chapter 21
It was a Sunday morning, a week had passed and I had qualified pole with Button and Bottas in second and third. It was still early, around 8am, when I awoke with the most beautiful girl tucked into my side. I smiled to myself, thinking how lucky I was. If it wasn't for Tyson, we never would have met. I kissed the top of Annabeth's head, breathing in her lemony scent, whilst running my fingers up and down the curve of her back. She shifted and mumbled something, 'That tickles,' while letting out a sleepy giggle. I chuckled lightly, my voice still thick with sleep. She pressed her face into the cool skin of my neck and started kissing it, making me squirm, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her on top of me, looking into those stormy grey eyes that mirrored the love and affection of my own. I smiled and kissed her forehead before she rolled off of me and yawned. She stood stretching, her (my) shirt riding up ever so slightly so I caught a glimpse of her tanned back. I stared at her as she ran a hand through her messy blonde curls, and stood from my perch on the bed. I wrapped my arms around her waist as I kissed up her neck, she mewled softly and turned in my arms, still allowing me to kiss around her face, avoiding the lips due to morning breath from all the pizza we had last night, I was kissing up the curve of her neck again when someone barged in through the conjoining room door.
"GAH!" I heard a familiar female voice say, "Too much PDA! AH I'm blind." We both laughed at the sight of Thalia, beet red whilst covering her eyes making gagging noises.
"Should've knocked then, shouldn't you." I answered back, just as Nico entered, and wrapped his arms around Thalia. He chuckled and pecked her cheek before dragging her back into their room. We both smiled and rolled our eyes at the same time before she dragged me into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, I had Claire knocking on the door as Annabeth and I got ready for the day. I grabbed my race suit sleeves and wrapped it around my waist, heading over to the driver briefing. After twenty minutes of going over the rules, and safety, we left to start getting prepared for the pit lane walkabout. I was talking with my family for a while, getting everyone acquainted, when it all started. I spent nearly twenty minutes signing and having photographs taken of me and surprisingly not with the model that was holding my numbered sign, with Annabeth. Not that either of us were complaining, she may not admit it, but I saw the looks she was shooting Rachael, (Not Dare) a friend of mine's, brothers Fiancée. After a while, everyone but Annabeth went to the VIP observation area, while she stayed in the pits watching the screen with mum, Poseidon, Tyson and Ella. Soon enough we were on the starting grid, after a good luck kiss, and I waited for the lights to turn green for the formation lap.
I took deep breaths as I watched and waited for the lights to turn green for the start of the race. My instincts kicking in, making time slow down as it settled on five green lights, my impeccable race starts were now in play. I shot off the line, a good few milliseconds before everyone else like always, my reaction times being better than them and the 54 lap race was under way. I rounded the first corner a little way ahead of Button, who was side by side with Bottas around the first corner, and watched my team mate stick the pass around the outside, in the mirrors. It was around lap 20 when we started to have problems, I felt the car shudder slightly as I round the corner, I saw that the wheels were graining and fast, I radioed it in and the response was to slow the car down a bit, keep it in engine mode one and change the brake bias to rears 57%. I did as I was told and found that it helped out a lot, so much so that I extended over the pit time by a couple of laps. I pitted lap 27 and gave a quick wave to Annabeth, who winked and waved back. I chuckled and shook my head as I started down the pit lane, ripping off one of the tear off strips of plastic over the visor. The next problem was on lap 35 when I spun out due to a Torro Roso coming out of the pit lane and cutting in front of me, even though I should have been lapping him. I started up the car again, and I spun around on the run off and put my foot down on the accelerator to catch up to Button who had now gained the lead because of the car stalling. The next few laps until 44 where we would be put back onto the option tyres were filled with intense battling for position. Button and I got so caught up in the act that it allowed Bottas to catch up and we were all battling for the lead of the race. We were driving onto the Hanger Straight when I retook the lead of the race up the inside, a daring move which allowed me to lead the race for a couple of laps, until the race was red flagged and finished as there was a three car accident at the old pit straight involving Sutil, Vergne and Rosberg. As we drove passed, I was thankful to see that none of the drivers were hurt but the Mercedes was missing its front nose completely and the rear wing was obliterated, indicating that he had rolled the car, and the race would be reverted to a lap before the crash meaning it would be: Jackson, Button, Bottas, Massa, Raikonnen, Alonso, Vettel, Ricciardo, Magnussen and Gutierrez rounding out the top ten. We all drove into the pit lane and parked up in our designated slots, greeting Button and Bottas and told them it was a good race. I worked my way over to the team where I was pulled into a bone crushing hug from about ten people, my brother, Ella, Mum and Poseidon congratulated me and I walked over to Annabeth who was smiling brightly at me. I pulled her into a hug and she kissed the helmet, roughly where my lips would be. I winked at her through the open visor and parted to go get weighed. I pulled off the helmet and balaclava and stuffed it into the helmet, revealing my even more messy and sweaty raven black hair. I ran my hand through my hair and ruffling it slightly to make it slightly tamed and went up the steps towards the waiting room where Bottas and Button were waiting already.
I chugged down a bottle of water as we waited, I had handed my helmet to Claire who placed it next to Bottas' downstairs and was talking amongst ourselves waiting to be pulled out onto the podium. "I'm glad they're all right and all, but I was enjoying that battle between us." I said to Button and Bottas as we watched the replay of the crash, Vergne hit Rosberg on the rear wheel as he was going slow and luckily Rosberg's rear wheel slid over the sidepod not Vergne himself and he rolled sideways into the old pitwall at about 110kph for Rosberg but 270kph for Vergne, Sutil was the passenger in the crash as he came around the corner and rear ended Vergne's car. Button nodded in response and we talked for a while before Bottas was called onto the podium, the crowd going semi loud until Button was told to come on which was significantly louder, it sounded like a concert. The crowd truly erupted when I came out, which I wasn't expecting because Button had been in the game longer than me and I was a Rookie. I waved to the crowd before and after we were presented with our trophies. We took quick photographs for the press before popping open the champagne and spraying it over each other. The cool bubbling liquid hit my skin as Button and Bottas ganged up on me and poured it down the neck of my race suit, and over the top of my head. I downed some of the drink, the warm bubbling sensation of the alcohol hitting the back of my throat as it went down. I leaned down through the gap and dropped the bottle to the awaiting hands of my crew. After the interviews I had returned to Annabeth, who was in the hotel room, sitting on the bed with the biggest smile plastered on her face as she stood and wrapped her arms around my neck, bringing me down for a passionate kiss. She intertwined her fingers through my damp hair, as I lightly grasped her hips. She jumped slightly and wrapped her legs around my waist, deepening the kiss. We spent ten minutes, teasing and making out on the bed, in the shower and against walls, until we were interupted by, yet again, Thalia, who shrieked as she entered through the conjoining doors, mid sentence of,
"Nico's taking ages in the toilet, can I use your- AH!" and flew out of the room. We chuckled as we turned red due to the fact we were half naked from the shower and she attacked me as soon as my boxers were on. We went down to the factory and we all had a celebratory party, with Bottas' family and friends, my family and friends as well as Annabeth and her/our friends. We spent another couple of days in England before we returned to America so I could check in on Atlantis Motorsport America. We said our goodbyes and we all left with our friends on my private jet.
"Well that was an eventful couple of weeks," I commented as we laid back in our chairs, listening to our friends bickering. I looked over at Annabeth, who was sitting in the seat closest to the walkway and facing our friends. She nodded and leaned her head against my shoulder,
"I know, it was nice meeting your parents, Poseidon seemed hesitant about me at first but he soon warmed up to me." I nodded in thought wondering why that was. I looked at my watch to see that it was about 10pm, and called out to everyone,
"Guys get some sleep, we have a long flight ahead of us, and we should get to LA about seven-ish." Everyone nodded and settled down in their chairs, all of the girls using the boys shoulders as pillows. I smiled to myself and then down at Annabeth who was looking up at me with beautiful sleepy grey eyes. I pecked her lips, "Goodnight Wise Girl. Love you, Beautiful." She blushed crimson as we stayed eye locked,
"Love you too, Seaweed brain." She leaned her head on my shoulder and we drifted off to sleep together.
When we awoke, the plane had landed and our cars were ready and waiting for us on the runway. I said my goodbyes to everyone, "I'll see you all at Texas, if not sooner." I said, hugging the girls and fist bumping the guys. We all made our way to the cars after Annabeth said goodbye and see you at work, we climbed into the awaiting mustang GT, I had named Blackjack, and headed off to drop her at home. The drive was filled with a comfortable silence as we drove hand in hand listening to REO speedwagon's, 'Keep On Loving You,' and we soon arrived at her Penthouse apartment block. I got out and opened her door for her and grabbed her hand. She smiled gratefully at me and climbed out. I kissed her lips and looked into her grey orbs, "I have to go check in on A.M.A, so I will see you in the morning." She pouted and nodded as I told her this. She kissed me one last time before walking off to the building doors. She turned and waved and smiled, I returned the gesture and she disappeared in the building. I sighed, already missing her by my side, her hand in mine which fit there perfectly, and her warm smile which always seemed to make me smile. I got back in the car and started driving to Atlantis Motorsport America.
Annabeth
I sighed as I closed the door to my penthouse, already missing Percy. I sound like a teenage girl in high school. I walked over to the walk in closet and pulled off my converses that I was wearing, since England. I pulled out my phone and put it on charge as I sat on the sofa, I leaned my head on the back of the chair, when I heard a noise come from the kitchen. My eyes zeroed in on a silhouetted figure in the door way. "Hello Annabeth." A familiar voice greeted.
Annabeth continued
My eyes widened at the sight of my mother who I haven't had contact with since I was seven, "What in Hades are you doing in my house, Mother?" I questioned as she approached slowly and stood in front of me and the TV, hand on hip, her intense grey eyes analysing me.
"What are you doing dating that Sea spawn?" She spat, I glared at her and stood matching her height.
"He is not Sea spawn, He has a name and it is Percy, and I don't like the fact you barged into my home to lecture me about my boyfriend after A, you haven't even seen me since I was seven and B, you haven't even met him so how can you judge him?!" I yelled as I matched her fierce gaze, "I would like you to leave my house." I said fiercely, pointing to the door.
"You will do as I say, stay away from the Sea spawn. And I do know what he's like, I knew his father! He hurt me and I don't want his son doing the same to you! You will break things off with him." She stated as she strode confidently over to the door. I gaped at her,
"I will not break things off with Percy, I met his father and he accepted me. Why can't you accept Percy dating me? And you again have no right telling me who I can and can't see after so many years of your absence in my life." I yelled on the brink of tears. I wasn't going to let the fall, that would be sign of weakness. My mother turned and glared at me,
"If you don't break things off with him, I will ruin you." My mother threatened. My eyes widened in shock at the fact my mother would do such a thing to me. But my eyes settled into a glare,
"Blackmail will get you nowhere mother." I spat, she fiddled with the door handle, opening it and was about to step out of the doorway,
"I will tell Percy and the press you are only in this relationship because you want to rise in popularity and to get higher paying roles in the filming industry." She quipped taking a step out of the door, "You tell him that I'm making you, say goodbye to your career and your life. And if you think I'm joking, try me. You have until tomorrow night." she said monotonously, gliding through the doorway and closing it as quietly as possible. I sat there in my thoughts, for what seemed like hours. My mother can't be serious can she? Wait Mother? She doesn't deserve to be called that. She's blackmailing her own daughter, to break up with the man that she loves. I felt something wet on my cheeks and then realised that I was crying. I wiped at my eyes and texted Percy asking if he could come over tomorrow.
Percy can you come round tomorrow morning before work please.
Seconds later he responded with,
Sure Wise Girl, I'm going to get some sleep. Love you.
I threw my phone against the wall as I felt tears stream down my face at the thought of having to break it off with Percy. I was crying over the fact that even though it would hurt, it was slightly better than my Mo- Athena telling the press and Percy that the relationship is a sham, resulting in loss of work and Percy. I must have fallen asleep from exhaustion after crying for hours because I awoke to a knocking on the door.