Chapter 13: Like Romeo and Juliet (Percy)

I was freaking out. Annabeth and I were going to practice today at my dad's apartment. And he wouldn't be home until five. We'd be alone.

Of course, I knew this all along. I was supposed to spend this week living at my dad's apartment, and I knew my dad never gets home until around five. And of course there was the fact that now Annabeth was drop dead beautiful. Oh yeah. I was majorly freaking out.

It was only four fifteen and Annabeth was coming at four thirty. I had ran out of things to occupy myself. I had finished my homework already, which was really unlike me. I even tried watching TV which almost always works, but the only thing that seemed to be on was reruns of Spongebob Squarepants and I hated that guy.

I was sitting upside down on the couch staring at the clock, trying to use sheer force of will to make the hands move faster. It wasn't working.

"Percy?" a voice asked. The intercom.

"Yeah?"

"There's a blond girl here to see you. Says her name's Annabeth. Seemed like a nice girl, so I sent her up."

I fell off the couch onto my head. Ow. I leaped to my feet immediately. Annabeth was here. Probably in the elevator on her way up. She's not supposed to be here for fifteen more minutes. I ran to the bathroom and grabbed a comb. I tried running it through my messy hair a couple times, but it didn't seem to be working. I managed to comb my hair down partly. I smiled at myself I the mirror. Then I frowned. Crap. I looked like I was trying to hard. I ran a hand through my hair quickly, messing it up again, just as the elevator went Ding!

"Percy?" Annabeth called.

She's here.

"Just a minute!" I called. I glared at myself in the mirror. I had never panicked around girls this much. I could be cool in front of girls usually. Get a hold of yourself Jackson. Right.

I left the bathroom and found Annabeth staring at the the aquarium in the middle of the entry room. It was a floor to ceiling cylinder about five feet in diameter filled with different salt water fish, with built in lights, changing color from blue to green to purple, then back to blue and so on.

"You're here early," I said.

She jumped and turned to look at me. She smiled. "Oh hi. Yeah, sorry about that. I should've called. I thought you'd be okay with it. Just a few minutes of extra practice. I should have called though."

Wow, she looked beautiful. It was just a couple simple changes. Her glasses were gone, no longer hiding her gray eyes and her blond curls were down, cascading down her back and framing her face.

I shook my head, answering her and bringing myself back to reality. "No, it's fine. I wasn't doing anything away. Just waiting around until you were coming at four thirty." Wow, way to sound like an idiot.

Annabeth didn't seem to notice. She just smiled and glanced back at the aquarium. "This is amazing."

I nodded. "Yeah. My dad's pretty into fish. He owns a bunch of aquariums across the country."

She nodded. "That's cool. He must be pretty successful. I mean, he has the freakin' penthouse."

I shrugged. "He has one hundred twenty-eight aquariums in the U.S. and 3 in Canada. He'll be home in half an hour. He can probably tell you more about them if you want to stay for dinner?" I said, making it come out like a question. I was surprised I was even able to ask. When did I get so bold?

A smile crossed her face. "I'd love to, but I can only stay until six."

"Right," I agreed, trying to stay cool. She was going to stay for dinner! "Do you want a tour of the apartment?"

I showed her each of the twenty to thirty rooms in the apartment. The place was huge, definitely bigger than my mom's house. A lot more fancy too. Everything was the best in my dad's apartment. Nothing was cheap, not even a box of cereal in the kitchen cabinet (which was twenty bucks since my dad had some weird special brand he ate.)

"So only you and your dad live here?" Annabeth asked.

I nodded. "Well, I only live here every other week, but it's just us."

Annabeth stared at a wall, that was pretty much just a giant glowing aquarium installed to separate the dining room from the living room. "Must get kind of lonely, huh?"

I shrugged. "Yeah. My dad works a lot. I don't see him much, even when I'm staying with him. The only reason he's coming home early tonight is because you're here..." I trailed off. Oh wow, Jackson. Way to go all, Poor me. I have daddy problems on her.

Annabeth nodded. "I know what you mean," she said. "I'm spending this week with my mom. She works a lot too."

We were both quiet for awhile. I looked at my watch. Four-thirty. "We better get practicing," I said. "It's four-thirty and my dad's coming home with pizza around five." We went to the living room and I grabbed my script off the couch where I had left it when I tried running through it while I was waiting for Annabeth. She pulled hers out of a coat pocket, which the booklet surprisingly fit in.

"So what scene do you want to practice?" I asked, flipping through my script.

"Act One, Scene Five," she told me.

I nodded and turned to that page and started to read my line. I realized that this was the same scene I had helped her with at her audition. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Annabeth's grey eyes scanned her line before she looked back at me and said, "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

I read my line in my head, then looked at her while I said it out loud, the way Annabeth had done. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" I asked.

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."

"Oh, then, dear saint," I said, not even having to look at my script now, "let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." Somehow, I knew this scene, without looking at the script. I had unknowingly practiced it all the time. Annabeth didn't look at her script either and took a couple steps closer to me, her eyes never leaving mine. "Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." "Then move not," I said, "while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." Even though I didn't have to, I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Annabeth turned a little pink. "Then have my lips the sin that they have took," she said. I kissed her again, forgetting about my line, a lot longer this time. We broke apart after a couple minutes for air, then I kissed her again, but she pulled away.

"Percy, I-I can't do this," she said.

"What do you mean?" I asked, slightly hurt.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. This is just going too fast, you know? I barely know you."

I looked at the floor. She was right. She does barely know me. And now I just made everything really awkward. "I'm sorry. Maybe we can just pretend like it didn't happen?"

She shook her head. "I just... I should go," she said, pulling on her coat and starting towards the elevator, with me at her heels.

"You're not going to stay for dinner?" I asked. I glared at myself mentally. Nice save Jackson.

"I'm sorry, Percy, but I think I need some time to figure out what's going on," she said.

"Annabeth-"

She pressed the button on the elevator. "Percy, I'm sorry, okay? I just can't do this right now. I barely know you and-and we kissed and everything's too complicated! I just need some time."

I ran a hand through my hair. "I'm sorry," I said, which was the only thing I could think of to say. "You don't have to go."

She shook her head again. "I do."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. There stood my dad inside, trying to balance three boxes of pizza, a liter bottle of Coke and his brief case. Great timing Dad, I thought sarcastically. He smiled. "You must be Annabeth," he said, stepping out of the elevator. "I'm Percy's father. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"It's nice to meet you, sir," she said, "but I was just leaving."

He frowned. "I hope it wasn't on my account."

"No, of course not, sir. I don't want to impose," she said, obviously trying to think of a quick excuse that wouldn't make my dad feel bad or embarrass us.

"Nonsense," Dad said, "you're welcome to stay. I'd be offended if you didn't." He gave her a teasing smile.

I gave Annabeth one last pleading look, begging her to stay.

Before she had a chance to answer, Dad was in the dining room. "What kind of pizza do you like, Annabeth?" he called.

"He really would be offended if you left now," I told her.

She sighed and followed me to the dining room.

"So, Annabeth," Dad said, pouring himself a glass of Coke, "Percy told me you're Juliet in the play?" He was sitting at the head of the table with Annabeth and I seated at either side of him.

She nodded and ate a bite of pizza before answering. "Yes sir. It was pretty surprising too. I didn't think I would even get a part."

I shook my head. "No way. She obviously had the best audition for Juliet there. She deserved the part." I took a bite of pepperoni pizza.

Annabeth turned pink. "Drew's audition was better."

I swallowed. "Not even close. She was good, but you were great."

Annabeth looked down, biting back a smile. "Thanks." She turned to Dad. "Your aquariums are amazing, sir."

Dad smiled. He loved those aquariums, sometimes I thought more than me, and was extremely proud of them. "Thank you, Annabeth. My company builds them, but I come up with most of the designs. Sadly, as we grow, I have more work to do as the owner and haven't been able to design many lately."

Annabeth's eyes lit up. I wish I could've been the one to cause it. "Like an architect?"

Dad nodded. "Yes. I went to college to be an architect, but also took some courses in marine life. This job combines them both. You like architecture?"

She nodded. "Yes sir. I plan to study it in college. My mother's an architect herself. Could I maybe see some of your designs some time?"

Dad smiled, glad somebody was so interested in his work. I hardly listened most of the time when he talked about his work. "I'd love to show you some! I have this one aquarium that's an up-side-down pyramid that's built into the ceiling. It was very hard to with all the angles..." He trailed off and frowned which I didn't understand since Annabeth was nodding enthusiastically as he explained.

I looked at him. "Dad?"

He was really starting to scowl. "You look very familiar, Annabeth. You say your mother's an architect?"

Annabeth looked confused at his sudden change of attitude. "Yes, sir."

"Does she happen to be Athena Wiseman?"

Annabeth nodded. "Yes, sir." That explained a lot. "You know her?"

"We went to college together," was all he said, but based on the look on his face as he looked away from her, there was more to it than that. He looked up at the clock on the wall. "Perhaps you better be going, Annabeth," he said. "It's nearly six. Your mother will probably be here to pick you up in a minute."

Annabeth looked confused still, but nodded. "Yes, sir. I should probably be going." She stood up from her chair, and I followed her lead. Both her and my father looked at me.

"I'll walk with you down stairs and wait with you if your mom isn't here yet," I said quickly, but really I just wanted to talk to her more.

Annabeth nodded. "It was nice meeting you, sir," she told Dad.

He smiled, but there was something weird about it. "You, too, Annabeth."

"I'll be back in a few minutes, Dad," I said, pulling on my coat and following Annabeth to the elevator. I pressed the button. The doors opened almost immediately.

"Tell your mother Poseidon said hello," Dad called, and I struggled not to roll my eyes.

"I will," Annabeth called. "Bye."

"Bye."

We got in the elevator and the doors closed. I pressed the first floor button, and the elevator started traveling down.

"Okay," Annabeth said, "what the heck happened back there?"

I ran a hand through my hair. "I really wish you would have told me who your mom was before now."

She scowled at me. "What? You wouldn't have invited me over if I had?"

I shook my head. "You know that's not what I mean."

She sighed. "I know. Are you going to tell me why your dad got all weird when I said who my mom is?"

"Yeah," I said. I glanced at my watch. It was fifteen 'til. Annabeth's mom wouldn't be her for awhile and my dad had obviously been trying to get rid of her early.

The elevator doors opened at the first floor and we got off. I sat on the couch in the lobby where we could see through the doors when Annabeth's mom got here. Annabeth sat next to me. "So?" she prompted.

"My dad and your mom met in college, and were pretty good friends," I told her. "They were best friends probably. They even rented an apartment together. My dad's girlfriend-" I frowned, trying to think of the name. "Em, I think was her name, lived with them. They were pretty serious and stuff. Somehow, they ended up, um, doing stuff," I said awkwardly, "in Athena's room. She caught them and was pretty ticked."

"She had right," Annabeth said. "That's disgusting. I would've done the same thing in that situation."

I nodded. "Anyways, Athena told Em off and kicked her out, since technically Em didn't pay rent or anything. Em got mad at my dad for letting her, and ended up breaking up with him."

"What a bitch," Annabeth commented, which surprised me. I've never heard her cuss.

I nodded again. "Yeah," I said, agreeing with her. "Anyways, Dad must've really liked her. He got mad at Athena, blaming her for everything. He moved out and they weren't friends anymore."

"That's stupid," Annabeth commented, but ignored this one since I probably would've reacted the same way.

"They became rivals, both mad at each other. They constantly fought during class. Once they graduated, they both got their own companies. Things only got worse from there. Dad and Athena both wanted to buy this building in town that they always talked about in college. They both wanted it. Dad bought it and had his headquarters there for awhile. Athena was mad. Dad got this really rich client who wanted him to design this house for him, but later the client switched over to Athena's company. Dad said she must've bribed him with some kind of deal so he'd switch."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "My mom wouldn't do that," she insisted. "Besides, even if she did, that's business."

I raised my hands in surrender. "I don't know why he switched. Anyways, stuff like that kept happening, and now they just kind of hate each other."

Annabeth sighed and leaned back against the couch. She cracked a smile. "That's so ridiculous."

I smiled too. "Yeah. Guess we're going to end up like a real-life Romeo and Juliet."

Annabeth's smile disappeared. "Percy—"

"Sorry," I said. "I didn't mean it like that."

She looked at me. "It's fine, Percy. I just think that we need to take things a little slower, you know? I mean, we don't know each other that well, but we just made out? Besides, you just broke up with Piper. Do you even want to date yet? I don't want to push you."

I looked at the floor. "We broke up because of you."

Annabeth didn't say anything, just looked at me shocked. "What did I do?" she asked at last.

"Nothing," I said. "Things were getting weird between us, you know? We just didn't like each other the way we used to. And I-I like you," I stammered. "Piper noticed, and we talked about it. We thought it would be best if we broke up."

There was a long moment of silence. At least a whole minute, before Annabeth said, "So you broke up with her for me?"

"Sorry," I said. "I shouldn't have told you that. I didn't mean to put so much pressure on you. I-"

She kissed me on the cheek. "It was sweet of you, Percy, in a weird way. Most guys wouldn't do that."

"What? Break up with their girlfriend for you, or tell you they did?"

She smiled a little. "Both." She sighed. "I really like you, too, you know, but I still think we need to take things slow."

I grinned ear to ear. "You like me?"

Annabeth laughed and bumped her shoulder into me. "Don't get such a big head."

I shook my head, still smiling and looked at the floor. Annabeth likes me. She actually does.

"I thought you liked Luke," I said, not sure what else to say.

She shrugged. "Luke's nice, but he's not my type."

I froze. "You have a type?"

She grinned. "You're nervous now?"

"What's your type?"

"Oh, tall, dark and handsome. Sweet, charming. Funny. Smart."

"I'm five of those things. I'm not all that tall though and I have a C average."

She laughed. "I might be able to over look that."

A car pulled up outside, and we both looked at it. "That's my mom," she said, standing up. "Thanks for the pizza and... everything else," she said, turning a little pink, and I knew she was talking about the kisses. My cheeks instantly heated up. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said, and started to walk towards the door.

"Annabeth, wait," I said, running over to her and catching her wrist.

She looked at me. "What?"

I was tongue tied and couldn't think of what to say. "I, um, I..."

"Percy, my mom's waiting, I gotta go." She pulled her arm away and started to walk away again.

"Would you go out with me?" I blurted.

She froze. Idiot! I thought. She's going to say no. Slowly, she turned around. At first her expression was unreadable. Then she smiled. "I'd love too."

Athena honked the car horn outside. "I better go," Annabeth said. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay? We can work out the details later."

I nodded. "later."

She smiled again, went outside and got in her mom's car, giving me a slight wave as they drove away.

I grinned. I was going to go out with Annabeth Chase.

My dad was sitting in the living room, staring at the aquarium wall from the couch.

"Hey Dad," I said, still smiling.

He looked at me and smiled. "Why are you so happy?"

"I asked Annabeth out. She said yes," I told him, trying to sound casual about it.

His smile melted.

I frowned. "Look, I know you don't like her mom, but you're not going to say we can't date, are you?"

He shook his head. "Of course not. You can date whoever you want. I'm just going to warn you that if she's anything like her mom, you better watch out."

"I don't need to." I went to my room, scowling. Why did he have to say something like that? Maybe Annabeth and I would be like Romeo and Juliet. Hopefully with a happier ending.