The title is from Panic! At the Disco's (Fuck A) Silver Lining. This story's inspired by a tumblr post I've seen way back and some of the good things college gave me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and The Heroes of Olympus. Both belong to Rick Riordan.
A
"Oh, cherries," Annabeth Chase huffed, mostly to herself, and let those two syllables ran thick on her lips. It was the closest curse she could utter, thanks to a very homely father and a disciplinary mother. It's not like she can't curse, it's just that she chooses not to. Besides, she would argue, it'd probably give dad a heart attack.
Annabeth bit her lips, and read the paper posted on the closed door of their Physics classroom.
Professor Allan Morgan is unable to come to class today. All Physics 1 classes (Lit 2A, Lit 2C, Lit 2D, Bio2B, Bio2C, EE2A, EE2B) under Professor Morgan will be moved to SB401 under Professor Alice Hopper, same time schedule. Thank you.
From
Administration
She gripped her hold around the strap of her dark blue messenger bag, blinked twice, and leaned a little closer to make sure she had correctly read her class on the paper. Lit 2A, there it was.
Sighing, she twirled on her heel and began to make her way out of the building, almost breeze walking, as she only had a few minutes left before the bell rings. She was in the Arts Building, as where Literature students should be, and needed to transfer to the other side of the campus just so she could attend her temporary Physics class in the Science Building, and not to mention, right on the fourth floor, too!
Now, Annabeth wasn't complaining, but the exhaustion from pulling an all-nighter to finish a seven-page reflection on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and encoding all the meeting and minutes reports for the Literature Club was finally catching up on her already at 7:22 in the morning. She felt dragging.
She pulled her phone out, seconds after it had vibrated inside her skirt's pocket. She made her way across the campus, flawlessly dodging running late students, as she breezed through Malcolm's message, her only and older brother, shot him a quick response, and read the text message she received from her best friend.
Science Building, 401; got you a vanilla latte, Piper had texted her.
Annabeth found herself in front of the classroom, a minute just before the bell rings. She swiftly read the note on one of the double doors: Lit 2A, Lit 2C, Lit 2D, Bio2B, Bio2C, EE2A, EE2B for Physics 1 class under Professor Allan Morgan. A table of their schedule was below the looming letters in 60 point Calibri font style.
She tentatively peeked through the door's glass panes and saw that the room was already crowding with students. She saw her block-mates, a few free students she's grown familiar with, and a crowd of unfamiliar faces who she could tell belonged to the class they're sharing today's Physics 1 class.
Quickly but carefully, she ran her gaze through the crowd, searching for the familiar mop of choppy chocolate-brown hair. A smile tugged on her lips when her grey eyes landed on Piper, in the middle of the room, sitting near the aisle with a vacant seat beside her. She was looking down, probably exchanging text messages with her boyfriend, Jason.
By the time the bell rung, Annabeth was already inside the room and making her way to her best friend. Piper had immediately noticed her entrance and waved her over. Annabeth smiled, muttering soft excuses as she paved her way through the crowd of students.
Piper pulled her small bag from the vacant chair next to her and handed Annabeth her vanilla latte.
"Thanks," she smiled, not really looking at Piper, sunk in her chair, and cradled her messenger bag on her lap. She took a tentative sip of her vanilla latte, and sighed, obviously satisfied.
Annabeth looked over at her best friend and marveled at the intricacies of her braided hair. The Cherokee's makeup was minimal, yet Annabeth wouldn't deny that her best friend is beautiful. She voiced this out. Piper cooed and crushed her into a big hug as she cried her thanks. Annabeth laughed, lightly shoved her off, and finally placed her messenger bag on the floor.
"I'll pay you at lunch," Annabeth said, now turning to her best friend.
Piper rolled her eyes at her. "What is it with rich people, and throwing money? It's free of charge, I promise."
Annabeth rolled her eyes and ignored the fact that her well-off best friend had called her wealthy. Piper McLean was rolling in it, too. So instead, Annabeth only laughed a little, before insisting, "It's not throwing money. It just does not feel right—not paying someone what you owe."
This time, Piper laughed a little. She said, "We've known each other for years. I was there when Elias kissed you in the park when we were kids. You should get used to this by now."
"Thank you," Annabeth replied, biting down a laugh threatening to come out of her mouth.
Annabeth enjoyed her vanilla latte, drowning out the buzz of the students, and the lack of professor. She now took note of the chair next to her with a black backpack on it.
"Saving it for my friend; he's usually late so I've become that friend who saves you a seat, and basically recounts every part of the lesson you've missed, if I have been paying attention myself, too," a man had spoken.
She looked up from looking at the black backpack, and into the light brown eyes of a man. He had a small kind smile on his face and a look as though he had found something funny.
She studied him. He had a wispy short beard, and a rasta cap snuggly sat on his curly brown hair. He was smiling pleasantly at her right now. It was a smile that says he does not have any hidden agendas upon introducing himself, of which Annabeth scarcely receives. This man was a respite, and she had decided that he's not too bad.
Annabeth, tilting her head to the side, smiled back. "I guess we latecomers really do need that kind of friend."
The man laughed, his eyes crinkling. He stretched out a hand at her, and said, "Underwood. Grover. Underwood, Grover. I mean my name's Grover Underwood, but you can call me Grover; Biology student."
Kindly, she shook his hand, leaning a little closer. "Annabeth Chase," she told him.
"Annabaeth Chase," Piper had commented teasingly. Annabeth looked back at her and rolled her eyes. She only laughed at Annabeth, before returning her gaze back at her phone's screen.
Grover laughed. When handshakes were exchanged, he finally said, "It's nice to meet you. Your name sounds familiar. Are you related to Malcolm Chase, by any chance?"
"You too," she had responded, as amiable as she was taught. She tried not to cringe at the fact that she was once again recognized through the name her brother had made.
Malcolm Chase is a senior, business administration major, and plays for the university's basketball team. He was cast immediately during his freshman year and had become one of the most valuable players in the team, and now captains it. Annabeth loves her brother, but, it didn't feel… right to always come after his brother like a shadow.
Annabeth cleared her throat for a while, as though this would help clear her thoughts, too. She smiled, amiable still, and nodded. Grover grinned and commented how cool it must feel.
She looked back at Piper who was looking at them with a grin. Wanting to immediately change the direction of the conversation, Annabeth asked, "So you've met my best friend?"
"I have," Grover nodded.
"Considering we share the same best friend duties, you know, saving our always-running-late best friend a seat, getting them their morning drinks," Piper commented, teasing.
At these words, Grover took it as a prompt to raise a grande-sized coffee in front of him and chuckled.
"In my best friend's defense, he's always busy. He's got grades to maintain, an academic and swimming scholarship to take care of, not to mention, finals will be just around the corner, and the Summer swim meet is about to start, too," Grover said, as a matter of fact.
"Swimming scholarship," Piper, her interest peaked, shifted her gaze from the bright screen of her phone to them.
As if on cue, the room's double doors opened, and in came a man.
The room buzzed noisier when he entered. Annabeth noticed Riley gasped and giggled with her friends. Annabeth guessed whoever this was, he must be special; but then again, Riley tends to react too much.
The man scanned the room first, just as Annabeth busied herself with finishing her vanilla latte and pulling out her Physics book from her messenger bag.
"Speak of the devil and it shall come," Grover had commented. The man, still in front of the doors, met Grover's brown eyes with his green ones, and grinned. The man with rasta cap shot a hand in the air and waved.
The man with green eyes made his way through the throng of students, muttered excuses and greeted back those who did with a kind smile.
Grover flashed him a teasing grin. He pulled off his black backpack from the available chair and placed it on the floor in front of him.
"Your coffee," Grover handed him said coffee, "and you're paying me back."
In response, the man with green eyes only grunted but nonetheless still smiled. He took off the dark blue backpack he was wearing, and let it fall on the floor with a soft plop. He then practically crumbled in his chair, accepting the coffee with a tired word of gratitude, pulled out a can of Monster from his backpack, and placed it on the desk side-by-side his coffee.
Annabeth, at this time, was already done with her agenda and had fully taken note of the stranger sitting beside her.
Grover, noticed, smacked his forehead for good measure, laughed, and said, "Percy, we're sharing the class with Lit2A for a while. Professor Morgan can't come to class today, so they have to take the class with us for today."
Perseus Jackson or "Percy" as called by his friends, blinked, processed his best friend's words for a while, and then frowned at the mention of the professor's name. He wasn't too big on the professor, and he's pretty sure he isn't too fond of him either. Percy had met the professor, once, when he had attended his alternative class for Maglev trains. They had a pretty rough discourse about friction and ground speed which ended with the professor telling him he should shut his trap since he was only a Biology student, and Percy leaving the class with a soft apology, even if what he truly wanted was to scream at him that he wasn't even an engineer, so they'd just have to agree to disagree.
"These are Piper and Annabeth," Grover gestured at them with a smooth flourish of his hands and added, "Literature majors."
"Ladies, this is Perseus Jackson. You can call him Percy," Grover smiled.
"Please, just Percy," the swimmer stressed.
Piper was quick to stretch her hand out. She grinned at the green-eyed man and said when they finally shook their hands, "It's so nice to meet you. I've heard of you. You won that gold medal from last year's interstate spring swimming competition. You're good."
Annabeth noticed the feral glint in her best friend's eyes and wondered if she wanted to say more. Piper did not, though, and only smiled as Percy said, "Thank you. It's nice to meet you, too."
His sea green eyes regarded Piper for a while and then traveled to the person beside him. For a while, they stared at each other's eyes—grey and green—clashing in one color. It's the sea and the storm.
Percy's raven hair was tousled, as if he desperately tried to comb it down, but refused to be combed down. He's tall and lean. He was wearing a light blue long-sleeved polo shirt, of which sleeves were folded to his elbows. The polo shirt slightly hugs his upper body, hinting the muscular built of his torso, abdomen, and arms. It seemed swimming had done him wonders. He had a strong jaw and pointed nose. His sun-kissed skin made his vibrant sea green eyes stand out. It was ridiculous to Annabeth how he looked so much like a marble statue carved by the gods themselves.
Piper slightly elbowed her best friend, and almost jumped in delight when a small smile began to etch on her face.
Smiling, Annabeth shook the man's already outstretched hand, and told him, "Annabeth Chase."
"Annabeth Chase," he let the name roll out in his tongue, and out of his mouth carefully, loving every syllable. He smiled and said, "It's nice to meet you."
"You too," she smiled in return.
"You're going to love it here. Professor Hopper is the best in her field," he now said. He looked into her eyes for a while, before focusing his attention back at his drinks.
Annabeth didn't say anything, but only hummed, unsure of what to say next. She realized now, how tired Percy looked. His posture was slightly sagging, and his movements were slow and dragging. She looked at Grover who only excused himself with a short, "need to pee," and then at Piper who was back at texting her boyfriend. Piper must have felt her gaze, and shot her a smile, but returned at texting as soon as possible. She was smiling from ear to ear, and Annabeth can only guess what she and Jason were talking about.
Some best friend she is, Annabeth thought, smiling fondly.
A soft whizzing sound shot her attention back at the man sitting beside her.
She stared both in amusement and worry, as she watched Percy pull off the lid of his coffee, took big gulps from it—leaving only half, and poured all his Monster—it was in cherry flavor, she noted—in his coffee, slid the lid back on, and gave the drink a good swirl.
"You're going to drink that?" She had to ask.
Percy's green eyes whipped to her. He grinned and said a too enthusiastic yes.
Annabeth watched as he tipped the drink up to his lips.
"Isn't that unhealthy?" She asked, making him stop.
Percy brought down his drink. Annabeth didn't miss a beat and followed said drink with her gaze, missing the humorous twinkle in Percy's green eyes.
"Aren't you going to get a cardiac arrest or something," she asked, now looking at him. She: with a look of disbelief, and he: with a too pleased one.
"Type 2 diabetes," she enumerated, still guessing, "anxiety."
"Possibly," Percy smirked, but still drank his devilish drink.
For a brief second, Annabeth thought he'd die on the spot, but when Percy sighed happily after taking a few sips, she began to feel calm.
Percy turned to her as if to say something, but then the bell rung again then came in Professor Hopper. Annabeth didn't look anywhere else, after that, but at her Physics book, Professor Hopper, and her writings on the huge whiteboard in front.
"Why are the Arts Building and Science Building built so far apart?" Piper grumbled as they began to walk out of the building.
"I have no idea," Annabeth replied and laughed as Piper irritably grumbled some more.
"Stop smiling," Piper bit, "Percy Jackson, the university's swimming star, is interested in you. We all noticed Annabeth, stop rubbing it on our faces with your winning smiles."
"What," Annabeth blurted. She hated to admit it, but she was, well in fact, blushing at the prospect.
Piper stopped walking and gave her best friend a too wicked grin.
"Oh yeah, and I am not in a relationship with Jason Grace," she told the grey-eyed lady too sarcastically, still grinning at her as though she knows something the other does not.
"He's not," Annabeth said, walking past her best friend.
Piper laughed, jumped on her spot, and followed her, quickening her pace.
"You like him, too," her best friend pointed out.
"What like with poetry? It doesn't work that way," she smiled at Piper kindly.
"Annabeth, your love for Philosophy and poetry is a given. You're absolutely amazing at Physics. I'm your best friend. My name's Piper. You have an affinity to the letter "p" and you can't make me think otherwise," Piper told her.
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Uhuh," she responded, not exactly convinced. Annabeth also loves Literature, languages, architecture, and well-made documentaries. Clearly, Piper is exaggerating.
"I noticed him shooting you looks," Piper said.
"No he was not," she replied.
"He tried to get your attention a thousand times," her best friend continued, dodging a student hurrying past them.
"You're exaggerating," Annabeth responded, laughing a little at her friend.
"He said "see you around" before we left the room," Piper insisted, practically half-screaming now. She looked too pleased.
"He said that to the both of us," Annabeth said. Her mind wandered at that moment.
After an hour and a half of Physics 1, Annabeth was already ready to bolt to her next class. Annabeth and Piper had said their goodbye to the short-term friends they've met who were still staying in the room for their next class. Percy had looked at her earnestly like a man lost at sea. His soft green eyes were warm and fond—they are the eyes she'd read from books.
"He was looking at you," Piper now had both her arms up in the air, as though she was getting tired of making her see her point.
Annabeth laughed, and said, "See you at lunch, Pipes. You're that way, by the way." Biting her lips, she pointed in the other direction.
"Damn it," Piper cussed. She huffed indignantly. Annabeth has her languages class next. Piper has her creative writing next, on the other hand. Annabeth's class is in the Education Building, while Piper's class is in the Arts Building which was in the opposite direction of Annabeth's destination.
"See you at lunch," Piper shouted, waving goodbye.
The grey-eyed lady laughed again, watching amusedly as her friend began running towards the building she was supposed to be going in the first place.
"What is it?" Silena asked her.
Annabeth looked up from her bag to her dark-haired friend.
Biting her lower lip, Annabeth said, "I left my Physics book in the Science building."
"Will it get lost?" Silena asked again.
"I hope not," Annabeth replied, biting her lips again. All her notes for the subject were in there, not to mention a few original and poetry lines that'd often pop in her head and some of her favorite foreign words.
Silena looked around and checked the time on her wristwatch.
She smiled at Annabeth and said, "Maybe you can go back for it. You still have 10 minutes to spare, and if the professor asks I'll say you went to the girl's comfort room. Leave your bag."
Annabeth was already standing even before Silena had finished what she was saying.
"Thank you, Silena," she smiled at her, "I'll be quick."
Annabeth quickly exited their classroom, praying to all the gods, her skirt won't be problematic when she bolts to the other building.
Annabeth had only taken a few steps out of the room when a familiar face greeted and practically smacked right at her.
Percy Jackson looked as if he just ran for his life. His jet black hair was more unkempt then before. A bead of sweat ran down at the side of his neck, but the grin on his face as he took her in, had made him look better than she could ever admit.
"Annabeth Chase," he said her name, almost in a whisper. He was holding her Physics book with one hand, and Annabeth watched as his green eyes crinkled and his smile widened, taking her heart with that shit-eating grin he had plastered on his face.
Percy Jackson saw himself running for a girl he just met only an hour and a half ago.
It was absurd how she looked so good in that crowd of people. It was like his vision zeroed in on her, the moment he had set his eyes upon her.
It was crazy how he thought she looked easily as the most attractive person in the room filled with people, with her long golden princess curls, fairly tan complexion, and brilliantly grey eyes that went amazingly well with her black skirt and printed white shirt.
Her white shirt had words printed on them, of which he was too distracted by her grey eyes to even read. She felt like everything, and it was absurd, but Percy badly wanted to know her more. She was distracting, and he let himself be distracted—throwing her secret glances whenever she's too focused in class.
Of course, Grover had noticed. Annabeth's friend, Piper, had caught him quite a number, too. He was embarrassing. It was ridiculous, but he wanted to know her more. He needed to see her. He needed to know what was written on that damn shirt of hers.
So when Percy noticed Annabeth had left her Physics book, he had immediately sprung from his seat and told Grover his plan. Well, he did not really immediately spring from his seat.
Percy took the book in his hands and set it in front of him. He mulled over this outburst of idea first, while flipping through the book in front of him.
A smile had quirked up the corners of his mouth when he realized how neat her handwriting was. It was far more readable and presentable than his.
Percy regarded the thought if maybe it was only a passing attraction. She is beautiful, and so maybe it was indeed just passing attraction.
He stopped on a page filled with solutions. Percy is on a swimming scholarship. He's smart, but he constantly needed to work hard to maintain his weighted average. He marveled at the solutions quickly scribbled with pencil on every page. Some: he's familiar with, others: he had realized were alterations of the original formula, made easier. Annabeth Chase is wise.
He also noticed a few words—lines that could probably lead to a promising story or poem—and quite a number of unfamiliar foreign words. One which he recognized, mamihlapinatapai, it was a Yaghan word for a wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but both are reluctant to start. He knows this because the café, he loves going to had set this word as their wifi password for a month that by now, Percy had already memorized its spelling and the probable way you should pronounce it.
Percy smiled again. He voiced his plan to his best friend. He could pull off returning the book later, or he could do it now. He decided he couldn't wait. It was that God-forsaken drink he concocted, he reasoned to himself.
Grover, for his part, looked incredulously at first, but then supported him on his decision. "It's not like the professor comes on time, anyway," Grover had told him, patting him on the back. His best friend had a teasing grin on his face, but Percy only laughed a little, shaking his head, and exited the room.
He went to the Administration Building first. He felt really nervous, standing in the line of the information booth.
Margareth, the woman behind the information window today, had smiled at him warmly. She's a family friend. His mother and Margareth go way back when they were still in high school, so Percy and Margareth are almost families to each other now.
Percy told her he was looking to return a book. He handed her the book. Margareth raised one eyebrow at him, and asked, "Whose book is this?"
"A friend," Percy smiled, nonchalantly.
"A friend," Margareth repeated mischievously. She flipped the book on its back and punched in its product number on her computer.
Percy only grinned in return, knowing it always works on Margareth whenever she'd ask too many questions.
"Annabeth Chase," Margareth read from her computer. She adjusted her glasses, pushing it up her nose bridge, and gave Percy a look, clearly curious and pleased.
"Great," Percy smiled, subtly flashing her his baby seal eyes.
Margareth chuckled like she knows something he does not, "Her next class is in 12 minutes. EB102."
"And then?" Percy asked, trying his luck.
"That's all you're getting from me, Percy," Margareth smiled at him fondly.
Percy laughed, good-naturedly, "Thank you, Margareth."
"You're welcome, son. Don't mess her up, okay, she's actually one of the good ones," Margareth said, too loudly for people to hear.
Percy looked behind, and met the eyes of a woman, probably in her 40s. She was looking at Percy curiously. Percy smiled at her kindly and returned his gaze at Margareth.
"Thanks, Margareth," he said now, getting the book as the woman handed it back.
Percy walked out of the administration building but began bolting as soon as he was out.
"You left this earlier," Percy Jackson handed her the blue book in his hands.
For a while, Annabeth Chase did not say anything. She studied the Physics book in her hands. She quickly ran a hand on the front and back cover, and flipped through the pages.
"I looked through some of it. I'm sorry," Percy apologized. He had one hand on his nape, and the other inside his pants' pocket. He looked ashamed—a blush on his cheeks.
Annabeth shook her head and smiled a little, "It is fine. Did you read some—lines I mean, did you read some lines?"
Percy stared at her for a while but nodded.
"What do you think?" She inquired.
"Makes me ask why you're not writing," he answered honestly.
Annabeth laughed. It's a sound he could get used to hearing—one of which he won't get tired of hearing. Gods, he was turning poetic. He's not even too fond of poems.
The bell rung now—again; Percy looked up, as though he was going to find that damn forsaken bell up there, and tear it out with one look.
"Thank you, Percy," Annabeth said.
Percy looked at her now, and smiled, "It's no problem."
"I've been meaning to ask," he started. He took a quick look on the text printed on Annabeth's shirt, then back at her, and asked, "But what on earth the others are here for?"
Because it was what's written in front of her shirt. It was a quotation or something of the sort that went: We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for—and it stops right there.
A smile began to bloom on Annabeth's lips. She was looking at him pleasantly and fondly. She replied, "I don't know."
"You don't know?" He asked her, seeming a little confused now.
Annabeth bit her lower lip—biting down a laugh. She turned her back at him and pulled up her hair to expose the back of her shirt.
I don't know, the text on the back said.
Percy laughed, as she turned to face him—now sporting a look of pure amusement, before reciting, "We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for, I don't know."
"W.H. Auden," Annabeth added, laughing along with him.
And then again, they were left looking at each other; the color of their eyes mixing together. Annabeth rocked on her toes. Percy ran a hand through his hair, vexed at his loss for words.
"What time's your lunch?" He asked her. Finally, he almost patted himself on the back.
Annabeth seemed taken aback for a while. Her eyebrows shot up, but then she smiled.
It's that damn smile, Percy said to himself. He marveled at how a person can become so much more beautiful. Her smile brightened her eyes, and Percy was pretty much convinced he's long gone.
"12:30," she answered, scrunching her nose a little.
Percy smiled. He had a little mischievous tone to his voice when he said, "Would you look at that Grover and I have our lunch break at 12:30, too. See you at lunch?"
There was a brief moment of pure nervousness when Annabeth considered his invitation. His heart felt like drums, thundering in his chest.
Annabeth needed time to process what he just said—what he meant. He had a tentative smile on his face, as his too green eyes continued to bore on her grey eyes.
"Okay, sounds great," she finally answered.
"Really," Percy asked, not believing what he heard. She laughed.
"Really," she nodded.
"Awesome," he smiled at her, then, before adding, "Have you tried the food in the Science Building canteen? We have the best pasta and Korean food."
"Barely; the place's always filled with people," Annabeth answered. She had heard of their Pasta Fridays and their knockout Korean food. Piper had even begged her to squirm with the heavy crowd, just so they could get a taste of said chows, but Annabeth just couldn't be bothered. In the end, Piper went with Jason, came out a little too tired, but had completely satiated her desire. Their pasta is simply divine, Annabeth. Why do they have better food? Their food is art. It's unfair; and to think we're the Arts students, Piper had cried. For Annabeth, it didn't feel right to find herself eating in the cafeteria. Each building has its own cafeteria or canteen, and for an Arts student to find herself along the throng of Science people felt like bridging an invisible gap.
"We'll save you seats," Percy offered.
"Uhm," Annabeth was about to say, but Percy continued, "Please, Annabeth, please."
Annabeth laughed at his silliness, "I am having some serious kindergarten flashbacks, right now. I was going to say yes, anyway."
"Great. I'll see you later?" He asked.
Annabeth tried not to notice his choice of words—how he chose to say "I" instead of "we" and "you" instead of "you all." It was silly, but hell, she's going to think whatever she wants to think right now.
"I'll see you later," she agreed, and the bright grin on Percy's face afterward made her wish her Languages class was already done, so she could get to lunch.
Ω
Thank you for giving this your time. This story's already up on that other site. If you're not having a good day, it's okay, but I hope you are.