Piper was a decent friend most of the time. She stuck by Annabeth through all her rough and tough times and made sure she didn't lose her sanity over her problems.
But it seemed that Percy wanting to talk to Annabeth was not one of those moments, because the second Percy had called to Annabeth, Piper had giggled like a kid and run off leaving her friend alone saying she had just remembered about meeting up with her mom for a pedicure appointment. Piper didn't even like doing that with her mom.
And that was how, Annabeth Chase was left alone with sweaty hands and nervous shivers waiting for Percy Jackson to walk up to her.
"Thanks for waiting, Annabeth."
Percy stopped and flashed Annabeth a big smile. Annabeth swallowed nervously as his smile sent waves of chills through her. In a good way, of course.
"Sure," she mumbled incoherently as she turned around and began to walk forward with Percy falling in step beside her.
They walked in silence for about ten seconds before Percy finally cleared his throat. "It's been a long time Wise girl. It's been ages since we spoke."
Annabeth kept her eyes trained on the concrete sidewalk and tried to ignore Percy's hard stare. She knew this would come up. "I know, Percy."
"So you noticed," Percy said. Annabeth's guilt ignited when she heard the disappointmentment in his voice.
Annabeth hastened to explain. "It's not like that Percy. I mean..."
"I missed you Wise Girl."
Annabeth stopped babbling at Percy's confession and turned to him with wide eyes and pink cheeks. A warm volcano of goo flowed through her as she took in what Percy had said.
"I missed you too, Seaweed Brain."
Percy laughed. "Ah. You remember."
Annabeth returned the smile. "I do. I remember everything about us."
Percy's lips quirked up in a small yet coherent smile. "Then why have you been ignoring me?"
Annabeth shook her head sadly. "I was letting you enjoy your life Percy. You are popular and I'm not. I didn't want to tie you down."
Percy scoffed and rolled his beautiful green eyes. "You tried to be a saint?"
Annabeth shrugged but spared a smile.
Percy ran a hand through his coal black hair. "You never tied me down Chase. You never will."
Annabeth looked at Percy through her lashes. "You took this long to tell me that?"
Percy shrugged and kicked a pebble in his path. "I thought there was something wrong with me. I thought you didn't like me."
Annabeth stopped short and almost gagged on her salive. "What? That's what you thought? "
Percy shrugged again.
"Percy... I'm sorry you felt that way. I never could hate you. All this time, I've missed you so badly. And... I did want to come back but I was too much of a chicken to do it."
"It's okay. It's now that matters, huh?" Percy grinned. "We can pick off where we left."
Annabeth laughed. "I'll take that."
"Good."
Percy and Annabeth stopped in front of Annabeth's house in silence
"I'll see you tomorrow then? Maybe we can walk to school?"
Annabeth bit down on her lips to keep herself from grinning ear to ear like the Mad hatter. "I'd love that."
Percy smiled and began to walk away from her. Annabeth watched him until he disappeared around the turn and then bolted into her house laughing loudly. She almost sounded like a maniac.
She dialled Piper right away and filled her in on everything.
"Woah. Woah."
"I know right? Do you think he likes me too?"
Piper squealed into the phone. "He definitely likes you, dummy."
Annabeth gripped her phone hard and fell back on her bed, a dreamy smile on her face. "Oh Gods. I can't believe this, Pipes."
"Well, believe it. Percy likes you."
Annabeth's lips stretched into the biggest curve ever as she lay on her bed with her curls fanned around her and her heart beating like it would flutter right out of her chest.
...
"He's here, Annabeth."
"I'm ready," Annabeth called as she stuffed her feet into Piper's new snow boots and stood up with wobbly legs.
Piper turned away from the kitchen window through which she was spying on Percy and looked over at her friend. She let out a long low whistle of amusement. "Look at the nerd. You're hot."
Annabeth smiled and quickly threw her arms around Piper in a small hug before breaking free and running out to meet Percy.
"See you in school," Piper called as Annabeth shut the door behind her.
Percy who had made his way to the steps that led upto her house stopped in his tracks when Annabeth came out.
"Hey Percy!"
Percy ran his eyes down the length of Annabeth's tall and slim frame and shook his head looking a little dazed. "Wow. You look amazing, Annabeth."
Annabeth blushed but smiled with a thank you. She silently thanked Piper for making her get the cream fur coat from the mall when thay had gone on discount shopping.
They began walking down the path to their school which was covered in blankets of fresh white snow and sleets of ice.
Annabeth found that, with Percy, picking up where they had left it wasn't very difficult. Talking to him felt like
the most natural thing she'd done and by the time they had reached school neither of them could stop talking.
It was only when Grover had dragged Percy away for a meeting with the school swim team coach that they finally parted ways.
"I'll see you later in break then?" Percy asked Annabeth hopefully.
Annabeth leaned by her locker and nodded with a dreamy smile. "Yes."
Percy grinned and waved before being pulled away around the corner by a bery impatient Grover.
"Alright, stop dreaming already."
Annabeth jumped and whirled around to see Piper smirking at her and holding two steaming cups of hot chocolate with copious helpings of whipped cream and caramel drizzle. "Piper, you scared me," Annabeth said as she grabbed her books from her locker and gratefully took the hot paper cup in her cold hands.
Piper ignored her remark and jumped straight to the juicy part. "So what happened? Did you tell him you like him? Did you guys kiss?"
"No," Annabeth said as she took a sip of the hot, sweet liquid, "Nothing happened. We were just chatting."
Piper rolled her eyes looking disappointed. "Like that's any good."
"Pipes. We've just begun to talk. Slow down."
"Whatever."
"He wants to see me at Lunch."
Piper grinned excitedly. "Now we're getting somewhere."
...
Annabeth huffed as she made her way to the back of her English room with her books. Percy flashed her a brilliant smile as she passed his table and Annabeth waved back with warm cheeks and also incidentally caught Drew Tanaka watching her with cool eyes. Annabeth looked away feeling slightly confused.
"Hey, Annabeth. Look at your desk," Samantha called.
Annabeth reached her desk and promptly a big smile stretched across her face as she saw a bright red scroll and a neatly wrapped little green box on her polished desk. She placed her books down and settled herself comfortably before reaching for the little scroll and unrolling it.
"Hang up socks over the furnace, they say...
But baby with you, I wanna live in your socks,
So I can be with you...
In your every step!"
Okay, I admit it... That was a weird pick up line...
But I hope my lil elf smiles when she reads this..!
SECRET SANTA
Annabeth laughed as she fondly rolled up tje scroll and placed it along with her other scrolls. Her Secret Santa was getting way too cheesy but Annabeth didn't mind at all. She loved the cheesiness, the sweetness and the cuteness of it all.
Her fingers closed around the green box and she opened it to find thin strands of silver anklets with roses dangling from the ends. Annabeth felt her hands fly up to her mouth as stated at the gift with wonder. She couldn't believe someone would that for her. She closed the box and sat in silence wondering how lucky she was until her teacher walked in. Then she hurriedly placed in her bag and pulled out her pencils.
Halfway through reading the fourteenth chapter a small paper ball landed on her desk and Annabeth looked up to find Drew signaling at her to read it. Frowning, she picked up the paper ball wondering what Drew had to tell her so urgently.
Scrolled across the white paper wasa messy grey scrawl.
STAY AWAY FROM PERCY.
HE IS MINE, BITCH.
AND I'M GOING TO THE PROM WITH HIM.
SO DON'T HOPE FOR MIRACLES.
Annabeth read and reread the note thrice before tossing it away from her. She pretended to not let the note get to her and bent over her book trying to read the chapter but she could hardly concentrate. Had Drew been saying the truth? Was Percy going to the prom with Drew Tanaka? If he was, it would mean that Annabeth was hoping for a hopeless love and it hurt.
All through class she pondered this and when the bell rang she was out of her seat in a flash and heading to Percy.
"Are you going to the prom?"
Percy looked surprised by her sudden question. "Yes?"
"With who?"
Percy's brows scrunched together as he shrugged trying to avoid her gaze. "Um, with a girl."
Annabeth rolled her eyes and tried to look normal as a few girls shot her and irritated look as they passed them. Drew went out of her way to kick Annabeth in the shins before leaving the room.
"Percy, you know what I mean..."
Percy shifted from foot to foot looking blatantly uncomfortable. "I wish I can tell you, but I can't. I'm sorry."
With that, he rushed out leaving a stricken Annabeth alone. Annabeth hoisted her bag on her shoulder and went to find Piper.
"He's going to the prom with Drew."
Piper who had been cramming her books into the locker stopped and turned to Annabeth with wide eyes. "Oh no."
Annabeth bit her lip to keep them from trembling. "He doesn't like me, Pipes. Not that way."
Piper immediately wrapped an arm around her friend and lead her to the cafeteria. "Come on. We'll abuse Drew over lunch."
Annabeth gave a watery laugh as she sat across the table from Piper with the lunch tray Piper had bought. Piper slid in along with Annabeth.
"What happened?"
Annabeth bit into her burger and chomped on it rather aggressively as she told Piper the story. At the end of the story though, Piper look behind Annabeth. "Annabeth, Percy is coming over."
Annabeth paled and stiffened as Percy's lanky form towered over her table.
"Hey, Piper. Annabeth do you want to join me for lunch?"
Annabeth put down her burger and barely looked at hi as she spoke. "No, I'm fine."
"Uh, are you sure? You said you would today morning."
Still not looking at him, Annabeth shrugged. "I'm good here."
Annabeth waited until Percy left and then slumped forward in her chair looking defeated. Piper sighed and dropped her fries back into her plate. "He looked hurt, Annabeth."
Annabeth nodded. "I couldn't do it Pipes. He likes Drew and I just can't pretend to not like him."
Piper nodded grimly and rubbed Annabeth's shoulders as the blonde girl leaned on her friend for support. She knew then, that she could be nothing more than a friend to Percy. And it really wasn't enough for her...
