Hey friends! Sorry for the late update, my computer was acting upLBut it goes back to normal every now and then, so that's good! And you know what else is good? The views this story has! We reached 1000 views last update! Now I know that is not a very high number compared to some other stories, but hey this is my first one! So a huge thanks to all of you out there and enjoy the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series Rick Riordan does.
I'm woken up by whispering voices coming from outside my door. I opened my eyes and listened carefully.
"Why do I have to do it" a voice whined
"Because I'm your mother and I said so! Now hurry up or else no blue pancakes" another voice said
"But mom-"
"No buts mister, now go"
"Fine" a voiced grumbled. I heard footsteps approaching the room. I quickly closed my eyes and slow downed my breathing before I heard the door swing open. I could tell by the deep breathing and shift of energy in the air that it was Percy.
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling, as he walked towards me. I hear him awkwardly clear his throat before he gently says
"Annabeth! Wake up, it's um, time for breakfast" I remain completely still. I hear him sigh before I feel his hand on my shoulder. He shakes me slightly and says a little louder
"Annabeth wake up!" Keeping up the act, I pretend to be annoyed and shift to my other side, my back facing him. I rub my lips together to keep from laughing. He was so gullible!
I feel the pressure on the bed release, and hear him walk away from the bed. I hear a door open, and begin to wonder if he left. I hear a bunch of metal shifting together on my right and I realize he is in his closet.
I slowly shift to the other side, careful not to make too much noise, and then I peek up at him. His muscular back is facing me as he furiously searches through his closet. He is murmuring to himself as he searches
"Stupid Gabe…shouldn't have fought…..Annabeth…danger" I couldn't hear much, but I could understand the gist of what he was saying. Of course he still blamed himself for what happened. A little pep talk is not going to make his feelings of guilt go away over night, but I was hoping it would ease the pain.
To take his mind off of Gabe, I decide to take this sleeping game one step further. Careful not to make any noise, I quietly get out of the bed. I make the bed up a little to make it seem as though I wasn't there, and start towards the door. I tip toe to the door and quickly sneak out of the room slowly closing the door behind me.
I quietly laugh to myself as I make my way towards the kitchen, to tell Sally about my plan when I look at the living room. All of the beer bottles were gone, the cushions were neatly placed, and the broken pieces of glass that were once on the floor, were nowhere to be seen. It looked exactly how it was when I walked in, but there was a certain sadness looming in the air. The aftermath of Gabe's reappearance. Pushing the sad thoughts out of my head I continue my way to the kitchen.
As soon as I enter I am hit with a delicious smell. What is that? Mrs. Jackson stops cooking on the stove and turns towards me. She is wearing a white apron with a bunch of blue stains on it. She looks as though she hasn't slept in days.
"Good morning Annabeth! I was just finishing up breakfast! I'm making pancakes, you want some?" she says smiling. Despite her smile, I could tell in her eyes that she was very nervous. Her eyes frantically scanned my face anticipating my reaction to her. Putting on my best smile I say
"Sure pancakes sounds good, but I um need to tell you some-"
"MOM" Percy yells from the other side of the apartment. Uh oh! His voice is followed by urgent footsteps down the hall.
"Act natural" I squeak, before hastily grabbing a nearby apron. I put apron on in lightning speed, grab a handful of flour from the flour bag, and dump it on my apron. I smear a little on my forehead before I run to the dishwasher. I took out two plates and was just starting to put them on the table when Percy came running in.
"Mom Annabeth is gone!" he said frantically as he walked over to his mom.
"I can't find her anywhere" Mrs. Jackson sent a questioning look towards me.
"Percy honey, what are you talking about? She's right here" She said gesturing towards me. I try and act nonchalant as I set up the table.
"Hey Percy, I was just about to wake you up!" I try not to laugh at his astound face.
"How did you-when did you-you were just-"
"I was just what?" I ask innocently.
"You were just in bed! Sleeping!"
"What?" I say giving Mrs. Jackson. An incredulous look.
"I was here helping your mom with breakfast! You were the one sleeping" Mrs. Jackson looked very confused, but I signaled her with my eyes to play along.
"No I wasn't! How did you get here?"
"Well, when two people love each other very much or when-"
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"
"Oh, really! Then what did you mean?" I said cocking my head to the side.
"I meant how you got HERE! In the kitchen! You were literally asleep five minutes ago!"]
"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't" I said shrugging my shoulders and sitting down.
"What does that mean?" he said frazzled. He turned towards his mom.
"Mom, wasn't Annabeth asleep a couple minutes ago" Mrs. Jackson glanced at me. Her eyes held amusement and she didn't look as sad and tired as she was before.
"I don't know Percy! Why don't you ask her?" The look on Percy's face was priceless. I immediately burst out laughing along with Mrs. Jackson.
"What is going on? Why are you laughing?"
"I…can't, ha, ha…..believe you….fell for that!" said in-between laughs.
"Fell for what?! What is going on? You should be asleep!"
"Oh Percy! You're so guidable" Mrs. Jackson said as she shared the pancakes out on the plates.
"You know what" Percy said taking a seat a seat, and slumping down in his chair. "I don't wanna know anymore" He pouted slightly, but when Mrs. Jackson put a blue pancake on his plate, his face instantly brightened up. He sat up in his chair immediately, smiling ear to ear. Me and Sally looked at each other for a moment, before we started laughing again.
Five minutes later when everybody was situated with a delicious stack of pancakes, and I was done explaining my scheme we started cleaning up. Percy washed the dishes while I dried them.
"You know" he started as he washed a cup. "That little scheme you pulled was very mean" I smiled as I dried another plate.
"I know, but you have to admit it was really funny"
"Whatever" he joked. We cleaned in comfortable silence for a couple minutes, when soapy water came flying out of nowhere. My face and part of the T-shirt Percy lent me were drenched. Did he really do that! I looked over at him, to see his mouth open in shock and his eyes twinkling in amusement. He thinks this is funny!
"What the hell Percy!" I yelled furious.
Percy's POV
Oh shit! She looks pissed! Hot as hell….but still pissed. I didn't mean to do it though. The plate accidentally slipped out of my hand, and splashed into the sink water drenching her. I didn't mean to splash her, it just happened! But her face looks so funny right now drenched in water!
"I-I didn't mean to! The plate slipped-"
"And the water just happened to fall on me and not you? Jeez, Percy it was just a little prank, you didn't have to throw dirty sink water on me!" She thinks this is about the whole sleeping trick?
"No Annabeth, it was an accident!"
"Yeah right!" she yelled storming away from me.
"No! It really was" I said chasing after her.
"I swear!" But it was too late, she already slammed the bathroom door in my face. Ugh! Great! Thanks a lot water! Water is usually on my side, not against me! She was really upset. I mean her eyes were frickin glowing! The only time I've seen her angry was yesterday and right now.
And what did happen yesterday? I know something bad happened to her and that she is still going through it, because when she thinks no one is looking she gets this really sad look in her beautiful eyes and she tilts her head down. I've seen my mom wear that same expression for about sixteen years…. But that's not the point! The point is that one minute we're fine and the next we're not and I need to find out why!
I hear the sink running and I know she is washing her face. Damn it, now I feel even worse! If it had been regular water that would have been fine, but nooooo! It had to be dirty sink water!
She probably thinks I'm a freak! Great job Percy! The one girl you've ever liked now thinks you're a freak! Not like I had a chance with her anyway, but still…
I hear the water stop. I wait to hear anything else but I don't. There is just complete silence on the other side of the door. I wait, I wait, and I wait, but I hear nothing. I press my ear to the door and that's when I hear. I hear a sniffle. It is very faint and I would have mistaken it for something else if I hadn't heard another one. And another one. And another one. And another one.
Awwww crap! Please don't be crying! Man that's the third time in two days I've made her cry! What the hell is wrong with me?
"U-Um Annabeth? Are you okay" I don't hear a response.
"I'm sorry I got you upset, but can you just please come out so we could talk" A moment later I hear a click and the door fly's open. I immediately rush to Annabeth.
"I'm so sorry"
"I'm sorry" We say at the same time. Huh?
"What? What are you sorry for, I'm the one that splashed you with filthy sink water?"
"P-Percy I need to tell you something" She said once again looking down at her feet. She wrung her hands nervously as she waited for my response.
"Is it about yesterday?" I ask carefully.
"Um, yeah. Actually why don't we head out, I'll tell you when we are in the car"
"Sure. I'll drop you off at the café"
Neither of us spoke as we got dressed and headed out of the apartment building. I don't know why, but I started to feel very nervous. I felt very protective towards Annabeth, which isn't unusual. I'm protective of all my friends, but it's different when it comes to Annabeth. I want to protect her as something more and I've never felt that with anyone before. And it's scary because I just met her yesterday!
Whatever this secret is it seems to have a big effect on her and I want her to be happy. I don't want this secret holding us-erm….. her back from happiness.
When we reached the car I open the door for her and go around on the other side to get in.
"So" I say getting in. "What's up?" Annabeth turns her head so she is facing the window, and I get a full view of her golden curls. It's like they just fall into place! And they look so soft…..
"Percy" I snapped out of my trance.
"Um yeah"
"We're friends right? I mean I totally get that we just met each other and all, and I understand that you might not want to be friends! And I just thought before I tell you the secret I should just clarify that-" I chuckled at her rambling.
"Of course we're friends! The moment you agreed to help me with Rachel we were automatically friends. If we weren't I wouldn't have let you spend the night" I said. I could see her shoulders relax a little bit. They were still tense, but they lightened up a little.
"Plus" I added "I don't usually give up my bedroom for non-friends, no matter how beautiful they are" I grinned in satisfactory as I noticed her ears turning red. I knew hanging around Leo would pay off. There was a short pause.
"I just don't want this secret to affect our friendship" Annabeth said breaking the pause.
"Hey, look at me" I said gently turning her face with my hand. I could feel a warmness shoot through my arm and a spark fly through my body as we locked eyes. Her beautiful grey eyes...
"You already know my secret, about Gabe right. You can tell me anything ok? I won't judge you" I promised. I could see the doubt and hesitation in her eyes. She looked away from me and took a deep breath.
"When I was little my mom didn't want me" she began. "She left me with my father. My father and I had an interesting relationship. He took care of me and did all the basic father things, but I always felt like a burden. Like he didn't want me there…..When I was six my father married my stepmother, Susan. Things were okay at first! I mean Susan was nice and all but then it all just changed!" She said her voice cracking at the end. Her eyes started to get watery and she sniffled.
"I'm sorry" she apologized.
"No, no it's okay" I said.
"Would you feel more comfortable if I was driving, and I didn't look at you?"
"Sure" I put on my seat belt and started the engine. I pulled out of the parking space and started driving off when she continued.
"Susan started to act differently when she started her new job. I guess it wasn't high paying or something, because whenever she got home they were always arguing about money. It was always money! So then they started worrying about money and ways they could get it and they stopped noticing the small stuff. My dad was always late picking me up from school, they didn't attend any of my awards or concerts and then they just stopped all together. I felt like a guest in my own house! But I learned to do things on my own. I got used to it and by age ten I was cooking breakfast for myself, washing my clothes and getting good grades. I was practically independent by age fourteen, and all I needed from them was my allowance! I was fifteen when Susan got pregnant with my twin brothers Mathew and Bobby. Everything was fine during the pregnancy and they started to get more involved. They kept saying how they didn't want me to think they would love the boys better and how I'm so important to them, but how am I so important when they barely noticed me for about eight years! But I didn't think anything of it, all that mattered to me was that somebody cared. I was still the same independent girl, but it was nice to have a family again. But of course good things don't last, they never do….." Wow! I was so interested in her story that I almost forgot where we were going. Annabeth paused as I parked into a space outside of Half-Blood Café.
"I'll tell you the rest inside" Annabeth said as she quickly got out of the car. I watch her enter the café as I process the information. I am in complete shock! I had no idea she grew up like that! I mean, I know what it feels like to be abandoned by a parent and it sucks! How was she able to become so independent and strong? And what happened to make her so shy and insecure now…
I enter the café and I search for Annabeth. I see her sitting by a table staring off into space. I put in a quick order of two Percy styled hot chocolates and headed over to her. She looked deep in thought when I sat down, and only snapped out of it when I cleared my throat. She looked up at me briefly, before she turned her attention to her fingers that started to fidget.
"Sorry" she apologized for the hundredth time today.
"I was just thinking about…something" Her face appeared to be calm, but looking into her eyes, I could tell she was worried. Her leg was bouncing beneath the table and her eyes looked at anything, but me.
"Are you okay-"
"Percy! Percy Jackson!" the barista yelled.
"Excuse me! I'll be right back" I said as I got out of my seat. I walked up to the counter and grabbed our drinks. I put Annabeth's drink in front of her as I sat down.
"Oh!" she said looking at the drink. She peeled back the cover and scrunched up her face. She looked so cute wrinkling her nose like that, and scrunching up her eyebrows!
"Don't worry" I chuckled. "It's just blue food coloring. Yeah they call it the Percy special and it's only for me! There are a few perks with having your uncle own the place!" I said trying to lighten the mood. Annabeth let out a strained smile. It was very obvious that the rest of the secret was still troubling her. I was about to tell her the same thing in the car, and how she could tell me anything but I decided to take a different route.
"Look" I said. "You don't have to tell me. You've already told me a lot and if you don't feel comfortable telling me the rest that's completely fine!" We stayed in silence for a while, staring at each other.
"I'll tell you" she said breaking the silence.
"Are you absolutely sure you want to tell me"
"Yeah…. erm, I'm sure"
"Ok" I could feel my toes curl in anticipation! They've never done that before….weird!
"So um…. I-I'm sorry where did I leave off" she asked nervously.
"Where your parents started to notice you and then um…..something happened." She grimaced at the memory.
"Yeah right. Um, they just started to notice me when…um, the twins were born. And then they stopped caring about me and I was alone…..again. Then….um Lu-"
"But how did you become so shy" I blurted out. I snapped my hand over my mouth, but it was too late.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt you or for it to sound so rude-"
"It's fine" she said. She didn't seem that upset though, more relieved if anything! But I still felt bad for being so rude.
"Sorry" I muttered one last apology, before she continued with her story. She seemed more relaxed as she continued.
"It was just really hard you know? Having to see Bobby and Mathew get so much love and affection, and for me to get none. I started to become shy when my, um parents only noticed me when I started wearing fancy clothes. I didn't like to draw a lot of attention to myself so when I wore the nice clothes I usually kept my mouth shut. When I didn't wear the clothes I was my old self, because people would barely notice me so I wasn't afraid to be myself…So when they started noticing me I thought it was not only because of the clothes but because of my attitude. People-well certain people, liked that Annabeth better, so I thought it would be better to stay that way. With the designer clothes and the new attitude my parents loved me….but it wasn't me. So that's how I became the mess I am today" she ended letting out a bitter laugh. Oh my poor Annabeth! I mean it's all starting to make sense! Well sort of…..
I still don't get how she made the decision to change her clothes and attitude because of what people thought of her, but that doesn't matter! She was the one going through it, not me! Who am I to say what she should be feeling…but I still have this nagging feeling that she's holding something back!
Annabeth must have taken my silence the wrong way. Because when I look up she is hastily making her way to the break room. I see her cover her face slightly as she walks past tables. I quickly get up and chase after her.
"Annabeth wait!"
I go into the break room and find her sitting on the couch staring at the wall. I see smudged tear stains on her face as I approach her.
"Annabeth" I exclaim sitting down next to her.
"Look I get it" she says. "You don't want to be friends anymore! It's fine! I completely understand and you don't have to explain it to me! I-It was nice knowing you Percy" she says her voice quivering.
"No, no! You got it all wrong, I WANT to be with you Annabeth! I was just thinking about what you told me, that's all!" She snaps her head towards me.
"You still want to be friends? After everything? I thought that you'd run off" Ouch!
"Seriously! How could you think I could just ditch you like that, especially now that I know your secret? I'm not like that!" I said a little bit hurt. Does she really think that low of me? And after all I've told and done for her! I start to stand up when Annabeth's hand shoots out and grabs my arm. I see more tears spring into her eyes before she says
"No! Please don't go! I-I didn't mean to o-offend you, it's just I didn't know how you would react! I didn't mean to insult you- please stay!"
It was then that I realized how much of a jerk I was being. Oh I'm such an idiot! It wasn't Annabeth talking it was her insecurities.
"Its fine Annabeth" I said sitting back. "Why don't you wash your face off? Ok?" Annabeth gave me a slight nod, before she slowly started making her way to the bathroom. She looked back a few times as she walked, making sure I was still there.
"Don't worry! I'm not going anywhere" I promised. She blushed as she walked the rest of the way without looking back. She looks so cute when she blushes! I passed time by thinking about her story. I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was missing something! That something didn't make sense…..but I don't think Annabeth would lie to me! Why else would she get so upset if she wasn't telling the truth!
Suddenly I heard a loud cellphone ringing. It sounded as though it was in the couch itself. I looked down to where I was sitting and started moving the cushions searching for the cellphone. I couldn't find it! How hard could it be to find a damn cellphone! The sound was so annoying that I turned the couch over looking for it. Finally! I found it!
I picked up the grey phone and of course the phone stops ringing when I find it! Ugh, I swear these things hate me! I look at the screen and see a picture of Annabeth. Only it doesn't look like the one in the bathroom. Her hair is straightened and I could tell that she is wearing a little bit of makeup.
She is giving a shy uncomfortable smile, but still manages to look drop dead gorgeous. But I have to say I prefer her better now. She looks more natural and even more beautiful without the makeup and without her hair straightened.
Being the weirdo that I am, I start to caress the screen of her plump lips when a text message pops up. I press on it by accident and it sends me straight to the text message. I try and stop myself from reading it but as soon as I saw the first sentence I knew something was terribly wrong!
You thought I would let you go for that long! WELL THINK AGAIN! I don't think you realize I own you! You are mine Annabeth! And you will suffer the consequences if you don't obey me! I plan to see you very, very soon!
Oh my god! Who the hell is this person and why are they after my Annabeth? I look up to read the name of the contact but before I could the screen goes black. The phone died. What the hell just happened!
So there you go! Chapter 7 complete! And you guys didn't suspect Percy's now did you! Why didn't Annabeth tell Percy about Luke? And speaking about Luke, who do you think sent Annabeth that text message? Could it be Luke or someone else? Hmmmm I guess you'll find out next chapter….or maybe not;) Tell me what you guys think and see ya next time on Begin Again chapter 8! PERCABETH IS AWESOME!
See ya!