation and she stops talking. "One," I say, holding out a finger and trying to control my temper. "I'm not on Team Edward or Jacob. I hate Twilight in general-hush!" I say, silencing her look of fury. "Second, we were talking about Tyler and Percy, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." She says, grinning like the Chesire Cat, her eyes sparkling in the dim forest light. "Your two loves of your life."
"I don't love them," I say, now wishing I hadn't stopped her rant about Robert Pattinson.
"Annabeth, like I was saying, you're swooning over Tyler like he's Mr. Perfect."
"I am not_"
"Are to!" She says, silencing me. "And Percy is the best friend that you fall for after-or during-all your adventures."
"Excuse me_"
"It's like one of those sad love stories you see at the movies or something." Alec says, and I roll my eyes. "The girl who has been in love with her best friend for so long_"
"I am not in love with_"
"And," She says, cutting me off. "then a new, mysterious guy comes along and you find yourself torn between them."
"I'm not in love with Tyler either." I spit out, and she sighs.
"Of course you are-you just won't admit it."
"But I'm not."
"Annabeth, your life reminds me of a book I'm reading. Or," She adds, "was reading until the Stolls threw it into the creek."
"OK..."
"It was called Dark Visions_"
"You know what, Alec?" I ask, stretching my arms out a little. "I am really tired all of the sudden. I'm gonna go to sleep. Night!" I sit up more, then run my fingers lightly through the mist before Alec can respond.

I let out a sigh of relief, slumping back into my bed and closing my eyes. Words buzz in my ears and ripple through my body in waves.

"It's possible to love two people at once,"

With a moan, I grip the corner of one of the pillows and pull it over my face. The plastic tubes on my arms scream in protest as I move them, but I keep them there.

And I let the pain pull me into oblivion.

I know, I know-It's really short compared to the last few chapters.

But I've been having a rough time doing this chapter for some reason, and I just had to cut it off here.

SORRY!

Please, don't hurt me!

Enjoy your April!

See you! Thanks for reading/reviewing!

REVIEW!

Adios!

~The Experience