Disclaimer: All characters belong to Rick Riordan. Storyline is mine
Chapter 50
Annabeth
Her eyes harden and although she doesn't do anything right now, I know I should be ready for a giant lecture when I get home. Something about how boys aren't worth a damn and she has put too much work into me for me to throw that away.
The only thing that keeps me planted and standing confidently is Percy's arm around my waist. Will came around a few weeks ago and just talked to me. He kept talking to me and really tried to figure out the best way for me to fix this dilemma.
It wasn't as much about what he said to me, but more about the guilt that was inside of me. Will somehow made me realize that yes, I did need to deal with it, and no, ignoring the man that could possibly be the love of my life is not the answer.
"Yes, I figured that out on my own, Annabeth."
She doesn't even look at him or acknowledge his presence whatsoever.
Percy clears his throat. "Are you ready to go to dinner?"
I smile and squeeze his side. "Yeah."
"Would you like to come Athena?" I can tell immediately that he does not want her there and I am about to cut in as she says, "No, but you and I will talk when you get home." Her eyes bore into me and I nod before pulling Percy away.
"Goodbye, mother."
Percy waves back at her and stays connected by me with a hand on my hip all the way to my dressing room.
Calypso is just walking out of our room and when she sees who is beside me she smiles really big and jumps up and down. "Yes! Thank gods! I was about ready to beat the shit out of this girl let me tell you!"
I smack her arm and push her away. "I'd like to see you do it," I mutter.
Percy just laughs and pulls her into a hug. "Thanks for keeping the fort down for a while, Cal."
She just beams up at him, as deeply under his spell as any other member of the female gender. She grabs my hand and whispers in my ear as she walks past me, "The dressing room is completely empty, just so you know."
With a wink, she's down the hall and with Leo before we even know it.
I can feel my cheeks reddening as I reach for the handle of the door.
"What did she say?" Percy asks.
I just shake my head and step in, waiting in the doorway. "Nothing. Do you want to come in?"
He just leans against the wall. "No, I can stay out here."
I just clear my throat and reach out for his hand. "Sorry, I should rephrase that. I want you to come in."
His eyes narrow and before I know it, he's closing the door behind us and flicking the lock.
He stays by the door, as if he's too scared to make the first move.
The good thing about being away from him for a few weeks is how much I realized that I can take the lead. I grab his collar and lean up against the door like he was just a few moments ago, forcing him to cage me in.
My lips attach to his throat and I start to untuck his shirt. "I missed you so much." I murmur.
His hands are on the door on either side of my head. He moves one to cup my cheek. "You have no idea."
Then his lips are on mine and somehow I get his tie off and fling it somewhere behind him. I guide his hands to the lacing on the back of my costume. His fingers start to untie the bow at the bottom frantically, then they start to pull each string out of it's hole agonizingly slow.
I push my chest up against his, trying to tell him he needs to hurry the hell up. He just keeps pulling the satin ribbon slowly.
I start to unbutton his shirt but his hands stop me before I get to far. He places my hands on his bits, wrapping my fingers around his belt. He keeps pulling the ribbon until he finally reaches the top and yanks it hard. The top immediately falls apart on my back, but stays attached to my front, our chests keeping it in place.
His hands both cup my face finally and his lips touch my ear lightly. "As much fun as it is to help you undress, we have a very long conversation that we need to have before."
Tears start to prickle my eyes. "Okay."
One of his thumbs sweeps the tear that drops out of the corner of my eye away.
"Please don't cry." He doesn't say anything else although I know he wants to.
I just hold to the top to my front and step away from him, heading to the clothes on the counter. I slip my dress over my head and pull the tutu down my legs. I feel him behind me and he starts taking pins out of my hair, dropping them into my makeup bag. I lift my foot onto the counter in front of me and start to unlace my shoe, removing all of my separators and toe pads.
Finally my hair is touching my shoulders and he runs my brush through it. We stay silent through the whole thing, leaving a heavy feeling over the room and dampening my excitement to finally be with him again.
He wraps his arms around my shoulders and presses his lips to my head. I close my eyes for a moment before breaking away and packing all of my stuff into my bag. This is the last time I'll use this dressing room. The past few weeks have flown and tonight it felt like I was only on stage for a second. The last curtain call took my breath away and I couldn't help but wonder if it was the last time I'd ever been on stage like this.
I start to take my bag and sling it over my shoulder before Percy takes it and links his fingers with mine.
I look around the small room and flip off the lights before walking out, Percy trailing me.
We walk down the hallway, some of the last people to leave the backstage area. When we make it to his car, he opens the door for me and throws my bag in the trunk before slipping into the seat next to me. I hate this silence. He is the last person who should be silent. He is always saying something, even if it's dumb and makes me roll my eyes.
He starts the car and pulls away. I just keeping staring out the window. It was stupid of me to assume that our relationship would ever be the same. It's heavy, sinking like a ship.
Almost as if he knows what I'm thinking, he turns the radio on to my favorite station. I feel him grab my hand and squeeze. It will be okay.
