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Annabeth knew she wasn’t supposed to be there.
She was in the paddock, she was lost, and she knew her lanyard only said that she was allowed in the gate. Not in any of the grandstands, and definitely not in the paddock. Getting tickets for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone had been hard and expensive enough, there was no way her family could afford tickets any more special than grounds access.
Even with all of that, she had managed to wander into the paddock after the race.
It was late Sunday afternoon, and Annabeth had just witnessed one of the most exciting formula 1 races so far this year. Now, while F3 cars sped around the track, the majority of visitors had decided to leave at the same time Annabeth and her family had.
And the line was huge.
Standing in the giant line was seriously boring, and Annabeth had gotten annoyed listening to her six-year-old half-brothers, Bobby and Matthew, whine. She had declared that she was going for a walk, had promised to return when she got a text from her step-mother, Helen, and had strolled off.
Wandering around the track, Annabeth had been distracted by watching the cars fly by so she didn’t notice that she had entered the paddock until she was walking through it. Wondering why no one had noticed that she was in the wrong place, Annabeth had spotted a back door in one of the buildings nearby and had decided to duck inside, not wanting to get arrested but not wanting to return to her family either.
Once again, Annabeth had let both her mind and her feet wander until she was well and truly lost in the corridors of a building she knew she wasn’t supposed to be in.
Staring at the photos on the walls, she hadn’t noticed that there was someone behind her until they said, “I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to be here.”
Whirling round, Annabeth replied, “I know I shouldn’t be here, I got lost, sorry.” Then she looked up at who she was speaking to and lost her breath.
Perseus Jackson.
The dark-haired, green-eyed twenty-year-old had been her not-so-secret celebrity crush for over a year, ever since he started racing in formula 1 the year before. He had been picked up by a decent team, and had just got his third podium of his F1 career earlier this afternoon. From the clips Annabeth had seen of him (she wasn’t a stalker – they just turned up in her recommended videos on YouTube), he was a funny, goofy person who was best mates with Leo Valdez and Jason Grace, two other drivers who had raced in F2 and started in F1 with him.
And as he shot her that lopsided smile and her heart flipped in her chest, she knew that her celebrity crush could quickly develop into a real one.
“It’s alright,” he replied, “I still find this place confusing as heck and I’ve been coming here for years,” Annabeth let an amused smile spread over her face, “Why don’t I help you find a way out…?”
“Annabeth,” she answered the unspoken question, “and that would be wonderful, thank you.”
He smiled again, his eyes sweeping her body, from her long blonde curls and startling stormy eyes to her silver anklet and scuffed grey trainers. “Annabeth,” he said, tasting the name, “Lovely to meet you Annabeth, I’m Perseus Jackson, but call me Percy.”
She let herself scan his body. He had changed out of his blue racing suit in favour of a pair of worn black jeans and a green t-shirt that matched his eyes. His scuffed trainers were black, and the cap perched on his messy black hair was dark blue, with the symbol of his team and his number, 18, on it. “I know who you are.”
“Ah yes,” they started walking down the corridor, Percy half a step in front of her, “why would you be here otherwise?” He winked at Annabeth and she rolled her eyes. “How did you start watching formula 1?” he asked more seriously.
“My granddad,” she replied, “loved racing cars, and loved F1. My dad was raised watching the Grand Prix on Sunday afternoons, and he raised me and my younger step-brothers the same. They prefer football though.”
Percy shook his head sadly. “Their loss. Formula 1 is awesome.”
Grinning, Annabeth said teasingly, “And you wouldn’t be slightly biased in that opinion, would you?”
“Possibly,” Percy shrugged. Then he grinned at her, and she laughed.
They spent the next few minutes learning about each other. Percy had ADHD, like Annabeth (which apparently was helpful when it came to racing and a lot of things happening at once) and also had one deadbeat parent, like Annabeth, though his was his dad. He was a total mummy’s boy, loved his mother – who happened to be Sally Jackson, one of Annabeth’s favourite authors – to death, and claimed she made the best cookies in the universe. In return, Annabeth told him about back when she was a kid, when she had been living alone with her dad after her mum had disappeared and before Helen had shown up. When they went go karting and ice skating together on Sunday mornings, before sprawling on the carpet together and watching the Grand Prix. She told him about her best friends, Thalia, Silena and Rachel, and he told her about his best friends, Jason, Leo and Grover; he told her more about his job as a driver, and she told him about her A-Levels (she was almost at the end of Year 12, just turned seventeen-years-old). They teased each other and laughed together, and Annabeth honestly felt like she had known Percy Jackson for years and years.
Then they reached a door, and Percy put his hand on it, looking down at Annabeth. “Please don’t freak out,” he whispered, before pushing the door open.
The room on the other side was like a common room, with comfy, modern sofas, low tables and a wide-screen TV. What Percy had been talking about came apparent when Annabeth observed the occupants of the room. They were all wearing normal clothes, like Percy, but it was apparent: the people in the room were also formula 1 drivers, and a lot of them people Annabeth had been watching behind a TV since she was a kid.
“Hey Perce,” greeted a blonde guy that Annabeth recognised as Jason Grace, “where’ve you been?”
“And who’s the chick?” a guy with curly brown hair who Annabeth thought was Leo Valdez added cheekily.
“Hey guys,” Percy replied, “This is Annabeth. She got lost, and I’m helping her get back.”
Jason squinted at her, “So you’re not supposed to be here.”
Annabeth threw her hands up, “Well done, Sherlock! I didn’t have a clue,” she replied, sarcasm lacing her voice. Jason choked, Leo smirked and Percy gave her a look of… respect?
“Ooh, I like the snark. She’s a good one Percy,” Leo guffawed.
Smiling, Annabeth replied, “Thank you very much. I aim to please, Valdez.” She gave an exaggerated bow.
Grinning almost triumphantly, Percy grabbed Annabeth’s hand. “We’ll be going now.”
They exchanged goodbyes, and Percy and Annabeth left through the other door, opposite the one they entered by. Once again, they wandered down corridors, Percy moving with more of an intent, as if he was more confident in where he was going. Finally, they burst out into the centre of the paddock, laughing at the story Percy was telling about his little half-sister Estelle.
“And she’s going ‘I’m a unicorn!’ and I’m like ‘no, Stelle, put that down, that’s dangerous’,” Percy said between snorts. “Luckily, she didn’t drop it and didn’t injure anybody, which Mum says was pretty much a miracle. Since then, she’s kept all the dangerous cutlery out of Stelle’s reach.”
“Good idea,” Annabeth giggled, “If your little sister’s anything like you, then someone would’ve got hurt soon enough.”
Making a melodramatic pouty expression, Percy clapped a hand over his heart, faking injury. Annabeth laughed again, admiring the way his charcoal hair fell in his sea-green eyes, and the way his arm muscles flexed under his tan skin. Percy stopped acting, looking over her again, his face becoming serious. There was a smouldering look in his eyes that made Annabeth nervous.
“Um,” she started, anxiously twisting one of her blonde curls around her finger, “I-”
She was cut off by her phone going off in her jean pocket. Digging it out, Annabeth switched it on to see a text from Helen, demanding for her to start heading back NOW. “What is it?” asked Percy.
“My step-mum,” Annabeth answered, “telling me to head back ASAP. If people can get shouted at over text, I’ve just been screamed at.”
“Ah.” Was it Annabeth, or did Percy look disappointed? “I suppose you have to get going then.”
Nodding, Annabeth wondered if there was any way she could keep in contact with the handsome formula 1 driver. Then inspiration struck her. “Do you have your phone?”
“Yes,” Percy pulled his phone out his pocket, looking puzzled.
Excited, Annabeth told him to unlock his phone and go into contacts. Picking up on the idea, Percy created a contact labelled AC ;P before handing his phone over to Annabeth so she could type in her phone number. Handing his phone back, Annabeth made a new contact on her phone called PJ and got Percy to put in his number. Once they’d finished, Percy quickly did something with his phone, and Annabeth’s went off with a text from PJ saying hi.
Even though she tried to hide it, a huge smile spread across Annabeth’s face. “Ok, good. Now I really have to go before Helen decides to ground me into the next century.”
“Bye then,” Percy waved, his expression a lot brighter than it had been a few minutes before.
“Bye.”
*~*
The Chase family had just finished eating lunch and Bobby was helping Annabeth’s dad set the TV up for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when she got a WhatsApp message from a contact now labelled Seaweed Brain with three blue hearts.
All Annabeth’s family knew was that she had accidentally got lost at Silverstone, that a very nice guy had helped her, and that they’d decided to exchange numbers. What they didn’t know was the name and job of the ‘very nice guy’, because Annabeth didn’t feel like having her dad die young from a heart attack.
Honestly? To start with, Annabeth had really wondered what exactly she had been thinking the day she gave Perseus Jackson her phone number. But what had started as an unlikely meeting and a serious lapse in judgement had turned into a treasured friendship on Annabeth’s part. They just got along so well, and Annabeth had realised that she had a considerable crush on Percy when she changed the name of his contact (which had occurred after an entertaining conversation about what they had wanted to be when they were kids – Percy had wanted to be a merman). None of the rest of Annabeth’s contacts had hearts in their name.
She had introduced him to Thalia (her closest friend who she’d known since she was seven) when he had introduced her properly to Leo, Jason, Grover and Jason’s girlfriend Piper. Yes, Piper McLean, the young fashion designer and daughter of a Grammy award-winning actor. They had all gotten along surprisingly well and now the seven of them had a WhatsApp group chat called The Girls and the Driving Dorks.
Even though less than a year ago Annabeth never would’ve imagined something like this happening to her, she really couldn’t picture herself anywhere else anymore. She was taking Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Art for her A-Levels, giving her the best chance of getting into a good university for architecture, which was what she’d wanted to do for a long time. She had a multitude of best friends, all of them fun, crazy and funny, but also kind (when they wanted to be) and very supportive. And she had a rather large (who was she kidding, it was enormous) crush on one of her friends, who just happened to be a rather famous F1 driver.
Who also happened to be texting her less than 30 minutes before a Grand Prix?!
Unlocking her phone, Annabeth read the hey wise girl can u facetime me incredulously, rolling her eyes and sighing. Typical Seaweed Brain.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t really say no to him.
Plugging in her earbuds, Annabeth called Percy on Facetime and couldn’t stop herself smiling when his face appeared on her phone screen. “’Sup Wise Girl.”
“Perce,” she hissed, leaving the living room (and getting some weird looks from her family), “What are you doing?”
“Hey,” he pouted, “I wanted to see you. It’s not very long before the race,” Really, I hadn’t noticed, thought Annabeth, “and I wanted to see a friend. Jason and Leo are far away from me on the grid, Mum, Grover and Piper always have their phones turned off and Thalia would just yell at me.”
Calming down, Annabeth asked, “Why do you need to see me?”
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to make it through this race. I’ve been having some problems with my ADHD - even though I've taken my meds - and I’m worried that that’s going to mean I crash.” The hopeless look on Percy’s face broke Annabeth’s heart.
“Percy,” she said softly and soothingly, “You’ll be fine. You’re going to go out, and you’re going to do your best, and you’re not going to crash because you’re better than that. Your mum’s rooting for you, Grover’s rooting for you, Estelle and Paul are, Piper is as well, even if she is rooting for her boyfriend too,” she added, surprising a laugh out of Percy, “and Jason and Leo would be if they weren’t racing. You’re going to do great.”
Percy smiled, “Thanks Annabeth, you’re the best,” her heart fluttered, “but you missed someone.”
“Who?”
“You, Wise Girl. Are you rooting for me?” he asked, grinning cheekily.
With that look on his face, Annabeth didn’t think she could say no. “Of course I’m rooting for you, Seaweed Brain.”
Shooting her a dazzling smile, Percy said, “Thanks, Annabeth.” She was still smiling at the screen when he hung up.
Dazed, Annabeth wandered back into the living room, and slumped down in her usual seat in time for the formation lap, ignoring her step-mother’s questions about who facetimed her. Her dad slung his arm over her shoulder, like he used to when she was six, and pointed out the drivers on the front row for Bobby and Matthew.
Perseus Jackson ended up second in the race, Jason Grace in third. So what if Annabeth cheered louder than her dad when second place crossed the finish line? So what if Annabeth sighed when Percy replied to her congratulations text with thanks beth and a kiss?
So what?
*~*
Annabeth had turned eighteen a few days ago, Silena using that as an excuse to throw a huge party to celebrate them graduating secondary school and ‘being done’ with their A-Levels. Before the party, she’d watched the qualifying for the British Grand Prix, celebrating when Percy got pole position.
Even though Annabeth didn’t drink at the party, she was so completely and utterly exhausted after it had finished, that she stumbled right into bed with her clothes still on, and slept until Bobby – ever the confident one – barged into her bedroom at nine o’clock in the morning, waving something white and rectangular over his head. “Annie, there’s a letter for you!” he exclaimed, thrusting the rectangular thing, that was a letter, now Annabeth could see it, directly in her face. Groaning, Annabeth told Bobby to leave, and after he did, opened the letter, spilling a wad of cash onto her chest.
“Wha-” Annabeth moaned, pulling out the piece of paper left in the envelope and opening it, scanning the list of stations and times at the top, the map below that, and the note at the very bottom. Jerking upright, Annabeth rubbed the sleep out her eyes and read the sheet again, confirming the crazy thing that three of her friends had decided to get her to do. As Annabeth jumped out of bed and grabbed some clothes before jumping into the shower, she wondered if she was really going through with this. But as she dried herself off, pulled on a white crop top, blue jean shorts and a zip-up grey hoodie, and went to hunt for her hat and trainers, she realised she really was doing this, no matter how crazy she might think it was.
Tying the shoelaces of her trainers, Annabeth secured her hat on her head as she explained to her step-mother that she would be out for the day. As she reached into her hoodie pocket and touched the wad of cash in reassurance, along with the paper, with its list of three train stations and one bus stop, its map of Silverstone and the area around it, and its note that read:
Annabeth, you need to come. We don’t think PJ can do this without you.
We’ll meet you at the gate.
JG PM LV
*~*
Annabeth actually went through with the plan. She caught the right two trains, the right bus, and followed the map so she reached the gate circled on it. Then she realised a major problem.
She didn’t have a ticket.
Joining the queue, she suddenly felt self-conscious, seeing the families, groups and individuals producing their tickets, knowing she didn’t have one. Wondering frantically how she was going to get herself out of this one, Annabeth was about to turn around when someone yelled her name.
Whirling around, Annabeth spotted Piper, Leo and Jason waving at her. Relieved, she made her way over to them, weaving through the crowd. When she reached them, they snuck her through a side entrance (if you can call it sneaking when it’s in broad daylight), and then, as they were walking her down the hill, her anger returned.
“What the heck is going on?” she snapped. “I was planning to watch this Grand Prix from the safety of my house, like usual. And suddenly you’ve brought me here? Why?”
Piper put a hand on her arm. “It’s Percy,” she said gently.
“What about Percy?” Annabeth demanded.
“We don’t know if he’s going to be able to win this race,” Jason stated flatly.
“Of course he can win this race, are you guys-”
“Annabeth,” interrupted Leo, serious for once. “We’re not doubting if he can, we’re doubting if he will be able to.”
Calmer, Annabeth replied, “Ok, but what does that have to do with me?”
“His best performance so far was in Abu Dhabi last year-” Jason started.
“And that was the race where you guys facetimed beforehand,” Piper finished. “He’s also been racing better since Silverstone last year, and that was when you two first met. You see the correlation?”
“Alright,” replied Annabeth, still sceptical, “So, why am I here?”
“You’re going to talk to waterboy, give him a confidence boost, then,” Leo did jazz hands, “voila! A maiden victory for our dear friend Perseus Jackson.”
By this time, they had reached the track, and Piper peeled off (with a kiss on Jason’s cheek) to head down to Jason’s garage, where she would be watching the race from. For another few minutes, they walked along the track until they met the bottom of the grid, filled with twenty racing cars and a large number of people.
“Ok, so Perce’ll be near his car, you know he’s on pole. Just see what you can do for him.” Jason advised, surveying the crowds. With that, he disappeared into the swarm of people.
“Wait! Jase!” Annabeth exclaimed. Sighing, she turned to Leo-
Or not. Because Leo had disappeared as well.
Sighing again, Annabeth turned back and plunged into the crowds.
Avoiding camera crews, interviewers and general famous people, Annabeth managed to weave her way through the crowd, reaching Percy’s car sitting on pole position. Turning on her heel, Annabeth scanned the surrounding crowd, and finally managed to spot the trademark messy black hair and blue racing suit of Perseus Jackson.
Finally reaching him, Annabeth saw he had his back to her, his earbuds in and muttering under his breath. Taking a deep breath, Annabeth closed her eyes, before opening them and saying “Percy.”
Turning round, Percy stared at her as he pulled an earbud out. “Annabeth?”
Nodding, Annabeth tried to smile. Then she was swept up in a hug.
“Annabeth, it’s so good to see you! What are you doing here?” Percy asked next to her ear, his warm breath sending shivers through her body.
Pulling away slightly, Annabeth reached up and brushed some of his hair out his face. “I’m not sure, actually. Leo, Jase and Pipes got me here, and implied that I needed to be here for you because I’m like your lucky charm or something? Personally, I think that sounds totally ridiculous-” Annabeth was cut off from her ramble.
By Percy’s lips on hers.
His lips were warm and as soft as Annabeth had always imagined they’d be. His arms slid down from her back to rest on her waist. She threw her arms around his neck as their lips moved in sync.
Pulling away, Percy rested his forehead on hers. “You’re my lucky charm, Annabeth. You’re beautiful, amazing and so incredible. I don’t deserve to even be your friend-” This time Annabeth cut him off with a kiss.
This kiss lasted longer, and when Annabeth pulled away, she was panting slightly. “You’re handsome, incredible and crazy amazing. It’s an honour to be your lucky charm, and I would not prefer anyone else.” Seeing Percy smile, Annabeth nodded her head at his car. “Congratulations on your pole position.”
His face dropped. “Annabeth, I don’t think I’m going to be able to do this.”
Cupping his face, Annabeth stared right into his swirling sea-coloured eyes. “You can do this, Percy. I believe in you. We all believe in you. But do you believe in you?”
Biting his lip (which made Annabeth so tempted to smash her lips right back onto his), Percy looked down at his feet. “I don’t think I do.”
Tilting his head back up, Annabeth said, “What if I told you that you will win. You will win for your mother. And for me.”
Percy smirked at her, that lopsided smirk full of mischief. Annabeth could tell it was genuine. “I think I’m good now.”
Leaning up, Annabeth pressed a kiss to his cheek, then a lingering one to his mouth. Percy’s lips still on hers, she whispered, “Then good luck, Seaweed Brain.”
Pulling away completely, Annabeth (unwillingly) slid out of Percy’s arms. He gestured to one of the guys working on the car, who came over and led her away from the grid. Percy waved at Annabeth as she left, and she waved back, grinning.
The walk to Percy’s garage – at least, that was where Annabeth assumed they were going – was silent, punctuated by people darting back and forth across the pit lane. When they finally reached the garage, the guy pointed Annabeth towards a few seats at the back, one of them filled with a woman with glittering blue eyes, her long brown hair streaked with grey. Annabeth started heading towards her when a voice shouted at her, “Hey! What d’you think you’re doing?”
A burly guy moved to stand in front of Annabeth, arms like tree trunks crossed over a thin blue t-shirt stretched across a muscled chest that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a wrestler. Glaring down at her, his eyes widened when they landed on her neck. “You don’t even have a ticket! How did you get in?” he growled.
Slightly anxious, Annabeth said “Funny story actually-” but was cut off by the guy who brought her in.
He leaned towards the burly guy and whispered something in his ear. Annabeth caught the words, “special situation… Jackson… kiss… girlfriend…”
Girlfriend?
The burly guy nodded. “Okay. Sorry, Miss,” he directed at Annabeth.
Relieved but confused, Annabeth darted over to the chairs at the back and slid into the one next to the woman. “Hi,” she said to the woman, who turned to look at her, “I’m-”
“Annabeth Chase!” the woman exclaimed, pulling a shocked Annabeth into a hug, “It’s so lovely to meet you! My son has not stopped talking about you,” she said rolling her eyes.
Annabeth laughed. “So, you must be Mrs Blofis?”
“Just call me Sally, sweetie. I didn’t know you were going to be here!”
“I didn’t actually know myself until this morning. You see…” Annabeth explained the letter she had received this morning, and the entire journey, including how she almost missed the second train because of a stray dog, all the way up to Leo and Jason dropping her off at the bottom of the grid.
Sally nodded, “And then you went and encouraged my son. Using more than just words,” she added with a wink, making Annabeth flush.
“How do you even know about that?” she asked.
Wincing slightly, Sally replied, “You see… Apparently a cameraman was filming Percy as he prepared for the race, given that he’s on pole, and caught your interaction on live TV. He wasn’t close enough to catch any of your conversation, and was at an angle that meant he didn’t see your face, but now everyone knows that my son has a girlfriend. I didn’t know before then either! I thought you were just a very nice girl that Percy had a crush on. He’s going to get an earful about keeping secrets from me,” she threatened good-naturedly.
Shaking her head, Annabeth smiled, “We were good friends – until now. Those three kisses were actually our first. I don’t even know if I’m his girlfriend or not,” she added, shrugging.
Sally reached out and placed a hand on Annabeth’s shoulder. “Oh, sweetie. Percy really likes you, and now that he knows that you like him too, don’t think you’re going to be getting away from him that easily. He’s just concentrating on the race at the moment.”
Comforted, Annabeth leant back, turning her attention to the screens for what was going to be a pretty awesome race.
*~*
“And Perseus Jackson WINS the British Grand Prix!”
Everyone in the garage burst into cheers, getting up to hug and back-slap each other. Sally, standing up next to Annabeth, pulled her to her feet and into a hug. Hugging her back, Annabeth let an ecstatic grin spread across her face. Percy won!
Most of the guys started pouring out the garage; Annabeth guessed they were heading for where Percy was going to park his car to congratulate him. An overexcited Sally grabbed Annabeth’s arm and pulled her after the guys. “Come on, Annabeth! Percy’s going to want to see you!” she exclaimed, leading Annabeth to the crowd and through it so they were standing right at the barrier separating the crowd from the cars.
Percy climbed out his car and stood on top of it, still in his helmet, and punched the sky.
The crowd screamed.
Pulling off his helmet and white head cover, Percy shook his head, letting his black hair stick out in every direction. He jumped into the crowd of guys from his garage who pounded him on the back and ruffled his hair. Moving along, Percy then pulled Sally in for a hug, who smiled as she hugged him back, and then stopped in front of Annabeth.
“Told you,” he grinned, “You’re my lucky charm.”
And he pulled her in for a kiss.
*~*
After most of the crowds had left, Annabeth was sitting on one of the grassy hills around the Silverstone circuit, wrapped in Percy’s arms as she chatted with Sally and Piper. The boys were arguing, probably over something silly, and Percy stopped talking to lean down and press a kiss to Annabeth’s head.
Glancing down at her watch, Annabeth widened her eyes at the time. “I have to go!”
She sat up properly, Percy’s arms loosening around her. Piper looked at her, worried. “Annabeth?”
“I need to get home by tonight! My step-mum will use any excuse to ground me, so I have to go!”
Reaching up, Percy pulled Annabeth back against him, stroking her curls and soothing her. “It’s ok, Annabeth. We’ll figure something out.”
“But how am I even supposed to get home?” Annabeth cried, “I came here on the train!”
There was a short silence as everybody thought about it. Then Sally said, “Percy can take you, and you can introduce him to your family.”
“But Mum-” Percy began.
“It’s a good idea,” Piper interrupted, “and I can drive Sally. I don’t mind.”
“Well,” Annabeth said, “If you’re sure.” As an afterthought, she added, “My family actually don’t know the names of the people I’ve been messaging for the past year. Mainly because if I let slip even one of your names, my dad would go ballistic, and my step-mum would accuse me of lying. But since I’m now dating one of you-” Percy tightened his arms around her, and she smiled “-I think they should know now.”
Grover nodded. “That makes sense.”
Behind her, Percy uncoiled to his feet, Annabeth quickly following. “I think we should be going then.”
*~*
Matthew was watching a video on his iPad when Bobby looked out the window and yelped, “They’re snogging!”
Snapping his head up, Matthew scrambled over to his twin’s side, peering out the living room window.
A sleek black car was parked next to the Chases’ old Ford in the driveway. And, sure enough, in front of it, a girl with blonde curls, who Matthew assumed was Annabeth, and a guy with messy black hair were kissing, his arms round her body and her hands twisted in his hair. As the boys watched, both of their faces screwed up as if they smelled something foul, Annabeth pulled away, laughing as the guy followed her face with his. When she pulled away further, Bobby quickly tugged the curtains shut, making sure that nobody could tell they had been peeking.
A minute or so later, the door unlocked, and Matthew could now hear Annabeth giggling, breathless, and saying “Stop! Percy, stop! Please, just stop! Percy!”
Percy?
Annabeth’s giggling trailed off and she appeared in the doorway of the living room just as their dad stood up. “Annabeth, what’s going on? Where were you? And who is that?” he demanded.
“I went to help a friend, who’s now my boyfriend. And he’s back there-” Annabeth was cut off by Bobby bounding over to her.
“Annabeth! Annabeth! Did you see the Grand Prix?! Jackson won! It was so cool! And there was this girl who’s his girlfriend and she kind of looks like you but Daddy said that was completely ridiculous!”
Smiling down at Bobby, Annabeth replied, “I did see the Grand Prix, yes it was really cool. And as for Perseus Jackson’s girlfriend; well, actually…” she trailed off as her boyfriend came up behind her in the doorway, sliding an arm around her waist.
And it was him.
Perseus Jackson.