I have a very valid reason for my late update... I'm lazy to type it out but I suggest you check out my other story Love and War Percabeth!
Anyways, this chapter has loads of Percabeth. Of course, nothing too deep, they're just friends. For now! So Review!
Annabeth rolled on her side sleepily and squeezed the pillow she held in her arms unconsciously. She'd been dreaming about chocolate strawberries and kiwi desserts but the dream was becoming vague and was being interrupted by her conscience which seemed to tell her that it was time to wake up. Groaning slightly, Annabeth pushed herself up on her elbows and let her eyes flutter open. To her complete shock, she found a pair of green eyes staring back at herself. Unable to comprehend that she was sharing a bed with Percy, Annabeth shrieked loudly. Percy himself scrambled away screaming like a girl.
About four seconds of ceaseless screaming later, Annabeth calmed herself down. But Percy was still shouting. Rolling her eyes, Annabeth leant forward and clamped her hand over Percy's mouth to shut of his shriek. "Calm down, Percy!"
When Percy did stop moving, Annabeth removed her hand from his mouth. "Gross, you drool when you sleep," she muttered making a face and rubbing her palm on Percy's tee. "Why did you scream Percy?"
Percy sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a tiny embarrassed smile. "Um, you screamed. So I screamed."
"Really? You screamed without any actual reason?" Annabeth cracked up.
Percy glared at her. "Oh please. Why did you scream?"
Annabeth snorted as she smothered her laugh to answer Percy. "Well, it's not like I wake up to creepy green eyes staring at me every other day!"
"My eyes are not creepy," Percy said.
"Sure. Whatever you say," Annabeth said smirking. She threw of the sheets covering her body, swung her leg around and got off the bed. She immediately walked to the window overlooking the rose garden and moved the flimsy white curtains to the side. "Oh, it looks beautiful!" she cried.
Percy joined her at the window. The scene below them was absolutely lovey. Red, pink, white and yellow roses in full bloom carpeted the entire expanse of the garden. The fragrance of English roses scented the morning air that seemed cold. The sun was just beginning to rise, but it was already a windy day.
"It's beautiful," Percy repeated Annabeth's statement. Only he was looking at Annabeth's hair. Her princess ringlets had tumbled around her shoulder like a golden water cascade, glinting in the morning sun with a golden hue. Her hair caught the light and shimmered in the most mesmerising way. It did look astounding.
Annabeth turned around, unaware of Percy's attraction to her hair. "Okay, let me go get a shower. I'm dying for some coffee."
Percy's eyes snapped to her face in embarrassment when he realised he'd been staring at her. Thankfully Annabeth hadn't noticed and was going around tidying up the bed and pulling out her clothes. "Good luck with coffee," he said chuckling a little when she went into the bathroom carrying a towel and some clothes.
Annabeth paused to stare at him. "Why?"
"Oh you'll see."
...
"No coffee? Wait, you're kidding me right?" Annabeth looked at Thalia incredulously who simply smirked. Piper gave her a sympathetic look and passed a cup of tea towards Annabeth as a substitute. Katie wrinkled her nose at the steaming tea.
"For a waitress at Coffee Shack, tea can never substitute coffee," Katie said.
Percy who sat across the girls in the large dining table shook his head. "Tea is not bad," he said.
"Yeah, it's actually delicious," Jason agreed.
Piper grinned. "Right, I so love tea!"
Thalia elbowed Piper and gave her a look. Annabeth was pretty sure that Piper loved everything that Jason liked."I think I'll just skip caffeine. The sausages look good," Annabeth said looking at her plate which held a generous cut of ham and pork sausages with an omelette. Annabeth kind of like the food. It was delicious, especially since it had been a long time since she'd had hot breakfast in a noisy dining room. She adored it. She had had such family meals when she was five years when her father and mother had still been together. After they split, she'd taken to eating cereals and cold milk every morning.
"Hey,where is Travis?" Percy asked suddenly.
"He is still sleeping," Katie answered.
"Still sleeping? But he doesn't usually sleep in," Percy said looking a little worried. Annabeth couldn't help finding it cute that Percy was worried for his friend, even though the friend had just overslept.
Katie rolled her eyes. "Maybe. But then again, I don't think he usually tries to play pranks on girls."
Annabeth turned to her friend, her eyebrows hooked up in question. "Well that Travis idiot found it funny to knock on my bedroom door and run away all night. And when I finally learnt that I should ignore his knocks, he ended up playing Justin Bieber songs in full volume outside my door. All in all, he gave me nightmares," Katie said.
"Did you say you dreamt about me?" someone said.
Travis stood behind Katie's chair smiling wide.
Katie dropped her cut piece of ham back on the plate. "Oh please! Don't flatter yourself."
"Katie-Kat, just admit it. You're hopelessly in love with me," Travis said stealing the piece of ham from Katie's plate and popping it into his mouth.
Katie looked at her plate that Travis had touched with a repulsive expression on her face. "How about I kill him right now?" she muttered to Annabeth who laughed. Katie pushed away her plate without finishing her breakfast. "Thanks for contaminating my plate with your dorko-germs, Travis."
Travis grinned. "My pleasure. Call me when you need my service."
Katie blanched.
Piper who had been watching the whole exchange with bated breath suddenly cooed. "Oh you guys, you're so cute when you bicker. I can totally see you two ending up together."
Katie glared at Piper who looked away innocently like she had seen nothing. Annabeth turned to Piper with a smirk. "Says the girl whose only response to her crush is Ohmigawd!" she said imitating Piper.
Piper blushed but elbowed Annabeth in her ribcage. "Shut up!"
Thalia burst out laughing. "I'm so glad I am not involved in this drama of guys and girls. It's so... Tiring."
"It's not drama. It's... It's..." Piper looked up searching for the perfect word.
"It's a feeling that you can know only when it happens to you," Jason said.
Piper locked eyes with Jason and they stayed like that for a few seconds, blushing and just staring. It was actually pretty weird for the others but thankfully Percy cleared his throat.
"This is awkward."
Piper and Jason immediately looked away blushing harder yet.
"I swear I won't next to you on the bus if you're going to start dreaming into space about my brother," Thalia told Piper.
"What bus?" Annabeth asked leaning forward in her seat.
"I keep forgetting you're new and you don't know our routine," Percy said smiling at her.
"Oh yay, my boyfriend keeps forgetting about me," Annabeth replied sarcastically.
"Not like that. I meant, that it feels like I've known you forever," Percy quickly amended. He sounded so sincere that Annabeth grinned at him. A warm feeling pooled in her gut.
"There we go again. No more sap please," Thalia cried looking annoyed.
Annabeth stuck out her tongue at Thalia. "Now, what about the bus?"
"Sightseeing," Piper said glumly. "We do it every year. The kids under fourteen go around in a car driven by Aunt Mellie and the older kids have to go in Uncle Hedge's mini bus. And by kids, we mean guys and girls within thirty," she explained.
"That's the only reason why we have to go along too. I mean, in which world are twenty three year olds considered kids?"
"Sightseeing isn't that bad," Katie said.
"It is if you see the same site over and over every year," Thalia muttered.
"On the other hand, I'm a little glad that the older people won't be coming along. They sit here and gossip," Piper said.
"Speak of the devil. Uncle Hedge is here," Percy said.
Uncle Hedge was a short, round man with a jolly face and a big voice. He grinned around at everyone. "Hey kiddos! Ready for sightseeing?"
There was a collective groan from everyone in the dining table. Even Drew looked upset. But Jedge paid no attention as he called for order. "Get up everyone! Out and get into the bus! Go on!"
Grumbling and rolling their eyes, everyone began to pile out. There were about twenty "kids" in the bus. It wasn't so bad for Annabeth and Katie but everybody else had gone through the drill a million times and they looked irritated.
Annabeth took the window seat at the rear end of the bus. Before Katie could set next to her, Travis pulled Katie aside where he was sitting. Katie tried to push him away but failed and so she gave up and sat next to him.
"Is this seat taken?"
Annabeth looked up to find Percy standing over her, his characteristic smirk pasted over his handsome face and hands shoved into his jean pockets. Annabeth grinned, glad that he'd chosen to sit next to her.
"Come on, Percy" she called patting the ratty old leather seat. Percy immediately slid down next to her.
"You look excited," he observed.
Annabeth nodded looking out through the bis window as Hedge started the bus. "I am excited. Just... All the buildings and the architecture must be amazing. I've always wanted to go to London and look around," she said. "Of course, Greece and the Parthenon are my dream destinations, but London is somewhere up in my to-go-place list."
"Right. You told me that you wanted to be an architect," Percy said.
Annabeth smiled. "It was my only goal."
"So what happened? Why didn't you pursue it?"
Annabeth sighed. She trained her eyes away from Percy and kept it on the London roads, a forlorn look on her face. "Long story, Percy. I'll tell you sometime soon. Not now, I don't want to recount those horrible memories."
Annabeth looked so sad rhat Percy felt a small twinge of guilt for bringing up the topic. He picked up her hand and squeezed it slowly amd reassuringly. Annabeth blushed at the contact, but she squeezed him back gratefully.
"You have a long day ahead, Wise Girl! We're going to loads of tourist hotspots."
...
Annabeth groaned and stopped to adjust the converse on her aching feet. She had never walked so much in her life and her legs were killing her. But it had been worth for the amazing places she'd been to. They had already visited the Westminster Abbey, the Big Ben, London's eye, Tower of London, Palace of Westminster, British Museum, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's cathedral, the Tower Bridge amd Madame Tussads'. She had loved every minute of the tour and her professional camera was filled with pictures. She was ridiculously happy and equally tired. Thankfully, Hedge had decided to take a break by the road pavement, before the long walk to their bus back home.
"You okay?" Percy asked shooting her a concerned look.
"My feet. I think I killed them," Annabeth muttered straightening up.
Percy laughed. "I think Drew and Ria have got it worse than you."
Annabeth looked over to Drew and her sister who were sitting by the pavement. Both of them wore seven inch pencil heels. Annabeth snorted. "They're idiots," she said.
She looked around to what everyone else was doing. A few teenagers were scrolling through their phones and acting like they had the world in their mobiles. Katie and Travis were engaged in a heated conversation. Annabeth was surprised that they were having an entire conversation without trying to bite each other's throats - a challenging feat. Thalia, Piper and Jason were huddled together talking. Piper kept glancing at Jason, throwing him a coy smile. Once in a while, Annabeth caught Jason staring at Piper too. And Percy...
Percy who had been standing by her side a few seconds ago was now flirting with a pretty red head. Yes, flirting. The girl was smiling up at him and blushing quite a lot.
Percy had been so friendly, so honest, genuine and warm to Annabeth, that she'd forgotten what kind of a person Percy actually was. Percy used girls like tissues, he liked to break their hearts. Percy was a player. And Annabeth felt stupid for forgetting that and thinking he had changed.
When Percy walked back to Annabeth, she raised her brows in question. "Fun flirting with her?"
Percy looked confused for a moment. "Uh, no. She's Abby Leopold, our neighbour. She didn't recognise me though. So she very casually told me that she's new here and asked me to her find her friend's house," Percy explained.
Annabeth stared for a moment feeling guilty for having judged Percy. "She lied so she could talk to you?"
Percy shrugged. "Good work, Sherlock!"
Annabeth burst out laughing. "That's pathetic!"
Percy joined in with her and soon both were laughing so hard that everyone were giving them weird looks. Finally Annabeth and Percy sobered down wiping tears from the corner of their eyes.
"Hey Annabeth! I almost forgot," Percy said.
"What?"
"I want to take you somewhere," Percy said.
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Not now, Percy."
"Of course we're going now, come on!"
"Percy! We're going back to the bus in twenty minutes," Annabeth said shaking her head and crossing her arms across her chest.
"Miss Goody Two Shoes, we'll be back soon. Ten minutes," Percy said bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly.
Annabeth sighed. "Let me at least tell Katie," she began but Percy cut her off by simply taking her wrist and tugging on it. Annabeth tried to protest but Percy was already dragging her away.
"Fine, Gods! I'll come. Don't drag me like that," Annabeth said.
Percy grinned and let her go. He began speed walking through the streets of London, often ducking to take a few short cuts. A few minutes later he stopped in front of glass double doors.
It was a café.
It was a light blue and white, quaint little building with just a few customers inside and a couple of staffs. It was not a very busy place, probably because it was well tucked away from plain view. The name "Charlie's Caffè" was embedded in dark blue swirls on the glass.
"You tagged me along to bring me here?" Annabeth raised an amused brow at Percy.
Percy shrugged. "Don't be like that. I remembered how much you wanted caffeine today morning. You get headaches when you don't have coffee like you have everyday. So voila! The best American coffee shop in London."
Annabeth stared at Percy in awe. He actually remembered and cared enough to drag her out for a coffee? It wasn't much but Annabeth thought it was extremely sweet and thoughtful of him to do such a thing. She realised that Percy was still expecting an answer from her. So she did the first thing that came to her mind.
She kissed him.
No need to get over excited, it was a kiss on the cheek. But Annabeth blushed, rendering even Percy speechless.
"Uh, thanks?" Percy said.
Annabeth laughed and pushed open the glass doors. They took the seat by the rear end of the café. Percy placed their order to the old waitress in charge of their table.
"Do you come here often?" Annabeth asked.
Percy shrugged. "Yeah. My escape place. It's well out of sight and has the best coffee, so I come here when I need a get away."
"And you brought me here?"
Percy leaned forward. "Why do you sound so surprised?"
"You haven't brought anyone here, but you brought me here, Percy. I'm your fake girlfriend."
"You're my friend Annabeth. That we don't need to pretend. It's been long since I had a good friend besides Travis. And sometimes guys don't really talk, you know? I like being your friend."
Annabeth smiled. "I like it too," she said.
Before Percy could reply, the waitress came back with their cups of steaming espresso with whipped cream and hot scones. She smiled at Annabeth and Percy before walking away.
"You were right," Annabeth said after sipping the aromatic coffee. "This is delicious."
"I'm always right," Percy joked.
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Sure, Seaweed Brain. Sure," she muttered.
A comfortable silence fell over them.
"It was Luke," Annabeth said suddenly.
Percy gave her a confused look. "What?"
Annabeth kept her gaze strained at the plate of scones that Percy was currently attacking. "Luke was the reason I dropped out of the placements for architectural firms after college. We met in college," she said. Her voice was so soft that Percy wasn't sure if she wanted him to hear it.
"You shouldn't have let him win over you Wise girl. I don't know what he did to hurt you, but you shouldn't have dropped out because of him," Percy said.
Annabeth sighed. "I know. I find it so stupid now. Luke wasn't worth it."
Percy watched her in silence wondering if he should probe about Luke. But before he could ask her anything, Annabeth looked up at him with a smile. "We should go back Percy. Everybody's going to be worried," she said.
Percy nodded. He paid the bill and left the waitress her tips.
Annabeth and Percy headed out into the now cold and darkening twilight. They had hardly walked a few steps when the first drops of rain came down.
"Shoot! It's raining," Annabeth said. Percy looked at the three fat rain drops that landed on his arm. Within the wink of an eye, the rain caught on heavy and it berainingcats and dogs. Percy cursed under his breath and immediately wrapped his fingers around Annabeth's wrists. He tugged her into the safety of the nearest side ally in between two run down buildings to stay away from the rain. There was hardly enough place for Annabeth to stand by herself there, but with Percy there too, it was a very snug fit. Annabeth's back was pressed against the wall and in the front she faced Percy who was pretty much the same, pressed against the opposite brick wall. Percy didn't notice their close proximity because he was busy peering out trying to see of the rain had subsided. But Annabeth was uncharacteristically aware of how close they stood. They were so close that their chests were touching. Annabeth almost stopped breathing at that.
She began to notice the tiny details that evaded her attention usually, like she had worn high definition magnifying lens - the way Percy's wet and dark bangs hung over his swirling green eyes, the tiny specks in his sea green pools, the rain drops running down the side of his neck... And Gods, the view of his chiselled abs through the wet fabric of the thin white shirt. It was almost enough for her heart to start banging around in her ribcage like a ping pong ball and her hormones to start waging an internal hormonal war. She was pretty sure that she was drooling over Percy now and she silently thanked the Gods that Percy was too busy staring out to notice her. Almost as if on cue, her eyes were drawn to his pink lips that were slightly open. Her breath hitched.
Great! My fake boyfriend is a living Adonis and here I am, staring at him like the pathetic loser I am! She thought bitterly.
Fortunately, before she could do anything she might regret Percy whirled around to face her grinning. "The rain has stopped. Let's go, Wise girl!"
Percy took Annabeth's hand in his, and they ran down the road back the way they had come. Annabeth cursed her still jumpy heart. Now that she wasn't in the closed, dark ally, she was thinking clearer and moe rationally and she felt so embarrassed for reacting that way. It was Percy. Her friend. Sure, a friend who was way too hot for his own good but Annabeth was apalled for her momentary weakness.
It won't happen again. That's what she told herself.
...
Katie paced inside the bus looking agitated. "Where are they? I'm so worried!"
Travis sighed in defeat. "I wish I knew! Percy's phone is switched off."
Thalia groaned from her seat. "Those idiots! They could have told us if they were going somewhere to hook up."
Uncle Hedge looked murderous too.
Only Drew looked delighted. She just couldn't wait for that Blondie to get in trouble with Hedge. He would rip off her pretty little head. "I knew that the blondie was trou - look, they're coming!" Drew's eyes went round as she stared out through her window. Sure enough, a couple of seconds later Annabeth and Percy came running and panting and got into the Percy. They barely caught their breaths when Hedge pounced on them.
"Mr. Jackson and Miss. Chase!" Hedge roared. "What do you think of yourselves, disappearing off without a word to us? This kind of behaviour is unacceptable! Abominable! You will ne grounded!"
Percy rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Okay, no need to go go ballistic Uncle Hedge! Besides, you know that I'll sneak off anyway."
Uncle Hedge scowled but calmed down.
Percy with Annabeth in tow took their seats. Annabeth flashed an apologetic smile at Katie, Thalia and Piper. While Katie looked relieved, Thalia looked irritated and Piper was smiling weird at Annabeth.
Piper leaned forward in her seat and whispered in Annabeth's ear, "One helluva ride, huh?"
Annabeth cocked in eyebrow in confusion.
What ride?
Was she talking about Percy and herself...
Oh!
Oh!
"Piper! Shut up!" Annabeth reprimanded blushing furiously. Piper just grinned slyly before sliding nack into her seat. Thalia sniggered and high fived Piper.
Katie shook her head silently at Annabeth. Annabeth knew what her friend was thinking.
Stay away from Percy. Don't get too close. Remember why you are here.
Annabeth looked away and settled down in her seat. Her mind was running wild with crazy thoughts and she couldn't help feeling agitated. In an attempt to cam herself, she switched on her camera and began to flip through the pictures she had taken. All the photos hqd come out well. But there was one particular picture that caught her eye.
It was a picture of Percy and herself standing before the Big Ben. Percy had his arm thrown casually around Annabeth's shoulders and he was looking down at her, the corner of his lips pulled up in a lopsided grin. Annabeth herself was looking up at him and rolling her eyes though her lips were turned up in a small smile. For some reason, Annabeth loved the picture. It reminded her that Luke hadn't completely broken her. Annabeth smiled at the picture and then at Percy who was peering over her shoulder at the picture she was staring at.
"Hey, this is a nice picture."
Annabeth nodded. "It's very nice."
And they both shared a small smile.
Voilà!
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Love,
theGirlster!