"TURN TURN TURN TURN!"
Annabeth swiveled the steering wheel around and made the turn at the last minute, narrowly missing a truck. "Sorry!"
"RED LIGHT RED LIGHT RED LIGHT!"
Annabeth slammed her foot on the brakes, making both her and Percy back in their seats. The guy in the car beside them rolled his window down and shouted, "Dude! Can't you teach your girlfriend how to drive properly?!"
"Sorry, man!" Percy replied sheepishly as the driver shook his head and rolled his window back up. He turned to Annabeth. "Annabeth," he said as gently as he could. "Maybe I should take over."
"I know I suck, Percy, but my test's tomorrow! I have to practice!"
"I know that, but we both know you won't pass anyway, so why bother now?"
The glare Annabeth sent him could melt glass. "I'm driving, Seaweed Brain."
Percy sighed and leaned back in his seat. He was seriously starting to doubt getting out of here alive.
...
"So how was that?" Annabeth asked Percy on the elevator up to his apartment. "Be honest."
He let out a puffy cheeked breath. "Well..." he looked at her. "You sucked."
Annabeth groaned and slumped against the wall. "I'm never gonna pass."
"Aw, don't say that," Percy said, putting an arm around her. "Just because you failed your permit's test three times and drove through ten red lights and almost got us killed several times doesn't mean you won't pass."
Annabeth gave him a look.
"Okay, so maybe the odds of you passing are a little slim." He kissed her forehead. "But I have faith in you."
"You do, huh?"
"...Okay, not really."
...
"So did you pass?" Percy asked Annabeth the next day as she stormed into his room, throwing her bag on the floor.
He guessed not.
Annabeth looked like she was trying not to scream.
"Uh, Annabeth? You okay?
"That - freaking - EXAMINER!" She burst out. "Acting all cute and innocent in the beginning, 'Oh, you're gonna do great, I've seen you drive,' then complimenting me on everything while I was driving, and throwing me on the wrong track and making me do everything and then, guess what she said? I DIDN'T PASS!"
She fell into Percy's bed with her head in her hands, taking deep breaths. Percy got up from his desk chair and moved to lay beside Annabeth, turning to face her.
"Hey, Anne," he said softly. "You're not gonna pass everything in life. Besides, you'll get another chance."
"I know." She snuggled against him as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I just go so mad."
"Don't worry. I'm used to it."
She laughed, then sighed. "How the hell am I supposed to get through life if I'm a hazard to everyone once I get behind a steering wheel?"
"'Cause you'll have me with you," Percy answered. "Also, don't get really good in driving. I like there being something I'm better at than you."
Annabeth laughed again, leaning up to kiss him. "Alright, Seaweed Brain."
...
Annabeth passed her driver's test without Percy.
The entire time, she imagined him sitting next to her instead of the examiner, screaming at her to turn, or stop, and kissing her after because he was so glad he was alive.
It helped to take some of the pain away.
Was he in some other girl's car now, a prettier, Roman girl? Listening to the radio while they drove, laughing and completely forgetting about Annabeth?
It hurt just thinking about it.
She didn't know why, but she started crying when Sally hugged her after. The entire thing, passing her freaking driver's test and Percy not there to enjoy the miracle was just too much to bear. Sally hugged her tighter, stroking her hair with that motherly touch that Annabeth never got to experience when she was young.
"He'll come back, Annabeth," Sally said soothingly. "He'll come back."
...
"Woah." Percy stared in awe at Annabeth as she drove. "You really have gotten better."
Annabeth made the next turn smoothly, avoiding collision with any vehicles. "Well, your disappearance had an affect on me. I guess I thought I'd surprise you once you came back to us."
Percy smiled and placed Annabeth's hand on his knee. "You never lost hope, did you?"
Annabeth smiled back. "Never."
"Well, then." Percy leaned back in his seat. "I guess it's a good thing I disappeared."
"Yeah, I guess it is."
A few moments passed.
"This is so much more comfortable," Percy said. "Just sitting back and relaxing and not having to anticipate a likely death."
Annabeth smacked him. "Oh, come on, I wasn't that bad."
"Right."
"Well, at least I got better."
"Right that is."
"You're impossible, you know that?"
Percy grinned and leaned over to kiss cheek. "I love you, Annabeth."
Hooray for Annabeth! :) R&R!