Chapter 14

Percy

Instead of spending his lovely Sunday morning sleeping in, eating bacon and pancakes, lounging around the house, watching Netflix - you know, typical morning activities - Percy was walking into a church building, shoving his hands uncomfortably into the khakis he was forced to put on by his father.

Most of the little break through he had with his dad had been good. They had gone out on the boat yesterday, and he had taught Percy how to fish which was something he had never had the opportunity to do. When he caught his first one, he had squealed like a little kid.

The sea glittered a sparkling blue as he dropped the catch back into the ocean, a splash appearing as the trout swam off again, unharmed. They spent the whole day out there, Poseidon allowing Percy a couple beers, the two of them sailing on the river and occasionally passing a few fisherman Poseidon seemed to know.

It was something he actually appreciated about small town life. The familiarity, the sweet hey y'alls as you walked down Main St. It made him feel less lonely, less out of place. Everybody was just nice. There wasn't usually an ulterior motive, or forced customer service like in the city. People were nice because they wanted to be.

However, the one downside to him and his dad getting along a little better was this whole church thing. Percy wasn't religious in any way. He had never even been in a church before, not even a touristy one. As far as he knew, his dad wasn't either but apparently it was just something everybody did in this tiny little town.

"Just think of it like… a social thing." Poseidon said, ushering him out the door after Amphitrite had already gotten in the car. "Besides, your cousins will be there too. It'll be fun."

Somehow, Percy doubted this statement.

The little white building would have been easy to miss in town if there wasn't every single car in Bridgeport pulled into the parking lot. People streamed in, all in nice pants and button downs, the girls in sundresses and heels. After a handshake with the pastor, who said he was "happy to finally see Percy here," to Poseidon,like Percy needed saving or some bullshit, they took their seats in an old wooden pew lined with wool blankets. The thing creaked as they sat down, Thalia and Jason suddenly appearing in the pew in front of them.

Thalia turned around, grinning, "Ready for a good time?" She asked, a knowing look in her startling blue eyes.

Jason turned, "Don't worry," He mentioned, waving a hand in the air, "One hour and then we're on our way to the diner for breakfast."

Percy's stomach grumbled at the mention of food. He wanted more than anything to ditch this completely uncomfortable situation, take his dad's truck and go get some coffee. He was seriously debating causing probably the scandal of this town's century by running out of this church. He turned in his seat, trying to judge how long it would take for him to get from here to there, but then she walked in.

Shit. Of course, she would be here. How dumb was he? Fucking everbody in this dumb town was here, ready to celebrate God like he was real or something. Like he would save all of their small town problems. Gods, how naive.

She laughed, gray eyes sparkling as she gave the pastor - who also happened to be the cattle rancher Percy had just bought their weekly supply from yesterday - a firm, hand shake, both of his hands enclosing hers in a loving gesture. She looked beautiful, in a blue sundress with her cowgirl boots that he had only seen before at the few parties they had been at. Her hair was smooth, any frizzy strands tamed down, her skin tanned and southern, a few faint freckles popping out on her cheeks.

Fuck. He turned back around, clasping his hands uncomfortably in front of him, willing her to go sit somewhere far away. He couldn't be thinking about her like that anyways. He was supposed to be mad at her, considering their last interaction. She had been completely unreasonable, acting like a total child the entire time. And yet…

Yet there had been a tiny - tiny - part of him that had wanted to press her up against the side of her truck and use a different tactic to shut her up besides words.

Fuck.

She didn't go sit far away. Her family came and joined the Grace's in their pews, Annabeth sliding in next to Thalia so she was just to the left of his knee.

"Look who decided to join us," Thalia said, jerking a finger back at Percy.

Annabeth turned, her gray eyes losing whatever happiness had just been there. They were icy on him, and Percy hoped his glare was just as intimidating. He doubted it.

She hummed in disinterest, then turned back towards the little book they got when they walked in the door, pretending to be interested in it. Thalia sent her an odd look, but Percy just ignored her bad attitude. If she wanted to be a bitch, let her. Annabeth wasn't the only attractive girl in this town.

Church passed, and Percy tried his best to act like it wasn't the most horrendous hour of his life. He fought his way to the front of the place, angering quite a few elderly people in the process, and blew through the doors, breathing the fresh, church-free, air. His family joined him in a minute, Poseidon glancing at him disapprovingly. Luckily, his dad was distracted by Zeus before he could say anything else to him.

"So," Jason said, with Annabeth and Thalia in tow as they approached him. "Aunt Mae's or mexican?"

Annabeth gave something of a shudder, "Not Aunt Mae's."

Thalia glanced at her before something close to realization crossed her face and she put an arm around her best friend.

"Mexican good with you?" Thalia asked him, looking up from Annabeth.

Percy shrugged. "Sounds good."

"Jase, come on." Thalia said, tapping her brother on the shoulder. "We have to go ask Dad to take the car."

Too late, Percy realized this left him alone with Annabeth as the siblings wandered off through the crowd to find their dad. Percy shifted uncomfortably, and Annabeth still looked as if she had seen a ghost. He wondered how a breakfast place ran by the sweetest person ever could scare a person as intimidating as Annabeth, but he didn't dare ask.

"Why are you here?" Annabeth asked suddenly, her gaze turned sharply onto his, leaving the dusty ground.

Percy ground his teeth, "I don't know, Annabeth. Maybe because it's the only fucking church in this ridiculous hell hole."

She laughed, but it didn't reach her eyes, "Oh, so we're back to that now?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

Percy rolled his eyes, "If you mean back to hating this place, we never left that feeling."

Annabeth shook her head, "Sure, Percy." She said dejectedly, resigned, tired. She was… giving him a way to end this conversation. To end the fight before it ever started. To have a nice, civil Sunday. Isn't that what he wanted?

He should have… he should have let it go. He shouldn't push her -

"Maybe you just deluded yourself into thinking that." He offered. Annabeth's mouth turned into a frown, but before she could say anything else, he took a step closer. "Maybe you have your own… personal reasons for wanting me to enjoy my time here." He breathed, close enough now to feel the hot breaths her puffy lips pushed out each time she exhaled.

"Right," She scoffed, "You know, not every girl is as taken with you as you think." Annabeth took another step closer, challenging him.

"Really?" He cocked his head to the side, letting her breath spill over his neck now, goosebumps appearing involuntarily. "Cause your blush might be letting out some of your secrets just now."

She stiffened, her breath catching. "You're being absolutely ridiculous." She gasped, her chest heaving against the tight top of her dress.

"Am I?" He questioned. They were against a tree, protected from the sight of their families. Their lips were inches - no, centimeters - apart, and all he had to do was lean down, and maybe, maybe he was imagining it but she was closer to him than a second ago, and -

"Guys!" Thalia announced her arrival before appearing, Percy jumping back from Annabeth, watching the breath she had been holding disappear from her mouth. Her eyes were wide, and she desperately tried to pat down the hair that had gotten tangled from being pushed up against the bark. Percy shoved his hands in the pockets of the tight, stiff khakis, trying to rearrange the slight problem that had appeared before Thalia noticed. Gods, all they had done was talked.

"He said we have to pick it up." Thalia said, rolling her eyes. "Something about community and being friendly by staying for the picnic brunch. So, you guys ready?"

Annabeth blew a stray curl out of her face, her eyes turning stormy, any effect Percy had had on her gone from recognition. "I'm not going anywhere with him," She announced, jerking her head in his direction, not even looking at him.

"Are you kidding me?" Percy snarled. "I haven't done anything to you. You're being completely unreasonable."

Annabeth sniffed, looking at her friend for support but Thalia just looked confused by the whole situation. "Fine." She said, rubbing her nose. "Y'all go without me, then."

"Annabeth," Thalia said. "Let's just take a breather,"

"No!" She said, turning on her friend now. "He's a complete asshole, and I am done hanging out with him."

"Okay, chill." Thalia put her hands up defensively. "Let's just -"

"All you've done since I got here is be a complete bitch to me," Percy complained, interrupting Thalia. He sounded whiny, but he didn't care. He couldn't believe that less than two minutes ago he had wanted to kiss this girl. Gods, what a terrifying thought.

Annabeth turned back to him, lips pressed in a thin, tight line. "Because you're absolutely insufferable."

"Okay…" Thalia glanced between the two of them, something between confusion and frustration flashing across her eyes. "Guess Jason and I will go get the food then." He heard her vaguely mutter before she turned to walk off, leaving the two of them fighting alone again.

"You only think that because I'm from the city." Percy returned, "And it's completely unfair."

"Don't be ridiculous." She seethed. "I would think you insufferable even if you were able to fit in here."

"Or, maybe you're just jealous." He mentioned, with a forced casual shrug of his shoulders.

He could tell he had struck a chord because her cheeks turned bright red, her eyes even more steely than before. She jutted a finger out at him, opening her mouth to speak, but she never got the chance.

There was a horrifying crash. A loud bang, which resulted in the entire church screaming in fear. The first thing Percy remembered were Annabeth's eyes, turning from that stormy gray into something else, something fearful. And then there was the smoke. Going up in plumes around the cars, one huge black truck crushed against a smaller red pickup.

"911!" He heard someone call out, but he couldn't be sure who.

And then another scream. One he knew, one that pulled at his heartstrings despite his forced thoughts of hate or anger towards the girl. "Thalia!" Annabeth screamed, her mouth in an O, her eyes bright and shiny in shock. Her hand found his, pulling him forward in the crowd, the two of them pushing through. The noise around them sounded far off, vacant and tinny, as if he was hearing it through a filter. The only thing that was clear to him was Annabeth's sobs as she tore through the crowd.

Percy realized they were too close after she had dragged him out into the middle of the intersection. Whatever little instinct he had left wrapped Annabeth in a bear hug, holding her back. She kicked at him, pummeled his arms, but he wasn't about to let go. Despite her pleas, if these cars blew… well, he sure as hell wasn't going to lose her along with his cousins.

The ambulance arrived, sirens blaring through all the noise. They pulled the passengers out. The guy was someone Percy didn't recognize, but the other two… Thalia's head was bloody, her head lolled to one side as they carried her on a stretcher. Annabeth had stopped resisting now, falling back onto Percy's chest, and he turned her head further in when she let out a heaving gasp at the sight of her friend. She buried herself in him as he watched Jason get pulled out of the car, looking less bloody but still unconscious.

He stood there with Annabeth, stroking her hair subconsciously, until the ambulance had long driven off and the sirens with it. He needed her just as much as she needed him, he realized, as he struggled to gain control of his voice again. "Let's go," He whispered into her curls, finally getting the words out. She nodded in agreement, and Percy got them both successfully to the truck, ignoring the calls of his father and starting towards the hospital.

Hey y'all, back from vacation. I had a long plane ride today so I got this done. It's kind of short and I don't think it's my best haha but I wanted next chapter to be all from Annabeth's perspective so I ended it here. Hope everyone is staying safe out there! Next chapter should be out in a few days.

-a