This is just an idea that popped into my head but it's just going to be a one shot, but if you guys like it enough I'll make it into a full length story! Enjoy!

Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love frows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable. - Bruce Lee

Annabeth's POV

This is it. My big night. The first time my parents would present me to the rest of the county. Saying that I'm nervous would be the understatement of the century.

It's my sixteenth birthday, which is traditionally the day that the Lords and Ladies of each county present their children to the rest of the land. My mother is Lady Athena, and I live in Province Six. There are twelve provinces in total; seven ruled by Lords and the remaining five ruled by Ladies, such as my mother.

"Come on Lady Annabeth, you'll be late for your entrance!" my maid (and close friend) Rachel called from outside the door to my bedroom.

"Just a minute!" I called back. "And how many times do I have to tell you, don't call me Lady!"

I really hated that title. I wasn't a Lady. Not a proper one anyway. I didn't want to marry a snobby, stuck up, good-for-nothing prince from another country. I didn't want to stay inside the palace and order servants around for the rest of my life. I want to learn.

I want to learn about anything and everything. I just find the world so fascinating. My main passion is architecture, and that's probably the only reason why I don't mind living in the palace. It's so huge that even after living here for sixteen years, I still find new rooms when I wonder about.

I slowly made my way down the corridor to the grand staircase, and waited for the signal before I could go down. I could hear the orchestra playing a soothing melody, and the guests laughing and chatting aimlessly to each other.

I groaned internally. Here goes yet another night of pointless conversation with hundreds of strangers I don't know. Oh joy.

"Okay Annabeth, they're ready for you" Rachel gave me a reassuring nudge before I took a deep breath and slowly started to descend the grand staircase.

I could feel all eyes on me, and as I looked around at all of the guests, I could see a few whispering to each other. I hated it. I despise being the centre of attention, I'd much rather sit alone and read a book in our library.

I scanned the crowd looking for my friends; the only people who I knew would keep me from going insane with boredom tonight. I caught the eye of my friend Thalia, the eldest daughter of the Lord of Province 1. I'd known Thalia for years, and we often went to each other's palaces and played in the gardens when we were younger. She was like a sister to me.

I could tell that she could sense my displeasure at having all the attention on me, as she was covering a smirk with her hand. I sent her an evil glare whilst trying not to laugh myself.

As soon as I reached the bottom of the staircase, my mother grabbed me by the arm and hoisted me to her side.

"My fellow Lords, Ladies and honoured guests, I welcome you to our ball tonight in celebration of my daughter, Lady Annabeth's sixteenth birthday!"

The crowd gave a polite round of applause, and I blushed a little, embarrassed at my mother's propriety. She gave a slight nod to the conductor of the orchestra to my right, and they began playing a lively piece which was one of my mother's favourites.

"Oh my dear Annabeth, you look wonderful" my father whispered to me, and I gave him a quick smile. My father wasn't as big as propriety as my mother, but I suppose she had to be; she was one of the twelve Olympians who ran the country after all.

My mother grabbed my arm yet again, and guided me through the crowd towards a group of people I couldn't quite see.

"Annabeth, this is Lord Hermes of Province 11, his wife Lady May, and their son Lord Luke."

I curtsied as my mother had taught me, and Lord Hermes took my hand and gave it a quick kiss, as did Luke. I blushed in spite of myself and stared at the floor. There was no point in admitting that Luke wasn't good looking, but I'd seen better. The scar that ran from his left eye to his jaw ruined his look a bit, but I'm sure most girls would do anything to have him as a husband.

Me? Well, I wasn't one of them. I didn't judge people by their looks; I live by the well known motto 'Don't judge a book by its cover'. I could tell by the way he stood – head held high, back straight, looking down his nose at me – that Luke thought very highly of himself.

"Lady Annabeth" he addressed me as a new symphony began to play, "Would you do me the honour of accompanying me for this dance?"

I hesitated for a second before smiling and curtsying graciously. Luke led me to the dance floor and held out his hands. I hesitantly stepped into his hold and we began swaying around the dance floor.

I tried to lose myself into the music to keep me from making a mistake and stepping on Luke's foot or something, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to. I could feel too many pairs of eyes on me, watching to see if I'd get along with this Lord.

"So Lady Annabeth, tell me a bit about yourself" Luke said after we'd dance around the room in uncomfortable silence a few times.

"Um, okay. I love reading things. Books, plays, poems, just about anything I can find them all fascinating. Our library is magnificent; it's my favourite room in the palace" I replied, trying not to get too carried away with myself.

"That's fascinating" he replied.

I perked up. Perhaps Luke loved to read too, maybe he wasn't who I thought he was, maybe I was too quick to judge him.

"Although, I much prefer fighting"

Oh well, I thought, obviously not.

I tried to listen to Luke as he waffled on about this battle, and that tournament and whatnot, but it's really difficult to listen to someone when you're as stubborn as I am and you don't want to please your parents by getting along with the Lord they're trying to set you up with.

Luke was, well there's only one way I can really put it; infuriating.

He was probably one of the most self-centred, aggravating people I've ever met, which is really saying something when you're friends are as cocky as they are. I guess I don't mind my friends being cocky because I know they're joking and they just do it to make fun of people like Luke.

As I was lost in my thoughts, I wasn't really concentrating on the dance and accidentally stood on Luke's foot, which earned me a steely glare from my mother.

"Um, sorry" I apologized, trying not to look at Luke's face.

"Yes, you should be" he replied.

"Excuse me?" I couldn't believe he just said that, it's so rude! I hate rude people, ugh. "Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty when all I did was accidentally step on your foot?"

He looked shocked at my little outburst and I turned and stomped off the dance floor in a very unladylike fashion.

I caught a glance of the appalled expression on my mother's face as she tried to make her way over to me, but I swiftly pushed through the crowed and ran outside to the garden.

I was so angry at Luke for being so rude, at my mother for being so pushy, and generally at everybody for always telling me what to do. And if you need to know one thing about me, it's that Annabeth Chase hates being told what to do.

I ran quite deep into the garden, lost in my thoughts as I ran away from the party, away from my mother, away from everything. When I was angry, most people knew I needed to be left alone.

I could hear my mother's voice scolding me in the back of my head. 'You must behave like a Lady, Annabeth; otherwise no good man will ever want you for a wife.'

I couldn't count on both hands the number of times she'd said that to me recently. Now I was sixteen, it was all about finding me a good husband and getting me to settle down, blah blah blah.

Maybe I don't want to settle down! Maybe I want to go on an adventure, and explore the world. Maybe I want to get out of this province and discover somewhere new, somewhere interesting.

I hate it when my mother says such patronising things to me. She claims she just wants to help me find a good man to be my husband, to give me a good life.

But she doesn't understand that my idea of a good man isn't the same as hers. She doesn't understand that my idea of a good man is someone who can make me laugh, and act silly around me. Someone who makes me smile and whom I can be myself around. Someone who doesn't mind me sprouting out facts every minute of the day; someone who is my best friend as well as someone who loves me. Someone like Percy.

Wait what? Hold up Annabeth, you did not just think that.

Percy's my best friend, and has been since we were twelve. Sure, he's a good man, but he's not someone who I'd ever fall in love with, right? H-he's my friend. That's all.

Keep telling yourself that Annie.

Oh great, now I can hear his stupid voice in my head. This is going to be a long night.

Percy was a Lord too, the son of Lord Poseidon in Province 3. He was cocky, but in a funny, loveable sort of way. He joked about being proper and acting like the other sons of the Lords and Ladies. He was different, and that's why I liked him. Neither of us really fit into the proper roles we're expected to have by our parents, and the rest of the country, but most of the time we act like who we're supposed to be.

That all changes when we're together. We mess around, telling jokes and laughing about everything. He's the only person with whom I can be myself.

But there's another side to Percy that not many people know about. He can be really sweet, kind and trustworthy, the sort of person an idea best friend should be. To tell the truth, I don't know what I did to deserve such an amazing friend.

Without realising it, I found myself running towards a place in the small wood that separates the main palace gardens from the orchards. Mine and Percy's special place; where we used to go to hide from our nasty governesses, or our forever arguing parents.

You see, our parents don't really see eye to eye, they never have. I've never really found out why, but either way neither of them approve of me and Percy being friends.

I collapsed on the stone bench in the clearing, where I'd usually go to read a book, or talk to Percy. There was a small fountain in the middle, with six stone benches surrounding it. The clearing was beautiful, especially in the spring, like it is now, as many of the trees that surround it have flowers blossoming in all different colours. It was my favourite place in the world.

"You know, seeing as it's your party, you really should be there Wise Girl" I heard a familiar, sarcastic voice coming from behind me.

"You know me Seaweed Brain; I never was one who liked entertaining."

The nicknames were a thing that he and I had come up with not long after we'd met. He was Seaweed Brain since he loved the ocean and he was so clueless sometimes it made me wonder if his head was full of kelp.

I was Wise Girl since Percy claimed that all I ever wanted to do was read, and because I constantly sprout facts about things.

I looked up at Percy and he chuckled, and looked at me with a mischievous glint in his sea green eyes. Secretly, I loved his eyes, and sea green was my favourite colour. Every time someone asked I told them that it was grey, but really, it was Percy's eye colour.

I could tell that he was up to something, so I raised my eyebrows and gave him an expecting look. He came and sat down next to me.

"So what's up Annie? How come you're not at the party?"

I glared at him.

"Do not call me Annie! You know how much I hate it" I replied, "And I'm not at the party because my mother was trying to set me up with this guy called Luke, who was horrible."

I wanted to stop there, but since I'd started, I couldn't stop myself from carrying on and telling Percy all of my problems. He held out his arms and I leant into him, resting my head on his chest.

"She just doesn't understand that I don't want to get married yet, I'm only sixteen! I don't want to marry one of those stuck-up, idiotic Lords who think they're so much better than me!"

"Hey Annabeth, it's okay. I promise that you won't have to marry one of those guys, I'll make sure whoever you marry is perfect for you, okay?"

"Thanks Seaweed Brain" I responded.

"No problem."

This is one of the reasons why I love Percy. He's always got my best interests at heart, and I know he won't let me marry someone I don't want to. He's so protective about me, and I am with him too I suppose. I guess I don't really want to think about him marrying another girl. I want Percy all to myself.

Wait, I didn't just think that. Percy's not mine to have. We're best friends, nothing more.

Except not really. Since last summer, I'd kind of had a crush on Percy, though I've never told anyone. I don't want to ruin our friendship; I love things just the way they are.

He would never like me like that anyway. I'm his best friend!

I looked up at Percy's face, into his amazing sea green eyes, and I just got lost in them. They were amazing. When he was angry, they'd become dark and stormy, just like the sea. But when he was happy, they were light and playful, and had a mischievous gleam in them, like now.

"Come on then Wise Girl" he got up and held out his hand for me.

"No Percy, I'm not going back in there until the party's over." I crossed my arms and sent him a glare to show that I wasn't moving.

"I didn't mean that. It's your birthday. I want a birthday dance."

I was a little surprised at this, Percy's a worse dancer than I am, and that's really saying something. I took his hand anyway, and we started to waltz like we'd been taught; only we kept tripping over each other's feet and falling about. I could hear the soft music from the ballroom in the distance, and the orchestra were playing one of my favourite songs.

We were both laughing like idiots, spinning around and around the fountain until we felt dizzy and had to sit back down.

"Seaweed Brain, you really need to take some more dancing lessons." I told him, as I wiped my eyes from crying with laughter.

"Hey!" he retorted, "I'm not that bad of a dancer! You're not very good yourself you know!"

I grinned at him. "Yes, but you're the man, you're supposed to lead! Not trip over my feet all the time!"

He mimicked my facial expression, and like the mature Lady I am, I poked my tongue out at him.

"You're so annoying sometimes, you nerd." He chuckled at me.

"Well you're an idiot."

"Moron."

"Dork."

"Geek."

"Kelp head."

"Wise Girl."

We were nose to nose, and both biting our lips to keep us from laughing.

All I had to do was lean in, and touch my lips to his.

Annabeth no! I scolded myself, Stop thinking like this! Percy is your best friend, you don't want to ruin that by making it awkward, do you?

I sighed and leaned back, the butterflies in my stomach going wild.

"You okay Annabeth?" Percy asked, sensing my change in mood.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just that-" I stopped myself. I couldn't tell Percy how I felt for him! It'd change everything! We wouldn't be able to be friends anymore! I wouldn't-

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yeah, of course, it's just I-"

I couldn't. What was I hoping to achieve from this? There's no way he'd ever like me back.

As I looked back into Percy's eyes, his expression changed. We were sat facing each other on the bench, eyes locked, neither of us saying a thing.

All of a sudden, Percy started to lean in, and my heart went into overdrive. What was he doing? He couldn't be leaning in to kiss me; he doesn't like me like that. He must have spotted someone or something over my shoulder.

But his eyes were still locked on mine, his head tilted slightly to the side, and before I knew it, he closed the gap and his lips were on mine.

The kiss was even better than I had imagined it (yes, I'd imagined it). It was sweet and gentle, but I could feel a sense of longing behind it.

After a few seconds, he pulled away, and looked at me sheepishly.

"So what were you going to say to me?"

"Um, I was going to say that I, um, kind of like you Seaweed Brain" I looked down, embarrassed.

"Yeah well, I kind of like you too Wise Girl."

Okay, that's it! Please let me know what you think and if I should turn this into a proper story. Thanks for reading guys!

-anniebethchase