chapter thirty-three: an immovable object

It's currently spring in Virginia, and the days are long and beautifully warm. It's Annabeth's favourite time of year—the heat isn't yet oppressive, and the country's yellow-ochre fields are slightly greener after receiving some rain and gentle sunlight. Even their town seems to be in better spirits.

She's sitting with Percy outside a cafe near the centre, feeling cautiously content. He looks content, anyway. Tired, maybe, but he always looks tired. With the sun on his face and both hands curled around his coffee cup, he looks stupidly radiant. Annabeth can't help but smile at him, taking a sip of her chai latte. She likes it here, surrounded by bustling people and the quintessence of everyday life. Both of them are people-watchers, and Percy's gaze has snagged on a harried mom trying to calm down her wailing toddler. "Makes you wonder why people bother having kids, huh?" he mutters. Still, he looks endeared when the mom lifts her daughter up onto her hip to soothe her.

Annabeth reaches for her fork, digging into the chocolate cake they're sharing. "Mm, this is good," she says, words muffled around a mouthful. "I love chocolate." It's been a few weeks since Annabeth's relapse, and she's feeling a lot more positive. She hasn't taken anything since, mostly in fear of letting Percy down—but also in fear of letting herself down. Focusing on the way the chocolate cake melts in her mouth, she closes her eyes and lets the day's bright sunlight warm her lids. When she opens them again, Percy is watching her. There's a conflicted look on his face. He's had that look a lot recently.

Annabeth wishes she knew what's behind it. If there even is anything behind it. "What?" she asks.

For a moment, she thinks he's going to dismiss it. But then he says, "I've been meaning to tell you something."

"You have?"

He puts his fork down, like he's trying to work up the nerve. "I don't know why I haven't said anything yet. 'Cause I've been scared, maybe. I've been sitting on this for a while."

An irrational cold washes into the pit of Annabeth's stomach. "Is it good or bad?"

"Good," he reassures her. "It's just…kind of huge. I've been putting off telling you because I haven't really worked out what I think of it myself."

"Okay," she says slowly. "What is it?"

"Last year, one of my social workers told me they dug up something from my past. Someone from my past."

"Who?"

He pauses, looking down. "My mom." Annabeth's mouth falls open, but Percy's already continuing. "She's been in prison for a long time. When I was a baby, she was charged by Gabe for attempted murder."

"Oh," she breathes.

"Yeah. My social worker said there's reason to believe she attacked him in self-defence, especially considering…you know." He sighs. "I've been visiting her for months. Sorry for not telling you, I just…"

She takes his hand. "No, no. I get it. God, Percy. Your mom? She's been in prison all this time?"

"It's shit, I know—but she's getting out at the end of the year. She's a good person, okay? She's kind. She always asks about you."

It's hard not to be sceptical of someone who's spent so much time incarcerated, but there's such a look of wonder and hope in Percy's eyes that Annabeth decides not to voice her internal conflict. "What's her name?"

"Sally. She's not really all there, but I think she'll come back to herself once she's out of that place."

"Do you want her in your life?" Annabeth asks tentatively.

"Of course! She's been rotting in that place—she deserves someone to help her back onto her feet when her sentence ends. And before you ask, I am being cautious," he tells her. "But she's done nothing but prove to me that she's worthy of a chance."

She smiles. She's never seen Percy this passionate about anything. "Can I meet her? Am I allowed to?" Though she knows it's far from the same thing as their visits to Helen, she still dares to hope.

"I think so. I'll call her, ask if it's alright for you to come with me next time I visit her during open hours."

Excitement flickers to life in Annabeth's chest. She tries to swallow it back, knowing nothing's set in stone. Since Helen hasn't been around, both of them have felt her absence like a lung. This will be good for him. "Only if she wants to meet me, okay? She doesn't have to."

"Are you kidding?" he grins. "Every time I see her, she asks when I'm bringing you."

Annabeth shifts in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable with Sally's expectations. "I could be awful! She doesn't even know me."

"Maybe not," he admits. "But she will. In time."

As senior year builds up into a crescendo of studying, extra-credit projects and overwhelming stress, Annabeth becomes determined to hold herself together. Exams loom on the horizon, a culmination of the years she's spent at Mileview. To keep on top of her anxiety, she changes from Dr Hale to a different therapist. His shitty methods were part of the reason her life careened towards disaster during the year she spent with Luke—Annabeth can see that now. Mariam, her new therapist, was horrified when she reviewed Annabeth's medical records. "Prescribing Xanax like he did is old-fashioned and complete bullshit," she told her with vehemence. "We're going to tackle this safely." At the very least, Annabeth can appreciate her potty mouth.

Getting in enough hours of study each week leading up to finals is a fresh kind of torture, but it's nice to know that she and her friends are all in this together. She pours the most time into her photography final, compiling and editing dozens of images. The main piece she's been working on is a photo sequence featuring Percy called Inconsolable. They did the shoot in the shallows of a lake, and it took her hours to get the shots she wanted. Percy's clothes were drenched through by the time they finished, but it was worth it—her favourite photo is one she took during Virginia's golden hour, where Percy is kneeling in the water with his head bowed, hands cold and pale in the glistening water. Warm light pours in from behind him, a startling contrast against the vacant shadows of his face. His shoulders and limbs are slumped, making him look for all the world like he's lost in mourning.

It's probably the best composition Annabeth's ever come up with. Miss Louis, her photography instructor, persuades her to put the whole sequence in for a competition. Albeit reluctantly, Annabeth does. It's hard to believe that her recent work is good enough to win anything, especially after taking such a long break from photography. But maybe it doesn't hurt to try.

When their final exams roll around at last, Annabeth convinces Percy to take some time off work. Percy's usually completely averse to dropping any shifts—he's too used to having to scrounge for grocery money—but this time, she refuses to back down. "You're not going to be able to focus on studying if you're exhausted from work half the time," she tells him. "Please. You won't get the scores you need to take on an apprenticeship if you don't give yourself time to rest. You're not superhuman, okay?"

At first he looks like he's going to argue, but gives in after a moment of battling back and forth with himself. He exhales, nodding. "Okay. You're right."

As they plunge into exams with fervour, Annabeth can't shake the feeling that everything she's watched her friends hope for over the last seven years is finally coming to a conclusion—one way or another. Piper's taking a gap year with Shel to perform their music at gigs and build on the base of listeners they've already garnered, something she's been working towards for years. Jason's also trying to make something out of himself in the music industry; he's applied to take a course in production at California Institute of the Arts. Leo's doing engineering, obviously—he's got the most math-oriented brain out of anyone she knows.

Annabeth was stuck on what she wanted to do for a while. She thinks choosing photography was inevitable, though—is it possible to have a passion that utterly consumes you and not ultimately decide to build your life around it? Maybe for some, but Annabeth can't ignore it. She researches fashion photography, travel photography, even portraiture. Eventually, she realises all she wants to do is learn more. To improve. Maybe then, she'll figure out what she's best at. She applies to several art colleges, hoping for either California or New York's School of Visual Arts. Percy shares her excitement; his passion for watching her take photographs almost rivals her own passion for actually taking them. "Maybe I just want to see you happy," he tells her playfully when she asks him about it. "Ever think of that?"

She already knew that was the reason. But for some reason, it warms her to the fingertips to hear him say it.

Somehow, Annabeth makes it through exams intact. Mariam's sessions help a lot—although she hasn't gotten around to talking about her dad or the drugs yet, she helps Annabeth learn how to stop catastrophizing. After a few weeks of CBT, she feels more equipped to prevent her self-sabotaging thoughts from running rampant.

As the last bell of high school rings, Annabeth runs across the hallway to throw her arms around Percy, unable to process the fact that it's all over. "We did it," she says breathlessly, head whirling. He's unable to do anything but hug her, shaking his head in disbelief.

As May comes to a close, Mileview holds their high school graduation. In their black graduation robes, it feels surreal to prepare to move on from high school along with the rest of their classmates. Annabeth shouts louder than anyone when she throws her cap into the air, revelling in the catharsis. Beside her, Percy whoops as he catches his again. Piper looks over at her from where she's standing beside Leo and flashes Annabeth an excited, emotional smile. She remembers when it was just the two of them back in elementary school, before they met Leo or any of the others. As she looks around at each of her smiling friends, Annabeth is overcome with a wave of affection.

The five of them crowd together for a photo, leaning over the bleachers. Jason's got Silly String all over his cap and robes—but instead of brushing it off, he wears it with pride. "Dude, you look ridiculous," Leo tells him.

He rolls his eyes. "And?"

Thalia laughs, raising her phone to snap a few pictures. In the sunlight, Percy looks somehow holy. Annabeth clutches her diploma to her chest, holding the weight of everything she's sacrificed. Somehow wildly happy, she hopes this moment never ends. "Don't you just feel so old?" Piper says into her ear, fighting to be heard over the hubbub of two hundred seniors graduating.

"Yeah," she responds, mirroring Piper's smile. "Isn't it amazing?"

The beginning of summer is a fever dream. Though Annabeth is still waiting to hear back from her colleges, she feels like a burden's been lifted off her shoulders. Percy seems happier, too. Although his body is still sore from overworking and he refuses to see a doctor about it, he seems to have taken Annabeth's advice and has cut himself some slack. The two of them spend hours driving around in the Pontiac, enjoying the sun and each other's company. It feels nice not to have to worry about anything—at least for a little while.

For the first time, Annabeth visits Sally. When they approach the prison, Annabeth is terrified. "What if she doesn't like me? What if—"

"Chill," Percy instructs her, slipping his arm through hers for support. "She's going to love you. Besides, this isn't exactly a normal meet-the-parents, is it?"

Sally isn't anything like Annabeth was expecting. Though she seems run-down by virtue of being locked up for so long, her eyes are kind and she greets Annabeth with a smile. "So, this is the girl I've been hearing so much about."

Instantly, Annabeth relaxes. "And you're Percy's mom! It's so good to finally meet you."

Sally asks Annabeth all sorts of things about her son—what it was like growing up with him, how they started dating—but seems intrigued to find out about her, too. Annabeth tells her about the plans she's made to do photography at college, see if she can build a career out of it. Percy doesn't interject much, only listens to the two of them talk with a quiet smile. She can hardly believe that this beautiful, kind-hearted woman married someone as awful as Gabe. Annabeth's blood silently boils for what he did to her; seventeen years of her life have been stolen from beneath her fingertips, swept away like crumbling ruins into his vengeful tide.

As June wears on, Piper and Shel take to their music with vigour. They start playing gigs around Virginia, getting their songs noticed and selling their stage personas. Annabeth's always thought Piper would be a natural at performing, but it's bizarre to see the dream come to life. Their band name is enchanting, too: The Winnowers. Even if Piper's career doesn't take off immediately, at least she's got her foot in the door.

Tonight, they're performing in a bar in the town over—a hot spot for live music. Piper's been excited about it all week, and has been rehearsing with Shel in her garage for dozens of hours straight. Annabeth can't wait to watch them perform—she hasn't yet been to one of their gigs. Percy, Jason and Leo are coming, too.

Annabeth gets ready for the gig in Percy's apartment, finishing her makeup while Percy showers off the sweat from his shift. Holding a compact mirror up to her eyes, she carefully draws on winged eyeliner with a dark, shimmering gel. Satisfied, she caps the liner pen and picks up a tube of mascara. She hears the shower turn off. A few minutes later, Percy emerges with his hair still damp in some nice clothes. "Ready to go?"

"Almost done," she murmurs, blinking down onto the mascara brush to gently coat her lashes. Vaguely aware of Percy watching her, she can't fight off a smile. "Do you mind?"

"Sorry," he laughs, bending to grab his shoes. "You're cute when you're concentrating." As she moves onto the other eye, he opens his mouth to say something, then closes it again.

"What?" she asks, glancing at him.

He shakes his head, then sighs. "Just…there's going to be a lot of people doing shit at the place Piper's playing. I know you're doing better, but we can stay home if you think it might be too much." Annabeth has to squash the instinct to lash back at him. Though she doesn't like talking about it, she knows what he means. Being around so many people doing the same drugs she used to do is going to be overwhelming—maybe even dangerous.

Still, Annabeth's willpower has gotten stronger; she's not the same person she was a few months ago. She knows what she expects from herself, and it isn't to fall back into bad habits. "I get why you're worried, alright? But you don't need to be. Seriously." Putting her mirror down, she offers him a reassuring smile. "Everything's going to work out. We'll be together, won't we?"

"Yeah. Still, Annabeth—"

"Hey." She stands up, lifting her hand to his cheek. "It's going to be fine. We're gonna go watch Piper perform, have a great night, then come back here and order Thai food. Okay?"

"Okay," he says quietly. When he kisses her, there's a note of reassurance. Letting out an unsteady breath, he manages a smile. "You're right. I'm being stupid."

"No. You're good," she tells him.

He smiles for real then. "Ready to go, then?"

They pick up Jason, Leo and Nico in the Pontiac. Radio blaring, the five of them drive into the next town. Eventually, they screech to a stop outside a stone-walled warehouse. Annabeth can faintly hear EDM music playing from below it. "This is gonna be sick," Leo whoops. Nico and Jason echo their agreement, and they head to the club. As per Piper's instructions, they head into the alleyway at a side-door. A bouncer's standing at the door, but he doesn't ask them for ID.

Percy heads inside first, visibly excited. Feeling a rush, Annabeth follows him. As they head down the steps, Annabeth's vision becomes tinted neon in the hued light. The club is cavernous, filled with a mass of dancing, intoxicated bodies. Its stage is currently vacant, but a glance at the time on her phone tells her that Piper and Shel will be on in fifteen minutes. It's loud in here, but Annabeth breathes through her spiking anxiety and nudges Percy. "Wanna go sit at the bar?"

He grins. The others have already disappeared into the crowd. "Sure. I'll buy you a drink."

They chat at the bar for a while as they work on their ciders, heads bent close to hear each other over the hubbub. Percy's knee is warm where it's pressed against her own. "Piper and Shel will be on any minute," he says. "You think people are gonna like their songs?"

Annabeth looks out into the expectant crowd and nods. "Honestly, I think most of the crowd is here for them. One of their tracks blew up on SoundCloud a few days ago." Percy takes a sip of his cider, gaze bright as he watches the stage. Suddenly, the EDM music playing cuts off and the lights go low. As a singular entity, the crowd whoops. Annabeth pats Percy's arm excitedly. "Oh my God, Piper's coming on!"

"Calm down," he laughs, but he's grinning too.

Over the speakers, a voice announces, "Please welcome…The Winnowers!" Two figures emerge from backstage, silhouetted in shadow as they step up to their mics. Annabeth cheers as the lights go up again, revealing Piper and Shel in shimmering suits. Piper delivers a swinging, vicious strum on her electric guitar. Within an instant, Annabeth recognises the chords of their first hit song. Thrown into action by a captivating introduction, Shel curls her fingers around the mic and starts singing.

The song is break-neck, strange and holy. As the chorus rolls around, Piper leans into her mic. Her voice is low and richly sarcastic. "Thought I'd like you better. Well, wasn't I dead wrong? God, the taste of this lipstick—baby, where'd you get it from?" Shel backs her up with her own husky vocals, reverent gaze lingering on Piper. Annabeth can't fight off a smile—she suspected, but wasn't certain until now. Piper has a penchant for making music with people who love her a little too much.

Eventually, the song they're playing ends and melts into a new one. Annabeth finishes her cider and gets down from her stool. She tilts her head. "Wanna get closer to the stage?"

"Are you sure? It looks packed." She hears the hidden message: Will you be okay?

She rolls her eyes, taking his hand and tugging him. "Come on, Jackson." Together, they head into the crowd. As Piper begins one of their slower folk songs, Percy slips an arm around Annabeth and presses a kiss to her temple as they listen. She exhales. Leaning into him, it's easy enough to let him bear the brunt of the shifting crowd. He's immovable: an anchor, keeping them both upright amidst the burgeoning waves.

I'm in love with piper mclean tbh :') thanks for reading, I'd love to hear your thoughts! sorry about missing sunday's update—I did announce it on my tumblr (stolen-arts) and left a note on my profile for those of you who don't follow me over there. there will definitely be an update this sunday haha, we're back on schedule now.