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I 013. I
𝑮𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒓𝒆
❝ danced ❞
ARIADNE TRIED TO FIGHT HER SMILE. Percy and her were relaxing on the Great Lawn in Central Park when she ambushed him with a question.
"You forgot, didn't you?"
Percy went into red alert mode. It was easy to panic when you're a new boyfriend. Sure, he'd fought monsters with Ariadne for years. Together they'd faced the wrath of the gods. They'd battled Titans and calmly faced death a dozen times. But now that they were dating, one frown from her and he freaked. Well, more than he had done before, that is. What had he done wrong?
He mentally reviewed the picnic list: Comfy blanket? Check. Ariadne's favorite pizza with extra sausage? Check. Chocolate chip cookies from his mom? Check. Coca-Cola? Check. Weapons in case of sudden Greek mythological apocalypse? Check.
So what had he forgotten?
He did what he did best. He stared at her blankly and acted dumb.
Ariadne rolled her eyes, Perc, today is September eighteenth. What happened exactly one month ago?"
"It was my birthday," Percy said.
Judging from Ariadne's expression, that wasn't the answer she's been hoping for.
It didn't help his concentration that Ariadne looked so good that day. Of course, she looked great every day, but there was something about that moment. She was wearing an old AC/DC t-shirt that she had found at the store and shorts, but her tan arms and legs seemed to glow in the sunlight. Her brunette curls swept over her shoulders. Around her neck hung a leather cord with colorful beads from their demigod training camp—Camp Half-Blood. Her amethyst eyes were as dazzling as ever. He just wished that her hard look wasn't directed at him.
"Our first kiss, Kelp Head," she said. "It's our one-month anniversary."
"Well...yeah!"
Percy tried for a smile. "That's what we're having this great picnic, right?"
Ariadne tucked her legs underneath her. "Percy...I love the picnic. Really. But you promised to take me out for a special dinner tonight. Remember? It's not that I expect it, but you said you had something planned. So..."
He could hear the hopefulness in her voice, but also doubt. He was definitely screwed.
Time to fess up. He cleared his throat. "Well—"
A sudden streak of light made them blink, as if someone had flashed a mirror in their faces. Ariadne looked around and saw brown delivery truck parked in the middle of the Great Lawn where no cars were allowed. Lettered on the side were the words:
