Chp 14
Annabeth's POV
I sighed and rang the doorbell I looked down at my clothes, black skinny jeans, high heel ankle length boots, white long sleeve shirt, brown leather jacket and a scarf. I should be fine. The door opened to be met by Paul. He smiled. "Hello Annabeth, please. Come in." He opened the door wider and I came in.
I hung up my jacket and scarf at the front and followed Paul to the kitchen. We came in and saw Percy sitting at the table and Sally taking out plates. They both looked up and Sally said, "Annabeth, I'm so happy you could make it!" She said, coming and giving me a hug.
I smiled and she went back to serving up the food. "Percy persuaded me. Said there would be certain blue chocolate chip cookies for dessert." I said, making them laugh. Percy's eyes sparkled as he smiled at me.
Sally served the food and we all moved to the dining room. We made polite chit chat till Sally asked, "So how's your family?" Percy looked uncomfortable, but I decided to show him how I'd changed.
"They're great, thanks. Did Percy ever say anything about my family?" I asked, smiling at Sally and Paul. "Well he told us that it was complicated." Paul said, sending a look Percy's way.
"Well I have two step brothers, they're both eleven. And my dad is married to this lady Helen, and the boys are theirs. She's actually very nice." I said. Sally smiled. "And your mom?" She asked.
"My mom was killed in a car accident when I was thirteen." I said, smiling to tell her it was fine. "Oh, I'm sorry for asking." She said.
"No it's fine, it was a long time ago." I said. We all chatted and then I was putting on my scarf and jacket. I turned to Sally and Paul.
"Thank you for inviting me over. The meal was loved as always." I said. They smiled and Sally gave me a hug, followed by Paul.
"I'll walk you back." Percy said, putting on his leather jacket and grabbing his phone and keys. I was going to protest but then he had closed the door behind us and we were walking down the front steps.
We walked in silence for a bit. "So how's your job like?" He asked.
I shrugged. "It's good. I mean, it's not what I wanted to do for a part time job while doing studies but I'm actually quite liking the job. I guess more the people I work with. Besides Gary and Brett, they're complete idiots."I said, and he laughed.
"What's wrong with them?" He asked, and I raised an eyebrow at him.
"I don't appreciate them mistreating the old cleaner, Larry. And I am not a fan of guys who touched my butt." I said, thinking back to that morning.
He looked sideways at me. "And what are the people there like?" He asked.
I smiled. "I got them to talk this morning. Larry had asked me why I had been so nice to him by telling off the two idiots and I told I knew what it felt like to get pushed around. Marly asked me about it and I told them." I said.
I smiled and shook my head. "They all went through things kinda,like that. Finn felt guilty for kissing his best friends girlfriend after a football game. Marly discarded her friend, without realizing she was going through a tough time at home. Liam felt guilty because his brother had died in a bike accident that he wouldn't have been in if his friend hadn't teased him about something."
He nodded and carried on walking. We were in a park now, a block away from the university. "And you? Everyone asks me about me, but I want to know about you. Any lady friends?" I teased.
He chuckled and shook his head. "Na, I went through this break up. I experienced a broken heart for the first time. She was blonde, tall but shorter than me, and it happened in senior year." He said.
I stopped and turned to him, a slight smile on my face. "What do you mean I broke your heart?" I asked. He just carried on walking and flashed me a grin. I caught up to him and he smiled.
"I really liked you. And not even two weeks in, we split. And I waited every night, hoping you would send me a message to say you were ready to get back together. But I realized you weren't going to. So when I left, I decided I was over you." He said.
He let out a chuckle. "I was wrong. I thought about you every night, wished we could for catch a coffee or something. And when I saw you today, I remembered exactly how I had felt around you before we dated." He said.
We were outside the dorm and we stopped. I turned to him and put my hands in my pockets. "I wanted to tell you I was really proud of you. When you mentioned about your mom. And I know you're different to the Annabeth that I left behind, but you're still my Annabeth. And I want to make this work." He said.
I smiled as he said he was proud of me. "Perce. You live in Miami. And then we're doing long distance relationship and it's so much different to having the person by your side." I said.
He stood, looking me in the eyes for a moment. Then he took one step towards me, gently lifted my chin up and kissed me. I melted into his body, cupping his cheek with my hand and kissing him back.
We kissed for a moment longer and he pulled away, only enough to have his lips still touching mine. "I love you, Annabeth." He said. I didn't say anything for a moment, then captured his lips in mine again.
He rested his hands on the small of my back and I had his face cupped in my hands. I pulled away to catch my breath. He looked me in the eyes. I heard girls voices from above and knew someone was probably watching.
"Thank you, for tonight." I said, then turned and walked into the dorm house. I walked up the stairs and to my dorm room. I unlocked the door and went in. The girls squealed and came up to me, handing me a mug of hot chocolate.
"How was your date?" Bree asked, all giddy. I sighed and rolled my eyes, hanging up my jacket. "It wasn't a date, his parents were there to." I reminded her.
"But how was it? Did you have a good time?" Kelly asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, it was nice seeing them again." I said. Jen let out a chuckle and walked to me. "What they mean to ask is what happened with you kissing hottie 101 goodnight?" She asked.
They followed me to the room. I changed out my clothes and sat on my bed in my sweats and a loose top. "He kissed me." I said.
Bree wiggled her finger at me. "And you obviously kissed him back!" She protested. I held up my finger. "What were you spying on me for?" I asked, chuckling and taking a sip of my hot chocolate.
Kelly sighed. "Tell me you two are dating! I mean, he's hot, so are you. Perfect couple!" She said. I shook my head at her.
"He lives in Miami. He leaves at the end of the week, and then I stay here." I said. Bree and Kelly let out dramatic sighs and flopped on their beds. I sighed and crawled under my covers.
~ Line Break ~
I smiled as I walked to work on Wednesday. I went in, greeting Larry. He gave me the usual, "Top of the morning to you ma'am." I went to the staff locker room and the others were there.
Madly gasped and asked, "How was your date?" I groaned and opened my locker. "It wasn't a date, Marly. I was asked to dinner by his parents and he was there too." I classified.
She shrugged and said, "Same difference. But you have to tell me how it went."
Liam chuckled and said, "Marly, if she doesn't want to say then leave it." I smiled at him and sent him a thank you look. We all finished up and went through to the serving side. Brett and Gary went past, rushing tot he kitchen.
I hurried to see if Larry was okay and was surprised when I saw Percy helping him up from the floor. He pulled out a seat for him and picked up the broom. "I'm guessing those were the two you talked about." He said, sending me a small smile.
I just gave him a smile and shook my head. "The cheek! They tripped me from under my own feet. If they had seen me in the day they would have run for their lives." Larry said, dusting himself off.
Marly handed him a glass of water. Finn grabbed a cloth and handed us ours. I sent Percy a look and went to wipe down a table. "What are you doing here?" I asked. He chuckled.
"If I'm mistaken, I just saved an old man." He said. I glanced up at him and said, "I'm working." He shrugged.
"And I'm free. Are you doing anything for dinner?" He asked. I sent him a smirk and said, "I'm afraid if you aren't going to sit down and buy something, I'm going to have to send you out." The others laughed, Marly giggling.
"Then I'll have a-" he started but I said, "I mean you're distracting me from my work!" He laughed and said, "So I'm a distraction now." I sent him a glare which he just laughed at.
I went to the table Finn had just started and Percy said, "Clearly it is stated that if I ask for coffee at a cafe, I am supposed to get one. I am paying for it." He sent me a cheeky grin as I sighed and walked for he counter to out in the coffee machine.
So he sat at the counter while I worked. He was probably looking at me. I blushed, wondering if he was looking at my butt. I sent a glance his way and he sent me a grin, waving slightly.
When we started moving tables and chairs, he helped. We sat down, resting before breakfast people had to come in. I looked at him and said, "I'm studying at my dorm tonight."
He shrugged and said, "Then I'll get pizza and we can have dinner at your dorm." He stood and started towards the door. "You don't even know which dorm number I'm in?" I said, chuckling at him.
He turned at the door and said, "But there are other girls in your dorm house that do." He then opened the door and left. Marly sent me an exasperated look.
"He's that hot and you're still eager to turn him down?" She asked, and I slapped her arm. "I like him, seems like a strapping young lad." Larry said, sipping his cup of coffee Marly bought him.
"Can we rather not talk about it?" I asked, rubbing my temple. They agreed but I knew Marly was thinking of it.
After work, I was changing. I was the only one in the locker room so decided it change into my clothes I brought from the dorm. Just as I was reaching for my top, Liam came in. He turned around, covering his eyes and said, "I didn't see anything."
I chuckled and pulled on my top. "Sorry, I thought I was alone." I said, him slowly turning around to see if he could come in. He walked to his locker and opened the door, getting out a bag.
"I didn't mean to - I mean, I didn't see anything." He stuttered, embarrassed that he had walked on me topless with a bra on.
I chuckled and he seemed to relax. "It's fine, honestly." I turned around while he changed, us chatting. I turned back to him and he seemed hesitant to ask me something.
"What happened?" He asked. I frowned, not sure what he was talking about. At first I was afraid he was talking about Percy and I but then he came over to me.
He was still hesitant but asked, "The scar? On you side?" I thought then knew he had probably seen the scar from when I was in the accident. I pulled up my top enough to show a scar running from my left side, across my ribs.
"Piece of glass from the car accident." I said, putting my top back down. He nodded and asked, "Did it hurt?"
I nodded. "I didn't know about it till I was being put on the stretcher and they cut my top and I saw the glass sticking out." I said, chuckling as I remembered it.
He smiled and said, "I always wondered if there was someone else around, when you declined my offer for dinner. But it's him, right? You still love him."
I opened my mouth to protest but nothing came out. I rubbed the back of my neck. "It's not you, it's me. I still had feelings for him. And I'm not sure about us anymore." I said, not sure how to say it.
He smiled. "Finn told me you wouldn't date someone like me. And that's fine, I know you're out of my league." He said, shrugging. I put my hand on his arm and said, "Liam, it really isn't you. I mean, I would date someone like- I would date you. You're a great person. But I can't be honest with my feelings if I still feel for someone else."
He nodded and grabbed his bags. We walked out the back, going through the diner and out the front door. We walked towards NYU. I got an idea on the way. "Um, do you remember the blonde girl in my dorm room?" I asked.
~ Line Break ~
I heard the front door and smiled, despite not wanting him to come. Because I wanted him to come, but then we get attached and he leaves and we both get upset.
I opened it to see Percy standing there with a smile and a box of pizza. "Someone order a pizza?" He asked, making me laugh.
"I'm out of cash, sorry." I said. He shrugged. "There's another form of payment." He said. He leaned down and gave me a kiss, short and sweet. I smiled up at him and let him in.
He hung up his jacket. "Where are your so called room mates?" He asked, looking around the empty lounge and walk in kitchen.
"Jen is at movies, Bree is on a date with Liam from the diner and Kelly is out with Ross." I said, going into the kitchen and getting two plates.
He gave a grin and put two slices of pizza on each of our plates. I poured lemonade and we sat on the couch. We sipped our drinks and ate the food, making small talk.
When we finished, we sat on either side of the two seater couch. We looked at each other, thinking of what to say. "You know, my mom always said distance makes the heart grow fonder." He said, looking suggestive.
I let out a laugh and rubbed my forehead. "Percy, do you really want to have a relationship where I only see you two months a year? That's only Christmas break." I said.
He rubbed the back of his neck and asked, "Annabeth, you trusted me with your past. Can't you trust me with your heart?"
I sighed. "I do, it's just - that's a long time. We could meet new people. You're handsome, Percy. You could date any girl you want. Why are you hanging on to me? What makes me so different?" I asked.
He looked down then scooted over so we were really close. He took my hands in his and said, "You remember I told you I would always be there for you. Even if you don't want me to I will be looking out for you."
I looked at him for a bit. "You've changed. You make it seem like you're really desperate. Because I can't do-" I started but he cut me off. "I'm mad about you." He said.
I closed my mouth. My mom told me once that when her and my dad were young, they were both driven mad with love. She said if someone tells you they are mad about you, you must believe them. And he was the only ever person who said that about me.
"I mean, I know I'm sounding crazy Ann. But it's you. You drive me crazy. And - " he couldn't get his words. I let out a little laugh and gave him a kiss. I was pulling away but he moved forward, closing the gap. I kissed him back, cupping his cheek with my one hand and running my fingers through his hair with the other.
I moved so I was sitting in his lap. He supported my back with his one hand and cupped my cheek with the other. We kissed for a while before we pulled away to catch our breath. I looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was quarter to eleven.
"You should probably be heading home. It's really late." I said. I looked down at him and saw him contemplating it.
"I have the spare house key. And they won't wait up on me. I told them not too." He said.
I bit my lip. "But if you get home quite late and your mom says the next morning that you came in quite late?" I asked, getting nervous that his parents might wonder what happened that he stayed so late.
He chuckled and said, "Don't stress. They trust that I won't do anything inappropriate and I respect you too. You know that."
I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I'm just so paranoid about everything. And I know you respect me. And I respect you. I mean, we're really good friends. We're practically having an affair." I said.
He raised an eyebrow with a smile on his face. "It's only an affair if we're dating other people. " he said. I chuckled.
"But single was just getting used to me. We were getting comfortable. Now I have to break his heart and tell him I'm going out with the big IAR. In a relationship." I joked, making him laugh.
He kissed me again and I felt my brain empty and the world disappear. I ran my tongue over his bottom lip, feeling like he made me bend and do things I shouldn't. We heard the front door, and quickly jumped up.
Only to find Liam and Bree walking in, not breaking their kiss. She was just shrugging her jacket off when I said, "Wow, didn't you two hit it off." They moved away from each other, Bree quickly pulling her jacket back on and Liam straightening his shirt.
"I should go. I'll see you." Percy said, planted a kiss on my cheek then took his jacket, gave us a wave and closed the front door behind him. "I can sleep in the couch if you two want to resume in the next room." I said, smirking at them.