Chapter 7 – Annabeth
"Annabeth! I need help it's an emergency!" Percy was yelling through my door. It was a saturday morning and I was hoping none of our neighbours were home. They would probably be worried about his frantic screams through my door. Fearing the worst I pull my door open to see him standing there looking like the orld is going to end. Before I can ask what's wrong he pushes past me into my apartment.
"You have to help me! If you don't I will die!" He was still really loud and seemed frantic about whatever was wrong.
"Percy, calm down and tell me what's wrong." He didn't seem to hear me as he was still pacing back and forth talking.
"Percy!" I try again, still no response. Having had enough I grab a pillow from the couch an throw it at him. It hits him straight in the face as he turns around to pace back towards me, and seem to momentarily stun him.
"What was that for?"
"You were panicking and didn't hear me so I figured it was a good way to get your head back in one place."
"Oh.." is all he says. I roll my eyes at him.
"Now, what is this big emergency?"
"Emergency? Oh right! You have to help me." Percy is starting to go back into panic mode.
"That depends on what you need help with. If it is saving a fish or something, you're on your own."
"No it isn't a fish, but what do you have against them? Fishe are great! Anyways you have to help me find a christmas gift for my mom or she will kill me. I can't think of anything."
I stare at him for a second trying to decide if he is serious. He holds my gaze steadily with pleading eyes.
"Really? That's it? All that noise and stress over a christmas gift?"
"Don't take this lightly! I really need help. There is only a few days left until christmas and I don't have any idea what I should get her."
"Uhm, ok? I guess I can help you, but it will have to be today because I'm meeting my brother to exchange gifts with him tomorrow."
"Yeah, sure, I can do it today." He got a hopeful look in his eyes that makes me want to laugh, and I have to bite my cheek not to let it out.
"Give me five minutes to get ready and we can go." Percy nods his head like a crazy puppy and rushes out the door urging me to hurry.
We are nearly at the mall by the time I actually think through this and realise that I have no idea what his mother wants and don't even know how I am supposed to help with this. When I pont this out to Percy though he shrugs and tells me to choose just about anything just so he can get this over with.
I sigh, "Percy you can't really expect me to choose a present for your mom when I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't even know her. You will probably have better luck choosing something yourself. She will most likely be happy no matter what it is as long as it's from you."
"Maybe, but it still has to be a proper present. If I choose something alone I will probably run into the first store I see and take the first thing I see. Not caring what it is. I am really bad at gifts."
I park my car in an open spot after looking for about five minutes. Judging from how full the parking space is I have a bad feeling about how full the mall is going to be. I hate pushing through big crowds of stressed shoppers and am happy about being done with my gifts for this year.
"Why did you wait so long to get her a gift anyways? This is going to be hell you know."
"Uhm.. I kind of forgot that christmas was coming closer until yesterday when someone at work pointed it out. I rushed to get gifts but couldn't find anything for my mom. I have everyone else covered though."
"And now you're dragging me out – who don't even know your mom – to help with this. You are such a seaweed-brain."
We make our way inside and as I feared it is packed. I sigh to show my frustration before we have even started.
"What's your mom's favorite store?"
"The book store probably. Or that candy store one the corner."
"Ok, so we know where to start. How about we do the bookstore first since that's closer." Percy nods and we make our way over to the store brimming with customers. After looking around for about half an hour Percy sighs in frustration.
"Can we please go somewhere that doesn't give me a headache."
"Sure, if there actually is a place like that in this nightmare." I answer dreading pushing my way out and through the mall. It takes about five minutes just to get out of the book store and another five minutes to get halfay to the candy store which seems to be our next goal. We pass a small jewlery store with less people and I tug on Percys arm to make him notice it. He nods his head before he is almost pushed over by a woman rushing past him. Fighting against the flow of people we reach the little store and I breathe a sigh of relief as I can stand without fear of being knocked to the ground.
"People looking for christmas presents are a nightmare! I swear half the people out there are just trying to kill me." I laugh at his remark and can't help but think how true it is as I watch a man push his way through the crowd.
"So, why did we stop here?" Percy asks.
"Well first of all I wanted to be able to stand and not pushed. Secondly I thought maybe your mom would like a piece of jewlery."
"Great! We can do two things at once and leave this hell hole." He starts looking at some rings to his right as I start with some earrings to my left.
"What kind of jewlery does she like?"
"Uhm.. I don't know. Haven't paid to much attention to it honestly. But anything blue should be okay." I roll my eyes at him
"That helped so much, thanks!" I say with fake cheeriness. But he doesn't seem to catch it.
I look around for a while until I see a gorgeus owl necklace. The owl is made of silver, about two centimeters big and has big green eyes. I must have been staring at it for a while because Percy comes over.
"Find anything good?"
"That depends. Does your mom like owls?" Percy glances at the necklace.
"No, not really."
I turn my head a bit and see a dolphin made of some kind of blue glass or stone.
"What about that dolphin? It's blue, and since it's a seacreature it is likely that you would pick it out."
Percy follows my gaze again, and brightens.
"Perfect, I can get that and be done with my gifts." While he is grinning like an idiot at the dolphin I sneak another glance at the owl. Percy doesn't notice as he makes his way over to the old lady behind the counter and asks if she can help him. They come back and as they are taking the dolphiin out of the glass monter I look around some more. When Percy has paid the lady she winks at him and grins making him blush slightly which I find rather weird.
"So have a thing for old ladies in jewlery shops now?" I ask as he draws closer.
"Always have, didn't you know?" he says smothly "Come on, let's get something to eat and leave."
I am curious about what she said but don't get a chance to ask as we are back in the stampede of people doing their last christmas shopping pushing our way to a café.
A couple hours later we are finally reach our building. Percy seems nervous when we walk up the stairs to our floor.
"You ok? You seem a little out of it." He has been acting like this since the jewlery store and I have to admit that I am a little worried he didn't like the dolphin I helped him pick out.
"Yeah I'm fine, no worries. Thanks for helping me Annabeth." We reach our floor and I start looking for my keys. Percy is hovering behind me as I place my key in the door and turn it.
"Uhm.. Annabeth?" I turn to look at him, and he is holding a small box in his hands.
"Yes?"
"Well.. uhm.. I.. here" He mumbles and hands me the box. I look at him confused, but accept the box.
"What is this?"
"A.. Thank you for helping me?" He offers but makes it sound more like a question than a statement. I look down at the box again.
"You didn't have to Percy. I don't mind helping you"
"I know, but still."
"But I haven't gotten you anything."
"You don't have to. I just saw this and figured you wanted it so it was kind of an impuls. Therefore no need to return it. You can open it by the way"
I look at the box in my hands again and gently lift the lid. Inside is the owl necklace I was admiring in the jewlery store. The green eyes looking up at me.
"Oh my god, Percy! You really didn't have to do this."
"I know, you said that already. But it looked like you wanted it so much."
I know I have a large grin on my face now and I can't help it.
"Thank you so much!" I hug him tightly and can feel my stumach churning as I feel his arms wrap around me returning the hug. "I will get you something in return though and don't even bother arguing about it." I can practically feel his smile even though I can't see his face.
"Whatever you say wise girl." I am still grinning from the gift so instead I playfully punches him on the shoulder. I realise we are still hugging as I do it and so does he, because he gently lets me go. Percy is looking at the ground so I can't see his face clearly but he rubs his neck in a sign of nervousness and I am pretty sure his face is red. Deciding not to call him out on it thanks to the gift I just recived I open the door behind me to enter my apartment. Making a split-second decision I turn back to Percy.
"Hey, want me to make you dinner as thanks for the gift?"
He looks surprised for a second not understanding what brought on the sudden dinner invitation, but nods his head while a smile creeps on to his face. I open the door a little wider allowing him to enter and he walk past me making himself comfortable on the couch. Deciding it is a bit early for dinner we put on a movie. I look down as Percy puts in the movie and notice that I am still holding the box with the neckleace. Lifting it up I decide I want it on but struggle a bit with the clasp. Percy is walking back towards me and notices my struggle.
"Need some help with that?" As he reaches me I mangage to fasten it and let it hang against my throat.
"Nope, I got it covered."
"of course you do, you wouldn't need help with something that simple."
"Right you are, now shut up and let me watch." He simply shakes his head as he relaxes into the couch and we watch whatever it was that Percy put on in silence until I notice Percy has fallen asleep next to me. His head is lying back on the pillows and he is drooling slightly. I let him be as I make dinner, and when it is time to wake him up I can't resist throwing a pillow at him.
"Wake up sleepy head, dinner is ready." He looks at me with bleary eyes and as I turn back to the kitchen I turn my head with a smirk on my face.
"And stop drooling at my couch." This makes him react and he wipes his mouth before getting up. I laugh and return to the kitchen with him following.
I apologize for this horrible chapter which was supposed to be up by christmas, and then I was going to make a christmas special with them celebrating christmas together but that didn't happen.. Will post a chapter on new years eve or january 1. Just have to write it first, and it depends on when I have a day off from work (stores are ridiculously busy during christmas/new year.) Also sorry for any mistakes, just wanted to upload this while it is still 2013.
Thank you so much for reading this chapter with the worst ending yet. And thanks for any follows, reviews and favorites this has gotten!
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