Piper was screaming like crazy because of a reason unknown to me. She might as well have been doing so for at least five minutes and I was surprised that she hasn't lost her voice yet. When Thalia seemed pissed enough to ask her what was wrong, probably because she couldn't really stand hearing such noise when just moments ago it was complete silence.
"Ugh, Pipes, what's wrong?"
The girl sighed and smiled at us, as if everything in the world was finally right at that very moment. "Well, do you remember when Jason and I started dating?"
"Yeah, you two just sorta said it during lunch and we weren't really surprised since everyone thought that you were already dating" I answered, playing with the necklace Percy gave me for Christmas. I wasn't really caring much so what else was there to do?
Her eyes were glinting in the sunlight when I looked up. "He finally told his mom that we were together"
That got my attention. You see, Jason and Thalia despise their mother and the only reason why they get to see her every other week was because of the agreement between their parents. I mean sure Peter (aka Zeus for fun) has full custody over them ever since the divorce but I guess their mom forced him into letting them visit her. "You're joking, right?"
"I don't joke about these things"
"And what did mom say?" It was Thalia who said this.
Piper's smile turned to a grimace. "Jason said that she was mad. She asked him when everything started and when he said that it's been like over six months, she… well she lost it."
"Typical"
I felt bad for her, for them. I knew the reason why they have to keep everything from their mom. They practically have the same problem as I have but I guess their mother was a lot more abusive. But I have this nagging feeling that practically stated that I shouldn't really blame her. She's going through a lot of stress right now, since she's an actress, and she just went searching for the wrong stuff. I still can't believe that she would take it out on her children, though.
A call from downstairs made all the thoughts stop. "Hey, Wise Girl?" it was Percy.
Let's just say that I missed hearing his voice. I haven't heard it ever since we agreed to just hang-out with our own gender for the moment and I just felt out of it, you know. Since my heart was somewhere else. "Yeah?" I yelled back, standing up and making my way to the railing.
"Could you come down here for a second?" It was a strange request but I was used to it all.
He pulled me into his arms the moment he saw me. And I smiled as I kissed him softly. "Why'd you call?" I asked, placing my head on his chest.
Percy managed a laugh and started playing with my hair. "I miss you" was his only reply.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the fact that it has only been two hours since we last spoken. But I smiled, feeling the same way. "I miss you, too"
We decided that it was the worst idea to pull us apart. Seaweed Brain and I were meant to be together, never leaving each other's sights. Even when we were still just friends. We refused to stay in a class where we were too far away. That started the reason as to why we have almost all our classes together. The only thing he has that I don't was marine biology.
It was after lunch when we received the very urgent distress call coming from Thalia's mother. Apparently, the news of Piper and Jason gave her a heart attack and she was in the hospital at the moment. Of course, when I saw my best friend's face I could see so many emotions. But I have to admit, she's good in keeping all of that to a hold. "We're going there later" she said and hung up.
What are you supposed to say when you find out that your best friend's mother, who she hates with her life, was in the hospital with that possibility of not waking up again? I should have known how to talk to her then but, seeing that I never really had a situation like her, I kept quiet. Percy, on the other hand, was telling her that her mom would get what she deserves. Either it was good or bad, we don't know. I'm just glad that he didn't say anything like, "it's going to be fine" or "she's alright". That was probably going to piss his cousin even more than she needed to be.
"We're going there together, for support" I told her finally
She looked at me, her blue eyes filled with guilt. "If mom dies because of this, I don't know how I'm going to feel. I might as well be jumping for joy if I get the chance to. But there was something inside me that told me that I should feel bad for her"
"I know that I should trust you with this, sis, but mom has done good for us. Even if it was still so long ago." Jason told her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
As impossible that it sounds, it was true. If you look at another perspective when she abandoned Jase when he was two in the woods, it would seem like a really good thing because he met Piper and Leo and everyone else. Then again, Thalia has been suffering ever since that day and they only saw each other again about three years ago. They grew up apart and that's the reason as to why they don't really know each other much.
And all that happened because their mom would get a lifetime supply of booze.
"When are we going there?" Percy asked, playing with my hair.
They didn't answer at first, as if thinking about it. I gave them their time. It was a really hard question, considering their history. I swear, they only go there just to hang out with each other. Percy even mentioned once that when he was forced to visit, they never at all paid attention to her. It was sad how hard it was to forgive someone when you know that there might be a possibility that when you do forgive them, you tend to expect more from them and you made them worse instead of better.
"Maybe tomorrow" Jason finally answered, his eyes locked on Piper.
We all agreed. What's the point of arguing when you can't really do anything about it? It's just a total waste of breath. "So guys, what do you want to do now?" It was Leo who asked this and all of us shared looks.
"Why don't we just sit here for a while?" I suggested, leaning on my boyfriend's shoulder.
"Or, why don't we go to the beach house and see how it is?" the rest all nodded at the statement and all looked at Percy expectantly.
He was defeated. "Fine" he sighed.
They all but screamed. Everything might as well have thrown one big party if it wasn't for the fact that Bella was sleeping right above this room and we can't risk waking her up.
Okay, maybe I just realized that the drive there was longer than the last time- maybe because Percy was going slowly enough for Beck and Nico to catch up. It was something I could understand but I know that my boyfriend was pretty annoyed at the moment. He was hiding it really well but someone like me can easily see through that barrier. "What's the harm of letting them see the house?" I asked, after minutes of comfortable silence.
"It's not that I don't want them to. But, Wise Girl, we both know that thatis the only place where we could have some privacy"
It was true. We can't do what we wanted to for a really long time in Percy's mansion since there was a child and I would die if his parents found out. They would endlessly tease us and tell us the importance of waiting and whatever. "Don't worry. They're smart enough not to go there when they know that we're there"
He smiled sadly, "I just don't want them to take that away from us"
I nodded and kissed his fingertips. "Don't worry, they won't"
"Are you sure?"
"Did you forget who you're talking to?" Seaweed Brain laughed and looked at me briefly before moving his eyes back to the road.
Honestly, nothing much changed when I entered the beach house except for the fact that the snow melted almost entirely and you could already see the waves rolling to the sand. Everything was still in place, all the furniture unmoved and I smiled at how beautiful it really is. I just can't fully appreciate it at the moment.
Most went around just because they could but I immediately headed to my room, pulling Thalia with me. She is the only person I could trust with something as serious as what I was about to tell her. Plus, she would understand more than Percy will. I mean, she can relate. I locked the door, knowing well that they were smart enough not to eavesdrop on a conversation with me included. It happened the last time and the Stolls ended up with a huge slap mark on their faces. "I have to tell you something" I told her, placing both hands on her shoulders and holding her an arm's length away from me.
"What is it?" she was both curious and worried at the same time. And I know the reason why. I only give this expression when I really need to tell her something that could change her life forever.
"You remember when Percy and I went here before, you know, during Christmas?" I asked. She nodded, gesturing for me to continue. How was I going to tell her this? "Um… there was this moment when I realized that he wanted something… different"
Her eyes widened in realization before letting out a small gasp. "He wanted to?"
"I don't know. It was hard to see what he was really feeling at that time but I swear there was a flash of… of…" I didn't dare continue the statement. The truth was embarrassing enough but I couldn't let her know how I was reacting.
Thalia set her jaw and looked at me, straight in the eye. "Annabeth did you or did you not want it too?"
"Honestly, there was a part of me that did but I know it wasn't the right time to actually go all the way. We promised that we would lose our virginities to each other and maybe I just wanted something more elaborate" It was all said in one breath and an immediate blush crept to my cheeks.
Much to my surprise, my best friend suppressed a smile. "I may be just a few months older than you but I think you're making much too much a big deal out of this. I know that you trust Percy with your life and maybe it would be right for you to share something, you know, more... intimate. I won't lie when I tell you that you both are the perfect couple but I guess it would be best for you to wait for the right time." She paused for effect. "I mean, we don't want you to be awkward with Percy because you tried for it to happen and it didn't." I didn't know how I could blush even more than I already was.
"Swear you won't tell this to anyone, not even Nico or Jason or Silena"
Even though we're practically mature enough to do this, I hooked my pinky to hers. It was the only way I could tell that she would keep her promise. It was sort of a deal between us, something only us to keep. "I swear" she said simply.
Out of nowhere, I hugged her. She has always been there for me, even when I was still a child living in California. Thalia was by my side through every little thing that happened in my life. She knows me just as much as Percy and I know I could trust her with something as serious as this. "Thank you" I whispered to her ear.
I could almost see her smile. We pulled away and she headed to the door, flashing me another grin before leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Thalia was right when she said that I could trust Percy with an intimate relationship. Actually, he's the only person I want for something like that and I will always love him enough to give him everything he wanted. I also know that he's not one of those guys who take advantage of a girl's weakness. He does detect it when it is exposed but he doesn't use it against the person. That's what I liked most about him, other than his physical appearance and kindness and bravery and loyalty and all those other virtues that he possessed that I can't name at the moment.
The creaking of the door put my thoughts to a halt. My eyes immediately went towards where the sound was made and a small smile escaped my lips when I realized that it was no more than my boyfriend who came to check up on me. "I honestly like your room better than mine" he said honestly, kissing the top of my head as he sat beside me
I snorted at him. "You're lying"
"Let's just say that I like it equally" he said, raising his hands in surrender.
We talked endlessly like before. Percy and I had plenty to talk about, many to discuss with each other. The topics shifted from Thalia's mom to school to homework to the pop quiz to Bella then finally back to the house. I know I could trust him with absolutely everything and I should be open to him in order for this relationship to work out well.
"Hey, Seaweed Brain" I said in my most convincing tone. I found it right for me to tell him about my conversation with Thalia. He has the right to know and he might as well react the same way as she did. I was just afraid of how my true intentions would sound like in his ears.
Percy raised an eyebrow at me. "Yeah, Wise Girl?" he asked, giving me the same teasing tone as he did before.
"Thalia and I were talking a while ago about Christmas break, when we went here." I took a very visible gulp. "And, well, I don't know if it's true but that was how it looked to me and I'm just afraid that I might be wrong and embarrass my-" he cut me off with a kiss and all those doubts and insecurities faded away. I trust him, I reminded myself, so I don't have to worry about anything.
"Percy, I think both of us wanted to… you know…" I blushed. "I didn't think that you did but the moment we came here, I realized that you needed it as much as I did." It was all said in one breath but I could tell that he knew what I was trying to say.
He sighed and wrapped an arm around me. But he didn't say anything. Then again, what would he say? It wasn't easy to answer something that would probably determine the state of your relationship. It was actually my fault because I put him in this situation, especially when everything was going too fast for my liking.
A few minutes passed and I thought that he wasn't going to say anything. Much to my surprise he did. "I'm sorry" he apologized sheepishly. He looked sad, like his reaction when I refused to tell anyone about him and me before. But this time, he was disappointed, more than I have ever seen him before.
"It's not your fault" I muttered, placing my head on his chest. "Remember, no regrets"
Percy shook his head. "I should've known what you wanted and when you wanted it. We're sixteen and we're old enough to make our own decisions and now that we almost did it, I really couldn't help myself" he said, mostly to himself.
"Do you want to?"
He managed a smile at this one. "I always did. I was just afraid that you didn't"
Many happened in merely twenty seconds. I kissed him deeply and insistently and before I knew it, clothes were flying everywhere until we were in the verge of it happening. I was sure that I wanted him, I just wasn't sure if I was ready to be a mother. That was my only fear. If everything would go wrong, I would end up taking care of a baby. Maybe because after most films I watched involving teenage pregnancy, the father would insist that the baby wasn't his and leave the mother as if he didn't know her. What if that happens to me? What if I do get knocked up and Percy would leave me when he finds out? What if…
I pushed him away from me. He was surprised at first but I could see the understanding filling his eyes. I hugged my legs and buried my face between my knees, hoping that he wouldn't see the tears that were now running down my cheeks. But due to the many years of friendship, he did and he was immediately beside me, hugging me tightly. He muttered comforting words to my ear, telling me that it was going to be alright and that we were in this together.
"I- I trust you" I mumbled. "I just don't want anything bad to happen."
He smiled at this, the same lopsided grin that he always possessed. "We're going to take it slow and when you're ready, we can go faster."
Percy kissed me again and laid me down on the bed, him on top of me. His mouth on mine was moving lazily but delicately, his hands on my hips. When I gave him the sign that I was ready, he slowly slipped himself inside me. A sharp cry escaped my lips and my grip on his shoulders tightened. This is it. Everything was pointing towards this and all the cells in my body felt like they were about to explode. He wiped away the tears that again were on my eyes and peppered my face with kisses, whispering words to my ear and not moving an inch.
That went on. He would settle himself deeper when I gave him permission until he broke the barrier, taking my virginity. When he did, he looked at me and asked me if I was okay. I would think of a response that was in between a groan and the actual answer and he would laugh, kiss me gently and continue with what he was doing. I finally let him move and when he did, he held my face between his palms and gave me a smile. He used the headboard for support and just did what he needed to.
"I love you" he told me over and over again.
I smiled and held him tight. "I love you, too" I moaned when he hit a particular sweet spot.
We came at the same time, with a loud cry that our hands did little to muffle. He pulled out and pressed his lips on my sweaty forehead. "That was amazing" he breathed
I laughed and moved so I was facing him, ignoring the lingering pain in my lower abdomen. "Agreed." I said, pecking him lightly on the cheek.
"Any regrets?" he asked
"None" was my only reply.