Le sigh. I'm still here.
Chapter 11
"She only stopped by once this week at the Bakery," Percy muttered. Running his hands through his hair, pacing back and forth in front of the church doors. "I freaked her out, Thals. I. Freaked. Her. out."
"You freaked yourself out." Thalia blew a raspberry from where she leaned against the stair rail.
Percy was sixty percent sure she was already tipsy. The wedding hadn't even started yet.
"I shouldn't've told her. I should have just let it go. Let her believe that I was with some random chick who bruised me up."
"See, this is what I mean when I say insecure." Thalia sat back on the stone step. Looking up at Percy with cold blue eyes. "Always second guessing."
"I'm second guessing alright? I'm second guessing! Just tell me what to do!"
"When you see her at the reception, just kiss her." Thalia shrugged.
Percy stopped pacing. The wind was spry and lovely, the air just sang with scents from the church's vibrant garden and his friend Thalia was a complete and total idiot.
"I'm just going to ignore that little hiccup of drunkenness."
"I'm not drunk."
"Well you ain't sober."
"Ask her to dance or some cozy shit like that."
"Oh sure. Just ask her to dance." Percy combed his hands through his hair. "Ask her to dance as if everything is totally fine after all that."
"You're pathetic, man."
"I'm freaking the hell out. And you're the most unhelpful nincompoop on this side of the city!" Percy hissed, exasperated.
A lazy smile rolled up Thalia's face. "At least I'm your friend."
She got him there. With a heavy sigh and broken spirit, Percy fell in beside her. Leaning against the rail. "Yeah. At least you're my friend."
Thalia pulled out a small flask from the pocket in her dress and offered it to him.
"No. Thank. You. Getting drunk is what got me into this mess." Percy pushed it away softly.
Thalia raised an eyebrow. "So you want to be sober when the piles of happy couples start talking on and on about their own marriages in an attempt to one up each other?"
Percy took the flask.
"Atta boy."
.oOo.
The ceremony was lovely. Percy had a front row seat. Throughout the one agonizing hour he sat there the only thought that came to mind was 'how the hell did Calypso fit so many flowers in here?'
The same question followed him to the reception. Flowers, everywhere. Mostly white and soft pink but in so many different shapes and sizes that it made Percy's brain spin. Thalia's 'magic juice' had taken the edge off his panic but he was far from drunk and felt way too sober for this many flowers. Flower arches? Flower walls? Flower centerpieces? Flower streamers? Hell no. Rest in peace to whomever had a pollen allergy. The overpowering smell of flowers made his head swim.
"Here." It was the eighth concoction Thalia had set in front him. A ring of moisture soaked into the table cloth from its condensation fogged sides. "Drink."
Percy pushed it away. The last time he got drunk at a wedding, Thalia found out the most intimate secret about him. He could only imagine the embarrassment he would conjure the second time.
"Get drunk with me dammit!" Thalia growled.
"Stay sober with me, darn it!" Percy mocked anger and weakly thudded his fist against the table.
Thalia prowled off. Clearly intent to find a way to make him ingest some confidence juice. He soon lost sight of her in the mess of bodies.
"Y'know," Jason slumped back in his chair next to Percy. "I like weddings."
"They seem like your kinda place," Percy agreed emptily.
"I'm thinking of having one of my own."
Percy stalled. "Wait… what?"
"Getting married. A wedding. Big fancy event with lots of dancing and drinks and party favors." Jason's eyes were set across the room. Behind the crowds of milling people sipping drinks from crystal glasses stood Piper. A flushed beauty in her pastel pink bridesmaid dress.
"You're going to propose to Piper?" Percy asked.
"I've been thinking about it."
"Tonight?!"
"Tonight?! No! Are you insane? I haven't bought a ring or anything!"
"I don't know man. You're giving me King Kong vibes with the way you're looking at her right now. Like either you're going to rush up and propose on the spot or carry her up a skyscraper while roaring at airplanes. Maybe you'll do both." Percy brushed the sleeves of his suit jacket again. Pollen kept finding its way back onto him as if he were a donut attracting sprinkles.
"I just love her, y'know?" Jason sighed.
Percy did know. Percy also knew that Thalia had probably been slipping something a little sharper into Jason's 'virgin' drinks all night. He was swaying a little bit.
"You'd be an idiot not to propose to her," he said.
"I know." Jason smiled. No doubt still staring at Piper like a creep.
"Ugh, is he still babbling on about marriage?" Thalia scooted into the seat on the other side of Percy, somehow cradling three glasses to her chest. "It doesn't matter. I just overhead the greatest thing in my entire life."
Percy sat forward. Interests piqued. "What?"
Thalia grinned excitedly. "Well I can't tell you everything, but I've just joined forces with a person on the enemy line and together we're going to wreak havoc in someone's life."
"Wreak havoc?" Concern laced Jason's voice.
"Enemy line?" Percy didn't like the sound of it. He shared Jason's expression.
"Yup. I'm so excited right now I could spit."
"You spit when you're excited?" Percy made a face.
"Leftover effect from her childhood lisp." Jason said without blinking.
"Really?"
"Shut up," Thalia smacked at Jason. Too bad he was sober enough to dodge. "Now, Percy, dance with me."
"What?!" Percy gripped the arms of his chair. Thalia Grace was many things, but a dancer was not one of them. He'd seen her hit the dance floor after a drink binge and he had to say that he'd rather watch mole rats be birthed on the animal planet channel.
But Thalia had a will of iron. Before Percy could protest, she was dragging him to the floor. Toppling anyone that got in her way.
Waltzing. That's what she wanted to do with him. She wanted to waltz with him.
"What the hell are you doing? You never dance with other people." Percy said, uneasily. "Besides, why are you being so abrupt? Why are you so excited?"
Thalia's face puckered. Her lying expression. "No reason."
"Thalia." Percy warned. "Tell me what's going on."
"Nothing. I swear."
"Yeah, last time I believed that I got eight thousand rubber ducks delivered to my house."
"It was funny."
"It was childish."
Thalia swung him around. Dancing them through the crowd on the dancefloor. "You need to learn how to trust me more often."
Percy's nose started to itch with pollen again. Wrinkling it, he rolled his eyes at her. Knowing anything he rebuffed she'd just have an argument for.
"Why Will! Will Solace!" Thalia gasped.
A chill went down Percy's spine. Praying that it was a different Will, he peeked at the man Thalia was suddenly chatting vibrantly with.
No.
It was. It was the same stranger who seemed to be around every corner. A guy Percy couldn't seem to ditch no matter how hard he tried. And it was far worse than he could've fathomed.
Will Solace was dancing with Annabeth. Holding her by her waist. Percy couldn't bear to meet her eyes.
Does she like him? Is there something going on? Am I overstepping?
"How long has it been?" Thalia asked. Excited. Too excited.
An ex?
"At least seven years." Will Solace grinned estatically. "How about we switch partners. Are you okay with that Annabeth?"
Annabeth's brow furrowed. Confused, she was drawing lines between Will and Thalia with her eyes. Trying just as hard as Percy to find the connection. "Uhhh sure."
Tingling, Percy took her hand. Together they watched Thalia and Will twirl away into the crowd. Laughing at each other as if they had found the best companionship possible.
Percy snortled. "Well that was…"
"Bizarre?" Annabeth offered with a small smile.
"Completely." Percy blushed. His hand felt hot against her hip. He was sure she could feel his elevated pulse through their clasped fingers. At any moment he would fumble. Step on her foot or something.
"I wonder how they know each other." Annabeth hummed quietly.
"College?" Percy offered.
"Maybe."
It felt like too much of an invasive question but- "How do you know him?"
Annabeth faltered. "Me?"
"Yeah."
"I… well I met him at the flower fair… with you there. Remember?"
"Oh yeah."
In silence they continued to dance. Meticulously drifting around the dancefloor. Annabeth appeared determined to keep her eyes off of him. The night of the bachelor parties reignited in Percy, forcing him to cringe.
"Annabeth… we're good right?"
Annabeth's eyes snapped back to him. Slightly confused and a little timid. "Of course."
"I know the other night…"
She had makeup on her back and shoulders still. Enough to hide what was left.
Annabeth pursed her lips. "Oh."
"You've just been coming to the bakery less and… I wanted to make sure you're not uncomfortable with me now and… yeah."
Everything inside him felt like it was being sucked in. Pressured into tight knots that clogged his arteries. Forcing his already weak heart to work twice as hard. With a shiver in his sternum he watched her blush at the floor.
"To be honest, I am kind of embarrassed," she muttered. "And… I'm just a mess right now. I feel like eighteen again. Kicked out, jobless, prospectless."
"I'm sorry," Percy said. His brows pinched up in a soft concern. "I feel like this is my fault. I shouldn't have stayed at your place when you asked."
"I shouldn't've asked." Annabeth chortled.
"It's fine," Percy laughed breathlessly. "Accidents happen I guess?"
"I guess…"
Now or never.
"Would you feel too awkward to travel with me?"
"What?"
"Well you said you wanted to go on a road trip when your divorce was finalized. So… I kind of upgraded it?" Percy winced at himself. "Do you… do you want to go to Greece with me?"
Annabeth faltered. "Greece!?"
"Well you see I won this competition. It doesn't matter. If you don't want to go, it's no loss really-"
"YES! Percy! Greece? I you freakin kidding me?!" She hooted excitedly. Splitting with a smile and bubbling with excitement.
Warmth spread outwards in his chest. "Well yeah… if you really want to go."
"Why wouldn't I?!"
"I don't know. I thought you were avoiding me. You only came once to the bakery this week… so… I just thought I really screwed things up."
"You Seaweed Brain." Annabeth shook her head fondly. "I… well yeah, I was kind of avoiding you… but not because of what happened."
What? What was she talking about? Why else? Percy leaned towards her. Taking in the curves of her face, the twist in her lips. "Then why?"
The way she was looking at him. Like always with that secure confidence, that deep rooted attachment. But this time there was something more. Quiet. Filling. An indescribable sparkle as if she saw him as her sun.
"Annabeth-"
"Percy." Annabeth said. Strained. Desperate. "I'm moving. To L.A."
White. Everything went blank. His world was vacuumed. Forcing him to a realm of static and numbness. Dizzy, he stared at her, paused mid step to the dance. His mouth slack.
Far, far away.
Annabeth shifted uncomfortably. Unable to meet his eyes. "All week I've tried to find a way to tell you…"
"But… but why?!"
"Money." She shrugged sadly. "I've gotten offers closer to here. One even in Chicago at a really reputable firm. But all of those ones have a starter pay that's too low. I won't be able to afford to travel back and forth or get a new apartment closer to the city. L.A was the only place that offered me a higher salary and threw an apartment into the deal so I wouldn't have to worry about housing."
He couldn't feel his face. Not even through college were they separated. But now? She would be across the country. Different time zones. Different weather. Different sunsets. Different everything. Percy stepped away from her. Trying to process. Trying to be okay with the idea. To be happy for her. But it was stinging.
"I tried to find a way to tell you a little more delicately, but I couldn't." Annabeth sighed. "That's why I didn't come to the bakery as often."
Percy didn't have the words. Her couldn't think
"Do you really want to move to L.A"
Annabeth shook her head. Teary eyed. "Chicago would've been my dream job. But I don't have any other options. I don't live close enough and I can't afford to live in the city."
So no. He didn't have to be happy for her. It was him and her against a problem. It was action time.
"I gotta go." Percy sank backwards. Blearily floating passed people. Then speed running. Then sprinting. Out through the doors and into the streets.
He needed to get to a bank.
.oOo.
Annabeth had called Percy nine times over the rest of the night.
"He just took off?" Thalia scoffed. Oddly infuriated.
"Well he was kind of shocked," Annabeth said.
When she got home she sat on the edge of her couch. Staring at the space she last remembered sitting with Percy that fateful night. The lull of shark week's tv programs playing in the background. Her legs thrown over his. A volley of taunts and jokes being tossed between the two of them.
But then what?
It was a blur. Did he kiss her first? Or was it her?
Quietly, she sat there until her eyes burned from weariness. Slightly drunk, she pulled on whatever pajamas she could and slipped into bed. Dreaming of his ardent green eyes. His crooked smile. His expression as he disappeared into a mat of fancy dressed people.
Abruptly, she sat up in bed. Someone was at her door. Knocking in quick panicked beats. Half awake, Annabeth stumbled out of her room and down the hall. Grazing the wall with her hand to keep support. Catching the time on her phone with a little scowl. 12:30 p.m. Sunlight was streaming in through her windows making her brain throb.
Cautiously she opened the door.
Percy stood in front of her. Panting. Dark bags under his eyes. Still wearing his crumpled suit from the night before, the tie undone.
"Percy?!" Annabeth gasped.
Percy grabbed her shoulders. "I bought you a house!"