CHAPTER 4

Shift

MAY 3, 2017

Wednesday

"You look good without it." Rachel said.

Percy was walking with Rachel in the Hilltop Mall, having just gotten out of Eyeball Tactics; a vision center where his eye doctor resided. They still had an hour to go before school, so Percy got his eyes checked.

"You better not be joking, Red." Percy said while adjusting his eyesight to the beautiful décor of the mall around him.

"I'm serious. You look incredibly handsome and definitely hotter." Rachel exclaimed, while play-slapping Percy's face.

Percy blushed at that statement and tried to continue adjusting his eyesight. His eye doctor had already said that his tenure in his glasses was over, and that his eyes were now 'fine'. The doctor did say it was his choice to continue wearing glasses or not, though. Percy thought he'd had enough of relying on glasses to look and took them off the minute the doctor said it wasn't required anymore.

Percy felt like a new man, today.

"Since when did you, Rachel Dare, label me 'hot' and 'handsome'?" Percy asked with a mild surprise.

"Since eighth grade, stupid." Rachel said, while Percy continued to look at her. "I may not be in love with you, but I know quality when I see one." Rachel winked at him.

That sent Percy in a fit of laughter, with Rachel laughing along with him too. "You don't hold back when it comes to flirting though, Red. And you don't look too bad, yourself." Percy said, then gave her a puzzled look. "Hey, how come you never dated anyone?"

Percy's question was legit. Rachel is a really beautiful girl, actually. She had that unique red hair, and if he says so himself, curvy, sexy body that any guy could want. Percy appreciates quality too, and know's Rachel is definitely a looker. Which puzzles him why Rachel isn't into any other guys or vice versa.

Rachel's laugh disappeared and she looked straight ahead. "I'm not much into love and all that shit."

"How come?" Percy asked.

"Because when you find someone that matters to you, they never really look in your direction."

Those words were pretty deep, even coming from a girl like Rachel. He looked at Rachel, who suddenly looked sad and somber. Speaking like this, Rachel must have experience in getting her heart broken by someone she thought would be hers. The confident, pulpy and vibrant Rachel Dare, having a weak spot.

"I get that, Red. I get that a lot." Percy replied, speaking in his experience in getting walked over.

Rachel gave him a faux-surprised look and smirked at him. "You get that? Well, look at you, Mr. Annabeth-Chase-Has-A-Crush-On-Me." Percy winced at that.

That was right, Annabeth Chase, the girl he had a crush on for years, actually felt the same way, albeit at a (maybe) higher rate that his usual feelings. It was evident and 'leaked' last night by Jason and Piper, showcasing a video of Annabeth's journal and a near-perfect pencil drawing of him sitting in class.

"Oh my gods. I like her, but I don't think I can handle the shitstorm I will get when we go to school." Percy raised his head and groan, mentally slapping himself for just thinking about it.

Rachel chuckled and pulled out her phone. "Speaking of which, Lover Boy. Here are the multiple comments on that video." Rachel gave him her phone and Percy saw comments appearing in every second that passes.

Octavian Jones: Getting weird stalker-ish vibes from Chase. If i were u Jackson i'd stay away. A crush who stalks isnt worth it

Silena Beauregard: There is nothing wrong having a diary of your crush! It's what love is about. :)

Ethan Nakamura: cute

Annabeth Chase: I will singlehandedly murder everyone who comments on this video. Stop commenting for your own sake.

Percy sighed as he read the comments. He was pretty much relieved and beyond ecstatic (ecstatic being a light term, he slept with a huge smile that night) when he found out Annabeth liked him back, but then his worries got ahead of them on how to approach the school's mighty community on this revelation.

Percy and Rachel had arrived at the mall's exist, and Percy hopped on his bike, with Rachel in the second seat, hugging Percy's torso tightly. "With all this Annabeth business though… are you sure you know what you're doing, Perce?" Rachel asked.

"I think so." Percy said, unsure of what to expect as he pedaled to school.

When he arrived at school, he expected a welcoming committee throwing him jokes about Annabeth Chase's apparent 'obsession' with him. But he did not expect Jason Grace to have a blue face and a nosebleed.

"Let me guess… Annabeth Chase gave you a sucker punch because of what you did." Rachel said to him, with Jason still clutching an ice-bag in his face.

"We're alright though. She can partially thank me for bringing Percy here to her. But, I guess I did deserve this." Jason said as Percy and Rachel parked Percy's bike along with the others. "She definitely hits harder than you, Perce."

"Keep in mind I hit you as a best friend. She hit you as an enemy." Percy gave him a sympathetic smile and patted him on the shoulder. "C'mon, man, we still got class."

"There's something different about you, I can't quite pinpoint it, exactly." Jason said, giving him a quizzingly, mysterious look. "Hmm."

Percy motioned his hand in his face with all five fingers open.

"Holy shit! Your glasses are gone!" Jason cried out. "Dude, you look way better without them."

"So they say." Percy replied, and adjusted his backpack.

"See? I told you, you look better." Rachel huffed and slapped his back. Percy gave an indignantly 'Ow!' when Rachel did that.

Annabeth Chase sat in class as she waited for the teacher to arrive. She'd already expected a lot of the students to give her shit about that video last night, but thankfully, they just gossiped about it, because Annabeth's stiff and scary glare prevented them from getting out any wisecracks about the video.

Stalker. That was the word. They had the sheer strength to call her a stalker just because she drew Percy Jackson's face in her journal. As if any of the other girls were better when they used fucking dildos to masturbate to their guy-crushes. She heard Drew Tanaka has one, and she had the guts to call her a stalker. As if Annabeth would stoop down to their level when it comes to having crushes.

She liked Percy Jackson, is all. Is it now a crime to have a crush on someone?

She felt so betrayed by Piper last night, she blocked her from Facebook (temporarily) but unblocked her in the morning. But this morning, she felt no shame in giving Jason Grace the strongest punch from a female he had ever experienced.

And Piper was fine with that as long as it meant they were friends again.

Annabeth continued to sit there, reading her History book, when Mr. Dionysus entered the room, and sat in his chair.

"Five more minutes before we begin, kids. So sit down." Mr. D was always either hangover, drunk or in a bad mood, and it seems he's in a bad mood right now. He was the only teacher Annabeth avoided talking as much as the others, for he would always burst out at anyone.

It took only a few seconds before Mr. D had a collective mid-level shout at someone at the door.

"Who in Hades' name are you?" Mr. D asked.

"It's Jackson, sir. Percy Jackson. I belong in this class." That voice was all too familiar with Annabeth.

That was when it hit her.

Percy Jackson, the love of her life, was standing in the door, without glasses.

In the midst of all the scaring of students because they might make fun of her, Annabeth actually forgot that Percy had actually seen the video from last night too. It was enough to make her turn red and embarrassed, because there was now a slight chance Percy's crush on her is gone. For the first time since last night, Annabeth was genuinely scared that Percy himself might label her as a stalker.

But by the gods, he looked… sexy.

To be clear, Annabeth has had crushes, and most of them indeed were applied to boys with glasses, and the occasional dork. It was one of the reasons she liked Percy after all.

But seeing him, right now, without his trademark glasses, gave Annabeth's hormones a huge spike. If the glasses made him look like a cute boy, without them he looked like a hot dude. His green eyes were more defined in without them, and his facial features look more open. He definitely looked insanely handsome, that Annabeth couldn't help but stare at him for a few seconds.

Even the entire class looked at him differently.

"You don't look like Pecker Jimbo." Mr. D said, scanning his face.

"I just took off my glasses, sir. I don't need them anymore." Percy replied dead flat.

So this was permanent, huh? Annabeth never felt so aroused. Yes, aroused.

Mr. D continued to scan his face and eventually just shrugged. "Whatever. Take a seat, Pimple Jackoff."

Percy breathed out a huge sigh of relief and took his seat right in front, opening his bag to take out some textbooks.

"He definitely looks cuter, doesn't he?" Annabeth heard one of the girls behind her whisper.

Needless to say, Annabeth almost blew up at that comment.

When class ended, Annabeth wanted to talk to Percy about everything that has happened. But so far, she managed to be scared enough to actually do it. Her backup plan was asking Piper to do it for her, and to have Percy meet her behind the school to talk.

"You have to do it for me, Pipes. Please?"

Piper sighed and pony-tailed her hair. "Alright, alright."

She saw Piper talk to Percy in his locker, and when Piper returned, she gave Annabeth the good news that Percy said yes.

Annabeth was currently waiting for Percy Jackson at the back of the school's field, which was empty because most of the students are in class. It was a definite relief for her, because in some insane way, she has Percy Jackson all to herself. But it only took a few seconds to let panic take in.

Oh gods, what if he changes his mind? What if she really was a stalker? What if Percy said his confession was all a joke? Fear took over Annabeth's mind, but before she could finish, Percy Jackson arrived, dressed in a dark green shirt and jeans.

Annabeth blushed and blurted out the first joke she could.

"Nice to keep a girl waiting, Jackson." After that, Annabeth mentally slapped herself for the world's worst attempt at talking to your crush. "Sorry, poor joke. Um, hey."

"Hey." Percy had his hands in his pockets, which were trembling. He refused to look at her.

"So, I guess you saw my video now, huh?" Annabeth let out a small chuckle and to her surprise, Percy chuckled a bit, too.

"I guess I did." Percy replied with a small smile that would've melted Annabeth's heart right then and there.

"What did you think?" Annabeth asked with haste, anticipating his reply.

"I think it was one of the biggest invasions of privacy I have ever seen, even for Jason Grace." Percy stated and gave as small 'tsk'. "I should know from experience. Like, two days ago."

And that sent Annabeth into shambles of laughter. Surprisingly, Percy Jackson wasn't that uncomfortable to talk with. He was easy-going and nice. This was going way better than she expected. But panic filled her up again.

"So you don't think I'm a stalker?" Annabeth asked.

"No. Drawing someone is not 'stalking'. Taping someone naked and jacking off to the video is stalking." Percy said, and smiled at her. Jesus, fuck, this guy is too good to be true. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't stalking."

Annabeth's panic was immediately phased out of her body.

"So, about prom." Annabeth took initiative in asking him about that. "I guess you still want to do it? With me, I mean?"

Percy half-smiled and scratched his neck. "Of course."

"Well, what about Rachel Dare?" Annabeth asked.

"What about her?" Percy seemed puzzled.

"I mean, you two seem great and stuff… and you're basically her best friend, right? I mean, why not go with her?" Annabeth asked it like it was an interrogation. Like a girlfriend accusing a boyfriend of cheating on her. It's not like she was jealous, (okay she was fricking jealous), but it made her have anxiety, because as much as she hated to admit it, Rachel Dare was almost a thousand times prettier than she is.

"Contrary to popular belief, we're just really good friends. And well…. she isn't actually the girl I've had a crush on." Percy sounded like he had to force himself to get those last words out of his mouth.

"Oh. Um, okay. So how do we—" Annabeth didn't get a chance to finish.

"You ask a lot of questions for a girl who just wants to 'talk'." Percy said. "This isn't actually the appropriate time to talk about stuff like this, in the back of the school no less."

"Really? This is the only place to get some privacy, though." Annabeth stated. "How about you? What's your idea of a perfect place to talk about this?"

"At Chiron's restaurant, later this afternoon, at five p.m." Percy challenged Annabeth's eyes, and Annabeth was surprised when he did that. There she was, at the back of the school, where her obsession, Percy Jackson, was asking her out on a date. This was like Elysium, but better. But she had to make sure.

"A-a-are you asking me out? On a date?" Annabeth asked again, just to make sure.

"Actually, you know what, forget it. I don't actually have a crush on you. I'm going with Rachel Dare instead." Percy said and rolled his eyes. Annabeth was ready to combust, because she felt so betrayed and played with that she almost spat some mean words to him. "Yes, Ms. Chase, I'm asking you out."

"Oh." Annabeth was dumbfounded.

"Is that a yes, then?" Percy asked, also anxious at her reply.

"Y-y-yeah." Annabeth stuttered. Fuck my mental thinking, she thought.

"Jeez, and I thought I stuttered when I liked someone." Percy said offhandedly and smirked at her.

"Says the guy who did it yesterday when I asked him to prom." Annabeth crossed her arms and smirked back at him. Gods, when did she become flirty too?

"We'll just have to see how it goes, then. Look, I like you a lot, but I got class in a few minutes. I'll see you there at five?" Percy asked as he proceeded to return inside.

"Definitely." Annabeth said, and smiled at him like an idiot. "I'll see you soon, Perseus Jackson!"

"You too, Annabeth Chase!" he shouted back as he was gone.

"Don't bring Rachel Dare!" she shouted at the last minute.

"I wasn't planning to, you jealous doorknob!" she heard Percy shout back distantly.

Okay, so maybe she was a jealous doorknob, but hey, she got a date with Percy Jackson, the guy she's been enamored with in her whole high school life. And maybe, just maybe, she's got a chance with him. After that talk, she squealed like a three year-old and actually jumped.

Screw it. She's definitely head over heels for Percy Jackson.

A/N: HELLO, EVERYONE

Guess who's back again? It's me.

SO DAMN SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR, but quite again, I had some problems with my life and stuff, but now I'm back!

And I am FINISHING THIS.

Again, like last time, PLEASE REVIEW THIS! The more reviews, the faster I pump out the next chapter. And yes, I do read all of them.

REVIEWWWWW!

CHAPTER 5

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Stay tuned this week 😉