"And I set fire to the rain, and I threw us into the flames.."
Set Fire to the Rain - Adele
A few weeks later, and it's still raining. Percy has to work the morning shift, so he decides to take the bus to work.
The rain seems to be a lot more beautiful when he sees it from the inside of a window, rather than being drenched in it. Though, seeing a girl with mesmerizing grey eyes was worth getting water all over his carpets for.
He hands the preppy businessman his black coffee with a tight smile and accepts the cash, noting how he left no change for a tip. The man leaves before Percy could exchange another word.
Percy sighs and leans against the counter, seeing how empty the diner is. He looks out the big windows and watches the rain pound against it. He internally groans upon hearing the bell chim above the door, welcoming just another customer in from the storm.
A girl walks in, Percy notices, her hood pulled up over her head. She wears a bright yellow raincoat and yellow rubber boots that squeaks as she walks to the counter. She hasn't noticed Percy yet, for she was adjusting her hoodie under her jacket. But Percy already knows he recognizes her.
"Hello," he says, leaning his hands on the counter.
She looks up, and they make eye contact. It's happening again, Percy thinks, where the world around him fades to blurs. "Hello," she says. She puts her hands in her pockets.
Percy observes that her hair is a very pretty, and very curly, blonde. "What would you like?"
She blinks for a moment, flustered. "Uh, just a black coffee, please, with cream."
He puts in the numbers and returns, "That's two dollars and fifteen cents." She hands him a soggy five.
"Keep the change," she says, her cheeks turning pink. He nods in thanks.
Percy starts making the coffee, painfully aware she's still at the counter, watching him. "Get caught in the rain often?" He looks for a cup. "And is it for here or to go?"
She frowns for a moment. "For here, please. And yes," she says, "as a matter of fact, I have been getting caught in the rain fairly often. You?"
He allows a smile to grace his lips, though his back is to her as he brews the coffee. "Actually," he admits, "Just a few weeks ago, I was working the night shift and had to walk home. Rain was nearly insufferable then."
She doesn't respond, but he envisions her nodding. As he pours the cream in the cup, he says: "I'm Percy, by the way."
"Annabeth," she supplies.
Annabeth, he thinks. What a wonderful name. He smiles warmly at her as he hands her the cup.
"Thank you," she says politely, moving to sit at an empty window seat. He watches, for just a moment, at how beautifully she looks. Her hair and clothes soaked from the rain. The gloomy light from outside casting the most wonderful rays upon her.
He looks away and starts wiping the counters; his shift did end a couple of minutes ago, but he has to wait until the last customer leaves so he could go too. Plus, he wasn't sure he wants to leave quite yet.
Annabeth doesn't know why she does it, but before she finishes her drink, she scribbles her phone number on ripped corner of an old receipt. She puts it under her mug, telling herself that she will, at some point, give it to him before she leaves.
In the meantime, she takes out her phone to text Thalia.
Annabeth: Hey, I'm at a coffee shop / diner thing, you want anything?
Thalia takes no time in responding.
Thalia: absolutely. Black coffee with nothing else please and thank yous. Also a muffin?
Annabeth: What kind of muffin?
Thalia: surprise me.
Annabeth downs the last of her warm coffee and stands, she shoves the paper in her pocket and heads to the counter again. Percy, Annabeth sees, is wiping it down. "Hello, again," she says.
He looks up and Annabeth swims in the green of his eyes. "Hello."
She smiles because she knows how awkward she is. "I need two more things. To go."
He stands up straighter, which Annabeth takes as a signal to continue.
"A straight black coffee and a muffin."
He quirks an eyebrow. "Didn't you just drink a coffee?"
"It's for my friend, Thalia." Annabeth puts her hand in her pocket and fingers the paper.
"What kind of muffin?" He starts making her drink.
"Surprise me."
A few minutes later, Percy hands her the bag containing her mystery muffin and the coffee; Annabeth gives him the cash, including tip (and a piece of paper that may or may not have her phone number on it), and leaves the diner with a smile.
Once in the safety of her warm and dry car, Annabeth opens the bag with the muffin, curious. It's a blueberry-oatmeal muffin, she concludes, but a small piece of paper resides in the bag as well.
She pulls the paper and reads the messy handwriting three times before laughing out loud.
He had given her his phone number.
A/N:/ hello there
ik it was short, but that was cute? i imagine that they go on a few awkward dates and eventually Percy brings her back to her apartment and her meets thalia. and of course thalia is an older, menacing brother who does that whole thing where she points the finger and says "you don't hurt her or ill hunt you down" and then him and thalia becomes best bros. and then annabeth and percy get married and have lots of lovely children.
also it starts raining in the middle of their wedding. everyone is like freaking out cuz "omg! the wedding! is ruined!" but percy and annabeth think its the greatest thing since sliced bread. and even though her mascara is running down her chin and his hair is stuck to his forehead and the rain is seriously coming down like wow its a freakin shower, they scream their vows because the rain is so loud and then they kiss and the reception goes long into the night after it stops raining but the grass is wet and mud is all over everyones pants and dresses and shoes but it's so much fun and ugh
anyway.
i hope you all are having a good wednesday. i know i am!
- Leigh