Endless » jiper

Thirteen // Piper

"Oh my, Gods!"

Piper and Annabeth have embraced each other with so much excitement. You would think they haven't seen each other for years when it only has been months.

"You look so different!" Annabeth pointed out after she broke away from the hug.

Piper was kind of surprised that Annabeth noticed it way better than Jason. She had cropped her hair shorter and dyed it a little lighter -- not exactly a new look, more like just enhancing it and she really liked it. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Positive, as always," grinned Annabeth. "I missed you so much. We all have!"

Piper peeked behind her and there was Leo, looking the same as the last time she saw him. His hair was ruffled, he had a little stubble growing on his chin, but he still had the same charisma.

"Beauty queen!" Leo hugged her tightly and played with her hair.

Seeing them felt very nostalgic, because Piper reminded them of home. Of Camp Half blood. And she was grateful to finally see them.

"Thank you for letting us stay," Annabeth told her with gratitude.

Piper just shrugged it off. "Don't even worry about it! I'm glad to have you guys here!"

She ushered them to the guest room but it only had one queen sized bed, which means both Leo and Jason would have to sleep on the sofa bed on the living room.

"I'm really sorry about the inconvenience," Piper apologized.

"It's all good, Pipes," Jason reassured. His tone sounded so casual that Piper almost forgot that they weren't dating anymore.

She locked eyes with him and she knew that they're thinking the same thing. Somehow, it felt like they were back in the school bus again -- back when Jason claimed he didn't remember anything, not even her relationship with Piper. And there was like a thick wall separating them, because she was devastated that all along, he was never hers.

"Anyway," she cleared her throat, turning to Annabeth. "Where's Percy?"

She returned a hesitant smile. "Yeah, about that...he had to go to Sally to visit since we're already in Manhattan. He will be back, though."

Piper nodded, although there was something weird at how Leo and Jason uneasily glanced at each other.

And then the images of Percy dancing with her, whispering in her ear, holding her in his arms, it all flashed back on her mind that her cheeks went red.

It was all an act, that's for sure. But she wondered what happened after she stormed off. Did Jason fight him? Did Annabeth get jealous? By the friendliness Annabeth was showing, it appealed to Piper that there was no trace of jealousy. Although the former would have to be unanswerable.

Still, she hadn't seen or talked to Percy properly after that night and she told herself that she has some real apology to say for putting Percy in such position.

They all moved at the living room to catch up with the events in Camp Half blood just when Leo started telling tales of this 'badass match' at the outdoor ring, one of which Piper could not understand.

"What do you mean?" Piper asked in confusion. "Who fought?"

Leo grinned happily, extending his feet over the coffee table. "Ja--"

"It was no one," Jason cut off with a swift nudge on Leo's ribs. "Just a friendly fight, you know."

Piper tilted her head, unable to grasp what they were talking about.