~ Hey Angels ~

Sorry this update is a day late, I know a lot of you have been waiting for this chapter in agony since the very beginning of Memories.

But here it is! Finally. Right here. Right in you hands. Right now.

I must admit, I'm nervous. There's been such a big build-up to this reunion and I don't want anyone to be disappointed if it doesn't go like you planned. I just want to make you all happy.

Regardless, this is always how I wanted their first kiss to go. I wanted it to be BIG but I didn't want it to be cliche.


I wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed in the last chapter. ❤️💛💚💙💜💖

I'm sorry I'm not gonna do review responses because I've run out of time :/

Plus 43 reviews was a hell of a lot to get through but I loved reading every single one of them. Honestly people, I worship the ground you stand on. That's how much I care about this story and all of you.

I'll reply to reviews from the previous chapter in the next update, I swear. So don't worry, your questions won't go unanswered. But for now, here are a few shoutouts to some lovely people who made me smile today:

Sallybubbles

AnnaUnicorn

The GirlWhoFlew (honestly both of your reviews made me so happy)

Cinder Luna

Y.S.D.T Fever

Mason

Joanna

BookFanfiction

Itsanewwriter

Trixy J

Fangirl10

Hermione Historia Chase (of course ;) )

Dicxon Phoon

Book. 14. Nerd

Oh and to BeccaAnn143, thanks for letting me know about the Bobbie and Matthew error. It was meant to say that they were 4 years old! I just went back and changed it.

~xXx~


SO! Without further ado, (I can't even tell you how relieved I am to finally be announcing this) I give you, THE REUNION.

Hope you like it x 🐠🐬🐳🐚 ️

P.s. I'm sorry, I kinda went to town with the song tributes. You don't have to listen to them if you don't want to but I SERIOUSLY recommend that you do ;)

P.p.s Sorry if there are any grammatical errors, I didn't have a lot of time to edit.


Chapter 9

The Reunion

Piper POV

Monday 4th April

"Do you know what I'm made of?"

"Don't say boyfriend material."

"Boyfriend material!"

"You are not saying that to Calypso…ever." I told Leo, rolling my eyes at his lame pick up line.

"I thought it was pretty good." He grinned.

"And that's why you're still single." Jason smirked, making Leo punch his arm with a moody scowl.

I laughed. We were walking together through the busy corridor, towards the common room where the others were likely to be. Jason was in the middle, looking drop dead gorgeous as usual. His short golden hair resembled something like a halo above his perfectly chiselled face and pretty blue eyes. His eyes were the first features of his I'd fallen in love with all those years ago.

The two of them were talking about football now and he was casually pulling his backpack strap over his shoulder with one arm, tousling his hair with a charming grin. They mentioned how Percy was back on the team and how much smoother practice was going now. Jason had taken over as captain for a while and I could tell he liked doing it but he was mature enough to step down for Percy once more.

I'd always wondered whether that internal leadership clash would make rivalries out of both of them, but it never did. Sure, they argued and competed all the time but in the end, they were like brothers and brothers fight, forgive and move on.

Well, no matter what, he was always a winner to me. I was still admiring his face when he caught me staring. I blushed, looking away quickly with a smile. Then I felt his hand slipping into mine and looked up at him, he was smiling down at me, his eyes searching my face. Leo was still banging on about something as I beamed at Jason, tightening my grip on his hand.

"Remind me how I managed to snag you?" He frowned.

"I got sick of you begging me to go out with you." I teased.

"Um, I don't think that's how it went down."

"Of course it is—I called your name, you came running." I grinned and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, still holding my hand so that I had to cross my arm over my chest.

"Haha, very funny." He rolled his eyes.

I smiled, lacing our fingers together and kissing the back of his hand. He glowed with happiness, which was totally adorable, and fell back into a conversation with Leo just as we were entering the common room.

"Yo, heads up!" Someone shouted. I gasped, looking up in time to see Percy tossing a football across the room to Jason who swiftly let me go to catch it.

"Gonna have to try harder next time, Jackson." Jason smirked, tossing it back to him and rushing over to where the boys were gathered around the Table Tennis table. The Stolls were mid-game, seeing who could come up with the rudest insult for the other. Grover was at the side commentating, probably thinking he was the funniest person ever.

"I was going easy on you." Percy grinned at his best friend.

"Oh, just like you were going easy on me when I beat your ass at Table Tennis a second ago?" Beckendorf snorted.

"Hey, I let you win." Percy huffed, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

"Of course you did." I smirked.

"I did!" He yelled at me to which everyone started sniggering.

"Yeah, he's full of shit, Pips!" Thalia called from the black leather couch in front of the TV where the girls were sitting.

Percy threw his arms up in defeat and I giggled, punching his shoulder.

"We were just talking about who could come up with the best pick up line." Jason said. "You should seriously listen to Leo's go-to, it's painfully bad."

"Let's hear it then." Percy grinned.

"Oh, come on!" Leo huffed. "What's so bad about, 'do you work at Starbucks? Because I like you a latte'?"

We all just stared at him for a minute. "The fact that you don't even know, explains it all." Percy said bluntly making us all snort with laughter.

"Can you please just tell them both that pick-up lines are lame and no one uses them anymore?" I sighed, looking up at him.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head, dazed. "I can't find my words because I'm so lost in your eyes." The boys cracked up at that, even Jason did.

"Funny." I made a face at him.

"That's ma boi." Grover smirked before getting back into the Stoll's game. Beckendorf was making sure they weren't killing each other.

"I call the next match." Jason said when the Stoll's had reverted to just arguing rather than actually playing.

Leo picked up the other bat and smirked. "Loser has to do the other's homework for the week."

"Dude, I'm not letting you do my homework." Jason scoffed. "Loser pays for McDonald's tonight."

"You're on." Leo grinned.

Poor baby, they hadn't even started the match and he'd already lost.

I went to sit with the other girls, looking at Percy every now and then. He was smiley much more often nowadays. He almost seemed like his normal cheeky, charming self. It had almost been 6 months since Annabeth left but I think he was learning to live with it.

Maybe it was an act, maybe it wasn't –the important thing was that I was looking at him now and I could tell that he was genuinely happy.

"He seems better." Silena murmured, following my gaze.

"He does." I whispered, smiling softly.

"I think that DMC the boys had with him a couple weeks back really helped." Reyna added and I nodded.

I remembered Jason mentioning that he, Beck and Grover had talked to him in the locker room for a while after football practice.

"It was kind of about time really, wasn't it?" Thalia murmured. "I know he misses her but if she chose to leave, that's her loss, to be honest."

"Thalia!" Silena frowned.

"No, I'm serious. I like Annabeth but doesn't Percy deserve to be happy?"

Silena sighed and then nodded. "I guess so."

"Well, all we can do is be normal around him." I said. "Don't talk about her. Don't bring her up. From now on, I think we let him make his own decisions. He's tired of hearing us asking that he go see her."

"I agree." Reyna nodded and I think we all secretly promised each other that we'd stick to that plan.

We'd only just managed to recover the old Percy from the wreckage that Annabeth had left behind, none of us wanted to jeopardise losing him now.

Silena instantly changed the conversation topic when Percy began to walk over. "Did I leave my phone over here?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah." Thalia said, reaching forward to pick up his iPhone from the coffee table and pass it to him.

"Thanks." He said before suddenly freezing at the sight of something on his lock screen. He looked as though he'd just seen a ghost.

Within seconds he was quickly holding it to his ear and frowning at the floor.

"Percy, what's wrong?" I asked, concerned now. "Who is it?"

His expression softened, and I watched his heart slowly sinking in his eyes. Soon, the phone was slipping from his ear and he dropped his arm, still staring at the floor in disbelief. Whoever was on the other end had just knocked all the breath out of him.

"Percy?" Silena murmured, her eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"That was Annabeth." He whispered breathlessly, looking at us girls in shock. I'm pretty sure we all lost our minds at those few simple words.

Annabeth—the girl who had been missing from our lives for half a year. The girl who had caused all this mess despite it not really being her fault. It hadn't been anyone's fault.

Now she was calling him. After all this time, she was the one who had decided to reach out. Somehow, I'd always thought it would be Percy.

"She said she misses me."

~xXx~


Annabeth POV

Tuesday 5th April

Song Tribute: [Photograph – Ed Sheeran]

I knelt on the living room floor as I went through boxes of my mom's old stuff. Today, for some reason, I'd decided to delve into the past to see if I could dig up old memories—some sort of nostalgia from my long lost childhood.

It was sunny outside, and I wore a light grey romper with a white lace back that plunged to the centre of my spine. My fingers were wrapped tightly around the silver necklace hanging from my neck and I had a stylish white floppy summer hat sitting on my loose wavy blonde hair.

Over the past few weeks of spring, I had gotten a lot tanner, probably not as tanned as Percy but you could call me brown now instead of honey gold. My mother had spontaneously decided one weekend in the holidays that we should all get on a flight to Hawaii and stay there for a couple weeks.

The boys and I had spent the whole time seeing who could get the most tanned and I won because I had the patience to sunbathe for longer. They'd get bored after about 10-15 minutes and go for a swim or play video games inside. I'm pretty sure my mother had yelled at them to 'go outside and get some fresh air' at least 100 times over that one vacation.

I was flicking my way through some old videotapes when one of them caught my eye. I took it carefully in my hands and smoothed my fingers over the dusty label. It read:

Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl

I gasped in shock before literally leaping to my feet to run to the TV room. My mother had still kept our old tape player so I slotted it inside and knelt in front of the screen as I watched it start up, making a load of funny noises. The screen was all pixelly but then suddenly it started to focus and I saw them.

Us.

'Photograph' by Ed Sheeran played in the background as I watched the tape with tears in my eyes. There were loads of clips of Percy and I playing together at my old house, on the beach, in the water, just everywhere. There was one of me giving him a blue cupcake with a lit candle inside and him grinning at me wildly as I whispered, 'happy birthday Seaweed Brain'. I giggled through my happy tears.

There was one of us running around in the garden and then I kissed him on the cheek and I could hear my mother, who was holding the camera, awing at us. I turned around and started groaning and yelling 'mother!' as she just laughed and ran back inside.

There was one of me sitting in a pile of flour in the kitchen with Percy holding an empty flour bag and me scowling at him profusely. My mother came in gasping and holding the camera but she was trying not to laugh at my face. I laughed in real life as I watched my younger self screaming at Percy and trying to grab his jumper as he ran around the kitchen with a scared look on his face.

As the last chorus came on, it showed a film at the beach where my mother had caught us kissing. It was just a peck but it was adorable. A tear slipped down my check as I looked at myself smiling at him with such happiness in my eyes.

Suddenly, the video went black and it was over.

"No." I gasped. "No no no." I started pressing random buttons on the recorder but there was nothing I could do. The video was over and Percy was gone. I sank into the floor and buried my head in my hands, trying not to cry more now.

"You really did adore him when you were younger." My mother murmured from behind me and I snapped my head around in shock. She'd been standing in the doorway.

She came to kneel beside me and twiddle a strand of my hair. "Annabeth...he loved you more than anything in this world. I'm quite certain he only kept things from you because he didn't want to go through the pain of losing you again."

"He put me through hell." I whispered.


(Shoutout to Alex vanhuson for this next quote from Athena. Thank you! I love it.)


With a gentle sigh, she spoke softly and clearly, "when someone you know you love does something wrong, don't forget all the things they did right."

I caught my breath and then it all hit me. Nothing had ever sounded so true in my entire life.

I was being stupid. I had run away from him for lying to me when it should have been me apologising for leaving him. He had every right to keep that from me because it was my fault for forgetting him in the first place.

People do say that sometimes the mind chooses to forget the things it doesn't want to remember…

I could only imagine what it would feel like to have someone you cared about as a child, forget you completely. I had been selfish and cruel, and I had just left him and my friends because I was too blind to see my own mistake.

How could I have been so incompetent?

"I have to see him." I breathed.

"What?" My mother frowned in shock.

"I have to see him." I said louder, nodding my head now as if it was the only certain thing on this earth.

I shot up, running out of the door and sprinting through the mansion, past the maids, past Bobbie and Matthew playing in the living room, past everything I'd been hiding behind for the last six months.

I came to a skidding stop by the front door and grabbed the only pair of shoes that were there; my white heeled pumps. Pulling them on, I ran out the door.

Okay, running in heels—bad choice but who cares!

Song Tribute: [Gone In the Morning – Newton Faulkner]

I yanked my car door open and slid in, jamming my keys into the keyhole and revving the engine before speeding away. At the press of a button, the gates opened for me and I was out of there the second I could fit through the gap, speeding down the road like a maniac.

I had to take my hat off so it wouldn't blow away and as I swerved my way around other cars, the wind whipped violently through my newly curled hair. Getting a point on my driver's licence wasn't really an issue right now.

It was Friday and I knew it would be lunch time at school. I was going to have to walk around school in heels but I didn't care, all I cared about was finding Percy and apologising for being such an idiot.

A traffic jam started to build up and I banged my steering wheel impatiently. The school was only a couple of minutes away as well which made it even more annoying.

"Come on, come on, come on." I mumbled frustratedly before eventually giving up and pulling into a parking space at the side of the road.

I locked the car and grabbed my hat, not sure why—maybe it was something to hide behind, before leaping out and running down the road as fast as I could. The fabric of the grey romper flapped in the wind and my hair flew out behind me, messing up all the waves my mother had hand curled this morning. Not that I particularly cared.

People stared at the crazy 16-year-old girl running in heels in the middle of New York City but with my mind so focused on one thing, there was hardly room for anything else.

I was getting closer and closer to school and that meant I was getting closer and closer to Percy.

I ran through the park across the grass and out into the road again, sending a group of white doves fluttering away as I burst my way through. I threw my arms out like a bird and tilted my head back smiling because it felt like I was flying. I was finally going to see him again and that made me happier than I'd ever felt before.

Finally, I reached the school car park. The place was empty for now and I quickly ran up the front steps before stopping all of a sudden.

Was I really going to do this?

I shook my head, taking a deep breath and placing my hat back on my head, fixing my hair a little. Almost instantly, I could feel those beginner nerves running through my veins and began to repetitively twiddle my car keys.

This was it. This was the big moment.

I hadn't been here in almost half a year. How was everyone going to react when they saw me? The thought left me sick to my stomach and all of a sudden, I was tiny, insignificant, shy Annabeth all over again.

Song Tribute: [With or Without You – U2] - (mainly just the first part for her entrance)

Refusing to let my social anxiety get the better of me this time, I took a deep deep breath as if to take up all the available oxygen around me, and lifted my hand to the door. With a click, it opened and I emerged—gliding into the hallway.

Silence. Slow motion. Looks up. Blinking softly. Footsteps clicking. A single heartbeat. Pulse rising. Hair feathering out behind me. A whispering breath across my lips.

Then Bam! Everything happened at once.

Gasps and whispers filled the space. Everyone stared and rightly so, I didn't look normal entering a school like Goode High in stilettos as I towered over the freshman. I wasn't even a particularly tall person.

I looked around, trying to find him and ignore everyone else's intrusive glances. The anxiety was bubbling up inside me like it was ready to overflow but for now, I managed to tame it to a controllable state. Now was not the time to crumble and fall—now was the time to stand on my own two feet, accept the fact that I messed up and make it right again.

It wasn't long, however, before the crowds of people were swarming to interrogate me. Several girls asked where I'd gotten my outfit from and what products I put in my hair, while all the boys asked me, well more like insisted, to have a party at my new house. I guess a number of people knew my mother had a very large house.

I did my best to push my way through but more people just came up to me. I should've been flattered really. Smiling at them, I did my best to answer their questions as politely as possible but things were getting a little too overwhelming. My life was being invaded by people who used to bully me, wanting to go hang out. It just wasn't right.

"So how come you're back?" A junior girl asked.

"Um..." My heart skipped a beat, I didn't really feel comfortable talking about this.

"Duh, to see Percy...are you dumb or something?" Another girl raised her eyebrow at her and they had a pretty intense glare off.

"Aaaww that's so romantic." Another girl sighed.

"Um...well this has been nice but I really need to go." I smiled pointing in the other direction as I began to walk away.

"Wait! Do you need help finding him?" One of them called as they all cut me off again.

"Scram juniors!" A senior guy scowled as he came over with two of his guy friends. He smiled at me with his hands in his pockets.

They were all attractive. A lot of the boys in this school were actually.

"You looking for Percy?" He smirked. "Last I saw him, he was in the gym. I can take you there." He looked nice enough but I didn't like the way he said 'I can take you there' as if he had no intention in taking me to Percy, only somewhere he could...well you know.

Before I could reply, one of his friends interrupted. "Nah, he's with Piper and that lot in the common room. I'll show you." They seemed to have a mental argument as I just stood there uncomfortably. It was funny how even in heels, they were taller than me.

"He's on the football field with the others." I heard a soft voice and turned around to see Lacey smiling up at me.

"Lacey!" I smiled and she giggled, coming over to give me a hug. I bent down to her level to hug her back.

"I knew you'd come back." She smiled and I giggled, tapping her nose with my fingertip.

"Well, I wasn't just going to leave you now, was I?" I scrunched my nose at her and she giggled in that cute little way of hers. "Sorry boys, maybe another time?" I smiled softly and they seemed to sigh in disappointment but managed a smile.

"I'll make sure of it." The boy, who spoke first, smiled at me before giving me a cool salute and walking down the corridor with his friends. They squabbled, shoving each other as they went.

"I think they like you." Lacey giggled making me smile and give her a playful nudge. "Well, you do look really pretty. I wish I looked like you." She murmured shyly.

"Oh no." I shook my head. "I wish I looked like you." I smiled giving her hand a little squeeze and she flashed a smile back at me.

"You should go if you wanna catch him before class." She told me and I suddenly remembered what I was here for. I smiled at her giving her one last hug before rushing down the corridor.

I burst out onto the quad, walking across the freshly mown grass and stone pathways as swiftly as I could. With the football field in sight now, my heart was beginning to pound like never before.

The thrum was unbearable.

I came to a sudden stop at the side of the bleachers and caught my breath. Slowly but surely, I looked up and like a long-awaited Christmas present, my eyes found him. I could see him now. After all these months apart, I could finally see him. Nervous butterflies soared in my stomach and I just couldn't bring myself to walk over there.

Gaze fixed on him, I took a deep breath and relaxed my shoulders. Maybe it would be better to take baby steps this time. I pulled out my phone and dialled his number, taking off my shoes to hold and stepping onto the grassy field. It was good that it was so hot today because the ground was hard and dry so my feet didn't get too dirty.

The impatience from hearing his voice and seeing his face again made my stomach ache as I swiftly walked across the field, feeling the warm grass between my toes.

He was so far away—just a figure in the distance but I saw him take out his phone and sucked in a breath as he held it up to his ear.

"Annabeth?" His voice came through. It was the best sound in the world.

Song Tribute: [Naked – James Arthur] - (Kind of obsessed with this song right now. Time it right! Last chorus for the embrace.)

He sounded shocked—a little breathless and I could see the others staring at him now. They all stood in a group in the middle of the empty pitch, wearing casual clothes as if they were having a chill afternoon.

"Percy?" I whispered.

"Hey..." He breathed. "You can't call me and tell me that you miss me, okay? I...I don't wanna have that conversation over the phone." I bit my lip. "So you can't text me and you can't email me and you can't think it in your pretty little head."

My throat caught a little at the word 'pretty' and I began to walk towards him faster.

"If you really miss me, you need to get in your stupid car and come see me."

I stopped a couple of metres away and only a few of them saw me at first. Silena, Piper and Thalia looked at me in shock, utterly speechless but Percy didn't seem to notice with his back to me. He looked so good in beige coloured jeans, a black T-shirt and grey Vans.

My hand was shaking as I held the phone to my ear and before I could stop myself, I spoke, "I'm here." I murmured and his head slowly turned around before his eyes landed on me. They widened slightly and he hung up the phone a little dazed.

"Annabeth?" He whispered and I slowly hung up the phone too, keeping my eyes on him and only him. I can't even tell you how good it was to see his sea-green eyes once again after all these months apart. I felt like crying as the butterflies fluttered around in my stomach.

"I know I can't just call you..." I murmured.

"No." He frowned. "You can't."

"I hurt you and I'm sorry." I murmured. "I never should have left like that and I never should have been angry at you for keeping everything from me. Those pills were messing with my head and I wasn't myself back then." I said softly as if I could say something in the right tone and make him forgive me. "What I did…getting arrested…hurting Rachel—"

"Forget about her." He cut me off bluntly.

I sighed. "You were only trying to forget about how I mistreated you before and I was stupid and naive and I blamed you for it. I did the only thing I could think of which was to run away and I'm sorry." I took a shaky breath. "I don't know why I wasted so much time pretending I was angry with you. I guess I was just so used to people toying with me that I thought maybe you were the same and I...I didn't wanna feel like this." There were tears in my eyes now. "Because it hurts...it really really hurts." I sobbed.

He stared at me in shock and a silence fell between us as the others watched a little stunned by what was going down. I felt my heart racing in my chest as I waited for him to say something...anything. It was unbearable waiting to see whether he'd forgive me or shun me which I probably deserved.

"Would you please say something?" I whispered desperately taking a sudden step forward but he put his hand up to stop me.

"Wait. You should know." He breathed shaking his head and I waited for the inevitable. My heart sank in my chest and I tried not to cry, knowing what was coming. It had been painful staying away from him but being with him now felt even worse and I didn't know if I would even be able to bear it. It felt like he was crushing my heart in my chest and watching me cry as he did it without an ounce of pity in his eyes.

"If you come any closer..."

I gulped, clutching my phone in my hand nervously.

"I'm not letting you go."

My heart flourished and I blinked in shock, letting out a huge sigh of relief. Then, I slowly took off my hat and dropped it to the floor along with everything else I was carrying. A tear slipped down my cheek and I cracked a little smile. He smiled back at me and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It melted my whole being as if I'd just been exposed to sunlight after years of being in the dark.

With a skip in my heart, I swiftly started to walk over and he met me in the middle where we threw our arms around each other and buried our faces into the other's neck.

The world span around us fast and all that was left to do was to cling onto each other for dear life.

Wanting to fill every gap between us, I stood on my tip toes and pulled him deeper into me. I smoothed my hand over his shoulder and upper back as I wound my other hand into his hair. And as I sobbed happily against his shoulder, that last hole in my heart slowly began to fill again. This was what I'd been missing all these months.

Percy.

With my face buried into his shoulder and my fingers tangled in his hair, I pulled him against me desperately and he tightened his grip around my back. I familiarised myself with his irresistible scent and began to realise how much I'd missed it.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...did I mention I'm sorry?" He mumbled in my ear and I giggled softly pulling away a little to look into his eyes which like mine were a little teary although mine more so.

He had his arms wrapped around my waist and mine were resting on his chest as I looked up at him with a soft smile on my face. "I'm sorry too."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Never do that to me again."

I smiled. "Never." I whispered, standing on my tip toes again to press my lips to his cheek softly. I resisted the urge to kiss him on the lips which was harder than words can express but I managed it...barely.

He smiled softly, taking my hands in his as he pressed his forehead to mine. We both closed our eyes just to breathe each other in for a few moments and it was blissful. How it had taken me around six months to pluck up the courage and come see him, I have no idea but I was here now and that's all that mattered.

We slowly let go and I turned to the others nervously, realising they'd witnessed the whole thing. Silena had a tear in her eyes as she managed a giggle through her happy tears. I smiled walking over to give her a warm embrace as the sun was beating down on us.

"You came." She murmured.

"I promised, didn't I?" I smiled, pulling away to wipe a tear from underneath her eye.

"So, who knocked some sense into you?" Jason asked and I turned to return his smile.

"My mother." I grinned walking over to give him a tight hug and he lifted me up a little as I squealed happily.

"Alright, alright my turn." Piper complained pulling me out of Jason's arms and wrapping hers around me. I giggled, happily obliging her as I pulled her into me for a few moments.

"You look gorge." She smiled and I blushed.

"Thanks." I smiled modestly.

Then I turned to Thalia. She frowned at me for a few moments and I raised an eyebrow at her. At that, she cracked a smile and, to my complete and utter astonishment, gave me a forceful hug before pushing me away suddenly.

"Don't you ever do that again. Do you hear me, young lady?" She scowled but I just laughed it off.

"Not gonna make any promises." I smiled and her eyes blazed at that. "Joking." I giggled. "I'm just joking." She rolled her eyes at that and I turned to Reyna.

"So... I found myself." I smiled, thinking back to our last conversation in the art room.

She laughed at that. "Took you long enough but it'll have to do." She shrugged, cracking a smile before she hugged me for a while.

I continued to greet the others and then it was Grover's turn. I looked at him but his expression told me this was going to be difficult. I stood there awkwardly hugging my arms and glancing at him as the others watched intently.

"You do realise I hated you for doing that to my boi." He frowned and I sighed.

"I don't blame you. What kind of a best friend would you be if you didn't?" I smiled softly.

He sighed heavily. "But I like you for coming back and making him smile again I guess." He shrugged and my eyes lit up at that.

I glanced at Percy who shoved his hands in his pockets with a nervous smile as he glanced at the floor and scuffed his feet for a few moments and it was just about the cutest thing I'd ever seen. When he glanced up slightly and his eyes met mine I just about melted.

I turned back to Grover a few dreamy moments later and saw that he was smiling at me. "Does this mean you forgive me?" I asked softly.

"Just this once." He shrugged before cracking a smile and I bounded over to him, pulling him into a warm embrace which he happily obliged. I heard some of the others clapping in approval and I smiled nervously as Grover bowed.

"So what happens now?" Beckendorf asked and I suddenly remembered that he and Silena had broken up. I moved to stand next to Silena and whispered in her ear while the others talked casually.

"Are you two still...you know?" I asked and she sighed nodding her head with a sad look in her eye.

"Unbelievable." I said a little too loudly because everyone stared at me.

"What?" Beckendorf frowned in confusion.

"Look, I don't know what happened when I was gone but Silena loves you Beck, just give her another chance. Don't end things on my behalf. You love her too and you know it."

He shifted uncomfortably.

"Maybe it's okay for Percy and I to argue because it's just our thing. We've done it since we 10." I smiled shyly, looking up at Percy who was standing next to me with his hands still in his pockets. He flashed a smile as he craned his neck to look at me.

"But you two..." I looked between Silena and Beckendorf. "You two are supposed to be relationship goals. So fess up, make up and then let's go to the beach. I'm burning up in this heat." I said stubbornly as I fanned my face with my hand and Silena giggled nervously.

"Well, I'm down." Percy grinned slinging an arm around my shoulder. My heart danced around in my chest like a childish ballerina.

Beckendorf took a deep breath before turning to Silena. 'I'm sorry' he mouthed and she was at the brink of tears as she ran over to kiss him passionately.

"Jeez, get a room!" Leo gagged and we all laughed at that. "I can't take all of the mush anymore."

"So are we just gonna skive off then? Because I'm totally up for that." Connor grinned.

"But we have Ancient Greek with Mr. Walker." Jason frowned.

"All the more reason to leave then. Besides, I need Vitamin sea." Percy smirked using his hand to motion waves when he said Vitamin 'sea' which made everyone crack up a little.

"Dibs going with Annabeth." He grinned, grabbing my hand and making my stomach flourish immensely, as he pulled me with him.

I giggled, stopping him to pick up my stuff. As I collected my car keys and phone, he whipped up my white stilettos instantly without giving his image a second thought.

Gods, he was such a man. All the other guys at school were just boys to me but Percy was a man—a real gentleman.

I pulled my hat on before letting him drag me to the car park with the others far behind us.

"Let me guess...that's your car." He smirked, pointing at my white convertible while I slid my shoes on.

"I guess we both have parents who like to spoil us." I smiled modestly, taking his one hand in both of mine as I walked backwards, pulling him with me. A smile danced across his lips and I couldn't quite figure out what it meant.

My back suddenly hit the cold metal of my car and I caught my breath, accidentally pulling him up against me. Our chests were inches apart and he was smiling at me. He didn't have to crane his neck as much, now that I was in high heels but he still had to look down at me slightly. My heart swelled as he reached up with the hand that wasn't holding mine and stroked my cheek softly, brushing back my hair.

"I missed you, Wise Girl." He whispered.

"I missed you too." I murmured, trying to steady my breathing.

He sighed heavily. "No, you don't understand. I missed you...like really missed you, Annabeth. This whole thing has been messing with me for months and you can ask the others, I was a wreck, I'll admit it." He shrugged trying to act casual but I recognised the pain in his eyes; I'd seen it every time I looked in the mirror lately. And I felt the raging guilt inside me.

"I don't know what to say." I whispered.

"You don't have to say anything." He sighed. "I know you were the one who came out better off between the two of us from this whole thing. You were the one who forgot all about me with your new life and I'm happy for you, don't get me wrong but—"

"It wasn't like that." I urged, tightening my grip on his hand. "Percy...yes, I was happy because I finally found my family and I love them but I was in denial the whole time. I forced myself to think I was fully happy but I wasn't without you." His eyes widened a little in shock and then he frowned sorrowfully.

"I missed you so much it hurt." I gulped, taking a breath as I looked up into his soft sea-green eyes. "There wasn't a day that went by where I wasn't thinking of you…"

He let out a breath with a small smile but there was sympathy in his eyes— he understood the pain I'd gone through because he had gone through it too. He pressed his forehead to mine and we closed our eyes for a few moments.

Song Tribute: [Born – OneRepublic] - (This song was written for Memories Percabeth. Shoutout to Emberstone-of-ThunderClan)

"Is it bad that that makes me feel better?" He whispered, and I giggled.

As we both slowly opened our eyes, he lifted his head off mine and the air stilled around us with nothing but the sweet smell of summer.

I shook my head slowly in answer to his question and caught my breath as he leant in a little closer, taking my hands in his. Electricity jolted from my fingertips all the way up to my neck. Gods our lips were just inches apart and then suddenly—

"Yo Perce! We'll meet you at the beach yeah?" Grover called through his hands with a grin on his face as the others piled into Beckendorf's truck. Percy and Silena scowled at him for some reason before she grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the truck while he laughed hysterically.

Percy sighed before turning back to me. "Come on then." He smiled before letting go of me to my dismay and rushing around to get in the passenger's seat. I took a deep breath to calm myself as I slowly stepped in beside him. I tossed my hat into the back and dumped my phone in one of the cup holders before turning the keys to start up the engine.

"You do know how to drive, right?" Percy raised an eyebrow, smirking at me.

"Yes, I do know how to drive." I scowled at him.

"Okay then..." He smiled, looking at me sceptically.

"Careful, Seaweed Brain." I raised my eyebrows, pulling my sunglasses over my eyes. "Or you'll be walking."

He chuckled and I revved the engine, driving out onto the main road.

I turned the radio on, OneRepublic was playing, and smiled, feeling the wind whip through my hair. Everything finally felt right in the world again.

It really did feel as though I was born to love him.

We talked easily for the whole journey. I told him about my new family and about work and my new house. He told me about his 'boring' school life and how he'd been cut from the football team a few months back and then he got back on again when they apparently realised that they were 'nothing' without him. I rolled my eyes at that and just laughed.

"Congratulations on the basketball tournament, by the way. I knew you'd win."

"Thanks." He smiled.

"I'm sorry, I should've texted or called." I frowned, profoundly annoyed at myself because of that.

"Nah, it's alright Wise Girl. You're here now, that's all I want." He said easily and I glanced at him for a moment, he was smiling at me intently and I couldn't help but smile as I looked at the road again.

"Of course, you're a couple of months late but it'll do." He smirked. I giggled, slapping his shoulder a little. "Hey eyes on the road, princess." He teased and I rolled my eyes, swooning a little at my old nickname. I hadn't heard it in so long and it felt good. Really good.

"So how was your Christmas?" I asked, thinking of something to talk about.

"My Christmas?" He raised an eyebrow. "Don't you mean your Christmas? You're practically royalty at Goode now, after that whole Instagram thing."

I blushed. "Oh, stop it." I rolled my eyes.

"It's true." He shrugged. "I wish I'd been there to tell you how stunning you looked." He murmured more to himself really as he looked out onto the road, beside him, mindlessly. I caught my breath, tightening my grip on the wheel and finding it very difficult to concentrate on driving after that.

"Well…everyone was dressed up." I murmured shyly.

"Yes, but everyone isn't you." He said softly turning to me now and I saw his gorgeous sea-green eyes and I melted into them like I had done so many times before.

"I wanted you to be there, you know." I told him before I could stop myself as I pulled into the car park.

"You did?" He frowned, a little shocked.

"Mm-hmm." I nodded. "I saw your Dad so I thought you'd be there too but he told me you were at your Mom's."

"You talked to him?"

"Danced with actually." I smiled.

He threw his arms up in frustration. "What so now even my Dad danced with you but I couldn't?"

I blushed, smiling giddily before I pulled into a parking space, cut the engine and turned to look at him. I pushed my sunglasses to the top of my head and fixed my gaze on his mesmerising eyes. "I promise you can have the next one." He smiled at that and then we both got out of the car.

"I'll hold you to that." He smirked and I giggled walking around to the boot.

"I'm counting on it." I smiled, opening it up and pulling out my beach bag which I just happened to have left in the car luckily. Percy pulled out his backpack from the car and slung it over his shoulder as I closed the boot. Knowing him, there probably wasn't a single book in there, just gym stuff and probably swim stuff too.

I walked over to him looking up at the clear blue sky. It was so nice and sunny and hot, perfect for a beach day. I sighed blissfully closing my eyes and feeling the sun on my skin.

"Such a nice day." I said and he flashed me one of his famous smiles. "Oh." I said before lifting my leg up to take my shoes off. I didn't think walking around a beach in heels was a very good idea because I'd probably break an ankle. I wobbled a little and Percy grabbed my arm to balance me.

"Thanks." I smiled resting my hand on his shoulder as I took the last shoe off and tossed them in the back of the car.

"Not that you don't look seriously hot in those, but I thought you weren't the heels type of girl..." He frowned making me blush a little.

"I'm not." I shrugged. "But you have no idea what my mother's like." I smiled as I stuffed my phone and keys into my bag.

"Actually, I do." He countered. My heart stopped and a wave of guilt came rushing back to me. Of course, he knew.

"Looks like the fun has arrived." He rolled his eyes, not realising my sudden awkwardness.

"They're not so bad." I smiled.

"You're not the one who's had to put up with them this year. They wouldn't leave me alone." He joked with a smirk. I laughed a little, dragging him over with me as he chuckled.

"Promise me we'll get some alone time later." He smiled down at me and my heart swelled in my chest as I looked up at him.

"Promise." I smiled up at him. He tightened his grip on my hand and swung our arms happily as we walked over to the others who were jumping out of the truck now.

"Anyone got sun cream? I'm burning up." Silena asked inspecting her arms.

"I do." I smiled holding up my beach bag and she beamed at me before grinning at my hand which was fitted into Percy's.

"You're such a babe." She chimed, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the beach. I grinned as my hair flew out behind me and held onto my bag and hat as we ran through the car park giggling. I looked back to see Percy rolling his eyes and turning to help the guys carry some stuff.

"Where should we sit?" Silena smiled and I scanned the beach for a spot.

"Ooo, let's go sit on the beach loungers." I pointed and we began to walk our way over.

I dumped my bag on the floor beside one of the loungers which was shaded by an umbrella and pulled my hat back on.

"This is nice." She sighed, sitting in the chair next-door and turning to face me.

"Isn't it just?" I smiled taking out my phone.

"Hey girls." Piper smiled taking the lounger the other side of me. We both greeted her happily. "Such a gorgeous day." She sighed happily, stretching out over the chair and sunning herself with blissfully closed eyes.

She wore a brown bohemian top with white ripped shorts and she'd taken off her converses now and left them in the burning hot sand. She looked like a Caribbean Goddess with her long, thin and extremely tanned limbs.

She would forever look like that all thanks to her Cherokee heritage. It wasn't fair. My tan would probably start to go away after a few months.

"I'm so glad you're here, Annie." Silena smirked nudging my leg with her foot gently and I grinned at her.

"Don't call me that." I stuck my tongue out at her and she laughed before she lay back in her chair and closed her eyes.

Moments later, my phone started to ring. It was Johnny, one of the architects at the firm, I'd been needing to talk to him about work for a few days now. I sat at the very end of the lounger, burying my feet in the sand, and apologised to the girls, saying I had to take this.

"Hi, Johnny." I smiled, noticing both Silena and Piper sit up a little to stare at me. I rolled my eyes, waving them off because it wasn't what they were thinking. "How are the designs going?"

"They're coming along nicely actually. I'll definitely email the details to you before next week. Don't worry, they'll be ready."

"That's great." I smiled.

"So I talked with Athena about your idea of keeping the existing building. Are you still thinking about that?"

"Oh yes, definitely. I think it's so interesting and the structure is very useful. We need to combine it with the new designs. So, in a way, we'd be extending and modifying the original building and that way we still keep some of its history."

"I think that's a great idea." He said enthusiastically and I felt the same excitement that I always got when I did something right at work.

"I've sent you my original blue prints if you could just add your ideas, draw them up and then come in next week, we can do the models with the others." I smiled but at that moment I was caught off guard because Percy sat behind me and pulled me by my waist onto his lap. I yelped before shutting myself up and looking up at his grinning face irritatedly. I was mostly just going stir crazy from sitting across his lap though.

He tried to take the phone from me and I tried to silently jerk away from him and shake my head furiously. He began to snigger and I clamped my hand on his mouth to silence him. We were inches apart and I could feel his warm breath against my palm.

"Annabeth?" Johnny's confused voice came through.

"Yep, still here." I said a little breathlessly. "Does that sound good?" I asked, slowly but cautiously moving my hand off a grinning Percy's mouth. I rested my hand on the side of his neck and began to mindlessly smooth my fingers into the side of his soft, thick hair.

I smiled up at him warmly, not even paying attention to what Johnny was talking about. He was so unbelievably gorgeous it was hard to focus on anything but him. His right arm was wrapped around the back of my waist and his other arm lay across my lap lazily. He smiled at me, slowly pressing his forehead to mine and I closed my eyes, smiling blissfully.

"Okay, so I'll speak to you soon then." Johnny's voice suddenly came through and I suddenly snapped awake.

"Okay." I smiled, my voice a little slurry and breathless. Opening my eyes again. "Let me know if there are any problems."

"Will do. Bye."

"Bye." I replied before hanging up and my phone just slipped out of my fingers, over the back of my shoulder and into the sand as I looked up at Percy a little dazedly. "You are so annoying." I whispered.

"Sorry." He smirked. "Can't help myself."

I probably blushed but luckily, he looked away; towards the ocean where Jason, Leo, Grover and now Piper were splashing around in the waves. Reyna, Thalia, Connor and Travis were all playing volleyball on one of the courts further down the beach with drinks in their hands and Beckendorf was sitting with Silena on the lounger beside us.

"Go." I smiled, dropping my hand to his shoulder now. "I know you want to."

"You're not coming?" He furrowed his eyebrows adorably.

I giggled softly. "I'll come in a minute. I just wanna sit here for a moment."

"What and read?" He smirked and I rolled my eyes at him before slowly standing up and pulling him with me.

"Maybe." I smiled. "Now go." I shoved him away as he chuckled, pulling off his shirt. I gasped a little turning away with deep breaths. I wasn't ready to see any of that yet.

Gods, I hope he didn't hear that. I didn't think it was humanly, magically possible but he'd managed to get even more gorgeous than before I left.

"You coming Beck?" He called and Beckendorf pecked Silena on the lips before running over and I averted my eyes as they stripped down to their swim shorts and ran into the ocean towards the others who were now playing beach ball.

"When are you gonna kiss him already?" Silena smirked lying back in her chair as I lay down in mine and pulled my sunglasses over my eyes.

"Oh shush." I sighed. "I'm not gonna force myself on him when he clearly doesn't like me like that."

"You seriously need to go to Specsavers, Annabeth." She sighed frustratedly. "You can't even see what's staring you right in the face."

"He doesn't like me, Silena." I rolled my eyes, pulling my 'East of Eden' book out.

"Annabeth...he hasn't stopped smiling since you got back." She said, throwing a pillow at me and I giggled, blocking my face as it hit me.

"I'm gonna go get changed." I said, changing the subject as I stood up. "Coming?" I asked.

"Sure." She smiled pulling out her red bikini and I pulled out my white one.

We walked towards one of the beach cafes together, side by side. It was nice to feel my toes in the hot sand and the sun on my back as we walked together.

"So, what's your plan now?" Silena asked lacing our fingers together and swinging our arms.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, are you thinking about coming back to school? Or are you just gonna come up and see us whenever you have time in your busy schedule?"

"Huh..." I frowned. "I guess I never thought about that."

I suppose, having made up with Percy and the others now, there wasn't really anything keeping me from going back to school but did I really want to give up Athena Associates to go back to Goode High School?

"Well, think about it." She smiled. "You still want to go to college, don't you?"

"I hadn't thought about that either." I gasped. I'd mostly been focused on online college anyway really. "With Helen telling me I couldn't go before, I just put it out of my mind but I guess now..." I smiled. "I guess I could go now."

"You should." She squeezed my hand with a grin. "Any University would be lucky to have you. But wouldn't you want to finish Senior year first?"

"Well I wouldn't have to but...come to think of it...maybe..." I sighed. "I don't know. I'll think about it."

"Okay." She smiled as we walked into the cafe.

It was cool inside with air conditioning and it had a Hawaiian Beach theme to it. We made our way to the back where the toilets were to get changed.

When I came out of the toilet, Silena was combing her long black hair with her fingers as she stood in front of the mirror in a gorgeous red halterneck bikini.

"You look nice." I smiled coming over to stand next to her.

She smiled. "Yeah, but I don't wanna look nice, I wanna look sexy gorgeous like you." She sighed looking at my white off the shoulder ruffle bikini top and plain white bikini bottoms.

"Shut up." I grabbed her arm and dragged her out.

We walked back to the loungers and sat down to apply sun cream on our arms and legs. We did each other's backs and sat there chatting happily for a while.

I looked back to see Jason giving Piper a piggyback and Percy pushing them over into the water while Leo stood back laughing hysterically. I could see college girls, everywhere, staring at Percy open-mouthed but I guess I'd gotten used to that now. I mean, who can blame a girl when he has a body like that?

"You should go over there." Silena smiled.

"You wanna come?" I asked, a little nervous about going over there on my own.

"No, I'm gonna hang back but you are leaving right now Misses." She smirked kicking me off the lounger and onto my feet.

"Alright alright." I giggled. "I'm going."

"Oh, one more thing!" She blurted snatching up some sort of spray from her bag and walking over to me. I rolled my eyes as she sprayed it into my hair and began ruffling my beach curls gently.

"What is it?"

"It's just a texturizing salt spray." She smiled. "There. Perfect. Now go." She shoved me and I stumbled away before steadying myself into a walk.

I smiled at the others playing volleyball as I passed them and made my way over to the ocean edge. I let the water flow gently over my white painted toenails and relished in the coolness.

Song Tribute: [Closer – Nicole Medoro] - (YouTube it. Trust me.)

When I looked up, Piper was pushing Percy over and they all laughed as he disappeared underwater. He wore a pair of long sea green swim shorts that almost matched his eyes but no real colour could do Percy's eyes justice. His eyes were an entirely new colour never created before. No one, and I mean no one, had eyes like Percy's.

I laughed to myself placing my hands on my hips. Percy shot out of the water, shaking his head like a dog and running his hands through his hair to tame it. He was still sitting in the water when he looked up at me with a smile. Then his eyes travelled down from my face to my body and my white bikini. He flushed suddenly and averted his eyes. He splashed himself with water for a moment, looking a lot less flushed but a lot wetter now. I wondered what had made him so like that in the first place as I slowly made my way over.

The water was up to my thighs when I reached them. "Hey." Piper smiled at me.

"Hey." I smiled back at her before looking down at Percy who was still sitting in the water, shaking his hair a little before he looked up at me.

"So are you two just gonna stand around or is one of you gonna help me up?" He grinned holding his arms up. I rolled my eyes, splashing him with water before dragging a giggling Piper away.

"Hey!" He called back but we just ignored him as we waded our way through the water.

"So...you and Percy, huh?" She smirked.

"Drop it Pips." I scowled before looking back at Percy who was now snatching the beach ball off Jason and throwing it in Leo's face.

"Why?" She smirked. "I thought we could do some girl talk." She said sarcastically knowing that neither of us liked doing that. Piper and I were more alike than you'd think. I rolled my eyes at that as I picked up a shell from under the water and twiddled the tiny thing in my fingers.

"So...how does it feel to have your name tattooed on your crushes neck?"

I shoved her. "Shut up." I hissed, looking back to see that we were well away from the others so they couldn't hear us.

Of course, it felt amazing and surreal especially when my crush was well...Percy Jackson. Half the girls at Goode and actually anyone who meets him would kill to have their name tattooed on him probably. But he did it years ago...it probably doesn't mean the same thing anymore.

She giggled, linking her arm in mine. "I'm glad I met you, Annabeth."

"Me too." I smiled. "We shall be friends forever and ever." I joked in a posh voice and we both laughed at that.

"You shall be my number one girlfriend." She grinned.

"I would have your name tattooed over my heart if I wasn't such a baby." I laughed.

"Oh yeah! Well I would have our yearbook photos put next to each other so we can be called Goode Highs most bestest of BFF'S" She replied. I laughed hysterically even though that made absolutely no sense at all.

"Well, I'd make up a secret language for the both of us so we can talk to each other just using facial expressions." I countered making her snort.

"Okay okay. Give me your best friendship quote." She asked making speech marks with her fingers when she said 'friendship' and trying to hold back her laughter.

"Hhhmmm. Oh, um...friends come and go like the ocean but the true ones stay, like an octopus on your face."

Piper burst out laughing, picking up a shell and smoothing the sand off it gently.

"Okay, I've got one...friendship is like wetting your pants, everyone can see it but only you feel the warmth." She sniggered.

"Piper, that's disgusting!" I cried but I couldn't hold back my laughter. Piper really did get me. That's it—nothing more to say. She just gets me.

We continued to walk around, picking up shells and comparing sizes while singing 'Part of Your World' from The Little Mermaid. Then Jason came over laughing to himself before he threw his arms around Piper from behind and kissed her shoulder. She smiled, turning to face him and they kissed. I smiled, they were really cute together I admit.

"Standing right here." I rolled my eyes when I started to hear washing machine syndrome.

"Not anymore." A voice came and then Percy was grabbing my waist from behind and spinning me in his arms. I squealed happily before he set me back down again. He took my hand and dragged me away so that we started walking along the beach together. I smiled up at him as he laced our fingers together and we waded through the salty water washing up against our thighs.

"So, you're okay with this?" He asked suddenly.

"With what?"

"Us...after I lied to you and now you know that we were friends as kids and stuff." He shrugged turning away a little and I smiled.

"Of course, I am." I smiled, tightening my grip on his hand and he looked at me once more. "I'm glad it was you. It makes you that much more special to me." I said as I hugged his upper arm and I could tell he was smiling, I don't know how. I just could.

"Do you remember that time your mum took us to California and we spent the whole time playing at the beach?" He murmured above me.

"What, the time when you got pricked by a sea urchin and you cried when I tried to pull it out?" I smirked looking up at him and he scowled.

"I don't remember me crying."

"I do." I smiled. "You practically bawled your eyes out."

"Whatever." He sighed heavily and I just giggled. "Anyway...this reminds me of that time."

"Me too." I smiled softly. "That was a good summer."

"How well do you remember everything?" He asked curiously.

"It's like I never forgot." I murmured.

He smiled happily at that, tightening his grip on my hand. "Well, that's good then."

Song Tribute: [Nemo Egg – Thomas Newman] - (put it on repeat, I just love it. Plus its childhood, people.)

After that, I looked out to sea; at the rolling waves and the sun shining down on the surface. It was beautiful. We walked in a peaceful silence for a few moments as we held hands and just breathed each other in.

"Percy?" I murmured after a while.

"Yeah?"

I stopped walking and looked up at him, letting go of his arm entirely. "I meant to say…well, what I mean is—I should have said—thing is—" I sighed at my own pathetic attempt at an apology.

"What?" He frowned.

"I wanted to thank you…for taking the blame."

Suddenly the ruffles on my bikini top became the most interesting thing in the whole world as I began to fiddle with them.

"You know, for the Adderall. You shouldn't have—but I'm grateful that you did."

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat." He said.

"You always were too good to me." I half smiled and then my expression dropped as I looked over the horizon. "I didn't deserve that." I murmured. "I was a monster."

"No, don't even say that." He said, trying to take my arm but I stepped away.

"I was." I continued. "I took the easy way out—the coward's way out." I sighed, holding back the tears. "I couldn't handle the loss of my father, Rachel and Drew mocking me, Helen treating me like a slave, the stress of school and work, losing you—I couldn't." I shook my head. "It was all too much and when I found out that you and the girls had been lying to me, I don't know, I just cracked."

"Beth, you don't have to explain it to me." He said softly, his words kind and gentle. "I understand. I never blamed you—for any of this. It was my fault."

I scoffed, shaking my head a little and feeling my eyes blurring up as I looked at him. "No it wasn't, Percy." I whispered. "It was my fault. It's always been my fault, from the moment I ran away when we were kids to the moment I ran away—" My own voice betrayed me and my throat caught at the words as I took a breath. I pressed my fingers to my lips trying to calm myself.

"Hey." His soft voice came again and this time, I felt his fingers brushing through my hair. It was a delicate touch, just above my ear.

I looked up at him, teary-eyed. "Those pills brought out a side to me I didn't even know I had." I murmured.

"Beth, you've gone through things most people don't go through in their entire lifetime. You were bound to crack at some point." He told me. "I'm surprised you managed to hold it together for so long, to be honest." That made me laugh a little. "How you were with the Adderall doesn't make me think any less of you. I took the blame for you because I couldn't imagine it happening any other way." I looked up at him, slightly confused then and he smiled softly. "I will always want to protect you. I will always put you first because that's just how it's always been." He said. "It's my natural instinct. I don't know any other way and I don't want to."

My heart was swelling so much in my chest that it began to hurt. I couldn't believe the words leaving his mouth. Never in my wildest dreams. The boy I'd been madly in love with all this time couldn't possibly think these things of me. It wasn't humanly possible.

I smiled shyly, feeling butterflies in my stomach as I averted my eyes. I was too nervous to meet his for a moment but when I did, he was smiling at me. They were of the brightest glimmer I'd ever seen. It seemed as though the light wasn't reflecting off them but actually emerging from them—shimmering like gemstones.

"Come here." He chuckled and with a soppy giggle, I slumped into his arms and he gave me the biggest hug. It was a warm embrace, wet and damp but perfect. I held him so tightly as if at any moment, he would sink into the sand at our feet and disappear below the surface of the water, never to be seen again.

Song Tribute: [Fix You – Coldplay] - (INTRODUCING: Percy and Annabeth's song...or one of them)

We walked a little further, hand in hand. Though the beach wasn't empty, it was as though every voice and sound had been drowned out. All I could hear was the sound of the waves and the seagulls above. Neither Percy nor I spoke for a long time. But the silence didn't even feel like silence. It was perfect.

"So how's your mom?" He asked suddenly.

"She's great." I smiled wistfully blurring the water around me with my fingers. "She remembers you."

"She does?" He frowned curiously.

"Mm-hmm." I smiled up at him. "She likes you."

"Really? What did she say?" He asked.

"I always liked that one. He was rather charming." I quoted with a smirk and he seemed to like my answer.

"I was, wasn't I?" He teased and I rolled my eyes, moving around to walk backward in front of him.

We held both hands now and he stopped, pulling me towards him. I caught my breath as our chests collided and he smiled down at me. His hair was damp and untamed with tiny bits of sand and stone in it.

"Wasn't I?" He grinned.

I smiled, standing on my tip toes and smoothing my hand through his hair. "Hhmm..." I thought. "Nope." I grinned shoving him off his feet before laughing and diving into the water.

I swam a couple of metres before breaking the surface, now soaking, to see him wet too. He was standing, shaking his hair and rustling it with his fingers. I knelt in the sand with the water up to my shoulders as he scowled at me and giggled, ringing my hair out slightly.

He started running at me and I squealed, leaping to my feet and running as fast as I could but he reached me within moments and spun me back around. We both fell into each other's arms in the water, laughing, and I found myself straddling him. He sat in the sand with the water just reaching the bottom of his pectoral muscle as I sat in his lap, facing him. My hips were pressed right up against him and my knees bent either side of his waist.

My laughter began to stop slowly as I realised how close we were. His eyes bore into mine and they were so blue from the water right now. I'd always loved how they changed colour when he was in the ocean or in a swimming pool. They turned like a blue colour but it was more than just a simple blue. I mean, they were blue. Like really blue.

I twiddled the tags around his neck in my fingers nervously as I rested my other hand on his shoulder. My heart started to race in my chest as my breathing came out unsteady. He was looking up at me intently and I couldn't help but look back.

Without meaning to, I peeked at his lips and I could've sworn he looked at mine too. Suddenly, I heard the water slosh as he moved his arm to reach up and softly stroke my hair back. He worked his fingers into my newly dampened hair and slowly pulled me towards him.

I caught my breath and stopped fiddling with his tags, pressing my palm to his chest.

Was this really happening!?

He tilted his head up and I found myself craning mine to meet him. I closed my eyes and felt our foreheads touch—our noses—the tips of our lips. It sent a violent shock through me. We both hovered, merely a breath apart, moving slightly as if deciding how or even if to kiss one another. And then, slowly, he opened his mouth and kissed me.

It was a soft tender kiss but my heart was in double time, pounding and throbbing in my chest like it had a mind of its own.

I can't describe it. It was like I couldn't breathe—like my ribs were being crushed by my slowly expanding—swelling heart. His lips were soft and wet underneath mine and they tasted salty from the sea water. Drips from his wet hair fell onto my cheeks and I felt the intoxicating warmth of his body beneath my fingertips.

It lasted only a couple of seconds before he pulled away slowly, leaving me desperately wanting more.

That was, by far, the best kiss I'd ever had in my entire life. I still couldn't believe that it had actually happened. I thought he didn't like me like that.

Could it be possible that Piper and Silena had been right all along?

I opened my mouth to say something but I couldn't think of anything and my words just swallowed up inside me. He smiled, acting cool and collected as usual and I thought he'd never looked sexier.

"I've wanted to do that since the day you pulled me out of that car crash." He murmured sending butterflies flutteringly around my stomach and I caught my breath. But that...that was months and months ago.

"That makes two of us." I whispered, finding that the words just came tumbling out of my mouth unexpectedly.

He flashed me a beautiful smile and I couldn't help smiling giddily as he smoothed his hand up my thigh, to my waist and cupped my cheek as he pulled me into him again. I felt the energy in the air around us this time as our lips slowly fitted together like two puzzle pieces made for each other. I slowly moved mine in sync with his as I pressed one hand to his chest and smoothed the other one up his neck and tangled it into his raven hair.

It was a passionate, intoxicating but romantic kiss because it wasn't rushed or forced, we just let it happen. I don't know how long it lasted but I still felt like it wasn't long enough. I smiled against the kiss, humming dreamily and he chuckled softly.

"What happens now?" I murmured against his lips, opening my eyes and backing up a little.

"I'm yours...you're mine...what else needs to be said?" He smiled and my heart swelled in my chest. To think that Percy Jackson, the sweetest guy on the planet, belonged to me was just out of this world. I could barely contain my happiness.

"Nothing." I whispered, getting lost in his eyes again for a split second.

Blinking, I looked up to see where the others were. They were all playing volleyball together now so they didn't see us which I was extremely relieved about. I wouldn't hear the end of it if Piper and Silena found out. I smiled, turning back to him and tracing my fingers down his neck, across his shoulders, softly.

"You drive me crazy, Wise Girl." He murmured softly wrapping his arms around me completely. My body tingled where his fingertips touched me.

I grinned using both hands to stroke his hair back before they came to a resting spot at the nape of his neck. I planted another kiss on his lips, unable to keep my hands off him. When I pulled back he kissed my cheek, my jawline, my neck and then my collarbone. I hunched my shoulders, humming blissfully and he laughed softly.

I'd never get tired of hearing that sound.

"We should probably get back to the others." I said a little breathlessly.

Gods, he had me wrapped around his finger.

"Or we could just stay here...alone." He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

Song Tribute: [Summer Paradise – Simple Plan] - (Shoutout to my girl Hermione Historia Chase for this one!)

I grinned. "Come on, trouble." I pushed myself off him and stood up in the water. "Seaweed Brain." I smiled giving him my hand and he groaned before reluctantly taking it and I pulled him to his feet.

We walked up the beach together, over to the volleyball courts where the others were. I jogged over to meet Silena. It was girls vs boys, except Leo was on the girl's team so that made 5 vs 5.

"Where have you two been?" She frowned with her hands on her hips.

"We just went for a swim." I shrugged.

"Kissed a couple of times." Percy added smugly, walking up to stand beside me. I sucked in a breath scowling at him but he just sniggered.

Silena's eyes lit up and her mouth dropped open before she started smiling and then giggling and then jumping excitedly. "I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW IIIIITTT!" She squealed jumping around like a maniac enough to get the others' attention. She bent down, squealing, before grabbing fist-fulls of sand and throwing them up in the air in celebration.

"You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" I mumbled and he chuckled as I looked up at him and he wrapped an arm around my waist, pressing his lips to my forehead softly. I wanted to be annoyed at him but the butterflies in my stomach were making it increasingly difficult.

"Aw, group hug." Silena grinned pulling Percy and I against her awkwardly before she stepped back and punched Percy's arm hard.

"Ow!" He frowned, rubbing his arm. "What was that for?"

"That's for taking so long, you idiot. Now go on the other team, we want Annabeth." She smiled, dragging me onto the girl's team while Percy rolled his eyes and made his way over to Grover who gave him a low five.

"Seriously took you like seven months to work out you both liked each other?" Travis raised an eyebrow and Percy gave him a 'whatever' facial expression with narrow eyes.

"Aw, it's so romantic." Silena smiled with a girly sigh as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest as though she was watching the Notebook all over again.

"G-man, will you just serve already?" Percy groaned and he and Grover shared a look.

Grover was smiling at him proudly, almost as if he was happy for him. If I'm not mistaken, I saw Percy flush a little as he shoved his hands into his swim short pockets and averted his eyes with a small smile. It made my heart melt and then Grover was punching the ball up into the air and I was busy keeping my eyes of Percy's incredibly hot body.

The boys ended up winning but I didn't really care and I wasn't surprised, to be honest, they had Percy.

~xXx~


I was lying in the lounge chair later that day. I just needed a break from the hot sun and reading my book in the shade seemed like the perfect idea. It was probably getting on for five but I hadn't checked the time at all today. It just seemed too perfect to measure because otherwise I'd start wanting more time and I didn't want that, I just wanted to live in the moment.

Suddenly, I felt someone crawling on top of me and I moved my book to see Percy lying on me. He rested his head on my stomach, just below my chest and tucked his arm underneath my lower back while he left the other one drooping down the side of the lounger lazily. The feeling of our skin being pressed together this closely was indescribable.

"Hey, Wise Girl." He sighed in contentment, looking off to my right and I giggled happily as I stroked his hair softly. He was slightly damp, having gone for another swim.

"Hey." I murmured with a smile. "Tired?"

"Mm-hmm." He mumbled closing his eyes and snuggling into me. I giggled again before I continued stroking his hair and reading my book. It was the perfect end to the perfect day at the beach.

~xXx~


I looked up to see Silena taking pictures of Percy asleep on me and rolled my eyes, wanting to throw my book at her but not wanting to damage it or wake Percy.

"Aw, is he asleep?" She whispered, sitting down beside me on her lounger.

Percy stirred in his sleep and tightened his grip on my back. I gasped a little at the sudden movement before I smiled down at him.

"Not anymore." He moaned and his eyes slowly opened.

"Evening sunshine." I smirked, stroking his hair out of his eyes.

"How long have I been out?" He mumbled.

"I don't know...little under an hour." I guessed.

"We're all thinking about heading home now. Are you two alright getting back?" Silena asked.

"Yeah, we'll walk with you." I smiled.

"Okay." She smiled. "Get up Percy." She scowled at him and he chuckled before she ran off to find Beckendorf. He smiled pushing himself up so that he was balancing himself over me and we were inches apart as I looked up at him.

"I'm gonna have to let you go, aren't I?" He frowned irritatedly making me laugh softly.

"You could always come back to mine." I smiled, reaching up to play with his hair. Since we'd officially become a thing I couldn't stop playing with it. I just couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said.

I'm yours...you're mine.

It made me swoon every time I even thought about it.

"Won't your mom mind?"

I shook my head and he flashed me a smile, bending down to kiss me softly.

"Get a room you two!" Thalia yelled as the others started walking over. Percy chuckled, pecking my cheek one last time before lifting himself off the chair. He pulled me up with him and I began to pack up my stuff, probably blushing like an idiot.

After coming back from the cafe with Silena and Piper, fully changed, we all started making our way back to the car park. The boys had all changed too to my dismay because Percy was no longer walking around like a topless God, still a God...but not a topless God. We said our goodbyes and climbed into my car.

"No funny business tonight, Seaweed Brain." I smirked as I pulled out onto the main road. "My mom won't have any of it and neither will I."

Percy chuckled. "Yes, ma'am." He said sliding his hand down my thigh and leaning over to kiss my bare shoulder.

I sucked in a breath as his hand slid across my skin smoothly before he tucked his fingers on the inside of my leg and left them there. My whole body tingled a little at that moment and I forced myself to concentrate on the road so as not to crash the car. He kept his hand there for most of the journey and I didn't mind. I liked it actually.

I smiled, turning the radio on to calm myself down. 'Don't Say' by The Chainsmokers came on as I drove down the straight road. I hadn't texted my mom at all, not even to let her know I was okay because someone distracted me. She'd probably kill me when I got home, especially since I was going to turn up at the doorstep with a guy by my side. But she'd always said she'd love to see him again someday so why not today?

We arrived at the house when it was already getting dark, the street lamps were lit and I could see our garden lights on. I came to a stop outside the gate and pressed the button on my car keys to open the gate but it wouldn't open. I pressed it again frustratedly but it wouldn't budge.

"Damn, it mother." I cursed.

"What?" Percy frowned.

"She's locked me out so I have to call and now we can't sneak in." I sighed, getting out of the car and walking over to the speaker beside the black gate. I bent down a little and with a breath, I pressed the button and listened to the whooshing sound coming through the speaker before I heard a voice.

"Chase residents." A male voice called.

Yeah, about that...my mother had apparently kept her original name so she'd still have a connection to me and her old family. When she'd told me that, I'd almost cried.

"Um, Charlie...it's me, Annabeth. Can you let us in please?" I asked nicely, hugging my arms because it was starting to get cold.

"Us?"

"Me." I quickly corrected myself. "Can you let me in please?"

"Your mother's furious, just so you know." He chuckled.

"Yes, thank you Charlie." I rolled my eyes and he chuckled even more before I heard a buzz and the gates began to open. I sighed, climbing back in the car and driving up the driveway.

"You live here?" Percy asked a little stunned as he looked up at the house and around the front garden.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I smiled wistfully.

"I'll say." Percy breathed.

"I wanna design something like this when I'm older."

"You will." He smiled, turning to me and I blushed, cutting the engine when we reached the bottom of the marble steps.

"So, did you text your mom to let her know where you are?" I asked him as we began walking up the steps together, bags in hand.

"Yeah, I just said I was at a friend's house." He shrugged and I nodded, starting to wonder what I actually was to Percy. Were we like a couple now? Or was this just a fling thing? Oh Gods...I'm not just another fling for him...am I?

I lifted my key up to the door but before I could unlock it, the door was already being yanked open.

"Just where have you been?" My mother yelled at me. She wore her white silk maxi nightgown with black lace and matching robe. She looked lovely but angry. "I've been worried sick, young lady."

"Hi, mom...sorry...lost track of time?" I smiled nervously. It wasn't even that late, probably around nine but she was just annoyed I'd been out most of the day without a word and I guess for good reason really. After all, I was still only sixteen.

"You lost track of time?" She scoffed before her eyes widened when they landed on Percy, standing next to me.

"Mom, this is—" I started, trying to lighten the mood.

"Percy Jackson." She smiled brightly, cutting me off. Her mood had changed in the blink of an eye. "You didn't say he'd got super cute." She raised her eyebrows at me with a smile.

"Mother." I groaned, rolling my eyes but she just laughed it off.

"Hello, Miss Chase, I'm sorry Annabeth's late, it's my fault." He flashed her that gorgeous smile of his, using his polite gentlemanly voice, the one that made parents adore him and girls swoon over him.

"And polite too." She smiled, clapping her hands together excitedly.

"Enough already mother, please?" I practically begged and she laughed one last time before stepping out of the way.

"Come on in then." She smiled and Percy followed me inside, gawping at the interior.

The doormen took our bags instantly and Percy stared at me in shock as people waited on him, particularly the maids who seemed to be taking quite a liking to him. I just smiled modestly before we followed my mother into the large kitchen.

"Do you two want anything?" She asked.

"I'm starving." I replied, running a hand through my hair gently.

She smiled nodding her head. "I bet you are. How about you Percy, darling? Would you like anything?"

"Please." He smiled. "I'll eat anything."

"You'll have to do some rummaging because Daniel and the rest of the cooking staff have gone home and I need to make a couple of calls." She smiled, taking a sip of some peppermint tea she'd probably made earlier.

"Fine with me." I smiled.

"Percy, you're welcome to stay here as long as your mom knows where you are." She eyed him in a way that all mothers did when worrying about teenagers being teenagers.

"I've texted her already." He smiled charmingly.

"Seems only yesterday you two were playing out in the garden together." She sighed happily. "Who knew you'd grow up to be such a handsome young man?"

"Mother!" I cried, absolutely mortified and Percy chuckled while my mother maturely stuck her tongue out at me.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it." She smiled, stroking my shoulder and kissing my temple in a motherly way as she walked past us. "Separate rooms. I mean it." She eyed me cautiously and I swear I wanted to shoot myself from the embarrassment.

"It's not like that." I tried, breathlessly, to reassure her but she just waved me off.

"There's a spare room all laid out. You can show Percy to it straight after you've eaten and then you can both go to sleep."

"Straight after?" I complained.

"Yes, it's a school night and you have to get up early for work tomorrow darling." She reminded me and I smiled.

"Fine then." I rolled my eyes and she blew us a kiss before disappearing through the hallway, towards her study.

"You can forget that any of that just happened." I mumbled turning to a sniggering Percy.

"I like her." He smiled. "She got one thing right." He said and I raised an eyebrow at him. "I am rather handsome, aren't I?"

"Come on." I groaned dragging him over to the fridge.

It was one of those massive American ones with a double door opening and a drinks dispenser at the front. I pulled out a pizza handing it to Percy and grabbed a left-over bowl of salad and a pot of Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream piling it all into his arms.

"You got enough there, Wise Girl?" Percy teased with a smirk on his pretty face.

"Don't act like you won't eat more than half of this Seaweed Brain." I shot back raising an eyebrow and he chuckled. We put the pizza in the oven and sat at the table chatting and eating the ice cream first as we waited.

We halved the large pizza when it was done and sat at the table once more, eating the yummy slices. It wasn't Papa Johns but it was pretty darn good pizza.

"I could eat pizza all day every day." Percy sighed blissfully as he nibbled on his last slice.

"Well, you can have some salad with that too, Seaweed Brain." I smirked, shoving the bowl over to him.

"What are you, my mother?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Just eat it." I rolled my eyes and he chuckled, beginning to pile some salad on his plate to my surprise.

You would've thought that after having kissed him multiple times, things would be a little awkward between us but it wasn't like that. It was easy, if not easier like a weight had been lifted off our shoulders because we'd finally been able to show each other how we really felt. I'd always loved spending time with him before but now I loved it ten times more. Everything just felt so natural with Percy, like he was meant for me.

An hour or two later, we began to tidy up and I took what was rest of the ice cream back to the freezer, below the fridge. Once I closed it, I felt Percy's arms wrap around me from behind. I smiled heavenly, holding his arms around my waist and tilting my head back to look up at him.

He smiled down at me before craning his neck to kiss me. I closed my eyes blissfully and reached up to cup his cheek. I stroked his jawline gently with my index finger before turning in his arms to face him as we continued to move our lips in sync. He gripped my hips tightly and pushed me back against the fridge forcefully. I moaned a little as he pressed me in deeper. It was still a soft kiss though, a romantic one. I hadn't experienced a frenzy with him yet which only left me hungrily wanting more.

He pulled away slowly and I gasped a little as our lips parted and my head jolted towards him and then back again. My hands slid back down from his hair to rest on his chest and I bit my lip as I looked up at him. It was just a habit of mine.

"We should go up." I murmured.

"Should we?" Percy asked in a seductive voice as he leaned down to kiss the spot just beneath my ear. My eyes shut against my will and I grabbed the fridge to steady myself as I softly moaned. Percy's hand shot up to cover my mouth instantly and my eyes flew open from the shock of it all but he didn't stop.

Okay, if you've never been kissed on the neck before then you won't be able to imagine how amazing it feels but I honestly felt like I was gonna faint. He nipped at my skin and slid his lips further down to my collarbone before gently releasing my lips again and this time, I bit them to stop myself from moaning.

"Percy." I whispered, pulling his head up to face me. "Stop. Not here." I said a little breathlessly.

He chuckled at that. "Fine then." He sighed, nuzzling me before he let me go and I let out a breath.

We made our way quietly upstairs, after he had grabbed his bag, and walked along the long corridor towards the spare room. Just as we reached it, Bobbie and Matthew's door opened and they both stepped out in matching blue striped pyjamas. They looked as though they were trying to sneak out as they peered in the other direction of the corridor bending down a little to keep low.

"What are you two still doing up?" I frowned, placing my hands on my hips and their heads snapped around in shock.

"W-we were...we were..." Bobbie stammered.

"Looking for the bathroom?" Matthew finished in tone that said he, himself, didn't even know what he was talking about.

I rolled my eyes and then they looked at Percy in confusion. "Oh, Bobbie, Matthew—this is Percy." I smiled up at him before looking back at my brothers who were both grinning.

They shared a knowing look with each other and before I could tell them not to, they were both screaming; "Annie's got a boyfriend! Annie's got a boyfriend!" Over and over again.

"Go to bed!" I shouted herding them into their large twin room and slamming the door behind them. I sighed, looking back at a grinning Percy. "Bobbie and Matthew..." I smiled. "You learn to love them."

Percy chuckled at that and then my mother came down the corridor. "What was all that?" She frowned.

"Bobbie and Matthew." I shrugged. "I just put them back to bed."

She nodded. "Right...so you're in there, Percy." She pointed to the door beside him. "There are spare toothbrushes in the ensuite. Have you got a change of clothes?"

"I've got some sweatpants from track." He shrugged.

"Wonderful." She smiled. "Now off you go." She said looking at me and I frowned at her. "Go on." She said, daring me to disobey her and I eventually gave up.

"Good night, Percy." I smiled at him.

"Night, Wise Girl." He smirked. "Good night, Miss Chase." He smiled politely before disappearing into the spare room.

"Are you two—" My mother started and I, knowing exactly where she was heading, cut her off immediately.

"Night mother." I said hastily before turning on my heels and walking swiftly down the corridor to my room.

I closed my bedroom door softly and sighed in glorious bliss. I touched my lips, unable to stop myself from smiling. Just thinking about kissing Percy made me go all jelloid. I giggled, turning on the main light to get ready for bed.

I slipped out of my heels and romper, pulling a white VS nightdress on. It reached just past my mid-thigh and had flowery lace bits at the V-neck line and straps. I brushed my hair and my teeth and did my afternoon skincare routine which was just an exfoliator and a bit of moisturizer. It seemed that the whole time I was getting ready, all I could think about was Percy and the way his skin and hair felt under my fingers. Not to mention that he was only just down the corridor.

Was he thinking about me too? What would happen now? Should I go back to school? If I didn't, this could be considered as a long-distance relationship and they never last. I gulped at that, thinking about how horrible a break up with Percy would be. I mean, just look at Rachel...she's barely hanging in there and Percy seems fine.

What if that's me one day?

I sat on the edge of my bed when my phone buzzed. It was 11:32 and I could see the text from Percy. I giggled as I looked at it, smiling like a crazy person.


You coming over here or what Wise Girl? Xx


Turning off all my lights and leaving everything in my room, I snuck out. The corridor was dark and I knew my mother would be in bed by now. The good thing about having marble floors is that they don't creak so you can tiptoe across them soundlessly.

I took a deep shaky breath, not too sure why I was even nervous. It's not like we were going to do anything too extreme I'd already warned him about that, and we'd slept together before the night my father past away and that time Silena drove us back from the race track. I clawed my hair back, letting out an unsteady breath before I slipped inside and shut the door quietly behind me.

Song Tribute: [hello hello – Lewis Watson]

Inside, it was dark but the moonlight was glimmering through the chiffon curtains, illuminating the room with a soft bluish glow. I could see Percy lying on the bed with his back to me as he flicked through his incredibly popular Instagram. He was topless as well, hopelessly and gorgeously topless. I caught my breath, feeling my body coat with shivers.

I took a step forward, the glossy floorboards were cold underneath my bare feet but soon my toes hit the fluffy white rug that lay in the middle of the room. I stopped by the bedside table and he looked up from his phone, noticing me for the first time. He smiled brightly dropping his phone and I blushed perching on the edge of the bed.

"What took you so long?" He murmured in a low, sexy voice and I laughed a little, smiling back at him.

There was a moment's silence and I began to think a little. "Why now?" I whispered, turning to look at him and he propped himself up on his elbow.

"What do you mean?" He asked, a little confused.

"Why did you wait to tell me...you know...until now?" I said, tucking my hair behind my ear as I reached over to turn the radio on the bedside table on. I was nervous and thinking that music might help a little. A tune by Lewis Watson was beginning to softly play and it was a perfect bedtime song.

He sighed, slumping back into the pillow and facing the ceiling. He bent one of his legs and the sheets slipped off to reveal his grey sweatpants. They made him look so hot in the blueish lighting and I found myself wanting to smooth my fingers over his bare chest and kiss him there.

"Beats me." He breathed. "I've been crushing on you like a little boy for months." I giggled softly, feeling my stomach flourish with a hundred fluttering butterflies. "Why did you wait?" He asked, turning to me suddenly and his eyes glinted in the moonlight. He was so beautiful.

I bit my lip nervously, looking at my hands on my lap as I fiddled with the hem of my night dress. "I thought you didn't like me like that." I said softly. "I thought you'd never like me that. So I tried to keep it hidden." I shuddered a little, no idea why. "It was hard but I accepted the fact that the hottest guy in school would never go for a girl like me, so..." I shrugged.

"You think I'm the hottest guy in school?" He smirked, propping himself up on his elbow again.

I sighed. "That's what you took out of all that?" I raised my eyebrow and he laughed softly. "Everyone does." I shrugged a little nervously in answer to his question.

"Annabeth, when are you gonna understand that you're every guy's type?" He sighed and I just frowned at him in confusion. "You're smart, kind, funny, beautiful...what more could a guy ask for?"

My heart fluttered. "I don't know..." I shrugged. "More curves, less shyness." I murmured, turning away and looking at the chiffon curtains swaying gently from the breeze blowing through the open window. I sighed softly, pulling my hair up into a ponytail and holding it together with my hands, smoothing up the loose strands from the back of my head. It was just soothing I guess, that's why I did it.

Percy shifted and suddenly he was right behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling my back against his chest. I could feel his skin against my bare shoulders, it was soft and warm. I gasped, shivering as he pressed his warm lips to the back of my neck, a little off centre. A blissful smile played across my lips and I turned my head towards him slightly.

Slowly, he reached up and pulled my arms down so my hair fell around my shoulders again and swept it to one side. It tickled my shoulders, sending a shockwave of shivers riveting beneath the surface of my skin.

"Don't say that." He whispered, gently pulling my cheek so that I would look at him. "You're perfect."

My heart swelled in my chest and I shuddered in his arms. That ocean scent wafting from his skin, along with the softly playing music, made my head lull. Drifting. Drifting. As if like a dream.

"That's why I didn't tell you before." He murmured. "I thought you were perfect and I wasn't. I thought you would never think of me as any more than a friend and if I even tried to tell you how I really felt, you would just turn me away again."

"Percy..." I whispered. "I'm the one who's not good enough for you."

"You're so wrong, Wise Girl." He said as a new song began to play on the radio. "And I don't want anyone but you."

Song Tribute: [Stones Around the Sun – Lewis Watson]

I breathed a little, trying to take that in as I looked up into his sea-green eyes.

Then, I found myself turning slowly in his arms and pressing my palms to his bare chest. Time seemed to move slowly now as I gently pushed him down into the bed and climbed on top of him. He pulled the sheets around us, never breaking eye contact with me as I straddled him and pressed my hands into the bed either side of his head. His hands found my waist and I started at the sudden contact, feeling the heat radiating between our bodies, passing through each other and back again.

"I don't want anyone but you either." I whispered as my hair fell down the side of my face and collected on the pillow beside him. He smiled up at me as he smoothed his hand under my ear and round my neck, pulling me into a soft, tender kiss. Butterflies flew around my stomach and I tried very hard not to moan again.

Everything about him turned me on, from his soft warm skin under my fingertips to his firm muscular build, to his thick messy hair in which I wound my fingers into, to his distinct scent, to the way his soft lips felt underneath mine as they moved slowly together. I could tell, by the way he kissed me, that he knew what he was doing. He'd had plenty of practice and it showed. He just knew how to handle me. He knew how to touch me and kiss me in a way that made my brain melt. I lost all sense of logic and reasoning because, for that moment, the only thing that made sense was Percy. He had me in the palm of his hands and I would have done anything to stay like that.

I smiled against the kiss and started to giggle which only made him laugh too. Even his laugh turned me on.

My necklace dangled down in front of his face and he took the 'P' in his palm. "You kept it." He smiled wistfully as he looked at the silver charm.

I smiled softly. "I never took it off." I whispered and he smiled brightly at that before using the chain to gently pull me into a soft kiss. This one had less lip movement but it was just as intoxicating.

When I pulled back slowly for a breath, he gently turned me over, pulling my back against his chest as we lay under the sheets together. I reached over to turn the radio off before snuggling into him, feeling his strong arms around me as I swept my hair aside.

"Sweet dreams." I whispered.

"I'm going to hell Annabeth, I don't have sweet dreams." He muttered in my ear and I giggled, turning in his arms until we were nose to nose, sharing the same pillow.

"Everybody dreams Percy, some people just don't remember."

"As long as I can still dream, I will dream of you." He whispered to me, holding my hand to his chest.

I smiled, flushing immensely as I gazed at his illuminated face in the moonlight. "Goodnight, Seaweed Brain." I whispered curling my head into his chest, beneath his face.

"Night, Wise Girl." He whispered and I smiled giddily, tightening my grip on his hand. Then I closed my eyes and let myself drift off in his arms.

~xXx~


Kinda caught up in fluffy Percabeth land over here... :)❤️ 💛💚💙💜💝💖💟 How is everyone else holding up?

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my goooosh! How was it!? Please don't say it was awful.

I know many of you will have had it all mapped out in your heads about how you wanted the reunion to go and I probably just crushed about 70% of those dreams. Still, I hope you're all happy with it anyway.

I was quite happy with how things turned out. I thought it was cute. I don't know.

I got inspo for the chappie from this movie with Ashton Kutcher and that actress who's in the Black Swan (can't remember her name or the movie, sorry).


Well, this is the last update before Christmas peeps. I probably won't be posting until Sunday 7th January. Sorry it's a bit of a wait, I've just done no work over Christmas Break and I have exams when I go back. :((

I hope you all have a wonderful, magical and MERRY CHRISTMAS! **** 🎄🎅 ️❄️❄️

Sending all my love from England out to wherever you guys are in the world. 🌎

And from the bottom of my heart, thank you for sticking with me, trusting me, encouraging me but most of all believing in me.

Hope to see you all on the 7th of January!

Here's some candy for you to eat while you wait plus an apple because being healthy it important, right? ;) 🍭🍬🍡🍩🍎

Lots of love 💙💜

~ AWG xx