A/N: Hello there, this is my first AU fic. It's centered around Annabeth (who is very OCC by the way). I apologize for how short most of my chapters will be, I'll update often (if that helps). This is probably going to be one of the longest chapters, I wanted to get the story started. Don't worry, Percabeth will come later on.

I hope you like it, and please review!

I will try to update once a week, but NOTE: I will only update if I get reviews!

Thank you so much for reading!

-Abby

"Get away, Luke!" Seven year-old Annabeth squealed, running away from ten year-old Luke. He had been pulling her hair, and Annabeth didn't like it. She was very protective of her springy blonde ringlets.

"I'm just playing around, Annie. Take a joke," Luke whined back. He gave up chasing Annabeth and sat down on the swing next to Thalia's.

Thalia was also ten, and she was Annabeth and Luke's other best friend. They were all inseparable, like a family. Thalia's freckled cheeks reddened as Luke sat next to her. They were framed by a curtain of long, black hair, that fell in waves to Thalia's shoulders. Luke was tall for his age, and his sandy blonde hair was cut short.

"Well I don't like that joke!" Little Annabeth whined, her gray eyes like a hurricane.

Luke stuck his tongue out at her, and Annabeth pouted. Then she stuck up her chin and crossed her arms and started marching home.

Luke gave an exasperated sigh. Thalia did the same. "She can be such a baby sometimes." Luke complained, his blue eyes twinkling in the light of the setting sun. Thalia just nodded in agreement. She would agree with anything Luke said, actually.

The park was only a few houses down from Annabeth's house, but her stepmother still didn't like the idea of her walking home alone, especially if it was starting to get dark outside.

That's why she was so flustered when Annabeth stormed into the kitchen, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh, Annabeth, sweetie!" She exclaimed, kneeling down to wipe the tears from her stepdaughter's cheeks. "What happened, baby?"

Annabeth sniffled. "It's Luke," She rubbed her eyes and pouted. "He's keeps teasing me and pulling my hair."

She gave her stepdaughter an encouraging smile and ran a hand through Annabeth's golden curls. "You know, Annabeth," she said. "Sometimes, boys can be annoying and they can pull your hair." The seven year-old nodded fiercely in agreement, causing her stepmother to chuckle.

"But a lot of times," she leaned in closer, whispering the last part. "That means they like you."

Annabeth's stormy eyes grew wide and her mouth formed a perfect "O". She asked excitedly, "You really think so?"

Her stepmother nodded, smiling widely. Annabeth jumped in the air, giggling gleefully. She spun around in circles with her hands in the air, laughing.

Annabeth was fifteen now and it was the summer before her sophomore year. She still blushed when Luke smiled at her and her heart still did a funny little jump every time they touched. After eight years, Annabeth hadn't changed one bit.

But everything else had changed.

Thalia had moved away when Annabeth was nine, and Luke had been extremely distraught. Then the very next month, Luke's mom got remarried, and he was never the same. He was only twelve, and yet he was angry and aggressive; but Annabeth didn't give up on him. She would never give up on him. She spent the next three years growing apart from Luke, desperately trying to get him back to his old self.

Then, when she was twelve, Percy had come. He was her age, so she had met him at school. He had guessed her crush on Luke the first time he saw them together; Percy was stupid and his head was full of kelp, but his eyes were as green as the sea. He was completely oblivious and incredibly optimistic, and he was always there for her. He was Annabeth's best friend.

Now she was laying down on her couch in her living room, Luke was sitting by her feet and Percy was lounging on the fluffy chair next to them, his messy black hair almost long enough to cover his eyes. They were watching TV, but she was hardly paying attention.

"I'm bored," Percy groaned, throwing his head back.

Annabeth was slightly embarrassed. It was the first time she'd gotten Luke to hang out with her and Percy in almost three months, and here they were, doing absolutely nothing.

She glanced over at Luke. He sighed tiredly, his pale blue eyes unwavering from the TV.

Annabeth looked over at Percy in desperation. "Help me," She mouthed silently. He just shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands up. Annabeth threw her head back and resisted the urge to groan loudly.

Percy had told her on several occasions that he didn't understand Annabeth's crush, Luke had always seemed like a typical asshole to him, plus the fact that he was three years older. At that point Annabeth would blush furiously and defend Luke relentlessly. She'd explain to him that he didn't know Luke before, and that Percy was just confused because his brain was made of seaweed.

Suddenly Luke stood up and faced Annabeth. There was a look in his eyes that she didn't recognize. "Sorry guys, I'm gonna have to split."

Annabeth's stomach dropped. She opened her mouth to ask him why when he interrupted her. "I've got work in twenty minutes, sorry." He ruffled Annabeth's hair, causing her to grimace, and walked out the door.

She just sat there, her cheeks burning, feeling humiliated. Suddenly Percy spoke up.

"He hasn't left yet, just go talk to him." He suggested. She looked over at Percy, his expression was encouraging, but it seemed pained somehow. Annabeth put that last thought aside as she got up from the couch.

Luke was lingering in his car, messing with the radio. Annabeth walked up to the rolled-down window. "Luke.." She started.

"I know, I know." He interrupted. His voice was gravelly. "We haven't seen much of each other lately and I'm sorry about that." He looked down. "I guess I've been avoiding it a little bit, though."

She furrowed her eyebrows, "Why would you be avoiding - "

"I'm eighteen now, Annabeth." He interrupted again.

"Luke, what does that have to do with anything?" She found herself blushing.

Luke thought for a minute, messing with his hair. "it's just hard for me to... you know..." He trailed off, Annabeth stared at her shoes, her face burning.

But Luke was looking straight ahead, his blue eyes unwavering once again. He looked intimidating, and different from the easygoing kid Annabeth had fallen in love with. "Sit with me, Annabeth." He said, gesturing to the passenger seat.

Her entire body was probably shaking as she walked to the passenger side of his car and slid into the seat. Then she looked back at him, his eyes still glued to the dashboard. "Luke, what are you trying to say?"

"I like you, Annabeth." He looked up into Annabeth's stormy eyes. Her heart was doing cartwheels as the blood rushed to her face. Luke grabbed her hand, it was big and awkward and cold holding hers, but she couldn't bother to think about that.

"Luke, I - " But she was interrupted once again when he smashed his lips against hers. Her body responded in surprise and she jerked backward slightly, but he kept his mouth tight against hers, holding her head by the back of her neck. Annabeth could hardly breathe. His lips were strange and hot, and it was difficult for her to get comfortable. It wasn't what she wanted her first kiss to feel like.

But it's Luke! Annabeth thought to herself. You've been dreaming about this since you were seven!

She gasped for breath as his hands started to roam the young girl's body. She didn't like it. She had to remind herself that it was Luke. He was doing this because he liked her. He really liked her!

His tongue wrestled with hers uneasily, but he persisted. After several minutes of this, he started to mess with the clasps of her bra, and she finally had the nerve to pull away. "Luke.." She pushed away with her hands on his shoulders.

Annabeth's face paled as she saw the lust in his eyes. No, that wasn't lust. It was love, right?

Right?

A/N: Since this is the first chapter, I'll update in a couple of days if I get some reviews, after that I will update weekly.

Thanks again for reading!

-Abby