A/N :Hope you all are staying safe in these trying times. Also, shoutout to Muyozo for being my first review. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.

Annabeth took a cookie and looked at Percy. "We were supposed to catch the new pixar movie. He would pick me up and we'd catch the movie and then dinner. He promised to be there by 4:00." Percy looked at the clock showing 7:30. He's never been this late and it's really worrying me." She took another cookie and stuffed both in her mouth, the crumbs going up to her nose tip. She never wasted a crumb, especially when it came to these kinds of cookies (he had made this batch, but she really didn't need to know that), so this was new. Percy took her hand and squeezed it.

Annabeth choked back a sob. "I know this isn't—isn't me. I'm not the type to cry over a boyfriend, but it has been around 19 hours since he last texted me Percy, and—I can't help but think-."

"-That he's dead? Annabeth, wha-? Why would that even cross your mind? Listen to me, okay? He is not dead. He is fine and tomorrow when you wake up, you will wake up to about 20 texts explaining exactly why he couldn't make it okay? Now just breathe with me. In. Out. That's it. You want to stay till dinner? Mom's making Lasagna."

Annabeth smiled through her tears. "As long as you don't help—you're a terrible cook, Percy and frankly I think it was Piper trying to clean up your room and you didn't really do anything because, let's face it Percy, you're a mess-." She ignored Percy's attempts to shush her because my mom's gonna hear, Beth, shut the fuck up. "- and neither your mom, nor me trust you in the kitchen, Percy. So please. Stay out of the kitchen unless you want the house to burn down."

Percy smirked at this. "Enjoying those cookies?"

Annabeth moaned. "These are so heavenly. How'd she make them so good?"

Percy grinned. "She didn't. I did."

Annabeth choked.

"So, imagine you have this curve and you want to find the area under this curve—wait. I'm assuming you know indefinite integration?"

"Yup."

"Okay. So, there's this curve and you want to find its area, so you break it up into infinitely many small pieces and the area under this curve is the sum of the areas of these smaller areas. So, you have your upper limit and your lower limit and definite is just like regular integration except, after integrating, you substitute the upper limit and lower limit and find the difference. Now, there are quite a few prop-."

Annabeth's phone rang and her face fell on looking at it. She picked it up. "Hi, Mom. Yeah, no I'm at Percy's right now. He didn't show up, and I didn't get a single call from him. Nope we're having dinner here. Mom, no he does not interfere in my studies, if anything, it's a better revision for me because it helps me—alright, I'll be home in around 15 minutes? Okay bye."

Annabeth sighed. She looked at Percy, asking for forgiveness. He smiled weakly. "Still hates me, huh?"

Annabeth grimaced. "Not you, but your guts."

"I fail to see how this works to my advantage."

"Oh, it doesn't, it's just that she thinks you're dumb—which you're not by the way, you're really damn smart, and I know that you're going to get into NYU. It's just—your grades in the other subjects. They're pretty low, and honestly? They don't represent how smart you actually are. I literally asked you for help on Bio yesterday. You do know how it pisses me off when you call yourself dumb, and to tell you the truth, you are quite smart—just not the smart which our school system needs."

Percy got up and wrapped her in his arms. "Thanks." He whispered. She broke away from the hug and smiled at him. "You're my best friend, Perce, and I'm glad that it's you who is."

She bid him goodbye, and Percy, closed the door and turned to find his mom grinning at him. "What?"

Sally shook her head, feigning innocence. "Nothing at all, dear."

"We're just friends, Mom."

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh god, just stop. I'm going to sleep—and I did clean my room."

"I noticed. Goodnight, Percy."

"Goodnight."

It was a Saturday. Percy usually got to sleep in. Usually. Now, if anyone woke him up before 9:30 on a Saturday morning, he would be charged with a first-degree murder. However, since it was Sally, waking him up at 7 in the morning, waving an envelope in front of his face, whispering, "it's here." Percy rubbed his eyes and took the envelope from her hand. Sally sat down at the foot of his bed. "Read it out loud." Percy nodded.

With trembling fingers, he opened the envelope, and began reading it:

"Dear Mr. Jackson," he read, "we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted-." He didn't read anymore—he didn't have to. He let out a happy whoop and crushed Sally in a hug. Tears were leaking out of his eyes. He would be getting a full ride if he placed even among the top three at nationals this year, which would be held in July, about three weeks before graduation. He picked up his phone and the first person he called was Annabeth—which, however, went to voicemail. He then called Piper, who picked up on the third ring. "Perce, you better have a good reason-."

Percy interrupted her angry tirade. "I got in."

Piper, sounding more awake and skeptical, by the minute asked, "Where?"

"NYU…all I need to do is place within the top three at nationals and I have a full ride."

Piper was so silent; Percy was afraid that she had died. "Piper, are you-." A loud screech cut him off. "Holy fuck, Percy, you're going to NYU, I'm so proud of you and – no wait I'm coming right over."

Percy laughed. "Pipes, I haven't even brushed my teeth."

"I don't care. Brush your teeth, take a shower and for the love of all things holy, please, brush your hair. I swear a pigeon is going to lay eggs in your hair, one of these days. Today, you will not have to think about anyone except yourself."

Percy reminded her about her boyfriend, Jason who was going to a different school at the time. Jason was a pretty cool dude as well, always happy for his friendship with Piper, claiming that "I know she doesn't need anyone to look after her—and she'd kick my ass into the next century if I ever said this but I'm glad that she has you as a friend."

"Jason? He's got this stupid student council shit which involves politics, and I don't get along with know that (Percy did know. Piper and he had spent hours trying to fight sleepiness as Grover and Annabeth spent hours discussing their political studies often than not, Annabeth had to wake Percy up because he was too deep asleep to hear the bell). Anyway, brush your teeth. I'll be over in an hour or so."

Percy grinned and cut the call. He called Annabeth again, only to be sent to voicemail. Granted, it was Saturday, so might've still been asleep. He sent her a text and went to get ready.

An hour and a half later, Piper walked into his house and pulled him in a tight hug. "Sorry I'm late, traffic was a bitch. Percy,I'm so damn proud of you. I can't say it enough."

Percy broke away from the hug and said goodbye to Sally as he dragged her out the door. Piper looked at him carefully. "What did Annabeth have to say about it?" Percy checked his phone and his heart dropped. She had seen the message but had chosen not to respond. Piper, on seeing this glared at the phone. "Even if she's not your girlfriend, she should be happy for you—as a best friend. Anyway, we agreed not to think about her and so, we shall not. Today, we're going to the aquarium!"

She took Percy's car keys from him and entered the driver's seat. "Um…Piper? You do know how to drive, don't you?" Piper flipped him off and backed out of his driveway.

Percy was looking out of the window, taking in the sights. It had been years since he had gone to the aquarium and he really was quite excited. As the car rolled to a stop at a red light, Percy noticed a familiar figure walking along the sidewalk. He pointed this out to Piper. Her eyes widened. Sandy blond hair. A scar running across his eyes. Staring at them with a surprised look on his face, was Annabeth's boyfriend, Luke Castellan.

A/N: Well then…I was thinking of writing a Dark(like the Netflix series) styled AU after this…let me know how that sounds, and how this chapter was in the reviews! Stay safe and healthy and I will see you guys next week.

Bye!