I was lying comfortably on my beautiful bed in the cabin 3 (ok, I was sleeping like a bear in hibernation) when the alarm went off.
Actually, no. It wasn't that annoying sound that every morning remembered me that the school existed, but a strange bleating of goats.
Wait ... goats? There were goats in my cabin?
I got up and opened my eyes wide.
- Goodmorning sleeping beauty! - exclaimed my best friend Grover (the goat for those who don't know).
- Ah, it's you ... - I said, going back to sleep.
- Come on, get up man! You don't want to sleep all day!
- It would be an attractive prospect, tell me why I should not. - I snorted into the pillow.
- Because it's Annabeth's birthday, you fool! Don't tell me you forgot!
Annabeth's birthday! Oh my gods ...
I sat up abruptly, as if I was a spring. My eyes widened. How could I forget? I had also bought a gift ...
Um, where's the gift? I started poking around the room, without finding what I was looking for.
- Dude what's wrong? - I asked Grover.
- I can't find the gift for my girlfriend, goat! How do I do now? - I cried desperately.
- First: don't call me like that or you'll taste my goat horns on your skin.
Second: how can I know where you put your gift?
- Okay, okay. I am calm. I will come up with something. - I said putting my clothes on.
If I couldn't find the present, I should at least wish her a happy birthday.
Just outside my cabin, I found myself surrounded by the whole offspring of the goddess of love.
A girl approached me. - We are preparing a surprise party for Annabeth. Obviously, the idea should be yours, but we'll give you a hand. - she said winking at me.
- A hand? - I asked, puzzled.
- Obviously, you guys (apart from my brothers ihihih) don't know how to do these things. So tonight we'll have a big party on the beach for your girl!
- Guys, I really appreciate your enthusiasm, but Annabeth is not fond of parties...I have a better idea. - And I leaned towards them to expose to them my brilliant idea.
The girls began to giggle excited and whisper things like "You really are a pastry, Percy" or "I told you that hiding under all that seaweed there was a bright pink little heart!" or "You're so sweet that I could mistake you for a cake."
I pretended not to hear and walked towards cabin 6, that of Athena.
As I walked I saw some fresh yellow flowers in the grass. They weren't much, but they could work as a temporary gift before the evening surprise. I picked them up.
I knocked at the door one of Annabeth's brothers opened.
Without waiting for me to say something, he nodded and said: - Annabeth is upstairs.
I thanked him with a nod and walked to the second floor of the cabin of Athena.
Annabeth was making her bed, so I got closer without making a single noise and circled her waist with my arms, holding out the flowers.
- Happy birthday, wise girl. - I said in her ear.
She laughed and turned to me, throwing her arms around my neck.
- Nice flowers. - she said, laughing. - Did you pick them out here?
I snorted. - You could have avoided noticing...
She laughed even more. - It 's a wonderful thought. Thanks Percy.
I smiled and leaned my forehead against hers.
I closed my eyes and breathed in her sweet scent. I could stay like this forever.
Just as I was about to kiss my girlfriend (yes, I like to say...she's my girl people! Percy Jackson has stolen the heart to the daughter of Athena! Ok, I'll stop now.) someone came up with the insane idea of coughing.
Her stepbrother, as well as a first-class troublemaker, was behind us and looked at us puzzled.
I let Annabeth go.
- They're all going to the canteen, you don't want to be found here...all alone. - He said and then slipped away.
- All right, let's go to breakfast ... - I said, puffing and taking my hand to Annabeth.
When we arrived at the mess hall everyone turned to look at us.
Annabeth and me had become the scoop of Camp Half-Blood; if there was a magazine for demigods, we'd end up on the front page as "couple of the century."
We walked hand in hand up to my table, and then she went to sit with her brothers. I heard a daughter of Aphrodite say: - What, not even a little kiss?
I laughed and sat down, glancing at Annabeth in love.
During the day we held the usual activities, but every time we tried to duck out unnoticed there was someone who called us.
Is it possible for me to spend some quiet time with my girlfriend on the day of her birthday?
During dinner, Chiron announced that the bonfire would be held on the beach (he also knew of the not-very-original surprise for Annabeth).
When I finished eating I ran to my cabin to change my clothes, and I saw some of the daughters of Aphrodite try to persuade Annabeth in wearing an elegant dress.
Well, in my humble opinion she could even come in her underwear, she would have been equally beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean that...never mind.
While I was changing, I saw something silvery shine between the t-shirts scattered on the ground. I picked it up. Oh gods, thank you. It was the gift for Annabeth. I carefully layed it in the box and put it in my pocket.
Then I walked down to the beach, where the children of Apollo were singing around the fire, while those of Hephaestus were arranging the fireworks. Perfect.
The birthday girl arrived on the beach accompanied by her sisters. She was wonderful.
She wore a light blue dress and had her hair loose on her shoulders.
The sons of Apollo started to sing "Happy Birthday to you", and we all followed them.
Annabeth smiled and blushed and mumbled a "Thank you all" when we finished.
I walked over to her and hugged her, causing a wave of sighs and giggles.
- So, my gift? - Annabeth teased me, pretending to be offended.
- Well, you've got it in front of you! What are you waiting for? Unwrap me! - I exclaimed.
She burst out laughing. - I expected better, honestly. - Said with an air of superiority.
- What about something like that? - I asked, nodding to the children of Hephaestus, who started with the first fires.
They were not simple fireworks, let's say that it was a declaration of love written in heaven (I had never made her one). My idea, of course.
The sons of Hephaestus had helped me to realize it, they were real magicians with that stuff.
The first sentence appeared on the bright blue sky.
Annabeth, I want to tell you some important things this evening.
She turned towards me amazed. I asked to continue looking at the sky, partly because I was afraid to faint from embarrassment.
Only now I realized that this was crazy, I would have died of shame the next day, but I had already started and I had to carry out that madness.
The first: Happy Birthday.
I heard laughter, and she smiled.
The second: I LOVE YOU.
Annabeth looked back at me and mouthed a "me too" with her lips.
The third'll tell you in person.
Other general laughter. Now everyone was watching me, curious of what I was going to say.
Oh my gods, I felt my face boiling, I was probably all red and the thought of what I was going to say made me blush even more. Fortunately, the night hid my redness.
- Annabeth, I know I probably look a bit awkward, but I want to try anyways, knowing that tomorrow I'll be everyone's joke. But I don't care, for you I would go running in my pants all over the world.
I just want to tell you that you're the best thing that ever happened to me and you can't imagine how happy I am to be your boyfriend.
Because I would never have found a girl like you out there; and even though we fight too often for stupid things, I couldn't imagine a better life.
I love you, and I think I'm in love with you since the very first day I arrived here, since you told me "you drool when you sleep." - There I stopped and laughed, followed by the rest of the demigods.
Annabeth looked at me with tears in her eyes and smiled.
- So now I'll ask you one thing. One thing that actually sounds a lot like a corny movie. - I said, laughing at my own words. Obviously the others laughed too.
I pulled out the little box from my back pocket and opened it in front of the astonished eyes of everyone. Even Chiron and Mr. D (who had done nothing but babble about my stupidity so far) looked shocked and surprised.
Annabeth's eyes widened, looking at me and then the small object in the box.
- I'm not asking you to marry me or whatever. Not that I don't want to do so, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, married or not.
But what I want to ask now is: Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me? - I said looking in her eyes, with a sudden courage that I wasn't even afraid to unleash the wrath of Athena. At that moment the only thing that mattered was Annabeth's answer.
The whole camp was silent, waiting like me to hear something coming out my girlfriend's mouth.
Even Mr. D was paying attention.
She looked at me. - You shouldn't even ask. - Said seriously.
I stopped breathing and looked at her, loudly swallowing.
She laughed at my expression; then took the silver ring and slipped it on her finger, under the astonished gaze of all the camp members.
- Of course I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Seaweed Brain! - she answered, throwing her arms around me. I laughed like an idiot and I welcomed her in my arms, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around in the air, while the others clapped, whistled and shouted.
Meanwhile other fireworks were launched in the sky, which became a giant rainbow. I raised my arms to the sky and cried - I LOVE YOU Annabeth!
Gods, if I was happy. Crazy, but happy.
She laughed and took my face in her hands, getting closer. Before anyone could just say "a", I glued my lips to hers and kissed her with so much love that I seriously risked to get diabetes.
With all the sentimental things that I had said and done that day, I was supposed to already be in a diabetic coma.
A chorus of "Oooooohhhhh" rose from the audience and even Mr. D clapped his hands and smiled. Am I wrong or were those tears that he had just dried out?
Not to mention Chiron. He was a fountain.
And Clarisse, with the sons of Ares? Even they seemed happy and carefree that evening.
The daughters of Aphrodite came by to congratulate us, like we had just got married, while others were shouting our names.
Annabeth laughed and I circled her shoulders with one arm, while in the sky shone the last fireworks, saying three words:
Forever and ever.
Hey there! That's the first Percabeth story I publish on this website. I'm Italian, so I apologize for any mistake I made. I really hope you like my story :) I would be happy to read comments and reviews!