Chapter 25: Goodbye

An hour had passed since Percy and I arrived at the dance. We were having fun, talking with friends, and everything. We were drinking some punch, when Percy set his down, and grabbed my wrist.

"Do you want to go outside?" he asked me. I nodded, setting my punch down. He led me outside. I could tell that it was the perfect time to finish my plan.

He took me to the meadow that was behind the school. It was the one place where people weren't allowed to litter, and if you do, you have to pay a fine and clean up the litter.

Percy stopped there and pulled me close. We were swaying to the music we could hear floating from the school gymnasium. The snow was cleared in the meadow, but the air was a bit chilly. I shivered, since I left my cardigan (which was pretty thick) in the gym, with Rachel.

Percy noticed and let go of me, to take off his suit jacket. He wrapped the jacket around me.

"Thank you," I whispered. The jacket was still warm. He pulled me close to him again, and we resumed dancing.

"Annabeth, I have to tell you something," he said to me.

"Me too," I admitted. "But you can go first." He smiled and leaned in, so his lips were at my ear.

"I love you."

My eyes widened and I stopped dancing. He felt me pause and pulled away, frowning.

"What's wrong, Annabeth?" he asked. I took a deep breath.

You can do this Annabeth. Just say it.

"Percy, I have something to tell you," I told him. He nodded, a frown on his face. I took a deep breath. Now or never...

"I don't love you."

His eyes widened.

"I've been playing with you," I confessed. "I never loved you, and all those kisses meant nothing. You see, I was upset with you and Luke for choosing me to be your target for the Games, so I decided to get revenge. I became friends with you and Luke, but I found that if I used Luke, it'd be too weird, because I've grown to love him like a brother. So I chose you. We became friends, and you broke up with Rachel. I found my chance, so I took it.

"Thalia had a hand in this too. She was in charge of making Luke fall in love with her. She was doing a good job, until she told me about her relationship with Nico. I felt bad for her, so I let her off. And since Rachel is now pregnant with Luke's baby, I decided to let her...distract Luke from pursuing me. She agreed.

"The plan was to become friends with you, make you fall in love with me, and then break-up with you. I played with you, and I'm sorry."

There were tears in Percy's eyes.

"I loved you, Annabeth," he whispered. "I still do. Please, tell me. What can I do to change your mind? I can give up the Game, forfeit to Luke, if that means that you will stay with me." I shook my head and took a step back.

"Sorry, Percy, there's nothing you can do to stop this," I told him. My voice was beginning to crack. Why am I so distraught over this? Isn't this what I'm supposed to do?

"Annabeth, please..." Percy pleaded, tears running down his face. "Don't...don't do this..." I started walking away.

"Goodbye, Percy."

I started walking away calmly. But as soon as I rounded the corner, I collapsed onto the floor, crying.

It felt as thought I left a piece of me behind, with Percy. I knew what this feeling was. I felt it when my mom passed away.

I was heartbroken.

I didn't know it before, but it was obvious now.

I had fallen in love with Percy Jackson.

And it was too late to asked for his forgiveness now.

I felt his jacket around my shoulders and wrapped it more tightly around me. The jacket even smelled like him still.

I took in his scent and felt the tears come even more.

I had ruined my own happiness.

I didn't know how long I had been there, sitting and crying. But eventually, Rachel found me. She had just walked outside, spotted me, and sat down next to me. She gave a sigh.

"Why are you crying?" she asked me. I sniffed and looked up at her.

"I just made a big mistake, Rachel," I blubbered. She opened her arms for a hug. I leaned into her embrace. She wrapped her arms around my quivering frame.

"It's going to be okay, Annabeth," she consoled me. "You'll find someone else." I took a small bit of comfort in her words. Humans are not made to love the same person forever, right? I would find another guy to get married, have kids, grow old, and die with.

For some strange reason, I didn't believe my own thoughts.

I pulled away from Rachel and wiped the tears off my face.

"How did it go with you and Luke?" I asked her. She smiled at me.

"He says that he wants this child with me as well," she informed me. "He wants us to live together during college, since we are going to the same one. He told me that he loves me." I burst into tears again, remembering Percy's words.

"I love you."

Rachel wrapped her arms around me again.

"He told you that he loved you, didn't he?" she guessed. I nodded in her shoulder. She sighed and pulled me closer.

"Things will be fine, Annabeth."

I sniffed. She pulled away and gave me a gentle smile.

"Let's go inside," she suggested. I nodded. She helped me up and led me inside. Thalia spotted us as soon as we walked in.

"Annabeth?" Thalia exclaimed. "What happened to you?" I just started to sob again and gave Thalia a hug, sobbing into her shoulder.

"She made a mistake," Rachel explained to her. Thalia understood what she meant and held me closer.

"I'm so sorry, Annie," she whispered.

"I should've listened to you," I sobbed. She shushed me.

"Now, we are announcing the Ice Queen and King of Goode High!" Silena's voice said all around the gymnasium. I pulled away from Thalia and faced the small stage, where Silena was.

"I always wanted to be an Ice Queen at the Winter Formal dances," Rachel whispered to Thalia and I. All girls in Goode High were eligible to be chosen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you Ice King...Perseus Jackson!" Silena announced. There were cheers and clapping everywhere. I even clapped a little. I saw Percy walk up the stairs.

He seemed like his normal self, except for his eyes. His usually bright sea-green eyes were now a dull, dead green. He accepted the sceptre Silena handed him, and a gold crown was placed on his head. I raised the sceptre in the air, and everyone erupted into cheers.

"Now, Goode High, your Ice Queen..." Silena said dramtically. "Annabeth Chase!" I froze. Everyone's eyes were on me. Including Percy's pained eyes. I met them with sadness. Thalia and Rachel grabbed my arms and led me to the stage.

"Congratulations, Annabeth," Rachel whispered in my ear. I steeled myself and continued walked to the stage without Rachel and Thalia. I walked up the stairs and stood beside Percy, facing the front. I could feel his eyes on me, but I refused to meet them. Silena placed a white plastic tiara on my head and handed me a thin sceptre of my own.

"Here you are Goode High! Your Ice King and Queen!"

Cheers and applause erupted from the entire gymnasium.

I met Rachel's eyes in the crowd. I could see the tears in her eyes, and I could tell how much she wanted this.

"Wait," I croaked out. I cleared my throat. "WAIT!" Everyone quieted down. I took the crown off my head.

"I don't want this." I looked to Rachel. "I don't even deserve this, but there is someone who does. Rachel? Can you come here?" I saw Thalia push her forward. Rachel gave her a look before walking up the stairs to the stage. I placed the crown on her head and the sceptre in her hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Goode High, please congratulate your new Ice King and Queen!" I announced, stepping back.

The cheers and applause restarted and I climbed down the stairs and headed straight to where Thalia and Nico were standing.

"You did a good thing," Thalia whispered to me. I nodded.

"I know," I replied. "It's why I did it." I watched as Percy led Rachel down the stairs and they danced. I felt tears come to my eyes. Thalia noticed.

"Do you want me to take you home?" she asked. I nodded, wiping the tears away. She turned to Nico.

"I'll meet you at Starbucks later, I just need to take Annabeth home." Nico nodded and looked to me.

"Feel better, Annabeth," he said.

I gave him a watery smile.

"Thanks Nico."

Thalia led me towards the car. I climbed in.

I cried on the way home.

A/N

This is the chapter we have all been dreading, isn't it? The "end" Percabeth. I would like to apologize in advance for this chapter :( So there are basically two more chapters to go, both of which alternates in both Percy and Annabeth's POVs. They are already written up, so I'll upload them in a few hours of so. See you then!

Thanks to: myhorseis1cute, yolcholl, KPtwistepghost, Captainforkz, whackadoodle100, milady, GreenDayLover306, Athena's gray owl, August1999, honeymello, Natsirt2610, Irfhanaz, PJOOF16, Rose-loves-Dimitri, Bobz1212, MusicIsMyLife14, kinaboolovesanime for reviewing/following/favouriting! You guys are the best!

August1999: I love Pewdie too!

Natsirt2610: BROFIST!

Please read the companion fic to this: Phase 1

Please review/favourite/follow! It would really help you out a lot!

Also tell me in the reviews if you want me to do another companion fic about Percy and Annabeth's dates that I kinda skipped over...