Chiron had told Annabeth to stay with Percy in the infirmary.
She didn't like that one bit. She still hadn't told Chiron about the books. And, she was going to read a little more of The Lightning Thief tonight.
But no, she was helping Grover and Percy in the infirmary. Grover healed quicker because he was more used to the ambrosia and nectar. But Percy was zonked out.
She had to sit by his side and feed him, make sure he was healing properly. Annabeth had to sit there and watch the drool as it slowly rolled from his lips and form a puddle on the pillow.
She wrinkled her nose and took a cloth and wiped it off. That didn't help because it didn't stop him from drooling.
Annabeth tried to ignore that and focus on his face. She was impatient and her foot tapped on the floor; she wanted to ask him so many questions. She narrowed her eyes and stared at him. She took in the crook in his nose, the way his eyelids fluttered like his eyes were moving rapidly underneath, and then there was the drool. Annabeth realized that there was a strand of his black hair was hovering over his fluttering eyelids. She reached forward and swept it away from his eyes.
She blushed a little but then contained herself.
Annabeth then saw she had to help feed him. She took some nectar and fed it to him with a spoon. It slid down his lips with the drool. She smirked but then his eyes opened. She gasped a little and was about to bombard him with questions, but then stopped herself. She looked over her shoulder and found that everyone was too busy with other campers.
Annabeth turned back to Percy.
"What will happen at the summer solstice?" she asked him, barely above a whisper.
Percy's mind was churning and he was confused. It didn't help that he had a headache. "What?"
Annabeth felt as if eyes were staring at her back. She looked over her shoulder again. "What's going on? What was stolen? We only have a few weeks!"
"I'm sorry…" he mumbled, "I don't…"
There was a knock on the door, and Annabeth panicked and shoved a spoonful of the nectar in his mouth. He drifted back off to sleep.
"How is he, Annabeth?" Chiron asked.
"Oh, good," then she mumbled, "but he drools a lot."
Chiron chuckled. "Has he woken up yet?"
"Nope," Annabeth lied.
"Hm. You should go back to your cabin. It's getting late and you're missing your activities."
"It's fine, Chiron. I don't mind watching him." Annabeth lied again. For a first impression, she was definitely not too fond of this Percy Jackson. But, on the other hand, she needed some answers. He seemed like the source of them seeing how he was a part of these books.
Chiron eyed her.
Annabeth looked up at him skeptically.
His gaze cut to Percy and then stared at Annabeth again.
She seemed to realize what he thought he was observing. She was a little irritated that he would automatically think that, but it seemed as if she had no other choice but to leave. Annabeth placed the bowl and spoon of nectar on the dresser next to Percy's bed and stood.
"Maybe you're right. I should get back to my activities." Annabeth wished she hadn't said that. For once, she didn't want to go to Greek Mythology class. This time, she had her mind focused on one thing: those books.
She knew she had to do something to fool him. She felt guilty doing it, but what else could she do?
Annabeth began to walk out the door and was about to double over in false pain, but then Chiron stopped her.
"Oh, what were you going to tell me last night?"
She turned around. "What do you mean?"
"Last night, before we found Percy, you said you had something to tell me. What was it?"
Annabeth stared at him and she looked down at Percy. Something sparked, and she knew there was something important going on that only she had to know. She couldn't even tell Chiron about this. It was going to be hard, but she made her decision right then and there.
"Oh…um, I was going to tell you how….I was feeling better!" She shrugged and a smile bloomed on her face. "Yep, and I just thought it was really, really important for you to know."
Chiron studied her and she could tell he didn't believe her. Nevertheless, he said, "Well good, then,"
Annabeth nodded and made her way out the door.
"And Annabeth?" Chiron called.
She stopped by the doorway and looked at him over her shoulder.
"Don't worry; I'll collect Argus to be in here. Percy will be okay,"
Right then, there was that familiar stab in her stomach. She doubled over and slammed into the doorframe to hold on so she didn't collapse to the floor. It hurt so bad and worse. She bit her lip to stop herself from screaming. Why was this happening to her? Especially at the mention of Percy's name.
"Are you okay?"
Annabeth tried to straighten up. "Never better," she tried to manage but Chiron couldn't be fooled that easily.
"Maybe you should also be in the infirmary."
"No!" Annabeth exclaimed. At the look of Chiron's shocked face, she calmed herself and apologized. "Um, no thank you. I kinda just want to lie down in my cabin like last time."
"Okay, then. I'll give you a ride." They walked out of the infirmary and she got on Chiron's back and he escorted her to her cabin, letting her have the day off.
She was relieved for that. And right when she was going to continue with The Lightning Thief, her stomach said differently. She was forced to lie in her bed to ease off the pain and soon, she drifted to sleep.
She had that same dream again. Where she was in that apartment with those people fighting in the background. And she was hurrying to get the letter written. But this time, she saw a new thing. It was a book—the book. The Lightning Thief.
"Annabeth!" A voice cried.
She struggled to turn around and look at who is was, but then there was a giant flash.
"Annabeth!" it echoed and it sounded desperate and a little familiar.
"Annabeth!" It started to fade away.
"Annabeth!" it was so loud this time that it made her jolt up with a start. Her breathing was heavy and she was in the same position: sweating with the sheets thrown around her.
Grover was standing beside her bed, staring at her with worry. "You were having a nightmare."
"Tell me about it," she mumbled.
"Are you okay? Do you need to talk about it?"
I wish someone would tell me about it, she thought. And tell me what the heck was going on.
"No, I'm fine," she answered.
Grover shifted his hooves uncomfortably. "Okay, then."
"What do you want?" She asked.
"Chiron wanted me to come check on you. I guess it was a good thing he did."
"Well I'm fine now."
Grover looked a little hurt, but he didn't say anything about it. "So there's this new camper, Percy. You wanna come meet him?"
"Why would I want to do that?" Annabeth asked as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.
"He's got a very strong and powerful scent. He might be your chance for a quest."
"Yeah, well he's my chance for a lot of things," Annabeth mumbled under her breath since she knew Percy was from the books.
"And Chiron mentioned you fancied him." Grover wiggled his eyebrows.
Annabeth groaned. "I do not 'fancy' him!"
"He said you were giving him the look."
"I wasn't. I barely even know him."
"Okay, whatever you say."
"I'm going to change. Do you mind?" She asked him.
Grover nodded and walked out of the room for her to change. When Annabeth was done, she was in a fresh orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and a pair of shorts.
She looked at the books before she left—that was starting to become a habit. She guessed it was in case if they were real or if they were just the Mist playing tricks on her. Annabeth blinked and they were still there.
She'll have to read them another time.
Annabeth stood with Chiron and Mr. D as they played pinochle. It was a while until she heard Grover's voice and then her name. She looked over and found Grover pointing to them with Percy standing next to them.
Percy was slightly in front of Grover, so he darted his eyes between Percy and Annabeth, trying to tell her, Hey! This is the guy you fancy!
She glared at Grover and then caught Percy's look. He was staring at her, mystified, like he was taking her all in. Annabeth looked away.
"Ah, good, Percy," Chiron said. "Now we have four for pinochle."
Percy sat down at a chair Chiron offered and Mr. D began sarcastically introducing him to the camp. Annabeth took this time to analyze him even more. He didn't seem to recognize her like he had been the one to plant the books in her cabin. She knew that was ridiculous because he'd never been here before. So what the heck was going on?
"Annabeth?" Chiron called.
Her gaze snapped back to him and she stood next to him. He introduced her to him and explained that she nursed him back to health.
"Annabeth, dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."
"Sure, Chiron," she said.
She walked up to Percy and he was staring at her that same way again. Annabeth glanced down at the minotaur horn in his hands and then her eyes went back up to his sea green ones.
Annabeth eyed him and he looked like he was expecting her to break out into a smile.
Instead, she said the one thing on her mind: "You drool when you sleep."
With that, Annabeth jogged away, jumping off the steps, and sprinted to cabin eleven for more reasons other than checking on his bunk.
"So the new guy's name is Percy Jackson?" Luke asked.
Annabeth nodded. "Yeah. He had a minotaur horn in his hand."
"Hm," Luke shrugged with a twinkle in his eye. "Fights well."
"Whatever," Annabeth rolled her eyes.
There was some loud shouts coming from further into the cabin and two kids were having a fight. One was yelling, "You stole it! I know you did!"
"I swear, I didn't take anything!" The other yelled.
"You're such a liar!"
"Aw, man," Luke groaned and he looked at Annabeth. "I've gotta take care of this."
Her heart weighed down a little, but then she nodded.
"Oh, and hey," he stopped her from leaving. "Cut that Percy kid some slack. He's just finding out he's a half-blood."
Annabeth didn't say anything except walk out of the cabin. She went to her own and took this time to read some more of The Lightning Thief.
She almost screamed when she read it. Everything that had just been said in person, was exactly how it was written in the book.
She inhaled slowly, her jaw dropping and her eyes widening. She was beginning to understand just a little of what was happening. But she couldn't believe it. It was crazy; insane.
Someone had sent her these books. And this person must've been from the future or how else could they have known exactly what had been said.
Then Annabeth realized something. That was absolutely crazy. There was no way that that could happen.
But something in the back of her head stopped her and she just knew that she had to keep reading. She got to page 83 and then realized that this was where she came back into the story line.
This confused her a little, because she was about to keep reading, but then realized that they really were waiting for her back at cabin eleven.
She took the book with her, covering it in a fake book jacket covered with Ancient Greek so he couldn't read that it was probably about him. Annabeth was going to confront him. He had something to do with this and she felt as if he was trying to pull a joke on her.
Annabeth ran out of her cabin and raced to cabin eleven. She saw them just then passing Clarisse as she was giving Percy the I'll-beat-you-up-later stare.
She didn't continue reading, though. She watched him as he moved. The little snake, she thought. He was totally in on this whole book deal.
Finally, they approached her and she stared at Percy with a glare. She could see that he tried to read what the cover of the book looked like, but thanks to the fake book jacket that she had taken off of another book, he couldn't read the ancient Greek.
Good, she thought.
He then stared at her, and not at what she was doing.
"Annabeth," Chiron said, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you like to take Percy from here?"
"Yes, sir," she said, still glaring at Percy.
"Cabin eleven," Chiron murmured to him and he gestured to the cabin behind Annabeth. "Make yourself at home."
Chiron clopped away and Percy looked up at Hermes' cabin with glowing eyes. He was taking it all in, looking at how used it was and how many campers there were and—
Annabeth swatted his arm with the Ancient Greek book.
Percy exclaimed, "Ow, what was that for?!" and he stared at her like she had gone insane.
"Do you think this is some kind of joke?!" she screamed and at the emphasized word, she swatted at him again.
Percy tried to dodge it but it ended up hitting his chest. Annabeth took that as a better target and kept whacking him in the chest.
"Will you stop that?! Why are you—"
"How are you doing this?!" She asked, but had lowered her voice to barely above a fierce hiss.
"Doing what?!" Percy asked, but he didn't lower his voice.
"Lower your voice!" Annabeth said in a whisper and whacked him in the chest again.
"Why should I?" He countered.
"Because no one else can hear about this,"
"What the heck are you talking about?"
"The Lightning Thief? Please, it's so obvious that it's you."
Percy gave her a look. "What? I'm no thief! Jeez, this camp is crazy! I should just leave right now." He began to walk away.
Oops, Annabeth thought. Went a little too far.
"No!" she exclaimed and caught his arm. "You can't leave!"
"Why do you care? You already hate me and are accusing me of being a thief,"
"I don't hate you." Annabeth snapped. "I just…don't know who you are and why you're here."
Percy narrowed his eyes at her. "Well, I'm Percy Jackson, my mom has been killed, and I find that my best friend and Latin teachers are really part some kind of barnyard animal." He gave her an irritated look. "I think that sums it up. No, wait a minute. It also turns out my dad is a god and supposedly, I've never seen him before in my life. Oh, and somehow I killed the minotaur that killed my mom. So sorry if my troubles bother you, it's not every day that I lose my mom because of some kind of bull man wearing fruit of the looms underwear."
Annabeth paused. "What did you say?"
"Do you really want me to repeat what I just said?"
"No, the last part."
"It's not every day that I lose my mom because of a bull."
"No, the very beginning, you idiot!" She whacked him upside the head with the book again.
"Hey!" He rubbed his head. "You hit me with the spine,"
"What did you say the bull was wearing?" She said, her voice getting louder because she was becoming impatient.
"I said he was wearing fruit of the looms underwear." Percy said. "You don't see that every day," he mumbled, "maybe I really am going crazy…"
"Or maybe I am," Annabeth's gaze drifted to the ground. She remembered the beginning of the book that Percy had killed the minotaur that was wearing fruit of the loom underwear.
Maybe the books and the letter did come from someone in the future. And they were in trouble and they needed Annabeth to help them. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn't going crazy and that she finally just needed to read the books. She had to stick with what really happened.
"Okay," she said in a soft voice. "I'm sorry, Percy. I didn't mean to make you mad or anything. I'm just confused with what's going on."
"Oh, you're confused? How do you think I feel? I've just been told that the Greek gods are real, and my dad's one of them."
Annabeth nodded solemnly. "Yeah, and he might claim you some day."
"Claim me?"
Annabeth explained.
"Before we move on with the rest of the tour, I need to put my book up. Just wait out here, okay?"
Percy nodded and stood where he was and watched Annabeth sprint to her cabin.
He scoffed. "First day and I've already met a madwoman."
When Annabeth got in her cabin, she quickly scanned through the next couple pages of the book. At least until the tour was over. She groaned when she saw that he would embarrass himself in front of the entire Hermes' cabin—and right in front of Luke, too. The rest was just explaining more about monsters and hid godly parent and stuff. That would be easy; she did that with all the new campers. And besides, so far, everything seemed to be going as well as it did however years ago, except when she ruined it all up herself.
If it was like that, then why did this person need their help? Why would they need her to do know she was doing the right thing when time was already going exactly as planned? It didn't make much sense, but Annabeth decided that she would keep reading nevertheless.
It was just in case something bad really did happen—something that wasn't supposed to happen. That, and she was interested to see what would happen next.
And then she found that they would run into Clarisse and cause a giant bathroom experience.
"Jeez," Annabeth said below a whisper, "this kid just keeps on getting into trouble." She scoffed. "I would never want him on my capture the flag team."
It wasn't hard for Annabeth to pretend that she was surprised Percy could blow up toilets like that. It was even more shocking in person. And more disgusting with the mucky water spraying at her.
"How did you…"
"I don't know." Percy answered. Annabeth was soaking—as she already knew she would be—but Percy was completely dry. She already knew that too.
They walked outside and found Clarisse and her friends all laying in the mud.
She gave him a dirty look. "You are dead, new boy. You are totally dead."
Annabeth had to admit, the whole bathroom incident was pretty hilarious in person as well. She couldn't believe it when she read it, but when she saw it, oh, man, was it hard for her to keep in her laughter.
"You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth." Percy said.
Annabeth also had to admit, she was starting to like Percy's sarcastic and snappy side. Especially when it was toward Clarisse and especially in that moment.
When Clarisse was gone, Annabeth knew she had to look over and stare at Percy.
"What?" he asked, but it was more harsh. "What are you thinking?"
Annabeth found this next line ironic and she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes.
"I'm thinking," she said, "I want you on my capture the flag team."
Annabeth knew that part was going to be interesting.
Any exact line from the book, is not mine because I DO NOT OWN PJO. It's Rick's. He came up with that stuff, and we all thank him for it:) I hope you liked; please review!