Chapter 2: Thanksgiving Break
Annabeth
-One week before Thanksgiving-
"Ya-helloo! How is it going, Annabeth?"
I hadn't expected that. From behind me, a girl with red auburn hair and soft green eyes tapped on my left shoulder. She called me out with a question that suggested she wanted to talk. I was surprised.
"Rachel?"
We were currently in English class but were given free class time while the teacher played us a movie. It became a backdrop to everyone attending this class because no one was watching. Most were on their phones, and some like me and Rachel were about talking through it without paying attention.
Of course, the teacher didn't care either because she was busy grading papers and occasionally checking out her phone.
"Hey!" Rachel smiled brightly and waved her open hand beside her head, "How are you? Thanksgiving is around the corner, you know? What are your plans?"
There were reasons why I was anxious when she reached out seemingly out of nowhere. Ever since I lied to her about meeting Percy, I got the feeling that she wanted to avoid me as much as possible. I completely understand. After all, I said with such conviction that I wasn't interested in the new transfer student, not one bit, but then everything happened between me and Percy—
In any case, Rachel was no doubt hurt by it, or at the very least, annoyed at me. When she openly revealed to me that she had a crush on him like a lot of the other girls do, it must have felt like a stab in the back for them to know that someone like me- who was already labeled as the prettiest girl in school and always attracting all the boys' unwanted attention- for having such a close relationship with Percy right from the start.
It wouldn't be out of the question that they were all jealous of me for taking Percy away from them, not to mention when some of them already hated me for being the smart girl in all of Goode. Because of this, it's not difficult for me to sometimes feel eyes burning whenever I walked around with Percy; the past three months were some of the worse because their unpleasant gaze hidden behind their feigned smiles was starting to have an effect on me. I never did care before, but now…
The truth is, there was some part of me that didn't want to drag Percy down this lonely path with me. I wanted him to flourish in this school too, just like he did in his previous one.
I smiled inwardly as I remembered all the misadventures he shared with me underneath that starry night on the beach, all before he kissed me.
To think that I had fallen in love with someone as outgoing as Percy, especially when he's got a much friendlier persona than I did, I felt… undeserving, like I was holding him back just because of my silly feelings for him.
He's too good for you… Those passing thoughts became a lot more frequent as of late.
It wasn't just uncertainty I felt from being at Percy's side all the time. I grew uncomfortable too- no, rather, I was scared of what was going to happen now that people more or less become conscious of my quickly developing friendship with him. If someone had caught on to what we did on that one weekend….
Whether we went to the library to study, have classes together, or just us walking hand in hand and hung around Goode's campus, there were always those glances and those intrusive thoughts in my head that I was forced to be aware of.
Rachel would probably be the one that hated me most for taking the new transfer student all to myself, and I expected her to hate me even more now that Percy and I were becoming something more than just school friends. If anything, everyone probably noticed by now how I was acting around Percy, and it wouldn't be long before another rumor took the school by storm.
Which was why her sudden greeting came at a loss for me…
I blinked a few times and answered honestly, "I am fine, and I've got nothing is going on with me this break. What about you?"
She smiled with the same usual grin that so befitting her glowing personality, yet it struck me so oddly I must have given her a face, "I am good Annabeth." Her cheerful voice which was surprisingly convincing reached around us too, "And you don't have to make that face at me, Beth. I am not here to fight."
"Huh?" I saw a small knowing pout on her face.
"I know what you are thinking, Annabeth." A somewhat complicated smile moved over her lips, "You are still thinking about what happened between me and you since the year started, right?"
Can't say otherwise…
I chose to nod instead.
"Well, I am here to apologize." Her sincerity was genuine and it reached me as well.
"I realized I was kind of a jerk after that whole thing, but… it honestly took me by surprise, that's all. I didn't- actually, I still couldn't imagine you and Percy being so close already. I thought there might be a chance for me… so silly, I guess."
"I am sorry for taking so long to apologize, and for ignoring you all this time." Rachel finished.
I pursed my lips together and held in a breath. It took me less than a minute to become aware of what was really going on, and why she decided to reach out now. The weak and loneliness in her eyes grew from that point on, and I couldn't just ignore it.
"Can I sit next to you?" I offered timidly.
I saw her green eyes glow and widen as soon as I asked her, then abrupt tears built over her eyelids with a surprising flood like she could barely hold herself back from crying. I tried to smile weakly, and seconds later, she chuckled and wiped herself with the long sleeves of her white blouse, a vulnerable smile formed over her lips.
"I'd like that." She grinned back with a new, much more confident expression.
It's only natural that someone as insightful as Rachel knew I'd figured her out. After what happened, I knew it must be tough for her. I doubt she wanted to let anyone know, but I bet everyone in school already heard about it on the news.
In any case, her parents recently went through a rough divorce three weeks after the year started for us, and because her mother was a famous figure in the fine art world, the news about their separation grew all over the place. And because her father was her only biological family, it was decided that Rachel would be staying with her father instead of her stepmother.
Despite all these changes for her, I'd really admire her resolve. It would be an unpleasant ordeal for anyone to deal with, especially something as heartbreaking as this, but whenever I saw the brave faces and smiles she put on around campus, it made me feel even more respect toward her as a person, in a totally new way.
And since she reached out to me suddenly today, I knew exactly what she needed so I didn't want to shy away from doing my best to comfort her.
"You are a good friend, Annabeth." Rachel held back a sniffle.
I took a seat much closer than I would have in other circumstances. With my left hand, I pat her right arm softly. Hopefully, that would be enough for her to know that I wouldn't abandon her.
"Come now… you know I won't abandon someone who needs help."
Rachel held her head high after a deep breath, "I know, that's why you are a good friend, Annabeth."
When Rachel's news broke out, a lot of her friends began to disappear one by one. I didn't know why that was the case, but it broke my heart to see that she was having fewer and fewer people to talk to. I want to comfort her, not least to pay her back for keeping me as her friend throughout our two years in Goode.
"You are my friend too, Rachel." I said slowly, "I am really sorry for lying about Percy."
She shook her head, "Mm-hmm… It's no big deal. I can see how good you two are together."
"I felt bad, honestly… If I didn't meet him first, then maybe…"
Rachel cut me off, "No. The same thing would have happened. I mean, if I am being honest, I could tell Percy is smitten with you. You are the same, aren't you?"
My cheeks heated up a little and I let out an awkward smile.
"It must be nice to have a boy as sweet as Percy to fall so head over heels for you, Annabeth." Rachel smiled hopefully despite her own feelings. She let out a sarcastic laugh, "Maybe someday I'll meet someone like that, but if anything, I am so jealous of you right now… in a friendly way, you know?"
I chuckled nervously, "Don't you hate me?"
Her answer came straight away and there was no thinking involved, "No. Of course, I don't. It's just… sometimes I felt like you could do anything, you know? Like there is no obstacle you couldn't solve and overcome yourself. I am slightly jealous of that, I guess."
Her words most likely rang true for all the other girls attending this school, yet they didn't know me all that well, so they wouldn't know the struggles I put up with every day. I put on a brave face instead.
"It's not as easy as it seems… I make mistakes too, you know."
Rachel shook her head, "I know. That was a silly thing to say."
"You are dealing with your own challenges too." Rachel noted, "I mean, the whole thing with Luke… I doubt you even— Oh wait… sorry. I didn't mean to-"
For a moment, it annoyed me a little bit when she mention Luke. She must have thought that offended me because she fidgeted and clutched down on her school skirt, while a fluster look moved across her face. She tried to apologize again, but I cut her off before she could.
It was clear from the start that it was an honest slip-up on her part, and she was being sincere so there was no way something as little as this could get me angry at her.
"It's okay, Rachel…. I'm- I'm getting better at dealing with him, so it's all good." My lips cracked into a wide smile, "You don't have to apologize for talking about that. I got into that trouble myself, it's no one else fault but mine. Plus, if he tried anything, Percy and my friends are going to beat him up for me."
Rachel blinked in surprise. Soon enough, that same smile appeared on her lips too, "Hehe- You are right about that! I mean, he's your boyfriend after all."
Immediately, I fell crimson red from the top of my head to my neck, "Ehh… Actually, we- we're not… It's not like that…"
Rachel blinked once more. This time in shock.
"Oh? Oh?! So you two are not…"
I hesitated, "I- I actually…"
Should I tell Rachel what's really going on with me and Percy? Can I really trust her?
I took a leap of faith in the end, "I don't really know what we are if I am being honest. I just- We just kept it like normal, you know? It's not like our relationship changed that much since we first met, and I am not in a hurry to put a label on ourselves. I like the pace we are taking. Plus, I don't want Percy to think I am…"
Too pushy or too easy… But I kept from revealing that part.
Through my explanation, Rachel took on a small and witty smile, "I see. Playing the long game, huh?"
I half rolled my eyes and half sighed in exasperation at her subtle hint, "Okay, not you too. I've already had enough from my best friends."
"Sorry-sorry…" She smiled and waved her hand over her forehead a few times, "But if I might add…" She paused right in the middle as if waiting for a dramatic reveal with a playful smile on her puffy pink lips.
Like always, I didn't have the patience for guessing games so I asked upfront, "What? What is it?"
That playful grin turned into one full of suggestive nuance, "You and Percy certainly don't act like you are two completely separate people, not even as students in school."
Steams automatically came off the top of my head, the tip of my ears grew red, my brows scrunched over in embarrassment, my expression blenched, and I stared horrified at the red hair girl in front of me, "I-Is it that obvious?"
That earned me a soft chuckle. Rachel smiled in a way that made me squirm in fear.
At first, I had hoped otherwise that it was only Rachel who noticed how close we were getting. But alas, I was never this lucky. Her reveal struck me to the moon.
"You two have been an item since the start of the year." Rachel smirked, "I know you'll probably hate that I am telling you this, but everyone's been talking about you two, even some teachers too! Can you believe that?"
This is absolutely terrible…
"Of course, even I am rooting for you now." Rachel gleamed when I was turned speechless by her confession, that I had her support with Percy too, "A lot of us actually are since you two are very cute as a couple, so…"
I felt like crawling into a hole and dying right now. Rachel must have noticed that feeling, and she patted softly on my left shoulder so I could look into her cheerful smile. I kept her gaze apprehensively and embarrassment soon rushed into red velvet blushes on my cheeks. Her beaming display soon cracked into a wide grin, offering me a piece of friendly advice.
"Don't go and ruin it, Beth. Go for it if you really like him." She said, swallowing her own feelings so I could pursue mine.
She's got a much bigger heart than mine. If the situation was reversed, would I be able to do the same for her? To give up my own feelings so she could pursue hers? I returned her smile with the same cheerful attitude, but doubt held me, "I won't mess it up."
"Good." She let go of me afterward, "By the way, there is another rumor popping up… about your new friends that always follow you around and kept you and Percy close."
"Huh? What about my friends? Rumors?"
I hadn't expected it, but apparently, everyone in school took notice of my best friend Thalia and her brother Jason as they accompany us everywhere we went. Now, Rachel wanted to know what was really going on with them, and why they act like bodyguards wearing our school uniform and seemingly follow both Percy and me around everywhere we go.
"It's nothing… She's just my best friend and Jason is her brother, that's all." I explained.
It only occurred to me now that I should have come up with some sort of alibi for Thalia and Jason, and since my mother conveniently didn't provide me with one, I couldn't possibly make up an excuse for it right on the spot. What's worse, I didn't even know why they had to accompany us all the time. If anything, I wanted them gone so Percy and I could—
"But they don't even look like high school students. Why would they be wearing our uniforms if they aren't even attending here?" Her question had a solid point, as it was the same question I've asked myself too.
"I don't know… I-" I stumbled amid my explanation.
To be honest, nothing about my mother's plan made any sense to me. I wished to know more, but any effort I made was met with silence from them, and they are good at hiding their emotions so I couldn't read into their hidden secrets.
But then again, I trusted Thalia, Jason, and my mother with my life, and I know they would do anything to protect me from harm.
Rachel looked intrigued enough that I felt like it was fine to tell her a bit about my relationship with them, "I mean, we were friends when I was young, and they lived in the same mansion as I do on the weekends. I've known them for a long time, but I really don't know any more than that. To be honest, this is what my mother wanted and I couldn't say no, so…"
A strange thought passed me: Did my mom set it up with my school as well? They obviously wouldn't agree to give out uniforms without some form of arrangement, right? Did our principal know what my mother was planning from the start? Why did they agree so easily?
There was only one reason why our principal caved to my mom's sudden arrangement: Mrs. Farron agreed with it too, otherwise, Thalia and Jason wouldn't be here right now. It was the only feeling I was certain of.
"I see." Rachel puzzled expression was as expected, "But don't you think it's strange? I mean, I felt like they are here for more than that, and they don't even look like real bodyguard material…"
Right? I felt the same way… Sorry, Thalia and Jason.
Her open-ended question left me pondering for a good minute, then a surprised squeal snapped me wide awake.
"But w-wait a minute? Did you say you live in a mansion!?" Her eyes grew wide.
Oops... Why did I even say that?
"Yeah…" I tried to quiet her down and noticed a few heads from the class turning our way, "It's only on the weekends though. You know, a little family place by Long Island."
Rachel held a gasp, "I didn't know your family is that wealthy too, Annabeth. I mean, a lot of people here are, but to live in a mansion, huh?"
"We are really not that wealthy, you know?" I lied, hoping to keep that needless fact out of people's heads so there won't be another reason for them to hate me even more.
"It's okay. I know what you are saying." Rachel seemed to understand, "I won't tell anyone."
At the very least, she understood my feelings on the matter, so I should just trust her not to spill that secret out to other students in this school.
"Anyways, I really thought your friends were your distant cousin or something like that, you know? I guess not everything is as it seems with you, huh?"
I didn't know what she was hinting at with that last bit, but just as soon as she said that, the bell rang throughout school and signal the end of class.
"Okay, see you guys tomorrow. Remember! You all have an essay to write tonight, so get to it as soon as possible." Our teacher reminded us before our class pack up to leave. Dozens of chatters start up right away, and I expected Rachel to pack up before me to leave with her friends.
Which was why I was a bit surprised when she waited beside me.
"Umm? Are you going to leave with your friends?"
Rachel looked down, "It's okay… I don't really feel like leaving with them today."
I watched her with renewed interest as she fumbled with her words, then her hand clenched on her skirt again as she asked me apprehensively.
"Can I hang with you instead?" She asked.
I was really taken back by her sudden interest to stick with me instead of the usual group she always hung out with, but I didn't want to be rude either, so I puckered up and nodded.
"Sure, I don't mind hanging out with you, Rachel."
She smiled warmly, and out of the corners of my eyes, I noticed some uninviting stares from a few girls around us. We left the classroom soon after, and I had the pleasure to introduce Rachel to every one of my friends, even including Percy.
Sharing laughs and trading stories with each other, we spent our lunchtime in the green park south of our campus, outside on a cool day where only a few other students were around. It was as peaceful as it could get, and born from that; it was just a small wish from me, but at the very least, I hoped I was able to ease her loneliness, even if just for a little bit today.
-Chase Manor-
"Hey! Don't go run around the place so much!" Percy shouted through the literal chaos happening in our living room, "Bobby! Matthew! Behave yourself!"
They didn't stop. Spurred on by my excited and lively puppy, they dashed and ran all over the place without remembering a single shred of their mannerism.
Percy sighed, "I am sorry, Mrs. Chase…"
Beside him in the doorway, my mother and I stood watching the wild scene unfold. We both had small smiles across our lips, except my mother took on an even more cheerful look.
"No need to be embarrassed, Percy." She said unfazed despite the three boys making a mess, "I'd expected that much from three wild boys in the living room."
Then two figures joined us from behind with a suitcase.
"Wow… so this is where you've been staying on the weekends, Percy?"
A loud slap followed suit behind his head, "Paul! Where are your manners?"
"Ouch!" The tall man yelped and brought a chuckle from my mom.
The woman with long brown hair shook her head in despair, "I am sorry about them. They are a little too much for me to handle if you know what I mean. I hope we didn't make a bad impression, Athena."
"Not at all." My mother laughed, "In fact, it's nice to finally meet Percy's family for the first time."
"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Chase. I am sorry about before." Paul rectified his lapse in mannerism with a formal greeting, then he glanced into the living room where all the shouting was coming from and sighed, "And for the troubles my little boys' might cause tonight."
Over time, a few of our maids were trying to calm the two boys and Leo down, with little to no avail whatsoever. They were nimble and small enough that they escapes every attempt of detention, which only encouraged them even more so.
"Don't even worry about it, Mr. Blofis." My mother returned the greeting, "Boys will be boys, I am sure they'll calm down eventually. After all, this is the first time they've been here, and I know they are very excited about seeing all this new stuff."
Paul passed on an awkward apology anyway.
"In any case, it's nice to meet all of you too." She turned specifically to Sally, "I hope you'll enjoy your stay. Well, come in then, don't be shy and make yourself at home."
Once settled in our living room, Sally immediately reined in control of her younger sons with a stern reminder.
"Boys! Don't make me do something you two might regret later!" Her usual motherly warmth and comforting brown eyes grew firm, but not scary. Yet, the same miracle happened before my eyes. Bobby and Matthew stopped right away, and they went back to being well-mannered boys surprisingly quick.
"We are sorry, mom." They hung their head down.
Leo tried to get them to play chase again, but when that wasn't an option, my puppy went back to being normal and rushed over to greet the other two members of the Jackson family.
Exasperated, Sally went sour and gestured with her head toward the other woman with blonde hair, "Is there someone else you need to apologize to?"
They timidly turned to my mom and said in unison, "We are sorry too, Mrs. Athena."
My mother responded with a gentle smile, "You two are quite the good boys for listening to your mom so quickly, Bobby and Matthew."
Walking up to them, she leaned over and went ahead to pat them on the heads. It was so embarrassing to watch my mom do that, then she kneeled down and I heard a few whispers among them.
"Mumble… mumble... mumble…"
Suddenly, their pupils grew double in size, "Really! Are you being serious!?"
"Mm-hmm!"
With lightning reflex, they rushed around the couch and almost tackled me with eagerness, "Can we? Annabeth? We want to play with it! Please?"
I was at a loss because I had no idea what they were talking about. What did my mother say that got them so riled up?
"Geez… you two." Percy sighed as he apparently knew what it was that they wanted, "Ask properly, or else people are going to get the wrong idea."
They immediately pointed to the huge TV screen above our fireplace, "We want to play with your new game console, Annabeth, pretty please…"
Finally, I understood. A smile move across my lips as I gestured at the cabinet that held all the games I've collected over the years.
"Sure, but don't you two dare play any games rated above M, okay? I won't allow it."
It was the only rule I have, and I was pretty sure Sally appreciate that. No doubt she had the same thought as I did. However, I was more concerned about it because my mother gave me a sidelong glance right before I agreed to let them play with it.
"Yea!" They rushed to turn on my game console and browse through everything in my cabinet.
Now that we have taken care of the younger boys, our maids finally have enough time to bring their suitcases upstairs to the guest rooms. My mother then gestured for Paul and Sally to join her in the living room space, and once they took seats around the couches, surrounding Bobby and Matthew sitting cross leg on the carpet below, a long conversation took them on and on and on…
Thankfully, their friendly chat gave me plenty of time and space to be alone with Percy. They were completely ignoring us while we stood awkwardly in the nearby dining hall. Since neither of us was interested in joining them, I quietly tugged on Percy's sleeves and he got my message right away. Just when we were about to sneak away from our families, a predicable voice called out to halt us.
In the end, she just couldn't help herself, "Annabeth? Remember, no funny business with Percy…"
I immediately rolled my eyes, "Real funny, mom… It's not like Percy didn't stay here for the past three months with me already."
Of course, I was glad my mother didn't force us to join them. It would be a pain in the ass to stick around while they talked about us, and I could already imagine the suffering we would go through if we went anywhere near their get-together talk.
I tugged on Percy's shirt a lot more forcefully.
"Ah-haha…" Percy passed off a very awkward laugh, "D-Don't worry. I won't do anything …improper to your daughter, Athena."
I smacked him hard in the back of his head and sent him flying straight to the moon, "Who said anything about that, dummy!"
While Percy stumbled and rub his head, I saw Sally pass a sideways glance at her son too, a wry smile on her lips. Percy fidgeted at that little knowing stare, then he brought my hand in his and took me far enough away from our parents and his little brothers.
"Oooh! Percy and Annabeth, sitting under a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g…" Bobby and Matthew threw that tease at us and earned dangerous glares from our heated gazes.
Percy threatened, "Say anymore, I'll have Annabeth take away the game console."
It worked wonderfully, but of course, his brothers left him with a silly pout, pulling down their eyelids and sticking their tongues out.
Percy sighed unwittingly and turned to me, "What say you come help me with the food, wise girl?"
Finally! Some peace and quiet with Percy! Away from our families, I turned to my seaweed brain beside me and nodded. We were all alone by ourselves even if it's just for a brief moment, then a smile moved over my lips and I kept it there for him. He smiled back, then brought me with him to our kitchen.
In case it wasn't clear, today was November the 25th, and it was Thanksgiving Day.
As a result of this holiday break, my mother decided to invite Percy's family over to have dinner and offered them to stay with us until the week ended. This was also my first gathering outside of my own family, so these new feelings weren't something I was necessarily used to. It felt foreign which held me on edge, but somehow, I was able to stay calm. After all, being with Percy just eased me in ways I couldn't comprehend.
My growing fondness for him put all my other feelings, every single one of my worries aside, and even I knew how much I was beginning to rely on him for that unconscious support.
I knew he felt the same way, and it explained why we haven't been able to stay away from each other since we first met. I was glad.
Before we even turned the corner, the whiff of roasted turkey and many other spices was already filling my nostrils with a wonderful sense. It was heavenly.
"Oii! So you finally decided to show up, huh Percy? Oh? What is this? You brought the princess with you here?" His overly scruffy beard twitched in amusement, "Mmm… Are you sure you want to be in the kitchen, princess Annabeth? You might burn your own house down…"
Percy laughed.
I smacked him in the back of his seaweed-filled head again, and his laughs turned into suppressed chuckles.
"I am not that useless, you two." I scoffed, crossing my arms in front of me.
That was our main chef of the kitchen. He had earned himself the nickname Quentin the unpredictable, as he was always a wise-crack and a jokester in his free time, but when it came to preparing his dishes, he never jokes around, and his ability to stun people with his food went beyond what should be theoretically possible.
His dishes were just that good all the time!
It would be an understatement to say his food taste good, which was why I knew Percy was a little smitten with Quentin. If anything, Percy would always be lost for words every time he stay and ate with us. Hence, his favorite time of the day would be right before dinner time, as he spent most of it with Quentin in the kitchen so he could 'learn from the best'.
Though I would always shake my head in amusement because I highly doubt he could replicate a dish from a five-star chef who spent years mastering his skills.
"Anyway, what can I help with?"
Folding up my sleeves, I was ready to put in some real work, but of course, it wouldn't be Percy if he wasn't that annoying idiot I fell in love with. He smirked, then went over to the counter and brought me a large wooden bowl.
"Here." He thrust out the bowl filled with mashed potato, "You can stir this up until we are ready to serve everything."
It was a child's job, and he left me dumbfounded before going to chop up some garlic for another chef in the kitchen. Staying by the small counter beside me, I watched him slice each tiny garlic into thin pieces with such precision, my mouth went wide open automatically.
"I am not a kid, Percy!" Though I couldn't really complain when I knew my help was limited. As far as I was concerned, I didn't know how to handle a kitchen knife like they do, not even close.
Percy smirked in such a carefree manner I almost smacked him in the head, barely remembering that he was holding a sharp knife in his right hand.
"Come on, wise girl… Don't be like that. You don't know how to cut the vegetables up anyway. " He had to mention it and I hated that he was right, "Or maybe you'd like to keep my parents' company. I am sure they'd loved to have you there."
I could very well imagine that likely scenario and a shiver ran over my shoulders, "You could be such a mean jerk sometimes, Percy."
I got to working on the mashed potato, being treated just like a little kid.
His amused smile made me pout.
….During Dinner….
It might have been that Percy and I were somehow cursed by some unknown force in nature or by God himself, because our food was absolutely delicious, yet we barely have the stomach to handle even a small bite. As a result, dinner tonight was especially terrible for the two of us. It was a nightmare and a disaster, again…
"- like you wouldn't believe it, Athena. Percy was always such a sneaky rat for digging through any cabinets for snacks. I mean, I can never hide anything from him."
Percy flinched beside me and coughed with a rough, discontent whine, "Mom… please,"
"Hehee… I'm telling you, Sally… Annabeth had done so much worse. When she was four years old, I had to physically drag her away from the snacks aisle because she cried like a baby while hugging her favorite cookie bag. I mean, it was so embarrassing. Everyone was watching her, but she just wouldn't let go no matter how much I pleaded."
Sally cracked into a series of overjoy laughs, "Let me guess, it took an hour of pleading only for you to end up buying it, right?"
My mother cracked up too, "Yep! You are right on the dot!"
Their laughers rang throughout the long dining table where everyone was sitting close enough so that we could have a proper dinner. The only problem, I was sitting in between all these embarrassing stories about me and Percy. Same with him, and he didn't have it any better than I did. In fact, he had three extra mouths babbling on about all his embarrassing secrets, unlike me who only had to deal with my mom.
"Mom! Come on…" I pleaded for mercy.
As expected, she ignored me and continued on like I wasn't even here. I sighed in frustration, then gave up and resigned myself to this fate by burying my face into my turkey, mashed potato with gravy, and salads without another word.
"What about you two? Do you have any embarrassing stories about your big brother?"
"Whuh!" His response was about as expected.
Honestly, just how much more shameless can my mother get? I knew I wouldn't be able to help Percy whatsoever when our parents were like this, so instead of sinking together, I'll gladly give him up on a silver platter if it meant the attention wasn't on me.
"Percy has a hugging pillow he sleeps with every night!"
"Big brother doesn't like cucumbers so he always picks them out of his food!"
"Percy had a secret stash of ecchi magazine underneath his bed!"
I blinked in shock at that last one…
Like a cannon that doesn't need to reload, Bobby and Matthew spilled all of Percy's embarrassing stuff and hard-pressed him to the point where he had to physically restrain his little brothers.
"Eeh-Hey-yy! Big Brother is being mean!" Matthew spoke through a large hand covering his mouth. The same thing happened with Bobby, but the middle brother could actually fight back, "Percy! Let go of me!"
Percy didn't stop wrestling with his brother, not until Sally intervened, but all she could do was laugh at the end result, "Alright, that's enough Percy…"
Percy unwillingly sank back on his seat in defeat. His brothers immediately grinned. Gosh, I would hate to be on the receiving end of those little smug smirks. If I was in Percy's position, I'd stuffed a full turkey leg in their mouths just to wipe that off their faces.
"Hey babe, how about we ease off on teasing those two for a little while?" Paul spoke up for us with a sympathetic smile. Finally! A voice of reason had entered this one-sided chat.
"Thank you, Dad," Percy said with such relief, as if he was getting his first breath since dinner began. I felt the same way, and even I was ready to bow gracefully for his help.
"For real, this is how you two should have behaved in the first place. Honestly…" Percy gestured at Paul who was grinning on the sideline since the whole thing started.
I watched in awe as Percy took over the parenting role, switching it over with our mothers who looked more or less amused with the outcome.
Percy ignored the funny looks they were giving him. Instead, he doubled down on this new persona and lay into them harshly, "Who are the real matured ones now? Definitely not you two, that's for sure."
While I found it hilarious that Percy was lecturing our mothers with such a stern expression, I couldn't agree more.
"Yeah, stop it already… Can't you tell how embarrassing it is for us to hear those stories?"
Except it did us no good because their wry smile wouldn't go away. Now, instead of teasing us with our childhood stories, Sally started to tease us about our relationship too, which led to another tidal wave before my mother joined in on the fun as well.
"To think that you two could have grown this close already… Seriously, are you sure you guys are not dating or anything?" Her brown eyes glow with gleaming amusement.
Our faces dropped like rocks thrown into a deep pool.
"Mmm! I still can't believe how lucky you are to get to know such a beautiful and well-mannered girl like Annabeth here, Percy!" Then she took a sip of her red glass and grinned even more.
His louder gasp shared with my gasping hiccup shocked us with disbelief, but it didn't stop them there.
"I know, right? Percy is such a gentleman all the time, and the way he is always taking care of Annabeth when she's in trouble. It's no wonder why she finds your son so charming, right dear?" My mother glances over with sly intention on her lips.
Of course, it didn't stop there either, and I know it wouldn't stop because they were beyond the point of helping. If that's the case, then it couldn't be helped for us to employ our only strategy in a situation like this. There was only one way to solve this problem.
We made for a tactical retreat.
"Alright! I am going to excuse myself if you two are going to be like this. Have fun with dinner by yourself." Percy shot up and reached out his left hand for me. I didn't hesitate and took his hand, him pulling me up gently as we exited the dining hall together. Our food laid on the table half-eaten, but neither of us cared so much about it to stay any longer.
The Blofis brothers left us with an Oooohh… Meanwhile, my mother made sure to embarrass me one last time.
"No funny business, sweetie." She passed along a knowing smile.
Sally also let us go with an identical smile on her lip too, the same sarcastic one my mom was giving us. I rolled my eyes. Annoyed, I just couldn't leave without giving them a piece of my mind.
"Stop saying that, mom! I am not going to do anything to Percy! By the way, you two are literally impossible, and I hate you, mom!" I added just before Percy took us around the corner, but our parents' laughers easily reached our ears even after we left. It wasn't until we were by the stairs to the first floor did the laughers ebbed.
A good distance away from our family in the dining hall, I finally managed to speak, "That was…"
"I am just glad to have come out of that experience alive…" He shuddered.
I nodded wholeheartedly and a shiver took me as well.
Well, at the very least, we survived the worse of the storm already. I had a feeling dinner tonight would be hell, but I didn't expect it to be this bad…
"I am sorry about my mother…"
"I am sorry about my mom…"
We spoke at the same time unknowingly, then our eyes drew forward and the next moments a cute smile moved across Percy's face. I lit up after him with a similar grin.
"They were honestly real jerks." I concluded, "But at least we know they won't get to do that for the next few days."
I really believed that because I doubt that same level of teasing would happen again; despite the fact we were going to live with Percy's family until the end of the week, it just wasn't possible for us to go through an even tougher obstacle than the one we've already faced. No matter how it turned out this thanksgiving break, I could finally look forward to a long weekend with Percy by my side.
In my head, I was already planning all kinds of things we could do together.
"Hopefully… For real, I still couldn't believe my mother would say something like that." Percy went for the skeptical optimism route, "But anyway, are you still hungry?"
As we leaned on separate sides of the cast-iron railing, I shook my head in response, but in reality, I wasn't fully satisfied with my dinner, and I held my tummy to show Percy that I was still a bit hungry.
"Oh," He got my massage, but nothing could be done because all the food was in the dining room, and I'd go directly to hell rather than step foot inside the devil's party again.
I shook my head and turn away from that topic, "Anyway, what do you want to do now?"
Percy shrugged, "Oh. I… I don't know. I guess I could tuck in for the night, but it's way too early to go to sleep. Mmm? What else could I do?"
Usually, I lend him a few of my books when he stayed over for the past months so he wouldn't be so bored being in his 'guest room', and that's all because I wasn't able to get a single moment alone with him with Thalia's and Jason's watchful eyes.
Now, that 'guest room' had basically become Percy's own room, and during all this time, a lot of his stuff from home- from his clothes and school uniform, to his works from school, even some of his personal items he brought from his own place was organized inside our drawers, the closet, and lay in a neat pile in some bags.
I've often wondered if this was something that's becoming permanent, and with how stern and forceful my mother was about this arrangement, it only made sense that Percy would bring some of his belongings over to avoid traveling in between needlessly.
As this process slowly began to unfold, a mysterious strangeness was beginning to envelop me like a deep, eerie fog. For some unknown reason, I couldn't help but feel like my destiny had always been intertwined with Percy from the beginning, like our chance meeting, our inescapable feelings for each other the moment we were stuck together, the way our hearts fell for each other in less than a week, to right now, where everything seemed to revolve solely around us.
It was something that kept on my mind and I was never too far away from that puzzling feeling.
"Or maybe I could go finish that book…" His aimless search for things to do made me smack my forehead, metaphorically speaking, "Hmm? How about a show-we—"
When he tilted his head and looked up in space, his pondering expression was almost too cute that I lost my train of thought in an instant. Of course, his seaweed-filled head couldn't come up with anything, so like always I had to figure it out for him.
It was purely an unconscious behavior, enveloped by an intrinsic nature of being a girl who valued her own pride too much, my body squirmed a bit as I opened my mouth to speak in a soft and barely audible voice, "Wanna head to my room for a bit?"
A bunch of pink blushes went over my cheeks, leaving them beet red because it took a good minute for Percy to respond after my sudden offer lagged his brain functioning.
"Y-Your room?"
For the past three months, Percy technically didn't have any excuse to come to my room, and with the watchful eyes of Thalia and Jason, it was literally impossible to do so. Luckily, the Grace twins were nowhere to be found tonight, hence, this might be the only chance I could get to spend some alone time with Percy, privately.
"W-What are you planning for us to do in your room?" He asked and could barely keep himself from falling apart.
A coy smirk fell through my lips, "It's a secret. Now come on… I can't wait until we are alone."
Before he could react, I propelled my body forward with the help of my hands behind my back. The next thing he knew, I went over to grab his right arm and brought him up the stairs with me. Percy tried to pull back, but that weak attempt might as well be non-existence. I smirked a little more as I brought him close to me, hugging his arm while our bodies cuddled side by side.
"Uh… Annabeth? Please tell me that you aren't thinking about…"
"Shush…" I paused him with my fingers on his lips, "Just follow me, Percy, and I'll reward you with something we could do…."
I tilted up and leaned into his left ear, whispering softly, "… t.o.g.e.t.h.e.r."
He shivered so wildly and tried to resist, but I wouldn't let him and led him upstairs with some subtle hints and a few swaying of my hips, our connected bodies reaching closer and closer to my room on the third floor.
"W-Wait a minute… A-Annabeth-th…? I really don't t-think we should—"
…
A stapled assignment, a textbook, and a pen… There was nothing else but speechlessness around me.
Pretty soon, a wry smile moved across my lips when seaweed brain finally realized my intention and exclaimed so suddenly, I couldn't help but laugh like a maniac.
"Don't you dare do that to me again, Annabeth Chase!" He shouted and even used my full name. It was how I knew he was serious and how I knew I was in trouble with him now. Oops, I guess he really didn't like that, can't believe he could be this angry about something.
However, I grinned at how frustrated he looked and tease him a little more to add insult to his already injured heart, "That's what you get for getting a zero on that last Calculus test, Percy!" It was by far the hardest subject for any student in Goode high, let alone a non-specialized nor prestigious high school he used to attend, "Now we are going to study all night long until you can get at least half of the questions right."
My second revelation made his face drop off the face of the planet as we headed straight for the underworld, another living hell.
But I was grinning through that whole process.
….An hour passed….
"Come on, Percy…"
"I can't."
"Keep going, please… Don't stop now."
"I can't. I really can't anymore…"
I sighed in defeat. Just when I thought he could keep at it for a little bit longer, but I guess that's what happened when I cramped a whole chapter full of calculus material inside his head.
"I- I am about to pass out…" His fit and toned body slithered on my study desk, his strong back gave out likely due to mental exhaustion and his lack of energy. Plopped over, he couldn't keep himself upright and ease his messy seaweed hair on his folded arms, even a small dribble of his drool was dripping out of his mouth. Being so dramatic, a small giggle left me when I saw him rolling his eyes until there was nothing but those white orbs.
"Okay… stop being so dramatic." His silly expression and this exaggerated display put a giant smile on my face regardless.
He mumbled incoherently.
"It's not that bad, Percy." A giggle left me seeing him in this wreck state, "Well, at least you've got more than half of the practice question right, so I'll let you off the hook, for now."
There was no response except soft whimpers.
"Hey… I said I'll let you off the hook, so…"
My voice trailed off then. Eventually, it came to my attention and I noticed his unmoving state while he leaned over my study desk, drooling all over the place. His eyes were properly closed now, and there was rhythmic breathing through his nose.
"Percy? Ohh?" I shook his shoulder for a bit, but even after a minute, I received not a single reaction whatsoever, "Wait… you are kidding, right? You are not asleep, are you?"
After some frantic shoving, I got my answer. In the end, Percy fell deeply asleep while studying for a long hour with me, his limp body leaning halfway over on my study desk, his drool dripping uncontrollably over the papers, and I was all alone with him… all alone… in my room.
I couldn't even begin to comprehend the seriousness of the situation until it hit me like a brick wall, my head felt light and dizzy all of a sudden and goosebumps reached all over my arms.
"Eeehh!" I squealed and shot up from my seat once the realization sank in.
What could I do? What am I supposed to do? Maybe I should wake him up by smacking the textbook on his head, but that would be so cruel when he's already this tired… Mmm, but he looked rather naive and boyish when he's sleeping… He's kinda cute like that. I wonder if I could—
Eehhehh! No! Stop that thought right now!
I should be looking for ways to solve this situation, not ruminate on impossible things that could not, ever, ever possibly happen. Luckily, I could see a few ways out of this situation, and if being smart had taught me anything, I should always analyze the problem and develop a plan to tackle it. It was what I was really good at, after all.
"Okay, how do I get him to…?"
Strategy one: I need to get Percy to wake up by any means possible so he could sleep back in his own room. Reasons why that's impossible: I didn't want to be such a mean person when he worked so hard on his calculus study, though it would certainly be entertaining to wake him up with so many possibilities. My amusement grew along with my imagination.
Strategy two: I could leave him be and let him sleep on my study desk. Reasons why that's impossible: It would be a miracle if he didn't end up with a backache and a cold when he's finally awake.
Strategy three: I could carry him to his room so he could have a proper sleep there instead. Reasons why that's impossible: There was no way I could carry someone twice my weight, even if our rooms happened to be right next to each other.
Strategy four: This plan would no doubt be the last resort, and as embarrassing as it sounded, I could probably carry him over to my bed and let him sleep there instead. Reasons why this terrible plan would be more than impossible: OBVIOUSLY, I CAN'T SLEEP WITH HIM!
However, this plan did linger on my mind more than once, and I knew that's crazy to think about. How could I possibly explain to him if I went ahead with this plan? Am I even comfortable sharing my bed with him? What would happen if he somehow wake up in the middle of the night and saw me sleeping right next to him? Then there was the matter of… me being a girl and sleeping on the same bed with a boy… How do I even explain that to myself?
But I do want to try it out with him… perhaps just once…
Wishing that thought never surfaced, I couldn't stop chewing on my bottom lip as a storm brewed inside my head. To make this matter worse, I felt incredibly complicated; On the one hand, I knew what the consequences would be if we sleep together, but on the other hand, I couldn't ignore how much I do want to sleep on the same bed as him.
Unlike me, Percy was still sleeping soundly in peace with a dreamy look on his face. It was a mistake to look at him then because I instantly became hooked to his features, unable to pull away. Captivated by his unexplainable charm, everything suddenly became so much simpler.
My worries disappeared one by one… A small smile warm my face with a tender glow as I reached out with one finger and poked at his soft cheeks.
His vulnerable, cute, and boyish expression showed all at once through a soft and quiet mumble, but there were no signs that he was going to wake any time soon.
Just one night… Just let me feel it for one night…
There was no other option then. Left with the one and only strategy I could accept, I knew there was no helping it. It's not like I was too uncomfortable about the idea; then again, the huge red blushes on my face said otherwise.
Of course, I did plan to keep a metaphoric line between us so it wouldn't be like we were going to cuddle or something like that… not lest to prevent the worse possible scenario.
White steam rose through my head and fizzled my smooth blonde hair as that forbidden image passed through my mental barrier.
"Alright, please don't blame me, okay?" I said absentmindedly, though I didn't know who I was talking to at that point, "I am only doing this so you wouldn't get sick or have back pain tomorrow… That's all… Right- Yep, that's all I am doing…"
Before I could self-sabotage this decision, I nervously and gently held Percy's left arms, then I fumbled a bit with our position until I could lift him up, doing my best to keep a strong grip on his figure and wrapped his left arms around my shoulder. Leaning on me for support, I wrapped my other arms around his side too so he wouldn't fall off and face-planted. As expected, Percy was way heavier than me, so it's no surprise I struggled and stumbled all the way through to make it safely to my bed.
"You are such a pain in my butt, seaweed brain." I smiled to myself as I neared the edge of my bed with fresh new sheets, paying attention to ease him down the mattress instead of letting him fall on it violently, "Come on, sleepy head…"
I leaned over and lay him down slowly. His back hit the mattress and sank into it with a soft muffle. It was all going smoothly with no hiccup whatsoever, but for some reason, I couldn't help but hovered a bit longer over his exhausted figure, my eyes fixated on his peaceful features as I stared at him unconditionally.
"You really are adorable when you let your guard down too."
Brushing my hands over his broad shoulders, I waited a bit before I lifted my hand and brought my fingers down his cheek. He felt so soft and smooth to touch, and eventually, I cup his right cheek with my palm through some innate reaction.
"Percy-yy…"
Ironically, I was about to do something I promise myself not to, but the temptation was too strong. I slowly leaned forward toward his face, my heart beating out of my chest as I closed my eyes.
Then quick footsteps approached outside.
"Sweetie!"
Without warning, an intruder barged into my room in a split second, not even bothering to knock on the door like any normal person should do.
Petrified for a moment, my frozen body yelped in panic and I inevitably lost my balance.
"Hey, Annabeth! I am sorry about dinner before, so I brought you some left-overs for you and Per-rcyy?"
Her abrupt voice I've gotten used to hating recently made everything terrible right away, and also her change in demeanor when she saw what's going on and that slight trailing off of her words made me feel even more self-conscious.
"Ahheee!" I squealed while falling.
Startled, my strength suddenly gave out and I clumsily slipped on my feet, which also tripped over his legs in the meantime. Thankfully, I had already laid Percy sideways on my bed without hurting him, but that interruption predictability made me fall over and I landed on top of him in one fell swoop. Luckily, I missed hitting his body by barely an inch so he stayed asleep without waking up to my slim figure st-straddl-ing…
"Mmm…" Percy only shifted slightly underneath me.
It's safe to say that I was in a very compromising pose, being caught straddling him where my legs were on either side of his sleeping figure, and my hands were outstretched beside either side of his head. My long and loose blonde hair was a mess after that tumble, and I looked as if I was about to do something very improper to the boy below me.
"Uhh…."
Born from that awkwardness, I couldn't move so much of an inch while I tilted my eyes to look at the other blonde woman at my doorway. She had the two dinner plates we didn't finish earlier, now filled to the brim with food and also wrapped in plastic wraps.
"Uhh…. A-Am I interrupting?" She asked, barely holding herself together. Even I couldn't figure out what kind of things she was thinking about with those constantly changing reactions.
That were both our responses to this sudden twist in events. Recognizing how a huge misunderstanding was waiting to happen, I hurriedly stammered to avoid a total meltdown-, "I-It's not what you t-think—"
But trouble found its way to me anyway, the moment her wild smirk kept her upturn lips from fading, I knew she had lost all rational reasoning again. "Uh-huh… Well, I'll leave your dinner plates down here if you get hungry later on, but please, keep it down. I don't mind some light kissing, just don't go overboard because I am not ready for any grandchild yet."
"Mom!" I almost startled a sleeping Percy, "We are really not-!"
But she didn't let me explain myself. I wasn't surprised…
"Have fun." She left me with a smile so suggestive, I felt insanely flustered and frustrated, "Just not too much fun, okay sweetie?"
Then the door to my room closed.
Left stunned on top of Percy, my senses grew dull and numb. For the longest time, I was unable to move away from Percy beneath me, much less think coherently like a normal person. With time, I finally managed a stutter and heard unintelligible mumbles escape my lips.
"Ah-ahh…" Sounds slipped out of me in between stutters.
I knew what's going to happen now, and there was going to be hell to pay if I don't set the record straight with my mom.
I scrambled off my seaweed brain, not bothering to set his body up correctly on the bed nor did I try to tuck him in with my blankets. Instead, I raced out of my room and chased my mother down.
"Mom! Wait..." My door flung open and almost snapped in half.
Then I heard some far away laughs from the east end of the hallway, which led to the side stairwell used mainly by our servants…
"I am not going to let you leave after that…" I swore and bolt in the direction of those faint sounds.
