Hey guys, so it's been awhile since I updated. Uh, yeah. Life is sucky. I relapsed the other day. I was 6 months clean of self harm, and I screwed it up. So yaay me. Anyway, hope you enjoy this. I'm also writing another story, one that will be rated M for abuse and trigger warnings.
Thud
"Shit"
Annabeth bent to pick up the library book laying on the floor from the stack she just dropped. Groaning, she plopped the stack on a table near her and began to sort through them. It was 4pm, and Annabeth was busying herself with her work to keep herself from her thoughts. The events from this morning played again and again in her head. She went over every excruciating detail in the hopes of figuring out what exactly Percy saw.
She paced up and down the aisles of the library, a couple books in hand, and lost herself in your thoughts. Normally the library is very dead at this time of the day, so she usually has time to relax, think, do whatever she wanted to do. Usually she just blasts music and ignores the world. But today, not even screeching music would calm her mind down. Though that didn't stop her from putting her headphones in and turning it up a little too loud.
Annabeth spent the majority of the evening bobbing her head along to the music and putting books back on the shelves. It wasn't a well paying job whatsoever, but it gave her extra spending money for her caffeine addiction during mid terms, and chocolate addiction during her period. If she really wanted money though, she could just ask her dad. Her dad, Fredrick Chase, was the owner of a multi-millionare software company. Because of his busy job description, she rarely got to see him. But if she ever needed money, he would hotwire some into her bank account and voila, she had funds.
The downside to that? She moved around a lot. Annabeth never stayed in one school for the entire school year, nor did she live anywhere long enough to make friends. Until she came here. Upon reaching grade 10, Annabeth got tired of moving, so she convinced her dad to pay for her schooling at a boarding school so she wouldn't have to move, and get behind in her studies. Now, two years later, she's at the top of her class, honour roll, on the verge of becoming valedictorian for her graduating class. She had many friends, a terrible ex, and a new roommate who saw her naked. Things weren't so bad. Maybe she should talk to Percy? Figure out what he saw, and possibly if he liked what he saw.
Shaking the thought out of her mind, Annabeth scolded herself for the very idea of getting involved with another boy. She had her rules. She needed to stick by them. Getting back to her work, she pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time and change the song, idly walking to the end of the aisle. Her phone read 7:12pm and she sighed. 'Only 18 more minutes' she thought to herself as she turned the corner, eyes glued to the screen of her phone instead of the wall of a person right in front of her. Until she ran right into him.
"Watch where you're going!" Annabeth practically shouted at the person she ran into, not really enjoying the fact that she indeed, did not watch where she was going.
"We have got to stop meeting like this" said the person she ran into.
Her heart stopped, and her breath caught in her chest. Twice, in one day, she ran right into Percy.
Percy stood up, dusted off invisible dirt from his uniform pants and extended a hand out to her to help her up.
Annabeth's face conveyed an array of colours, from pink to red, as she bit her lip and never made eye contact with the boy in front of her.
She didn't realize his hand was outstretched for so long until Percy cleared his throat and moved his hand up and down like an invisible handshake.
Moving quickly, Annabeth scrambles to her feet and picks up her phone and headphones from the floor.
Sighing, Percy pulled his hand back and places it on the back of his neck, not making any signs of leaving or saying something.
Looking around, Annabeth turns to leave, but is stopped when Percy places a hand on her forearm and opens his mouth to say something, but no words come out.
"What?" She shot out, turning to look him in the eye.
Surprised, Percy simply pulls his hand back and lifts it up in a surrender position, smiling.
Rolling her eyes, Annabeth turns to leave again when Percy finally talks.
"I'm Percy."
Stopping in her tracks, Annabeth sighs and turns around again.
"I know who you are."
"Oh? I guess that makes sense, since we're roommates now."
Annabeth sighs again and extends her hand out to shake Percy's.
"Chase. Annabeth Chase."
"If you're name is Annabeth, why does Jason call you Chase all the time?"
"Him and Thals have known me since the day I got here. I guess because I was always 'one of the guys' he just calls me a guy name now."
Silence filled the void between the two of them, a very awkward tension that could be cut with a spoon now enclosed around them.
Clearing his throat again, Percy opened his mouth to say something again but Annabeth cut him off.
"What did you see- uh, well. I mean. um. How much did you see this morning?" She asked, face a bunch of shades of red. Not meeting his eyes, only fumbling her fingers around the hem of her shirt.
"Oh." Percy simply said, realizing what she was talking about.
"Uh, I didn't see that much. I swear. I closed my eyes right away, I promise!" He spat out, quickly becoming flustered like herself.
Annabeth laughed – a musical melody of emotion.
"Look, I won't be back at the room for awhile, so don't wait up, alright?"
Percy's face scrunched with confusion, probably a hundred and one questions forming behind those green eyes of his, but he didn't pressure. He simply bid goodnight, and left.
Annabeth continued with her work, knowing full well she was off a couple minutes from now. Getting lost in sorting through the titles, she didn't notice someone else come up behind her.
"Told you he was cute."
Rolling her eyes, Annabeth didn't dignify Thalia's statement with a response. She just went back to her work.
"Aw come on, you saw his eyes. And that body – whew." Thalia said, fanning herself with a book she picked up off the shelf.
Grinning, Annabeth snatched the book from her bestfriends hand and put it back.
"Fine. He's cute. But I made a promise to myself this year. After what happened with Luke.." Annabeth's voice broke off, not needing to explain any further.
Thalia sighed, and leaned against the shelf. "I will kick his ass. I promise you. Just say the word. I'll make the boy cry."
Annabeth laughed again, the emotions from bringing up her past subsiding.
"Now if only all the boys knew you were off the market this year. You'd break a lot of hearts, one very close to home." Thalia simply stated, grinning.
"I don't get why Jason doesn't just date Piper! Like, hello. Pretty girl, right there. Obviously smitten by him." Annabeth said after a frustrated groan, rolling her eyes at the thought of how stupid some boys can be.
"Uh, that would involve Jase looking at something other than your butt." Thalia said while laughing, avoiding the book Annabeth just threw at her.
"It's not funny Thals. Why can't you tell him it won't work? Please!" Annabeth pleaded, grabbing the book she threw.
"N-o-p-e. That's your problem to deal with. Just state your point. No boys this year."
Deciding not to respond, Annabeth busied herself with working again.
"You know I'm right Annie, don't ignore it all."
Annabeth sighed again, defeated. She knew she had to say something, she just didn't know what. Deciding she needs some rest, she bid goodnight to Thalia, and head back to her room.
-oOo-
Percy knew his roommate wasn't going to be very social with him from the very beginning. What he didn't expect, was to go 3 months without having a full length conversation with her once. Sure, he would see her in the mornings for a brief couple minutes after her post-run shower, then again at lunch for the 10 minutes she stays at the table. But they live together for goodness sakes.
He comes back from swimming practice, and she's out till curfew, working or studying in the library. She comes back, does more work, then goes to bed early. Percy has tried, on many occasions to talk to her, even for a couple minutes, but she avoids him like the black plague.
Did he say something bad to her? Was she mad at him?
Even Thalia didn't know why she was acting like that.
Thalia.
Percy has grown closer to both the Grace siblings, but a lot closer to the black and blue counterpart to Jason's white and gold, earning himself sidelong glances, and nervous smiles from Thals.
Things were different with Thalia. Percy knew he could have fun with her, whether it was doing legal or illegal activities. Jason knew his sister had access to getting drugs and alcohol on school grounds, and didn't think twice about telling her to stop. Knowing how Thalia is, she wouldn't listen.
The downside? Percy knew he couldn't do things like that. His probation officer mentioned on his way out here that if he was caught breaking any rule, he would get sent back to the ward. That meant simple rules to live by.
No drinking.
No drugs.
No fun.
And it was killing Percy.
Socially – because he was invited to parties every weekend or so that had spiked punch or pot brownies.
Physically – because his body was still going through the withdrawals of his last escapade of drug use.
Within the past few months, Percy gained a lot of friends. No one seemed to think twice of the marks on his arm, or if they did, they never said anything about it to him directly.
As he sat down in his first period class, he noticed the looming glares from Luke still, and caught Thalia watching him. He smiled at her and waved, while she blushed and gave a small wave back in return.
Things in class were getting easier to deal with. His nervous habits still plagued his existence, but it's reached a point where he could focus on his work instead of how many times his leg bounces up and down in the period of an hour. His highest count was 67 times, but that isn't relevant.
Percy managed to get through his class without going too crazy, getting himself excited to head to the gym for the rest of the morning. As he walked out of class though, his eyes landed on his blonde roomie down the hall.
And she looked pissed.
Percy wandered over, ignoring the mass of students crowding the hall. As he got closer, he noticed who was talking to Annabeth, and it all clicked for why she looked like she could rip someones head off.
Luke.
Percy didn't notice him leave class, he was too busy finishing his work to really care. But apparently he did, because there he stood, looking determined and annoying as usual. As Percy got closer, he caught the tail end of the conversation between the two.
"-said no Luke. So go away!"
"Annabeth come on. We always go to the Valentines Day dance together! Plus who else would even want to go with you?"
That's when Percy stepped in, "Fuck off Castellan, she said no."
Noticing Percy was there for the first time, Annabeth shot him a glare, but didn't say anything. Luke just laughed, and laid his eyes on Percy. Green to blue.
"Well looky here. Are you offering to take our darling guest of honour to the dance, Jackson?" Luke said with a deadly glint in his eye.
Percy froze. He didn't want to say yes, but he knew he had to do something.
"No, he isn't. But I am."
Startled, Percy spun around and noticed Jason right behind Annabeth, a hand on her shoulder. Thalia was right beside him, looking like she was ready to tear Luke a new one.
Luke's laugh was dripping with poison, twisting his face into something malicious.
Thalia scowled and stepped forward, coming face to face with Luke. His laugh died down, but his smirk stayed evident.
"Listen here Castellan. No sorry girl would want to go to the dance with you after what you did." Thalia said in a low voice, anger evident in her every word.
"Ok, that's enough." Percy stepped in, grabbing Thalia by the waist and leading her away. Jason put an arm around Annabeth's shoulder and lead her the same direction as Percy and Thalia were going.
As they rounded the corner to the gym door, Thalia pushed away from Percy with force, making him step back a bit.
"What the hell Percy! I wasn't going to hit him!" Thalia huffed out, throwing her hands up in the air.
"You guys didn't need to step in. I had it handled." Annabeth simply said, glaring at Jason and Percy.
Exchanging a glance at Jason, Percy shrugged. "Whatever then." He said, turning to walk into the gym.
"Thank you though."
Percy stopped and looked over his shoulder, noticing the blush creeping up on Annabeth's face. She wouldn't meet his eyes.
"Whatever" he said again, throwing the door open and disappearing inside.
