A/N: Hey guys! Back again with an update! Hope you enjoy!
It's the first day in weeks she wakes up and doesn't feel like rolling over in bed. Maybe because it's spring break, maybe because it looks like there might be a hint of sunshine today or maybe she's just had it with herself.
Most people (including her roommate) are at home or on vacation, but campus is her home and sleeping in her vacation. And maybe that's why when she wakes up, she's ready.
Ready for what exactly, she doesn't know, but it's the first time in months that she feels energy in her. Borderline antsy, eyes wide open now, she scrambles out of bed and proceeds to stare at her room.
Her eye catches on a grey hoodie hanging from a chair and she wrinkles her nose, heart beating a bit faster.
Right.
There are still traces of him in the room, albeit small, because she just hasn't had it in her (or the time) to go through it all.
But she woke up today with an itch for movement so before she knows it an hour has passed and she's cleaned out her entire room with a bag holding a grey hoodie, two shirts, a necklace, and a, quite frankly, horrible eyeshadow palette to show for it.
Dropping the bag by the front door she returns to what finally feels like her own space. Already feeling better, she lets out a sigh she didn't realize had been building. Whatever has awakened this drive is hitting her in full force. The need for action overtakes her again and her eyes flit around the room until they land on the mirror propped up against the wall.
Walking closer she honestly can't recognize the reflection staring back at her. Yeah those are her eyes, but where did the dark bags come from? Her once shiny blonde hair is stringy and unkempt and there's something about her face that feels off but she can't put her finger to it.
Sure she's been busy with midterms but she didn't think it was getting this bag. And of course, the thing. The thing that she instinctively mentally flinches at because it had been so bad. Strangely enough, it's an empty feeling now.
She watches her eyebrows spring up in surprise and she looks more intently at the mirror, carefully letting his name take up some space in her head (a thing she's banished for months now). But the name falls flat as she thinks it, as if she'd just thought about the weather and not the heartbreak of her college career.
It's thrilling actually, and excited at this new development she allows herself to think all the things she told herself not to think about. She replays the day he turned to her, blue eyes cold and indifferent and said it wasn't going to work out. "Wasn't going to work out" as if it hadn't been a year already, how his stupidly impassive face betrayed nothing as she walked away blinking tears trying to figure out where she'd gone wrong. She hadn't seen it coming.
It still hurts, but in the vague sort of way, like she was watching a story unfold and not being rejected by her long-term boyfriend.
She steps away from the mirror, the need for action pulling her towards the rest of her morning activities, with a strange sense of freedom. A type of free she hasn't felt in a very long time.
The slow smile that spreads across her face doesn't leave her as she showers (taking the time to properly condition her hair), gets dressed, and eats breakfast.
When she returns to the mirror, she finally sees herself. Wearing her hoodie and her owl pendant necklace with a light dash of her makeup. Her eyes look brighter, her hair looks fuller and it turns out what was wrong was the frown that had settled on her face that had now transformed into a smile.
-.-
Annabeth's mood only heightens as she strolls though the sparse campus. The sun is peeking from behind the grey clouds that make up the beginning of spring and it's a solid fifty degrees.
And maybe that's why she actually takes a flyer from the poor bastard who's desperately trying to hand them out. So desperately that he's taken aback by the action.
"Uh, thank you? Hope you can make it?" he says the words as if he's unsure if they're the right ones to say.
It's a testament to the intensity of this drive that she woke up with today, that she actually stops to talk to him.
"What's this for?" she asks, skimming over the flyer as he stands staring at her, still just as shocked. Looking up she meets his eyes for the first time and the sea-green hits her like a wave. (Pun intended).
"Oh, um, so there's an open mic night kind of thing going on and this bar and uh, hope you can make it," he explains, shaking his head a lightly so his shaggy hair falls in front of his face, hiding it just a little.
"Sure, are you gonna be there?" The words surprise her as much as him, they came out a little flirtier than she had intended. Surprisingly though she's not at all upset at the outcome.
The poor guy blushes, which if she's being honest is really cute, and nods. "Yeah, I'll there, I uh, have a piece I'm presenting."
He's the last person she expects to be up in front of a lot of people, it just intrigues her more.
"Well I'll be sure to make it…" she trails off, hoping he'll provide his name.
"Yeah, cool, um, thanks," he responds instead, and it's so cute that she can't stop the smile creeping up her face.
She waves goodbye and continues her walk to nowhere in particular with her thoughts on a certain awkward green-eyed guy who hides behind his hair and makes her feel a stir of something she hasn't felt in a very long while.
-.-
It's break, her friends and roommate are gone, she has nothing better to do so the next night finds her at the doors of a dingy hole in the wall kind of bar which no doubt has a pretty decent basement she's going to end up in.
Crow's Nest, as it's called, does indeed have a pretty decent basement set up with a bar, some tables and chairs and a slab of hardwood floor, half a step up to indicate a stage, where a microphone is set up.
There's a good number of people and she tries in vain to search for the one person she can recognize, (not that they're friends or anything and she probably won't approach him but it'd be nice to see a familiar face) but he's nowhere to be found.
She orders a vodka cran and feels a little awkward, standing by herself as they get ready for the thing to begin. It actually might be the first time she's gone to a bar by herself. Usually her friends are there, and for the longest time he had been at her side.
But even though it's uncomfortable, she's oddly enjoying it. The stirring of movement and freedom and change all bubble up excitedly, as if this is the right thing to do. So, she finds a seat in the back and sips on her drink and watches as the first person comes onto stage.
Stand-up comedy can be hit or miss, but most of the people are decently funny and combined with the drinks and her good mood, she finds herself actually enjoying the night.
"And last but not least we have, Percy Jackson!" the "host" aka the DJ, announces.
Percy Jackson is the kind of name that would be on a book series, not an actual person, but then there he his, shaggy hair, green eyes, and awkward smile, walking up on stage.
The crowd cheers loudly and Percy cocks and eyebrow up. "The last guy to go is always the luckiest, you guys are going to be too drunk to care if my jokes land or not."
Sure, enough the audience laughs, and Annabeth finds herself smiling.
"No really," Percy continues, "I'm the most awkward person. You know yesterday I was handing out flyers to this thing, and when this girl took one, I almost asked her about the event."
The audience chuckles.
"Seriously I was almost like, so what's the flyer for?" he throws his hands up as he talks in an animated voice causing more laughs from the audience.
"Like I wasn't the one handing out flyers. Speaking of, anyone actually try to hand these things out? When someone takes one you're like," he gets on his knees, "is it you Jesus? How you bless me so."
The audience cracks up at his antics and he stands up smiling.
"Yeah, she was way hotter than Jesus though, no offence to the guy. I'm sure he could rock leggings if he tried."
And that spins a whole story about leggings, a bet, a roommate and a Dachshund, but Annabeth is frozen.
Either that vodka cran was spiked or that really just happened. She was one of the story's people use in their comedy bits. And who was Percy? She watches amazed as he does different voices, acting out scenes, he has great stage presence and is actually really funny.
Where's the guy who gaped at her for 80 percent of the conversation yesterday?
The open mic ends with Percy waving himself off stage to a crowd of slightly drunk people and Annabeth gets up immediately, determined to reach him.
Of course, everyone else also decides to get up then and it takes another ten minutes before she finally spots him towards the side where he's wrapping up a conversation with some other people.
Smirking, she walks up as he takes a sip of water from bottle.
"So," she begins watching as his eyes widen at the sight of her, "hotter than Jesus huh?"
The poor soul actually chokes on his water a bit and the blush is unmistakable as he turns to face her.
"You're here," he says, clearly surprised. It occurs to her then that this boy wears his emotions on his sleeve, you don't have to guess what he's thinking, his eyes say it all.
"I told you I'd come," she responds, stepping closer.
"Yeah, I guess you did," he mumbles, almost to himself and it's cuter than it should be. "I hope you're not upset at my story."
He looks genuinely concerned and she smiles.
"Why would I be? You called me hot and compared me to Jesus."
He clearly doesn't know how to react to that so she laughs, leaning closer.
"But if you feel the need to make it up, I'm not opposed to a drink." Maybe it's the alcohol, maybe it's how cute he looks, or maybe it's that tug inside her for…something new, but she adds a wink to the end of her proposition.
Percy blushes harder and smiles back. "Lead the way."
-.-
Her head feels Not Good, and her eyes Can't Open, but her phone buzzes so she manages to pick it up sideways and squint one eye to read the notification.
From Sea-green Waves:
Hey, hope you're doing alright and the hangover isn't too bad.
Who has perfect texting capabilities this early in the morning?
ye im good
is what she responds with before closing her one eye and laying back. Her phone buzzes again.
Okay good! I had a fun time last night, by the way, thank you for coming
It's such a sweet message she actually has to open both her eyes to respond. Okay so maybe it's closer to noon than morning but still.
Me too, thanks for the drink
Well technically more than one, but that's besides the point. She sits up and glares at the sun who' has finally decided to make a full appearance today of all days.
Her phone buzzes, and she's not gonna lie, waking up to Percy's texts is not the worst way to get up.
Of course!
The conversation has reached a natural ending point and she can't help but be disappointed. Percy, as it turns out, is just as great of a person as she thought he might be. And even though she drank, she still remembers the conversation they had, almost up until the bar closed.
Despite her headache and the sun and the horrible taste in her mouth she smiles. A true wide smile because this feels good. Not the hangover, but just feeling…alive.
The past two days she's lived more than she has in months and part of her never wants spring break to end. But it wasn't the classes getting her down, just as it isn't the break that's necessarily reviving her.
Actually…she's not sure what is. But ultimately, it's her actions that are making a difference. Getting herself together, cleaning away all traces of him, and just doing things.
Getting out of bed, she gets ready, once again taking her time to enjoy herself, the space and the sense of freedom she's been feeling lately. It's good.
Fishing out her phone as she walks into the kitchen to rummage for food, she sees another text from Percy.
So, maybe this is too soon or whatever, but I'm awkward enough as it is so I'm just gonna ask, want to get lunch or dinner or something?
She smiles at the words and it's the most she's smiled in the past few months.
You free in an hour?
Her smile widens at the response and her face actually hurts.
Hell yeah
-.-
It's astonishing the difference just a few days make. It's nearing the end of spring break and even though they only have a couple days before classes they've been talking non-stop since they had met up for lunch.
It's a rush of excitement that feeds the need for movement and change that's been overtaking her recently and she's re-discovering the joy of learning about someone new. And Percy is full of surprises, from the ocean to stand up comedy, he's honestly one of the more interesting people she knows.
Flicking on the light in her room after another long day spent with Percy, she stops for a moment to take everything in. Her clean room, her own space, the smile that hasn't left her face, and the way her heart quickens in excitement as she feels her phone buzz in her pocket no doubt a text from him to make sure she got home okay.
Actually, it's astonishing what a difference a morning can make. The morning she woke up with an itch to do something. But even that, she thinks as she flops on her bed, is not it.
Turning her thoughts from that conundrum they land on Percy (as ever).
There's still a ways to go with Percy, but it's a whole new adventure that she can't wait to have. But even beyond him, just having the freedom to pursue what she wants without getting in her own way, hell even just the freedom to think of whatever she wants, not having to block out anything to do with him.
Hindsight is 20/20 and she sees now what might have led to that breakup. The signs had been there, but he had always been so impassive, so hard to read, that she wouldn't have known. And maybe that's part of the reason why she was able to get over it so soon, because she never really felt anything either.
Well not as much as she feels with Percy anyway. The guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, can be read like a book with one look into his eyes and makes her heart…feel.
And that's when she figures it out. It's not the past few days, or spring break, or that morning, it was the feeling of change, the need for it and, more importantly, the action towards it.
And for the first time in weeks she goes to sleep content with the life she was creating, content with herself.
A/N: So what did you think? A little Annabeth-centric fic to focus on the feeling of growth and change and something new! Shoutout to anon on tumblr who actually requested this prompt: AU college. With the start of spring and everything I just wanted to write about a fresh start and so here we are.
I hope you guys liked it! Please Review! I'd love to hear your thoughts!
And as always, thanks for reading!
See ya! :)