Chapter 4: Annabeth and I Go Shopping

Day 2

I dreamed something great. I couldn't remember exactly what it was all about, but it had something to do with Annabeth.

I frowned. Annabeth? Why couldn't I feel her presence anymore?

That was when I opened my sleepy eyes grudgingly. I was already hugging a pillow and not my Wise Girl anymore. The sun was already shining with radiance that I couldn't hold the heat any longer. Excluding on Sunday mornings, you could now hear the honks of the cars because of the heavy traffic.

Just your typical morning in New York City.

I got up and yawned. I also smelled pancakes being cooked. Where was that coming from? Was she the one who was...?

I first went to the bathroom to prepare myself, and then to the kitchen. Annabeth was indeed the one who was cooking pancakes—her back facing in front of me and still wearing my mother's nightgown. She was humming "Love Story" by Taylor Swift, one of her favorites (which I hadn't believed at first), because she'd said it was a song about us. She also liked "Designer Skyline" by Owl City, because she could relate to the song.

Wait a minute. Annabeth could cook?

I tiptoed toward her, covered her eyes with my hands, and then kissed the back of her head.

"So, the Seaweed Sleepyhead is now fully awake," Annabeth began.

"Is that my new nickname? I didn't know you could cook," I told her, releasing her eyes.

She faced me. "Well, when you're living on your own, cooking is one of the ways to survive, so my stepmother taught me how to cook different recipes before I started living here in New York. She said that I learned quickly and this was really important, especially after we get married. Of course, being a child of Athena, I—"

My stomach growled loudly. "Whoopsie."

Annabeth gave a melodic laugh and went back to cooking. "Why don't you just sit there and prepare the table? The pancakes will be done in a jiffy."

"What's the magic wooord?" I sang loudly.

I could feel she rolled her eyes. "Please, Seaweed Brain."

After the table had been made, Annabeth put the plate of pancakes and sat on the other end. She looked a little nervous. Why would she be, anyway? She'd already said that she was now good at cooking. This was so unlike her.

Girls are so weird. No offense to all the girls out there.

"You first, Percy," she began.

"Why me? Ladies first," I countered.

"Just do it, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth snapped.

I held up my hands in surrender. "Fine, fine."

I put a pancake on my plate and placed honey on top of it. I sliced a piece using my fork and ate it, making my eyes widen.

"How's the taste?" asked Annabeth nervously. Her face looked cute in that kind of state, but I couldn't hold the suspense any longer.

"This is great, Annabeth!" I exclaimed as I munched more of the pancake. "You could really taste the sweetness inside. With the help of the honey, of course. But still, this is awesome!"

Her eyes beamed with pride. "Really? And I thought you wouldn't like it. Sorry the color isn't blue; I couldn't find the food coloring."

"It's okay. But you could've woken me up to ask."

"I didn't have the heart to do so."

"Whnnot?" I asked between munches.

"Because you looked cute," she smirked, "while drooling in your sleep."

I pouted. So I had drooled in my sleep again, huh?

She laughed. "Hey, don't give me that look! And don't talk when your mouth is full, Percy."

"I couldn't help it. It's like it was Mom who cooked the pancake." I looked into her stunning gray eyes, smiling. "Thanks, Annabeth."

She met my green eyes, grinning widely. "You're welcome, Percy." And then she started eating her pancake. "So, what's the plan for today?"

I thought for a moment. "How about we go to the mall later to develop last night's pictures? We still don't have classes, anyway, so we have to make the best of it."

"Fine by me. But I have a problem."

"What?" I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"I don't have anything to wear," she responded.

"That's all right. You can borrow again some of my mother's clothes. I think she has some outfits that fit your size."

Annabeth looked embarrassed. "Sally wouldn't mind?"

I finished my pancake. Now why would she think that way? "Of course not! You're Annabeth Chase! If she knew you borrowed some of her clothes, I'm sure she'd tackle you with a great, big hug." I smiled wistfully. "Typical Mom."

She looked down at the nightgown. "Your mother is really sexy."

I grinned at her with a wink. "And so is my sweet and hot girlfriend."

Annabeth smiled, rolled her eyes, and muttered something like "boys" before finishing her pancake.

Girls are so weird. Had I mentioned that already?

000

When we were already at the photo station inside the mall, the lady at the main counter said that we'd have to wait for three hours to get the newly-developed pictures, because they had so many customers today, but it wasn't a problem for us. The lady thanked us and then attended another customer.

"Where do you want to go, Wise Girl?" I questioned Annabeth when we started walking away from the photo station. She was wearing my mother's orange blouse, and a blue skinny jeans. It suited her perfectly, hugging her curves. Many guys kept looking in her direction, awe plastered on their faces. I even saw a guy who was slapped on the cheek by his girlfriend, hard.

Ouch!

"How about the bookstore? I might as well buy another book about architecture," she replied excitedly.

You know Annabeth, she really loved that stuff.

"Sure! Anything for my sexy girlfriend." I put my arm on her shoulders, sending the guys who kept gazing at her a mental message: Back off! She's mine!

Annabeth turned to me. "You look sexy yourself. What's with the sudden affection, Seaweed Brain?" she asked teasingly.

"Many guys keep looking at you, and I don't like it," I admitted. Who would like that, anyway?

"How sweet. Seaweed Brain is jealous." She looked around. "So I noticed. The girls are also doing the same thing to you, though."

"I don't care about them." I gazed at her directly in the eyes. "I only care about you."

Annabeth swatted me in the arm. But before she faced away, I'd seen her smile with a faint blush on her cheeks.

Inside the bookstore, Annabeth kept walking around the shelves, her eyes beaming. "Oh, my gods! This is the newest issue of The Architecture! And there's Houses and Pillars and Brand New Building Blocksand—"

"Hold your horses, Annabeth," I interrupted while pointing at the books and magazines she was carrying in her arms. "Don't tell me you're going to buy all of those."

She was carrying three architecture books and fivearchitecture magazines. Gods, I'd die if I were going to read all of that stuff.

Annabeth put them on the floor, looked inside her wallet (which made her scowl), and then closed it. "Okay, I'll not buy all of them. Only one, for now." She returned the other books and magazines on their respective places.

I read the title of the only book she was holding now. The words were rumbled, thanks to my dyslexia. I looked closer, and after a moment it formed: GREATEST BUILDINGS OF 2010.

Okay, I thought. That's boring.

"Seriously, Annabeth, you don't find books like that hard to read?" I asked her in terror.

"At first," she replied nonchalantly. "But if you keep reading and practicing, it's not that hard anymore. And I'm proud to say that I already read many books—fiction and non-fiction."

I'd have a migraine if I did that.

While Annabeth was paying for the book, my mother called on my cell phone. Yes, I have one, even Annabeth. Just in case of emergencies, mind you.

"Percy, dear, how are you doing?" Mom asked.

"Great, Mom. How about you and Paul?" I replied, grinning.

"We're having fun, dear. I hope you were with us today."

"Mom, I wanted for you two to relax from your work. By the way, I'm with Annabeth at the mall right now. She even slept at our apartment last night because there was this rain—"

Mom screamed, causing me to push the phone away from my ear. It wasn't an angry scream; it was a joyful scream. Wait, what did that mean? When Annabeth was by my side, I turned to her for an answer. She just shrugged in return, not having any clue why Mom was acting that way.

I became horrified. "W-what happened, Mom?"

I heard her say on the opposite line, "Did you hear that, Paul? They slept together!"

"Uh, Mom..."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Percy. I'm just happy that my wish came true."

"What wish? We didn't do anything bad..." I suddenly remembered Annabeth wearing Mom's nightgown.

Oh, gods.

I instantly wiped my nose with a handkerchief. Nope, there wasn't any blood in it.

"I know, honey. I just found the scene cute."

"Oh," I replied awkwardly. I was sure I was blushing furiously, even Annabeth.

"Can I talk to Annabeth for a minute, Percy?"

"Er, sure."

I gave the phone to Annabeth.

"Hello, Sally," Annabeth said in her most professional way of talking. She looked at me and mouthed stay therebefore moving many steps away from me.

Girls are so...never mind.

Many minutes had passed by when Annabeth came back and gave the phone back to me. "Your mom's still on the line."

I put it beside my ear. "Mom."

"Take care, Percy. And you take care of Annabeth, you hear?" Her tone seemed excited.

"You too, Mom. And say 'hi' to Paul for us."

"I will, honey. Bye!"And then the line went dead. Don't get me wrong, I really missed my mother, but the conversation was just plain...weird.

Annabeth also seemed excited, like her battle plan would work out excellently.

There was something fishy going on here.

I gave her a confused look. "What?"

She hooked her arms around mine, pulling me with her. "C'mon, Seaweed Brain." My girlfriend gave me a mischievous look. "Let's go shopping!"