A Deal with a Player

Chapter 23: The Emergency Room

Annabeth POV

"Annabeth, I saw something today at the party that I found very interesting," Thalia said slyly. She had a smirk on her face as she innocently raised the question. 

"Really, what did you see?" I asked playing dumb. 

We were sitting in the back seat of Jason's car as he drove us to the Grace house. I was sleeping over at Thalia's house tonight. We had just dropped off Piper and Calypso. Everyone was exhausted from the hours spent in the pool. 

It wasn't a surprise that Thalia was bringing this up now. 

I knew that she saw me kiss Percy's cheek, but she wasn't going to talk about it in front of Calypso. That would just be awkward. 

"Annabeth, don't play dumb. I saw you kiss Percy," she said boldly. 

Before I could respond, Jason beat me to it. 

"Woah, Annabeth and Percy kissed," Jason exclaimed excitedly. 

"It was just a kiss on the cheek today." 

"Today? Like, there were other types of kisses on other days. Oh my god, are you and Percy together?" Jason asked. Thalia also looked at me for an answer.

"No, we're not dating. I actually don't know what we're doing, but we're not together," I said firmly. 

"So, you two just share kisses, and that's it?" Jason and Thalia asked simultaneously. 

I didn't even know what to say. I simply shook my head instead of answering. To be honest, that was kind of what we were doing. Percy and I kissed a few times now, and we never talked about what it meant. Something was holding both of us back from earnestly talking to each other.

I actually wasn't sure what my feelings for Percy were. 

I just knew that I liked him a lot and wanted him to be in my life. 

"Okay, wait, so-" 

Jason faltered off by his phone's loud ringer. 

"Oh, look who's calling," Jason said chuckling as he showed us the phone. Percy's handsome face popped up on his screen. I wondered why Percy was calling him now. 

"Hey, bro," Jason said into the phone. 

I watched as Jason's facial expressions changed from humor to concern. Thalia and I looked at each other in confusion before turning back to Jason. 

"Woah, Woah, Percy where are you?" There was a long pause as Percy answered. "Okay, I'm on my way, Percy. Just hang on." 

"Jason, what's wrong?" I asked immediately. I couldn't even think straight at the prospect that something happened to Percy. 

"Thalia or Annabeth, can one of you please call Sally?"

"Yeah, of course," Thalia said as she fumbled with her phone. 

"Jason, what the hell happened?" I asked louder and more seriously. 

"Percy got jumped in his parking garage. He needs help." 

Oh my god. Concern immediately welled in my chest. Percy had to be okay, right? I could barely breathe and sit still in my seat as we drove to Percy's building. Oh god, oh god.

***

The car wasn't even parked when I ran out of the backseat. Percy was sitting back against a stranger's car and clutching his knee. His parents, Sally and Mr. Blofis, were crowded around him.