-Two months later at closing time on a Friday night-
I'd been living and working with the Jackson's and their family for two months. Thalia was one of my best friends and we were almost inseparable unless she was with Nico and then I was usually with Percy, but when we got a chance we were always all together.
"Hey, Thals, are we almost done cleaning up? I'm starved."
"Yeah, I think so! Can we food?"
"Chick-fi-la?"
"Can I invite Nico?"
I gave her a funny look.
"What? You can invite Percy." She looked at me with a smirking face.
"Funny." I deadpanned.
"C'mon! And then we can have a sleepover and a movie marathon tonight."
"It sounds like you're inviting yourself over." I said trying to hide the smile in my voice.
"Duh!" she said with a smirk.
I shook my head and got out my iphone. A selfie of me and Percy was my lock screen picture, and I grinned to myself for a second before I typed in my password. I clicked the phone app and scrolled down to 'Seaweed Brain'. It rang once before he picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Perce! Me and Thalia were about to head over to Chick-fil-la if you want to meet us over there!"
"Oooo! Sounds good! Let me just finish up here and I'll be ready. Nico coming? Cause it would probably be easier to carpool…"
"I think so, Thalia is asking him now."
"Well, that explains the stupid grin on his face!"
I smiled and looked over at Thalia who had hung up and was watching me with a smug smile.
She raised her eyebrow at me and mouthed 'You totally like him' at me. I blushed slightly and said bye to Percy.
I glared at her. "I don't like him. He's a complete idiot! Insufferable…irritating…impossible…the completely opposite of my type of guys. Granted, besides you he's my best friend, but I just don't like him like that!"
"Whatever! Anyways, what movie are we gonna watch?" She rolled her eyes as she talked.
"I was thinking romantic comedy?"
"I'm down. What all do you have?
"27 dresses, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Bridesmaids, Failure to launch, Maid of honor, 17 again, When in Rome…I think that's about it…"
"Agh! That's a hard choice, but I think I'm gonna have to go with 27 dresses. I haven't seen it in ages!"
"Yessss!"
She laughed and said, "You're driving, by the way."
I just smiled and shook my head. Ever since I'd gotten my truck back from Big 3, I hadn't had any trouble at all. So, I was perfectly fine with driving. We got in and headed that way. Upon arriving, Thalia texted the boys to make sure they were close behind.
-At The Big House-
We'd just got back from eating. Thalia and I had just gotten out of the truck when Percy's Jeep pulled up. As we walked to the house we realized Nico was still with Percy.
"What are you doing here?" I asked
Percy scoffed playfully, "Boys night, duh."
"You're having a sleep over? What the crap. Are you girls or something?" I said sarcastically.
Nico struck a dramatic girl pose and said in his best faux girl voice, "Like totally, what else would we do on a Friday night besides gossip and do each other's hair?"
Percy (who had caught on to the act) put in with, "Like, yeah do you guys want to join us for a pillow fight and fingernail painting?"
Thalia was the first to respond, "Har, Har. Well, whatever. Me and Annabeth are watching a chick-flick upstairs, and I don't want either of you interrupting it."
Percy feigned hurt and put a hand over his heart. "And you didn't invite us? How could you! To think that I was going to invite y'all to come watch a scary movie…I was even gonna supply the popcorn. But whateves, go be girls while we watch our manly movies!"
I glared at him, "I hate scary movies, and you know that."
He grinned his irritatingly, adorable, crooked grin and waved his hand, "Nothin would get you! I wouldn't let anything get close enough!"
He stood frozen for a moment before going wide eyed. Realizing that he'd said that out loud, he said with rushed words and a nervous laugh, "Well, hah, y'all have fun. We'll see you tomorrow. Nico! C'mon!" He walked inside abnormally fast, leaving Nico behind.
We all watched him go and then Nico turned to Thalia and said "It still on?" and Thalia nodded her response. "Ok, well, Night Annabeth, Night Thals!" He leaned over to give her a kiss and I looked away awkwardly.
As he walked away Thalia loudly whispered, "Have fun with that one!" He kept walking away, but raised his hand up and waved it once, signaling a 'whatever' response.
I looked at her with a confused face, and she just shook her head saying, "Later!"
We walked into the house and up the stairs to my floor. She walked in first as if she owned the place, and truthfully she might as well. She spends just as much time up here as I do. I walked into the kitchen and put a bag of kettle corn in the microwave as she walked over to the living area and turned on the TV and put in the movie.
It was silent for a few minutes, and then Thalia nonchalantly brought up, "Hey, Annabeth…have you ever had a boyfriend?"
I leaned over past the island and narrowed my eyes suspiciously at her turned back.
"Maybe…Why?"
Thalia shrugged, "I'm just curious! You don't seem like you've ever had much experience in the flirting arena…"
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Oh, well, I normally don't have to flirt. I just am not really the type for their relationships. "
Thalia turned to me, "Why? You're gorgeous and smart and funny and-"
I stopped her short by saying, "OK, ok! The guys aren't the problem. I'm just not good at putting myself out there, and I'm awful at picking up signs – or giving them for that matter. I don't know! It's like my brain just freezes up and I get all awkward and stuff."
Very quietly, I heard her mumble under her breath, "You got that right."
I looked at her bewildered, "What's that supposed to mean!?"
She cocked her head to the side and lulled her eyes, "What do you think of Percy?"
I bit my lip, and could feel my cheeks growing red. I looked down trying to avoid her gaze, which made me look even more guilty. Trying to play it off , I looked back at her , . "I told you! He's a complete idiot. I. Don't. Like. Him."
She scoffed. "So, what, you love him?"
My face morphed, "THALIA! No!" I screamed at her.
She raised both her hands and waved them for me to be quiet. "Hey! Whisper! They're right below us!"
I frowned at her, but shut up, getting the popcorn out.
She grinned, "If you don't like him, why'd you get so defensive?"
I opened and closed my mouth, waving my hand around trying desperately to come up with an answer, "There's a reason, but I can't think of it right now."
She just smiled and turned back to the TV. "Let's watch this movie; we can talk later!"
I sighed but grabbed the now slightly cold popcorn, and walked over to join her on the couch. Just as I sat down I heard a knock come from the middle of the floor. I stood up and walked over to the odd square piece of floor. Hidden in the cracks around it was a rope. I pulled it up to reveal the smiling face of Percy Jackson.
-Let me explain. See, my part of the house was technically the attic. So basically, Percy has a ladder leading up to the center of my living room (you know, that one section of lighter wood cut out?). Perfect to come to and fro without having to walk very far! We usually leave it open, because we can hear each other, kind of like living together, but not!—
He stared up at me and I looked at him expectantly.
"What?" I said.
"Have y'all started your movie yet?" he asked stupidly.
"If we had I wouldn't have answered. Now what do you need?" I asked flatly.
"Well, you see Miss Grouchy, me and Nico were watching our scary movie and stuff and that's when Nico – the big baby he is- decided that the movie was too scary for him, and so I suggested that maybe you guys might be willing to let us join you for your movie," His words started speeding up, "but judging by the look on your face that's a no so I'm just gonna go back down, haha! Ok, bye…"
I rolled my eyes as he started down the latter, "Fine! Come on. But bring your own popcorn."
He looked up and flashed a toothy grin. "Yes ma'am!" He looked down and yelled to Nico, "C'mon, you wuss!"
I propped open the hole door, turned off the lights, walked back and sat on the couch next` to a smug Thalia.
As she opened her mouth to talk, I glared at her, "Don't even."
She zipped her mouth with her hand and "tossed away the key".
The boys came up in their pj's and sat down on the couch. Nico, who was on the right end, put his arm around Thalia and she snuggled up to him. Percy sat on the left end of the couch and propped his bare feet on the cushion I'd put in front of the couch. He put his arm on the back of the sofa to where his hand was right behind my head. I pushed play and the movie started. About 30 minutes into the movie I felt Percy absentmindedly start playing with my hair, but I didn't say anything. 20 minutes later his hand started going slower and slower until it stopped. I glanced over at him to see that he had fallen asleep. I looked over at Thalia and saw that she and Nico were asleep too. I laughed to myself, and relaxed into the couch, but by doing that, also into Percy. I barely made it to the end of the movie before I fell asleep.
The next morning the sound of urgent whispers never registered behind my closed eyes.
"Just take the picture!" A voice said quietly.
"I'm trying! Move his hand, It's in the way!" said another.
"Hurry, before they wake up!"
*click*
"Got it!"
There was a sigh of relief, footsteps, and then a door slammed. It woke me up, but I tried to cling to sleep. I snuggled up to the warmth below me, and took a deep breath. It smelled like Percy. I smiled sleepily. All of a sudden images of last night came flooding back to me and sat up, eyes wide. I had slept on Percy all night! He started to move around and muttered something about "cold". He took one giant breath and a great big stretch, and then opened his eyes. He looked at the ceiling, frowned, and frantically started looking around until his eyes landed on me. "Please tell me I'm still asleep, and this is a dream." He said sleepily.
I yawned, "Actually, no. You fell asleep during the movie last night."
He sat up and stretched again "Well, by the looks of it you did too! Where'd you sleep?" he asked with a yawn.
"On you, apparently." I said as I rubbed my eyes.
He laughed and got up. He went to climb down the ladder to his floor and I went to go make a pot of coffee.
A few minutes later, out of nowhere, he popped his head back up the hole and yelled, "HEY! I know what we need to do today! Can we make a slip'n'slide? It can go down into the pond! And then to say we've actually accomplished something we can take our soapy bodies and wash our cars!" He closed his eyes and looked proud of himself for his idea.
I shook my head at him, "You are SUCH A CHILD SOMETIMES!"
He put a pouty face on, "Well, someone has to make up for your over adult-y-ness!"
I pointed a finger at him sternly, "Hey, no sassing me boy!"
He cocked his head to the side and smirked. Then in a very flirty manor said, "Last time I checked I'm older than you, and have complete authority to be as sssassyyy as I want to be!"
I raised my eyebrow and smiled, "Ok, Per-sassy! Fine. We can do your stupid slip'n'slide." And then as an afterthought, I added, "Have you seen the other two? They fell asleep on the couch last night too…"
He frowned, "Come to think of it, I haven't. Maybe they went downstairs for Saturday pancakes."
I shrugged and poured me a cup of coffee as Percy descended back to where he had come from.
Oh and by the way- *preparing for rant*
The reason we are on this site is to let our own imaginations roam with already beloved characters, IS IT NOT? That's why we call it FANfiction. So, YES my Percy and Annabeth are OOC, but let's be real. So far in this story, have ANY of them been in character? NO. I didn't think so. I don't own Percy Jackson, or Annabeth Chase, or any others in this story. Any and all rights go to Rick Riordan.
And in my opinion, what could be more gratifying as an author, than to have inspired so many people by your characters, so that their imaginations just can't get enough of them? Right? I don't know if you will read this, and honestly, that's ok, but if you're going to snap at my story, at least give me a chance to reply back to you so I'm not having to be uncivilized and rant to the world about it.
*Rant over*
~skychaseing
