Full story description:

It hits like a truck when it happens, that feeling when you feel like you haven't lived at all…

Annabeth lives a pretty straight-edged life, not taking risks, existing within her parameters, not breaking any boundaries. Though she has her outlets, she hasn't had THAT moment yet, or has she? And is just choosing to ignore that feeling that her life could be so much more… especially considering what happened last time.

Percy on the other hand, is absolutely letting his experiences define him. Absolute on the fact that he has had THAT moment, and is living life to its fullest, especially since that moment left him so broken before.

What will happen when these two grow closer together throughout school, and prove to be the missing element in each other's life, or will the past be too big of a mountain to get over?

Okay, before you start reading because, hopefully, you've decided to stay, I figure I'll fill you in on a few things before you have a chance to go to the reviews and write "Ohhh, you spelt this wrong, its spelt this way…"

I'm from the UK, so we spell things differently over here. Now for words like "mum", I will try to switch to the American way, which is "mom". However, for other words, like "Colour", you'll just have to accept that I'll be spelling it that way.

Now, again I don't own any of the PJO characters, uncle Rick does, though for the purpose of crafting my own story, I have personalised the characters a bit, soooo yeah. We can finally get started.

Now, this is my first story, so take it easy on me, but feedback is always welcome.

Hope you enjoy :)

Chapter 1

Catalyst

Annabeth POV

Monday (06/09/17)

*beep*beep*beep*beep*beep*

The birds were chirping the morning songs of autumn as the sun had just started to make its way over the horizon, a beautiful sight to behold out of my bedroom window, about as beautiful as most mornings at 6:00am, though no-one is ever up at this time to appreciate the sunrise, or the morning song, which is fine. Feeling as if it's all something exclusive to me gives me a nice warm feeling inside, like the world has made its own little segment just for me.

Sighing in content, I shuffled my sluggish body out of bed, the warmness of my duvet being traded for the cold filling the rest of my room. Sliding my now freezing feet into the bunny slippers next to my bed, I grabbed my phone off of my bedside table and made my way from my room to the kitchen, taking in the stillness of the sleeping house, yet being careful not to wake up any of my family. The longer that they stay asleep the better. I don't want to have to deal with a pair of hyperactive twins this early in the morning, or worse yet a grouchy step-mom.

Stealthily making my way past the LEGO landmines on the stairs and in the hallway, I entered the kitchen setting the kettle on, knowing I'd need some caffeine in my body to help me get through today. The kettle had boiled by the time I had successfully managed to pull all of my hair into a tight ponytail, not one curl was unaccounted for. I was just about to take a nice long sip of my coffee when a, Meow, nearly made me drop the mug on the floor. God I would've been grounded for weeks for pulling a stunt like that. Looking around for the culprit of my "almost calamity", I found the little hairball sat lurking under the footstool in the living room.

Stalking into the room, I raised my fingers into a gun and pointed at the area below the footstool.

"Sir Pounce, come out with your paws up".

Without so much as a glance in my direction, the bundle of fluff gave one more, blunt Meow before lowering its head and going back to sleep.

"Well you're no fun at all are you?" I said back in retort to the cat, before realisation dawned in, that I was just arguing with a cat and losing. With cringe and embarrassment flooding through me, I decided to take my coffee and retreat back to my room.

Once back in my room, I took a nice long drink of my coffee, the heat of the liquid counteracting the cold still biting at me, whilst standing at the bay window in my room. Gazing at the neighbourhood waking up around me, my thoughts kept going back to wondering about what today would bring. What would my first day of 12th grade be like?

It'll be like all the other years of school, duh. Will it though? I don't know why, but I have this gut feeling that this year is going to be massively different to all of the others… but how? Instead of racking my brain trying to figure out where this feeling was coming from, I decided to leave all thoughts of school there, instead focusing my mind on exercise, the thing I do every morning. Plotting out a jogging root in my head, I slipped off my slippers and slid out of my pyjamas, finding a pair of running shorts and nice sweatshirt. Finishing off the rest of my coffee, I grabbed my headphones and started my "running playlist", slid on my running shoes and headed out the front door.

Song Tribute: [Runaway – Galantis]

As soon as I'd closed the front door, I was off. Jogging down the drive, onto the pavement and then down the street. The freedom you feel when running is absolutely unparalleled, you feel free in body and in mind. It's one of the things you can do without putting much thought into, so it's an easy way to get lost in your own brain.

Taking in the fresh, morning air was like a drug to me, doing more for my body than the caffeine did as I Jogged past all of the groggy houses on my street, waking up to go to work or school…

There it was again, the thought of school once again forcing itself into the front of my mind. Why, why does this thought keep coming back round? Since I wasn't really focusing on running at this point, my body had gone into a sort of autopilot, I decided that I would actually tackle this head on. What has me so one edge about school today? It's not just the fact that it's the first day of grade 12, I'm a grade A student, I can do most of the stuff they throw at me in my sleep, no, something happened.

I saw the animated letters above my head as I had my "Eureka" moment but remembering what it was made me want the earth to split open and swallow me whole, a nauseous feeling rising to the top of my stomach. It hit me hard enough that I had to stop running, sit and take a breather. I remember. Thalia told me about it. Rachel broke up with… Percy.

Rachel broke up with Percy, Rachel broke up with Percy…

I must have sat there for about 5 minutes with that thought just running through my mind. You see, me and Thalia have been best friends forever and we've both had problems with Rachel for a long time. Rachel is this rich, stuck-up, snobby red-haired devil that used to torture me and Thalia every day in middle school, and even the start of high school. Thalia is a pretty mean girl, as in you don't want to mess with her because she will kill you, whereas I'm not the violent, or confrontational type, so you can tell which one of us Rachel's bullying affected more. That was until she got together with Percy. Because he and Thalia are cousins, him being his benevolent self politely told Rachel to knock it off. A nice gesture had he not gone on to play happy families with the she-devil. Making it so as long as they were together, me and Thalia didn't have to deal with Rachel anymore. But they're not together anymore…

The consequences of that. I had to start running again, sprinting, anything to get away from those thoughts. Body and mind were now both sprinting to get away from the thought that Rachel's torture would again start today. Why this year? The most important of my life, the one that decides where my career will begin. Now Rachel's going to mess it all up again.

The capitulation of my mind had already started, I was now wondering how I could either please, or avoid Rachel. All I had to do was not give Rachel a reason, as long as there isn't a catalyst to restart that vicious cycle, then it shouldn't re-emerge. All I had to do was be nobody, not exist, especially when she was around. With my mind now "at peace", even though I'd just signed away any thought of fun I could have this year, I could again focus on my morning run, which I did, right in time to run into the catalyst.

Song Tribute: [No not you – K. Michelle]

"Woah there, slow it down tiger, you look like your running for your life." Said Percy.

The sound of his voice was equal amounts a nightmare as well as a godsend. But he can't be here with me right now, I'm trying to appease Rachel, if she hears that I've been talking to Percy, then I might as well sign my death certificate now. But I can't just ignore him either, my mother raised me better than that.

"Oh God, sorry I ran into you… I was just, in my own world I guess" I gave him a coy smile, hoping he'd leave the conversation there, and keep on doing whatever he was doing. What was he doing?

Before I had the chance to shut my voice down, I'd already come out with the question. "So, Percy, what are you doing here?" accepting that I would have to finish this conversation with him. Not that I was complaining too much, it is Percy after all.

"Ahh you know, same thing as you it seems. Morning run?" My lord his voice, deep but tender, it could easily make most girls buckle at the knees.

"Uuuuuhhhh yeah, I guess" I said, barely getting the words out.

"I guess?" He chuckled, "Does that mean you didn't know you were out on a morning run?" He questioned, again laughing to himself at my nervousness.

"No, I mean… ugh, it's… I was just…"

"Annabeth" he said, changing from humoured to serious, making me face him, looking me dead in the eyes, "are you alright?"

Knowing I had to convince him, I mustered up all of my courage, and looked him dead in his hypnotic, sea green eyes. "Yes Percy, I'm fine, Honestly. There's no need for you to worry".

Worry was still plastered on his face, his eyebrows were scrunched together and his jaw was tight, but his face was slowly being overtaken by a satisfied look, that then morphed into a mischievous grin. Why was he grinning like that?

"Okay, I guess you are okay… and ready to race." He slyly added on.

"Ready to race? What?" I questioned, still trying to figure out what he was planning in his head.

"yup, 3 2 1 GO!" He shouted, already half way down the street before my mind comprehended that we were racing.

I couldn't help but laugh as I started to chase after Percy, without a care for what would come later, happy in the moment. Maybe getting to know Percy wouldn't be so bad. He might just end up being a different sort of catalyst in my life.

Way to go! you made it to the end, even though it wasn't that long it means that my writing didn't drive you off sooo yay.

Honestly though, to anyone who made it to this point, thank you.

Now, i'm hoping to get the next chapter out in the next few days, so if you'd be willing to stick with me, i'll try and make it worth your while by beefing up the next chapter, and giving you some more Percabeth, along with the rest of the other lovable characters.

If you would like, leave a review, i would go along way in letting me know if my writing needs improvement, or if anyone is a fan of this story. Also leave reviews giving me any story or song suggestions you would like to see down the road.

Again, thank you for making it to this point. I understand quite a lot of people are going through exam periods right now (don't worry, i can relate) so, thanks for spending a part of your "all-nighter" reading some of my story *wink*wink* "you know who you are" ;)

I hope to see everyone again in the next chapter, you've all been wonderful.

I love you all, and i'll see you soon,

S.B