2:22PM WISE GIRL
I'm sorry.
Annabeth sucked on her bottom lip. She didn't expect a response, not right away at least, so she continued;
2:22PM WISE GIRL
I was wrong.
I… I let my own personal experiences get in the way of understanding you
And I KNOW I ended up hurting you
Which was the last thing I wanted to do.
You don't have to respond, just…
I'm sorry.
Her throat was tight. Annabeth hadn't fully realized how hard this past week had been, how close they'd become, how normal his presence in her life now was. She didn't want to go back to before, going through the motions, only having school and what came after to look forward to. She pressed the palm of her hand to her eyes, willing them not to well up.
The buzz of her phone startled her.
2:25PM SEAWEED BRAIN
hey
Her heart stopped.
2:25PM WISE GIRL
Hi
2:25PM SEAWEED BRAIN
i was about to text u
im sorry too.
i mean, im not sorry for sticking up for cyclops but
i know a lot of people have bad experiences with them
and i should have explained my point of view better instead of shutting down
and i shouldnt have ignored u, wise girl
The relief flooded through her as the dam broke. She sniffed, wiping her eyes and typing quickly;
2:26PM WISE GIRL
No, no you were right
I was acting like a jerk
I shouldn't have said the things I did
2:26PM SEAWEED BRAIN
u dont strike me as someone who admits fault a lot
2:26PM WISE GIRL
I don't.
You better not tell anyone.
2:27PM SEAWEED BRAIN
my lips are sealed lol
so are we cool?
2:27PM WISE GIRL
I should be asking you that
Yes, we're cool.
2:27PM SEAWEED BRAIN
thank gods haha
u wouldnt believe the week i had
2:28PM WISE GIRL
Ugh same
It was the worst.
2:28PM SEAWEED BRAIN
miss me?
;D
Annabeth debated joking with him, maybe teasing that she barely noticed his absence, but after a moment's hesitation she found herself typing her honest feelings instead.
2:29PM WISE GIRL
Yes, actually.
Very much so, Seaweed Brain.
2:29PM SEAWEED BRAIN
oh wow
i missed you too, wise girl
2:32AM WISE GIRL
Hey.
2:40AM SEAWEED BRAIN
nightmares again?
2:40AM WISE GIRL
Uh huh.
2:41AM SEAWEED BRAIN
well shit
what about this time?
2:42AM WISE GIRL
Sirens
I'm drowning.
They promise me the future I want, and then they…
You know.
I can't breath, I can't swim
It's frightening
2:43AM SEAWEED BRAIN
thats a rough one, wise girl
they won't get u as long as I'm there
thats a promise
no drowning on my watch
2:43AM WISE GIRL
Are you that good of a swimmer?
2:43AM SEAWEED BRAIN
something like that
2:44AM WISE GIRL
You'd have to get past the sirens too.
2:44AM SEAWEED BRAIN
i can do what that one guy did
with the wax?
2:44AM WISE GIRL
Odysseus?
2:45AM SEAWEED BRAIN
yeah him!
so dont worry
if those sirens bother u again, ill be there to help
2:47AM WISE GIRL
That means a lot to me.
I mean it was just a dream but…
Thank you.
2:48AM SEAWEED BRAIN
of course
12:12PM SEAWEED BRAIN
achilles was invincible right?
except for the heel thing?
12:15PM WISE GIRL
Are you asking about his invulnerability?
He was dipped into the Styx by his mother, yes
The heel was his weakness, like you said.
12:15PM SEAWEED BRAIN
think i could do that?
12:16PM WISE GIRL
Dip yourself into the Styx?!
I'd be concerned if you did
One weakness that could kill you with the slightest hit?
I would never stop worrying
12:18PM SEAWEED BRAIN
awwww
just for u i wont do it
12:18PM WISE GIRL
As if you could even get into the Underworld!
12:18PM SEAWEED BRAIN
i have my ways, wise girl
12:19PM WISE GIRL
Dying doesn't count.
12:19PM SEAWEED BRAIN
i mean other than that!
12:20PM WISE GIRL
You can't be serious
Only a few heroes have made it to the Underworld and back!
12:20PM SEAWEED BRAIN
maybe im one of them
12:21PM WISE GIRL
There's no way.
12:21PM SEAWEED BRAIN
like i said
i have my ways
9:52PM SEAWEED BRAIN
what are u doing tonight!
9:56PM WISE GIRL
Studying.
9:56PM SEAWEED BRAIN
really?
on a perfectly good tuesday night?
boring
9:57PM WISE GIRL
it's a weeknight!
What else would I be doing?!
9:58PM SEAWEED BRAIN
bar hopping with me? :D
9:59PM WISE GIRL
I'll stick with boring.
10:00PM SEAWEED BRAIN
awww come on wise girl
it could be fun!
10:00PM WISE GIRL
Nope.
10:00PM SEAWEED BRAIN
so boring
the most boring ;p
10:01PM WISE GIRL
That's me.
10:01PM SEAWEED BRAIN
how about tomorrow?
10:02PM WISE GIRL
You're being ridiculous.
10:02PM SEAWEED BRAIN
maybe
but one of these days youll say yes!
9:08AM SEAWEED BRAIN
morning wise girl!
9:10AM WISE GIRL
Good morning.
9:10AM SEAWEED BRAIN
i had a dream last night
9:10AM WISE GIRL
A nightmare?
9:11AM SEAWEED BRAIN
nah
it was about u
9:12AM WISE GIRL
About me?
9:12AM SEAWEED BRAIN
yeah haha
is that weird?
9:13AM WISE GIRL
What happened in it?
9:13AM SEAWEED BRAIN
we were just sitting and talking
it was nice
u finally called me wise boy ;)
9:14AM WISE GIRL
I'm sure I did.
9:14AM SEAWEED BRAIN
ok i made that part up
9:15AM WISE GIRL
What did I look like
9:15AM SEAWEED BRAIN
thats the thing!
i dont remember haha
so i guess that means u gotta show up in my dreams again so i can get a good look
9:16AM WISE GIRL
Maybe you should pay better attention next time
9:16AM SEAWEED BRAIN
so u will show up again?
9:17AM WISE GIRL
Pfft
You KNOW I have no control over that!
9:17AM SEAWEED BRAIN
sure u do.
u know exactly what ur doing when u invade my thoughts
9:17AM WISE GIRL
You're impossible
9:17AM SEAWEED BRAIN
u dont deny it :D
9:18AM WISE GIRL
It's not my fault if you think of me from time to time
9:19AM SEAWEED BRAIN
is it ur fault if i think about u constantly?
9:19AM WISE GIRL
Maybe.
9:20AM SEAWEED BRAIN
in that case…
dont stop 3
Autumn was in full swing now, the October air crisp and cool against Annabeth's cheeks. She blew on her hands, stepping out of the Empire State Building. The lower levels were generally used as conference rooms and meeting areas for emissaries of the Gods when they didn't want to allow mortals into Olympus- which was all of the time.
She had spent the day in meetings with her mother and the rest of the campaign team that had been assembled to assist in the push for the temple. There was a press conference within the next week, volunteers were set up to make phone calls to New Athenians, and Annabeth had a lot of work still to do.
"Now, Annabeth will take point," Athena had stated, her piercing gaze sweeping the room. It was a job beneath her, but high enough that she wanted her own daughter in charge. "I want you all to follow her lead."
Annabeth wasn't entirely certain she was cut out for this.
She had proven a great leader on past quests for camp and school, but that was usually only with a couple other people, not a large team that needed to be coordinated- and while she had friends among the team, it was mostly composed of older, much more qualified individuals.
And she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to do this either.
But Athena had asked for her personally. Not only that, there was the promise to design the temple itself, something permanent that Annabeth would be forever known for. That was the biggest reason she stuck it out; not out of fear of her mother, but the desire to build.
She sighed, watching her breath hang in the air.
Her arms were full of folders, documents, data, charts- but she found she didn't care about any of it. Not even a little bit. All she could do was think back to her conversation with Seaweed Brain that morning.
He was having dreams about her.
Dreams for demigods were sometimes prophetic- could he be seeing their future? Were they together? Did they meet in person, did everything work out okay? Was she being silly for being so guarded of her identity?
As the questions raced through her mind, she felt a pair of hands lightly brush her shoulders.
"Spacing out again, Annabeth?"
She turned quickly, frowning at Luke.
Of course, had followed her from the meeting.
"I wish you wouldn't do that." Annabeth tucked a curl behind her ear, tiny snowflakes beginning to fall between them.
"Do what?" Luke was still grinning, though it softened some at her expression.
"Just… nevermind." She shook her head. She was overthinking things. Luke didn't see her as anything more than a close friend, and that was that. "Did you get more information on those cases you mentioned?"
"I've been working on it." He shifted his briefcase to his left hand, tugging out some pages from the front pocket, "Here, these should help- City of Dions in Georgia, named for-"
"-for Mr. D." She smiled at the memory of their grumpy Camp Director, Dionysus. He was probably still begrudgingly at Camp Half-Blood, working off his 100 year sentence passed down by lawyers like Luke when Zeus found him romping with a wood nymph he fancied. She took the papers and scanned them, grateful that Luke had printed them in a font she could read.
It was an article detailing how the first temple of Dions was to go to Dionysus after an intense legal battle between himself and Hermes, back in the early 1900s.
A smile spread across her face, "Gods, Luke, this is perfect!"
"I thought it might help." His own grin widened, and he took a step forward, "Listen, Annabeth…"
She looked up at him, suddenly very aware of how close they were. Prickles of apprehension ran up her spine and her palms felt clammy. Instinctively, she stepped back, returning them to their previous distance. "Yes…?"
He shook his head. "Nevermind, it's not important right now." His eyes met hers, "Are you still thinking about that kiss?"
Her face flushed hot, and she stammered, "What?! No, I- I wasn't!"
Luke laughed, good natured though there was something else in it- something Annabeth didn't like.
"Don't worry. I think about it too." With a wink, he slid back through the revolving doors.
The snow was picking up now and Annabeth felt her heart sink to her stomach. She didn't want to lose another friend, but if Luke continued like this, and she rejected him- what then? Would he be fine being just friends? What were his expectations? His intentions?
She slumped.
Everyone seemed to want something from her. And lately, she longed to do something for herself.