A/N: So I guess I'm in love with PJO AUs. This is the third one and forgive me for that. Now, on with the story!
Annabeth closed her eyes as she blinked back a tear, she fought back the urge to just break down right then and there as she walked slowly down the street.
"She thinks she's so special, she's just a dumb rich girl. I'm willing to bet the only reason she has good grades at all is because her daddy bribed the teachers."
Annabeth tripped over a stone, landing harshly on her knee, for a moment she just sat there on the ground, hopeless. Eventually though she dragged herself back to her feet, quickly she wiped at the tears on the corner of her gray eyes blurring her vision and continued on her way. Her knee throbbed and bled but she ignored it, her mind was far more painful than her knee ever could be.
"She seems nice; maybe I'll talk to her…"
"Don't waste your time on her; you'll ruin your reputation."
"Oh…she's that bad?"
"She's worse, a total loser."
Those words stung her no matter how many times it played through her head, stuck on some sick mind torturing loop. Not even her own mind was on her side. She knew she should not mind the things other people say, but what hurts is that nobody even gave her a chance. She was strong she knew. But ever since her mother left, things were not what she hoped for.
Annabeth paused as she glanced across the street at the empty playground, even back when she was a kid…
Why did people hate her so much? No, she knew the answer; it was the fact that her dad scared them away, that she herself acted so stiff and perfect because if she didn't she'd be scolded, it was jealousy at her families wealth, and it was that she simply just didn't belong.
But most importantly she couldn't hold a conversation very well because while others were out learning to socialize and make friends, she was reading and studying. While others were having fun, she was being scolded and taught how to behave and act. She was crouched up in her bed reading and writing and making structural designs and praying to the gods her mother would return. She was being raised like a robot.
Of course she did talk to people her age but she talked in such intelligence no one could compare. She was branded the Golden Robot. Most people thought it was because she was rude and self-important. She was never given any chances to prove that wrong.
"She won't even talk back if you talk to her, what does she think she's too good for us?"
Nasty rumors spread about her if she so much as shifted in her seat. It was almost like they were making a point to sabotage her…how foolish of her; of course they were.
Maybe she'd be able to pull through fine, if her family was supportive and comforting on the matter but…
"Aunt, can I speak with you?"
"No, I'm busy. Have you finished all your homework?"
"Yes, I did earlier at school and-"
"Shush. That's good now go to study."
"Brother, I-"
"Can't you see I'm busy? Go away your distracting me."
"But-"
"I don't care Annabeth, leave."
"Dad-"
"Sorry kiddo, I can't talk right now."
"But you always say that."
"Annabeth, I'm busy, go bother your mother."
Her family could care less, as long as she looked good, behaved perfectly, and got perfect grades. She was just an example not a human, daughter, or sister. Her personal happiness didn't matter to them. So of course when her grades started slipping, her aunt finally paid her attention…but it was only to yell, scold, and glare. Her father would shake his head in disappointment and say "Thought you were smarter than that." Or "Do better." It would be better if mom was here. She thought to herself. When she was a child her mom would be the one to read her books. She would always be the one to teach her new things.
Her dad never gave her a glance. Never a "Why are your grades slipping?" or "Is something the matter?" or even a simple "Are you ok?" No one noticed, no one cared. If anything it gave the kids at school more material for bullying…which only got worse and worse.
"See, I told you she was dumb."
"What's the matter? Your daddy getting tired of paying for your classes?"
She wasn't dumb. In fact she represented their school at an international completion, but people doesn't see it. She was the smartest kid in school, but people ignored it. Then they started becoming more daring, doing things like: writing horrible things on her desk, tripping her in the halls, cornering her after class to say the meanest most degrading of things, leaving horrible things in her foot locker, making her hand over her money to them, sticking things in her hair, dumping food or drinks on her head or clothes at lunch when they 'tripped'. The list continued to grow and grow and it was like it was a game to them, let's see what creative new way we can make Annabeth's life hell today. She hated herself, she could easily fight back, but then, it will just feed the fire in their being and bully her more.
She was so very tired of it all. Her emotions were at their limit, her once cheerful and bright gray eyes lost it's glow, she'd hide in between classes; even eat her lunch in the bathroom if she ate at all as she soon discovered her appetite was disappearing. She'd walk all the way home because the bus was dangerous. In the mornings she'd wake up with dread at the start of a new horrible day. It ruled her life and how she lived.
And no one cared.
Annabeth stared ahead leaning against the bridge railing to look down into the water thousands of feet below cursing the gods for giving her a terrible fate.
What if she just jumped?
It'd probably kill her…Physically anyway, she was already at her wits end everywhere else. It probably wouldn't be that bad. She'd finally be free. No more bullying, no more sabotage, no more stealing, no more pressure, no more judgment, no more loneliness. Nothing. She paused as she stared down at the waters, watching them toss and turn. Her gray eyes calculating how long it will take for her to collide with the waters and how long she would last below it before air leaves her being.
It sounds so promising, to just escape it all… Just one little jump…She thought as she climbed up the railing till she was sitting with her legs hanging over the drop. Her hands tightened around the railing till the knuckles were white, all she had to do was let go and she'd be free. No one would care.
"No one would care." She repeated out loud.
"Would you believe me if I said I would?" a voice sounded behind her, surprising her so badly she nearly fell off shock.
"No." she stated simply as she turned her head to glare at the speaker. It was a boy her age. He was probably attending her school even. "Do you even know who I am?"
"You're a very pretty girl, sitting dangerously on a railing talking to herself." Annabeth's glare hardened while she watched him step back a little, she wanted to punch him but at the same time this is the first time in a very long time if ever, that anyone's complimented her. "I'm Annabeth Chase." She stated simply waiting for the recognition, if he's attending her school he will know her no matter his grade or class. Then he will leave her to do what she wants, everyone does.
Ah, there's the recognition…
"Well, that might very well answer why you're sitting up here then…" was all he said as he leaned up against the railing next to her. An awkward silence seemed to fall between them as she tried to figure him out…she failed, he completely alluded her...why was he still here? His response didn't even make sense. Her brain calculating and surveying him fast like a computer, but she didn't get him.
"Just what is that supposed to mean?" she finally asked offended, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing, just that you've had it hard, if anyone has the right to say school's hell, I do believe it's you."
"How comforting." She said sarcastically.
"Yeah…I'm horrible at comforting girls… So you want to come down from that railing now? It's dangerous. You're scaring me." He stated as he turned his head to observe her, his eyes a piercing sea-green that seemed to look right through her. Gray meets green and he was the one to break it.
"Why do you care?" Annabeth answered hostilely, he was supposed to not care after he found out who she was. He was supposed to mock and hurt her. He wasn't and it was weirding her out.
"Because." He answered casually.
"Because what?"
"Because the school is so full of bullshit on who you are. I'm talking to you now myself and I can say quite certainly that you, Annabeth, are not self-important, stupid, or anything else those assholes could think up. I always thought what they were doing was horrible but I never could find you when I looked, I didn't even know what you looked like… That might have been part of the problem."
"I was hiding."
"You'd be kick ass in 'hide n go seek' then." He responded with a smirk.
"Sorry?" now that confused her, what the heck was 'hide n go seek'? He confused her. He looked for her? She tried to search her brain for some answers. Ah. It's a game….
"Why on earth were you looking for me?" she asked again. No one looked for her with good intentions in mind.
"I thought you probably needed a friend."
There was a long silence as they both just stared at each other, Annabeth's eyes piercing into his own. This boy was serious, she could see it written all over his face.
"You'll be bullied. Go away, I'm busy." She wanted to slap herself for pushing away the one person in the world who seemed to have a heart but that was the thing…he had a heart so she didn't want all those people to break it.
"Add selfless to the list that is Annabeth, I'm not going away. You might jump."
"So what if I do?" she answered back.
"I may not know much about you but I give a shit none the less, I want to get to know you. So why don't you come down from that ledge and we can go get coffee or lunch and talk?"
"No, I'm not coming down unless it's to jump off." She answered. She was so stubborn at times.
"Fine then." He answered.
She was confused, she thought he would put up more of a fight after that last comment. She thought she might have to hurt his feelings to make him leave. But now he's- climbing up the railing and sitting next to her?!
"What are you doing?!" She all but screamed, he was crazy, there was no other explanation.
"If you jump, I jump with you." He answered one hundred percent serious.
"Are you crazy?!" Annabeth screamed.
"No, are you?"
"Wha-"
"I'm a good swimmer. There's a chance I might survive the fall, given that the water level is deep but, I would jump with you nonetheless." Annabeth raised a brow at the boy, she could swim to but the current seemed too strong for her to handle. A moment of silence washed of the two as they stared at the roaring currents below.
"You know what sounds better than jumping to our sudden death?" he started, stating the fact that this could end in suicide casually.
She had no words left.
"Getting sandwiches." He answered.
Was he serious? She decided to ignore that. She had more important things to ask him…
"Why on earth would you jump with me?"
"Because I don't want to live in a world without you." He answered looking her in the eye.
"That is the corniest, stupidest, most illogical thing I have ever heard. You hardly know me."
"I know enough." He replied undeterred.
"Idiot."
He laughed, before looking at her and smiling, "Yeah, so now that we've established I'm stupid, why don't we climb down and get sandwiches, wise girl. But getting a swim would be probably good."
She shook her head in disbelief before staring at him for a long moment as if contemplating something, "You know…" She started off hesitantly, "You were right." She stared back tracking to something said earlier.
"About what?" he asked looking confused.
"I really do need a friend." She practically whispered as she stared at the horizon.
"Then let me be your friend." He spoke after a small moment of thought as he reached one hand over to pat her head, the other keeping him from falling.
Another silence fell over the two, although this time it was more comforting as Annabeth thought over those last words.
"Will you?" she finally spoke, breaking the silence. Turning over to him to see his face clearly.
"Most definitely."
He was otherworldly handsome. His black hair whooshing against the wind. His sea-green eyes shining and the sun added a dramatic effect in those orbs.
"Ok…Let's go get those sandwiches then." she answered slowly as she glanced one last time down at the waters. Huh…the sound of jumping suddenly sounds really stupid of her anyway. She mentally scolded herself for coming up with a stupid idea. She doesn't do stupid.
"Oh good, I'm starving. That scared the calories out of me."
Annabeth tried not to laugh, she really did.
He managed to climb down before looking up with a smile and holding out his hand to help her down, taking his hand she finally came down. She thought he seemed relaxed before but she realized the minute her feet touched the ground that he was incredibly tense, as once she was on solid ground he truly did relax, letting out a huge sigh of relief. He stared at her. Her golden hair is looks like it belonged to a princess. Her gray eyes piercing as she stared at me. She's a goddess. He thought as she dusted her school uniform.
"Thank you-… I never got your name." She stated.
The boy just laughed loudly before answering with a wide smile, "My name is Perseus Jackson, but you can call me Percy if you like."
"Percy." Annabeth said testing the name on her tongue. Clearly he liked the way his name rolled on her tongue. "Thank you for saving my life."
"Thank you for letting me, and I'm just as happy to have finally found you. Where were you always hiding anyway?"
"The girl's bathroom." She answered, stating the obvious.
"Well then…that explains everything. From now on I'll be your personal body guard." Percy declared with a determined nod.
"Good luck with that."
"Thanks I'll probably need it." He stated as he took her hand in his, "The sandwich shop is this way." was all he said as if he didn't realize that in about one hour he had managed to single-handedly turn her entire life around. She tried to walk but she just winced.
He turned to look at her, concern evident in his eyes.
Annabeth forgot the pain in her knees. She was so caught off trying to kill herself that she forgot she hard fell hard only to scrape her knee. The pain came back as soon as she came back to her senses. She bit back her tongue as she fought the urge to cry out in pain.
Percy examined her body for something and a fresh bleeding wound on her knee got his sight. He knelt in front of her to examine it.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
Percy said nothing as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. Realization hit Annabeth that she tried to protest but as soon as he stared at her with those eyes, she found herself complying.
Percy wrapped his handkerchief around Annabeth's wound and stood up to meet her eyes. "Can you walk?"
Annabeth took a step forward trying so hard to walk but Percy was closely looking at her. A cringe never escaping his eyes.
"You can't walk. It hurts doesn't it?" He said. He walked ahead of her and stopped just a step away. He turned his back on her and knelt down. "Hop on." Annabeth flushed at what Percy asked her stood there refusing.
"If you don't, I'll carry you in my arms." He said and smiled as the girl behind him mutter a soft 'idiot' under her breath and got on. She laced her arms on his neck. He stood up and grabbed her thighs to support her. She blushed as she felt his warm palms pressed on her exposed skin. Damn school for making school uniforms short.
"Thank you so much." She whispered sending shivers down his spine.
She almost wanted to cry, but that was so unlike her. So she just smile and pressed her head against his back...
"Get ready! It's going to be a bumpy ride!" He shouted. Annabeth confused raised her hear and cocked it to the side. "Wha—" she was cut off as Percy raced across the street. His head thrown back in laughter. Annabeth scared of her safety laced her arms a little tighter around his neck, tight enough for her not to fall, loose enough for him to breathe. His laughter echoed throughout her head. And a while later she was laughing with him, a deed she'd never done in years. They laughed as Percy ran faster and faster.
She then realized.
He became her freedom.
All it takes is an idiot to turn my life around. She thought smiling softly and leaning against his back.
A/N: I was scrolling through tumblr and I saw this tumblr post that urged me to write this story.
Picture your OTP in this situation:
Suppose Person A is in the verge of jumping to death and Person B came and said that if Person A wouldn't come down Person B would jump with Person A. Plus feels if this is the first time your OTP meets.
So, what do you think? Was it alright? Sorry for the grammatical errors and spelling errors. Wow, posting two updates in one day is hella tiring. I would like to hear from you, review! Constructive criticisms are highly appreciated.
Annnnnnnnnnnnnd that's a wrap,
Peace out Demis!