Hey, y'all, sorry about the delays. It's been an interesting few weeks. Here's this chapter and don't worry, I have the next one already done so it shouldn't be super long before that. Leave a review about what y'all are thinking, or shoot me a PM with what you'd like to see in this story or for future ones. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!
Annabeth finally had Luke back. After months of trying, the two of them finally worked out their problems. He'd come home the past weekend and they went out after her last game and had a long talk about everything that'd been going on.
They went out to this ice cream place he'd taken her to on their first real date, and they had a long conversation at their favorite table in the corner, each of them exchanging very few glances up from their ice cream cones.
Eventually his hand came to rest on her arm, and she saw legitimate emotion and regret in his eyes. "I miss you." And just like that, she was hooked again.
They talked it out, and his one condition was that she couldn't talk to Percy any more. She argued at first, but he stopped her short and said "How would you feel if I continued talking to a girl I was hooking up with while we weren't together?" and she got quiet again. They didn't talk any more about that, sitting in silence while they finished their ice cream.
He went home again that Monday, back to his dorm and his university and his normal life with the promise to try and come back for her state playoff games. And she went back to her normal life with way too many practices and team bonding and homework. The one thing that changed though was talking to Percy.
She didn't know how exactly to stop. He'd been such a big part of her life the month or so that her and Luke weren't dating, and she hated that she was just supposed to cut him off. She skirted around him during school, didn't go to his playoff game that weekend because she was with Luke, and answered his Snapchats and texts as minimally as she could.
She was still holding onto him, and she felt awful about it. Of course, it didn't really come to a head until the first game of the volleyball state playoffs the Wednesday following the boys' first state playoff game and the weekend she'd fixed things with Luke.
The game was about an hour south of home at a college volleyball stadium, and not surprisingly, a lot of fans and students made the drive to come see the game and support the team. Luke was busy with an exam that night so he couldn't make it. She was upset, but understood it.
Annabeth and her teammates were busy warming up as the sections of fans grew larger on either side of the stadium. There was a nice sized student section up in the lower section of the stadium, and while Annabeth was waiting for her turn in a drill she looked up to see who all was there.
Not surprisingly she saw Jason and Frank sitting right at the front, the former of which was trying and not succeeding in getting Piper's attention. His girlfriend had been in game mode all day, and was concentrated and focused on her setting drills done with their assistant coach.
She smiled to herself and kept looking, and when she saw the person on the other side of Jason, her heart skipped a beat. Percy. Of course he would come to this.
He looked amazing as usual, wearing a football hoodie with his hair windblown and messy, like he couldn't stop running his fingers through it. He was having an animated conversation with Leo, who was pointing at something or someone across the arena.
She stared at him for a moment too long, and soon he was looking right back at her. Even from this far away she could see how bright and green his eyes were.
He got this excited smile on his face and this light in his eyes that made her feel jittery, like she'd just ingested five cups of coffee all at the same time. He waved at her, and she couldn't help but grin and wave a hand back.
In her head, she knew she shouldn't even be looking at him, but her heart overruled what she was thinking. She smiled to herself for a moment more before her coach called her over to do a hitting warmup. She snapped herself out of it and smiled once more at him before she jogged off.
It was into the fourth set of the first round playoff game between the Goode Sharks and the Westmount Mustangs, with the former holding a 2-1 lead in the set. The score was 23-19 in favor of the Sharks, which Annabeth could deal with. They had a slight cushion and were only two points away from taking the set and the round.
Annabeth was up to serve, and had the ball in her hands behind the line. She took a second as she rolled the ball in her palm, listening to the crowd cheering and the sound of her teammates and coaches yelling their own support.
She took a breath before she stepped and tossed the ball. She couldn't do that hard of a serve, not now. Not with these stakes. Just something easy to a spot they were weak at. She hit the ball solidly with her palm, watching as it went over the net to the setter, who wasn't prepared.
She bobbled it and sent it crashing out of play, which caused a cheer to go up from the Sharks and their fans. Annabeth smiled to herself and caught the ball as someone threw it back to her.
As she walked back to the line, she saw the student section again, and of course her gaze went to Percy. They locked eyes and he gave her a smile that she could read like a book. 'You've got this.'
She nodded at him before she stepped back behind the line, getting ready. She served it to the same spot, though she was ready this time. She set it up to a hitter, and Annabeth saw the play in slow motion.
The blockers went up, and the Mustang hitter tipped the ball over the net directly behind them. Annabeth lurched forward, diving with her hands out to get the ball and pop it up, and somehow she made it.
Piper scrambled to retrieve Annabeth's pass and set up Katie in the front. She jumped and swung down so hard, Annabeth was afraid for the other team. No one made a move to get it, and it hit the line at the far end, and the buzzer went off. The Sharks had won the first round of the playoffs.
The student section and fans erupted as the team ran out onto the court, everyone gathering around Katie, who had the biggest grin on her face that Annabeth had ever seen.
Everything calmed down after a bit, and they returned to the locker room. After an emotional, motivational speech from Kim, the team changed and headed out to be greeted by a host of excited fans.
Annabeth, now dressed in clean sweatpants and a hoodie, walked out with Piper on one side and Hazel on the other. The first people to approach them were, of course, Jason, Frank, Leo, and Percy.
As the former two boys greeted their respective girlfriends and the third went to talk to Calypso, of course the runningback walked up to her, a smile on his face. "You were amazing," he said to her through a laugh, going to wrap his arms around her in a hug.
She knew that she should pull away, shouldn't react, but she couldn't help but melt as she felt his arms around her. He was wearing this deodorant he always did that made him smell amazing and so familiar.
"Thank you, Percy," she laughed softly. She wrapped her arms tight around him, her eyes closing as she rested her cheek against his chest. She needed to do this one last time, before everything was going to change.
He pulled back after a moment, smiling brightly at her, and it sent a hot spike of guilt crashing through her body. She couldn't help but smile back up at him, looking up into those gorgeous green eyes of his. "Thank you for coming," she said in a soft voice, just so he could hear it.
Her hand was still resting against his chest, and she could feel it rise and fall slightly with his breathing. He shook his head slightly with that smile of his. That damn smile. "Of course. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, you know," he informed her with a grin, and she couldn't help but smile back.
"Still, thank you." She hesitated before she leaned up and pressed her lips to his cheek, smiling as his hands shifted to rest on her waist. She could practically feel his smile, bright and warm and everything a smile should be.
She pulled back and sure enough, he was looking at her with a warm smile and a joy in his eyes that made her feel downright giddy. "Of course," he said again, smiling happily. "I told you. Anything for you."
She felt a pang of sadness burn in her chest, and she sighed softly, giving him a smaller smile. "Really though, you were amazing, Annabeth. You always are, but tonight..." he smiled hugely. "Let's just say that college scouts are going to be impressed."
He grinned at her and she wrapped her arms around him again, smiling to herself. She hadn't fully gotten rid of the adrenaline that had coursed through her body from the close game and the win, so she was still excited and a little shaky.
She pulled away after a moment and he glanced back at his friends, his brow furrowing, before he looked back down at her. "Do you wanna get out of here? Go back to my place?" he asked with a smile, and her heart ached even more than it did already.
"Ah...I think I might just head home, Perce. My dad's been questioning me about not spending time at home," she laughed, but she could see the disappointment in his eyes as he nodded and gave her a smile. "Yeah for sure. I'll take you home."
He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she hated that it made her heart flutter. She said goodbye to her teammates and friends, giving her three friends extra big hugs, before her and Percy headed out to his car.
It was a long, quiet drive home, to say the least. They talked a little bit, but it was a comfortable silence whenever they weren't. After a while he pulled up into her driveway and at that point it was late and Annabeth was barely awake in the passenger seat of his car.
When he parked, he looked over at her, and she didn't want to meet his eyes. Those gorgeous green eyes, shining even in the dark from the lights on his dashboard, his face illuminated to show the reservation of his emotions. She could see all of it in her mind without even having to look.
She grabbed her backpack, hesitating before she finally did look up at him. "Thanks," she said with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."
She hesitated for another second, and realized that seemed to be a theme in her life lately. Her head and her heart warring with one another about every decision involving him. Eventually her heart won out, and she leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips.
It only lasted a moment before she pulled away, smiling and finally looking up into his eyes. He was smiling again, that familiar happy light in his eyes. "Goodnight, Percy."
He said the same as she opened the door and headed inside her home as he pulled out and left her driveway. Her dad had left the door unlocked for her since he knew she'd be getting home late.
She went inside and right up to her room, taking a quick shower and changing into her pajamas before she collapsed in her bed and fell asleep, too mentally and physically tired to stay awake any longer.
Annabeth woke up for school the next day feeling sore and tired as usual after having snoozed her alarm a handful of times, and got ready for the day. She made a resolve to herself as she was brushing her teeth that today she was going to break the news to Percy.
She felt sick to her stomach just thinking about it, let alone doing it. She just...couldn't do it in person. God, she sounded like a third grader breaking up with their boyfriend of one week over text. She just knew that she wasn't strong enough to actually do it in person.
She got to school and pretty much blanked him. She made quiet conversation whenever he approached her, but she never went out of her way to talk to him. He stopped her on her way to the gym after school, his hand on her arm, and when she looked up at him, he looked sad. "Are we okay?" he asked her, unsure of himself. Percy was never unsure of himself.
She hesitated before nodding slowly. "Yeah, Perce. I've just been stressed," she offered, unable to meet his eyes for longer than a couple seconds at a time. She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye, and his hand rested on her upper arm. "Well...alright. Have a good practice."
Then, he was gone. Off to change for football. They had the state championship game that weekend, and she knew how excited and nervous he was. It was her and about a million other people though who knew how good he would do, how good he always did. He just didn't know it himself.
She went through a grueling two and a half hour practice before she made her way home. She kept procrastinating actually doing the call, opting to eat, shower, and do some homework before she actually considered doing it.
She was on her bed, a book in her lap, when she glanced down at her phone and debated with herself. She felt awful for dodging him all week, for not hanging out with him after the game, for what she was about to do. Well...for what she needed to do.
She still didn't know if she could actually go through with it. But...no. She needed to. She picked up her phone from where it was sitting beside her on the bed, and unlocked it.
The further she went, the more uneasy she felt. She tapped until she reached his contact, and she slowed, her finger hovering above the button. This was going to change everything, and she didn't want anything to change. She wished she could have both of them.
But...that's now how it worked. She just needed to do it. Before she could allow herself to overthink it any more, she clicked his the call icon below his name and the call began, and her heart skipped a beat.
The phone started ringing as she brought it to her ear. She didn't want to have this conversation with him. She knew that she couldn't have it in person.
It continued to ring. It was so middle school, to break it off over the phone. She just knew if she said it to his face, the look in his eyes would break her.
Only one more ring went by before he picked up. She could hear the background noise, sounding like guys talking and laughing. He must be with some of his teammates. He'd mentioned they all hang out a lot before and during the playoffs.
She wanted to save it for another time. How could she do this when he was with his team? But...no. She couldn't save it for another time. If she did, that time would never come.
"Hey wise girl! What's up?" His voice was so happy, so full of life and joy and everything else he possessed all the time. Speaking to him made anyone happy. Not now, though. It just made her feel worse.
"Hey, Percy." Her voice sounded so quiet, so hesitant, and she knew he could read that. "Something wrong?" She managed a slight smile despite herself. He could always read her like a book. "Uh...not exactly. I just had to tell you something."
She couldn't lose her nerve. Not now.
He went quiet for just a moment, and the noise faded a little, like he'd waked away from his teammates to another, quieter room. "Yeah, for sure. What's up?" Her mouth went dry. She wasn't prepared to actually say it. "Uh...I..."
She wanted to hit herself. Just spit it out.
"Luke and I fixed everything." She heard a bit of a breath from him. "What do you..." She heard his voice trail off into nothingness, and the background noise of his friends was all she heard for a moment. "Oh."
Just one word, one noise, and it was enough to make her chest deflate. They'd spent enough time together that she knew his thoughts behind that one word. Disappointment. Hurt. He was holding his emotions all back though. He didn't want her to realize how he really felt.
She knew, though.
"That...that's great, Annabeth." She knew he thought them resolving their issues was anything but great. She let out a shaky sigh, trying to finish the conversation before she lost her nerve.
She wished she could have both of them, Percy and Luke. But she knew she had to make a decision. "He...he doesn't want me speaking to you any more, Percy. Not like we have been."
Another few seconds of silence from his end, and she could almost imagine the reserved sadness and emotion pooling in his green eyes. "Yeah. I figured he wouldn't."
This all sounded so...juvenile. Breaking it off with a friend for a boy. She understood it though. Her boyfriend didn't want her speaking to the guy that she had a "thing" with during their breakup.
She got that. She didn't agree with it, but she understood it.
"Well...it was fun, wise girl." He sounded wistful, sad. So unlike Percy, the happy, caring boy she'd fallen for in the first place. "I'm so sorry, Percy."
Her voice was rough, and she knew that it wouldn't make a difference. An "I'm sorry" didn't change how she had hurt him, and how he would feel once they ended their phone call.
"It's okay. I signed up for this, remember?" He laughed, and her heart sank even more. That wasn't a Percy laugh. That was a forced laugh.
An "I'm okay, don't worry" laugh.
A laugh thats sole purpose was to give the person listening an air of calm and reassurance.
She let out a sigh and shook her head. "I'll see you in school, Perce." Her voice was soft and reserved, and there was another few moments of silence on his end. "Yeah. See you."
She pulled the phone from her ear and clicked the end button, and suddenly she was sitting in silence, alone. The silence suddenly seemed too loud, and her heart beat too fast.
She buried her face into her hands, sighing softly. She tried to control her breathing, like her dad taught her to do when she got too stressed out.
In, hold, out.
She kind of wanted to call Luke and talk to him. He always made her feel better. But right now...she didn't know if even he could make her feel better.
In, hold, out.
She felt empty and terrible. She knew she was in the wrong and the guilt gnawed at every part of her.
In, hold, out.
The only way she could try to justify it was that Percy knew. She wasn't lying about talking to Luke and trying to fix things. Even then...she still felt bad.
After a few moments of breathing and trying to calm down she gave in, picking up her phone and calling Luke. He answered within a few rings, and she could practically hear the smile on his face as he answered. "Hey babe. You okay?"
Her heart stopped beating as fast, and she even managed a slight smile. "Yeah," she said quietly, sighing and pushing a hand through her hair. "Just...wanted to talk to you."
She heard some shuffling on his end before she heard his laugh, clear and warm. "You came to the right guy for that." She couldn't help but smile as she managed a soft laugh of her own.
She made the right decision, she thought. Luke made her happy. He'd made her happy for a long time. Percy knew that they weren't going anywhere, and she knew it too. They'd both said that at the beginning. Right?