Disclaimer: not Rick not Riordan not Rick Riordan
There was something about the beginning of summer that really captured Annabeth's attention. Maybe it was the start of the heat, the slow tans starting to show on the arms and faces of her peers and the surfers at the beach. Maybe it was the fact that more and more of those ice cream vendors with the little push carts could be found selling her favorite flavors up and down the block at all hours of the day. Maybe it was the impending vacation, or the sure to occur water fights, the summer sales at her favorite stores, or simply the fact that it was Percy's favorite season. Sadly for Annabeth, she thinks it is the latter. Whatever the reason, Annabeth found herself thinking about it in her shaded corner booth at the CINF's (Children In Need Foundation) carnival. She had decided to do some volunteer work for some extra credits and she chose to work at the carnival figuring that since she loved children and games, it would be a blast. Oh how wrong she was. Her job consisted mostly of sitting on a lopsided chair waiting for customers and occasionally helping clean up puke from the rides when they were short staffed.
So there Annabeth sat pondering her life and thinking about her idiotic and adorable best friend Percy. She had been in love with him for two years now, ever since they were freshman. Now that she was a junior you would think that he would have at least some idea of her feelings, but he seemed as oblivious as ever. It of course didn't matter to him what with his beautiful girlfriend Rachel and all. Annabeth had never liked her in the first place but now she downright loathed her. Caught up in her thoughts she didn't notice the two shadows who had stopped in front of her booth. Sitting up straight she had already opened her mouth to say her standard rehearsed greeting when she looked up into the shocked face of one Percy Jackson and his devil of a girlfriend Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Red for short.
"Annabeth?! I didn't know you were working here" he said red faced. He couldnt seem to stop himself from blushing and he didn't even have reason to be embarrassed. Maybe it was just that he didn't expect her, yeah that must be it, there was no way it could have anything to do with her seeing him with Rachel. Oh who was he kidding? He didn't even like Rachel anymore! There was a time when he thought her to be just a nice cute artist but even then he was crazy for Annabeth. He just sort of fell into a relationship with her when he was brooding over Annabeth not liking him. He's always felt guilty being with her but he just can't figure out how to break up with her.
"Percy? Uh hi! Yeah I'm here doing volunteer work because-" Annabeth started
"Okay yeah Annie that's great! Can we play now?" Rachel asked snootily
Annabeth blushed a light pink and glared at Rachel openly. "Of course, that'll be $5.00 for 3 shots. Two bottles down is a small prize. Four is a medium and all five is a large." she bit out.
"5 dollars?! For three shots?! That's crazy! Can't I get a special discount or something?" Rachel protested
"Sorry Rachel, discounts are for friends only." Annabeth stated smiling innocently.
"Ugh! Fine! Percy pay the girl." Rachel stated looking away with indifference.
Percy looked wide eyed between the two girls during the whole interaction. He couldn't understand why there was so much hostility between them. As he was ushered forward to pay he pulled out his wallet and starting counting out five singles.
"Wha- No Percy it's okay you only have to pay two dollars! Best friend discount remember?!" Annabeth said blushing once again. God she had to learn to contain herself around him!
Percy looked up from his wallet and almost dropped it. Annabeth looked like an angel, her hair was glowing and a few stray curls hung in her face which had an irresistible pink tint to it. Her usually sharp gray eyes were soft and looking at him with trust and happiness and...something else he couldn't quite put his finger on. He was still staring at her until Rachel pushed him aside like a rag doll-dang that girl is strong!- before slamming her hands down on the counter and practically screaming in Annabeths face.
"What's your problem huh?! So you'll give him the discount but you won't give it to me?! You greedy little *****! I bet you wanted to keep my money for yourself! Or you just gave my boyfriend your precious discount because you're so obviously in love with him! It's disgusting! Get a life already and leave us alone! Come on Percy lets go to a different game!" Rachel grabbed Percy's arm and made to leave but Percy stood his ground. He couldn't stop looking at the shock, and hurt, and embarrassment on Annabeths face. It was killing him to see her so upset and he was really about to leave with the girl who caused it all?! He'd be damned!
Percy ripped his arm out of Rachel's grasp and spun around to face her with fury in his green eyes.
"No Rachel! I've had it with you! I am so sick of you constantly putting down me and my friends! You call Annabeth greedy but you refuse to pay 5 dollars when your father is a millionaire! Not to mention all the times you openly flirt with other guys in front of me! And you know what Rachel? It doesn't even bother me because I've been trying to find a way to break up with you for months now! I just feel sorry for any guy who you try to date now! And you can go date one of those many guys now because we are done permanently!" Percy stated harshly.
Rachel looked at him with shock in her eyes but it soon turned to malice. "Oh I get it now! You love her don't you? You'll do anything to protect your precious Annabeth! I can't believe I dated you at all! In fact the only thing you seem to be useful for is paying for my things. Well thanks for that! *******!" Rachel yelled. She slapped Percy across the face as hard as she could before stalking off in a huff.
After the sound of her footsteps retreated silence could once again be heard in their corner of the carnival. Only the heavy breathing of the two best friends could be heard.
"Percy..." Annabeth started shakily
"Yeah...?" Percy asked.
They stood looking into each others eyes for a few seconds, then they broke out in fits of giggles before smiling at each other slowly still looking each other in the eye.
"Cmon, let's get you some ice." Annabeth said
"Alright" Percy relented. Annabeth grabbed his arm much like Rachel had moments earlier. The only difference being that he let himself be happily led away.
"Wait Annabeth! Won't you get in trouble for abandoning the booth?" Percy questioned.
"Probably." she said smiling "But this is more important."
"Awwww you do care!" Percy joked
"Nah, it's just the fact that all the single girls in our school would kill me if I let your face have a permanent handprint on it thus ruining your undeniable good looks." Annabeth retorted snorting
"Wow so now you care and you think I'm good looking? If I didn't know better I'd say you have a crush on me!" Percy teased with a goofy smile. To his surprise Annabeth colored slightly and didn't reply.
She led him into the first aid tent and asked the attendant there for a bag of ice. While they waited they studied each other.
"So...awkward silence." Percy said smiling
"Yep..." Annabeth said also smiling
And they were still smiling at each other when the woman came back with the ice.
"Thanks." Annabeth told the lady gratefully
"Anything for such a cute couple!" the lady replied
"Wha-No we're not together!" Annabeth said at the same time Percy said, " We're just friends!"
"Right. Of course you are." she said disbelieving
Percy and Annabeth walked away from the booth both having blushed enough for one lifetime. Annabeth started walking towards the exit and Percy headed back to her booth unnoticing.
"Percy, where are you going? My shift already ended." Annabeth said
"I-I knew that! I was just...admiring this poster!" Percy exclaimed
"Percy that poster is advertising a gentlemen's club which come to think of it shouldn't even be on the wall of a carnival designed to help needy children." Annabeth said walking over to the poster and ripping it off the wall before depositing it in a nearby trash can.
"Fine you caught me I was once again not paying attention and the almighty Annabeth wins. I swear it's like you're a goddess sometimes." Percy said catching himself too late and cursing in his head at his mistake.
Annabeth almost tripped over her own feet upon hearing Percy compare her to a goddess. It was like a dream come true.
"Heh..hardly.." Annabeth said always the modest one. "So, uh..where do you want to go?"
"How about the park?" Percy said with excitement and a childish gleam in his eye.
"Wow 17 years old and you still choose the park." Annabeth says with a fond smile.
After about a ten minute walk they arrive together at the park and Percy sits in the left swing Annabeth in the right as per tradition. They swing in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Percy feels the need to break it.
"You might as well ask it now" Percy said swinging slower now and staring up at the beginning of the sunset. Annabeth slows her swing by digging her heel into the dirt.
"Ask what?" she inquires
"Why I broke up with Rachel... You want to know...right?" Percy questioned
"Well...yeah. I never liked her you know." Annabeth said looking at her toe scuffing the earth.
"Oh really? I never would have guessed!" said Percy sarcastically. Annabeth shot him a dirty look and continued speaking.
"But, you don't have to tell me. It's none of my business." Annabeth stated though she was dying to know.
Percy could feel his heart speeding up. He knew this was the perfect opportunity to tell Annabeth how he felt. It might be his only chance...he decides to take it.
"Actually...it is sort of your business." Percy started nervously.
"Huh? What do you mean" Annabeth asked.
"Well..remember six summers ago when I wanted to do that lemonade stand?" Percy asks
"Of course, how could I forget? You were so excited." Annabeth says smiling fondly at the memory and tilting her head back to join Percy in watching the sunset.
"Well...my relationship with Rachel was sort of like that. I sat there for hours waiting patiently for a customer to come by and try my lemonade I had worked so hard on. I desperately wanted someone nice to come by and taste my lemonade and tell me it was just what they needed for a hot summer day. I started out so...optimistic, but as more and more time passed I got discouraged. I figured nobody was coming and I started packing up. All of a sudden this old lady comes by and tells me how she thinks it's cute what I'm doing and hands me twenty dollars out of pity. You see, Rachel was that old lady and she came along during a low point in my life and she expressed interest. I thought that she might be my only chance at a real relationship after all the hours I spent waiting for...someone else..to notice me. So that's why I started dating her..I thought there wasn't going to be anyone else." Percy says all this looking at the sky.
"Percy! Honestly how could you think that? All the girls at school are crazy about you! You're like our school's most eligible bachelor." Annabeth said with a hint of jealousy lacing her tone.
"But that's just the thing Annabeth, not all the girls at school are crazy about me! The only one I'd ever want doesn't notice me like that at all!" Percy shouted
Annabeth feels a stab of pain in her chest. Percy likes someone. Percy wants someone else. Oh gods no. She knows she has to be strong and not express the emotional turmoil she's feeling.
"Percy, I don't know a single girl who goes to our school who isnt crazy about you. Whoever she is is extremely lucky and you should ask her out. I'm confident she'll say yes. I mean after all you're Percy Jackson...But um hey, I'm going to get going, I have to work the booth again tomorrow so I should get some sleep." Annabeth rushes out her words quickly so she can leave. If she doesn't go right now she just knows she's going to start crying. She gets up off the swing and makes it halfway across the park before the stunned Percy shakes out of his racing thoughts and calls after her.
"Does that mean you are?" he calls out at her retreating back.
Annabeth stops in her tracks just as the first tears start to pool in her eyes.
"Wh-What?" she says, her back still facing him.
He hops off the swing and walks a few steps in her direction.
"You said there wasn't a single girl in our school not crazy about me. You go to our school..so does that mean you're crazy about me?" Percy tentatively asks.
Annabeth can feel her heart beating out of her chest as her mind struggles to formulate a reply. She turns around and looks down at the ground to hide her face.
"I-I...er..well..uh.." Annabeth stutters out. This surprises both her and Percy. Annabeth stuttered. She never stutters unless she's horrendously nervous or she's lying. Percy decided to save her from answering.
"Annabeth, before, when I said there was only one girl I wanted...I-well I was talking about you." Percy nervously managed to say. After he finished his sentence he closed his eyes and blushed a deep red scrunching up his face in anxiety while waiting for her reply. Suddenly he heard her voice right in front of him.
"You're cute when you blush." she states smiling at him and then nervously begins, "As for your question before, well...yeah I guess I am kinda crazy, but only for loving you so much.." Annabeth says and then grimaces at the cheesy quality of her statement.
Percy opens his eyes wide and then slowly smirks at her.
"Sooooo...you loooove me huh?" Percy says in a jokingly arrogant manner.
"Keep that up Jackson and you'll have two handprints in your face!" Annabeth growls at him.
"You're hot when you're outraged." Percy says with a slow grin.
"Percy!" Annabeth yells smacking him in the chest with the palm of her hand. Percy catches her arm and pulls her against his chest. Leaning forward he whispers in her ear. "I love you too, Annabeth." Then he smiles at her sharp intake of breath and kisses her tenderly upon her lips. She makes a small moaning noise in the back of her throat which causes Percy to pull back and laugh.
"What was that?!" he questions smiling at Annabeths pink cheeks.
"N-nothing! Damnit Percy shut up and kiss me already!" she whines. Percy complies without protest and they close the distance between them once more. After what feels like hours of soft lips, small moans, and wandering limbs they separate reluctantly. Breathing heavily, they studied each other.
"So...awkward silence." Percy said smiling
"Yep..." said Annabeth also smiling
And they were still smiling at each other when the sun finally went down...and maybe kissing a little bit too.