CHAPTER 8
"My lawyer's calling me. I have to go guys. I'll see you later, Percy." the blonde said as she left the bar.
The company couldn't survive very long without her so Annabeth's suspension at work had been canceled, though her apartment was still confiscated.
Percy kissed his girlfriend on the cheek before she left entirely.
He then set a drink in front of the jet black haired girl.
Flinging the towel he was using to wipe the glass cups over his shoulder, he turned his attention back to the woman who was staring at him.
"So, what did you want to talk about, Thals? Make it quick, I'm going to be busy within the hour."
Her electric blue eyes stared straight back at him, "What are you going to do with Annabeth?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb, kelp face. I know everything. Now shoot."
His aquamarine eyes glared back at his friend, then after a while of having a stare contest, he surrendered—letting out a heavy, tired sigh.
"What do you want to know, Thals?"
"You've fallen for her, haven't you."
He was taken back by her words. His eyes widened a bit from the sudden question. But he recovered quickly.
A smirk played on his lips, "Don't be ridiculous, Thalia. You know how I am. I'm the bastard who doesn't have a heart. You said that before yourself."
Her electric eyes pierced into him, narrowing more and more, "Don't bring our past history into this."
He leaned further on the counter, "What— you mean how I played you too, Thalia Grace?"
It was her turn to be taken back. She swallowed down more of her drink then turned her eyes back to Percy, "Don't avoid my question, Jackson." Thalia said, leaning back in her chair to cross her arms over her chest,
"I know you care about her more than you would like to admit."
His brows became furrowed and his unreadable eyes looked down to the glass cup in his hand.
"Why do you think that?"
"The way you look at her, Percy... You've never looked at any other girl like that, including me."
Percy tried not to show it, but her words were like a blow to the gut.
"Even if that's true. It doesn't matter. I'm doing this to get a hold of something more worthwhile."
Thalia let out a sigh and finished her drink.
"I feel sorry for Annabeth, Percy…just saying." she said, before leaving him to go out of the bar.
Percy stood there drowned in his thoughts.
"You aren't the only one..." he said quietly to himself.
The doorbell rang so Annabeth went over and opened it to see a brunette standing there in the doorway.
"Annie Darling. I haven't seen you in a while. May I come in?"
Annabeth stepped away from the door to let the woman in, "Please don't call me that."
Reyna smiled at her and walked in to Percy's apartment—moving to sit on the couch in the living room.
The blonde looked warily at the woman sitting casually there in Percy's living room.
"What are you doing here?"
"I see Percy has softened you a bit."
Annabeth's eyes narrowed at the woman.
"Usually you would start shouting at me with insults the minute you saw me." she continued. Her chocolate eyes looked up at the blonde and she smiled, "Aren't I right, Annabeth?"
"Just answer my question, Reyna." Annabeth said.
"I'm here to have a talk."
"Okay." Annabeth said skeptically, crossing her arms over her chest, "About what?"
"I'm here to tell you a secret about me that I want to confess" she said, "…A secret that includes that handsome boyfriend of yours."
Annabeth's expression stayed the same. Her stare steadfast on her step mother.
Reyna chuckled lightly, "You already know something, don't you? Though that's expected from the genius prodigy of the company." The brunette crossed her legs, "So, Annabeth. What do you know already?"
"Does it matter? I'm more interested in why you're suddenly here to tell me your past history that seems to include Percy Jackson."
Reyna smiled, it would have been thought of as genuine if someone didn't know better.
"He's trying to ruin me and you. And I know Annabeth that you can help me"
"Help you what?"
"Destroy him." Reyna said, crossing her slender legs. Annabeth's eyes went wide.
Reyna's smile never left her face as she continued, "That's why I'm going to tell you the truth about Percy Jackson so that I can get your help to stop the guy from hurting our family and company."
Annabeth looked harder at her, "Tell me then…this story of yours."
The brunette's smile turned up into a smirk, "To start off then— Percy Jackson's a player and a good one at that. He became like that for wanting revenge on me. I left him to lead a life in the high society. We knew each other since childhood. And we became lovers in high school. But then I left him and now he's become a cold hearted monster taking advantage of girls and throwing them away like trash. He's using you too...as a ladder to climb closer to his revenge against me." Reyna paused for a moment to let the information sink in.
Annabeth's face was unreadable as the woman continued, "I'm not saying that I'm free from fault of betraying him and all, but... he's gone insane with revenge, Annabeth. And he will not stop until both you and I are ruined completely."
She then reached out to hold Annabeth's hand, "So that's why, I need your help, Annabeth….Please. I know I'm not your favorite person, but I really need you right now. The family and company need you."
Annabeth simply stood there silent with no particular emotion playing in her grey eyes. "I already knew he was playing me, Reyna."
Reyna's eyes widened at her words.
"I also knew you two knew each other and had some kind of relationship in the past."
Reyna let out a disbelieving scoff, "Then, why are you still with the guy, Annabeth?"
"Because I don't care about any of that."
The brunette's eyes went wide in utter disbelief at Annabeth's words, "What?! How could you think—?"
"You could say that I'm madly in love with him. So long as he's by my side, I'm satisfied."
"You're stupider than I thought if you think that."
"Well, I guess I am stupider than you thought."
"What about the company and our family? Don't you care about that at all?"
"I'm sorry, but wasn't I just kicked out from that so called family and company. And I don't think his intentions would be to hurt the company."
"Annabeth, you're blinded by this so called love you claim to have with the guy. He would do whatever to get me back with him. That's the kind of guy he is."
The blonde's lips turned up in a smile, "Oh, I see now."
"What?"
"You're jealous. That's why you told me everything, right after you probably found out that me and Percy were together. Am I right?"
Reyna's face contorted in disgust, "What?!"
"You still love him, don't you?"
Reyna let out a disbelieving scoff, "No, I don't. I just came to spank some sense into you. But I guess that was useless and unnecessary."
"He's never going back to you."
"He will never be yours either."
Annabeth pursed her lips then pointed to the doorway, "Just get out Reyna. Enjoy the high life without me in it. I'm sure you're loving the full attention you're getting from my father."
The brunette simply let out a harsh sigh, before standing up and walking to the door.
Percy walked into the apartment through the door which was already parted open slightly, but heard voices talking in the living room.
It was Annabeth and… Reyna.
He was about to barge in, when Annabeth said something that made him stop in his tracks.
"I already knew he was playing me, Reyna."
Annabeth's voice was steady and calm.
Reyna's became more urgent.
Percy continued standing quietly near the doorway, listening to their conversation until Annabeth said something again that made his heart almost stop in his chest.
"You could say that I'm madly in love with him. So long as he's by my side, I'm satisfied."
Her sweet voiced words echoed through his head over and over.
Soon Reyna came to the doorway where he was standing. Her usual warm chocolate brown eyes were cold and livid with frustration.
She looked at him with narrowed eyes full of hatred before walking out of the apartment, before he could say anything.
Percy looked over at Annabeth whose back was facing him. He walked up closer to her.
"How long have you known?" he asked her.
She turned to face him with her beautiful striking eyes, "That doesn't really matter, does it?" Her lips turned up into a smile that seemed to melt Percy inside.
"You should have run away from me. That would have been the smart thing to do."
"Yes, that's probably what I would have done a few years ago. But… " she reached up to his face, "I guess you've changed me...Percy Jackson."
His hand grabbed her around her slim wrist, pulling her hand away from his face.
The look she gave him almost made him lose his resolve.
"Since you know now, you're as close to useless to me now, Annabeth." his sea green eyes looked deeply into hers. Pain flashed across her eyes.
Annabeth…
"Percy, just..let me be with you…here. That's all I ask." she pleaded with him.
My biggest regret was bringing you into this…
Percy's lips turned up into a smirk, "Why would I? The person I want is Reyna...not you."
so please… leave me quickly before I hurt you more…Please...
Annabeth pressed her lovely soft lips together in a tight line, before biting her lower lip.
"So, I really was just one of the other girls, huh."
The pain and sorrow threatened to show in his eyes.
No, you weren't.
"Yeah...you were."
"And everything you did for me, even going as far as risking your own life…that was all for the play?"
No, not all of it...
"Yes."
She gave him a understanding nod, "I guessed as much." she said with a sad, soft smile. She then slid her hand out of his grip and turned to leave his apartment.
She opened his front door, then turned back again to him.
"You were probably my first real love, Percy…as hard it is for me to admit that."
He stood there trying so hard to keep his expression set.
"So that's why... I honestly wish that you'll find someone you truly love. I know for a fact that it ruins a person to be filled with so much hate their whole life."
She then left his apartment, leaving him to stand there for a few seconds— letting what she said sink in.
Percy then slumped to his knees. His breathes coming heavily upon him.
Gods, Annabeth…
Making it hard for him even to the end…
Author's Note:
Ugh, already have senioritis. -_-' I'm dying, guys. HELP MEH!
Well, anyways, :DD hope you guys liked this chapter. It's going to get pretty intense in later chapters so be waiting for that.
To all my loyal followers -You are the BEST! Thanks for the love this story is getting!
And, I think that's all I have to say. Give me a review on what you think about this chapter and I will see you next week guys!