[A/N: Here it is. Thank you all for the reviews. I appreciate them. :D
This chapter contains 'the talk.' So, yeah. I hope you like it. :D
Again, I apologize for the typographical errors.
Read, review and rate! :D]
WISE GIRL'S SEAWEED BRAIN
Chapter 4: Invitation & The 'Talk'
PERCY
Three days had passed and Annabeth still hadn't come back.
I was doing well but still a bit disappointed. I tried to forget her blowing me off by participating in the activities. I wasn't able to join the chariot race because my partner was busy with her project. Capture the flag wasn't as appealing as it used to be. I wasn't a hundred percent focused on the game and was actually shot by an arrow.
Chiron must've noticed my preoccupation and pulled me out of the game. He patched my wound up before going back into supervising the capture the flag. I wanted to have fun with my friends except that I didn't think it was possible without Annabeth. I didn't want my life to focus solely on her. She once told me that we still have to have a life outside our relationship and seriously, I did. I have some mortal friends who were with me on the swim team and, of course, those who were with me at camp. But I was so used to having Annabeth by my side that this sudden lack of time was a bit hard on me.
During the school year, when she was busy with rebuilding Olympus or with her school, she still managed to find at least half an hour each day to spare talking to me. She'd send an Iris message and we'd usually discuss random stuffs but now, for the first time, no text messages, IMs or even phone calls for three days.
I didn't notice someone sitting beside me and nearly jumped off my skin when Drew playfully punched me in the arm. Well, it wasn't actually playfully for she managed to hit my healing wound. I gave a yelp of surprise as pain shot through my arm. Jeez, I didn't know this girl was strong.
"Oh, gods, Perce!" she squealed. I still wasn't sure how I feel hearing her call me that. "I'm so stupid; I completely forgot about your wound! Let me see it!" Drew lifted the edge of my sleeve and ran her thumb on the skin of my forearm. Her touch was feathery light and sent small shocks of electricity through my body.
I gave a nervous chuckle seeing her expression; eyes wide and mouth ajar. "It's okay. I'm fine."
Drew was still busy inspecting the spot she hit. I noticed some of the campers looking at us, frowning. I pulled my arm back nut Drew recaptured it and gave it a squeeze. "Wow. Hard biceps. Total turn on, Perce." Its funny how one second she was an actual concerned friend and the next, she was . . . um, flirty?
"Perce?" a voice I totally recognize asked behind us.
I stood up and found myself face to face with Annabeth, her eyebrows raised and a confused look was on her face.
"Annabeth," I said.
ANNABETH
That was really weird.
I didn't know what I was expecting on my return to Camp but this definitely didn't make my list. Percy actually talking to Drew? What the hell is wrong with this guy? I warned him about her and here he was, letting her touch him.
"Hey," Percy said.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Oh, relax, Annabeth," Drew groaned. "I wasn't stealing him. I just accidentally hit his wound and was checking it."
"What wound?"
Percy stepped forward. "I was, um, hit by an arrow. But don't worry; I'm okay now."
"Where?" I asked, taking his arm. "Show me."
He folded the sleeve on his right arm and held it near to my eyes. There was a faint pinkish scar which was very noticeable on his tanned skin. "Why did you get hit? Weren't you paying attention?"
"I guess," he said.
Seaweed Brain, not paying attention to capture the flag? That was new. "Why not?"
Drew smirked. "Annie, hon." I didn't like that girl very much. And who was she to call me Annie and my boyfriend Perce? "Why do you think? You blew him off three days ago. All his efforts were gone to waste!"
"Drew . . ." Percy said.
I frowned. "What do you mean blew him off?"
"I'll tell you," Percy said before Drew could speak. He grabbed my hand and led me to the beach. Whatever it was, I was quite certain it was serious. We stopped near the water and he sat down. I sat beside him, waiting. "Annabeth," he said in a quiet voice. "Do you know what date it is today?"
I chuckled. "Seaweed Brain, I may have been busy these past few days but I'm still aware that today is the 21st of December." Then realization slowly dawned on me. "Oh, gods! Tomorrow is Thalia's birthday! What should I get for her?"
Percy sighed but didn't answer.
"Percy?" I asked. "Why are you upset? And what was Drew talking about?"
If today is the 21st, what date it was three days ago?" he asked.
I didn't need a second to answer that question. "Three days ago was December 18th, I know it, Sea—" and it finally hit me. "Oh, Styx. I forgot!" He was nodding. I didn't need to be a child of Athena to understand he was sad and disappointed. "Seaweed Brain, I'm so sorry. I just had so many things on my mind."
He shrugged like it wasn't a big deal but I knew it was. I felt like the world's worst girlfriend. How could I forget that three days ago was our fourth-moth anniversary? I wanted to say many things, apologize no matter how many times I had to but knowing him, Percy wasn't the kind of Percy that likes listening to long speeches very much. He preferred actions. I took a deep breath and flung myself to him, straddling his legs and pushing him down on the sand. He gave me a questioning look and opened his mouth. I silenced him by kissing his lips.
There was reluctance at first and I felt my heart drop to my stomach but after a couple of seconds, he kissed me back. And with hunger, might I add. I never thought Percy could be like this. Whenever we kiss, he was always so gentle, so caring but now, he was a bit aggressive and fierce. I had to admit, I liked this as much as I like his gentle side. I felt something stirring inside me and I pressed my lips to his tighter.
I was doing this not just to make it up to him but I missed him terribly. I didn't understand how much until is aw him talking to Drew. A pang of jealousy stabbed me in the chest but I pushed it away. Percy would never do that. He's mine and that's all that matters.
My hands wandered down to his pectorals which were hard but soft to the touch. Breathed in his scent as his hands fell to my waist and rubbed my back. I was sure if I was moaning or what. The sun was scorching behind me but that was nothing in comparison to Percy's body warmth. As embarrassing as it was to admit, I liked it too much and the next thing I knew, I was biting his ear.
Percy moaned beneath me and kissed the skin of my neck. Now I understood his reaction when I did the same to him. I was on a sensory overload. The stubbles on his jaw and upper lip tickled my skin and sent wave after wave of pleasure throughout my body.
"Oh!" I heard someone gasp. I quickly sat up and looked over. It was Katie and the rest of the Demeter cabin, getting ready for their canoeing lessons. "I'm sorry. We didn't know you guys were here."
I stood up and pulled Percy to his feet, both of our faces flushed. "I, uh, I guess we should go," I stammered. It wasn't every day you get to see an Athena child stammering. I tugged on Percy's hand and pulled him back to the cabins.
He was grinning like crazy. "Well, that was interesting."
"That was embarrassing!" I said.
"No it's not," said Percy, pulling me closer to him. "They know we're together so it wasn't wrong for us to kiss." I leaned against his chest and he hugged me. "You know you didn't have to do that, right?" he murmured in my hair. "The moment I saw you, I was okay."
"I know," I said. "But I feel terrible for what I did and for what I'm about to do."
He pulled away. "What do you mean?"
I smirked, satisfied with his reaction. "Seaweed Brain," I muttered. "My roommate called me yesterday and informed me that we have a start of the year dance in our school. And we're required to bring a date."
He looked at me questioningly. I sighed. Seaweed Brain, I thought. "And I'm taking you there."
Percy groaned. "Ugh. Annabeth you know I hate dances."
"I know," I said, kissing him. "But my friends want to meet you. I guess I annoy them too much talking about you."
"You're not going to let me get away on this one, are you?"
"Of course not." I grinned up at him. "I want them to meet my awesome boyfriend." I gave him another kiss.
"Fine," he said. "I'll go. On one condition."
"What is it?"
"Give me another kiss."
"Oh, that's not a problem," I said, pulling him down and kissing him again. When I pulled away, I stared at him, looking straight into his sea green eyes. "I really am sorry for what happened, Percy. I didn't mean to forget it. And I promise to make it up to you. I will spend every second with you from now on."
"Sounds good to me," he said.
The conch shell blew and we made our way to the dining pavilion.
"So, did he say yes?"
I turned around and found my roommate Cheska looking at me. She has dark auburn shoulder-length hair, bright amber eyes, and fair skin and defied the meaning of sophisticated. She usually wore short skirts and sleeveless tops but without looking a bit, um, weird.
I guess I haven't mentioned but during school days, I was staying at a dorm near my school. Dad and my stepmom didn't want me to, but I knew that staying with them full time would only put them in danger. It's not that monster attacks were the same but with those creatures, you just never knew. It was easier for me this way, only coming to our apartment on weekends and holidays. My Dad wasn't a fan of the idea but he eventually let me.
I nodded. "Yeah, he did. Well, I kind of had to bribe him. He hates dances."
Cheska smiled. "Boys." She sat down on my bed, looking around. "What's he like? You don't have any pictures of him here. Why is that?"
I didn't know what to say. The reason why was because there was another girl who was very much like Drew. She's known for stealing other girl's boyfriends. And my boyfriend wasn't exactly the smartest person on the planet. If Stacy sees how he looked, I was quite certain she would try to work her magic on him.
I thought about our conversation back at camp; how he said he would never leave me. I trusted his words and knew he would uphold that vow. It's not like I could keep him away from these people; they'd see him at the dance, four days from now. Besides, Stacy wasn't around so I guess it was safe to show Cheska a picture of Percy.
I opened my drawer and took out my notebook, flipping through the pages until I saw what I was looking for: Seaweed Brain's picture outside his cabin. He was smiling that troublemaker smile of his, eye bright and hair in its usual disarray.
"He's a great person," I said, handing her the picture. "He's loyal, passionate, funny and brave."
Cheska stared at the picture for some time before handing it back to me. "He's . . . wow. Good thing no one is trying to steal him."
I laughed. "You have no idea, Cheska. Almost all the girls at our camp want him."
"Must be hard, having a boyfriend like him."
I shrugged. "Percy's the kind of guy who means what he says. He promised me he would never leave me and I trust him. He has never broken a promise, you know."
"He sounds great," she said.
"He is." My phone rang, stopping our conversation. It was Percy. "Speak of the devil, and the devil shall call," I joked. Cheska laughed and made a motion with her hand saying she was going outside. I nodded and answered the call. "Hey, Seaweed Brain."
"Wise Girl," he said, chuckling. "Come outside. Mom's cooking dinner and she wants you there."
I smiled. "All right, give me a minute."
I changed into a jeans and a shirt, pulled my hair in a ponytail and went outside to see Cheska talking to Percy. They were laughing. When he saw me, he grinned and met me halfway, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Hey."
"Hello," I said. I looked over his shoulder to Cheska. "I see you've finally met him."
Cheska nodded, smiling. "Yeah. He's, well, everything you said." She turned and bid us goodbye.
I jumped into Percy's car. When he was inside, he looked at me and said, "What did you say to her about me?"
I shrugged. "That you drool when you sleep, you eat like you haven't seen food in years and that you're a Seaweed Brain."
"Ugh," he said, clutching his chest. "I feel like the world's most loved boyfriend."
I chuckled and took his hand on mine. "You are. I love you."
He looked at me and grinned. "Same here."
During the drive, we talked about the dance in our school. He was still trying to find a way out of it but I convinced him that it was required.
"Do you think I should wear suit?" he asked.
"I know you should wear a suit, Seaweed Brain; it's a dance. You can't wear your camp shirt and jeans."
He groaned. "But I don't wear suits."
I glared at him. "You did on our date in Paris."
"That was a special night."
"Well, the dance is also."
"Since when did you become interested in dances?"
"Since you became my boyfriend."
Of course that brought another grin on his face. I wanted to ask him another question but I saw we were almost to their apartment and decided to talk to him about it when we're alone.
Sally was ecstatic when she saw ne, giving me a big hug and sitting me immediately on the dining table. In front of me were a variety of sea foods. I glared at Percy. "I see who came up with the recipes."
"I know. Awesome, right?"
Paul wasn't home. When I asked Sally about him, she said, "He's running a little late. There's a teacher convention at school, then he's going over to a friend's so he won't be home until ten at the earliest. Actually, I'm going out, too, after dinner. I have some things to pick up at the grocery."
"Want me to come with you?" Percy asked.
"And what, leave your girlfriend here? Honey, I believe I taught you better than that."
I chuckled. Sally and I shared a smile.
We finished dinner in silence. Percy offered to do the dishes since it was pretty obvious Sally was on a hurry. "Don't worry," I said. "I'll keep your son out of trouble."
Sally smiled. "Thank you, Annabeth." She picked up her purse. "I'll see you later."
After washing and drying the dishes, Percy and I snuggled against each other on the couch, watching a movie. The whole time, he had his lips buried on my hair. I savored the sensation and remembered what happened back at camp during winter break. I decided it was time for Percy and I to talk about mature things. I waited for him to open it up but I guess he was afraid I'd get mad so I knew I had to take matters on my own hand.
"Seaweed Brain?" I called. That wasn't probably the most ideal conversation opener but hey, I was nervous.
"Hmm?"
"Have you ever thought about . . . you know, the thing?"
He straightened and looked at me in the yes. "What thing?"
Percy's face knotted into a confused frown. He was so adorable making that face. I took a deep breath before proceeding. "Percy, we're both sixteen. You know we'll have to talk about adult stuffs eventually."
He nodded. "Like the future and wedding?"
"Those were some but they won't happen for a long time," I said. "What I mean is the thing we know we should deal with now." When he showed no sign of understanding, I scoffed in annoyance and said, "Being intimate, Seaweed Brain."
His eyes widened, shocked and embarrassed. This subject didn't come out of nowhere. Since that day when we nearly lost control on the beach, my mind was constantly interrupted with thoughts of actually doing it with him. I didn't want to sound like those girls who do sex for fun but I was an adult. I knew that sooner or later, I would need to face this thing. And do it? I wasn't sure. But if I would, I was sure I want it to be with Percy.
"What do you mean?" he finally asked.
"Remember when we were kissing at the beach?" I asked. He nodded. "I almost lost control that day. I was having feelings I never had before. It was very overwhelming. If it wasn't for the Demeter cabin, I wasn't sure what would've happened."
Percy didn't answer. I looked up to his face and said, "You're not disgusted of me, are you? I mean, I may be a daughter of Athena but I'm still a girl, Seaweed Brain."
"I'm not disgusted, Annabeth," he said softly. "The truth is, I've thought about it, like, a lot of times before. I just wasn't sure if you want to have such conversation with me. And to tell you the truth, you weren't the only one who nearly lost control that day. Well, I guess that wouldn't be the first time for me. Every time we kiss, I always get . . . um, guy thoughts."
I chuckled. "I know, Seaweed Brain. I kind of feel it against me most of the times."
His face reddened. He looked like he was choking on something. "Oh, gods. I'm sorry, Annabeth! I didn't mean to; I just can't control it. Please don't kill me."
I shook my head. "Of course I won't. I understand it. You're a guy and a teenager. It's completely normal for you." I paused. "Just so you know, you're not the only one having, ah, urges."
"You do too?"
"Most of the time," I admitted.
"Wow," he said, clearly surprised. "I didn't know that." He then seemed to decide onto something and added, "Have you thought about, you know, the actual thing?"
I nodded. "There were times. People are different now, Seaweed Brain. Once girls hold onto themselves until the night of their wedding but now, they just give it away, sometimes to complete strangers. I'm not like that, you know."
"I know," he said, tightening his arms around me. "Don't worry, they are just thoughts. I'm not going to force you into something you don't want to do. If you're ready, I'll be here."
I smiled and kissed him. "That's why I love you."
"And I love you, too."
"Seaweed Brain, I don't want to sound weird but I kind of want to do it," I said truthfully, my face burning. "I know I said I'm not that girl but I love you. I kind of want you to have me, you know. Everything. Do you want that?"
"All I want is to tell you how much I love you in every possible way." He buried his face at the side of my neck and murmured, "We're still young, Annabeth. We don't have to rush things up and do something we would regret soon. Don't get me wrong; I want to do it. I just don't think I'm ready and I don't think you are, too."
"I'm glad you're my boyfriend," I said.
"I'm happy you let me love you," he said.
He was still kissing my neck and I could feel something waking up behind me. I glared at him. "Seaweed Brain."
He laughed. "Right. I'm sorry but it's out of my hand."
"You're lucky I love you," I said wrapping his arms around me again. It was a bit awkward but I could handle it.
I wasn't exactly sure what I want. One second I was telling him I wasn't the kind of girl who do it but the next I was telling him I wanted to. I was confused and Percy constantly kissing my neck and ear wasn't helping. I guess that's what I had to find out, with his help. He was right. We're still young and this kind of thing would happen on the right time. We would just deal with it as it came along.
Together.
