IT'S A DATE

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Song of the Chapter: Disappointing Diamonds Are the Rarest of Them All by Father John Misty

Disappointing diamonds are the rarest of them all
And a love that lasts forever really can't be that special
Sure we know our roles, and how it's supposed to go
Does everybody have to be the greatest story ever told?

Annabeth found it surprisingly easy to jump out of bed the next morning. For once, she'd gotten most of her homework done and slept well. She was even hungry when she woke up, but it wasn't the grating, awful hunger she had been so used to going to sleep and waking up with.

Maybe, she thought as she made breakfast (granola with almond milk and berries), I'll even try and talk to Thalia today.

Sitting on the subway, she kept an eye out for Percy. When he didn't show up at his stop, her heart fell a little bit. Annabeth wasn't really sure if she liked him or not, but last night had been really nice. She liked having a friend who wasn't Piper or Leo— people that she loved, for sure, but sometimes she needed a break.

It took Annabeth a moment, but suddenly she remembered Percy mentioning morning practice, and his absence on the subway made sense. Of course! She couldn't lie and say that she wasn't disappointed that he wouldn't be riding with her much anymore. She would miss his quips and math homework and how he was kind of cute when he woke up.

But that's besides the point. Percy wasn't going to ask her to the Snow Ball or anything. As far as Annabeth knew, he was probably going to take one of the girls who hung out with his friend group. Last year he went with Rachel Dare, his ex girlfriend, who transferred to a different school, and Annabeth was sure that Drew Tanaka was going to try and get Percy to ask her.

Like Annabeth could compete with Drew. Drew was an inch or two shorter and had a perfect, perfect body. She dressed well every day and always looked absolutely beautiful. What guy wouldn't want to go with her?

Annabeth remembered the pie last night and her breakfast this morning, which was just slightly more than she should have eaten. If she even wanted to look a little similar to Drew, she needed to stop.

Her good mood ruined, Annabeth walked into Physics, only to find Thalia glaring at her from the back table. Annabeth gulped, any possibility of trying to reconcile with Thalia fleeing from her mind, and sat down at the table closest to the door.

Annabeth spent most of Physics trying to focus on her notes and ignore the burning laser stare Thalia was giving her. When they had to partner up to work on a lab, Annabeth nearly reflexively twisted around to ask Thalia to be her partner, only to find that she had paired up with some kid named Butch.

Alright, Annabeth thought. Just find a partner. I can do this. She scanned the room to find anyone who didn't have anyone to work with, and her eyes landed on a girl whose name it took her a moment to remember- Hazel. Hazel Levesque. She was a sophomore in a junior/senior class somehow, and was super quiet. Annabeth had only ever heard her speak to answer questions.

"Hey Hazel! Do you wanna be partners!"

Hazel turned around. "Oh! Hey Annabeth. Sure." She had a quiet, melodic voice.

Annabeth tried to give her an encouraging smile. Subconsciously she glanced at how skinny Hazel's legs and arms were. "Sounds good. I can grab all the materials."

"Uh, sounds good."

Annabeth left Physics feeling far better than she had started. Hazel was a great partner: smart, a good worker, and easy to talk to. They had a surprisingly good conversation when they had finished all their work.

Annabeth ambled on to her next class, though she was always excited to go to Calculus. All of a sudden, Luke walked up to her.

"Hey Annabeth!" He gave her a quick hug. "How are you doing?"
"Hey!" Annabeth said, blushing. "What's up?"

"Not much. I just wanted to ask- wanna get lunch today? I have something to ask you."

"Oh! Sure. Sounds good."

Luke gave her a big smile. "Awesome! See you then."

Annabeth turned around, blushing bright red. What could Luke possibly have to ask her? With her luck it was probably just asking her if she could help putting up extra decorations for the Snow Ball instead of asking her to the dance.

Lunch with Luke passed quickly. They talked about the requisites: college and classes, where Luke wanted to go. When he asked Annabeth where she was interested in attending, she expertly deflected the question. "I mean, I'm still looking. Definitely Ivies."

"Thought so. You're so smart, Beth. I bet you'll get in wherever you want to go."

Annabeth had heard so many people say that line, over and over. She didn't believe in the first time, and she definitely didn't believe it now.

As they walked back to class, still talking about Luke's college applications, Annabeth's mind wandered off for a brief moment, to dinner last night with Percy. It wasn't better than being with Luke, she didn't think. No, no. It was just different. She and Percy had been closer friends than she had ever been with Luke. That's why it felt so good to be with him.

Luke paused just before they walked into school, startling Annabeth. "There's that thing I wanted to ask you," he said, rubbing his neck.

Annabeth focused her eyes on his face instead of his bicep. "Sure. What's up?"

"You know how the Snow Ball is next Friday night? I've been thinking about this for a while but I just wanted to ask if you, uh, wanted to go with me."

Annabeth's heart stopped, then accelerated until the only thing she could hear was the rush of blood pounding in her ears. Her eyes zeroed in on Luke's face— his open blue eyes gazing at her, his lips turned up into a hopeful smile, the single piece of hair falling across his forehead. This was it. This was it. This was all she had been waiting for.

"Annabeth?'

"Oh! Oh my god, yes, I would love to go," Annabeth squeaked, hoping that her voice didn't sound too high. "That would be great. Thank you." Shut up, Annabeth!

Luke raised a slight eyebrow. "Well, then it's a date. I'll text you to figure out the details and everything?"

"Yeah that sounds great!" Annabeth's voice was still oddly high, and she could feel how bright red her face must have been.

"Great. I gotta go to class, but I'll see you soon."

Luke gave her a hug and squeezed her hand before he turned around to walk up the stairs. Annabeth leaned against the wall, so giddy that she almost wanted to jump up and down. How could she be expected to go to APUSH like this? She had to tell Piper!

Annabeth slipped into her seat seconds before the bell rang. Piper smiled at her, already writing the warm up that was up on the PowerPoint at the front of the room. It was dead silent, and Annabeth was making a ton of noise getting out her notebook and pencils, but she didn't care.

Piper slipped her a note.

Hey! I heard about dinner with Percy last night… how was it? - P

Annabeth read it, turned it over and quickly wrote back.

Guess what? - A

? - P

Luke just asked me to the Snow Ball! - A

Really? - P

Yes! I'm so happy! I'm so so so happy! - A

That's great. - P

Annabeth didn't respond and tucked the note into her pocket, trying to look at Piper, who was now looking intently at her warm up- something she never did. What was wrong with her?

Annabeth was distracted the entire class, torn between giddiness at the thought of going to the Snow Ball and confusion at Piper's reaction. Was Piper really so into the idea of Annabeth dating Percy that she was going to oppose any other thing that Annabeth did? Did she hate Luke that much? The more Annabeth thought about it, the angrier she became. There was no other chance to talk to Piper about it during class, so she waited until everyone had streamed into the hallway and was getting ready to go home.

"So, Luke asked you out, huh?" Piper asked, her tone neutral, as Annabeth spun open her locker.

"Yeah. Today at lunch."

"Oh, that's cool."

"That's all you have to say?"

"Are you okay, Annabeth?"

"I'm fine."

"You're lying, and I know what's bothering you."

"Well then, what is it?"

Piper crossed her arms. "Annabeth, you tell me."

Annabeth mind flipped through a billion different things. Everything that was bothering her? There were so many. How much she liked being around Percy. Her dad and his stupid family dinners. How much she hated being around her mom. How fat she was. How going to spin class terrified her every single day. How the only thing she thought about besides homework was food. How sad she was about losing Thalia. How scared she was of losing Piper. How bad her eating disorder— but Annabeth didn't have an eating disorder. She was just watching her eating carefully, because she wanted to lose weight. Annabeth took a deep breath. She needed to explain this all to Piper.

"I'm really fine. It's nothing. I'm really excited about going out with Luke."

Piper reached for her hand. "Annabeth, I know you are. But I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to tell me the truth."

"Okay?"

"Do you even want to go with Luke?"

Annabeth snapped her hand back from Piper's. For a brief moment, she hadn't been angry, but everything she had been feeling back in APUSH rushed back to her. "Of course I do, Piper. As my friend, you should know that."

"I do, but I just see the way you interact, and whenever you talk about him, it doesn't feel quite right."

"You don't get it! You just hate him! You and Leo and Thalia all think he's arrogant and rude! But you don't get it. You don't know him like I do. You don't even know what I want and it bothers me that you're trying to act like you do!"

"Annabeth, that's not it."

"But it is! Don't act like you not being excited about Luke doesn't come from you just wanting me to date Percy. You're not looking out for me. You're looking out for you."

Piper staggered back. Her mouth was open.

Annabeth could feel the tears beginning to form behind her eyes. "Bye Piper." She slung her backpack over her shoulder and sprinted off before Piper could see her cry.

As Annabeth got off the subway and walked towards the gym, she realized how similar the experience with Piper had been with Thalia. Two ruined relationships. Two of her best friends. Who did she have now? Luke? Percy? If Percy still wanted to be friends with her after that— because Piper would definitely tell Jason, who would definitely tell Percy. Oh God.

But she didn't have to focus on that right now. She could make up with Piper later, and go to her spin class now. After an hour on the bike, maybe her head would be cleared. And she needed to make sure that she lost as much weight as possible for the Snow Ball next week.

Just the thought of the dance made her nervous. Of course she was excited, but the concept of Luke seeing her in a dress was terrifying. First of all, she didn't even have a dress— and the thought of going shopping made her want to be sick. Annabeth hated having to look at herself that way, and especially if Luke was then going to be seeing her… well, it would just be even worse.

Annabeth changed quickly and charged upstairs just moments before the class began. She was going to just get through this class, and then she would think about everything that was bothering her. But not yet. Not yet.

When Annabeth left an hour later, she did feel better. Sure, her legs were shaking so badly she barely wanted to walk and her stomach was roaring at her, but her mind did feel a little better. She was just angry that instead of being able to focus on Luke, she was now worried about everything going on with Piper.

To be fair, Annabeth had never known someone as in-tune with relationships as Piper. For some reason, Piper could point out couples long before they got together, and guess when they were going to break up. She was scarily accurate with it too— like when she guessed that Percy and Rachel Dare were going to break up, and then they had by the next week.

Annabeth had nearly forgotten that Percy and Rachel used to date. To be fair, Rachel no longer went to school with them, so there weren't too many visual reminders of their relationship. It had been through sophomore year, until Rachel left and went to a mystery school. No one, not even her friends, knew where she had gone, and if Percy had any idea, he wasn't saying anything.

Annabeth had liked Rachel at the time, but now the thought of her made her just a little angry. She and Percy had been a great couple— even Piper said so. But now Piper said that Annabeth and Percy would be a good couple…

No. Annabeth couldn't let herself get caught up in this trap. She had to focus on Luke! Finally, after years and years, he had asked her out. Sure, in the moment it had felt great, but just a few hours later Annabeth wasn't as excited.

But that was just because of all the drama with Piper, Annabeth was certain. She was just distracted. Tomorrow she'd wake up and be excited to go out with Luke. He was perfect for her, after all.

Right now she needed to figure out a way to convince her dad that she liked the food he made for dinner, and then hide away in her room when Helen, Matthew, Bobby, and her dad all started acting like a family.

Long after dinner (grilled cheeses! Ack!) Annabeth was holed away in her room, watching television on her computer after losing the battle of trying to understand Act III of King Lear. Her phone buzzed.

Percy: Hey! Wanna study more this weekend?

Annabeth: Sure! What day is good?

Percy: Sat for lunch?

Annabeth: Good w me

Percy: How are you doing? :)

Texting casually? What? Annabeth didn't know what to think. She paused her show and began typing.

Annabeth: I'm pretty good! Today was kinda up and down, you?

Percy: Long sweaty practice but that's nothing new. Why was today up and down?

Should she tell him? Because she only wanted to be friends with Percy, then yes, she should. Besides, there was no way that Percy liked her. She had never felt that from him, and wouldn't she have noticed?

Annabeth: Well Luke asked me to the Snow Ball but then Piper and I kinda had a fight. Just a weird day in general, I'm not sure

The little text bubble popped up from Percy, but he didn't respond for another two minutes.

Percy: Castellan? Interesting

Percy: Make sure he treats you right

Percy: And sorry about Piper

Annabeth: It's okay! We'll figure it out

Percy: I gotta do some homework. Night Annabeth

Annabeth: Night!

That was a little odd for Percy. Normally he was totally fine with staying up late and talking just so they didn't have to do homework. Huh.

Annabeth would figure it out in the morning. She'd figure out this insane mess in the morning. Right now, she just needed to watch some TV and go to sleep and think about what she wanted for breakfast the next morning.

If you need help, please contact the following:

National Eating Disorders Association Helpline: 1-800-931-2237

(Monday-Thursday 9am-9pm, Friday 9am-5pm. All EST time)

where-do-i-start-0

Thank you so much for reading!

Sorry if you all hate this one. I've seen your reviews, and you're not all the biggest fans of Luke. But for the sake of plot, I hope you can accept all that's going on...

If you celebrate, Gut Yontif!

Until the next chapter,

Emily