Beyond All Expectation (Percabeth)

Chapter 4: Thalia and Luke

Annabeth POV:

I had expected his apartment to be big, but Jason's place was a whole new level of grand; astonishing me not only from its size but also its beautiful architecture. The lobby of the complex was bigger than my apartment, the elevator up to the top floor was fancy enough to send me up to heaven and the apartment itself – not two, but THREE whole floors – could have been fit enough for at least 300 A-list celebrities. Instead it held 200 Goode teens, throwing up and making a fool of themselves. The marble island in the centre of the kitchen was littered with cans and bottles, the polished stone floors were sticky with alcohol spillages and the queue to all four bathrooms exceeded at least ten people each. I could hear people throwing up inside of them already. It was only ten o'clock.

Music blasted from an elaborate display of speakers in the living room. I could see people chatting out on the balcony which overlooked central park. There were kids dancing in the living rooms, chatting in the kitchen, making out in the hallways and playing spin the bottle in the dining area. I already felt so uncomfortable, if only because Nico had left me as soon as we walked out of the elevator, and I now stood alone looking like a loner. Correction: I didn't just look like a loner... I was one.

I decided that my only chance of surviving the night was drinking. I needed alcohol, and a lot of it. Making my way down the corridor I passed, or bumped in to, a bunch of people that didn't even give me a second glance. I squeezed passed Reyna and Frank in a full-fledged argument, both arrogantly unaware of everyone around them, and later shuffled passed Calypso, with her arm around a very drunk, very upset looking, Hazel Levesque.

Next, I made my way through the living room, where the Stoll twins and Leo Valdez were dancing among a group of girls without a care in the world. Behind the crowd I spied popular boy Percy Jackson making out with his girlfriend, Piper McLean, as Katie Gardner, Will Solace and Jason Grace egged them on. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the sorry scene.

When I entered the kitchen, cracked open the first can of beer I could find and virtually downed the whole thing in one, I almost missed seeing her. But there she was – usual attire of black leather jacket, ripped jeans, silver jewellery coating her fingers, wrists, ears and neck, choppy black and blue hair and piercingly blue eyes. Thalia Hunter. Pretty much my only true friend in this world.

"Thalia?" I called out over the music. I couldn't tell what I was most surprised about; that she was here, at this party, or that she was currently socialising with two sophomores. Thalia hated people and small talk... this was certainly not her scene. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes widened when she saw me. She quickly muttered something to the two girls she was with and left them to walk over to me.

"If it isn't little Miss Chase?" She grinned, pulling me in to a hug. I frowned. She must be drunk.

"Thalia, what on Earth are you doing at a college party?" I questioned, giggling slightly.

"I could ask you the same thing!" She exclaimed. I noticed that she had avoided my question but chose to let it slide. "Didn't think that this would be your sort of place, Annie... and what are you wearing?"

I scowled at her. Instinctively, I crossed my arms to cover up my body.

"I didn't want to come here, but this boy I know asked me to," I defended. "And what's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"We're at a party and you're dressed like you've just spent the day with your grandma!" She teased. "Here, let me help."

Before I could even object she had brought out a pen-knife from her jacket pocket (no surprise there; Thalia had a thing for knives) and started to attack my outfit; she slit my jeans to make them look ripped and cut away at the fabric near my neckline so that my top was now a very low-cut V-neck. I was not impressed.