ANNABETH POV
He's done it again.
She slams the front door shut and makes her way up the stairs.
"How was your day, dear?" Annabeth hears her step-mother murmur. Terrible. Horrifying. Upsetting. Hurtful. "Fine." She says quietly, before entering her room and shutting the door.
She places her bag onto the floor and promptly throws herself onto her bed. She buries her face into her pillow and starts to cry.
Why has she ever given him a second chance? Or a third chance? She whacks the side of her head and curses. She is stupid, naive and not as wise as she is supposed to be. At this point, Annabeth can't understand why she has forgiven him so many times.
She recalls the first time she and Percy met, at Camp Half- Blood. She had nursed him back to health after his attack at the minotaur. Although Annabeth has never said it, but she did think that his attack was pretty brave. She recalls the first time she called him a seaweed brain.
Then suddenly she finds herself thinking back on all the things they went through, up till the point where they first start dating.
Things got much complicated after that.
Arguments. Fights. Jealousy.
She shakes her head. When has their relationship become so messed up?
1.
For a period of time, after they got together, they couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other. Where ever they were, they went from holding hands, to very public kisses.
Once, Percy had gone to her house for a study date, but the two of them ended up locking the door shut and the both of them on her bed.
He pinned her by the wrists on the bed and brushed his lips onto her neck. He kissed her shoulders, jaw, and finally her lips. It was a slow, passionate kiss, but turned into a fierce, desire- filled one.
Soon enough they got partially undressed, until Percy recieved a text from his mom saying that he had to be home soon.
He sighed, as he got changed and tidied up his shirt. He grabbed his cellphone and winked at her. "Another day."
Only he hadn't known there probably wouldn't be Another day.
One day, Annabeth had seen him talking to super hot cheerleader, Stephanie, at class. She did find something suspicious, but she obviously didn't want to accuse and lash out at Percy for no reason. That was until Rachel had told her that she heard him flirting with her.
"I hate you!" Annabeth shouted at Percy when she found him at her doorstep. He winced. After a conversation, she did forgive him and gave him another chance.
2.
The next few months passed. More and more arguments occured. Sometimes they got so mad that they skirted and avoided each other. They had their bad times and good times, but those months felt more like "bad" than "good" in general.
There was one argument that was especially heated.
"Here's an idea," Annabeth scowled. "Next time I get into a fight with an ego-istic bitch, you back me up!"
That was what boyfriends were for, weren't they?
"What was I supposed to say?" He demanded.
"Oh, I don't know. How about, 'Leave my girlfriend alone, or I'll beat the living crap out of you.'" She said sarcastically. "Instead, you just sat at your desk pretending to be very flipping through your textbook, which we all know was an obvious lie, considering the fact that your grades are just so amazing." On the outside, she rolled her eyes, but the minute she said it she felt somewhat horrible.
They were quiet for a while.
"Sometimes..." Percy said. "Sometimes it's difficult to be with you, Annabeth." He stared at the table next to him. "We should take a break."
Emotions filled inside her. Most of it disbelief.
Annabeth looked away. "Okay." She swallowed.
The same thing happened that night. He was at her door, wanting to fix the relationship they had broken.
Third chance.
She had given him a third chance.
PERCY POV
Percy finds himself down the familiar road and pulls over outside Annabeth's house.
It is night time. He can hear the crickets in the quiet and deserted road.
He rests his left arm on the side of the car and groans. He is stupid. He is stupid for making so many mistakes, he is stupid for not understanding.
He is stupid for letting Annabeth go so easily.
She is heartbroken; he knows it. She has seen him and Stephanie kissing, when the truth is, that she kissed him. Just because she kissed him doesn't mean that he kissed her.
Percy isn't quite sure if she can understand.
Things were much simpler when they were just friends. But he knows that things can't go back to the way it used to be anymore, because he is madly in love with Annabeth Chase.
Many times he feels he is tired of making her unhappy. He doesn't want to argue with her anymore. Yet he does.
He gets out of his car and ring's the doorbell.
The last time, he thinks. This will be the last time he hurts her again.
ANNABETH POV
She hears the doorbell.
Fear roots her to the ground. Her eyes widen, and she knows who is at the door. She knows what is going to happen next.
In spite of her emotions, she walks down quietly. Annabeth walks towards the door and hesitates. She peeks through the peeping hole.
Percy stands there. Black hair, green eyes, he is gorgeous. And it makes her want him back even more.
But she is afraid of getting hurt again.
This is the third time he is at her doorstep. He wants a fourth chance.
Can she give him that?
She slides down the wall and hugs her knees.
Camp half- blood. The war. Kronos. Him turning down immortality for her.
She can't give up on this relationship now. It is too soon.
"Annabeth? I know you're there. Could I come in?" He says, on the other side of the door.
And then she knew. She knew that this would be the last time she opens the door for him again. The last time she'd forgive her stupid seaweed brain for hurting her this way. She would've had enough.
She opens the door halfway and looks at him. She can see it in his eyes that he is sincere in coming.
"Come on in."