PERCY - He's the new guy, a bit of a trouble maker, and all the ladies love him. He plays football so he can be friends with the jocks, but actually likes to swim. He can have his choice of the girls, but a certain blonde in his friend group catches...
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"What the f-"
"Dude, don't. She didn't do anything wrong."
I think Percy and Luke are arguing, but I'm not sure. My mind is swirling around and around; some of my pieces are coming together, but others are falling apart.
I can't believe I hugged Percy. I mean, I've hugged Percy before, but that was different. That was me choosing to hug him instead of Luke. Choosing to congratulate him instead of Luke.
At the moment, it felt good. Incredibly right. But now I'm wondering what I got myself into.
Luke looks ready to throw a punch, so I step in front of Percy.
"Why are you protecting him, Annabeth? If anything, you should be standing in front of me!" I want to point out that I am standing in front of him; that I've stood in front of him thousands of times. But the only one I was protecting was myself.
Now, I have more at stake. Percy doesn't deserve to be dragged into my mess. I won't let Luke hurt him.
"Luke, stop. There's no reason to be mad. I was just congratulating him on the win." Even as I say it, I know it's a lie. Luke is going to be mad at me. He has a reason. I can't deny that.
"Are you cheating on me?" His tone is harsh, but not more than his eyes, which look like they could cut through stone.
"What?" Although we haven't always had the best relationship, I could never see myself cheating on him. I'm not that type of person.
"Chill. Annabeth and I aren't anything besides friends." Percy's tone is bitter, but his voice still makes butterflies swoop in my stomach. I don't think I'm that type of person.
"Yeah, okay." Luke's tone is sarcastic and mean. It sends shivers down my spine, and not the good type.
He storms off before I can say anything, and I feel tears swell in my eyes.
The other football players send me sympathetic looks, like I'm being abused.
"Annabeth?" Percy asks tentatively, his voice small.
I look away before he can see my tears and run towards my car.
I'm a loser for running away. I'm an idiot for staying with Luke this long. I'm stupid for caring what Percy thinks.
But most of all, I'm just a broken little girl who wants someone to love her.
•••
The two of us pull up in front of Piper's house, grab our bags, and walk to the door.
Earlier today, we had decided that the group needed an emergency hangout. We had all been crazy busy for the last week, and didn't get to spend a lot of time together. We had pizza, of course, but it was less like dinner and more like a revolving circle of musical chairs as people came and left.
