Chapter Nine: Holiday From Real, by Jack's Mannequin

She thinks I'm much too thin,
She asks me if I'm sick
What's a girl to do
With friends like this?

"Percy! Slow down!"

Paul's Prius wheeled down the dirt road, stirring up a haze of brown dust. I slammed on the breaks and the car jerked to a screeching halt.

"Slow enough for you?" I asked. Next to me, Annabeth had her hand over her chest and was taking long, deep breaths. Her wind-tossed blonde hair set my stomach into a series of backflips.

"You are going to send me to an early grave, Seaweed Brain," she gasped.

"All in a day's work," I replied with a grin. I pulled the car off to a small look-out on the side of the road. "Look—you can see the ocean from here."

The vast Pacific glittered in the sunlight. Seeing it always filled me with a sense of calm. I looked at Annabeth, only to find she was studying me again. She'd been doing that since I'd arrived yesterday, whenever she thought I wasn't watching.

"Have you been feeling okay, Perce?" she asked, frowning. "I mean, I know you've been really stressed lately, but you're way too thin."

"I'm fine," I said.

"Spontaneously driving across the country is not what I'd call 'fine.'"

"Annabeth, I came here because I needed a break." I unbuckled my seatbelt and hopped out of the car. "I mean, I really, really needed a break."

I swung around to her side, pulling her out of the car.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her orange skirt fluttering in the sea-breeze.

"We," I said, leading her to the edge of the bluff, "Are going on an adventure."

Annabeth giggled, pulling away from me.

"An 'adventure'?" she mocked. "That's not an answer, you dunderhead."

I snaked through the tall sand grass and down the bluff. Beneath was a small, rocky beach nestled between the stony coastline. Huge breakers crashed onto the gravelly sand. The spray reached me in a shower of mist.

"Wait up!" Annabeth called. She shimmied down the slope, but tripped on a loose stone.

"Oof!"

She landed breathless against me, her hands square on my chest. My arms subconsciously fastened around her, catching her. Our faces were inches apart. Close enough to see my reflection in her irises. Close enough to count every eyelash. Close enough to kiss.

My heart began hammering. My stomach, which had been doing backflips a minute ago, now felt like it was filled with live jellyfish.

"Uh…" I stammered. My mouth seemed to have stopped working properly.

"Sorry," she said, blushing. She pushed past me, onto the beach.

Real smooth, I told myself. I watched the wind whip her hair around her face. I felt like such an idiot.

"Come on," I said, running up to her and grabbing her hand. "Let's go swimming!"

"In that water?" she said dubiously. All of the flush hadn't yet faded from her cheeks. "Why not just drown me now?"

"Ah, but you're forgetting who you're with!" We kicked off our shoes and I led her to the water, until the foam was pooling around our feet bare feet. "Son of the Sea God here. Capable of calming the seas with his bare hands."

"Better not let my parents hear you saying that—they're Catholic," Annabeth giggled.

"Well have you ever seen Jesus do—this?"

I ran forward, pulling her with me. Annabeth shrieked as the cold water splashed on her legs, soaking through her skirt. A huge swell manifested in front of us, it's foamy crest above our heads, ready to break. Annabeth gasped, latching onto my arm. Just as the wave crashed over us, I held us in a sphere of air. Water spattered across the barrier but it held, impenetrable.

"Pretty good, eh?" I said, cocking one eyebrow.

"You're one up on the Lord," Annabeth said, as another wave broke around the sphere. "Not bad for a Seaweed Brain."

Oh, California in the Summer
Ah, and my hair is growing long
Fuck yeah, we can live like this

I decided that I'd have to call my parents, sooner or later. There was no point in putting it off any longer; I doubted they could get any more furious than they probably already were.

"Percy!? Where the hell are you?"

"Oh, um… around," I lied pathetically.

"Around? AROUND?! You've been gone for over a week leaving nothing but a note and the best you can give is around?!" I had never heard Paul, who was usually levelheaded and calm, so irate. The effect was almost frightening.

"Well, I'm sort of in Santa Monica," I said weakly.

"Please tell me you mean Santa Monica's Pizza Parlor in Brooklyn," Paul said dangerously.

"Actually…" I cringed. "Santa Monica, California."

I pulled the phone away from my ear as Paul began a second tirade. From what I could tell, it contained a lot of you-have-no-idea-what-we-went-through's and absolutely-no-excuse's.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," I offered. I was—I felt awful about what I'd done, but it hadn't been enough to stop me from doing it.

"Percy, you stole my car and drove across the country. So your apology really isn't worth a hell of a lot. Believe me, once you get your sorry ass back here you are in for the punishment of a life-time, mister."

"Um… Paul?" I winced. "I'm sort of not coming back just yet."

I heard Paul spluttering on the other end. By now, his anger seemed beyond words.

"Unbelievable. Fucking unbelievable. I'm putting your mother on the phone."

By the time my mom had chewed me out, I was feeling awful. I could handle the incensed ranting from Paul, but hearing the shame in my mom's voice was a million times worse. I would rather that she shouted. Anything was better than her quiet, bitter disappointment.

I jumped as Annabeth's voice came out of nowhere.

"You know, you kind of had that coming."

"Yeah." I grimaced. "I know."

"Are you going to go back?"

"Do I have to?"

Annabeth looked like she was in the throes of a fierce internal struggle.

"I guess…" she began hesitantly, "I guess it wouldn't do any more damage if you stayed for a couple more days."

A smile broke out on my face.

"Well, then," I said, waggling my eyebrows, "Why don't we make the most of them?"

"Percy…" she started, her lips turning down, her responsible side finally getting the better of her.

"What?" I asked, rolling my eyes. "You just got off on spring break and I'm in California. We're two young, attractive people; so why not have a little fun?"

"Well," she said, quirking an eyebrow. "One of us is attractive."

I knew I had won her over.


But if you left it up to me
Everyday would be
A holiday

From real.

We were sitting on the boardwalk together, watching the sun set.

California was fantastic. I never wanted to leave, and never wanted these moments to end. We'd wasted days running around the sunlit city, acting irresponsible and getting into all sorts of mischief. It was perfect, the perfect escape.

"I wish it were always like this," I voiced aloud. "With nothing at all to worry about."

"Your little vacation from reality can't last forever, Percy," Annabeth said.

"You're such a downer," I countered with a grin.

"And you," Annabeth said pointedly, "Are delusional."

"If it were up to me, life would be one giant vacation," I said, stretching my arms out behind my head.

"If it were up to you, I'd hate to think of the state the world would be left in," Annabeth replied.

"Percytopia would be a great civilization!" I pouted.

"That Annabethopolis would quickly conquer."

"Is that an insult?" I asked flippantly.

Annabeth smiled but said nothing. She fixed me with a smugly knowing stare.

"Don't give me that!" I protested.

"What?" She feigned innocence. I rolled my eyes.

"That!" I sputtered. "That 'you-are-an-ignorant-creature-who-lives-in-an-absured-fantasy-world-but-I'll-keep-my-silence-because-I-see-with-my-wisdom-what-is-best look!"

She looked as though she was going to argue against it for a moment, but then submitted wearily.

"You are an ignorant creature, Percy Jackson."

"Ah, well," I said, relaxing. The sun sunk beneath the waves, shrouding the sky in a warm, dusk glow. "That's the price we pay for paradise."


We'd waste our weeks
Beneath the sun,
We'd fry our brains
And say it's so much fun out here
But when it's all over
I'll come back for another year.


A/N: Another chapter done! I love writing Percy/Annabeth banter. It's so fun. Those two are adorable. And Jack's Mannequin is amazing. Seriously awesome band.

Review!

--jr