Hey y'all! i had a pretty tough week last week, so to make myself fell better I put my favorite characters through their own emotional pain. Also, for more emotional whump, I made Annabeth bi (don't worry I'm a full supporter of Percabeth) but if you don't like that, then just don't read the story. Anyway, hope you like this story! Also, on a side note, I was thinking this was going to be a one shot, but now I feel like it might have potential to be a full story. Tell me what you think! Happy Reading!
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of these characters, they all belong to Rick Riordan
Trigger Warning: Descriptions of a panic attack
It had been a hard week. Percy was on the other side of the country visiting his family and school had been insane. One of my professors was a horrible teacher and we had a test in that class coming up. I missed all of my friends at camp. I had to figure out how to tell my parents that even though I was dating Percy I kind of, sort of, also liked girls. Percy had known this since before we even started dating but no one else did and it was going to be hard to tell everyone. So yeah, you could say I was stressed.
I guess the tipping point was when I realized I hadn't studied at all for my test. I had hastily pulled my computer from my bag and it slipped out of my hands and crashed onto the floor. Before I panicked I opened it. Nothing. The screen remained black. I broke down. I started sobbing. I tried to stand up and move to my bed, but my legs collapsed under me. So I just sat on the floor sobbing. I don't even know how long I stayed like that, but it must have been a while because the next time I looked out the window it was dark. I was so tired from crying that I didn't even bother getting up and into my bed. I just fell asleep on the floor.
When I woke up it was still dark outside. I grabbed my phone from where it must have landed when I fell. Great, it's cracked. Wait. I somehow managed to sleep for an entire day and it's now six o'clock on Monday. I missed all of my classes!
I start hyperventilating and tears are leaking out of my eyes again. I can't miss a whole day of classes! Especially before a big test! I grab my phone with trembling hands and after I mess up my password three times I finally get into my phone. I have Percy on speed dial and he picks up on the third ring. I'm so relieved to hear his voice that I drop the phone. I'm still sobbing and hyperventilating and I can hear Percy's voice coming through the phone speakers. I hit the button to put it on speaker and I finally hear how worried he is. "Annabeth, Annabeth! Is everything okay?!"
"N-not really," I sob.
"Okay, calm down," he says, "I'm almost back at the apartment, I just need you to calm down." I nod, even though I know he can't see me. I totally forgot that he was even coming back to New Rome today. I realize that Percy is talking to me again and I try to pay attention to him, but my mind is going in a million directions. My hyperventilating is getting worse and it feels like I'm drowning. I vaguely hear Percy saying that he just pulled into his parking spot and that he's walking up the stairs but I'm not really paying attention. Black spots are dancing in my vision which makes me sob even harder, which makes me breathe even harder. I barely notice when Percy kneels down in front of me and puts my hand on his chest. I'm pretty sure that he's telling me to breathe but I can't. Finally the spots in my vision come together and I feel myself tipping toward the side, then I slip into blissful unconsciousness.
I open my eyes and see Percy hovering worriedly by my side. "Hey wise girl," he says in a soothing tone. I don't even bother saying anything, I just sit up and pull him into a hug. Before I know it I'm sobbing again, the stress of the past few weeks crashing down on me. I didn't realize how much I needed him until he was gone. "Annabeth," he says, pulling me into his lap and running a hand through my hair, "you need to tell me what's going on, I'm worried about you." I think about telling him everything, but then I remember that he just got back from New York. His mom is publishing her first book and that's probably super stressful, and it's almost Sally and Gabe's wedding anniversary and that must be reminding Percy of all the horrible things Gabe did. Suddenly all of my problems seem insignificant compared to his. "I-it's nothing. I'm fine." I say, as I slide out of Percy's lap.
"Annabeth, please! I know somethings wrong and I want to help you." His voice breaks on the last word, and I guess that's when I realize that he actually does care. "W-well, school has been a lot. Between the projects, homework, and tests it's been super stressful. I have a history test coming up, but my history professor teaches way too fast and I'm going to fail the test. You know that it's my dream to be an architect and when I found out that this school had an architecture course I was so exited. But I guess since I'm freshman and a girl they think I'm incompetent, so I get assigned the most boring parts of every project. Even though I'm dating you and I would never break up with you, I think I'm so ready to tell people that I'm bi, but I don't know how and I don't know how anyone is going to react." By now I'm sobbing again, I had no idea that someone could cry this much. "Most of all I'm worried that I'm going to mess things up with you and I love you so much but I'm going to screw up and you're going to hate me."
When I'm finally finished Percy just stares at me. He doesn't say anything. "See," I say, angrily wiping tears from my eyes, "I knew this would happen. Now you think I'm messed up and crazy and you're going to leave and I'm never going to see you again." I stand up and start to walk away, but I'm suddenly super dizzy. I feel someone grab my arms and guide me to my bed. I close my eyes and wait for the dizziness to pass.
I feel Percy put his arm around me and though I want to push it off I don't bother. When I finally open my eyes, he's looking at me with a concerned expression. "Annabeth, I don't think you're crazy, and I definitely don't think you're messed up. I'm my opinion you're absolutely perfect." I blush a little at this, and listen as Percy continues. "I can't believe you kept all of that to yourself. You've had it bottled up for so long you were bound to break at some point. I'm going to help you through everything, okay?"
I nod, and start to stand to go study, but a wave of dizziness overwhelms me again and I fall back onto the bed. "When was the last time you ate something?" Percy asks. I try to remember, but I can't seem to. "I don't know," I answered honestly. "Annabeth, you need to take care of yourself!"
"I know, but I was busy studying, and then-" he cuts me off. "I don't need an explanation," he says, "I'm going to grab you something to eat." I wait patiently on the bed and after I finish the food Percy brought me I pull him into a hug. "Thank you," I say into his shoulder. He kisses my cheek, and says, "Anything for you wise girl."