By the time Social Studies rolled around, Annabeth already had four pieces of homework, none of which she was at all inclined to do. But then, she knew she must. There wasn't any point in more detentions, this was a fresh start after all. At her side, Percy was avidly complaining about the unjustness of Paul and how horrible his maths teacher was. (Who did, admittedly, seem to be a bitch.)Just then, Chiron wheeled out of the class room, cutting Percy off mid-rant. He smiled at the class, a warm, friendly smile Annabeth knew so well, and ushered them inside.
The first thing Annabeth realised upon entering the classroom, was that she and Percy's poster from yesterday, now hung proudly on the wall. The second was that on the board was a powerpoint presentation, and blinking up at her was the letters 'The Twelve Olympians,' with a sub-title about how one was unable to wholly explore Ancient Greek civilisation, without first pursuing the legends of the gods. Containing a smile, Annabeth wove through the forest of desks until she reached she and Percy's at the front, then began to pull out her books and pencil case. Percy stumbled over and creased his brow in something that could have been concentration or frustration or both, as he tried to pull his utensils out of the tiny bag he had. Exasperated, Annabeth sighed and snatched the bag from him.
After two attempts, one following Percy's method, and the other tipping the bag upside down, which proved successful, Percy's supplies were finally on the desk before him. The class sat watching a burlesque video on the Twelve Olympians, describing each in turn. They were supposed to make notes, but understandably, Percy and Annabeth spent most of their time gawking at the horribly inaccurate representations of the deities, rather than actually writing. It wasn't as if they needed to any way. At that moment, the clip turned to describe Athena, and in the corner of her eye, Annabeth saw Chiron tilt his head towards her. At first, Annabeth watched horror-struck, then a picture was depicted of her mother riding an owl through the heavens, her Aegis flying out like a superhero's cape behind her (Really?), and she buried her head in her hand, praying to all the gods that Percy at her side would cease his laughter before Athena came down on him with an Aegis and a spear.
The last Olympian who's story was recounted was Poseidon. After a brief introduction to such god, it showed some well-known legends surrounding him. There was the story of Amphitrite, of him and Demeter (Which shouldn't have been shown in class), and of course, the battle over Athens between Poseidon and Athena. At this, Percy and Annabeth had been compelled to comment. "Horses are a better gift," Percy was whispering under his breath. Annabeth dug him in the ribs. "This was Greece. Hardly agricultural then, olives were easy to grow and provided food for everyone." Annabeth hissed back.
"You must get very sick of all those olives." Percy retorted.
"Well you'd get even sicker if you had nothing to eat!"
"Want to go and get an olive pizza after school?"
"Deal."
From the front, Chiron looked up and frowned. "Mr Jackson, Miss Chase? If you would please stop talking and plan your dates later?" The children in question glanced up, and Annabeth made a point of yawning largely, whereupon it was Percy's turn to elbow her.
"Ow," Annabeth hissed, rubbing her side. "You have sharp elbows."
"Ditto."Percy muttered.
"Unless you want detention, I would advise you both to be quiet and make notes on the subject of the gods." Chiron said, his voice raised.
"B-but, sir," Percy began, he stood up. "I don't need - I am personally offended by the mockery it makes of the gods, of Poseidon in particular." He smiled mischievously, if a little arrogantly too. The kids in the class looked up curiously, and began to grin in the way one does when expecting entertainment, a break from the tiresome lesson before them. Annabeth stood up besides her boyfriend. "And Athena. Never seen anything more disgraceful." Apparently, Chiron's patience was already worn, because he just rubbed his brow tiredly, and signalled to the door.
"Get out. I'll deal with you later."
Annabeth made a face. "With pleasure - I came here to learn." She grabbed Percy's arm and marched him out of the room towards the corridor.
"How long is left of the lesson?" Percy asked. They leant against the wall in the hallway outside, and only now realised that they were fated to stand here for the entirety of the period. Annabeth shrugged, and checked her watch. "Forty minutes," she said.
"You're kidding?" When Annabeth didn't respond, he sighed deeply and crouched down against the wall. "Do you have anything we could do?" He asked. Annabeth heaved her backpack off her shoulder and rummaged through it, brow creased. After a few minutes, she made a satisfied noise and pulled out a deck of cards. She grinned.
"Poker?" Percy questioned, but was dismissed with Annabeth shaking her head. "If we get found playing poker, we'll probably be suspended." She reasoned.
"True- how about a game of Spit."
"Oh, you know I'll kick your butt."
"I take it that: It's on?"
"It's on."
From years of life-saving reflexes, the couple were profoundly learnt - and profoundly good - at the game of Spit. As they placed their cards down, their hands flew with the speed of a falcon, round after round of slapping down on the lowest deck with such brutal force, the poor soul who put their hand down first received violent vibrations tingling up his or her arm. Like little daggers, javelins furiously embedding themselves in the person in question's flesh. But then they would always look up at each other and smile apologetically, and then continue with their ruthless endeavours of trying to bruise the other's hand and leave him trailing in the dust in the game. Annabeth was, without a doubt, winning. But Percy was not giving up. He was neck deep in cards, and had no chance of winning, yet he was also neck deep in determination. And, surprisingly, concentration. They were so immersed in their game - or battle, was a better suited word - that they did not notice when a hush descended over the class in the room behind them, and the door creaked open to reveal a very angry looking Chiron.
Chiron rapped his wooden sword against the wall, and Percy and Annabeth jumped.
"Hey, Chiron?" Percy said uncertainly. Chiron scowled at him, deep lines etched into his forehead.
"Care to say what that was, Percy? Annabeth?"
Annabeth sighed, and shrugged helplessly, slapping her hand down on the smallest pile at the same time. Well, Annabeth glanced at her cards. She'd won. Which meant she could give Chiron her full attention - which scared her a little. She'd never seen Chiron properly angry, and it admittedy scared her a little. Chiron had been around for three millennia - there wasn't an argument he couldn't win.
"I don't know," She told Chiron. "I'm bored -I already know all this. And I came here to learn, not to have a chaperone looking over me all the time."
"Well I'm here, like it or not. And you both were incredibly insolent."
Percy showed the barest hint of a gulp. "Sorry, sir." He said, glancing down at his Adidas trainers.
"I'm sure you are, but nevertheless, you both have detention."
"We already have one," Annabeth said, "Late to home room."
Chiron sighed deeply, looking between the pair as though they were the most contumacious children he had ever had the misfortune to clap eyes upon. "Well you were the one who woke up late, child."
"Well that was hardly my fault," Annabeth replied, trying with all her might to keep from snapping. Chiron made a dubious sound, but did not contradict.
"Look, just come for fifteen minutes after seeing Mr Blofis."
Annabeth groaned.
Twenty minutes later, Percy and Annabeth sat in their home room, feet propped up on the table, leaning back in their chairs as though they didn't have a care in the world. Which to anyone who knew them personally would have seemed the most ironic thing they had ever heard. Paul was at the front, marking a seemingly endless mountain of student's work. The guy looked bored, groaning repeatedly as he filled each book with an ample series of red pen.
"How long left?" Percy asked, as politely as he could muster. Paul glanced up at his step-son, then at the clock and the wall.
"Just about now, and woah, hold up... I need to talk to you about something."
Percy and Annabeth were halfway out of their seats, but sat back down suddenly.
"Mm?" Percy asked. "If it's about me finishing all the biscuits, I'm -"
"What!?" Paul asked, "No. No, no, though I was wondering. No, I just wanted to ask - I've been meaning to ask Annabeth if she'd like to come to us for five days to Montauk this coming winter vacation."
"Seriously!?" Percy and Annabeth exclaimed I unison.
"Mm, yeah. I guess I should ask Frederick and Helen, but would you like to come?"
"Yes!" Annabeth said, her voice freighted with excitement. With sheer joy and a tone teetering on euphoria. "I'm sorry," Annabeth cleared her throat, "That would be amazing - thank you so much!"
"No problem," Paul said, "Now shoo, both of you. I have papers to mark."
Percy doffed an imaginary hat. "Thank you, sir," he proclaimed clearly; eloquently. Paul repeated the gesture, and waved them away.
"Let's go to Chiron's, and then we're free." Percy said once they were halfway down the hall.
"Remember the pizza we were going to have?"
"I'll pay for it."
"What a gentleman- thank you very much."
Chiron's detention flew by in a breeze of failed hang man games, noughts and crosses, and light hearted banter which received some raised eyebrows from Chiron. Ten minutes into the detention, Chiron switches on YouTube.
"Do you have any music preferences?" He asked his students, the kindly aspect to his voice returned. Annabeth shrugged, but Percy leaned forwards, a smile on his face speaking volumes about the advantages he was about to take.
"Don't do Slipknot," Annabeth hissed under her breath. "I'm not sure Chiron will appreciate that."
"Well what will he appreciate: Cacophony of Orpheus?"
Annabeth snorted. "Do Twenty One Pilots or something."
Percy shrugged. "Okay. Hey Chiron, can you put on Goner- Twenty One Pilots."
Chiron looked skeptical and frowned, but put it on anyway. A frown that deepened as the music continued. But even if Chiron was not enjoying the ode, Percy and Annabeth certainly were: loudly singing and drumming on the table, nonchalant to their mentor's curious glances. It was strange, how much the couple enjoyed the music of Twenty One Pilots so much. Perhaps it was because of the lyrics: of how relatable they were, in the way that they could be Ode To Sleep or Stressed Out or Kitchen Sink, and Annabeth would forever be able to pick out something - it be a line or an entire song - that she could relate to. Because though they triggered memories like a gun without the safety on, they were also comforting. They were the lanterns in the dark that showed she was not isolated, and neither was Percy. Because though sometimes she she was by herself, she would never be alone. Not in the way of the ghosts that held her hand or the beautiful, endearing memory of Percy, who was always on her mind with that dishevelled raven hair and those eyes that laughed and danced and smiled, as though the end of the world would never come.
Annabeth and Percy stepped into Annabeth's house tentatively. Dimly, Annabeth was aware that it wasn't the best of ideas to bring Percy here. Her step-mother could respond in anyway, perhaps it was a better idea to just turn around and walk away and- too late. The door swung shut behind them with a resounding bang, and Annabeth and Percy stood alone in the dark corridor, blinking into the shadows. There was the sound of something falling, which Annabeth only later realised must be her keys falling to the ground.
"Annabeth?" Said a voice. A distinctly feminine voice. One thick with authority and the air of someone who was used to issuing commands and those commands to be followed. It was the voice of Helen.
"Hey um... I'm home. I brought Percy with me."
"Oh. You're rather late."
"Well, we arrived late to home room: traffic was... Murder. So naturally, we had detention." Annabeth gripped Percy's arm, and dragged him into the kitchen, where Helen was seated at the table, taking a long drain of coffee. Helen put down the mug and smiled at them, though her eyes where stygian; a cold, hard sheen about them. A muscle feathered in Annabeth's jaw.
"Nice time at camp?" Helen asked, and though no one save those who had lived with her for a long time would have realised, her tone was not wholly sincere.
"Very good time." Annabeth replied, her voice calm and collected
"Sleep okay?"
"Mm... Fairly. We'll just get some snacks and be on our way."
"Where are you going?"
"Just up to my room."
And so, five minutes later, Percy and Annabeth found themselves comfortably sitting on Annabeth's bed, leaning against the wall and (Though at a later date, Annabeth never would have admitted it), taking ridiculous selfies on their phones. Then Annabeth logged into Putlocker, and for the next two hours, they just curled up besides each other and just felt the world fall away as they were swallowed into the world of Harry Potter. To a school with British accents and Latin spells, and a boy so like them, in the way that he had the burden of the world placed upon his shoulders, yet so very, very different. And of course, the pizza made it even better.
(A/N: so... Guys. I'm sorry but I'm being whisked away for ten days, so naturally, unless I find WIFI, which is unlikely, I will be unable to write. Sorry again, but hey... It's the holidays. As much as I'd like to, I can't stay in all day on the computer, I have to go places ?)