Chapter 7: Truth or Dare
Author's Note: Enjoy the chapter, and p.s. It's a lot longer than the last one. Special thanks to my main man FireKeeper, he's the best and helped to co-write this chapter
Annabeth POV
I recapped my story of the last two days to Piper. She was silent the whole way through and only spoke up at the end.
"And your mom said that to you Annabeth?" Piper asked earnestly.
I nodded, looking down at the floor of her carpeted room which we were sitting on. Piper lived with her busy father Tristan McLean who wouldn't be home that night because of work. Tristan, as he liked Annabeth to call him when he was around was an actor, a very successful one mind you, who never seemed to have enough time to spend with Piper. Piper's mom wasn't in the picture. She had left a long while ago, Piper hasn't heard from her since. She tries not to talk about her mom, which is probably for the best.
"I can't believe she'd call you a slut Annabeth!" She cried out, standing up so she had room to pace. Piper tended to do that when things truly set her off. I gave her some space so she had room to vent. She is very protective of me, which I appreciate more than she knows. She also knew that Luke hits me. She feels bad for Luke but at the same time agrees that I should leave him. You can't save him if I haven't already, she'd always say to me.
I responded "I can't either Piper. I thought she loved me but she always goes and does this stupid shit to me."
"Awww, honey, I think she does love you, she just wants you to be with Luke." Piper exclaimed.
"Well, what do you think I should do about Luke?" I asked Piper hopelessly.
"I don't think leaving Luke is an option right now, Annabeth." She told me.
"Yeah, I know… If he wasn't incapacitated then I would dump his ass right away. But because he is I know that if I would I'd look like a total ass." I said.
"No, the real question Annabeth is what are you going to do about Percy?" Piper asked excitedly.
"Did you not hear any of the words that just came out of my mouth?! He basically let Rachel walk all over me. He doesn't care for me Piper, he doesn't care at all…" I stated chin starting to quiver.
"Yes he does honey, you're missing the most important part: the fact that he ran after you to try and right his wrong. If he didn't care he wouldn't have chased you or tried calling you thereafter." She paused. I looked up into her eyes. "I think he's just as crazy about you as you are about him." She said with a hint of a smile.
I looked deep into her eyes as tears began to form in them. "Do you really think so?"
"Annabeth, have you ever known me to steer you wrong?" She asked incredulously.
I smiled faintly, thinking back on some fond memories, "Actually yes I have. There was that one time at that party where you got so wasted you ended up throwing up all over my top and I had to go around the rest of the night without a shirt. In case you didn't remember correctly, I never had wanted to go to that party. The stares I was getting from all the guys there was the most awkward experience I've ever had to go through."
"Okay, fine. There was that one time but still Annabeth, he's into you, it's obvious. I swear, sometimes the smartest people are the most oblivious." She said shaking her head.
"I am not oblivious." I said, stopping to glare at her.
"Yes you are or you would have seen how crazy he is about you by now."
"I don't totally buy that." I responded.
"Whatever Annabeth. If you don't want to take up your chance with Percy then that's your loss. I'm sure Rachel will gladly take a turn with him." Piper stated.
Heat rose to my cheeks as I found myself scowling at her. "Fine, I hope he enjoys keeping shitty company because that's what she is. Shitty company."
Piper said, "He'd rather be with you but if that's what you want then that's cool, I guess."
-Scene Break-
I ate dinner with Piper that night and asked if it was alright if I stayed the night. I really didn't want to go home and face my mother. She said I was welcome here anytime.
An hour into our time together after dinner Piper told me that I needed some cheering up and said that she had the perfect answer.
"Let's have a slumber party!" Piper said.
"No way!" I exclaimed loudly.
"I'm inviting them here whether you like it or not." She stated.
"Ughhhh. Who are you inviting? Tell me that much at least." I said.
"Well for one Reyna because she's a close friend of ours. And then Hazel and Juniper."
I said, "I'm cool with Reyna but not the other two. They're too tight with Percy and I don't want to talk about him tonight."
"Yes you do," She stated. "That's exactly why I already invited all three of them. They should be here any minute." She smiled mischievously.
I looked at her in disbelief, "Wait, are you serious?"
"Yes, I am dead serious." she smirked as the doorbell rang. I followed her to the door and watched as she opened it. The other three girls were standing there, bags in hand. "Hey girls, come on in!" Piper said with glee.
They entered Piper's humble abode and finally noticed my presence.
Reyna came over and hugged me and apologized for what happened to me during the fight.
Reyna said. "Are you okay girl? I know you're tough like me but damn, he slapped the shit out of you."
"Yeah, I'm good. Wasn't as bad as it looked." I said, trying to deflect the conversation off of the topic of Luke publicly abusing me.
"I'm just glad Percy was there. Luke needed someone to put him in his place and Percy did a magnificent job of it." She said.
The other two girls, Hazel and Juniper looked at us after having heard Percy's name.
I stood there awkwardly, waiting for one of them to say anything at all. Thankfully Piper was there to break the ice.
"So ladies, why don't we head up to my room where we can hang out?"
All of us either agreed or nodded in agreement. We headed up the stairs to Piper's massive bedroom. I found myself back with Hazel and Juniper as we made our way up the stairs.
Hazel smiled warmly at me and said "I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Hazel and this here is Juniper." The girl named Juniper smiled at me as well. I was already beginning to regret the attempt to exclude these two from the slumber party. They were so kindly and made me feel right at home.
"It's nice to meet you Hazel, Juniper." I smiled back.
We reached the bedroom and all the girls put their stuff down in the corner.
"So what should we do now ladies?" Piper asked cheerfully.
I usually didn't attend sleepovers so I wasn't exactly accustomed to what the norm was as to what you do the entire night.
Juniper volunteered that we watch a movie. Piper said we should have a pillow fight. Not everyone was completely sold on those ideas so Reyna volunteered an idea.
"Why don't we play truth or dare?"
No one was against it so we sat down in a circle.
Juniper was the first to go so she asked Reyna, "Truth or dare?" obviously.
Reyna replied, "Truth."
Juniper asked Reyna, "What was the most awkward situation you have ever been in?"
Reyna responded, "Well, there was this one time when I was six I approached a man from behind who looked exactly like my father. I wrapped my arms around his leg and called up to him 'Pick me up daddy!'. He looked down at me like you wouldn't believe. I still have nightmares about his facial expression to this day." She ended smiling from ear to ear.
"That's the most awkward position you've been in? That's nothing, that pales in comparison to my most awkward situation." Stated Hazel.
Blushing Reyna said, "Well what was yours then?"
Hazel said, "Ah ah ah, that's not how the game works. You have to ask me a truth or dare first."
Reyna decided not to ask Hazel and instead asked Piper truth or dare. Piper responded, "Truth."
Reyna asked her, "Who's your current crush?"
Everyone leaned in because Piper switched guys from month to month and she was known to get anybody she wanted.
"I'm currently into Will Solace." She said smiling cheekily.
Hazel said, "Hold up, didn't you already date him?"
"No," Responded Piper truthfully. "I dated Lee Fletcher if that's who you're thinking of."
"Oh yeah, now I remember." Replied Hazel. "They sort of look alike."
"I heard he's good with his hands." Offered Reyna. "Probably his lips too."
Piper blushed and Juniper reminded her it was her turn to ask someone truth or dare.
Smiling impishly Piper caught my eye and asked "Truth or dare?"
It took me a second to think over my options. If I picked truth I knew she'd ask me a question about Percy and I wasn't sure I wanted to spill out my feelings about him right then and there. But if I picked dare, nothing would really happen. Percy wasn't there so it's not like she could make me kiss him or something. So I picked the lesser of the two evils.
"Dare." I replied stoutly.
"Alright then," Piper paused for a second to consider her options. She began to smile again. "I dare you to call Percy Jackson."
The ball had been dropped. And the score was Piper 1 Annabeth 0. She had gotten me again. The room grew quiet as they awaited my response.
"Do I have to?" I asked Piper.
They all responded in unison, "YES!"
"Jeez, alright then, I'll do it."
They all began cheering and high fiving each other. I got up to retrieve my phone. I found it lying on Piper's bed. I sat back down in my spot within the circle. I unlocked my phone and found Percy's contact. I took a deep breath as my finger hovered over the button.
Piper said "And you have to keep him on speakerphone."
"Ugh, alright." I said.
I tapped his number and it began to dial Percy. I tapped the speakerphone button and it changed the audio output.
He picked up after two rings.
"Hey," He said. "I'm glad you called, I really wanted to talk with you."
Piper was already hugging Reyna and mouthing O-M-G after having heard that Percy wanted to talk with me. Personally, I didn't know what to think. For all I knew he was just trying to redeem himself for being an epic idiot.
"Yeah, I bet." I responded into the phone.
"Look Annabeth, I know I screwed up. I shouldn't have let her say those things but I'm sincerely sorry. I usually screw things like these up. I suck at relationships but I don't want to mess this one up." He said back.
I didn't know how he could suck at relationships with looks like those but go figure. I hadn't totally forgiven him so I said, "What relationship are you even talking about?"
Piper looked at me like she was ready to strangle the life out of me. I guess in her mind, playing stupid right now wasn't the best move.
"This one." He said. "There's something happening between us Annabeth and I don't want to lose it. Couldn't you feel it when we touched, the connection?" He asked me.
I didn't know how to respond. I wanted to say yes so badly but I replied with, "No, no I didn't. I think you forget that I have a boyfriend Percy."
He grew quiet but finally spoke up and said, "It's there Annabeth, I know you feel it too. And I get that you have a boyfriend but he's giving you a raw deal. Any guy who truly cared about you wouldn't have hit you like that. I know I wouldn't have."
The girls couldn't contain themselves any longer and started whispering "Ooooo!"
Reyna said "He likes you girl, go get him!"
Somehow, I don't think Percy heard them so he continued, "I don't know why you're with Luke Annabeth but I care about you. I want you to not only happy but safe too, preferably in my arms." He laughed lightly into the phone.
I began to blush and all the girls in the room were going literally crazy trying to hold back their emotions.
"Annabeth, you've grown quiet." He said. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking your crazy," I said smiling for the first time. "But it's a good kind of crazy."
He laughed and said "Well I'm glad you think so."
I could tell I was already falling for his laugh. Just one more thing I could add to the list of Things I Dig About Percy Jackson.
"I think we should hang out tonight," He said. "I want to spend sometime with you."
I looked over at Piper and she nodded like crazy and mouthed invite him here. I nodded and said to Percy, "I'm at Piper's right now but if you want to come here and chill then that's cool. Just be warned that there are a lot of girls here."
"As long as my girl's there I wouldn't even notice them." He replied.
I found myself blushing for the second time in this conversation. The girls all said out loud "Awww!"
Percy unsurprisingly heard this time and said, "So I'm on speaker then?"
I responded, "Yeahhhhh."
He laughed, "It's cool. You mind if I bring a few friends a along so we can have a real party?" I conferred with Piper and she agreed and said we could host a party.
"Sweet," He said. "I'll be there in 45."
We hung up and the girls went nuts again.
"He's crazy about you Annabeth!" Screamed Piper. "I'm so glad I had you call him!" She said smiling wickedly.
After they had calmed down and were done discussing Percabeth as they had already begun to refer to Percy and I as, I went to the bathroom and checked how I looked while the other girls went downstairs to prepare everything for the party. Tonight, I'd be with Percy and I wanted everything to be perfect. And it would be, I just knew it.
