Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson. All rights to Rick.

"Maybe 'okay' will be our 'always'"

-John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

Somewhere Only We Know

Part I: The Rings

She didn't understand.

Sure, the system had been established way before she was born, but she still didn't see the point in it. The whole finding your 'perfect match' idea by using these scientific created rings was just completely mind boggling if you asked her. Every citizen is given a ring at the age of eighteen, once graduated from high school. The ring takes into consideration your personality, likes, dislikes, and the way you are as a person. Once it is close in proximity to its matching pair, the ring glows brightly, alerting its owner of their so called soulmate.

She thought it was ridiculous.

Why couldn't she choose who to be with instead of having to be waiting around for this guy to show up? She would much rather learn about a person on her own and decide for herself if she likes them or not than basically being forced into a relationship with someone because they're compatible.

She wasn't the only one who thought this way either. But finding people who actually thought the system was wrong was like looking for a needle in a haystack. A lot of people preferred to have their future love life laid out for them since it was convenient and easy. She didn't care if it was convenient or easy.

She just wanted a choice.

So when she received her shiny silver band on her graduation day, it took everything in her not to throw it in the trash and light it on fire. It's against the law to not wear your ring, let alone set it ablaze. So she wore the stupid thing, but not on her hand. She decided to wear it as a necklace, hidden from everyone's view underneath her shirt.

Her parents always scolded her for not wearing it traditionally, but she just argued back that it's her life and she will do what she pleases. Plus, this way if she does find her future partner, she won't know it and she can continue living her life without the pressure of searching for that special person.

She decided that if she couldn't choose who to be with, then she wouldn't be with anyone at all.

So now two years have passed and she is still very much alone. She likes it that way, but she gets annoyed when the people in her life give her pitying looks. All of her friends have already found their matches and are happily arranging their future lives together. There's so much giggling, hugging, and kissing going around that every time she steps out of her apartment she feels like she's going to throw up.

It's sickening really.

The world is basically drowning in this lovey dovey state and it's driving her mad. Can't they see that love is not based on scientific compatibility? Love is supposed to be about what you feel. But that's what no one understands. Love does not come from facts, it comes from emotions.

She sighed as she continued to read her current book du jour, while the silence in her apartment blared inside her ears. She didn't care if she found her Match. She was perfectly fine the way she was.

She was alone. Always alone. And would forever be alone.

And she liked it.

... Sometimes.

~oOo~

"I just don't get it."

She was currently sitting with her friend Piper who was, yet again, lecturing her about the great invention that are the rings.

"Why do you hide your ring from everyone? How will you know when you find your Match?"

She hasn't told anyone her reasoning for wearing her ring the way she does. Although she feels strongly about her opinions, she also values her freedom. She's not sure if the way she's thinking is against the law, so she'd rather not take the risk of having someone tell the authorities and sending her butt in jail.

She shrugged. "I just don't like wearing stuff on my hands. I feel like I'd lose it."

Lie.

"And I'll find him when the time is right."

Lie again.

Piper frowned. "Almost everyone has already found their Match Anna, aren't you the least bit worried?"

She scowled. She hated her nicknames. No one ever called her by her birth name anymore. No matter how many times she reminded them, people still continued to shorten her name.

"I'm not worried Piper. I'll be fine."

"I just want you to be happy Anna," Piper said sadly. "Like Jason and I are."

She rolled her eyes. There were few times where she considered the rings really did find people's Match. Piper and Jason, for example, were perfect for each other. She has never seen two people who fit together so perfectly. They were both equally compatible and loved each other to the core.

Then there were people like her parents who were perfect for each other on paper, but not in soul. She mentally cringed at the way they interact with each other now compared to when she was a child.

"That's nice of you Piper," she said, "but you don't need to worry about me."

"Okay," Piper responded warily. "If you say so."

She nodded and continued looking through her large textbook for information on her research paper. The library wasn't overly packed today, which was nice since she liked silence. She was just about to call it a day when the library doors burst open with a loud thud.

Piper and her jumped in their seats and turned in time to see a boy stroll into the room on his skateboard.

Well, he wasn't much of a boy. He was tall, around six foot, with shaggy black hair that made him look like he just rolled out of bed. He wore baggy jeans that hung low on his hips, and a black t-shirt that had the sleeves ripped off and a band logo she didn't know of on the front.

He stopped at an area three tables down from hers and kicked his skateboard up. She took in his arms and his build and Good Lord, those definitely did not belong to a boy. He wasn't overly muscular, but he looked strong and had a nice lean body. To basically sum it up, he was the most attractive guy she had ever seen.

"Who is that?" she asked to no one in particular.

"That's Percy Jackson," Piper answered. "People call him Riptide."

"Why do they call him that?"

"Because he rips his oponents to shreds," Piper explained. "And he apparently has a fascination with the ocean."

She raised her eyebrows. "Wait, what do you mean he rips his opponents to shreds?"

"Oh, he's a martial arts fighter."

Well... You don't hear that every day.

She looked over Piper's shoulder to get another glance at Riptide, or Percy, or whatever the hell he called himself. He was slightly bobbing his head to the music in his headphones while drumming his pen on his textbook. She felt like a complete creep just blatantly staring at him, but she couldn't help it. She had never seen a guy like him before.

Suddenly, his posture stiffened and he looked up. His eyes locked with hers.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Green eyes.

The most beautiful pair of eyes that held a shade that can only be described as sea green. They were gorgeous. Beautiful. Entrancing.

And cold.

They were so cold that a shiver literally went through her body just looking at them. The colours in his iris' swirled and the expression on his face clearly said that he was annoyed. He raised an eyebrow at her in question and that's when she noticed the piercing.

Dear God, he had a piercing on his eyebrow. The metal stud just added to his attractiveness by one thousand percent.

He was so sinfully gorgeous it hurt to breathe.

God, get a freaking hold of yourself!

She acted unfazed as she raised an eyebrow back.

Clearly miffed by her response, he narrowed his eyes.

She narrowed hers back.

Amusement filled his God worthy eyes as he smirked at her. He closed his textbook and got up from his table, sending her a wink before getting on his skateboard and riding out of the room.

"What. The hell. Was that?"

She flushed as Piper stared at her in utter disbelief. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Piper scoffed. "Yeah right Anna. You guys were totally checking each other out."

"I was not checking him out!" she protested. Even though she totally was.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You should introduce yourself next time. You never know if he's your Match."

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. Percy Jackson was most certainly not her Match.

Even though something deep inside her (way, way deep) really wished he was.

~oOo~

She didn't know how she got convinced to go to this stupid thing.

Well, it may have been Thalia threatening to burn all her books if she didn't get out of her room and stop living like a hermit, but who's to say really?

She surveyed the room and sighed at the people mingling around, desperately looking for possible Match candidates. She was just so bored. She could be doing something productive right now, like doing that essay for Mr. Williams that's due in two weeks. Or catch up on the last episodes of Modern Family. She could definitely use a laugh right about now.

She watched as a couple in the dark corner of the room started mauling each other like animals. She cringed at the sight.

"Disgusting isn't it?"

She jumped at the deep voice speaking so close to her ear.

Turning around, she came face to face with the one and only Percy Jackson. She thought she wouldn't see him again after that day at the library two weeks ago, but obviously she guessed wrong.

He wore yet another unknown band shirt with the sleeves ripped off. His jeans were dark and slightly baggy and his ever-present skateboard was hanging loosely on his right hand. He leaned against the counter she was sitting beside with a slight smirk on his face and his otherworldly eyes boring into hers.

She had to remind herself to breathe.

"What?" she asked breathlessly.

He quirked his head to the couple. "The little show over there. If you ask me, they should just get a room and fuck already. They're half way there anyways."

God, he's crude... Yet his voice is so deep and sexy it almost makes up for it.

Almost.

"So Library Girl," he said, taking a seat next to her, "what brings you to this hellhole on a fine night like tonight?"

"Forced by friends," she replied casually. "You?"

He grinned, and damn it if it wasn't a marvelous sight. "Same. They've been bugging me about finding my Match for a year now."

The statement triggered something in her. Hope? She really didn't know. "You don't have a Match?" It was a stupid thing to ask since he basically just said that he didn't.

Way to make yourself look like a tool.

"Nope," he said, running his hands through his hair. "And even if I did find her tonight, she wouldn't know anyways."

"And why's that?"

He leaned in close, his breath hot on her cheek as he whispered in her ear, "I don't wear my ring."

She turned to him, bumping noses in the process. Her cheeks burned as he smirked at her. She noticed he wasn't going to move back so she got up from the chair and took a step away from him. "But that's against the law."

He took a step closer. "I know."

"Won't you get in trouble?" she asked, taking another step away.

He just retaliated by recuperating the step, backing her up against the corner of a wall. "Haven't been caught yet."

"Then why did you tell me?" She is truly curious about that. Jesus, she doesn't even know the guy and he's telling her his criminal offences. Albeit, not wearing your ring isn't murder, but it's still the law.

"Because you're different," he stated simply. Like that explained everything.

"Different how?"

He laughed, the sound was rich and earthy and God, she wanted to hear it again. "You sure do ask a lot of questions Library Girl."

"Annabeth."

He raised his eyebrow in question. The silver stud gleaming in the low light.

"My name's Annabeth. Not Anna, or Annie, or Beth, like everyone else calls me. Just, Annabeth."

"Annabeth." He said it slowly, as if deciding how to say it. "It fits you." Just then, his phone rang and he frowned at the message. He smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I gotta go. But..." He took a pen out of his pocket. Who the heck carried pens in their pockets? He grabbed her arm, his calloused hands wrapping around her wrist, and wrote a series of numbers down.

"Just in case you want to call me sometime." He said it so cockily, she just had to roll her eyes.

"I don't even know your name."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure you already do." He then winked at her, put down his skateboard, and rolled out of sight.

She waited five days before she called him.

~oOo~

She swore that if he poked her one more time with that stupid pen of his, she was going to lose it.

Poke.

"That's it!" She grabbed her pillow and smacked him off the bed.

"Hey!" Percy wailed while getting up from the floor. "That hurt!"

"Good."

He pouted and despite her best effort, she couldn't help but laugh at his depressed face.

"Come on Annabeth," he complained while crushing her papers that were spread across her bed. "I'm bored. Can't we do something fun?"

Ever since the night at the single Matchless party, Percy made it his personal mission to be ingrained into Annabeth's life. Although he was annoying, arrogant, and acts like a child most of the time, she still loved having him around.

And she may have a slight (if not huge), crush on him.

"Fine," she sighed. "We can watch a movie or something."

"Yes!" he exclaimed. He quickly put in Indiana Jones. He always loved watching adventure films.

After five minutes of adjusting himself against the headrest of the bed, Percy sighed and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her down against his chest. Her heart nearly exploded at the action. She had never been so close to him before.

"Can I ask you something?"

She looked up at him. He had his intense expression on. The one that made people steer clear from him, but she knew better. Behind that face, he was really just a softy. Though he'd never admit it.

"It's about your ring."

"What about it?" she asked, trying to get some distance from him. His arm wrapped around her tightened. She then felt his hand against the skin at the small of her back. His thumb moved in slow circles which she took as him trying to calm her down, but the action really just sent electric sparks through her body.

"Why do you hide it?"

"Why do you hide yours?"

He smirked. "I asked you first."

"Well, I asked you second," she argued.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll tell you my reasoning if you tell me yours."

"Fine," she sighed. She took a minute to collect her thoughts and finally answered, "I want to make my own choice."

"On what?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"On who I love. I don't want an inanimate object to tell me who I'm supposed to be with for the rest of my life. I want to make that decision on my own. I want freedom of choice and the ring takes that away from me. So I'd rather hide the stupid thing and live without love, than have it make a life changing decision for me."

He grinned widely and gave her this look that she could only identify as complete awe. "That's exactly how I feel."

Her eyes met his and despite everything she just said, she wondered. She wondered if he would be willing to get his ring, put it beside hers, and see of they would glow. She wouldn't mind if Percy were her soulmate. God, even if he wasn't she would still care for him the way she does.

She doesn't love him. Not yet anyways. But she's pretty sure she's getting there.

The months they've spent together have been the best she's ever experienced. Sure, he has his flaws, but so does she. He's become her best friend and she just wishes that maybe, just maybe, he could feel the same way she does.

"Could I see your ring?" She didn't mean to blurt it out like that, but... Well, now it's too late.

His eyes darkened. "No."

She pulled back from his embrace, surprised by his reaction. He doesn't stop her this time. "Why not?"

"Because." He then gave her a look that clearly stated the conversation was over.

So she turned towards the television and they watched the movie in tense silence.

It was half way through the film when she felt something warm wrapped around her hand. She looked down to find his hand tightly holding hers. He rubbed her knuckles with his thumb, and she knew it was his way of apologizing, so she squeezed his hand back in response.

When she looked at him, he smiled. The dimple on his right cheek making an appearance.

Good Lord, he was going to be the death of her.

~oOo~

It was two months after she asked Percy about his ring when it happened.

She was waiting for Percy at their favourite coffee shop. He had a tournament that she couldn't go to because of her projects, but the text message she got from him that read: WOOOOOO!, with a bunch of smiling emojis made her conclude that he had won. Like always.

"Hey Annie."

She turned to find Luke Castellan, smiling brightly at her with a cup in his hand.

She hasn't seen Luke since high school and even then their interactions were brief. He was always a nice guy with many girls dreaming to be his Match. She had to admit that he was good looking with his sandy blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Not to mention he was clearly athletic and it showed with his muscular arms.

"Hi Luke. Long time no see."

"Yeah, it's been a while. What have you been up to lately?"

The sat down at a small table by the window, as she described to him how much she's enjoying university and her architecture classes. They catch up with what has happened to each of them over the years and she's glad that Luke is easy to talk to.

"So is this Percy guy your Match? You seem to talk about him a lot."

She blushed and was about to correct him when Percy himself takes the seat next to her.

"Hey Annabeth," he said, completely ignoring Luke's presence. "Sorry I'm so late, traffic was hell." He then wrapped an arm around her shoulder and tucked her in close to his body. He glanced at Luke with clear distaste. "Who's this?"

Luke smiled, oblivious to Percy's disinterest in him, and holds out his hand for him to shake. "Luke Castellan."

And that's when she saw it.

Luke's ring.

Glowing.

Oh God.

Her hands trembled as she touched her necklace, pulled it out of her shirt, and sure enough, her ring glowed a brilliant silver. Luke looked at her. His eyes widening in shock and happiness. But all she could see was Percy.

His arm tensed as he unwrapped it from her shoulders. He looked at her with a mixture of sadness, anger, and... Longing? She couldn't tell. She just wanted to be away from this. Away from the coffee shop. Away from Luke. Away from the rings that taunted her with the fact that she would never be with the man she loved.

She would never be with Percy because she had found her Match.

And once you found your Match, you had to be with them.

Forever.

"Percy, I-" He stood up from the table before she could finish her sentence. He looked at her one last time, sighed, shook his head, and left the coffee shop without a word.

I love you.

The words were trapped on the tip of her tongue. She didn't say them. She couldn't say them. She was Luke's Match now. And God, did it hurt to realize she could never be with him. Not the way she wanted to be.

And the worst part of it all, was that he would never know the truth.

Author's Note:

Hey guys, long time no see. So if you're one of my followers I want you to remind you that I have not abandoned my other stories. I actually have written some things for them as well as started some new oneshots. I have not released them yet because well, they aren't finished and I want them to be good. Not half-assed.

So as for this story, Part II will be released when I have the chance to write it. I can make no promises on when it will be released.

Thank you for all of your support and reviews are appreciated.

Until next time!