Percy went straight to the deck and he removed his dance attire and sneakers, which is nothing but a polished armor on top of his daily clothes. He wanted so bad to jump and drown but he knew that it was a bit impossible to that. He sat on the deck and looked at the mountains outlining camp. A hippocampus appeared from the water and nudged his dangling foot.
"Not a good night, it could've been." He said as he stroked the hippocampus' mane.
"Do you think Dad will drown me, huh?" The hippocampus shook its head and Percy felt that it was judging him.
"I was a bit of jerk, you think? Are you gonna drag my foot and take me to dad's kingdom maybe work there as a slave? I feel so bad right now." He kept stroking the mane and he blabbered to himself. The creature tired of his chatter and suddenly swooped away.
"Oh great, even you guys." Percy picked up his sneakers and armor and trudged back to the cabin. On his way, he saw Annabeth still in her Greek dress and Thalia sitting on one of the mess area's tables. Annabeth's head was bent on Thalia's neck and her shoulder was shaking and she would come up for air and then sob again. Thalia stroked Annabeth's loose hair.
Percy heard a ruffle from behind him and a hand touch his shoulder.
"You did this, man." Nico said, trying to sound judgmental but he clearly pitied Percy.
"Geez, Nico!" he whispered angrily at his friend, "don't just come up on people like that."
"You could've just told her you love her. I'm sure this wouldn't be happening now. No crying, still dancing. You could've been in the food fight that is just about to begin."
"I... Nico, I can't." Percy said, his eyes pointed downward. Nico steered Percy to the side so they'll be hidden behind a tree. Nico would peek at the girls a little and get his attention back to Percy.
"You can't? After what you just did!"
"I'm just gonna leave camp. I don't know." Percy said and he slumped on the ground. This is the worst night of his life he thought, discounting the fact that he thought his mom almost died by the hands of a minotaur. This is the worst mortal, normal night in his life he corrected himself.
"And leave Annabeth hanging? You just left her hanging in the big house. You don't leave a girl hanging again after you going crazy just now." Nico said, he nudged Percy bare foot and sat beside him.
"I don't know what to say to her. I mean I do but I don't know how." Percy said, he buried his face between his knees.
"Oh, really? You're impossible. How about just tell her. She's there, look," Nico and Percy turned their heads to look at Annabeth still in tears. "Just take her for a walk, say sorry, and tell her you love her."
"That's not gonna work." Percy shot Nico's suggestion.
"What do you know, you just broke her heart. And what do I know, I was locked up a good 70 years in a casino." Nico put his hand on Percy's shoulder, "Truth is, we don't know what will happen but you know what to do anyway. You know Annabeth better than anyone else in camp, better than Andrew the artist wannabe. Tell her you love her, why you went berserk and say sorry. Who knows?"
"But what if Annabeth doesn't accept it?" Percy's eyes are full of worry.
"Dude, not because you're Poseidon's only son in 70 years means you get special treatment. You just broke her heart, I don't think it's that easy." Nico stood up and cleaned his pants, "but it's all on you. Either you tell Annabeth the truth about your feelings or you let her go with a very ugly exit. Good luck, Perce. Cheers!" Nico stepped back and he was swallowed by the shadow of the trees.
Percy stood up and peeked at Annabeth and Thalia. The place was dark but the light from the big house and the bright moon shone on the two. Annabeth's blonde hair was shining and her curls looked soft under the moonlight. Her white Grecian dress with gold trims of vines made her look like a true goddess. Percy's heart ached for Annabeth and how much wrong he has done her. He saw that Annabeth moved the owl pin to hold her hair out of her face, he tried to walk to her and say his piece but he was just struck with her beauty. Percy thought he couldn't love Annabeth more but tonight, in the mess hall, he felt more in love with her.
Thalia stood up and kissed Annabeth's forehead and walked back to the big house. She was met with a shadow that Percy knew was Nico and the two walked together with their arms linked.
Percy walked towards Annabeth, his footsteps were muffled because he was barefooted. He was very quiet until his armor got caught on one of the corners of the tables and clanked loudly. Annabeth turned in shock but she stayed as she is.
"I...uh... sorry I disturbed you?" Percy said, frozen in his place.
"I knew you would come. I saw you there a while ago." Annabeth replied, she turned and her head and looked far, away from Percy.
"Can I... can I sit beside you?" Percy asked, unsure if Annabeth would say yes. He already set his sneakers and armor at the end of the table.
"You've done your worst just now, what else could go wrong." Annabeth collected her dress and gathered them nearer to her so Percy can sit. Percy sat but he has almost at the edge of the seat.
"I uh... I know you're really mad at me." Percy looked at the house and knew that the food fight was coming on judging from the noise coming from it. "And I have no excuse for acting like that... erm."
Annabeth's heart sank a little, no excuse. "Of course you don't. It's all just competition." she replied, her eyes still far from Percy.
"It's not like that Annabeth." He replied as a matter of factly.
"Then what was it?" she challenged him. "Is it a summer thing?"
"I'm not like that and you know it, Annabeth." Percy knew that she's still very angry but he prefers her to be out and angry than just plain cold.
"Really, cos if it's not for competition then are you doing it for? Fun?" Annabeth said.
"That was not for fun. Did I look happy doing that?"
"Then what, Percy? What? You can't just stop an entire dance because you felt like it."
"I... Andrew tried kissing you!" Percy tried to hold his voice but he couldn't stop himself from being angry just thinking of Andrew kissing Annabeth.
"Yeah, but you tried that so many times before, too!" Annabeth said, frustrated with Percy already.
"I don't see anything wrong with that, I don't have any bad intentions when I tried to kiss you before!" Percy defended himself, annoyed with Annabeth.
"What makes you so special? Because you're the son of Poseidon?" Annabeth stood up and faced Percy, her arms crossed on her chest.
"Because I... uh... I'm your friend." Percy's voice faltered and he faced down. Annabeth's eyes stung and tears welled up.
"I don't know what to do with you anymore." She said, she turned and collected her golden sandals from the ground and started walking away.
"Annie..." Percy whispered. "Annie, wait." He stretched his hand and grabbed Annabeth's arm.
"I'm tired of this Percy..." Percy stood up and pulled Annabeth closer. He placed his hand on the back of Annabeth's shoulder and kissed her. Annabeth was frozen and she didn't move from away from Percy, she stayed like that for a while before realizing that she was frozen from Percy's kiss.
Percy sat back on the bench and looked down. Annabeth remained standing looking at him, wow she thought. This is bad but wow. I have to stay angry. Her mind kept racing with thoughts.
"Aren't you gonna say anything?" Percy asked his voice a low whisper.
"I... what... what was that for?" Annabeth palms suddenly became sweaty and she clutched her dress to dry her hands.
"I just want to show you I don't have bad intentions when I tried to kiss you before. And... " Annabeth sat beside Percy and turned his head. "Annabeth you're one of my longest friend here in camp, aside from Grover. And well... I think... that…" Percy wiped his palms on his jeans and blinked, "you also look very beautiful tonight. And I hope you forgive me."
Annabeth wanted so much to forgive Percy right there but she wanted Percy to say first what he really feels. Somehow she feels cheated that Percy can't even say what he feels but already staked a claim on her in the general public.
"It's not about me looking different tonight, Percy…"
"I said beautiful."
"Stop." Annabeth stood up her frustration and disappointment already brewing to anger. "Unbelievable, Percy Jackson. I have no words for you."
"I just kissed you, I just told you you're beautiful and I asked for forgiveness. Why is that not enough?"
Annebeth bent down to pick up a shoe and threw it at Percy but he caught it before it hit his face. "You think I'll just forgive you for that? That very vague apology you didn't even actually ask for! You just thought that if you flatter me you'll get my forgiveness, didn't you?" Annabeth eyes were wide open, her grey eyes flashing like a storm was happening while her finger was pointed at Percy. "And you think I'll melt in your arms because you've kissed me? Wow. Just wow, Percy. You're amazing."
"Then, what, Annie? Because I'm lost here a little bit. I've said sorry already, and I meant it!" Percy stood up squaring Annabeth. When he stood up he was staring down at her and Annabeth was looking up straight into his eyes.
Nico and Thalia appeared not far behind a tree from the shadows holding hands. Nico informed Thalia that Percy was about to say sorry but they were surprised that it turned into a petty argument.
"Lover's quarrel. Even before they've become lover's they're already at it." Nico chuckled.
Thalia realized she was still holding hands with Nico and let go of his hand. Nico wiped his hand in his pants to shake off the awkwardness.
"You know I've watched from this TV show that it's quite healthy for lovers to argue. They kiss and fight and well…" Nico stifled a laugh, "they do something else, too."
"Nico!" Thalia scolded him.
"It's true, arguing. They exercise their powers in relationship, somehow it's a way of knowing what makes the other tick. Arguing, not fighting, by the way. At the end, they compromise and see eye to eye and they make up or out." Nico stated as a matter of factly.
"Too much TV, Nico. Too much TV." Thalia ended their conversation and continued to watch the arguing pair.
"You've tried kissing me before because? You just felt like it? You think I enjoyed the fact that you kept on hanging out with Veronica Garner this summer?" Percy interrupted her when he scoffed, "so I had a fair share of Andrew but it wasn't me who made a scene in the dance. You embarrassed me, Percy. And for what? Because Andrew is hanging out with me? Why did you even do that? All I want to know Percy is why. I just want you to tell my why you're doing all these." Annabeth sighed and she stepped back, she pulled her hair to the side and turned away from Percy.
"Andrew is wrong for you. He just wants you because he thinks that because I'm hanging out with Veronica that he can already hang out with you. Veronica is nothing, I just… well you have Andrew." Percy tried to explain but it didn't do him any good.
"Nothing came out of that. Why is Andrew wrong for me? What do you know? I get it, you're probably being overprotective because you're my best friend here in camp but this is not your business. And I admit that I got jealous of Veronica,"
"You did?" Percy tried to hide his smile.
"Well yeah! You're always my partner in whatever sporting event in existence there is at camp or even in Tartarus and Olympus. And then suddenly you just started hanging out with her. You've changed, I can see that. You're no longer a boy and even if I'm a little jealous of Veronica I didn't make a scene." Annabeth poked the ground and played the grass with her bare toe.
"I'm sorry for embarrassing you at the dance." Percy replied after a bit of silence. "I just thought that Andrew kisses you, I'd lose you as a friend. And I'm sorry about, Veronica." He smiled at the thought of Annabeth jealous, "and it's good to know you got jealous…"
"But I didn't go wild like you did." Annabeth cut him off.
"I was jealous of Andrew, okay. He's the struggling artist, hobo guy at camp and I thought you're starting to have a crush on him too. He's not really an artist, he's just like his dad. He's just outside charming." Percy stepped closer Annabeth and turned her to face him. He breathed deeply and wished to all the gods he hadn't yet crossed to guide him with what he's about to say.
"I've tried kissing you, tried to impress you, even tried the part where you'd think I'm physically attractive, which was a foolish mistake, " Annabeth smiled and remembered how much Percy has changed through the years and the promise she made Thalia keep about her opinion of Percy's newfound hotness. "okay, you're smiling."
"Go on…" Annabeth wiped the smug smile off her face.
"But I was never sure if you think of me as more than just a friend. I don't know when, or how, but I really like you, Annabeth. Like maybe I think I love you already." Percy sighed heavily, his sea-green eyes focused on Annabeth's grey eyes.
Annabeth bit her lips and blinked, she stared at Percy and she smiled.
"I knew it! Ha!" Annabeth let go of Percy and jumped around gleefully. "I knew it, Percy Jackson! Wow, really, all that tactics you did the entire summer. You could've just told me!" Annabeth winked at Percy and then laughed.
Percy looked defeated and shocked, a little embarrassed that Annabeth is laughing at his confession. It took him a lot of courage to admit his feelings but Annabeth swatted the seriousness of the moments with her victorious cheer.
"Will you be serious? You mean you're just acting angry and dating Andrew to bait me?" Percy said, his face looked very defeated and humiliated.
Annabeth ran back to Percy and hugged him tightly. She smiled on his chest, her heart beating fast. Finally, finally he said it! I thought Thalia was just joking with all that she shared earlier. Those little gossip she got from Nico, didn't know they gossiped about us. All these because he couldn't tell me he loves me, Annabeth's mind raced with thoughts. Annabeth tightened her hug on Percy.
"I told her a bit of truth about stuff, that Percy was only trying to make her jealous. But not about the drachma and the you know what else there was." Thalia told Nico, both of them smiling
"So she got Percy to tell her. Smart! Percy was too wussy about this whole thing, with the friendzone and everything. I thought I had to have Annabeth kidnapped by a paid monster for him to finally admit it." Nico said, Thalia jabbed when he talked about the paid monster.
"Won't take long now." Thalia said.
"Let's get outta here, this isn't our business. Back to the food fight!" Nico grabbed Thalia's hand and they stepped back to shadow and back to the big house. They told Grover about what happened and they spent the night smiling at each other, the entire camp oblivious about the new couple.
"You're laughing at me!" Percy told Annabeth when she finally let him go.
"I'm not. It's just feels so good to have a strategy work out for you." Annabeth smiled but her hand sought Percy's and she held his hand.
"So you're just strategizing on me?" Percy said. "I shouldn't have told you about anything."
"Why not?" She said, they sat again and she placed her head on Percy's shoulder.
"Because you're laughing at me. I'm just a test for you, and I don't even know what you feel about any of this. Aside from victory, go ahead and have a party." Percy said.
"You didn't ask me out for the Summer Dance, you went with Veronica. I wasn't planning on going with Thalia or Nico and Andrew invited me so I went him with. It was your fault anyway." Annabeth said; she was having a good time toying with Percy. After a summer of your half nakedness, this is payback time, she thought to herself.
"Can we stop with the Andrew and Veronica, please? I just told you I love you and you jumped with joy. I knew it was a bad idea. Good thing you're my best friend, let's make this a running joke why don't we." He replied sarcastically. Annabeth wanted to laugh and tried very hard not to, she already wanted to tell Percy she loves him back but she felt like prolonging his agony.
"I bet you enjoyed going half naked around camp, Seaweed Brain."
"Annie!" Percy groaned. He wanted so much for Hades to claim him at the moment.
"I'll give you credit where credit is due, I will say that you've become muscular." Annabeth felt her cheeks were flushed and she knew that she was clearly blushing. "I think the Aphrodite girls called you hot." She almost squeaked at the end of the sentence.
"Thought you'd never notice." Percy replied. He removed his hand from Annabeth's and placed it on her shoulder.
The sky was suddenly lit with fireworks and it brightened the sky. Percy was still talking but the fireworks drowned his voice. Annabeth knew that Percy wouldn't be able to hear what she'll say because of the fireworks' loud noise. When a gold and green firework exploded, Annabeth told Percy what she's always wanted to say.
"I love you, too, Percy Jackson."
But when Annabeth spoke, the fireworks stopped and Percy heard what Annabeth loud and clear. Annabeth was surprised and she straightened from her position and froze on her place. She knew that she her cheeked were even redder.
"I heard that." Percy said, squeezing her shoulder. "That was pretty straightforward, a true quality of Athena's daughter." Percy wanted so bad to fist pump in the air at that very moment.
"Oh gods, whatever, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth jabbed Percy's side.
"I love you, too, Annabeth. I really do."
Annabeth leaned back on Percy, her head rested on his shoulder and Percy pulled her closer to him.
The new couple sat at the mess hall and just quietly enjoyed their first moments as an official couple.
Wow. I hoped I ended it well (Did this real fast so I'm sure you'll stumble upon errors and inconsistencies, point them out for me please and I'll remedy.) and that it lived up to the hype that happened.
I got swamped with real life, I wish I could just shake it off but my deadline for a paper was 7 hours ago and nothing has been written, still.
Is this the end, yet? I feel like it is...n't. I'm not sure :)