"Wise Girl, are you coming out or not?" Thunk. Percy groaned and rubbed his head, glancing at the book his girlfriend had thrown at him. Although he didn't know know why, Annabeth was mad at him. Percy chose to keep calling at her from outside the Athena cabin. "Annabeth, come on. What did I do?"
Suddenly, and without warning, Annabeth burst from the cabin. She ran past Percy and straight towards the lake. Percy shook his head slightly before taking off after her. He had no clue what he'd done, just that he'd screwed up. He arrived at the lake just in time to see Annabeth trip and fall to the ground.
"Annabeth!" Percy cried, continuing to run straight to her. He watched Annabeth try to get back up.
"I'm fine," she said, angrily. However, she fell back to the ground.
"No, you're not," Percy said, kneeling down and pulling out ambrosia. "Now will you tell me why you've been avoiding me." Annabeth's grey eyes met his green ones.
"Because I can't do it," she said simply.
"Do what?" Percy asked slowly, handing her the ambrosia. Annabeth mumbled something incomprehensible before eating the ambrosia. "Wise Girl, repeat please."
"I can't break up with you," she said, looking away.
"Then don't," Percy said with a chuckle.
"But I need to!" Annabeth's expression went grim. "Don't you see it, Seaweed Brain, we're going nowhere. We've been dating for nearly ten years, and look at where we are. Hazel and Frank are married, Piper and Jason have a kid, Leo and Calypso are about too. And then there's us. Percy and Annabeth, the supposed 'perfect couple.' Yet we've made no progress. Just the same old, same old. I - I can't do it anymore!" Annabeth was exasperated and on the brink of tears. She allowed herself to fall back on the sand. "I can't," she whispered before allowing herself to cry.
"Annabeth," Percy said gently, trying to get closer. When she didn't move, Percy allowed himself to sit on the ground next to her, gently pulling her into his lap. She continued to sob. After a few moments, when Annabeth had finally calmed down, Percy spoke.
"You know, I was saving this for tomorrow," Percy said softly.
"What, a birthday present for yourself?" Annabeth said sarcastically, still not looking at Percy.
"No, our anniversary present. Ten years, Wise Girl. Tens years since that kiss in the canoe lake."
"Ten years of going nowhere, though," Annabeth said sadly, trying to get up. Percy gently pulled her back down.
"Not anymore," Percy said. "I just wish you could've waited one more day."
"For what?" Annabeth spoke slowly.
"For this," Percy said, handing her that oh-so-famous little black box. A nervous smile was on his face. "Open it." As Annabeth laid her eyes on a silver band with a little teal stone, she heard, "Annabeth Chase, will you marry me?"