Hi fanfiction people! I know I should be updating my other stuff, but I wanted to write a beautiful percabeth AU (original I know), so here you go. I don't own PJO or HoO.
Before we met, I was a static character but then you started my path to be a dynamic one.
A shrill, annoying noise filled the air, the alarm on my flip phone. I opened my eyes to see that I spent the night at Thalia and Luke's place, more specifically on their old black couch. I grabbed the phone off the coffee table and turned off the noise, I'll find out if I hit snooze in five minutes. I yawn and wipe the sleep out of my eyes then carefully fold the blanket at my legs.
An over six foot blond sophomore and his dwarf Latino companion in the same grade walk past me to the kitchen. I can smell coffee and toast, the most basic breakfast known to American man kind. I get up, phone in hand, and head over to the kitchen. It's small, with no washing machine, half the cabinet doors broken, and a five person round table with garage sale chairs taking up too much space, but it works.
I take my grey fold up seat next to the blond superman and across from the elf of ADHD. My backpack is still on Thalia's blue fold up with papers going every which way. I sigh and take everything out to reorganize. An English novel and work sheet dealing with another one of Shakespeare's plays, which is it's own level of difficult with dyslexia, for AP English language. My honors Calculus book and workbook, only Mrs. Dodds would give homework for both on the same day. My finished AP physics lab report and my architecture project, done and due tomorrow. Once that and all my other supplies are neatly packed, I grab the last piece of toast the boys are fighting over.
"Jason, you've had three and I had two, the last one is rightfully mine!"
"I'm a growing boy Leo!"
"Well, I need to grow more than you, so it's mine!"
"Well, I'm growing now so it's mine!"
I smirk and shake my head at their antics. I cough and wave a little piece of crust in the air, all that's left of the toast. Both of them look rather offended. "I'm sorry guys, but you realize Thalia left six so there would be two for everyone? Also, there's no more bread because she made the ends."
Jason sighed. "Sorry Annabeth, we thought you made it back to your house last night."
I turned to Leo who nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sorry but can't you bring food from la casa de Fredrick Chase?"
Jason elbowed him. "You know why she can't do that Leo."
"I know it's just a thought that maybe he will at least talk to you then."
I sighed. "Or call the cops and say I stole from the neighbors, broke in somewhere, or did something illegal. With my childhood record and how messed up the police departments are, I'll end up in juive again or in jail."
They both groan in annoyance. You see, Jason is Thalia's younger brother who she adopted right after her eighteenth birthday. He'd been in foster care and houses since the tender age of five before reaching Thalia at age twelve. Luckily, he wasn't abused in any type of manner while in the system. Although, he did end up in this cult for twelve months and left with a tattoo with an eagle, twelve lines, and SPQR on his arm. Leo, on the other hand, got in the system after his mom died in a fire started by a runaway criminal woman, known as Gaea, with Leo himself barely surviving. His aunt wouldn't take him in, which is strange because she's the Hispanic version of the Duggers, so he bounced from home to home until he ended up in one with Jason. The two became best friends and were glued at the hip for 16 months until Thalia finally found Jason. Jason refused to go with Thalia, even though he really wanted to, unless she agreed to adopt Leo as well. Technically, Thalia and Luke were recently married and probably didn't meet the income needed to get Jason, but someone inside pulled some strings and Leo was adopted too, keeping his last name in honor of his mom and Jason keeping his. Sadly, Leo was abused by one of his foster moms, Teresa, so it took him awhile to adjust to Thalia, since Luke was a truck driver at the time and almost never around.
I view both boys as little brothers and my responsibility to take care of them ever since Thalia became a second grade teacher a year ago and Luke now being a Fed Ex driver, he says it pays a little better and he gets to see all us more. I have my own half brothers, but Helen forbids me to even touch them so they grew up without my guidance, even if some of that's my own fault. On the flip side, Jason and Leo are both overly protective of me and don't want anything bad happening to me. It's sweet of them, but we go to different high schools since I technically live in another district, so they can't do all that much.
"Seriously you two, it's not that bad and we all need to go to school."
Leo plants his head on the table. "Can't we just ditch?"
Jason flicks the top of his head. "No we can't, we have three tests and a quiz today."
"Exactly."
I sigh. "I'll help you with your homework if we leave in the next three minutes."
They took off like rockets, works every single time. I pour myself a cup of black coffee and down it in three large chugs. I pick up my backpack and walk out of the apartment to the lobby. They both appear a minute later. I smile. "Not bad, but the record of 90 seconds last year for summer homework stills stands."
Leo snorts and hands everyone a toothbrush, Dixie cup with water, and squirts the paste on each. It may seem a little weird to carry that, but Jason has to carry the combs and brush while I carry my own two sets of clothes for myself, old habits die hard. Once I finish, I throw my cup out and take my brush from Jason and quickly do my hair in a ponytail. Since it's early fall, I take off my shirt, don't worry I have a Cami underneath so I don't flash anybody, and pull on one of my back-up shirts, the orange one with a black Pegasus on the front. I get a few whistles and the senders get blue lasers from Jason and brown ones from Leo. I give them a grateful smile and ruffle straight blond and curly brown hair. I ruffle Leo's a little too much.
"Leo, my hand in stuck in your hair again."
"Well chica, let me comb it first next time."
"A little help, Jase?"
Jason chuckles and helps pull my hand out as we reach the subway station. It's as busy as ever during morning rush hour, no big surprise there. We show our passes and rush to get on the incoming train.
I always love this part of the morning as I dodge the people and play a bad game of tag with the boys and almost miss the train. It sucks when we miss it or all of us don't make it on the same one. Thankfully, today isn't one of those days. Although, there were only two seats left, so I let Jason and Leo sit there to do their work.
Jason tapped my arm. "Who wrote the "Letters from a Farmer"?
"John Dickinson."
Leo tapped next. "What's the square root of 169?"
I give him a look.
"I left my calculator at school and you know I have math first."
"13."
It continued like this for about ten minutes until the closest stop to my school was approaching. I sigh and look at the boys. "I'm getting off in a minute, any last minute questions?"
Leo raised his hand for a few seconds, then Jason raised his. "Yes, Jason, what is your question?"
"No fair!"
"Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?"
"That was my question Sparky!"
I shake my head. "For the love of pizza, we watched National Treasure last night! It was signed in Independence Hall in Philly."
The intercom came on and said all off for my stop. I smile bye while Leo salutes and Jason waves. Once I get off the train, I book it to street level and jog three blocks to school. It doesn't take all that long since I'm a natural runner and on cross country, it's a shame the season's almost over. I would take spring track, but Fredrick only lets me do one sport, says it's less expensive.
I see Goode High School as I turn the final bend. The parking lot is packed full of cars and teenagers mulling around and gossiping about who did what and where. I roll my eyes, the day I start caring about random crap people do is the day Leo stops speaking in Spanish.
I spot my one true and only friend in this prison sitting on a bench and waving me over. I smile and dash over to her side. Her name is Calypso and she loves gardening and mechanics, a weird combo but it works like frosties and french fries. She's wearing jeans and a white tee with a lavender jacket on top. Her caramel hair is in it's weird side thing with a head band and almond shaped eyes without make up, another thing we have in common besides daddy issues and being smart.
I plop down beside her on the bench. "What's up Callie?"
She sighs. "My dad wants to meet Leo, but I know he just wants to scare him away."
Ah yes, Callie and Leo have been dating in secret for about a year now and her dad flipped when he found out. Atlas Titan has the opposite problem of my dad, he cares far too much and takes on a whole new level of a hover parent. We both know he only wants what's best for her, but Calypso thinks he wants to control her life so nothing can hurt her, a very unrealistic goal.
I put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Leo may be small but he can survive your dad. The only reason he's doing this is to make sure Leo's a good guy."
"I know, but he has this mind set that no one's good enough for me and it's going to crush some of Leo's confidence."
"You'll build it back up after."
The 15 minute warning bell rings from inside the prison. Thank goodness Callie's in everything with me except my gym and architecture, or thank Luke and Leo who hatched into the school scheduling system to make sure we weren't unhappy loners. The bad thing is, I have gym first.
We both sigh and start the trek into the building, which is designed after an actual prison and is one of the blandest buildings in all of New York. Seriously, everything is blue and grey which have almost turned into the same color after years of no extra coatings of paint and fading. The lockers are all this cool grey color, but they were bright blue about twenty years ago, and line almost every hall. There are three floors total and each hold certain classes. First floor is half underground and has any subject dealing with computers, art, and history. Second floor contains the gym, theater, pool, math, and anything with music. The third floor is all the English, science, and any the electives left over.
We hurry down the stairs and over to Mr. Brunner's AP U.S. history room where our lockers are located, side by side. I'm proud to say my locker is organized chronologically with my classes and everything is in perfect order. Calypso's looks like someone dumped a trash can from a paper hoarder's house inside.
I shake my head. "You know, if you organized your locker, you would able to find more then half your crap without being late."
Callie pulls her head out of her locker and brief looks into mine. "Yeah, and if you weren't such a perfectionist and extremely OCD-"
"It's ADHD and dyslexia, OCD has never been confirmed."
"-people might actually see you as a real person and not an android who could take over the world."
I wave her off. "I'm not a robot Callie, but if I wanted to, then I could start a new world order with clean locker codes and flying cars."
Callie shudders. "Don't start that until we're both out of school."
I smirk. "Wasn't planning on it."
I grab my physics and English stuff, then close and lock my locker. Callie is stilling digging and looking for her play and choir music sheets. I squint my eyes to help her in the search, even though looking into it directly makes me want to skip class to clean the thing. Maybe I should get checked for OCD. I won't be able to get any meds if I do, I don't get any meds now, but it would still be nice to know. I spot the novel in between random papers and grab it.
"Found the novel, missing anything else?"
Callie finds the last music sheet to "See you again" by Charlie insert name here and Wiz rapper dude. Guess their teacher wants to do something in honor of the end of Glee, or the guy just can't believe it's over.
"No, I got it Annabeth, and yes he can't get over Glee."
"That's not what I was thinking about."
"Okay, if not that than how it was worse when the actor who played Finn died."
"Bingo. Has anyone found a replacement show for him?"
"Mr. Fletcher is going to see Pitch Perfect with his siblings for the first time, hopefully that works."
We hike up the stairs to the fork in the hallway, music and entertainment left and athletics right. I always think of when Dorothy met the scarecrow and they skipped down the same path due to the school's dealer usually selling drugs and taking clients for a high in the bathrooms. If not him, the school prostitute stands there waiting. If not them, then the kid selling test answers and cheats on "pop" quizzes. It makes me feel a little sad that there's someone visiting all three, our very own Dorothy. At the same time, I'm glad I'm not a part of it.
I sigh and wave bye to Callie. "See you next period."
Callie smiles and waves back. "You too and don't take over the school."
A smile appears on my face then disappears. I might love sports and be competitive, but I can't stand gym class. Maybe it's because I don't really know most the the kids and don't want to, so I'm a loner. Maybe it's all the people who don't change or participate in anything yet can still get an A. Maybe I don't like the fact I have to prove I'm not a dumb blond every single day.
I get to the locker room to see it almost empty because most people don't get changed three minutes before class starts. I quickly unlock my gym locker, take out clothes, get changed, and shove anything of value like my flip phone and materials inside then lock it. I don't look all that different except I'm wearing grey sweats and a Yankees tee with my hair in a redone pony. Perfect.
I sprint out of the locker room and rush into the gym as the bell rings. Most of the boys who are pigs, 23% of this class, look at me with perverted thoughts and a bit of lust. It doesn't bother me as much as it used, I just give my go to hell and don't even think about coming back glare, a good amount shuddered and take a small step back. It's important to do this or else I could end up in a moment like in Speak, far sooner than I want to. I hear a few of the girls call me a whore, stripper, and a split girlfriend between two boys. Better they talk behind my back than mess with my lockers or me. I find a spot away from everyone else to stand while Coach Quintus takes attendance.
Coach Quintus blows his whistle. "Okay class, stop the chatter. Now, all freshmen head off to the pool area because tomorrow you start your three weeks of swimming." Groans can be heard from where the freshmen are gathered. "Also, would Annnabeth Chase go with them." All eyes snap towards me, great.
"Is there a reason for this coach? Because it's early October, they shouldn't be getting lost any more." I get a few chuckles and mumbles of protest from that.
"Chase you missed your swimming unit in freshmen year." Yeah, because I had grown out of my old suit and couldn't afford a new one. I don't swim enough to make it worth the money. Then there was the whole drama with this guy, that's still going on by the way. I did invest in a suit for the summer the following year and I got a whole suit on sale mid June.
"I wrote an essay on the history of swimming."
"You never brought in the parent or doctor note needed. You still passed, but you need to make it up." Yeah Fredrick and Helen thought I was being a baby and there was nothing wrong with me.
"What if I got the note tomorrow?"
"That's two years too late. It's fifteen days of your life and you need to pass gym to graduate. You need to take this and pass or you retake gym next year."
"But Coach Quintus-"
"No buts Annabeth, you start tomorrow."
I sigh and trail the thirty-three freshmen to the pool area. An Italian boy slows down a bit to match my pace. I smile, to most of his class, he's an emo but to me he's like a cousin. This is probably because he's Jason and Thalia's cousin in real life, along with Hazel who goes to Jase and Leo's school. They have some other cousin, but lost touch with him after shit it the fan and all the dads left. Nico and Hazel found the Grace siblings with a private detective to make sure they were okay after Bianca, Nico's full sister, died.
"I thought you don't like being around me at Goode? I know Will, Lou, and Cecil are in this class, go hang out with your friends."
Nico looked at me with almost black eyes. "I know you don't want to do this, but try to be... positive."
"This coming from you di Angelo."
"Just ask if you can do your swimming after school or during lunch to avoid being sexual harassed or raped again."
I freeze for a second. I'm not going to lie, those things have happened since I arrived at Goode three years ago. It's a dirty little secret I keep from Jason and Leo because they'd do something rash, while Luke and Thalia do know but tell me to make my own decision on the matter. They want me to call the cops or threaten anyone who's trying to do stuff like that to me, and I do threaten. I don't call the cops, because, and I know this is extremely stupid, it might hurt my chances of getting into college or a scholarship offer. A good part of society blames the victim in these kinds of situations and I never really cared that much about waiting for marriage or the "one" when it came to virginity. I do make sure I don't have STDs and that the bastards have condoms. So, I avoid the elephant in the room along with the lion and the annoying hyenas.
"What makes you think that happens Nico?"
"Chase, I'm very good at over hearing and reading people."
I sigh. "Just don't tell Jase or Leo about this. I'll switch schools next year when I'm eighteen, okay?"
He doesn't look happy about it. "Fine."
The freshmen in front of us push the doors to the pool open. I can see three figures, two boys and a girl, waiting for us, or most likely Nico. There's a tall blond with bright blue eyes who reminds me of Jason due to appearance, is Will, future doctor and Nico's crush. Will also likes Nico, but everyone's letting the two realize it on their own time. The other boy has brown hair and eyes, who knows how to break and screw up anything, is Cecil. The girl has brown hair with purple streaks and eyes, don't ask me how that's possible because I don't know, loves magic and Doctor Who, is Lou Ellen. She and Cecil have crushes on each other two, but everyone does what they do with Will and Nico, or Solangelo.
Will jogs over to us and puts a hand on Nico's shoulder. "There you are death boy, I was worried you'd ditch us for three weeks."
Nico gave his signature smirk. "Think I'd miss the chance to have a splash war Solace." Or see him in a swim suit.
Will then directs his attention towards me. We don't know each other all that well, but we get along fine. "No offense, but this must suck for you Annnabeth."
"You have no idea."
The three of us scurry to Lou and Cecil, then all of us quickly rush past the doors just before they close. A good amount of the freshmen are looking at me like I'm some kind artifact. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this torture coach, thank you. Everyone else is looking at the pool.
It's not empty like I thought it would be, instead it's full of swimmers. Some have caps, most have goggles, but over half are boys. In fact, for every girl there's about three boys and I see six girls.
I hear a whistle blown and all eyes, mine included, snap towards a woman. The first thing I catch sight of is the neon pink hair that's dripping wet. The next is the fact she carries her self with an air of confidence and calm, she can probably start a fight if someone looks at her wrong. She has ocean blue eyes and is wearing a blue whole suit and surfer shorts and looks to be in her mid twenties. This had to be the woman in charge of my aquatic education.
"Okay class, listen up. You will be spending three school weeks, or fifteen days, in this pool swimming. I don't care if you know how to swim, I care about you doing the strokes correctly. You will be doing free style, breast stroke, backstroke, butterfly, side stroke, diving, and treading water. If there's time, I'll pull out the kayaks and canoes for a day or two. I expect everyone to change into a suit, nothing skimpy, and get in the water. If you miss a day, you have to make it up during your lunch or after school. Days not made up are a zero. If you don't know how to swim, tell me before tomorrow so I can have two groups. If you have any questions, come ask and if not just talk for the rest of time. Also, since I have a long, hard to say name, call me Coach Kym."
Coach Kym then proceeded to walk away from all of us and over to the pool. She was followed by a group of about seven people who probably don't know how to swim. I tap my foot impatiently as she marks people off and Lou and Nico tell Will and Cecil how anything in Paranormal Activity is bullshit. I agree that it could never be real and I've only trailers. Finally, all the students around her disperse and I walk over to her.
Coach Kym grins. "Let me guess, the junior who didn't swim two years ago."
I cross my arms. "I wrote an essay."
She looks at her clipboard. "I know, it was a fine essay, one of the best I've ever had the pleasure of reading for this class. Now, what's your game plan to get out of this class again?"
Did she just call me one of those people who don't participate? "Coach Kym, is it possible for me to just do my swimming after school?"
She raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing you want to do this with all your swim days?"
"Except maybe a day or two, since the girls cross county state meet is in two weeks and I have practice after school. On those days, I'd like to take it during lunch."
"What are you, extremely modest or scared of all the younger boys harassing you? I'll have you know-"
"Coach Kym!"
A black haired boy, who appears to be about an inch shorter than Jase, calls from in the pool about five feet away. He has blue goggles resting in his hair and the eye color of sea green, my second favorite color. He seemed like a trouble maker without even trying, but an all around softie and loyal puppy on the inside. I felt a weird pull towards him, but pushed that away because when it comes to unknown males, things can go south real fast. He looked familiar though. I might have been in a class or a lunch with him before, but never actually paid attention to him. The guy looked to be either a junior or senior, so he could have been. Yet, he couldn't be as perfect as he seemed because nobody's perfect, as stated by a Hannah Montana song.
"Yes, Jackson?"
Jackson, I know that name from somewhere and not because of Andrew Jackson or any other historical figures.
"I think the team would be okay with her taking up space for three weeks."
Why did his voice have to sound like an angel's? Why couldn't he sound like Leo or Mr. Fletcher, to not boost his level of attractiveness?
"Did you ask the whole team or are you listening to private conversations again?"
"A bit of both coach, but, seriously, everyone would be okay with it."
"Someone would have to monitor her and grade her."
"I already do that for the team as a whole. I think I can handle another person."
Well, this is kind of rude. I cough and gesture at myself. "I'm right here you know."
Jackson turns to face me and include me in my conversation again. "Well, I'm captain of the boys swim team and rep. for the girls because somehow there are only freshmen and sophomores this year and no one's ready to step up. Basically, I'm giving coach the okay to let you swim after school."
I cross my arms. I figured most of that out on my own. Besides, who else could all those swimmers be? This is the whole dumb blond thing I have to prove in gym, to a guy I don't know and honestly should care less about. Is it me, or are his eyes looking into my very soul?
Coach Kym sighs and looks at both of us. "I'll go put your info on a clipboard for Jackson. You're starting tomorrow like everyone else Chase." She then proceeds to walk into a locker room for the girls.
Then, almost like magnets, our eyes lock on each others. For a few seconds, there's nothing but silence, beautiful silence. Of course he has to be the one to break it. "So, I'm guessing your first name isn't Chase because she calls everyone by their last names. Plus it would be kind of weird if your parents gave you a boy name."
And there's the fault, he's not all that bright but pretty observant. I give him a look, a certain sexist glare if you will. "Even if that was my first name, how do you consider something a boy name? Haley was once a popular boy name, but is now mostly known as a girl name. For all we know, in twenty years Chase could very well be a popular girl name." Once my little rant is done, he's blushing a bit and looks flustered.
"Sorry, just trying to make conversation."
"What's wrong with silence?"
"Nothing, I'd just like to know you better since we're coming to be spending a lot of time together for three weeks."
"Technically, it's just thirty-five to forty minutes and it's not like we're going to talk to each other after this, so why would you want to get to know me."
"This is what I get for trying to be nice and polite."
"Very little good comes from being nice and people are usually just polite to impress others."
"So you don't believe in manners and doing the right thing?
"The nice thing isn't always the right thing. How can we even judge what's right because the opinion changes for every person? For example, what's your take on the death penalty?"
"I don't believe in it."
"Neither do I, so we have similar views."
"Great, now before you get all defensive again-"
"I do not."
"- my name is Percy Jackson. What's your name?"
Now I remember, he's Mr. Blofis's step-son. He also has a record for destroying stuff and accidents on field trips.
I roll my eyes. "This isn't first grade."
"No name, no entry to the pool."
"You're so immature."
"Says the girl who ranting about names."
"I discussed the names and their relation to gender."
"Do you have to fight with me on everything!"
I smirk. "No, you just make it too easy. If I'm really such a pain, let me be someone else's problem."
He pauses briefly. "I said I'd monitor and grade you and with your attitude at present, no one would want to do that, except coach but she'd make your life hell because of your weird issue with swimming and this class."
He gives me a few seconds to consider that possibility. I'd be fine doing the extra work, but the locker room? I shudder, no way in hell am I going to put up with any more bullshit from the preppy lifeguards. Not to mention, it gives the chance for the upperclassmen to ambush me or pull shit. I'm not putting myself in one of those situations, even I don't know anyone in that pool, they're definitely the better option.
"Clearly, you don't want to go there Chase. Now, be the wise girl I know you are and cooperate with me."
"Well seaweed brain-"
"I walked right into the one, didn't I?"
"Yes you did, now let me finish. My name is Annabeth Chase and I expect you not to call me Annie, Beth, Anna, Bethie, Annabel, or anything other stupid short cut from saying my full first name."
He whistles long and slow. "Well, I guess I'll stick to Annabeth or Wise Girl, I hope that floats your boat."
I sigh. "Fine with me Seaweed Brain."
Coach Kym comes back over to us. "Her info is in your locker Jackson. I hope you two are getting along?"
Jackson smirks. "Swimmingly."
Great, he makes water related puns. This is going to be a long three weeks.
I have a little over 20k invested in this story so far, but I don't know if I should continue it. I really would appreciate any feedback you, the viewers, give me.
