Tutoring Chapter 17
"Anything we can do to help mom?" Percy asked when they walked into the kitchen.
"You can set the table for me Percy. Annabeth will you help me toss the salad?" Sally said.
"Sure Mrs. Blofis" Annabeth said moving towards the counter where a large bowl with all of the salad ingredients sat.
"Call me Sally Annabeth I am not my mother in-law" Sally said smiling.
"Sorry" Annabeth said as she began tossing the salad.
"It's okay sweetie I just rather be called by my name. Paul tells me you're the best female track athlete to walk through Goode in years" Sally said.
Annabeth smiled "That's what everyone tells me, but I think everyone is a little biased".
"I don't know Percy isn't one to talk about other athletes but after your track meet a couple weeks ago he couldn't stop talking about how amazing you were. When is your next meet?"
"Districts are next weekend but it's at a different school, we have to leave school early on Friday and were staying the night there in a hotel so we have more rest time" Annabeth said finishing the salad by adding the toppings.
"And I'm guessing Percy is going to want me to let him leave school early and stay the weekend with you there?" Sally asked smiling.
Annabeth blushed "Oh uhh I don't know we haven't talked about it, I don't even think he realizes it's an overnight trip".
Sally laughed "I'm just teasing you sweetie; now let's put this food on the table before Paul and Percy start whining too much".
Annabeth and Sally sat the salad and grilled Panini sandwiches on the table while Paula and Percy got the drinks. Once everyone was seated Sally immediately started talking.
"Did you know Annabeth's district track meet is next weekend and it's an overnight trip?" Sally asked looking at Percy who had already stuffed half of his sandwich in his mouth.
"Uhh no" Percy said uncertainly.
"Well I think we should all go, it'd be fun to get away and I want to see Annabeth compete" Sally said.
"You guys really don't have to do that, the big meet is State" Annabeth said.
"When is that?" Paula asked.
"The first weekend of May" Annabeth said.
"Well we then we should diffidently go to that" Sally said.
"So does that mean I can go to the district meet?" Percy asked smiling.
Sally shook her head "Well talk about that later. Have you decided on what school you want to go to yet?"
"No I haven't I'm visiting them the week after districts. Percy over here is all upset because I'll be gone the entire week of school with Thalia" Annabeth said smiling.
"I'm not upset I'm perfectly fine" Percy said as he played with his salad.
Paul snorted "No boyfriend is okay with their girlfriend going clear across the country where she's going to be meeting a lot of college boys".
"Thank you Paul" Percy said glaring at his step dad who just grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
Everyone just laughed but Annabeth could tell Percy was actually upset but decided to wait until they were alone.
Once everyone was done eating Percy and Annabeth volunteered to clean up the table and do the dishes. Percy did the dishes, while Annabeth picked up the table, but while they were doing this Percy didn't really say much.
Frowning Annabeth set her hand on his shoulder "Percy you have nothing to worry about. I'm not going to fall for some stupid college guy".
Percy sighed "I know that I just I feel like you can do so much better than me".
Annabeth smiled putting her hand on his chin and making him look at her "And that's why I think you're a seaweed brain because I don't think there is anyone else that's better than you, I want to be with you Perce" she said before pressing her lips to his. Annabeth wrapped her arms his neck as Percy set his hands on her hips moving so that Annabeth was pressed against the counter.
"That is very unsanitary to do in my kitchen" Sally said from the doorway making Percy jump away from Annabeth but he slipped on some water sending him crashing to the floor. Sally shook her head trying to hide the smile on her face, as Annabeth hid hers behind her hand even though she was still beat red.
"I'll finish cleaning up in here, you two go back upstairs" Sally said after she helped Percy off the floor. Annabeth had practically ran from the room leaving Percy to talk to his mom.
"Sorry mom, we got a little distracted" Percy said rubbing the back of his neck.
"Like you haven't used that excuse before. Listen to me Percy, and I mean really listen, Annabeth is a good girl. She doesn't deserve to be hurt, I can see that your changing becoming the old you and you have no idea how happy that makes me but I'm scared that you'll hurt her, and she doesn't deserve that" Sally said quietly.
Percy sighed "I know I'm scared for that exact reason".
Sally smiled sadly wrapping Percy in a hug "Just be careful sweetie" she whispered in his ear.
Percy smiled kissing her cheek before he left the kitchen to go back upstairs where Annabeth sat with her legs crossed underneath her on his couch.
Percy smiled at her closing the door "Hey".
Annabeth smiled at him moving over on the couch so he could sit down beside her. Percy wrapped his arm around her shoulder and Annabeth curled into his side "What happened to the cocky, arrogant, asshole Percy Jackson that I've gone to high school with for four years?" Annabeth asked teasingly.
Percy smiled "You happened, I used to be so sure of myself and not afraid of anything or anyone. But in the short time that I've taken to get to know you I suddenly feel incredibly insecure. I'm so scared that you're going to find someone better, someone who isn't so screwed up".
Annabeth continued to smile but she pulled on Percy's chin to make him look at her "I'm not a perfect little angel Percy. And I accept you for all your flaws just like I hope you can accept me for mine".
"You're flawless in my eyes" Percy said.
Annabeth sighed "Do you know how Thalia and I met?"
"No why?" Percy asked.
"Do you remember when Thalia's parents got a divorce and she ran away because her dad immidetaly got together with Hera?" Annabeth asked again not looking at Percy.
Percy frowned "Yeah I remember she was gone for like two weeks, Nico and I were really worried".
"That's how we met" Annabeth said.
"I don't get it" Percy said confused.
"I met Thalia while she ran away, because I had run away as well. Her parents got a divorce the same time mine did. Things at home were really bad for me and I ran away we met each other in a grocery store both of us were trying to sneak some food without the owner knowing. We teamed up, helped each other out. A couple of days later we met Luke" Annabeth said.
"Wait I thought you guys didn't know each other until you had a class together?" Percy asked.
"We lied, we met Luke when we were seven all of us were on the run together but when we got caught Luke got sent back home to Connecticut. We didn't see him again until last year when he showed up in one of our classes" Annabeth said.
"Why did you lie?"
Annabeth shook her head "It wasn't entirely a lie I hadn't seen Luke since I was seven until he showed up in our class. We just didn't say anything about knowing him before that".
Percy ran his hand through his hair "When Thalia came back from running away she said she met a girl around her age named Annie and a boy but she never said his name. I didn't realize that you were that little girl. I had completely forgotten about the whole thing until now. I can't believe you were a runaway".
"It's not exactly something I'm proud of, but you have to understand that my parents' divorce was brutal. At the time they were having a huge custody battle and I was stuck in the middle. That's not something any seven year old should have to go through" Annabeth said picking at the loose fabric on her shorts.
"What you just told me doesn't change my feelings for you. It makes you ten times more attractive actually" Percy said smiling at her
Annabeth laughed "How does being a child runaway make me more attractive?"
"Because there's a little part of you that's bad, and you have no idea how attractive that is in a girl" Percy said slowly moving his face towards hers.
Annabeth smiled "You have no idea how happy I am that you're taking this so well" she said before finally closing the space between them and kissing him. But they were quickly interrupted when Annabeth's phone started ringing.
Huffing with irritation Annabeth broke the kiss and moved to grab her phone off of Percy's desk.
"Hello"
"Annabeth where are you?" her mother said.
"I'm at a friend's house working on a project for my Greek class, why?" Annabeth asked.
"I went by your fathers to talk to you but you weren't there. We need to talk about your college options" Athena said rudely.
Annabeth sighed sitting in the desk chair as Percy stood up to go to the bathroom but stopped to kiss her forehead before, making Annabeth smile "We've talked about this mom, I don't want to go to Yale or Harvard. I want to go to UCLA or UFO where they have outstanding track programs along with architecture programs".
"You are the daughter of Athena you will not go to some low life school just so you can run around on some dirty track. You are expected to go Yale or better yet my alma matter Harvard" Athena said sternly.
"UCLA and UFO are not some low life schools they are very respected schools in both academics and athletics. I don't want to follow in your footsteps mom, if you wanted a child to be just like you, you shouldn't have left your only daughter and completely ignored her until she started high school" Annabeth said trying to keep her voice calm but failing miserably.
"Don't raise your voice with me young lady" Athena said
"I have to go mom, I'm trying to work on a project for school" Annabeth said hanging up the phone. Covering her face with her hands she sighed in frustration.
"You okay?" Percy asked setting his hands on her shoulders.
"My mom is very controlling and wants me to go to Harvard instead of UCLA or UFO" Annabeth said relaxing into Percy's hands as he rubbed her shoulders.
"Did you get into Harvard?" Percy asked.
Annabeth nodded her head "I got into Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, Princeton, Columbia, and Duke, all the top schools in America".
Percy's hands stopped moving, Annabeth turned in the chair to see Percy gapping at her "What?" Annabeth asked.
"You got into all of those schools?" Percy asked shocked.
Annabeth nodded her head "My mom made me apply and I got accepted into all of them but she really wants me to go to Harvard like her. She didn't know I applied to UCLA or UFO, the only thing she likes about them is that I'm getting full ride scholarships".
Percy was still gapping at her "I'm dating a freaking genius. I only got into UCLA because of swimming".
Annabeth shrugged her shoulders "My mom's been breeding me to go to Harvard since I was born. But I don't want to follow in her footsteps; I don't want to be like her".
"I like you exactly how you are wise girl" Percy said bending down to kiss her.
Annabeth smiled "I like you exactly how you are to seaweed brain" she said when they pulled away from each other.