iv. Percy

Percy loves swim practice. If he's given the chance, he'll just probably swim all day, lounging in the water and not at all worrying about school work. It's probably the best sport created if he has anything to say about it. So he's not at all bothered that he gets tasked to clean up the pool after swim practice, in exchange for an extra hour or so of pool time.

Practice usually ends in two hours after the official school dismissal, and he usually stays for an hour taking extra laps or basically just lounging in. Which is why he's used to the silence that comes after taking a shower—most students are out of the school by now. Only nerds like Annabeth Chase would want to spend the free time in school.

However, when Percy comes out of the shower room freshly showered and dressed, a cry and splashing noises greet his ears. His eyes immediately land on the pool, where there is a person flailing their arms around. Drowning, he thinks. Someone's drowning.

"Help!" the person cries.

Like a switch flipped open, Percy quickly runs to the pool and sheds his Goode High swim team hoodie. He dives in and swims as fast as he can, and holds the person's body with his right arm. His legs propel harder and faster, with only one arm to support his strokes.

Upon reaching the pool corner, he hauls the body to the side. He arranges the person's—who is apparently a girl—hair away from her face so she can cough out the water in her lungs. And lo and behold, Annabeth's pale face greets him once he has dragged the wet blonde strands away.

He's momentarily shocked; staring at the face of the girl who used to be his best friend. Then an internal Percy kicks his butt awake, and before he knows it, his hands press against her chest and pumps. Fast but firm, he repeats in his mind. Steady and calm.

Once, twice— and water sprouts out of her mouth. Annabeth jolts awake and coughs incessantly to get rid of the water in her lungs. She bends over and thumps at her chest, where some of the pool water gets spit out. Her red-rimmed gaze lands on him.

"Percy—"

And suddenly, something inside him snaps.

"What are you thinking, Annabeth? Why would you go to the pool when you don't know how to swim? Don't you know a lot of people die because of drowning? Are you risking your—"

Without warning, Annabeth's arms reach out to him and tackle him in a hug. He stumbles back a little in surprise, but he quickly winds his arms around her once he realizes it isn't a fluke. Annabeth is really hugging him.

"Thank you," she whispers earnestly.

He tentatively pats her on the back. "Hey, you're alright. Just don't do it again, okay?"

"Okay."

Percy removes his arms around her and crosses it on his chest. His eyes stare at her, unblinkingly. "Now, tell me the reason why you would do such a reckless thing?"

Her gaze drops down and avoids his own. "Don't mind it. It was stupid."

"It's obviously something when you risked your life for that reason."

"It's nothing."

"I don't believe you."

"Percy."

"Annabeth."

She huffs and glares at him with those stormy grey eyes. He wonders why others felt the need to shy away from her gaze when he finds it nothing but marvelous. She looks like a queen staring down at her subjects; regal but dangerous.

"Fine," she mutters. "Someone said that Drew threw it into the pool."

"Threw what?"

"The ring that she stole from me." Annabeth hugs her knees to her chest. "It was my mother's wedding ring."

"Oh," he says for lack of a better word. He doesn't bother asking why she has her mother's ring. He might've saved her but they are still far from close friends like they used to before. "So that's why you went into the pool?"

"Yeah." Annabeth groans and puts her head in her hands. "Saying it aloud makes it even more stupid."

"Not really. I probably would've done the same," Percy says with a smile. "Did you get it then?"

She shakes her head. "Just as I was going to back out, my foot slipped from the ladder and I tumbled into the water. Next thing I know, my lungs are being filled with water. And it burns—like a torch is placed on my chest."

"And then I came," he continues. "I mean like, I came into the pool—no, that's as bad. I mean I went out and saw you in the pool." He covers his face with his hands. "God, this is embarrassing. I hope you don't think I'm making sex jokes or something."

Annabeth, for the life of her, just chuckles while he wallows in his embarrassment. "Don't worry. Nobody really thinks that it was an innuendo. It was just you and your guttered mind."

And she even has the gall to smile! Percy thinks.

"And then you wonder why you can't have Rachel to notice you," she says through a grin.

He fixes her a feigned glare. "Careful, or I might just throw you again into the pool."

She just smiles and shrugs. It makes him want to grab her shoulders and shake her silly.

Brushing that crazy thought aside (Percy wonders why he even thought of that), he stands before the pool and scans it curiously. "Someone said that Drew threw it into the pool?"

"Yes." Annabeth peers at him warily. "What are you planning to do?"

"So here's the thing. I'm going to look for it, and you're not going into the pool no matter how long I stay down, okay?" he says to her as he picks a towel from his bag. He throws it at her. "Take that and dry yourself."

She holds the towel tightly in her hands. "Will you be okay?"

He flashes her a big grin. "You're talking to the swim team captain, Chase."

"Hey—!"

Percy doesn't hear the rest of her sentence because he already dove into the water. Momentarily, he lets himself lose in the feeling. The water moves with him, and he feels like he's one with the water. Then, he opens his eyes and swims further until his palm reaches the tiles at the bottom.

He looks around him, trying to find a glint of light. Finding none, he swims again and looks around. A brief flash of gold catches his eyes. Gotcha, he thinks. He moves towards it, takes it into his palm, and breaks into the surface of the water.

Once he gets a clear view of his surroundings, he spots Annabeth looking at him. Throwing her a smirk, he says, "You owe me one, Chase."

"Did you find it?"

He hoists himself out of the water and walks towards her. "What do you think? Hand me over that towel, and I'll give it to you."

She eagerly throws the towel in his face, and he hands over her mother's ring. A genuine smile flits into her face. Percy finds himself smiling back.

"Thank you," she says again.

"You're welcome," he responds.

Silence fills the air for a moment. Strangely enough, he doesn't find it uncomfortable. Maybe it's because they've already been in this place before. He feels calm in her presence, like a body reuniting with an old soul.

He rummages through his bag and finds an extra shirt. He nods at her. "You might want to change out of your clothes. They're still wet and you might get sick. Here's a smaller shirt, if you want to change."

He picks up his hoodie and throws it at her. "Take this too. In case you're still cold."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asks.

"I'm not being nice. I just don't want you on my conscience if you die of pneumonia," Percy says with a shrug.

Annabeth frowns but takes the shirt and hoodie from him anyways. "I can't die of pneumonia that fast. Besides, there are medications."

"Whatever. Just change."

"What about you? Won't you be cold?"

"I'm used to this weather," he says. He gestures at her, "You, on the other hand, are not, California girl."

She rolls her eyes at him. "I think you're forgetting the fact that I used to live in New York."

"I don't. But that was a long time ago."

She doesn't say anything for a few beats. Percy wonders if he offended her in some way until she speaks again. "Percy, about owing you—"

He chuckles and leans back on his arms. "No. Don't mind that. I was just joking."

"But I want to repay you."

"Seriously, it's nothing. I'm glad I helped you. That's all."

"Okay. Well, this time, think that I just want to help you," Annabeth says.

"Annabeth. Really, it's no problem—"

"Earlier, about asking me to help you win a girl, well, I'll help you now."

He sputters. Finally, Percy thinks. I can finally have a chance. But then he quickly shuts down the thought. It would be unfair for him to get what he wants just because he helped Annabeth out. Every normal human being would have done the same. It shouldn't be fair to take advantage of this. "No, that would be unfair. I just did what any person would do," he says.

"Then, what if I have a condition?" she asks. "If I say I want to help you how to charm a girl in return for teaching me how to swim, would that make it fair?"

"I guess so."

"Then that's it! I'll help you to become more desirable to Rachel and any girls for that matter, and you'll help me learn how to swim. Agree?"

Percy shrugs. He wants to appear indifferent but internally, he's jumping up and down in excitement. It's like an early birthday present. Who's to say that maybe, by the time his birthday comes, he and Rachel can now go celebrate it as a couple? "Fine," he says casually.

"Deal. Let's shake it?" Annabeth asks as she extends a hand to him.

Rather than shaking her hand, he hooks his pinkie with hers and shakes it. "Pinkie swear is always better," he answers with a grin.

Once again, Annabeth rolls her eyes. "Let's make our plan tomorrow."

"Sure." Percy nudges her to the shower room. "Go change already. If you die because you're stalling, that won't be my fault anymore."

"Well, then stop talking to me." She says as she walks towards the shower room.

"Chase?"

"I thought I told you to stop talking."

"I just need to ask one thing."

"Yes?"

"How will we plan tomorrow? Are we going to meet in class tomorrow or—?"

"You'll see."

"Fine," Percy mutters under his breath. "Annabeth?"

"What now?"

"Take care of that hoodie. That's my favorite."

He doesn't hear any more replies, so he picks up his bag and leaves. Before he knows it, a grin makes its way onto his face.

Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

Percy didn't know what he was expecting, but certainly, it isn't Annabeth waiting for him outside the doors of the school.

He has just come out of the class and is walking together with his friends when he spots her standing near the stairs. She's wearing his swim team hoodie, which now looks obviously too big for her, judging by the bunching of the sleeves. In her arms are a few folders, but she carries it almost effortlessly. Looking at her now, Annabeth almost resembles an adorable little kid. Which Percy doubts are something she wants to be associated with.

When he and his friends were now outside of the doors, Annabeth's gaze immediately lands on him. She walks over and greets him, "Percy!" Quite gleefully he might add. Which is a stark contrast to the silent treatment he received from her earlier in their mythology class. He has almost thought that she gave up on their deal when she hadn't made a move to acknowledge his presence.

This now, however, startles the heck out of his friends. Leo juts his side quite painfully. "When did you become friends with her? I need the details," he whispers frantically. Jason's gaze flits back and forth at them, while Grover's looks at him, wide-eyed. Even Piper looks a bit shocked. The only one who seems to remain in her senses is Rachel. She sends a small smile and a wave at Annabeth.

Ah, right. Percy remembers now. They're teammates in track.

"Hey. We're going to your house today, remember?" Annabeth says to him. She just smiles at the rest of his friends, who still look a little dumbstruck.

"We are?" he asks abruptly, not aware of the arrangement. Annabeth throws him a sharp look, which immediately prompts him to correct what he said. "Uh, yes we are. I just forgot."

He turns back to his friends and scratches the back of his neck, shyly. "I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Yeah, we'll see you tomorrow, Perce."

Then Annabeth snatches his hand with hers and holds it. The suddenness of the action causes him to stiffen visibly. "What are you doing?" he whispers frantically at her.

She turns her head to look at him. "Holding your hand."

This action seems to make them appear closer to each other, add to the fact that Annabeth is holding his hand.

Leo calls out to him, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Mortified, Percy looks back at Annabeth. "They're gonna think we're dating."

"That's the plan."

"I thought we're just going—"

"What did you expect? A learning material or something?" She looks him up and down. "You're near hopeless. What you need is a hands-on tutor."

Red tints his cheeks. "Hands-on? Are you saying we're going to—"

Her gaze flits back to his face, which is now a poor impersonation of a tomato. Understanding fills her eyes, then she shoves him, hard. "God! Get your mind out of the gutter. That wasn't what I meant."

"Okay," he breathes in relief. "Then what did you mean?"

Annabeth shakes her head and pinches the bridge of her nose. "Obviously, you can't be Prince Charming in just one lesson. You will need practice."

"And?"

"And you'll have to practice through me. You can only do that when everyone thinks we're dating, so it won't be suspicious."

"So, we'll have to fake date?" Percy asks as he gestures between the two of them.

"Exactly." She leads to him to her car. "Get in. We still have to go to your house."

"Wait. You're serious about that?"

"Did you think I was bluffing? How else are we going to plan for it?" Annabeth places her seatbelt in and reverses the car. "Do you still live in the same place?"

"Yep." He remains quiet for a moment, admiring the view of the passing houses. Then he turns back to her with mirth in his eyes. "Is that why you wore my hoodie today? So, they'll assume we're dating?"

Her gaze remains fixed on the road. "No. I was cold."

"Really, eh?" he teases.

"Shut up."

"I think that's why you wore the hoodie."

"If you don't shut your mouth this instant, I'm going to throw your ugly butt off this car."

Percy does shut up. Knowing Annabeth, she doesn't give threats without meaning them. She once kicked a boy's balls in their grade after said boy did not get the hint of staying away from her. He knew then that Annabeth is a woman of her word, and he better believe her.

But even that is not enough to stop the smile spreading on his face, ear to ear.

A/N: Finally! We have reached the beginning of their fake dating journey.

Classes are back and I have a hard time inserting writing time in my schedule. Add to the fact that I'm doing my final thesis for undergrad studies (wooo yay!). Anyway, this was supposed to be longer (tbh, this whole chapter completed only 3 events out of the 7 I planned that's supposed to happen), but I decided to cut it here so it'll not be too overwhelming.

Thanks to johncahill for the review last chapter, and to It'sBeenALonggDay for reminding me to update.

Also, if you can, please drop a review. I love reading your feedback! Every single one of them makes my heart melt and puts a smile on my face every time.

See you next time and stay tuned (hopefully)!