CHAPTER 12

Geek Movie Marathon-slash-Date - Part 1

PERCY

Even before Percy entered his car, he was already sweating. He looked like a nervous train wreck. He was even worse than Annabeth in those control-freak situations and this was actually a real date with a girl. Those "dates" with Annabeth and that blind date with that girl in 5th grade didn't really count. But you'd understand if you're having a date with a girl you like.

He checked everything as he entered the car with Callie.

Callie's here? Check.

Car looks good? Check.

Do I look handsome and clean? I don't know.

Do I smell good? I don't know that either.

Money? Check.

"Woah, Percy. What's the matter? Are you nervous?" Callie looked a bit concerned.

Percy thought it was cute when Callie looked concerned.

"Oh, yeah. Sure. Everything's fine. Haha." Percy assured. It was fine, but Percy didn't feel that way. He was sweating like hell.

"I just…. Have never been on a real date before." Percy honestly confessed.

"So…. It is a date?" Callie asked with confidence.

Frick. Why did it have to be so awkward, Percy thought.

"Well, yeah." Percy confidently assured.

"And so it is." Percy replied with a smile. She smiled back.

This is why Percy liked this girl so much. She had this fun energy whenever you hung out with her, and she literally understands Percy a lot. Annabeth was one of those things, that made Percy like Annabeth too. But she wasn't a fan of anything Percy did. Percy's "other" side. Callie understood Percy's "other" side perfectly.

Percy stepped on it, and his car drove to the cinema.

As they drove to the cinema, Callie wanted to talk.

"And what do you mean you haven't been on a real date before? I know you have tons with Annabeth." Callie said.

Percy thought about it for a while.

Back then, he wanted to spend time with Annabeth a lot when he liked her and thought their "dates" were really dates. His heart would beat a lot whenever Annabeth was with him. But recently, his heart's beating whenever he was with Annabeth was nothing compared to when his heart's beating with Callie. Percy knew that, for a while ago, his feelings for Annabeth were totally good. Only platonic ones were left.

"Those weren't actually dates, Cal. Friendly date, maybe. Not romantic one, though. There was a time where it felt romantic, but if you look at it correctly, not really." Percy explained.

"Oh, really? What made you change your mind?" Callie asked.

Percy really wanted to say "You". But he instead not said anything. He didn't want to suffer rejection like 3 months ago.

But he had a really good feeling about Callie.

"You'll know one day." Percy stated.

Callie smiled at the thought.

When they arrived at the cinema, there were all sorts of fans of Star Wars at the entrance.

There were the normal families, a mom, dad, with their kids.

An obese, person with a t-shirt that says "No. 1 Star Wars fan".

And people dressed as Darth Vader, Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker.

And other more Star Wars characters.

"Here you have the clichéd geeky marathon, Percy Jackson. The usual." Callie proclaimed, gesturing her hand as if Percy had never been to a movie marathon. Because fact is, Percy never did.

All his life, it was just watching new movies, mostly random stuff with either Annabeth, his cousins, or his mom.

This was an actual first time Percy watched a movie with a girl he liked that also liked what he liked.

Could this possibly the best first date ever?

As they walked into the theater, Callie handed the tickets to the receptionist and they entered the movie theater.

Percy has been here before, a lot of times with his family and friends actually, but this event seemed more fun and exciting, with his fellow Star Wars fans in the mix and not to mention his crush was there, too.

It was a bit noisy than the usual showing, but Percy didn't mind.

He had an idea because it was a whole half-hour before the marathon begins.

"Hey, uh, I'm going to buy us some snacks. Save me a seat." Percy said.

Callie nodded in reply.

Percy was shaking with excitement.

He couldn't even look at the snack bar attendant properly when he was so happy.

He barely noticed the attendant and just realized he hadn't bought anything yet.

"Yo, Percy, are you going to buy anything or what?" The attendant asked.

He came back to his senses.

"Oh! I was about to—" Percy stopped dead. How did the attendant even know his name?

"How did you know my nam—Oh." He looked up.

The attendant at the snack bar was none other than Rachel Elizabeth Dare, one of Percy's closest friends. Percy embarrassed himself. So busy in his thoughts that he didn't notice his friends was the attendant.

"Rachel! You work here?" Percy asked.

"Yeah. I told you that last week, remember?" Rachel chuckled. "And judging by your looks and not noticing who I am, you have a date, don't you?" Rachel smirked at him.

"Oh, uh, yeah and—" Percy didn't manage to finish.

"Figures." Rachel cut in. "Did not know Annabeth watches Star Wars though. At this time, she could be studying. What a surprise."

As per usual, people still ship Percy and Annabeth.

"Oh, my date isn't Annabeth." Percy assured.

"Woah. You're over her already, huh? I figured that, too." Rachel said as she was filling plastic cups with Mountain Dew. "Wait, it wouldn't be that cute girl with the glasses, wouldn't it? The one you've been hanging out with all week?" she asked.

"Yep. That's her. Callie." Percy replied.

"Ah." Rachel confirmed, and nodded with a smile. "So what would you like to order, Perce?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, I'd like two large buckets of popcorn and two packets of gummy worms. No drinks." Percy told her.

"You got it." Rachel winked.

As Percy waited, he reminisced the times Annabeth actually thought Percy had this huge crush on Rachel. It was never true. Percy and Rachel were close, but not as close as Percy and Annabeth. Rachel, to Percy, was pretty in her own way, with her fiery red hair and pretty looks, and she was one of those girls who simply didn't want anyone telling them to do something.

Rachel had already planned out her future, and to her, it was going to be loaded with art.

"Here, Percy. 2 L-sized cheese popcorn and two packets of Trolli Gummy Worms. See ya next time, Percy." Rachel said and waved as he entered back into the theater.

"Bye, Rachel!" he shouted back.

All that talk made Percy think.

What would it be like to have a future with Callie?

He imagined being Callie's boyfriend. He imagined them dating until they graduate. He imagined them buying a house together. He imagine proposing to her. He imagined their wedding. He imagined little kids that he would have with Callie. He imagined them dying together as old people.

I know, I know, it might be a little too early to think about that, since Percy and Callie have only known each other truly for a WEEK. But it didn't hurt to think, right?

If he said this to Annabeth or his mother and stepdad, they'd probably say "Woah. Hold your horses there, Percy."

He immediately entered the theater, and just like that, Callie found them a nice cozy seat at the top.

"Got the snacks." Percy said, giving her her half.

"Seriously? Gummy worms?" Callie asked with a chuckle.

"Well, yeah." He replied.

"This is cute in so many levels." Callie commented, eating a long gummy worm. "Wait! It's about to start.

NOW SHOWING:

Star Wars – Episode I: The Phantom Menace

NEXT SHOWING:

Star Wars – Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Percy merely sighs, then smiles at Callie one last time, eating popcorn.

"So it begins!"

YO!

SORRY FOR THE LONG UPDATE!

BEEN REALLY BUSY LATELY!

ANYWAYS…..

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