"Annabeth! Wake up or you'll be late for school!" My father's voice rang through my ears and I opened my eyes. I sighed and got up, dragging my feet to my closet to pick out my clothes for today.
I'll admit it, I was in the dumps. Since I moved here last year, my only friend was Percy Jackson, and he just told me he was moving this week. Today was the last day I would probably ever see him again. We were only in third grade, but he was moving to New York which was all the way on the other side of the country from California. That was exactly two thousand, nine hundred, and six miles, so you understand why I'm so pessimistic.
Alright there was more than just the distance. I had a crush on him, there I admitted it. I, Annabeth Chase, have a crush on my best friend, Percy Jackson.
But can you blame me? Percy is the only one that was nice to me, everyone else was deterred from my brain. I was abnormally smart, or wise as my father puts it, for my age. I had the IQ of a senior in High School (so why was I still in elementary school? I don't know). I get it from my mother, she's a college professor at UCA at Berkley, and probably the smartest woman I have ever seen. Like a female Einstein.
Back to my point, he was the only one to try to be my friend. Plus, I won't lie, Percy was cute. I know girls my age are suppose to believe in 'cooties' and 'boys are icky' but I read my mother's textbooks, I know better than that, and I'm a little more mature thank you.
Percy had messy black hair, but messy in a cute way even though I know he doesn't even try to brush it, and deep green eyes that looked a lot like the ocean. It was a pretty good description because Percy basically lives in the water. I think he gets it from his dad, who's an oceanographer also a USA Berkley. He hates my mom-feeling's mutual for her-because of a debate they had on giant squid and other mythical,as my mother puts it, sea animals.
Again, I wasn't surprised. My mother's name was ironically Athena, and his dad's name was ironically Poseidon, and from my Greek Mythology book its like they were born to fight with each other.
I pulled on a grey t-shirt with an owl on it surrounded with books; grey my favorite color and also the color of my eyes- another thing I got from my mother was her unique eyes. The text at the top by my throat said 'If you don't have anything to say worth my time, then leave me to my books'. I loved it. It described my life.
When I walked down stairs, my father was sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading the paper. I walked to the counter and climbed up onto the stool so I could reach. Sometimes it sucked being under four feet tall. I grabbed a bowl and my cereal out of the cabinets, I was about to climb down when I was grabbed from behind. I squealed in delight as my father flew me around making airplane noises. My father was a history freak, he loved old airplanes the most. He even has a working replica of one, we go flying every weekend, it's like a tradition for my family. I would sit in the back on mommy's lap and daddy would do fancy tricks just to make me giggle.
As he got closer to the table, he made a sound like he was talking on a radio. "Captain, The Olympus requesting permission to land." I giggled, The Olympus was the name of his plane, he named it after mommy's namesake's home.
"Granted!" I squealed.
"BRILLIANT!" Daddy said in a fake British accent. "Landing in three...two...one...success!" He kissed my cheek. "Good morning sweet-heart."
I kissed his cheek in return. "Morning daddy!" I said, pouring my cereal. He poured milk in over my head and into a glass for me before returning it to the fridge.
I ate quickly since I was indeed going to be late, and I wanted to spend time with Percy before he left. Daddy helped me into my seat in the backseat before starting up the car and pulling out of the driveway.
Half way through the ride, daddy turned on the radio to the country station he loves so much. They were just starting a new song.
It started way back in third grade...
I sat up a bit straighter. I was in third grade, I wonder what this is about.
I use to sit beside Emmy Lou Hayes
A pink dress, a matching bow, and her pony tail.
She kissed me on the school bus and told me not to tell.
Alright, so it's a love song. I thought. Then again, most country is but that's one of the things I liked about it.
The next day I chased her 'round the playground
Across the monkey bars to the merry-go-round.
I chuckled to myself, sounds like many of my own recesses playing tag with Percy's friends. Whenever Percy was it he would chase me so I got more involved in the game. Eventually most of the guys would try to get me like Percy did. My favorite out of his friends was a boy named Grover. He was the second one to befriend me, and he was really nice. So my only friends were guys for a long time. Recently Percy introduced me to his cousin, Thalia Grace. We were still in the 'becoming friends' stage, but I had a feeling we would be friends soon, she was really cool.
And Emmy Lou got caught passing me a note,
Before the teacher took it I read what she wrote.
'Do you love me? Do you wanna be my friend?
And if you do, well then don't be afraid to take me by the hand
If you want to...
I think this is how love goes,
Check yes or no'
I droned out the rest of the song, thinking intently on what 'Emmy Lou' wrote on her note to whoever was singing. It was such a simple idea, but an effective one since they ended up getting married (so ok, I didn't totally drone out the song, sue me).
Before I knew it daddy was opening the door and helping me out of the car. I smiled at him and waved as he drove away.
I caught up with Percy and we headed to class together. All throughout the day I was thinking about the song I heard this morning. I was so distracted Percy had to shake me to pay attention to the teacher because she was asking me a question about the lesson.
Near the end of the day, I thought to myself. 'Alright Annabeth, if you're going to do it, you have to do it now!'
I took a piece of paper out of my notebook and started scribbling on it. 'This is the stupidest thing I have ever done.' I thought as I folded it up. I stared at it. Was I really going to do this?
Yes. Yes I was.
I tossed it over to Percy, who was surprised by it's sudden appearance. I giggled. I realized we were doing silent reading a little to late, Ms. Jones raised an eyebrow at me. I smiled sheepishly at her and pulled out my book.
"Mr. Jackson," She said. "Bring the note to the front please." Percy got up and brought it to her right as the final bell rang. Percy ran out of the room since they were leaving right after school.
My heart sank. I'll never know what his answer was.
10 years later. Age 18.
I sighed as I got into my car. Thalia was taking me out on a girls night to the ice skating rink to try to have some fun. She says I don't get out enough. Whatever.
When I pulled into the parking lot, I met up with Thals and we walked in. Since it was a Saturday, the place was pretty much packed and it took like twenty minutes just to get our skates.
I smiled when we finally made it onto the rink. I actually did love skating, and I was good at it which only made Thalia mad at me. She could hardly walk around in her skates on the pads they have leading out to the rink, let alone do the tricks I was pulling.
She glared at me as I passed her for the fifth time in three minutes, I turned to watch her as I skated away, backwards, which made her glare deepen. I laughed and turned around, slowing down to enjoy myself.
Suddenly I felt a hand slip into mine. I gasped, turning to see a boy smiling at me with a semi familiar lopsided grin, crazy messy black hair, and the purest ocean green eyes.
"Annie. I checked yes."
