Chapter 7: Annabeth and I Cook for Dinner
Chapter 7: Annabeth and I Cook for Dinner
After we'd gotten our belongings and the pictures, we went to Annabeth's place. It was a simple apartment with yellow walls.
As we entered the small living room, I saw a picture of the two of us after we'd won the chariot race when we were thirteen years old on a table. I hadn't known she also had a copy of it.
"So," I started, putting my hands inside the pockets of my jeans, "what's the thing you wanted to get?"
"Wait a minute." She dashed inside her room while I was pacing around. I couldn't wait to give my surprise present to Annabeth. It wasn't her birthday or something; I just wanted to give her an item that would always be remembered. I already had the pictures and—
"Done!"
I turned to her and saw that she was shouldering a backpack. I raised an eyebrow. "What's that for?"
"Clothes," Annabeth said. "Well, since you don't have company in your apartment, I want to spend time with you, Seaweed Brain. I'm going to stay there for another night."
I was sure I saw a blushed formed on her face, and I was also sure I did that. "My girlfriend's so sweet," I said as I kissed her lightly on the lips. "But what about your blueprints?"
Annabeth giggled, which I wanted to see and hear every day. "Oh, they could wait. Talking about blueprints..." She then dragged me to her well-organized bedroom. It contained a single bed, a poster of the Parthenon pinned on the wall, and a chair in front of her study desk full of charts and blueprints with a study lamp. Annabeth got one and held it in front of me. "What do you think?"
The drawing was much like the Parthenon, but only more beautiful, because she'd added some fancy designs on the pillars. I was never a fan of architecture, but this one made me speechless. It really looked real and superb, and there were no mistakes on the lines.
It had been professionally drawn.
"Wow," I breathed in amazement.
Annabeth's eyes beamed. "You like it?"
I took the blueprint from her. "Of course I like it, Annabeth. It's really detailed, and I bet the gods would really like your works. I mean, who wouldn't?"
She smiled at me with pride. "I know that there were no errors. Thanks, Percy."
I gave her a crooked smile. "I'm so proud of you."
Annabeth kissed me on the cheek. "And I'm also proud of you. But that doesn't mean you won't help me cook later."
My smile vanished instantly. "Er, yeah, right."
I'd totally forgotten about that.
000
"Percy, I'm going to cook a chicken noodle soup," Annabeth began as we headed to the apartment's kitchen, carrying the grocery bags. "It's good for the health."
It was almost evening when we'd arrived. It'd be delicious if I weren't going to help her. I groaned and could already imagine what Annabeth would tell my mom.
And he didn't slice the chickens properly. I said to cut them into bits! Even the pasta wasn't edible enough. And the worst, Sally, was that the cooking pot exploded...
She saw my expression, smirking. "Trust me, Seaweed Brain, I'm not going to story this to your mom.If you're notgoing to fail, that is."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine. You win, Wise Girl. So, what do I have to do? Don't blame me if something explodes."
Annabeth laughed while putting a large, heavy-bottomed pot on the stove that she'd found in the kitchen cabinet. "Nothing will explode if you follow my instructions. 'Sides, all you have to do is mince the onions."
I blinked in surprise. "That's all...?"
"Yes."
"I mean, really? Just slice?"
She gave an exasperated sigh. "Yes, Percy."
I gave a sigh of relief, telling her, "Let's do this!"
000
I shouldn't have talked in the first place. My eyes were already watering as I was mincing the onions. "Gods."
Annabeth, who was on the other side of the kitchen, was cutting the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. "Aw, Percy's crying."
I wiped some of the tears in my eyes using my arm. "Of course I am! I didn't know onions could make you cry when you're slicing them. All I knew was that vampires hate them."
Then realization hit me. I looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Wait. You planned this all along, didn't you? You didn't want to slice the onions in the first place because of its effect!"
She just shrugged nonchalantly. "Athena always has a plan. Here." Annabeth threw something in my direction. I caught it using my left hand easily.
My brows furrowed. "What should I do with a bubblegum?"
I could feel Annabeth roll her eyes. "Common sense, Seaweed Brain."
"That's not what I meant. This isn't onion-flavored, is it?"
She laughed. "Now, where can you get an onion-flavored bubblegum?"
Grinning, I told her, "From the Stoll brothers." And then I plopped the gum into my mouth.
Mint flavor.
I didn't know where this was going while I was chewing the gum, but then Annabeth suddenly said, "Just continue slicing, Percy."
After a while my eyes weren't watering anymore, and they widened. I turned to her. "Is this crying-resistant?"
Annabeth shook her head. "Of course not. I read in a did-you-know book that when you're slicing onions while chewing a gum, it'll resist the watering of your eyes."
"Oh. I'm sorry I didn't know that, Miss Know-It-All."
She threw something hard on my head. "Ouch!"
"Sorry," Annabeth said, not sounding sorry at all.
Poke.
An onion hit her head. "Percy!" Annabeth yelled, and then she chased me while holding a knife in her hand.
Hades' gym shorts!
"You are so gonna pay for that, Percy!"
We rounded the table, and I was laughing so hard. After a while Annabeth was also doing the same thing. I dashed to her and hugged her by the waist.
"Let go, Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth shrieked.
I raised my eyebrows. "Not until you put that knife down, Wise Girl."
She pouted as she put the knife on the table. "There. Happy?"
I took this as an advantage to kiss her lips. Annabeth didn't respond at first, but when I was about to pull away, she leaned in and put her arms around my neck.
After a minute we gasped for air. She smiled shyly at me and said, "You still have your bubblegum in your mouth, Seaweed Brain."
I ran a hand through my wild black hair, smiling sheepishly. "Er, I forgot about that."
Annabeth rolled her eyes as she let go of me. Rolling her eyes was really her number one hobby to date. "Anyway, are you already finished with the onions?"
I gave her a salute. "Yes, ma'am."
"Give them to me, then. And listen as I cook this soup. I'm sure that this will be important to you someday."
I didn't know why this would be important, but I tried to listen to her lecture. Gods, it was like I was back in school listening to a strict teacher.
She said something like, heat the oil...wait until the crushed garlics are golden brown...add the chicken...pour the can of cream...the pasta...Percy, are you still listening to me?
Fifteen minutes had passed when Annabeth's chicken noodle soup was done. She tasted it first, then asked me, "Did you learn something?"
I knew this was coming, so I racked my brain to remember. "Um, for a more flavorful soup, use chicken stock instead of plain water...?" Whatever that was.
She nodded, seeming satisfied with my answer. "We should eat this while it's still hot."
After I'd prepared the table, we started eating the soup. Annabeth looked at me as I was helping myself a spoonful.
Frowning a little, I asked, "What's the matter?"
She looked around, then asked, "How does it taste?"
Was she nervous again? It wasn't common to see her in this kind of state.
I looked into her eyes with an honest smile. "Annabeth, you're one of the best cooks I know, so don't doubt anymore, okay?"
Annabeth blushed, her eyes beaming, and then concentrated on her soup.
(*center)000
We sat on the couch at the living room after dinner, talking about what was going on in camp, our friends, and the prophecy, until she asked, "Can I see the pictures, Percy?"
"Sure." I went to my room, got the pictures, came back to the living room, and then handed them to Annabeth.
She suddenly laughed her head off. "Gods, look at your face here; you look so stupid!" Annabeth gave me the picture: I was looking at the starry sky with my eyes wide open and tongue out.
"But it's called wacky!" I defended.
"Whatever."
I smiled mischievously. When she saw my face, Annabeth was about to say something, but I suddenly started tickling her on the waist, where her ticklish spot was. She laughed hysterically. "This is—the second time—today, Seaweed Brain!"
I'd never get tired of giving her my tickling sessions.
Then I pushed Annabeth down on the sofa, making me on top of her. We stared at each other before I kissed her passionately on the lips. She responded immediately, and her hand was playing on my hair while the other was on my neck.
I laughed softly on her lips. She pulled away and raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing," I said as I buried my face in her natural curly hair. Mmm, strawberry-flavored shampoo.
Annabeth moved her hands to my back. "Percy?"
"Yeah?" I asked in a muffled voice.
"What are you going to do with the pictures?"
I feared this would happen, so I'd thought of an idea in advance for this. "Er, you know, just for remembrance."
"I know that. I mean, well, it's not like you to do that kind of thing."
"Oh."
A few minutes of silence had passed by after she asked, "Are you going to give it to someone?"
I looked at her, hoping that my face didn't look like I was lying. "S-something like that." Dam! I stammered a little.
"To whom?" I could hear a hint of excitement in her voice.
"To my mom," I lied. Please don't let her notice!
"Ah. That's nice," Annabeth said simply.
"Y-yeah." I couldn't tell her yet.
"Percy?"
"Yeah?"
"Wash the dishes now."
I groaned, "Right."
Day 3
The next morning, we ate cereals with a cup of coffee. Annabeth said that we should go to Central Park this afternoon, because the weather looked pleasant for an afternoon walk.
"And besides," she said while holding her cup of coffee, "it's boring here. We should exercise while I read the new book I bought—"
The doorbell rang, cutting Annabeth off. She glared daggers at the door while I went to it, chuckling lightly.
Who could it be?
I opened the door and was face-to-face with a beautiful woman with long black hair, smiling.
"Hi, Percy."
