Her Cowboy

Chapter 20

"Stay safe, Annabeth," Piper told me as she hugged me tightly. "Don't let this all get to you—we'll figure something out, don't worry."

I squeezed her back. "Okay. I wish you could've stayed longer."

She sighed, leaning back. "Yeah, me too. But it's up to your mom, and after what happened yesterday..."

Piper's sentence faded, but I got her meaning. Nothing, thankfully, had shown up in any magazines yet, and I knew it was taking all of my mother's power and Malcolm's and quite a few more other people who were helpful to keep it all at bay.

But my mother had given me a phone call last night. I had sat there in misery as she yelled at me, telling me I was reckless and that I'd probably just ended my stay here in Colorado.

That was what hurt the most.

"Send me news about what's going on as soon as possible," I told my best friend, managing a smile.

She smiled as well. "I will. Don't get too bored here without me!" she added jokingly, backing up to Poseidon's truck. He was waiting patiently inside, ready to take her to the airport. Jason was in the backseat. His excuse to go was that he "wanted to keep Mr. Jackson company."

Bogus.

But it still made me smile genuinely. Jason and Piper had hit off extraordinarily well, and I was happy for her. Hopefully they'd be able to keep it up.

I waved one last time to the trio before Poseidon sped out of the driveway, disappearing into the trees. A sigh escaped my lips. I already felt rather lonely with her gone.

But it wasn't going to be as bad here. I had Hazel now, and maybe even Rachel. However, the latter probably wouldn't work. I doubt she'd feel comfortable at the ranch right now, and I don't think Percy would appreciate it either.

Speaking of Percy...

My eyes flew to the stable where said person was currently residing. I'd barely seen him for the past day.

He'd gone to his room last night like he told us, but I didn't think he went to bed then.

Everybody else had left almost right away. It had been a taxing day, and most of us just wanted to relax. However, relaxation wouldn't come to me. Not after what had just happened. So I ended up tossing and turning in my bed for at least four hours, finally falling asleep around two in the morning. It didn't help that I could hear Percy moving around in the other room as well. He was pacing back and forth.

This morning, he had gone out to supposedly start on some chores before I even woke up. Though when I looked around for him, I couldn't find him anywhere.

He had shown up at lunch to say goodbye to Piper, then disappeared, this time saying he was going to the stables.

I wanted to go to him, see if he was okay—if he needed anything. I wanted to comfort him like he comforted me that one time I desperately needed a shoulder to cry on.

But I was the reason he was feeling all this anyways. I doubt he'd want to see me.

Just another thing that was hurting me at the moment.

So I decided to go back into the kitchen.

Apparently, my feet thought otherwise, because I ended up going to the stables.

"Stupid," I muttered to myself as I walked. "He doesn't want to see me."

But I still kept walking. I guess I was more determined and brave than I first believed so, for I carried myself into the stables and looked around for that black-haired boy who was making my feelings go crazy.