After a long week, Percy was graced with two days off.
When he worked for Joe, his days off were usually sporadic. It was heavily dependent on the demand of the city. So sometimes, he would deliver for months before getting an actual break. Silas also knew this because back then Percy would make a stop by after being done with his deliveries and work the day shift after almost everyday looking incredibly burnt out.
"I can work those days too, you know," Percy suggested to Silas as he was preparing to leave from his shift. He'd just washed the kitchen rag and set it out to dry. "It's not a big deal. I'll even work them for free."
"Are you insane?" Silas waved the suggestion off with his free hand, the other hand adding up profits from the week on his notebook. "It's okay. Tuesdays and Wednesdays off are perfect, since they're usually the least busy according to the profits we're making here. We'll call them 'Restock Night' so I can clean the bodega and restock without having to be interrupted. Those days you have off in exchange. Knock yourself out."
Percy reluctantly but gratefully accepts.
When he wakes up and it's one in the afternoon, he thinks about what he should do for the rest of the day. He has his books in the bag on his shoulders and he's headed for Bobst to renew his books. He'd gotten a text earlier this morning saying his books were due at four so he'd thought he'd go in a bit earlier just in case there was something wrong with the books or the system. He cannot afford their fees and so he'd rather not risk it.
He steps into the library after the walk from the station and the guard lets him in after his library card indicates his approval. His eyes look over to the front desk and there she is again.
Annabeth.
He hadn't seen her since he saw her that night. Percy straightened from his slouch from walking with the weight of his bag, grateful the bruises on his face were now faded and almost completely gone. He noticed she still looks tired like before. She's casually reading a book with both her arms on the counter, one hand propping her chin up. She's looking down at her book so it makes her look slightly bored, like the book was the last thing she wanted to read right now. Her fingers were gracefully putting the pages down from lifting up. She flipped a page and that was the only noise he heard from her.
He walks over to the front desk because he has to anyway. "Hi," he greets. "Good to see you again."
She looks up from her book and smiles slightly. Her eyes dance with kindness. "Hi again. Here to get some textbooks for your amusement?"
"Nope, just here to renew." Percy unslings his bag from one shoulder and takes his two books out from his bookbag. It was his physics textbook that he'd gotten again during the week and the collection of essays.
"Didn't you read the whole thing?" She points to the book Silas wanted to read him, and Percy shook his head.
"No, almost but not yet. Silas has a few essays he wants to pick at with me and he wants me to slow down. So I have to keep it for a bit until we're done."
She took both of the books from him and started the renewal process. He handed over his library card to her. "Alright, it won't take long so don't go anywhere."
Percy was aware. He's come here and renewed books hundreds of times and it was an incredibly simple and fast process. It was usually done with a few scans and a few taps on the keyboard and it was done. Generally, he could be out here in seconds spinning on his heel. However, he found himself desiring something go wrong unlike he dreaded this morning so he would have more of an excuse to stand here and talk to her.
He then had an extremely spontaneous idea that his brain and mouth didn't even mind thinking over. "Hey, Annabeth, when does your shift end?" He practically blurted.
She slightly jumped when he'd said her name, or maybe he'd imagined it. Maybe it was the suddenness of his question. "In an hour, then I'm back at six."
"Are you free when your shift is over until your second is what I'm assuming?"
She thoughtfully contemplates her time for a second. "For the most part. And I don't have a shift, I'm just coming back here to study."
"Spend a few hours with me," he says boldly. He doesn't know where this sudden confidence comes from. "I have the next few days off and I'd like for you to spend it with me."
"Me?" She looks at him with wide eyes. She's done renewing the books, but she's holding on to them with a grip.
Percy's self-confidence drops as fast as it has risen. But she quickly quells the anxiety for him with an answer. "Sure, but I still have another hour until I leave."
He smiles unbeknownst to him. "I'll be on the fifth floor then. I'll meet you right here in an hour. Sound good?"
"Sounds great." Annabeth returns his smile and her tired eyes now look filled with vitality. He turns to walk over to the elevators to kill the next hour in apprehensive excitement. The hour will go by slowly, but it was only an hour. He can wait.
The elevators take him to the familiar fifth floor. He pushes and walks through the clear double doors and scans the room to find a seat and sees that the spot he took the last time was empty. He sits there comfortably and takes out the collection of essays along with a pencil and prays for the hour to pass by quickly.
Unlike last time however, he had trouble focusing on the paragraph he was looking at. He must've read it about four times now, but he wouldn't be able to say what exactly it is about. His leg bounced impatiently against the floor and his pencil tapped repetitively on the book.
He frustratingly gave up trying to focus and took in his surroundings. Last time he was so consumed with the new book that he didn't notice the noise around him. He figured this was the more casual study area where the students were on the boisterous side. The student looked roughly about his age, some younger; some older. The younger ones were chatting away, either sharing gossip or ideas. He heard a table a few yards away debate about the economic status of the recent years of the country. The girls next to him a few feet away were chatting about a restaurant that was a few blocks away that did "really good" tacos. The older students were studious, either occupying corners or computers, diligently doing the work that they were tasked with. He even saw a gray-haired man — a professor, perhaps?— flip through a book with his legs crossed on one of the loveseats.
While he never regretted the decision not to go to college, he couldn't help but feel envious of those around him. It seemed like a lively environment with the opportunity to make memories with peers in every corner of the floor. The way the talking students laughed amongst their friends made him nostalgic for a time he barely even remembered. Maybe this is why people went to college, he wondered. His eyes briefly lost focus as he lost himself to his thoughts.
He wondered if he would have a better life if he did come to college. He imagined himself in the seats where the students were debating, arguing along with them; or maybe diligently studying; or maybe even just having a nice time with a friend with a coffee and a book. Maybe if his family weren't so broken he would have a nice life. Maybe he would have the change to live like a normal and happy student. Just an average person living out an average day.
Maybe he wouldn't have to feel like life is just slowly awaiting death.
"Hi," he heard.
He turned his head to find Annabeth. She was dressed in her rug-like cardigan she wore when she came into the bodega that one night. He didn't remember seeing it when she was at the front desk. Her hair was down this time, tousled in curls cascading down her shoulders from the ponytail it had been in before. She had an eco-bag slug on one shoulder. The sleeves of her cardigan covered her hand holding on to the strap.
"Oh, hi," he shook his glum mood out and hastily shoved his things into his bookbag. He stood, slinging it over his shoulders. "I thought I'd meet you in an hour."
She pointed to the clock on the adjacent wall and saw that it was ten minutes past three. Had he been zoning out for that long? He didn't notice he was ten minutes late.
"Oh, my bad. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, no worries." They headed for the elevator together and Annabeth was messing with her hair combing it through with her fingers. "So... Where are we going Percy?"
;;;
It ends up raining out of nowhere as they were walking and Percy panicked. He didn't have an umbrella on him and he didn't want Annabeth to get drenched so they ran and ended up at the restaurant that Percy overheard of through the girls that sat a few feet away from him by pure chance. He tried to be suave and act like this was the place he was taking her in the first place.
Like the girls said, it was only a few blocks from the library and had an incredibly fun and open atmosphere. Orders were taken through the front counter and people were allowed to sit wherever they pleased. Although being in the rain wasn't great, it was fun to watch. They took the seat next to the floor-to-wall window to see the incoming storm.
"It's nice here," Annabeth observed while shaking out her hair, taking in the exotic atmosphere. She was right. The room itself was painted in a bright color with picture frames of plants or different instruments. The sturdy wooden tables were each decorated by a small succulent in the middle. The restaurant was filled but not crowded and complimented by music. A perfect atmosphere to mask any incoming awkwardness should it arise.
They both got up to see the boarded menu above the counter to order. It was written on a blackboard with various colors of chalk accompanied by amateur but fitting drawings all around the corners.
Percy himself was shaking water from everywhere on his body, gaining a look from the man in the corner. He tore his eyes off him and looked at the boarded menu and he honestly didn't know what he wanted to eat. He usually cooked for himself in his small apartment or at the bodega. There were so many variations of a simple taco that he had trouble picking what would suit his taste. He decided he would see what Annabeth would have. He looked at her.
"I think I'll have the corn tortilla shrimp tacos," she mutters, lips parted slightly and eyes squinted, focused on the board. She turned to him. "Did you make up your mind?"
"I'll have what you have. Any drinks?"
She ponders for a moment with her finger tapping on her lips. "A lime Jarritos should be fine."
He looks at the girl behind the register and recants his and Annabeth's order. "An Indio also." he adds.
He takes out his wallet from his back pocket to pay. "My treat," he says as soon as he sees Annabeth do the same. He wants to pay for her.
She shakes her head. "I'm serious! Put that away." he laughs then looks at her wallet with a pointed look.
"You don't have to, you know," she says in useless protest.
"I know, but I'm taking time out of your busy day to eat here with me so that definitely warrants pay from my side."
She laughs, softly as usual, and sees that he won't give up. She puts her wallet away in her tote bag. "Thank you, Percy."
He waves at her in polite dismissal. "Don't worry about it. You can make it up by helping business at the bodega."
She tilts her head and smiles slightly, amused. "That I can do."
The girl informs them as Percy pays that the food doesn't take long and will be served to their tables, so they go back to their seats across from each other. Percy is slightly slouched in his seat and Annabeth is back to being scrunched, taking the least amount of space possible. They both have their phones put away in consideration of each other.
After waiting for what seemed like five minutes, their order along with the two drinks and a bottle opener made its way to the table from the girl behind the counter. Without much to say, both ate in partial silence. The lively restaurant like assumed masked the awkwardness and the rain turned into a light storm trampling any quietness.
Although the atmosphere around them was lively, the air around Annabeth was mute. He didn't know what about her presumed a quiet and calming force about her, but as much as this encounter could be awkward, it wasn't terrible. It wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't uncomfortable either. He looked at the pattering rain and decided that it suited Annabeth's general vibe: calming, but something also glum about it.
Or perhaps Percy lived too chaotically that someone as normal as Annabeth felt abnormal. He was the storm and she danced around the eye, perhaps. Honestly, she wasn't any different from anyone he had known. He'd met some quiet people in his life, and they all had a certain air about them that spoke to him rather than them telling themselves directly who they are. Maybe it was the fact that Percy was slightly curious about her that she seemed more interesting, or maybe it was because Annabeth and Percy were so different. But then again, he felt like he could relate to her on some levels, so maybe they weren't entirely different.
Either way, while he watched her eat, he took in everything about her that he could through observation. Either she didn't notice or just didn't care, she peacefully ate her food and marveled about the taste.
"How'd you find this place?" She asked Percy. "I've never even seen this place and I've been around here for a while."
"I heard some girls next to me talk about it on the fifth floor." He says simply.
She nods, chewing her second taco. "Mm, I might be coming here again."
Silence passes between the two again before Annabeth interrupts again. "So Silas gave you the next few days off?"
Percy sipped a bit of his beer before he answered. "Yes. He decided Tuesdays and Wednesdays are official 'Restock Nights'." He did the airquotes with his fingers. "Every Tuesdays and Wednesdays I will have off except for the day shift I always work, I think. I'm going to have to clarify that with him."
"What are you going to do on those days?"
Percy contemplates it for a little while wiping his mouth. Usually he would spend it aimlessly doing problems, reading, or drinking cheap beer while watching movie reviews or pirating the actual movies. He tended to spend his time without any real direction or productivity. It took him a while to answer that Annabeth just started on her food again.
"I don't know." He finally says. "I could go to the library."
"On your day off?" She has her eyebrow raised.
"What else am I gonna do?"
"I mean, it's New York. There's tons of things to do. Aren't you from here?"
Did Percy ever tell her that? "Yeah. How'd you know?"
"How could I not know?" She slightly laughs. "You have a really thick accent."
"Oh," Percy rubbed the back of his neck. No one really pointed it out to him. Then again, everyone he knew was from around here and they just all spoke the same way he did. Even Silas. "I guess that means you're not?"
"No," Annabeth said, finishing her taco. "I'm from Chicago."
"Oh wow. From one major city to another."
"Yeah." Annabeth suddenly digs into her bag, looks surprised for a slight moment, then pulls out her phone. It's vibrating.
"Oh," she looks apologetic. "It's my dad, I won't be long."
Family problems.
He waves that it's okay and watches her pick up. "Hello? Hi Dad. I'm good as always, how are you?"
Her tone is pleasant and she is smiling, her teeth slightly showing. She pauses for a moment and nods as she listens to her father speak, laughing at something that he says that Percy can't hear. "Sounds like you had a lot of fun. No, I'm actually out with..." she ponders for a moment and Percy figures Annabeth is trying to figure out what her relationship to Percy as a person was. "... a new friend. Yeah, at this taco place that I've never seen in my two years here. Yeah he took me there. It's really nice, I think you'll like it. I'll take you next time you're here."
Percy was astonished at the warmth of the conversation between Annabeth and her father. It seemed like he was asking her things out of genuine curiosity about her wellbeing and what she was up to. The conversation continued with her soft laughter and pearly smile, her eyes staring at her shoes that were picking at the tips of each other as she answered every question her father asked. She seemed to enjoy everything that her father was saying to her in an amicable manner ― something that Percy wasn't used to seeing at all. Percy's conversations with Poseidon were cold, clipped, and downright unpleasant. The only other person who Percy was around was Silas, but both his parents had died when he was young. The only family he had was an uncle who would call him maybe once a year.
Annabeth eyed Percy. "Hey dad, I have to go. Can I call you a bit later? Yes, tell the boys I said hi. Okay. Love you too, bye."
Love you. Percy doesn't even remember the last time he said that.
"Sorry about that," she says, embarrassed, clearly having been carried away by the call.
"No worries, was that your dad?"
"Yeah, he calls almost everyday to check up on me."
"That's cool. You guys seem close."
"Very close," she says, putting her phone back in her bag.
Percy stared at his Indio. He couldn't stop thinking about the way Annabeth talked to her dad. It seemed so abnormal. He didn't get how someone could be that friendly to a father, when being a father to Percy meant ignoring, nonchalant, and calling only when absolutely necessary. Certainly every day seemed to be a bit much. Did one really need to talk to their parent so often?
While he questioned this, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. He wished his father cared about his day, how he was doing, and what he was doing at a given call. He wish he even bothered to call without the necessity of it. Last time his father called he ended up insulting Poseidon and hanging up prematurely. It was never friendly.
She breaks his train of thought and returns the sentiment. "What about you? Are you close with your family?"
He withers from this question but decides to answer it. "We're not very close. I come from a broken family."
"Oh," Annabeth suddenly looks a bit uncomfortable. "I'm sorry I asked." she says, mimicking the one time Percy said that to her.
"No, it's okay," Percy really meant it. "How about your mom? How are you and her?" He was genuinely curious. This was new to him.
Her whole posture shifts. "She and I have an interesting relationship, the say the least. It's not as great as it is with my dad."
Now he was the one sorry to ask. But he nodded. "I get that."
She nods at him too. Understanding passes through the both of them and each sit in partially uncomfortable silence, the music of the restaurant and batter of rain concealing the thick air around them.
"Thanks for the food," Annabeth quietly adds.
He nods and smiles slightly at her, wanting to convey that it was not a big deal. He was truly lucky they happened to stumble upon this place. He looks out the giant window. "I don't know how we're going to get back."
Annabeth looks at him and he looks at her. "Um... About that." Her cheeks turn into a light rosy color as she dips into her tote bag and takes out a compact umbrella. "I guess I had this."
"... You mean to tell me we got drenched by choice?" He points out his shirt.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know. I guess Angel put it in my bag and I forgot that I saw it. I had no idea it was raining today."
He laughs because of how silly she is. "Okay, I guess we won't have to worry about going."
"Okay." She gets up, shouldering her tote bag and looks at him expectantly. "Shall we?"
He hesitantly gets up and shoulders his wet bookbag. Just like last time, the subconscious feeling fills him again as he finds himself slightly wishing Angel hadn't checked the weather for Annabeth.