I'm BACK! In this chapter you will know why Percy broke up with you-know-who. MWAHAHAHAHA.

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Percy Jackson.

Now read.

7. That Voice

(Percy's POV)

My fingers were trembling. What was Rachel doing here?

I summoned all the courage I had. "Uh – mom..?"

"Yes?" it seemed that my mom was oblivious to this ah… Frizzy red little trouble we had here.

"Why is Rachel here?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. She's holding an art exhibit at this very hotel and a press conference about how Newsweek declared her as the youngest artist who held about twelve exhibits all over the world." Her phone rang and she rummaged through her purse to answer it.

"Hello? Yes? Oh I. . ." her voice slowly faded to the background as I felt a bit nauseous.

"Mom." I tapped her shoulder. She looked at me with questioning eyes as the person on the other line babbled on.

"I'll go upstairs now, I'm feeling sick." She nodded and motioned the driver to bring my suitcases upstairs.

I hopped off the car, mentally preparing myself for what could possibly happen. The frizzy redhead was surrounded by a few news reporters on the left side, near the potted plants. But I immediately spotted her in the car because of her hair. It was so fiery red and not to mention frizzy.

I seriously considered changing into some outfit that would prevent people from learning I'm the ex of the oh-so-loyal and faithful (notice the oozing sarcasm) 'youngest artist who held about twelve exhibits all over the world'. I mean, whatever. I don't care about her anymore. I don't even have feelings for that b-yotch. Right?

When I walked towards the front entrance (I came down from the right side of the car), I only had time to slip on a pair of sunglasses that the driver tossed me before I was attacked by a horde of hungry reporters – and not just hungry for gossip either.

"Percy?" that familiar, squeaky voice asked incredulously. As if she didn't know the gods' way of controlling fate. I'm so going to kill them.

The reporters were screaming "Percy, Percy!" I walked past them. A reporter shoved a microphone to my face and asked the most irritating question in my entire life, and that's saying a lot.

"What is your comment about Rachel being successful after you broke up with her and now she's dating a young billionaire?"

I wanted to uncap my sword, Riptide then and there but a sane, calm part of me prevented to do so. Keep walking Percy. Don't let them bother you. I imagined my mother saying this. And for some reason, I imagined Annabeth. That gave me some sort of courage to stop trembling in Rachel's presence and show her that I'm done.

I don't know if it was Annabeth or my mom talking that did the job. Whatever it was, it calmed me down.

The glass doors slid open when they sensed me. I walked past the concierge who was looking quite weirdly at me. Maybe it was the reporters. Maybe it was the sunglasses. Maybe not.

I walked calmly to the elevators and punched in the usual button – 18. But the driver shook his head.

"Sir, you were assigned to a different suite, the one on the top floor. It seems to be that someone rented your usual suite. Ms. Jackson hasn't submitted the requirements for the turn over yet." My mom was buying the suite that this hotel usually gave us. But… what happened?

I pushed the button for the top floor. "Who rented the suite?" I asked.

"I overheard the manager saying that the artist outside rented it."

"Is it possible to switch them to a different room?"

"No sir. It appears that she reserved the room three months ago, and the manager said anyone who does so cannot be transferred to a different room or suite."

I sighed deeply. "Thanks."

The driver just nodded. He looked mysterious with his shades and all, like a buff bouncer. He sort of freaked me out but he came in handy when there were sudden attacks of monsters. He would always make up good stuff to cover for me, which was one of the reasons why my mom hired him.

I leaned on the elevator wall and waited for us to reach the top floor. It was so irritating. This day was starting to become bad. First, I saw her. Then we were going to stay in a different suite just because she reserved it first. Argh. It was all because of her.

The elevator doors dinged open at 18. I pressed to close button quickly, but it was too late. I felt a sense of longing for that suite. Suite number 18-J. Perfect, because my birthday was 18 and my surname started with J.

We reached the floor quickly. The driver led the way and handed me the room card. I looked at the door. 12-D. I heaved in another sigh and inserted the card.

The room looked alien to me. Yeah, sure, it was nice and all, but it just wasn't what I was used to. I tossed the driver 5 dollars before he left.

I scanned the room. The hallway was carpeted, of course, all suites were. Modern paintings hung on the cream colored walls. On a wooden table was a china vase filled with fresh red tulips. I walked towards the living room, where a blood red couch sat with a glass table half covered in magazines. A huge forty inch flat screen TV sat across, with dividers on both sides filled with DVDs.

The kitchen had a granite counter top with those cool tall swirling chairs. There was an electric stove, polished cabinets, a huge gray fridge stocked with sodas, chocolates and ice creams and a bunch of equipment that looked foreign to me.

I opened the door to the master's bedroom. Engraved on the door was a fancy 'MB', so that's how I knew.

The lighting was dim. I adjusted its brightness a bit on the remote from the bedside table. There was a huge bouncy bed with about three soft and fluffy duvets and about six huge pillows all fluffed up and propped against the headboard.

On its left was a huge ceiling to floor sliding glass door with a balcony that had a view of the pool. Across the bed was a flat screen tv that was a bit bigger than the one in the living room. It rested on a rectangular oak cabinet with four drawers. I opened each - the three contained DVDs and the other one was filled with cases that had 3D glasses with them.

The bathroom was just beside the walk-in closet. It had a huge jacuzzi with multiple functions and a marble toilet. Separating the shower and the jacuzzi tub was a transparent glass. And of course, it had a toilet. What bathroom wouldn't have a toilet?

I checked out the other two rooms. They weren't as grand as the master bedroom but was still pretty cool. I flopped on one of the spare bedrooms. I always gave mom the master's bedroom. After all, I had to repay all those 9 months when she took care of me and all those years that she took care of me and loved me. So why not give her the best?

I tried to calm down and forget about a certain redhead. But I just couldn't. She was stuck to my mind whether I liked it or not. There was just so much hatred burning inside of me.

Before I could stop it, my eyesight blackened and I was brought into a memory that I forced to get out of my head.

Flashback

The music could be heard from miles away. Good thing it was inside a forest because if it was in a subdivision, the phone would be ringing like crazy with neighbors on the other line getting them to tone it down. I was just about to arrive because my car broke down. Rachel went ahead - heck, she didn't even know I was coming. I was sort of kidnapping her to take her to my favorite place - a place I never shared with anyone before.

I wasn't really invited to that party, Rachel just told me her friend was hosting it and she wanted me to come. I'm not really that party animal type so.. I had my doubts. But then I planned out this perfect picnic under the moonlight.

I finally reached the place and parked my car about half a mile away. I couldn't find a parking space near the house. It was that crowded.

I jogged up on the way. I was really excited about this surprise. I was panting a bit when I reached the front door. I wasn't really athletic back then.

"Hey Mariel, have you seen Rachel?" I asked when I saw her on the porch. What she was doing out there when I crazy party was happening inside, I don't know.

"Last time I saw her she was upstairs. That was about ten minutes ago." She fiddled with her fingers nervously. She was always like that.

"Thanks." I smiled and went inside the house.

It was a really insane party. The host, Cheryl, was obviously loaded. That Girl by All Time Low was on full blast and people were dancing. I pushed through a testosterone and hormone filled teenagers. I lost count of how many people I saw making out. Someone even handed me a cup filled with yellowish liquid. Beer, I guess?

Finally I reached the stairs. It wasn't really crowded there. There were five doors - four bedrooms and one bathroom. The first bedroom had a guy and a girl making out. The second, a couple was outside the window, sitting on the roof. The third had two girls passed out on the bed. I was just about to open the door of the fourth room when I felt this cold chill down my spine, like something extremely wrong was about to happen.

I ignored it and opened the door anyway.

My heart must've dropped at least all the way to Tartarus. Guess what..?

Rachel was against the wall, making out with a tall shirtless guy.

They pulled away from each other and both stared at the door. My heart was pounding in my chest. There was a moment of silence. The music, the voices all around us were drowned by our heartbeats.

Rachel was the first to recover. "I can explain -"

"No." I growled. "I don't want nor need your explanation. I spun around and made my way towards the stairs. Rachel was running after me with the guy just behind her. She was yelling over the music her so-called explanation. People were starting to stare now but I disregarded it. As ironic as it sounds, the pain was making me numb.

"Please Percy. At least know my feelings."

"Well you should know MY feelings! My feeling is that you should go rot in your corner with that man-whore, you bitch!" The crowd murmured. One even yelled, "Burn!"

Rachel looked around like she was afraid the whole crowd would start charging at her any minute. She turned to me with a smirk on her face. Oh, she was playing the arrogance card? Wrong move.

"If you'd at least let me explain -"

"No. Everything is over between us. Forget everything we had. It's over, Rachel." I shook my head, doing my best to prevent the tears to fall. I don't want people to see that I felt like crying. I had to be the one who would walk away with a triumphant smile on the face and show everyone it's her loss, not mine.

So why did it feel like the opposite?

"It's your loss, not mine." Rachel's smirk grew even wider and some people gasped in shock. She really did have the nerve to do that. But Rachel was like transparent plastic, I could see through her. She was faking it. I knew it when Rachel's expressions were genuine.

"Stop faking that smirk and stop saying that it's my loss. Because it's not." Her face immediately morphed into a horrified expression, but she regained her confidence.

Before she could say anything else, I spun around and walked away.

End Flashback

That was one of the worst nights I've ever had. But after that experience, I learned how to stay strong and control my emotions.

Before I knew it, I was asleep.

(Annabeth's POV)

Should I call?

My head was pounding.

It was about 7 in the evening.. Wouldn't I be disturbing him?

Maybe I should call. I mean, I'm giving him a tour tomorrow, right?

Wait. Isn't this his office number?

Who would answer?

Maybe it's his wireless landline. You know, he could carry it anywhere.

But... Wouldn't I be disturbing him?

Ah suck all these thoughts.

I dialed the number from my bedroom phone, my dinner churning in my stomach.

Ring.. Ring.. Ring..

I waited for a few seconds. I was about to give up and just leave a message when he finally picked up.

"Hello..?" he groggily asked.

And let me just say - a man's voice when he just woke up is the sexiest shit ever.

I finally updated! Please don't kill me!

Writing long chapters give me writer's block. Does anyone know how to cure it?

Sem Break just ended. It's time to endure six more weeks and it's Christmas Break again!

Lalalala~

REVIEW!

Hope you enjoyed the chappieee...

Eternal love for readers, blue cookies, ice cream and bacon ...

~bia