Should I be doing schoolwork right now? Yes. Am I going to do it? No. Am I going to write this chapter instead? You bet your ass I am. So yeah, I am super excited to write this chapter, because I have been looking forward to writing it ever since I came up with the idea of it a few weeks ago. Here's chappie 21!
Percy's POV
"Class dismissed, go enjoy your weekends." Mr Diet Coke said when the bell rang. (Okay his name is not actually Mr Diet Coke - it's Mr Dionisio, but he's always drinking Diet Coke so that's what I call him.) I packed up my stuff, and started to walk home. It's Friday! I'm going to Annabeth's! And I am going to suck up the courage to finally ask her out. I have been looking forward to, and nervous about, this all day. I can do this! I hope...
My phone buzzed and I pulled it out, assuming it was just a text from Annabeth to confirm I was going over tonight. I saw it was from Wise Girl (I had renamed her in my phone) and opened messages.
Wise Girl
Hey Percy!
I'm really sorry
I have to cancel tonight :(
Percy
What? Why?
Did that sound like I was too disappointed? Oh well, it's sent now.
Are you okay?
Wise Girl
Yeah I'm fine
I just feel like crap and I've got a really sore head
See you tomorrow night?
Percy
Yeah, see you
I guess I'm not going to see Annabeth tonight. I wasted all that time getting psyched up for nothing. I feel bad for her though, I hate headaches, and she seemed so excited about us having baking lessons last week - she must be feeling really crappy. I got an idea, and it was like a lightbulb turned on above my head.
"I know what'll make her feel better!" I said aloud to myself, before turning around, and heading to the subway station.
I was standing outside of Annabeth's door a few hours later, the same time I would've been there, if she hadn't cancelled. In my left hand, I was clutching a bag of sweets. When she told be that she was feeling shitty, I had gotten the idea to go to Sweet on America, and buy her a load of lemon sherbets, because I remembered her saying that she liked to eat them whenever she felt like crap in the coffee shop last Sunday.
I was about to knock, but I hesitated. What if she gets mad at me for coming? She did say she has a really sore head, the last thing she wants is probably people coming and annoying her. No. I went all the way to Grand Central Station to get these, I am giving them to her. So, I knocked.
"Piper! Can you get that?" I heard Annabeth yell from inside the apartment.
"No! Get it yourself! You're the closest!"
"Yeah but I'm dying!"
"Fine!" Piper gave in, and a second later I heard the door start to unlock. "I really hate you when you're on your pe-ERCY!" She exclaimed in shock, as she opened the door to see me standing there. "I thought you weren't coming!"
"Well, I wasn't," I looked down at my feet, starting to regret my decision, "but I have something to give Annabeth."
"That's nice of you." She said, not fully opening the door, but leaning back and looking to the side, where I assumed Annabeth was sitting. "Come in." She smiled, properly opening the door and moving so that I could go in.
I walked in, and turned to the sofa, where, as I had correctly guessed, Annabeth was sitting. Her hair was in a cute bun, and she was wearing an oversized hoodie which looked really good on her. Persassy, her seal toy, was lying on the sofa next to her, and she had a half full mug of what looked like hot chocolate on the coffee table.
"Hey Annabeth."
Annabeth's POV
I felt like complete shit. I was in so much pain, and all I wanted to do was go home, put some comfy clothes on, get a hot water bottle, and snuggle up on the sofa in front of the TV. The second class was over, I bolted out the door, heading straight home. Crap. I remembered, Percy's coming over tonight. Don't get me wrong, I desperately want to see the boy, and I meant what I said on Wednesday, I want to tell him how I feel, but I'd rather not do that while my lower abdomen feels like a construction site.
I pulled out my phone and clicked on Seaweed Brain's contact. (I had changed his name in my phone.)
Annabeth
Hey Percy!
I'm really sorry
I have to cancel tonight :(
I made sure to add a sad emoji, so that he doesn't think I'm cancelling because I found something better to do.
Seaweed Brain
What? Why?
Are you okay?
He seemed genuinely concerned, and it made me feel even worse.
Annabeth
Yeah I'm fine
I just feel like crap and I've got a really sore head
Not technically a lie, I do have a sore head, among...other things.
See you tomorrow night?
Seaweed Brain
Yeah, see you
Good, even if I don't see him tonight, at least I'll see him at movie night tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be feeling better by then.
Three hours later, I was lying on the sofa, a hot water bottle on my tummy and covered in a blanket. I was hugging Persassy and watching TV, when there was a knock on the door. Who the hell is that? I didn't feel like getting up, so I paused the TV, and yelled to Piper.
"Piper! Can you get that?"
"No! Get it yourself! You're the closest!" She yelled back, unwilling to leave her room.
"Yeah but I'm dying!" I complained, hugging Persassy closer.
"Fine!" She gave in, walking out of her room. As she started to unlock the door, she said, "I really hate you when you're on your pe-ERCY!" She shouted, surprised. Holy crap! PERCY?! As in my Percy? Well not my Percy, but- Ugh! That doesn't matter right now! "I thought you weren't coming!"
I scrambled to sit up, my hair was thrown up in a gross messy bun, and I was wearing one of the oldest hoodies I owned. It was really my Dad's, but he had given it to me when I left for college because it was what I always wore when I felt ill. Percy can't see me like this!
"That's nice of you." I heard Piper say, but I wasn't really listening. She turned to look at me, and I shook my head in a silent attempt to say, 'Don't let him in!' She mouthed, 'You look fine.' and turned back to Percy. Is she gonna let him in?! No! I probably look worse than I feel! "Come in." She told him, stepping aside so that he could walk in. I am going to KILL HER!
"Hey Annabeth." He said, standing awkwardly near the doorway.
"Hey Percy, what are you doing here?" I asked, whatever explanation he had given Piper, I hadn't heard - I was too busy trying to make it so that I didn't look like a hobo.
"Umm, well, you said weren't feeling great." He started to mumble, rubbing the back of his neck. Is he nervous? That's kind of cute. I don't blame him though, I'm probably giving off 'Don't come anywhere near me or I will slice your head off' vibes. "So I thought you might-"
I noticed what he was holding, "Hold up." I raised a hand to silence him. "Is that a Sweet on America bag?" I asked, pointing to the bag in his hand.
"Uh, yeah. I remembered you said you liked to eat lemon sherbets when you felt bad, so I-"
"Did you go all the way to Grand Central Station, just to get me sweets because I said I had a headache?" I couldn't contemplate why he would do that for me. Sweet on America was at least a fifteen minute subway journey away from NYU, it probably took him around 45 minutes to go there, get the sweets, and go back to his place. And then another ten minutes to come here. Just for me? Why would he do that...for me?
"Well, yeah." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "It really wasn't that big of a deal."
"Shut up, sit your ass down, and watch TV with me Seaweed Brain." I instructed, moving my legs off the sofa so that he could sit next to me.
"Okay." He agreed, and moved from his awkward position by the door, over to the space next to me. "Here." He handed me the bag of sweets, and I gladly popped one in my mouth.
"Thank you, you're really thoughtful." I told him gratefully.
"It was nothing." He brushed it off, but I know it wasn't nothing, this just makes me like him all the more.
Piper, having not moved from the spot she was standing in throughout our entire conversation, waved to get my attention. I looked at her and raised my eyebrows, asking a silent question. 'Me, you, kitchen.' She mouthed, pointing between us and walking into the kitchen, waiting for me to follow.
"My hot chocolate's cold, I'm going to replace it, do you want one?" I asked Percy, using it as an excuse to leave for a minute.
"Yes please." He smiled, so I grabbed my mug and went to the kitchen.
When I walked in the room, Piper was sitting on the counter, legs crossed, waiting expectantly. The second I closed the door, she hopped down and started whisper-yelling frantically, not even stopping for breath.
"Annabeth he went to Sweet on America for you! He got you your favourite sweets! He remembered what your favourite sweets are! He went all the way to Grand Central Station for you! That must have taken him ages! He-"
I covered her mouth with my hand. "I know Piper, I- Ew!" She licked my hand, and I quickly pulled it away, wiping my palm on the side of my leggings.
"Tell. Him. You. Like. Him." She said slowly, carefully pronouncing each word. "Now!"
"I can't!" I protested, as I filled up the kettle with water.
"Why not?" She threw her hands up in exasperation, turning away from me.
"Look at me!" I gestured to myself. "I can't tell him I like him looking like this!"
"Why not? You look cute."
"I look like I was run over by a truck Piper."
"Oh you don't look that bad."
"Yes, I do." I said, pouring water into a couple of mugs and stirring in the chocolate powder.
"Just tell him! He totally likes you too!"
"But what if he doesn't? What if he likes...someone else?" Rachel. What if he likes Rachel? I know I convinced myself that he might like me on Wednesday, and I know that I decided I would confess to him next time I saw him, but, now that he's here... I just can't. Not today, not while I look like crap. Maybe tomorrow, or next week, or some other time.
"Annabeth he-"
"Nope, I'm done talking about this just now Piper. We can finish this later, but right now, I have hot chocolate to deliver." I popped a few marshmallows into the mugs, stirred some blue food colouring into one of them, and left the kitchen.
"Here you go." I said, as I handed Percy the hot chocolate and sat back down. "Hope you like marshmallows."
"I do, thanks. And thanks for the blue...ness, of it." He shook his head, "God that sounded so awkward."
I laughed, sipping my drink. "It did...but it was cute so you got away with it." Did I just call him cute? Ugh my head hurts too much, I don't even have the energy to care. "What do you wanna watch?"
"I don't mind, what were you watching before I got here?"
"I was binging old Brooklyn Nine-Nine episodes."
"Cool! Let's keep doing that. What season are you on?"
"Two - it's the second Halloween episode."
"Awesome, press play."
I picked up the remote and started the programme. Feeling brave, I set my drink down on the coffee table, and laid my head on Percy's shoulder. I could feel him tense up, then relax almost immediately after, and rest his head on top of mine.
Percy's POV
"Damn you Doug Judy!" I turned the TV off, Annabeth had fallen asleep, so I didn't wanna wake her. She was using my leg as a pillow and hugging Persassy to her chest, very quietly (and cutely) snoring. Her hair had fallen out of it's bun and was spilled out over my lap, covering her face. I gently brushed it away, revelling in the soft touch of her skin. I wish it could be like this all the time. I wish I could come over when she's sick, comfort her, hold her, make her food. I know I decided that I would ask her out when I saw her next, but if she's ill, then I doubt she wants to have to reject me. I'll just...tell her I like her another time.
I carefully lifted her head off my leg, and slipped out from under her. Quietly, I walked to Piper's door and knocked. "Come in!"
"Hey Piper." I whispered as I opened the door. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving, and Annabeth's asleep on the sofa." I started to leave, but Piper stopped me.
"Percy wait."
I walked back into her room. "What's up?"
"Come sit down." I did as I was told, closing the door behind me and sitting on the edge of her bed. "What are you doing Perce?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why haven't you told her how you feel?"
"I was going to but..." I shrugged my shoulders, unable to form the words.
"But what Percy? What sane reason do you have for not telling her?"
"She- I- ugh!" I covered my face with my hands and fell backwards onto her bed, landing on her legs.
"Ow!"
"Sorry!" I quickly sat up, apologising repeatedly.
"Okay, so, your reason?"
"I don't know!" I groaned, because how could I tell Piper why I was so scared to ask Annabeth out, when I could hardly admit it to myself?
"Well figure it out. And get out because I need to finish this essay." She said, gesturing to her laptop and the notes splayed out across her bed.
"Piper it's Friday, why are you writing an essay?"
"It was due yesterday and my professor said that if I didn't email it to him by tomorrow night, he would fail me."
"Well good luck with that." I told her, leaving the room and closing the door as quietly as possible.
"Percy?" Annabeth sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, as I tried to sneak across the apartment.
"Oh shit, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"No it's okay! Um...are you leaving?" She asked, not meeting my eyes.
"Yeah, you had fallen asleep so..."
"Well now that I'm awake, do you wanna...stay a little longer?" I thought I could see a blush forming on her cheeks, but it was dark, and I couldn't tell for sure.
"Sure!" I replied, perhaps a bit too eagerly. "Uh, yes, yes I do."
A smile spread across her face. "Great! Do you want to watch TV again? Or we could do something else."
"TV's fine." I said, taking my place next to her on the sofa. She resumed her position from earlier, laying her head on my shoulder, and covering her legs with a blanket.
After a while of watching TV, I finally got up the courage to say something. "Annabeth I-" I was interrupted by her snore - she had fallen back asleep. I considered leaving, but if I moved it would probably wake her, and I was on the verge of sleep myself. So, I turned the TV off, and shut my eyes.
Annabeth's POV
I was woken up by Percy at 3am, shaking and muttering in his sleep. Somehow, we had ended up in a position where we were both lying on the sofa, and his arms were wrapped around me.
"No, no, Mum!" He yelled, and I sat up. He was sweating, and looked scared.
"Percy, wake up." I shook his shoulder, but he didn't budge. I got off of the sofa and kneeled down in front of him, still shaking his shoulder. "Seaweed Brain! Come on, wake up!"
His eyes flashed open, and a look of terror flashed across his face, before realising it was just me. "Annabeth." He breathed a sigh of relief, before sitting up.
"Are you okay?" I asked, sitting on the sofa next to him and tentatively placing a hand on his arm.
"Yeah I'm-" He looked down at his hands, which were clasped in his lap, and took a deep breath. "No, not really." He laughed, but it sounded sad.
"Wait here, I'll be back in a sec."
I returned a few minutes later, holding two cups of peppermint tea. "Here." I gave him the mug and sat down.
"What's this?"
"Peppermint tea. I may not have had the best childhood, but one of the few good memories I have of my mum is when, after I have a nightmare, she would make me peppermint tea and watch cartoons with me until I fell back asleep." I explained, picking up the TV remote from where it had fallen on the floor.
"Oh, thanks." He smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Is it okay if we just...sit here?"
"Yeah, yeah of course." I could understand, sometimes it was easier not to talk, all you need is the comfort of another person. So, I turned the TV on, and started playing Ducktales.
After a while, and once our tea was finished, I could see that Percy was starting to nod off. Feeling confident, (and possibly over tired) I took a risk. "Come here."
"What?"
"Come here, lay your head on my lap."
"What?" Shit, was this a bad decision? Is he getting weirded out?
"This is what my mum used to do with me when I had nightmares, trust me, it works."
"Um...okay." He followed my instructions, and laid down on my lap. Hesitantly, I began to stroke his hair, feeling him relax under my touch.
I couldn't fall asleep for another two hours, I was too worried about Percy. I don't know what he had been dreaming about, but I wanted to be there in case it started again. I couldn't shake how scared he had looked when he woke up, for a moment he didn't realise who I was, or where he was. What happened to you Percy?
Shoutout to all the girls who know what Annabeth's going through! Cramps are a bitch. And for any clueless boys reading this, Google it. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter, I know, I'm a horrible person who basically told you that they would get together in this episode, but, as I have previously mentioned, I'm a bitch, and I enjoy being one. XD I love you all please don't kill me! There'll be more of Percy's backstory soon, and more cute Percabeth moments soon, so yay! Please remember to favourite, follow, and review!
Replies to Reviews:
MaddieJackson: Sorry I didn't reply to your first review in the last chapter, I didn't see it until after I posted it. I am so sorry to hear about your little brother, I can't imagine what you're going through, if my sister had cancer, I don't know what I would do. I'm so happy that he likes my story, and please thank him for the idea. I'm going to be honest with you, before your comment, I had no idea how I was going to have Luke come back or how I was going to have them confess to each other, (I know I'm a great author right?) but thanks to your comment, I now know! Also, there will be more Grover soon, he will be in the next chapter, and I have a chapter planned out that he's gonna be in too, I'm just not sure when that chapter will happen. (Once again, I'm such a great writer aren't I?)
Carrot Lord: Don't worry about it! Just the fact that you review at all makes me really happy. I'm glad you liked Hazel's POV, and I really enjoyed writing it and her backstory. Lol, I'm glad you found crazy golf really funny, I was having fun writing it, and writing all the jokes. Oercy and Oercabeth sounds great, XD I'm glad you liked the cute moments, and I hope you liked the cue moments in this chapter too! Sadly no Jason murder, (for two reasons, one, I'm still devastated over the Burning Maze (I really hope you've read it and I didn't just spoil anything) and two, Percy was much more focused on how fucking stupid he was.) I hope you liked this chapter!
dodoking666: When I read your review, the first thing that popped into my head was 'Lol, that's what you think!' (Don't kill me)
TheLonelyViolist: No problem, and thank you! I hope you liked this chapter!
NoAccount: Yeeeeeah, no it wasn't. I'm glad you liked it!
DaughterofBlueFood: I am very very sorry, none of that happened. (But you already knew that.) Hope you liked the chapter! Byeeeeeee!