-Annabeth-
Annabeth's house was a fair distance from Goode. She usually drove herself; her family had never been one to indulge in personal drivers like many of her classmates did. Annabeth always guessed it was one of her mother's small ways of rebelling against the privileged and luxurious upbringing she often resented Demeter for giving her. The whole thing seemed to be a bit of a first world problem for Annabeth – hating the luxury you were born with while others struggled to get by – but growing up in a world of wealth and advantage had often made her blind to the outside world. It was only now she was with Percy, and had spent time in his world, that she was beginning to realise that there was more to life than the sheltered childhood she had known so far. She wasn't sure if she would even go back to driving to school. When walking, she could appreciate the world around her in ways she had never done before. Her perspective of everything was shifting, and it excited her. None of it would have happened without the help of one person.
Percy walked next to her, alternating between holding her hand and walking side by side. The distance from the school to Annabeth's neighbourhood meant that they had more time to talk. Annabeth had decided to probe her boyfriend about his earlier revelation, that his father was some sort of crime lord, which was still taking some getting used to, and for the first time in as long as she'd known him (and perhaps, she sensed, ever) Percy opened up about it. He told her stories from his childhood, in as much fuzzy detail as he could remember. As it turned out, he didn't actually know a ton of personal information about his dad. He couldn't say how long he'd lived in New York, how he'd met Sally or even what his actual first name was. At first Annabeth had thought the whole 'Poseidon' thing was a joke. It was surely impossible not to know your own fathers first name, no matter how distant he may be. But she could tell quickly he wasn't joking, and it wasn't just him. As far as everyone knew, he was and always had been known as Poseidon. Annabeth was surprised that in her week at Olympus she had hardly even heard mention of his name.
"You don't talk about him unless it's serious," Percy had told her, "if you start asking questions about him you draw attention to yourself, no one wants that. As far as they're all aware, he's the ghost that collects the rent every month. They say if you go a whole month without seeing him, it was a good month. Seeing him usually means bad news." It was such an alien way to live. To grow up with a father who was more of a story than an actual human being - that must've been hard on Percy growing up, and she instantly understood his hesitancy when it came to the topic. Thankfully though, he didn't appear to be having difficulties sharing anymore. Annabeth realised the milestone that this was in their relationship, and couldn't help but tentatively think of what the future would hold for them. Honestly, it filled her with hope. She knew that they were still in the early stages, 'officially' it was only 5 days, but when something feels this right, this comfortable, it was hard to think it wasn't meant to be. She wondered if Percy was having a similar dilemma.
"I want to meet him" Annabeth said suddenly. Percy had just been explaining how Poseidon's 'business partners' in New Jersey were actually men who owned a chain of strip clubs and secret gambling dens, and turned to give her a slightly surprised expression.
"I hope you aren't thinking of signing up" he half joked, and Annabeth realised that it wasn't the best moment in the conversation to have brought it up, given the topic of discussion. Laughing at herself, she pushed Percy playfully.
"Not what I meant," she replied, "I just mean that I would like to meet him some time."
"Absolutely not," Percy said. While not in an angry or defiant way, he had said it a little too fast for her liking. It stung a little bit, and Annabeth must've shown it on her face, because Percy quickly clarified himself. "Not because of you, it's just that he's… different." Percy had to pause to think of the right word. "I wouldn't even want to put you through that."
"Percy I am literally walking you to meet my parents as we speak; you think I couldn't handle meeting yours?" she spoke forcefully, like she did when she knew the answer to every one of the questions in class.
"Yeah but he's different from-" There it was again, the word different. Percy was acting like his father wasn't even human. Annabeth stopped walking and cut him off.
"Will you stop saying different?" She definitely sounded annoyed now, but she couldn't help it. Being unable to let something go, especially when she felt like she was being talked down to, was a trait she was sure she'd picked up from her mother. It was the very thing that led to most of their arguments. She knew it was probably silly, but hearing Percy try to justify why she shouldn't meet his father was getting under her skin. She had just spent a week living in his world for god's sake! She had felt like she was making real inroads into his life, so the sudden apparent change of heart was unexpected. She ignored the slightly perplexed look on her boyfriend's face as she continued. "I got on with all your friends, and your mom. I loved being at your home and seeing where you come from, learning who you are. I want to know you, so if you all of a sudden don't want that then let me know now before I walk through my front door with you." She was suddenly sure she'd come across as too angry, and found she was dreading his reply slightly. What if he decided she was right, that bringing up his dad had been a mistake? He had stopped and turned, looking at her expressionlessly, as if trying to gage her thoughts. When he spoke, he was much calmer than she had been.
"I'm sorry if I seemed like I was saying you wouldn't be able to handle it." Well, that was a start, Annabeth thought. Percy continued. "I know that you handled yourself well at Olympus; better than I thought you would, I'm not gonna lie." At that he smiled apologetically, and a lot of Annabeth's anger and frustration instantly vanished. She was always amazed how all it seemed to take was a smile from him to brighten her mood, which seemed to fluctuate like crazy the more time she spent around him. Percy's voice was softer when he carried on talking. "But my mom, Grover and Nico, hell, anyone from Olympus is a whole different kettle of fish to my father. I'm talking about a man who sends people out to commit crimes for him. He's probably under surveillance twenty-four seven – I just don't think that he's an aspect of my life that it's worth getting to know." There was a sadness to his words that made Annabeth take his hand.
"I want to know every aspect of your life, and I want you to know mine." Their eyes locked and she smiled. A grin began to tug at Percy's lips, and Annabeth had the overwhelming desire to kiss him. When their lips met, she could've sworn little sparks flew off of them. She had never ever experienced desire like this. It sat deep inside her and was slowly spreading its roots until she would be consumed. Was this what love felt like? She knew it was too early to say anything that big out loud, but she secretly wondered if Percy was having the same dilemma.
"Okay, I'll talk to him about it" Percy said, jokingly defeated. "It may be a while though, I don't even know where he is right now."
"That's fine," Annabeth replied, laughing "you have to survive tonight first anyway." At that she could see Percy visibly tense. His face remained claim but his eyes looked worried, and he gave off a nervous energy. Annabeth found it quite amusing. "Relax, I'm joking" she said, taking his arm in hers as she led him down the road, "I've seen you deal with far tougher situations than my mom."
"You don't sound convinced" he replied, allowing her to lead. Annabeth smiled, but deep down knew he had a point. She was praying this didn't backfire.
It was another 20 minutes before they reached her house, and Percy couldn't hide the wonder on his face. Annabeth always had to remind herself that Percy wasn't used to this kind of luxury – his apartment probably wasn't even the size of her front lawn. It made her feel slightly self-conscious, but also really appreciative. Perhaps it was of her week away, but she now saw her house for what it was, a beautiful monument to her parent's hard work. It really was stunning to look at, and she realised she was thankful that she had been given the upbringing most parents dream of providing for their children.
"You and your mom must have some serious problems for you to run away from this place" Percy said, his tone joking. Annabeth smiled at him, but inwardly she was pensive. She had managed to avoid thinking about Athena all week and it had been blissful, but now, standing on her driveway, she had no choice but to face her problems, and she wasn't sure if she could. Her legs felt like they were made of lead. She realised that they hadn't moved, and felt Percy squeezing her hand slightly in his.
"Everything good?" he asked, the slightest hint of concern in his voice.
"Percy I'm not sure this was such a good idea, I mean I've been gone a week, oh Gods a whole week, that's such a long time and I didn't even contact them and-" she began to ramble, speaking in one constant stream, never meeting her boyfriend's eyes. She felt a panic spreading throughout her as the words poured out, words she could barely understand herself. "…and what if they're still mad, and I've just turned up with you and-"
"Annabeth, slow down," Percy cut her off, turning her so that she faced him. He offered her a reassuring glance. "Just take some deep breaths, you'll be fine." He watched her, and she felt so weak and vulnerable again, far from that confident girl who had run away the week before. The breathing worked pretty quickly and she was so glad that Percy had been there for her. It had proved to be a momentary issue, but Annabeth was so used to dealing with her problems on her own that having someone else there for support felt alien. They locked eyes and she felt a wave of confidence begin to rise again.
"Look, if you want I can make my way back-" Percy began, but this time it was Annabeth's turn to cut him off.
"No, it's not that."
"Annabeth, I just mean if it's something that's better for you to do alone I don't mind." She appreciated his thoughtfulness, but her mind was made up.
"I want you here." His smile was infectious, and they just let a comfortable silence engulf them for a second. Annabeth took one more deep breath before turning to face the front door. She took one step, before pausing again. Why was she like this? She couldn't help but wonder if this was truly the best decision? A week wasn't that long a time in the grand scheme of things, but for a parent waiting for their child it might as well have been an eternity. She was sure they'd be livid, and turning up with your new 'bad-boy' boyfriend might not be the best way to win back their approval. It really was now or never, and perhaps Percy had a point. Maybe it would be better to confront this problem alone, and not come back home just to drop another bombshell straight away. However, just as she was about to turn and second guess her decision yet again, she realised it was too late, there was no hiding Percy now.
The front door swung open, and she saw her father, Frederick Chase, practically running towards her. In that moment, all of her previous trepidations flew out of the window as she moved towards her father, allowing him to engulf her in the biggest hug he'd given her since she was about ten. His familiar bookish, homely scent filled her senses and she felt small tears beginning to bud. She would not cry, she forced herself to repeat, blinking them back. She was pretty sure he could feel her heart beating out of her chest, but she didn't care. She had repressed all of the anger and sadness inside of her without even realising, escaping into a different world. Seeing the reminder of her home again, of her world, had brought it all bubbling to the surface. She suddenly realised this was the longest she had ever gone without talking to either of her parents, and as annoyed as she may have been with her mother, her father was near perfect; he didn't deserve that. Sure he wasn't around as much as anyone would've liked, but he'd always tried to make up for it, and truly did consider his children's happiness the most important thing in the world. Right now, holding onto him, she realised that more than ever.
"I'm sorry dad" she whispered, so quietly that only they could hear. She wanted him to know that it wasn't his fault, that it was never his fault, and that a day didn't go by where she didn't think she had the best dad in the world.
"I know" he whispered back, and pulled back, keeping his hands firmly on both her shoulders. He looked her up and down and smiled brightly. "I'm just glad you're okay, and that you came home." Annabeth suddenly felt terrible. He'd probably been worried sick, they both will have been. Annabeth had never considered her parents perspective for a moment. As bad as that was however, she quickly bit down her guilt, as her father's gaze had moved behind her. The overwhelming emotion had made her completely forget about her boyfriend standing three feet away.
"Dad, um, this is Percy…" she said, sounding more nervous than she liked, "he's my new…" oh Gods here we go "boyfriend. He's my new boyfriend." She hoped it sounded more confident the second time, but she could feel her cheeks reddening by the second. Her father's glance never shifted, but he gave a polite smile and reached out his hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Percy, I'm Frederick Chase." Percy calmly reached out and shook, firmly but politely.
"It's great to meet you too sir." Annabeth dared a glance at him, and saw his confident green eyes locked, a charming smile on his face. If he was at all nervous, it didn't show.
"Will you be joining us for dinner?" her father asked, glancing more at her than Percy. Annabeth quickly cut it.
"Yeah, if, uh, that's okay? I'm sorry it's short notice." She didn't want to glance at Percy again, she didn't think she'd ever been this nervous in front of him.
"Of course, your mother's made more than enough. Oh shoot," he smacked his forehead "we've got to let her know you're here." That was when Annabeth noticed her mother wasn't out here. She'd been too preoccupied with such sudden emotions, but then again it's not like she'd been expecting Athena. Before she could sit on that thought however, her father had turned was calling her to follow.
"Honey," he shouted as he walked through the door, "guess who's back!" He walked through the doorway, and Annabeth felt Percy brush up next to her. She was grateful for his calming presence.
"Nervous?" he asked her quietly. She could practically hear the grin as he said it.
"No" she replied, but they both knew the truth. She smiled to herself despite it. "Are you?" she asked him back.
"Oh yeah" he said, despite not sounding it.
"Well you're hiding it well." At that he smirked.
"Years of practice" was all he replied.
"Oh, I don't mean to make you more nervous, but they've never actually met one of my boyfriends before." It was true; she'd never wanted Luke or anyone else to be this deep into her life. Parents were a big step, and one she was only beginning to feel ready to make. The look on Percy's face was priceless, and she would've burst out laughing if she weren't still so gripped with anxiety. His eyes looked like saucers, although he quickly began laughing to himself. Calmly he slid his hand over hers, gripping it softly.
"You want me to put on a show for them then, Olympus style?" he asked playfully. Annabeth picked up the hand he was holding and hit Percy with it.
"Perseus Jackson, if you dare I will end you." It was the first time she'd used his full name, and Annabeth wanted to laugh as he rolled his eyes.
"Ah shit, did my mom tell you about that?" he asked, sounding annoyed but happy to be joking around.
"Nico" she replied smiling, before tugging at his arm, "come on" she heard Percy muttering something about Nico being an asshole as he willingly allowed her to drag him through the front door, and completely into her world. Here goes nothing, she thought.
Crossing the threshold, it was like seeing everything for the first time again. With all that had happened, Annabeth felt like a brand new person, far from the girl who had grown up within these walls. She could hear her brothers arguing in the front room, probably playing on some console. The pristine white walls adorned with artwork, the grand old staircase, the sleek tiled floor, it was all so familiar, and yet Annabeth couldn't relax. She knew it would take time to reacclimatise, to explain why she had done what she had done, to apologise, but feeling like a visitor in her own home was a strange sensation to come to terms with. Percy, for his part, couldn't hide his awe. He was looking at the paintings like he was in an art gallery, which come to think of it wasn't the worst comparison. Athena's obsession with cleanliness and order did make the whole place feel like an exhibition of her achievements. 'Look, don't touch' had always been a lifelong house rule. She watched her boyfriend take it all in, his eyes roaming over the walls and up the staircase. There was something endearingly innocent about how he examined extreme wealth. She'd noticed it way back when he'd first seen Luke's house, the night they first kissed. He could never hide his amazement at such extravagancy and luxury, and she doubted he even realised he was showing it.
"This is really impressive" he muttered, and Annabeth wasn't sure if he was speaking to her or himself. She led him through her house, towards the kitchen, when she practically crashed into her mother as she turned a corner. She'd clearly been rushing towards the front door, towards her daughter. Flustered for a second, Annabeth was able to take in her mother's state. She was much more dressed down than usual, wearing a baggy jumper and a pair of normal looking jeans. Her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail and she looked tired, wearing almost no make-up. It was odd for Annabeth to see her mother like this; she was normally the epitome of put together professionalism, even when she wasn't in her office. It had always been such a part of who she was that Annabeth could hardly recognise the woman in front of her. Her grey eyes, the eyes she'd given Annabeth, had a look of shocked concern. Usually so piercing and penetrating, she had never seen such worry in them before. Slowly, Athena reached out and touched Annabeth's cheek, brushing it lightly before reaching out and embracing her. Annabeth hugged back and, just like with her father on the driveway, felt a tide of pent up emotion begin to rise within her. This was perhaps the first genuine hug Annabeth could remember having with Athena in years, but nothing felt strange about it. It was homely and natural – like they'd shared a strong healthy relationship the whole time. While they certainly had their issues with one another, Annabeth suddenly realised that there must be maternal instincts somewhere in her mother, despite how little she showed it, or struggled to.
"Are you okay?" Athena asked, pulling back to look her daughter up and down. Annabeth nodded, afraid her voice would fail her if she tried to speak. Despite everything, being face to face with her mother now made all of her problems with her seem small. At least for this moment she just wanted to be back here, with her family. She took a moment to look into her mother's matching eyes, and tried to convey all of her apologies without words. From behind Athena, Frederick appears and wrapped both of the women in a huge group hug. Annabeth laughed to herself despite everything. Two weeks ago she would've been embarrassed to be hugging her parents like this, but then again two weeks ago they probably wouldn't have hugged at all. Funny the things that can bring you closer together.
"Mom," she muttered, stepping back towards her boyfriend, "this is Percy, my new boyfriend." She was starting to feel comfortable saying that now. A perplexed look spread across Athena's face as she just stared at Percy.
"It's really nice to meet you," Percy said, offering his hand out to shake, just as he had done with Frederick, "you have an amazing home." Athena still stood frozen, her expression unchanged and her gaze unshifting. She was looking at Percy like he was speaking a foreign language. Annabeth couldn't recall seeing Athena so dumbfounded before. Percy was beginning to stand awkwardly, his hand still extended.
"Honey…" Frederick whispered, and it seemed to work, snapping Athena out of her shock. She reached out and shook Percy's hand vigorously.
"Percy, hello, I'm Athena, Annabeth's mother." She was speaking with pauses between each statement, like her brain was still trying to process actually meeting one of her daughter's boyfriends. Annabeth would've been worried, expect she could still see the traces of a smile tugging at the edge of her mother's mouth. Perhaps this evening wouldn't be as combative as she'd initially thought. She'd wanted Percy here as support for when the shit hit the fan, but she was beginning to think it may not come to that.
"Percy will be joining us for dinner" Frederick said.
"Well that's great, there'll be plenty to go around." Athena was still looking around nervously, but offered her daughter an apologetic look. "I made your favourite." It was then that Annabeth noticed the smell – Spaghetti Bolognese. Her mother hadn't made this in years, and she'd used to love it. That smell reminded her of being an eight year old up in the family holiday home on the lakes, not having a worry in the world. She couldn't remember the last time her mother had cooked; things must've been different without her in the house.
"Annie," her father said, "there's still about 15 minutes until food is ready, go and see your brothers." At that, her parents turned and went back into the kitchen. Annabeth then heard a hushed conversation begin between the two, but couldn't make out a word of it. She decided to leave it, after all returning home with a brand new boyfriend was a big bomb to drop after disappearing for a week. She turned to face Percy and felt that familiar flush of butterflies she had whenever they made eye contact.
"That could've gone worse" he joked, offering a sympathetic glance.
"I think they're in shock" Annabeth laughed back, suddenly feeling the burden of anticipation lifted from her shoulders. The hardest part was over.
"So," Percy began, "your brothers, anything I should be worried about?" Annabeth couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous notion.
"Not unless you're scared of annoying freshman" she smiled back, before slowly leading the way through to the front room. The closer they got the more of the twin's argument you could make out. The two of them practically spoke their own language, but Annabeth was surprised at how glad she was to be able to hear their voices again. She had always loved her brothers, and she was praying that they took to Percy. They'd also no doubt heard some of the rumours going around Goode about him, and hoped that they were tactile enough to avoid bringing them up. She had a feeling that was wishful thinking, but she allowed herself to hope.
The boys were sitting about five feet away from the huge 60 inch television screen, shoulder to shoulder as they usually did. This allowed them to shove each other whenever they saw fit, which was about half the time they spent awake. Many a gaming session had led to an all-out brawl and it usually fell on Annabeth to break it up, only for them to be thick as thieves again ten seconds later. She admired their closeness, and at times envied it. Right now they looked to still be in their clothes from school, and whatever they were playing was clearly getting heated.
"Hey guys," she called as she entered the room, Percy in tow just behind her, "how you doing?"
"Annie!" Bobby exclaimed, pausing the game to practically leap up and rush across to see his sister.
"Bobby don't pause!" Matthew yelled, "We're right in the middle of a game." Matthew had now leaped up too, but instead of even acknowledging his sister had reached across to whack the back of Bobby's head.
"Shut up douchebag, she's our sister." Bobby replied, aiming a clip back at Matthew that he quickly dodged. Annabeth couldn't help but laugh at them, and although she knew they were at the age where they were embarrassed to hug anyone in their family, she couldn't hide her sisterly instincts as she reached out and pulled them both in. They made the typical teenage complaints, but didn't actually put up much of a fuss. Then, both the boys turned their attention to Percy, suddenly looking incredibly curious.
"Hey, are you Percy Jackson?" Bobby asked, his head tilted in a slightly quizzical manner. He and Matthew were both staring at Percy like he was a wild animal in the zoo, amazement with a hint of worry. Annabeth hoped that would disappear once they got to know him, but they'd clearly already heard the rumours.
"Yeah, it's good to meet you both." Percy replied, sounding slightly awkward. He'd probably never been recognised in this way before – clearly at Goode he was quickly becoming something of a celebrity.
"He's my new boyfriend." Annabeth offered, but neither of the twins seemed to register her.
"Is it true you beat up all of the seniors on the football team single handed?" Matthew asked, causing Percy to laugh a little.
"Well no-" Percy began to deny, but Bobby butted in.
"Did you really set a desk on fire?" he sounded even more excited now. Percy still had a grin on his face, but before he could even open his mouth there was a bombardment of questions.
"I heard that you made Luke Castellan and his friends run away screaming?"
"Do you really fight in underground cage fights around New York every night?"
"Did you pull a knife out on Luke in his own home and threaten to rob him?"
"I heard you transferred to Goode from a Mexican prison as part of an outreach initiative."
As this was going on, Percy quickly glanced over at Annabeth, who was finding the whole thing rather funny despite herself. Clearly rumours were spreading faster and wilder than either she or Percy had known about. Annabeth could see nuggets of truth in some, but others were so ridiculous she was surprised her brothers were even asking. It also said a lot about them both that they at least entertained rumours of graphic violence, but had no worries asking him straight to his face about them. Clearly if they did think he was a scary hardened criminal, they still didn't think he would hurt them. When they stopped Percy just laughed again.
"You guys have been hearing a lot by the sounds of it." Annabeth was glad he wasn't taking it too seriously. She wondered how many more rumours had been going round, and whether any of them involved her.
"You are literally the coolest kid in school." Bobby exclaimed. "You're all anybody talks about."
"Yeah, people think it's funny how much you scare the football team." Annabeth could tell from Percy's expression that he was finding all of this incredibly amusing.
"I wouldn't go that far but-" Percy began, before Matthew cut him off.
"No it's true, any time people overhear their conversations it's about you, any time Luke looks angry or miserable he's thinking about you – you're in his head rent free, people love it." Annabeth had clearly underestimated the amount of gossip that had been going around. As much animosity as there may be between her current and ex-boyfriend, she doubted Luke spent every waking second thinking about him.
"Well that's good to know," Percy replied, "but I still wouldn't think too much into it, I'm not exactly loved myself" Annabeth wasn't sure if he was trying to move the conversation on or actually revealing some deep truths, but she herself was keen to change the topic from Luke back to something less stressful. Unfortunately her brothers, completely lacking in social cues or etiquette, carried on.
"What?!" Bobby sounded amazed, "Everybody loves you. No one else stands up to the seniors, everybody wishes they could be you" At that, Annabeth and Percy shared a confused glance. She knew exactly how Percy felt about Goode and his status there, and while she always felt he was being slightly pessimistic about the whole situation, she would hardly have agreed with the twins take. Now that she looked more closely, she could see the spark in Bobby and Matthew's eyes – they were looking at Percy like he was a God, like this conversation was the highlight of their week. Maybe there was something spreading in Goode that neither of them had noticed, maybe because she was so close to Percy no one had brought it up with her.
"Guys, I go whole days at school where no one but your sister talks to me, I'm really not as popular as you think." Percy was trying to convince them, but Annabeth could already hear the slightest trace of doubt in his own voice too. He must surely want to find out more. It was Matthew who unwittingly obliged.
"Yeah, but everybody is still scared of the football team. People think that if they're seen with you the guys will turn their attention to them, and no one is brave enough to do that. But people do like you. The freshman talk about you like you're some kind of superhero."
"No one is gonna believe that we actually spoke to you." Bobby exclaimed excitedly.
"He's dating our sister dipshit," Matthew replied, "of course they will." He flicked his arm out, catching Bobby around the back of the head. Again, Bobby went for a flick of his own that Matthew easily dodged. As they descended into a brotherly scuffle, Annabeth pondered what they had said. She entwined her hand in Percy's, who seemed more frozen than he had all evening. Given they'd been discussing his father, and he'd met her parents, that was saying something.
"You think it's true?" he asked her, Bobby and Matthew now completely uninterested in the couple. His eyes were filled with confusion, like he couldn't actually comprehend what they'd just said.
"It wouldn't surprise me," Annabeth replied, "although no one has said anything to me." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "It's full of people who care about status and how they're viewed; they may like you and what you've done, but it makes sense that no one would be brave enough to openly say it. If the guys really dislike you that much, I can't see many people disagreeing with them, at least not while they're at school." Percy had a thoughtful look on his face. At that moment, Annabeth wished she were a mind reader. She wished they were alone, back at Olympus, in Percy's bed, where they could be as open and as honest as they wanted with each other. If everybody secretly felt this way, then surely it would only take one or two people to cause a shift in the school social dynamic. As popular as they may be, Luke and the boys couldn't have a gripe with every student in the school. Annabeth wondered what she could do, if anything, but before she could vocalise anything, her father called through the house that dinner was ready. The twins instantly stopped their scuffle and ran through, quick as lightning. Annabeth made a mental note to bring this back up with Percy when they were alone, before quietly taking his hand and leading them back through the house. After all, she had a family dinner to get through, with a boyfriend for the first time. This was going to be fun.
The table was completely set, with six full bowls of spaghetti placed in front of their seats. Frederick was sitting down as Athena went back and forth between the table and the kitchen, just grabbing the final few dinner items. Bobby and Matthew were sat in their normal places, and they'd seemingly laid Percy a place out opposite Annabeth, but next to her father. Annabeth was sure it was intentional, and silently dreaded the inquisition she was sure was coming.
"Percy, your place is right here." Frederick said, indicating next to him and confirming Annabeth's fears. She looked at her boyfriend, attempting to give him an apologetic look but he didn't seem fazed, giving her a subtle wink that only she noticed.
"Thank you Mr. Chase, and again thanks for having me."
"Oh it's no worry son, and please do call me Fred." Wow, Annabeth thought, first name basis already, and nickname no less. She appreciated that her parents seems to be willing to put in the effort to be welcoming, something she'd always been worried about whenever she thought of the first boyfriend meeting. She sat down as Percy slid in next to her father and examined his surroundings, the food, the table, her family. A big smile spread on his face, and as his green eyes met her grey ones, Annabeth could've sworn that Percy was sitting down for his hundredth meal with them, not his first, so relaxed he looked. As she'd noted a few times tonight, if he were nervous, he was brilliant at hiding it. Finally Athena took her seat, allowing dinner to begin. Bobby and Matthew began devouring their food immediately, clearly it had taken a lot of inner strength for them to restrain themselves until their mother was ready. Annabeth couldn't help but smile, surprised at how much she had missed that element of family dinner during her week away. She wondered how long it would be before that topic was properly raised, but for now her parents, it would seem, had something else that was piquing their interest.
"So Percy," her father began, causing Annabeth to grimace at the interrogation she was sure was coming, "are you a student at Goode?" Innocent enough start, Annabeth thought to herself, maybe this wouldn't be so bad. She was tempted to answer for him, but she knew that she would sound as nervous as she was that way and besides, the food was really good. It had been too long since her mom had cooked anything, and she suddenly found she was savouring every bite. Percy could handle himself, she thought, self-indulgently.
"Yes I am," Percy said, remembering not to speak with food in his mouth; and Annabeth briefly wondered if he'd ever had a 'meet the parents' situation before. "I started at the beginning of the semester so I've been there a few months now." So far so good. "This is really good food by the way" he added, earning a smile from Athena. Another point for Percy, carry on like this and he'll have won them over in no time. Her father continued.
"And are you enjoying Goode so far?"
"I am actually, yes. It's a big change and it's taken me a while to get used to it but I'm beginning to like it more and more." His eyes darted to Annabeth's, and she looked down at her food, certain she was blushing. Percy had the lightest smirk playing on his lips, barely noticeable unless you knew him as well as she now did.
"Where were you previously?" Athena jumped in, and before Annabeth could even register how potentially dangerous the answer to that question could be, Percy replied.
"I was at Yancy High School ma'am." A silence hung in the air, and Annabeth internally cursed herself. Of course this whole 'meet the parents' was a stupid idea; everyone in New York knew about Yancy and the type of kids that went there. Her parents could hardly disguise the look of concern she suddenly saw in their eyes, and even the twins had taken a second to stop inhaling their food and see where this went. Percy, to his credit, still looked unfazed, and it was he that broke the silence. "I know it doesn't exactly have the best reputation, but where I live it's the only school people can get into." He didn't sound nervous or defensive, and Annabeth couldn't help but admire him. He knew exactly the reaction details of his life would get from people like her parents, and although they hadn't gone into this evening with any kind of plan for what to discuss, she was glad he was going with honesty.
"And where is it you live?" Athena again, and Annabeth was sure the tone was less light-hearted than it had been before. Here comes the other bombshell, she thought to herself.
"A place called the Olympus estate, further into the city." He was now glancing at the adults too, hoping to see some kind of reaction. For the most part, it seemed to be a surprised silence. Not only was this not the typical profile of boys Annabeth had ever described to them, it wasn't the typical profile for Goode students either.
"I've heard of that place," her father spoke up, clearly noticing the awkward air that threatened to engulf dinner, "kind of a rough area though, isn't it?"
"Dad!" Annabeth exclaimed, mortified that he would be so blunt.
"Annie, I'm only trying to make conversation." He replied firmly, causing his daughter to hide her face in her hands in frustration. Athena was still hardly moving as Percy laughed lightly. This was surely up there for nightmare scenarios any parent, or daughter for that matter, could face.
"It's alright." His tone was still easy. "Yeah, it can be. I've lived there all my life though, I know nearly everyone. It gets a harder time in the media than it deserves but if you know how to handle yourself you'll be fine."
"Handle yourself?" Athena asked. Annabeth was sure her mother thought that meant fighting.
"Yeah, you know, how you carry yourself. Don't talk to people disrespectfully, don't treat people like they're less than you, listen to your elders – that kind of stuff. It's not the best area in the world but we're all in the same boat so we try to look out for each other. Bad things happen all over the city, it's just that a lot of our bad things make for headlines that sell." He sounded genuine, and Annabeth wondered how much of it was real and just made up to sound good to her parents. Having seen his world, his home, and how much it all meant to him she was fairly certain it was mostly the former. Either way, his answer seemed to have impressed her parents enough. Their eyes had lost the gravely worried look and seemed more curious than anything. It was Athena that spoke next.
"How did you end up at Goode then? If you don't mind my asking, it's just that it's notoriously difficult to get on the waiting list, and it's unusual for a transfer from a school like Yancy." Although worded well, Annabeth would've understood if Percy had taken offence, but thankfully he seemed to be fine with this. After all, Athena wasn't exactly wrong.
"My father is friends with Mr. D. I think they went to school together. I'm pretty sure it was just a favour to him." Percy could clearly see that Athena was ready to ask who his father was to have such influence over Mr. D. and interjected before she could. "He doesn't live with my mother and me, but felt that I should go to a school where I'd have a better chance of getting into college." Annabeth was pretty impressed if she was honest. Not only was it exactly the kind of answer her parents would like to hear, but it wasn't even a lie. Sure it omitted who his father actually was, but even her parents knew that too much quizzing about an apparently absentee father was impolite, especially to someone you'd just met who had been nothing short of a perfect guest so far.
"Well," Athena replied, "I can't blame him for that." She glanced at Annabeth as she said it, and in that look Annabeth knew that a very different conversation was still to be had. The difference this time, however, was that her mother's gaze wasn't piercing with authority as it normally was – Annabeth couldn't quite make out the feelings behind the look. Maybe it wouldn't go as badly as she'd been dreading. Right now though, she was just happy that they'd seemingly gotten past discussing some of Percy's rougher edges. Not that she was ashamed, but there were still parts of him and their relationship she definitely didn't want her parents to know.
Everyone spent the rest of dinner discussing school. Athena was particularly interested in how Percy found certain classes, and seemed impressed by his intelligence, although less so by his actual application. Perhaps it was just in her nature to demand people strive for greatness, but by the end of the meal, Percy was on the receiving end of a speech that sounded eerily familiar to Annabeth.
"You're clearly intelligent Percy, it's obvious just from talking to you. You've been given a fantastic opportunity at Goode to work towards a successful future and I'd hate to see you waste it." Frederick reached over and patted his hand comfortingly over his wife's.
"Lay off him honey" he said, half-jokingly but also clearly trying to move on. They all knew what Athena could be like when it came to studies (particularly after a glass or two of wine) and no one wanted to subject Percy to that. Percy, for his part, seemed amused by everything. Annabeth silently wondered if anybody had ever really stressed over his grades. She knew Sally loved him, but she also knew she wasn't the type of mother that valued Percy's academic achievements as a priority – she would accept him no matter what he did, she was just that kind of person.
"I'm just trying to say, Fred, that I hope Percy can see the chance he's got in front of him. You seem like a very well brought up person," she turned her attention back to Percy, who was nodding along. If he was pretending to be interested, he was doing a brilliant job of it. "I'm sure your parents would be very proud if you were to go off to college." Percy chuckled lightly as he spoke.
"I'm sure they would too, but studying's not really for me. I've always kind of assumed I'll go into the family business. I've not even been looking at colleges, my dyslexia and ADHD don't help me in the classroom and honestly four more years of that isn't exactly what I'd call a dream."
"You're dyslexic?" Annabeth blurted out before she could stop herself. She genuinely hadn't known, and her surprise must've shown because Percy found it amusing.
"Yeah, they never helped me out with it at Yancy, or anywhere else, so I've never really learned how to get around it."
"I'm dyslexic too" Annabeth replied, smiling. Just when she thought they were done with surprises, he sprung another one on her. Percy smiled back – sure, it was a small detail, but somehow it seemed so intimate and perfect for them. Another subtle way they connected with each other.
"See," Athena jumped in, "Annabeth can help you." She was clearly getting more animated now. Annabeth was sure that her mother was already planning a studying schedule for the two of them, and would've been ready to sit Percy down and talk through potential colleges at a moment's notice. Watching it from an outsider's perspective, Annabeth could almost admire the belief and confidence Athena had when talking about the academic potential in others. She may have gone overboard with her own daughter, but Annabeth was starting to realise that her heart was in the right place. Throughout dinner, she had also begun, ever so slightly, to imagine Percy going to college. She knew it was a long shot, studying still didn't come easy to him and he would have to have a serious turnaround if he were to get into anywhere, and quickly. Yet despite that, she couldn't help picturing herself and Percy at the same college next year, away from Olympus and Goode, and parents and Luke, just able to be with each other. They could make new friends, experience new things and grow as a couple. It was still just a fantasy, but it was a wonderful one, and honestly Athena wasn't entirely wrong. Percy was clever, and who was to say that if he applied himself for the rest of the year he couldn't get into somewhere. It wouldn't be the places that Athena wanted Annabeth to look at – the Harvard's and Yale's of the world, but lots of cities have more than one college. Annabeth made a mental note to at least broach the topic with him. She'd noticed that Percy seemed to have changed already from the person she first met at the start of the school year, and for the better. Maybe he would be open to the idea.
"Yeah, maybe she can" Percy replied, his eyes never leaving his girlfriend's.
"Well, I hope you all enjoyed that" Frederick spoke up, referring to the meal. The whole pot of food had been devoured, largely by the twins. "Bobby, Matthew, clear the table" their father said, and despite their moaning they did as they were told. Annabeth and Percy were excused too.
"Thanks again for dinner Mrs. Chase" Percy said as he stood up, just proving to Annabeth that he knew exactly how to play the polite boyfriend act.
"No problem whatsoever sweetie," Athena replied, "Annabeth why don't you give Percy a tour of the house?" Annabeth nodded and led Percy out of the room, no doubt leaving her parents to talk with each other about certain revelations about her new boyfriend. While she was sure they at least liked him, she found herself hoping beyond hope that they chose not to be difficult about it. She was the first to admit she maybe hadn't handled this whole situation brilliantly, but she also knew that all of the good signs and progress that had seemingly been made over dinner would go out of the window if they turned around and tried to stop her seeing him.
Annabeth briefly showed Percy around the downstairs rooms, before moving the tour upstairs. They glanced into various bedrooms and studies before finally ending up at Annabeth's. It was only as they approached her door that the weight of this moment began to be felt on her shoulders. Annabeth had never had a boyfriend back to her room before – this was a huge step. She'd been so used to Percy's apartment by the end of the week that she took for granted how he had just let her move into his world, his private and personal space. She had to be fair and do the same for him, but the closer they got to the door, the further away it began to seem. Her room had always been a safe space, just for her and her close friends and family. Once Percy entered there would be no turning back. As she was internally cursing her trepidation, she felt her hand brush ever so slightly against her boyfriend's, instinctively reaching out to hold it. His mere presence next to her calmed her nerves, and she wondered if he was as anxious as she was about this whole night, and this moment particular, or if he could tell that her mind was racing at a million miles an hour. She really hoped that she was as good at keeping her cool as Percy was, highly doubtful as it may be. After what felt like an eternity, step by step, they reached her bedroom door. With one deep breath, she reached up and pressed her hand against the wood. It felt cool to the touch, and Annabeth wondered if anyone had even been in there all week. She rubbed a spot on the door very briefly with her fingertips, before pushing it open. If Percy thought any of her behaviour was out of the ordinary, he didn't say.
Once open, they stepped into the room side by side. Annabeth took a second to take in her surroundings. The only light came from the moonlight through the window, illuminating her bed, shelves and desk in a pale glow. A pile of textbooks remained untouched on her desk, exactly where she'd put them down last Friday. The same could be said for the few folded clothes on her bed. It didn't look like anyone had even been in her room since she'd last been here. It was only now that it dawned on her quite how long she'd been away from home. A week may not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but for a seventeen year old who had never stayed away from home outside of vacations abroad, it suddenly felt like a year. Now, standing in her clean, dark room, the seriousness of what she had done finally hit her. She was unbelievably lucky that her parents hadn't called the school, let alone the police or some kind of child services. Perhaps they had been too shocked, or too convinced by her lie that she was staying at Thalia's. More than likely they'd simply not known how to deal with it, and had tried to avoid making everything worse. That sense of guilt she had felt earlier, standing on her driveway, returned, spreading through her gut. She knew she would eventually talk to her parents, and that it would hopefully fade with time, but for now it was just sitting, festering in her gut. Her bedroom light flicked on, courtesy of Percy, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"Why am I not surprised it's spotless?" he joked, letting go of her hand to walk around and get a better look. Annabeth was suddenly aware of the lack of his hand in hers, and felt as if some kind of anchor had been removed. Pull yourself together, she thought, you should be excited. Having her boyfriend visit her home, be in her room for the first time had been a moment she'd always looked forward to, so why couldn't she shake this deep anxiety inside her? She moved over to sit on her bed, hoping Percy wouldn't notice anything. He was slowly pacing around the room, eyeing all of the spines on her bookshelves. Everything was ordered precisely and neatly in alphabetical order, a thin layer of dust lying on a lot of the surfaces around. Carefully, Percy reached out and pulled a book from its place.
"Even I've read this one" he said with a chuckle, turning to reveal her copy of The Outsiders. As he thumbed through the pages it was obvious even to Annabeth how worn out a lot of the corners were, a result of countless re-reads, for both school and pleasure. He slid the book back into its place among the others, and examined the rest.
"You've got me beat on just about all of the others though," he laughed again, "have you really read all of these?"
Annabeth mumbled some kind of response, trying to say no, but she was too lost in her own thoughts. Percy turned and face her and began approaching the bed.
"Annabeth." Her name on his lips made brought her attention back to him. "Is everything okay?" Great, she thought, clearly her skills of masking her worries needed improvement.
"Uh huh" she tried to brush it off, but found herself not resisting when Percy sat down right next to her and took her hand in his, their bodies painfully close to touching. All she could hear was their breathing. Suddenly, she began to feel hot flushes throughout her body, and her breathing became sharper, quicker. Her hands began to tremble slightly as a slight nausea swept through her. She kept trying to catch her breath, causing a knot of pain to swell up in her chest. What on earth was happening to her? Her vision began to distort, widen, like someone had put a fish eye lens over her eyes. If it weren't for the feel of Percy's hand on her shoulder, she would've been sure this was a dream. She could vaguely make out what he was saying, but her own short breaths drowned out any specifics. Sitting here on her bed, Annabeth wouldn't have been able to tell you if this had been going on for a few seconds or a few minutes. She became very aware of the need to calm herself, suddenly sure she was having a panic attack. She remembered hearing about a description of one before, but couldn't for the life of her remember where, or what to do in the situation. She turned her head slightly to look at Percy, and despite his face appearing odd she could make out his concerned expression. She looked into his deep green eyes and, through everything, began to feel herself grab a hold of her breath. She could now hear Percy, repeating for her to breathe. The feel of his arm, softly stroking up and down on her bicep, reassured her, and she began to line her breaths up with his movement.
"You're gonna be okay, keep breathing." He was speaking very quietly, and slowly but surely, Annabeth felt the wave of panic pass. Still rattled, and suddenly very drained, she felt Percy's hand wrap lightly around her shoulder and promptly fell into him. His hand gently rubbed her shoulder, and she felt small tears begin to well in the corners of her eyes. She furiously wiped them away, before sitting up and steading herself.
"I'm fine" she said, speaking more to herself than to Percy.
"You don't have to be" her boyfriend reassured her, squeezing her shoulder ever so slightly. "Can I get you anything?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. The ordeal may have passed, but Annabeth suddenly noticed how drained she felt – whatever food she had just eaten felt like it had all disappeared from inside her.
"There's a water bottle on my desk, could you fill it up? You can just use the bathroom tap." She felt kind of helpless, asking her boyfriend for things in this manner, but she knew she needed to get something inside of her, and she'd rather not make a trip downstairs to explain to her parents why she was snacking so soon after eating. Percy got up, grabbed the bottle and left the room. Annabeth used her brief moment of privacy to compose herself. She walked over to her body length mirror, scrutinising her appearance. She looked fine, if slightly distressed and pale. She brushed some strands of her hair back behind her ears, giving her eyes another wipe to make sure they were dry. Percy re-entered, and passed her a full bottle, which Annabeth proceeded to gulp down so quickly she surprised herself. She and Percy stood in silence for a moment and another wave of calmness passed over her. There was something about knowing the worst was over and having her boyfriend there for her that soothed her worries. She was unimaginably grateful that he had been here to help relax her. Percy broke the silence.
"Do you know what triggered it?" he asked, clearly recognising a panic attack when he saw one too. It made Annabeth think; it could've been a whole host of things. She wasn't even entirely sure what was happening as it was going on, so determining the cause wasn't going to be clear.
"I think just being back in my room." She still sounded quiet, and hoped her voice could regain some of its natural strength. She took his hand and walked them back over to perch on her bed. "I'd had so many thoughts, worries, going through my head all night and I think being back in here with you, it all just hit me, you know? The seriousness of what we've done."
"What do you mean?" Percy asked, clearly hoping for her to open up more.
"Percy I practically ran away" she suddenly let out, and not for the first time tonight, it was as if the flood gates had opened. "What if something had happened to me? I would've never got to see any of this, any of my family; I didn't even call them. They must've been so worried, and all the time I'm away carefree, having the time of my life." At this point she didn't even care how that line landed with Percy. She knew that this last week had been the best of her life, and for a lot of guys hearing your very new girlfriend say that could be a red flag, but if it was, Percy didn't say. Instead, he just placed his hand on hers, rubbing his thumb in the slightest of circles.
"Look," he began, "you can't time travel and undo it, and you're back now, so you can talk to them, explain and apologise if you want to. But don't feel guilty for standing up for yourself last week, and don't feel guilty for trying to enjoy yourself for once." His eyes were serious, his gaze never dropping. "Okay, I'll admit we maybe didn't act in the most responsible way," he laughed, which brought a wry chuckle out of Annabeth too despite everything, "but we're allowed to make mistakes. At least now you'll know how to act in the future." He smiled and her inner turmoil, her deep anxiety, sank further away. She knew it wasn't gone, this wasn't a problem with a quick fix solution, but Percy had helped tame it for the time being. She let out another deep breath as she fell back from her seated position, flopping her back onto her soft duvet.
"I've never had a panic attack before, not one like that anyway." As she spoke, Percy lay down beside her, so that they were shoulder to shoulder, looking up at her plain ceiling.
"Yeah, they aren't pretty" he muttered, suddenly sounding distant.
"How did you know what to do?" she asked softly, again lacing her hand through his. She turned her head slightly to face him, but found he was still staring at the ceiling. She squeezed his hand slightly, but his eyes remained gazing into the middle distance.
"You never know exactly what to do," he began, sounding much quieter, "but I've seen a couple friends have them. Grover, Calypso…" he trailed off slightly. Annabeth felt the tension in the air at the mention of the Olympian girl, but chose not to dwell on it. Percy continued. "Olympus can put your mind through a lot, not everybody copes well with it. And it's not exactly the type of thing people open up about." Annabeth thought about that, and understood completely. Olympus was already a tough, harsh world to be a part of; showing emotions and panic in that manner, however uncontrollable it was, would surely only have negative effects. She silently wondered if Percy had ever had one himself.
"I'm glad you were here" Annabeth whispered, causing Percy's head to swivel round. A small smile played across his lips.
"I'm glad I was here too" he whispered back, his tender gaze reawakening her affections slightly.
"I'm not just taking about the panic attack," she said, inching her body closer to him. She could feel the warmth radiating off of him, and as he shifted ever so slightly back towards her she was sure you could have seen sparks shooting between them. "I mean the whole night, it may not seem it but now that you're here, and we've gone through the first meeting, I don't know, I feel like we can start to move forward now, y'know?" A wide grin spread across her boyfriend's face, and even sideways she could make out the shift from gentle smile to playful smirk.
"Oh yeah? We can, can we? Well thanks for letting me know" he joked, causing her to roll her eyes.
"There'll be no more secrets anymore. Everyone knows we're together now, no hiding from anyone." It was only as she said the words that the realisation that she was right dawned on her. There was no one left to tell, she and Percy were public knowledge now. In that moment, Annabeth had no idea what lay ahead in her life, but Percy was going to be a part of it. She began to feel a budding sent of excitement, for the first time in her life she was actually invested in a relationship. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. Tonight helped prove to her that she wanted to let Percy in.
"Good, I was getting tired of hiding" he smiled, moved his hand from hers and reached up to cup her cheek. Their eyes made the usual magnetic connection, and Percy closed the gap between them. This kiss felt different from all of the others. Slow, tender and imbued with passion, this felt like the official kiss, the couple kiss, the kiss with that little bit extra feeling. It wasn't long, but it practically took Annabeth's breath away. It made her feel at once vulnerable and cherished, and when Percy pulled away, she swore he had never looked as incredible as he did just now, lying awkwardly on his back, his neck craning to face her. She laughed to herself, shifting slightly to prop herself up on an elbow. Still grinning widely, Percy copied and there they lay, leaning on Annabeth's bed. A comfortable silence engulfed them momentarily, before Percy broke it.
"So dinner went well…"
For the rest of the evening they talked and talked, dissecting the dinner conversation, laughing about the twins vacuum like eating habits, praising Athena's cooking. After the shock of the panic attack, it felt wonderful for Annabeth get lost in the flow of the conversation. She and Percy could talk about absolutely nothing for hours and never get bored. It came so easily to them, and she wondered if this was what other couples her age did. As much as Silena talked to Annabeth about Beckendorf, their dates and problems and all the usual friend gossip, she didn't know what they talked about when it was just the two of them. Those private, personal and intimate conversations were things that had to be earned. She suddenly felt very protective of her moments with Percy – if someone else were to even know the details of her whole night tonight she would feel wrong, like their precious memories had been invaded. She made a mental note to always try and remember to cherish these times, because you never know when they may come again.
The panic attack had definitely taken its toll on Annabeth's energy levels. She and Percy had only been talking for an hour or so, but she could already feel her eyelids beginning to drop, weighed down by the whole week. Knowing she wasn't going to last much longer before she began drifting off, she had one more topic she wanted to ask her boyfriend about.
"Earlier," she began, changing the topic from the joke he was in the middle of telling, "when my mom was grilling you about college, I hope that didn't bother you." She wanted to broach the topic carefully. Despite how much she had learned about Percy, the subject of college had never come, so how he would react was anyone's guess.
"From what you've told me, it seemed like I got off relatively easy" Percy laughed, and Annabeth couldn't help but laugh too. In a way he was right, although having that attitude with your own daughter was slightly different to having it with her boyfriend.
"Yeah, once she gets an idea in her head she won't let it go, she's got to be right" When Annabeth used to talk to anybody about this her voice would have a frustrated edge, but for the time being at least she was giving her mother the benefit of the doubt, sounding much calmer about it all. Sometimes it takes a monumental event in life to begin to change perspectives – she hoped this past week would have that effect on both her and Athena.
"Have you ever thought about it?" Annabeth asked, looking straight into those familiar sea green eyes. "Y'know, college, what you want to do after school. Do you have any idea?" Percy was silent for a moment, looking away from her eyes and into the middle distance contemplatively. She desperately wished she could hear what was going on in his head, these moments where she found herself unable to figure out his thinking were frustrating beyond belief. She could usually read him like a book, but it always seemed that whenever she truly wanted to know something, when it was important to her, it was like the book was written in a foreign language – she could still read the words, she just had no clue what they meant. Slowly, Percy began to talk.
"No, I'm not gonna lie it's not something I've ever thought about." He sounded frank without being judgemental. Annabeth felt a little pang of sadness despite herself, that momentary image she'd had at the dinner table seeming less likely already. She resolved to not let her feelings show for now and hear Percy out. He took her silence as indication to continue. "It's not something anybody thinks about at Olympus really. I don't really know anybody that's gone to college, I guess I just assumed I'll get a job after school and move forward from there."
"But even since being at Goode, have you never considered the possibility?" she was trying not to sound pushy, still wanting to get to the root of the problem. They were a real couple now, so she had to get used to real and honest conversations.
"What would I study?" he retorted, "I don't like any of my classes, I'm not good at any of my subjects. And that's not even bringing up my record, I thought you had to be perfect to get in?"
"Maybe for Yale or Harvard," Annabeth half laughed, although she knew he had a point. There were bad school records and then there was Percy at Yancy. Even with perfect grades it wouldn't be guaranteed. "But there's plenty of other colleges you can look at, or community colleges." She was trying to keep herself from sounding too keen on the idea of Percy going to college, unsure how all of this was landing with him.
"Yeah I guess" he muttered in response, "I don't know though. I'm not even a good student, I can't imagine college will fix that."
"You are a good student though" she exclaimed, causing Percy to throw her a perplexed look. That may have been the first time anybody had said that to him. "Just because you don't get the grades doesn't mean you're not smart." Percy had a half smile across his face as she spoke, making Annabeth grin. "I'm serious" she laughed, smacking him lightly on the shoulder.
"I know you are" he responded matter-of-factly. He was looking at her with a slightly bemused expression, and Annabeth again wondered if anybody had shown this much interest in his education before. "Why are you asking me all this?" he asked her, their hands still entwined.
"I just think it might be good for you" she answered, but even to her it didn't sound too convincing. Percy's eyes said he wasn't entirely buying her excuse either, his slightly raised eyebrow questioning her. "Fine," she huffed, deciding to be as honest as possible, "I was picturing you and me at college together, alright?" she felt her cheeks redden slightly, but immediately felt better when she saw the goofy grin plastered across Percy's face.
"Oh really?" he quipped, a jokey tone suddenly back in his voice. "Already planning my life then? I guess you are your mother's daughter."
"It's just a day dream," she replied, smiling back at him, 'I'm not actually asking you to go." She appreciated how cool he was being about this. She doubted Luke would've been so chilled about her suggesting what he do with his future.
"Okay, I'll indulge it. What does this college picture you have in your head look like?" Percy moved towards the opposite end of Annabeth's bed, gesturing with his hands as though to say that Annabeth now had the floor. He was clearly having fun, and perhaps even starting to daydream a little himself. Annabeth certainly hoped that was the case.
"Well," Annabeth began, "we'd get to start fresh. Make new friends, study together, go to parties or even just class without having to worry about people staring at us. We could even live together…" she said the last line quietly, almost suggestively. Percy's eyes lit up slightly at that, his grin still plastered across his face. Unfortunately Annabeth didn't get to find out what he had to say about that, as a knock at her half closed door interrupted their relaxed world. Slowly, her dad stuck his head round the door, and Annabeth was silently thankful that she and Percy had shifted to the opposite end of her bed when he did. Your parents walking in on you and your boyfriend was mortifying enough, she didn't need them to look any more compromised than necessary. Frederick Chase smiled lightly, if he was at all bothered by anything he saw he didn't say.
"I hate to be the dad that breaks up the party, but I imagine your parents might start to wonder where you are Percy?" He sounded perfectly normal, but the message was clear – enough for one night. This was still her parents' house, and it was pushing ten o'clock. Neither of them could really complain.
"Well my mom did ask for a free apartment this evening," Percy joked back to Frederick as he moved himself off the bed, "but I think she does still expect me back at some point tonight." In a flash he was up and ready to go. Very aware of her father behind him, Percy leaned over to Annabeth on her bed and pecked her very lightly on the lips, short and sweet. They both smiled as he moved himself towards the door.
"I'd like to talk to you for just a second Annie if you don't mind?" her father said as Percy approached him. Annabeth nodded as Percy stood in the doorway.
"Thank you for having me Mr. Chase" he said to her father, holding out his hand to shake. Frederick shook back firmly.
"It was a pleasure to meet you Percy" he replied, and sounded genuine. Then again, Annabeth had never known her father to be anything but. Percy turned to face her one last time.
"I'll talk to you soon, and about what you were just telling me…" he paused ever so briefly, Annabeth's mind going back to their college conversation, "I'll think about it." He smiled one last time before heading out of the door and Annabeth's world, at least for the time being. Their week of bliss was finally over. Perched on her bed, she suddenly realised how tired she felt again. Slowly, her dad came and sat down on the edge a few feet away from her. When he spoke, he sounded sadder than he had just a few seconds ago.
"Look, I'm sure today was quite emotional for you. It certainly was for your mother and me," he chuckled despite himself, making Annabeth smile ever so slightly. "I think it's probably best if we all get some rest, and talk about everything that's happened tomorrow, with a clear head." Annabeth nodded, she couldn't agree more, and when her father reached his hand out to her, she did the same. Once again, she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt at having run away; this time however, it was tinged with a strange peace of mind. She obviously felt guilty because she loved her parents, but it had taken this extreme situation for her to comprehend just how much, and now that she had, she wasn't planning on forgetting any time soon. That was why she had tolerated her mother's demands for so long, because being close with her family did mean everything to her, and she'd lost sight of that amidst the constant tensions and arguments. They'd felt so close when Annabeth was little, but her relationships with all of them, her brothers included, had felt lacking somewhat as she had grown into adolescence. She silently vowed to try and amend that from now on, and sitting here in her bedroom, she could see the love painted across her father's face.
Just then, the door creaked open, and Annabeth's mother stood in its frame. Athena looked about as tired as Annabeth felt, and was clearly dressed for bed. There was a comfortable silence engulfing the three of them as slowly, Athena approached her daughter. Gently she cupped Annabeth's cheeks and planted a kiss on the top of her head, something she hadn't done since Annabeth was a toddler.
"I'm sorry mom" she muttered quietly, almost hearing her voice break, and Athena responded with soothing shushes.
"I know you are," she whispered, "I am too," there was no edge to her voice, Annabeth could barely remember the last time the two of them had had a conversation that didn't end in arguing before tonight, but it felt nice, almost normal. It was also perhaps the first time she could remember her mother apologising to her ever. Today was still full of firsts. "We'll talk about it tomorrow, get some sleep now, and don't you ever run off like that again." She sounded firm, but not strict like she normally would, more concerned. Annabeth guessed she could put to bed any notion that her mother didn't love her, and she couldn't have been happier about it.
"I won't, I promise" she replied, and she meant it. A small tear began to bud in the corner of her eye, and she silently prayed it would stay where it was until her parents left the room. Fortunately, they both began to make their way to the door, as Fred wrapped his arm around Athena. Standing there in her doorway, they looked for the first time in years like a truly happy couple.
"Oh and Annie," her father turned just as they were about to leave, "please try not to spring any more surprise boyfriends on us in the future, alright?" he smiled, and it made Annabeth smile to herself.
"He was a lovely young man though," Athena added sincerely, and Annabeth knew that Percy had passed whatever little tests her parents had set for him at dinner. It made the whole night worth it, just to hear that. With that, they said their goodnights and shut the bedroom door, leaving Annabeth alone in her room for the first time that night (and that week for that matter). She milled about, familiarising herself with her surroundings again as she got ready for bed. She couldn't remember exactly when the tears had begun sliding lightly down her cheeks, but they weren't annoying her, so she let them slowly trickle their way down her skin. It felt almost cathartic, like the leftover scraps of emotion gently draining out. She was smiling when she finally wrapped herself up in her quilt; smiling at how much fun she had had this week, at the relationships she had built back up at home, and at just how overjoyed she had finally felt at being with her new boyfriend. The last thing that crossed her mind before sleep took hold of her was a mop of messy raven black hair and a pair of sea green eyes, and how much she wished she could be looking into them right now. Before long she had drifted off, and the most eventful week of Annabeth's young life came to a deep, comfortable close.
A/N: I finally got round to completing a chapter that had been incomplete for far too long, and started planning where I can see this going. It's been a good while since I started it now, so will be going back over and making some slight amendments before continuing.