A/N: Since you guys were so sweet with your reviews, here's another fast update! Your reviews give me motivation and without them, I wouldn't bother writing this. I read all of them with a smile on my face so keep them coming! And who knows, I could start making my chapters longer...
I also have I secret...
I wrote this chapter like 8 hours ago so I could've posted it this morning...but I decided to wait. I don't think any one noticed, but so far I've been posting everyday at around 5 or 6ish (UK time) and I'm not sure if I can continue with the daily thing because of school, but I will try my best to post when I can!
- M
Annabeth
"So, how was your day? Did Rich Boy behave himself?" I asked Jen bitterly as I stepped into the house. Today had been so long and tiring, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Me and Phil had been fixing an old truck, I had oil stains all over my shirt and a few nasty cuts, but it was all worth it since Phil promised that the truck would be mine as soon as it was ready to go back on the road. It wasn't really working though, we got the engine to grumble for at least 4 seconds at a time, but it wouldn't budge an inch after that. I guess it needed more attention.
Jen gave me a sharp look. "Don't go using no harsh nicknames like that, little miss." She scolded, placing a freshly cleaned dish into a cupboard.
"Sorry. But you didn't answer my question." I smirked.
I didn't feel angry at Percy anymore, I just felt like I wanted him to leave me alone, I wished he could just fly back to New York or something. I knew one thing for sure; I was going to ignore him all summer, leave him to chat up his stupid girls on his stupid phone and continue being his stupid self. Percy Jackson was insufferable as far as I was concerned, therefore I had no desire to communicate with him.
"He was alright y'know. I think all that boy really needs is an attitude adjustment," She hushed her tone in case a certain dumb teenage boy was creeping near by. "I know he's a little bit of a...well you know, at the moment. But today I saw that he can be his old self, he just needs a little help. Maybe he needs showing what it is to enjoy the simpler things in life." She decided.
"He needs some respect for women." I added. "Do you see the way he spends his time on that phone, talking to like, seven girls at once? It's ridiculous!"
Jen sighed, I felt kinda bad for her; It couldn't be nice to have your only grandson turn into a complete jerk and show up out of the blue after 4 years. I could tell that she loved him no matter what, but she must've been struggling to get her head around the whole situation.
"You should probably get some sleep, Jen. You look exhausted." It was pitch black outside, Phil and Percy must have been in bed already, Jen looked like she was about to pass out. She fought it for a while, arguing that she had to tidy up before bed, but when it hit 12 PM, she was almost flat out and she dragged herself to her room.
I had other plans.
Okay, that sounded like a Percy thing to say. No, I wasn't going to sneak out to a party or take a bottle of wine from the cabinet and get drunk; My plans were to watch a game show that only aired late at night because it got cancelled 2 years ago...and eat cookies.
These late nights by myself were my guilty pleasures, I loved being alone, not all of the time but on occasions like right now, and being alone at night was taking it to a new level. No one could interrupt you this late because everyone's asleep.
I sat on the kitchen counter and watched from our tiny TV, the signal was kinda crappy but I didn't really care. I loved this game show because the questions weren't easy like all the other shows, that's why it got cancelled; Society wants stupid television, not television that they can't understand. It was also kinda funny to see the contestants get really confused at the questions.
As I bit into another cookie, I heard the squeaking of floor boards and I froze in my spot, waiting for a ghost or a zombie or anything that would eat my soul for breakfast. The floor boards creaked again and again, increasing in volume until it became clear that someone was awake.
Oh god.
Before I could even close my eyes and prey for the noises to be the work of Jen or Phil or even the ghost of Christmas' past, Percy's head poked around the side of the door. His hair was messy from sleep, but he didn't really look tired...he looked downright gorgeou-
No, Annabeth. Control your damn hormones, woman!
I stared at him blankly as he stepped into the kitchen, he was wearing a green sweater and pajama pants, I suddenly felt embarrassed, realizing he'd caught me in the act of watching an old game show and eating cookies at half past twelve.
"Hey," He said sheepishly, his voice was rough and sleepy. I didn't want to reply, but I didn't really have a choice. "Hi." I said with a long breath. He just stood there staring at me for a while, until he walked over to me and leaned on the counter. "I couldn't sleep." He whispered. I found myself thinking about the last time he leaned on the counter, how his face was so close to mine that I could smell his minty breath, how I thought he could actually be my friend...that's when I saw the text.
"Listen, Annabeth..." He began, his green eyes looked sad, I looked away from him. "I'm sorry...I mean it this time, alright? I shouldn't have treated you like that... I-I just...I don't even know who I am anymore, y'know? And it's like, I'm realizing all this stuff that I've been ignoring for so long." He sighed heavily. "Like, all the girls that I've... I can't believe that I didn't even care about one of them, I kept trying to think of one that I actually liked as a person, not just their looks but you know what? ...I couldn't think of any."
His eyes were begging me to look back at him, so I gave in, I watched as he almost came to pieces in front of me, I didn't know why he was telling me all this, but I wasn't going to make him stop.
"Then I started thinking about my friends," He frowned. "I don't- I don't think I actually have any."
I couldn't help but scoff sarcastically, Percy was a popular kid; Of course he had friends.
"No. I meant real friends, Annabeth. Like the people who are supposed to care about you, not just the idiots you get drunk with at stupid parties." He admitted.
I didn't feel bad for Percy, but I didn't feel good about it either. I knew he'd changed since his mom re-married, but it amazed me how a person could switch just like that. This was the real Perseus Jackson and I decided that I liked him, I just didn't know how long it would last.
"I- sometimes... I wish I could just start all over." He mumbled.
I swallowed my cookie and wiped my hands on my shirt, turning to face Percy. He looked like a sad puppy, his ever present cocky grin was replaced with a drained expression, as though someone had just punched him in the face and called him a name.
"You can." I said simply.
Percy shook his head, glancing up at me with those green orbs. "No, I can't. I-"
"I meant us, Percy. We can start over." I explained. Percy's face lit up into a grin that I hadn't realized I'd missed. He looked so happy that it made my chest feel weird and my ears heat up. "Really?" He asked hopefully, I almost imploded.
I smirked and held my hand out towards him. "Hello, my name is Annabeth Chase. What's your name, stranger?" I asked dramatically.
Percy's smile made the room less dark as he said; "Hi, my name's Percy Jackson. It's very nice to meet you, Annabeth Chase." and he shook my hand. I worried that my hand was too cold as he enveloped it in his warm one, but he didn't seem to flinch. I raised an eyebrow playfully. "Percy, what an interesting name...is it short for anything?" I questioned.
Percy chuckled. "Nope." He replied, popping the P.
"Are you sure? It seems like it could be short for something really unusual like - Oh, I don't know - Perseus?"
"Oh, quiet, you. It's No weirder than Annabeth!" He defended. "It's not my fault that my name sounds like a brand of dish washing soap." We both laughed and I nudged him with my foot, trying to ignore my mind which was screaming; HE'S CUTE. HE'S CUTE. HE'S SO SO SO CUTE!
There was a moment of silence, we both just sat there smiling in the dark, I could hear the TV behind me and the crickets outside, it was comfortable and I realized that if this Percy was around more often, I wouldn't mind being stuck with him all summer, maybe we could even be friends. After a little while, Percy stood in front of me and ran a hand through his messy, black hair.
"Thanks." He mumbled.
I nodded, hoping that I looked as casual and collected as he did, but even for a mature soul such as I; A cute boy talking to me was like an early Christmas, even if he was kind of annoying at times.
"Good night, Annabeth." He said softly.
I sighed and let myself sink into his eyes, I wish I had eyes like his, they were so full of youth and life, they were practically glowing. "Goodnight Perseus...It was a pleasure to meet you."
A nice ending for once! Hahaha, let's see how long that lasts...
- M
