Annabeth had been talking to her roommate, Elle, and they got on to the subject the huge party this Friday night. "It's going to be crazy. Plus it's a great way to meet guys! My boyfriend and I broke up this summer before we left for different universities. I really liked him, but we didn't want to try to the whole long distance thing…"Elle said, her voice getting sad. "But enough about him," Elle said, getting happy again, "We're going to meet some really cute guys! We need to get cute new outfits, and we should get our hair done. Oooh and let's paint our nails!"
"Actually, Elle, I already have a boyfriend."
"Really? Is he coming to the party? What's his name? What's he look like? Do I know him?"
Annabeth laughed. "Slow down girl. His name is Percy and no he won't be coming and you don't know him because he doesn't go to U of T. We've been dating since we were sixteen. And I think I love him."
What Elle was about to say next really got Annabeth thinking. How would she know if Percy is the one if she had never dated anybody else? Most teenage relationships don't last forever. Most long distance relationships don't last. Doesn't she want to see the world and live life and try new things? Percy was the kind of person you wanted to meet when you were in fourth year, then you could settle down with him and live the rest of your lives together. Well, it was decided. Annabeth was going to break up with Percy so they could set each other free and grow as people.
It was a cold day and the snow was piling up on the streets. In a warm café sat Annabeth across a table from Percy. She took her coat off and hung it on her chair. Next to go were her mittens and her hat. Her cheeks were still a rosy pink from the cold wind biting her skin. Annabeth looked so angelic, walking in from the blistering cold world outside but still smiling and looking beautiful. Percy, on the other hand, came into the café with his hands jammed into his coat pockets and his shoulders rigid. His green eyes were wide and his teeth were chattering from the cold. He sat down rather awkwardly, refusing to take off his coat.
Percy ordered a hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and extra chocolate syrup, a chocolate chip cookie to dunk in his hot chocolate, a slice of blueberry pie, and a blondie for his post-desert desert. Annabeth ordered herself a cup of tea and a chocolate muffin.
Percy took a sip of hot chocolate, a bite of his cookie, and a bite of pie and sighed with his eyes close. "Ohh, that's the stuff," he mumbled with his mouth full. Annabeth smiled at his pig-ish ways. That's one thing she was going to miss about him.
Now that Percy had some food in his stomach and the feeling in his hands, feet and face was coming back, he was ready to talk. "I haven't seen you in so long! It's been like twenty zillion months. I've missed you so much, Annabeth. And I think about you every day." Gods, she couldn't say what she wanted to say after hearing that. Instead she smiled sheepishly and nodded her head.
Changing the focus of the subject she asked, "How are you liking NYU?"
With a mouth full of pie, he answered, "Eh… It's fine. It would be better if you were there though." That made Annabeth's heart sink.
"And you're passing all of your courses, right?"
He rolled his eyes. She was being such a mom right now. "Duh, of course I am. If I don't I'll get kicked off the swim team. Fifty-five is a pass. "
Annabeth's eyes widened. "Percy!" She calmed down and recollected herself. If she was going through with what she planned, his business wouldn't be hers anymore and she wouldn't get to care about his grades. "You have to do better than fifty-five. You need to study more, Percy, and worry less about the camp." Since Percy went to NYU, he was close to camp and visited the camp almost every day to help train new campers and just to be there again.
"Maybe you can help me study?" Percy said with a bit of a seductive smile. He winked at her.
Annabeth mentally slapped herself. This conversation kept going back to her and that's not where she wanted it to go. "Percy, there are free tutoring services at your school. You should take advantage of them." She took a sip of her tea. "And it's a great way to meet new people," she added, as a slight hint.
"I do meet new people. All the time. But… I'd rather meet you more often! I know U of T is pretty close, but it's really not close enough. Mmm, this pie is delicious. Want some?" He offered her his fork. She shook her head. "So when do I get to come visit your school and see how smart my girlfriend is in comparison to the rest?"
Girlfriend. He was not making this easy. "Well you already know how smart I am."
"That's true. But I want to see your room and your friends and your classes. And most importantly, I want to make sure everyone knows you're taken," he said with a light hearted smile.
Annabeth refused to meet his eyes. Instead she ripped off a piece of her muffin and popped in into her mouth. This was getting harder and harder for her to do by the minute. She was going to work up the courage and just tell him. Right now. She was going to do it. No backing down. "I-" she began softly.
He soft voice was overpowered by Percy's enthusiastic voice. "Hey when are you going to come down to NYU? I want to take you to all the cool places I've discovered on campus. There's a really nice pond behind one of the buildings and it has a fountain with fish and it's so calm and peaceful. Plus I want to show you off to my friends."
There he goes again, making it hard for her.
"Well, actually, Percy, I'm really busy with school and I don't know if I'll have time to come down to NYU, or if I'll even have time to show you around U of T."
"But you're planning on coming down to visit Camp Half Blood next month, right? That's what Chiron told me." Annabeth silently cursed Chiron. Annabeth nodded in agreement. "So why don't you make it a whole day field trip and hang out with me?" Percy said optimistically.
It was now or never. "Percy." Annabeth said in a serious voice. So serious, that Percy put his fork down and looked at her with concerned eyes. "I have been meaning to talk to you about something. Um, I don't really know where to start." Annabeth almost whispered that last part, not sure whether she was saying it to herself or to Percy. "Well, you know how we graduated high school… and we went to separate universities… and we don't see each other very often…"
Annabeth was stalling for time. She was stating the obvious and that worried Percy. Annabeth was usually very direct about what she wanted to say. "Uh, yeah Annabeth. I know that. I'm in this relationship too so I think I would know what happened," he said, mocking her. He hoped she would lighten up, but she didn't.
"Right, sorry." She shook her head. "And we're eight hours apart from each other. And we've met new people, and we're going to continue to meet new people. And things are changing."
"Yeah," he agreed. "That's usually what happens when people go to university. It's a new chapter of life full of good things, bad things, surprises, laughs, tears, and hardships. But you know that I'll always be there for you."
Oh darn it. Another chance to tell him gone out the window.
"Oh, that reminds me! I got you this funny t-shirt. It says 'My boyfriend goes to NYU'. It's back in my room, but maybe we can go back there tonight and continue to catch up." Percy winked at her.
"Actually, Percy, I don't think it's a good idea for me to go back with you. I-"
"Oh yeah, that's right. You have a mid tem on Monday. Okay, I'll let you study but once we're on break, you're all mine."
Annabeth was going to try a new tactic. "So, how are the parties at NYU?"
"They are off the hook. Not that anybody says that anymore. But I've been to a few and they're pretty cool." Percy said.
"Yeah? And have you met any girls?"
Percy was taken off guard by the question. "Annabeth, is that what this is about?" he said, referring to their urgent "meeting" as Annabeth had called it; it was a date in Percy's mind. Annabeth nodded, not able to confirm with words. It was hard for her to break up with Percy. She loved him but she wanted both of them to have experiences and not be held back by the other. "Trust me Annabeth, all the girls I've met are nothing compared to you. I promise you that the only girl I look at, and will ever look at, is you."
That was not exactly the response she was looking for. She was hoping her question would lead into talking about seeing other people.
"And I'm hoping that you haven't met any guys that have caught your eye?" Percy asked, a bit of anxiousness in his voice.
Finally he seemed to be getting her message that she wanted to talk about their relationship ending. Annabeth shook her head. It was true, she hadn't actually met anybody who she wanted a relationship with. A voice in her head wondered whether she was doing the right thing here. On the other hand, maybe if they broke up she would meet someone she was interested in.
"Good." Percy smiled. "I can't imagine my world without you."
Darn it. There goes another chance.
"But Percy, I think it might be-" she was cut off. "Oh my gods! Hear that?" Percy's eyes wandered up to the top right and he pointed his finger at the ceiling. "I love the song! It reminds me of us." He grinned. It was John Legend's All of you. It was cheesy, he knew, but he didn't care. It made Annabeth's heart melt, but she knew if she was going to end their relationship then she would have to do it now rather continue to stay with him while she intended to break up with him. Really, it was only fair to Percy that she be honest and break up with him.
Sometimes, actually most times, Percy was pretty dense. She was going to have to spell out the words to him to get the message across. "There's something really important we need to talk about."
"What's that Annabeth?" He took a big bite of his blondie.
"I was talking with my roommate and she told me how she broke up with her boyfriend at the end of summer. It was because they didn't want to the whole long distance relationship stuff." Annabeth talked slowly and cautiously.
"That kind of sucks for her. Maybe the three of us can hang out 'cause I'm sure she's lonely now that she's single."
"Um, that's not the point I was getting at. So she was saying how most teenage relationships don't last like they do in the books. I mean, imagine meeting your husband or wife when you're in high school or even middle school. The chances of that are kind of slim."
"I know, right? That's why I'm so lucky to have you." He gave her a reassuring smile.
"Well, a lot of relationships break in university. It's just that the two people are on different paths and it gets harder to stay on track. It's neither party's fault, it's just natural to drift apart."
"I guess, unless both parties put effort into the relationship. And if they really like each other then they will." Percy said, taking another bite of his cookie this time.
"Right, but university is a new chapter in one's life and it's a time to grow as a person and change. There's plenty of time to settle down late in life, but now it's time to enjoy being young and adventurous."
Percy's eye narrowed as he thought long and hard about what she was saying. Annabeth's heart was beating faster than normal. Maybe now the message had gotten through. And now that the message had potentially gotten through, Annabeth was having second thoughts. Percy nodded.
"I kind of doubt that our lives will ever settle down. I mean, we're demigods," he whispered the word, "and there will never not be monsters or bad guys chasing us around. I mean, I don't think I'll even have a 'normal' life like I did before I came into the world of magic. Well it wasn't that normal to begin with, but it was as close to being normal as I will ever get. Even still, I wouldn't trade this life for the world. If I was normal then I would never have met you, and Annabeth, I can't imagine my life without you in it. You are the sunshine in my world. You are my best friend and one of the most important people in my life. You know all my secrets and I trust you with my life. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever met. You're incredibly intelligent and you're the fiercest warrior I have ever seen. You blow my mind and I love you more than anything.
No matter what happens in this life, I will love you forever. Even after we drink from the River Lethe in Elysium and our memories are wiped, I know that in my heart I will still love you. There is no amount of magic in the world that will make me stop loving you because you are the best thing that has ever happened to me."
Annabeth stayed quiet throughout his speech. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she help it together. Maybe she couldn't break up with him because she loved him too much. To Hades with what Elle said. "I love you, too, Percy Jackson. Maybe we can go back to your room and get that t-shirt you were talking about?"
"And don't forget about the catching up part." Percy grinned. He may not have gotten her message, but Annabeth certainly got his and that was all she needed.