Amazing

I liked it better when you were on my side - Taylor Swift

Percy stared across the broom closet, directly at Annabeth, his green eyes were glowering. After all, it was her fault they were stuck in here. She stared back; her grey's reflecting the same acrimony as his. At that moment her thoughts drifted back to what had gotten them to this present situation…

"Happy Birthday Grover!" They'd exclaimed together, each handing him tightly wrapped gifts. It was a particularly good day; actually it'd been a particularly good week between the two of them. She'd actually, dare she say, gotten along with him, and enjoyed it more than she thought she could.

"Open mine last." Annabeth had urged, excited about her gift though it was blatantly obvious. Grover looked at Percy, who shrugged so he proceeded to reach for Percy's gift. He began to unwrap Percy's gift, eating the paper as he went along. One full stomach later he was left with a small, jingling, burlap sack. Peering into the dark pit of the back, Grover grinned as he retrieved a handful of shining, empty cherry coke cans.

"These are my favorite!" Grover exclaimed, popping one into his mouth despite his full stomach.

Annabeth's honey blonde eyebrow began to twitch angrily and her stomach dropped as Grover talked animatedly about how perfect Percy's gift had been. He went on to take apart hers in the same fashion as he did Percy's and unveiled a big, black box. Pulling off the lid revealed a big pile of empty, tin, cans.

"This is the best birthday ever!" The satyr exclaimed, his eyes giddy with glee. However, it definitely wasn't the best birthday for Annabeth and Percy.

"You would get the same gift as me." Percy said.

"Well maybe if your head wasn't so full of kelp you'd have thought of something more creative." She shot back.

"Why couldn't you think of something more creative if you're so smart?"

"You're supposed to be the big hero."

"Sorry I'm not the son of the god of birthday presents." He scoffed.

"That's right; I forgot you're the son of that idiot, Poseidon." She replied, rolling her eyes.

"Don't call my dad an idiot!"

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Wh—'' Grover cut him off.

"Enough!" Grover interjected, and then he did something he'd never done before. He leapt between them and grabbed each by the ear. "I have had enough of you two and your inability to get along for a measly ten minutes." He said, dragging them across the campground, a variety of campers turned to watch as he pulled them into the mess all. All the while they continued to bicker, shouting things like 'Stupid Coral boy' and 'Stupid Smart girl' at one another. Grover dragged them all the way to the back of the hall, opened that mysterious door at the back and tossed them both in there, locking the door.

They soon found out it was a broom closet, and here they were; sitting in a very uncomfortably tense silence.

And to think that I was actually starting to like you, she thought, getting angrier as her stomach flipped a little. Stupid feelings. Stupid, stupid, stupid fish-loving seaman. With his stupid little grin and his stupid green eyes… No Annabeth, stop it. Stop it right there. You are not going to go there.

Look at her, sitting there. Probably thinking how much better than me she is. With her stupid pretty hair… why is it so pretty? Saying I'm too involved with kelp for her liking… Percy thought, his anger boiling. The silence lasted an amazingly long two minutes.

"Sorry." Percy finally sighed, laying his armor down. Annabeth couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah I'm sorry to."

"Truce?"

"Truce." It was quiet for a few moments before Percy spoke again.

"How long do you think he'll keep us cooped up in here?"

"I have no idea, but Grover can be forgetful…"

"So then any chance you've got a sleeping bag in your pocket?" Annabeth laughed, shaking her head.

"Wanna play a game?" he said, after a couple moments.

"Which one?" she said, trying to ignore the way her heart began to thump a little faster. Truth or dare, truth or dare, truth or dare… she prayed to the gods, crossing her fingers.

"I don't know…" Percy trailed off, not wanting to be the one that decided.

"Well I don't know either…" Annabeth lied, still hoping.

"We could play…"

"Truth or Dare?" Annabeth finally blurted, not wanting him to say something like tic tac toe. Which was definitely a strong possibility, considering the amount of salt water that was bound to be clogging up his brain.

"You're on." Percy said, sitting up and crossing his legs. Annabeth did the same. Neither could deny how embarrassingly exciting this was for the two of them.

"I'll let you go first." Annabeth said, trying to create a mental list of dares and questions.

"Truth or dare wise girl." Percy challenged, folding hands together.

"Hmmm... Dare." She smirked; Percy raised his eyebrows.

"I dare you… I dare you to scratch your name into the door." Percy said, rather proud of what he'd come up with. Annabeth scoffed.

"That's too easy." She pointedly got up and without hesitation sat in front of the door, beginning to inscribe her name in neat letters in the center of the wooden door. She's crazy! Percy thought. He watched her, admiring the way she was focused so intently on her work. Crazy beautiful…

"Truth or dare?" Annabeth said, still finishing off the h in Chase. Silence.

"Percy?" Oh seahorses! She was talking.

"Oh! Sorry. Truth."

"Hmmm…"

"Well?"

"I'm thinking!" She paused for a couple minutes, her brow knotting. "Alright I have one. What did you dream about last night?"

"Well I… I dreamt about walking." Percy said slowly, lucky Annabeth couldn't see his blush.

"Walking? That's it." Annabeth said skeptically, turning to face him. "Why are you all red?"

"Well I—I—I don't know. I dreamt we were walking, just us." Annabeth's heart stuttered to a stop, and then picked up double time. "I don't really remember the rest." Percy muttered quickly. "Truth or dare?" Percy was anxious to get off that subject.

"Dare."

"You can't pick dare twice in a row!"

"Fine. Truth."

"Do you…" Percy paused for a moment.

"Do I what?" Annabeth said, attempting to swat down the butterflies in her stomach.

"Do you well you know..." Annabeth waited patiently, indicating no, she didn't know. "Do you have crush on anyone?"

Annabeth's grey eyes widened, and her stomach just disappeared all together. "Well I…"

"Well." Percy said, anxious to know the answer.

"Well I kind of sort of do." She admitted.

"Well who is it?"

"It's…" A big smile suddenly grew on her face. "That wasn't the question." She said quickly, relief washing through her.

"Not fair!"

"Completely fair." She disagreed.

"Cheater." He glared.

"Truth or dare Percy." Annabeth said, laughing at her luck.

"Dare."

"Okay. Percy Jackson, I dare you to kiss me." She said quietly.

" What?"

"I said—''

Suddenly the closet door swung open to reveal a very remorseful looking Grover.

"Sorry guys…" he said, his shoulders slumped.

Annabeth shrugged, "It's okay." Getting up, she leaned over and gave Percy a peck on the cheek. Then she promptly got up and walked away. Grover raised his eyebrows at Percy, who put his hands in the air, mouthing 'Girls'. Grover nodded knowingly, and walked away after her.

Percy didn't leave the closet for a few minutes, but when he did he made sure to close the door that now read 'Annabeth Chase is amazing.'