3rd Person POV

"Percy had finally finished getting ready for school, but his mind was elsewhere. Although often starstruck and muted by hesitation, he appreciated seeing Annabeth more than anyone else or even anything during the day. Their usual morning routines were what he looked forward to most... even if he acted with an awkwardness which caused him to scold himself for the remainder of the chilly morning

He managed to sort out his hair just before Sally called him down to the living room. Annabeth had decided to come early today, and Percy - in his buffoonery - had forgot to put on deodorant

"Oh... Morning, mom. Morning, An- Abbane- Annabeth," he managed to get out. It was becoming increasingly harder to talk to her for reasons he struggled to admit, but today was perhaps the hardest out of them all. Today was Valentines Day.

"Hey, Perce," greeted Annabeth, flashing a smile perfected by braces and impeccable dental care.

"His mom gave him a hug as he reached the base of the stairs, suppressing a reaction after becoming acutely to her son's dilemma.

"Sorry to interrupt, Annabeth, but Percy just has to quickly run to turn off my hair straightener. I think I left it on."

Thankful for Sally clueing into his dilemma, Percy sprinted up the stairs and put on deodorant and finish getting ready, making sure everything from his hair and clothing was well groomed and spotless. After all, today was the big day.

Today was the day he was going to tell Annabeth just how much he liked her.

Once again walking back into the living room, Annabeth noticed what Percy held in his hands, and a mischievous grin appeared on her face.

"What have you got there, Seaweed Brain?" she asked with a hint of banterous mockery in her voice.

Adorned with its classical red bow, Percy held a magenta love-heart shaped box, unknowingly bending its sides slightly inwards under the force with which he held it in order to prevent Annabeth from seeing his hands shaking. Taped on top of it was a note with Percy's handwriting in sea-green colour.

"Oh, you know... Noth- nothing much," he said, becoming increasingly aware of his dry mouth and clammy palms.

Annabeth had to hold in a burst of laughter at the flush betraying Percy's face despite best efforts to hide his embarrassment, even if the source of that embarrassment was merely holding a heart shaped box.

"Awww... Percy, is that a Valentines Day box of chocolates? I didn't even know you fancied anyone," Annabeth teased. She always loved doing that to Percy.

He smiled back, oblivious to his mom's sneaky observations at the scene playing out at the top of the stairs.

"Alright you two, time to head off to school," Sally said. "Can't have you late on a day like today."

The sun was beginning to fully peak over the city line as the bloodshot morning was beginning to fade into a blue sky, with not a cloud in sight.

Grabbing their backpacks, the 15-year-old both made their way out the front door, making sure to kiss Sally on the way out. Percy dd so without even thinking, but Annabeth too shared that same connection with Percy's mother where others found it slightly odd. They just had that type of bond, almost mirroring a mother and daughter

"Well?" asked Annabeth once they had made their way out of Percy's street and out of view of Percy's increasingly-looking rundown house.

Baffled, Percy asked a sensibly logical question: "Huh?"

"Duh, Kelp Head," she answered, gesturing at the box in his hands. "Who is it for?"

"Who's what fo..." Percy realised that she was talking about the box he was now holding delicately, extremely careful now to not even make a dent with his fingers.

"I... I can't say, Annabeth."

"Come on, Percy! Sure, you can tell me. I promise I won't say anything to her until you tell her yourself. Cross my heart." she said.

Percy was beginning to feel cornered. It's not like he could just say no; they've known each other for that long, and saying no would be like breaking up the bond they shared, where they would tell each other all their secrets. Silence stretched between them for a good few seconds as Annabeth eagerly awaited his answer, oblivious to his vexation.

"How about this... I'll tell you that she's in our homeroom class, but I won't say who. That should narrow it down." Percy had to admit, he was pretty proud at himself for fighting his way out of that one with just words.

"Ooooo. Okay, so she's in our class. That means that there's only a possibility of one in eleven..." she muttered, trying to figure out who it was.

"Aren't there twelve girls in our homeroom though?" Percy asked, confused.

"Well, technically yes. But don't count me, dummy. Remember, I'm trying to discern the best chance possible of guessing who she is before you reveal it."

Percy didn't say anything to that, but continued on walking down the paved path alongside the houses in their neighbourhood.

"Ah, whatever," Annabeth resigned, unable to imagine Percy with anyone from their class. "I'll find out soon enough."

Grateful to the gods for his luck in her dropping the subject, they began to talk about how annoying school and homework was getting, and of the sly bullies in their grade. Just the usual generalised talk that was becoming more and more redundant the older they grew.

They entered the relatively large park, with green hills rolling off into the horizon and the grass still wet with dew. Sparsely populated poplars covered these fields, as well as a playground that marked their route they took through the heart of the government estate.

Annabeth, however, began to think about who this mysterious girl was, unable to drop it even if she no longer openly quizzed Percy on. 'How is it that Percy has never told me who it was, or even mentioned her? she wondered.

She had to admit, it was a bit hurtful that he didn't say anything, but she quickly waved that notion away. Percy had never had a girlfriend before so this was all new to him.

'I hope I like her,' Annabeth couldn't help but find herself thinking.

'If Percy asked her out, would there be any time for 'us' left over? Would she occupy all his spare moments? And what if she didn't like me... would Percy no longer begin to like me?'

Questions flooded her mind, and she knew she had to cast them away. Percy was going on about how his PlayStation wouldn't turn on anymore, so she decided to focus on that.

"Did you try switching the outlet on behind the TV?" she asked.

Percy face went completely blank, which was then followed by a groan. "Annabeth, can I just call you anytime something doesn't work?" he asked.

She couldn't stop her laughter escaping this time.

He truly was such a Seaweed Brain.

That Morning

Annabeth sat down for her third class of the day, not wanting to believe that there was still four more to go.

Although she was well capable enough to handle whatever algebra question Ms Dodds threw at her, she just couldn't bring herself to pay much attention, especially when the room was buzzing about what was going to happen later today. She was never one to be swept up in the mania that accompanied this day, but she nevertheless longed to be wanted - as anyone would. Valentines Day was where dreams of teenagers were made or broken.

'Hopefully that dream includes mine she began to wonder, suppressing the urge to recoil at her incautious way of thinking. Whilst it would be nice to be with someone, I can't lose focus on my academia.'

Nico had begun to flirt with her constantly, but never made the final move of asking her out. If there was going to be a day to do so, today was it.

She marvelled at the layers belying within his onyx black eyes, and his olive skin, and the fact that he was beginning to change from that scrawny boy from a few years ago to a toned and muscular teen. She was beginning to have enough of not having enough of him.

'Maybe I'm going to have to make a move on him, before some other girl comes and takes him.'

She was yet to really tell Percy that there was anything going on, as she was worried he would think that she no longer wanted to hang out with him. That wasn't the case at all, but she wasn't going to take the chance of even bringing it up until Nico asked her out. Well, if he ever does.

Thinking back to earlier in the day, Annabeth found herself wondering how she could get a little angry that Percy hadn't told her about this girl, when she was doing the exact same thing to him. Inwardly making a promise to tell him about Nico the next chance she got, Annabeth focused on the question displayed on the board, but felt her mind constantly shifting back to a certain pale and rave-haired boy with emerald green eyes.