Chapter 16

A/N: Hohoho. We're now down to the second to the last chapter. Yeah. I was kind of feeling inspired so I decided to update earlier.

And shout out to Smiles Burn In The Styx: Yeah. Since you're the first one who reviewed last chapter (I am feeling generous), you get a special request. It depends if you want to claim it. I will grant any request within my abilities. Just PM if you've decided.

I hope this turned out okay.

Annabeth was not the kind of girl who ruled and acted with what first came into her mind. She usually thought it over; weighing the pros and cons of her possible moves before engaging it into action. Yes, she's 'the reasons' kind of girl.

But that all flew away when she heard what Harry said, and she couldn't help but scream 'bloody murder!'.

Thalia, who usually looked fierce and menacing, seemed like a cute cub right now beside an extremely furious and dangerous Annabeth.

The blonde pounded loud and hard knocks on the door, and the punk had to lock her limbs with Annabeth to stop her from completely destroying the door.

"What do you say you can't fight? Are you fucking kidding me, Harry?! This isn't good you know. Come out now!" Annabeth yelled through the poor door.

She could hear him whimpering in fear. Oh god, she must've scared the poor guy. But she wasn't really in the mood to care right now.

"Uh, I-I'm s-sorry, A-Anna-" he mumbled, his voice cracking and sounding an octave higher.

"It's Annabeth!"

"Annabeth! I-I'm really sorry! But, I can't really fight with this, uh . . . condition."

Annabeth's anger rose even higher. "What the hell, Harry?! Did you know how much I've trained for this, huh? Heck, this is my one chance to apologize to him and you ruined it with your-your. . .whatever!"

"I'm really-"

"Shut up!"

Then a loud rumbling sound from Harry's side of the door silenced the two girls.

Thalia shook her head at Annabeth. "He's useless."

Annabeth groaned loudly and sunk down to the floor. She rested her forehead on her palm, like she's sick of thinking solutions for every problem.

What will she do now? She really didn't want to think anymore. All of her plans had gone to waste and she doubt she still have the energy to think of one. Her brain had been drained of ideas with what happened in the past few days. Add to the fact that she's distracting herself with thoughts of Percy.

Ugh. Couldn't he have other pastime than lingering on Annabeth's mind?

"What do I do now?" Annabeth murmured to herself.

Thalia tugged on Annabeth's arm. "You know what? We should tell this to Chiron."

"But-"

She cut her off. "It's better that he knows. Perhaps, he can have another substitute."

"Not like Harry, I hope."

The punk patted her bestfriend sympathetically at the back. "Use now all your saved luck, Annabeth."

The girl laughed dryly. "If I have some more left."

"So. . ." Chiron trailed off, as if he expected the words to make sense right now. "you are saying that Harry isn't in the. . .finest condition to compete right now?"

Annabeth nodded.

"How do you say so?"

The blonde shifted uncomfortably in her seat. How was she supposed to explain this? "Well, he's. . .he's-"

Thalia interjected. "He has locked himself in the men's cubicle. Because he has. . .has some business to do with it."

Chiron raised his eyebrows. "Oh."

A deafening silence took over the atmosphere of the office. Chiron seemed to be weighing his options in his head, Thalia looked to be thinking of ways to help her and Annabeth's mind was filled with thoughts of consequences if she wouldn't be able to make it.

The sensei turned to the blonde. "Have you talked to Percy yet?"

Annabeth was taken aback by the question. "Uh, I. . .well, I haven't."

He rubbed his fingers on his temple. His voice seemed strained but otherwise full of authority. "Well, he's your last chance. Convince him to go back before your turn starts. If he doesn't come, I'll be forced to declare Drew and Octavian as the victors."

"But-"

"I'm sorry but you've got no other choice, Annabeth. I just hope you'll be able to convince Percy. Now, if you'll excuse me," Chiron muttered one last time before he led them out.

Thalia turned to Annabeth with a determined look in her eyes. "You've got to call Percy."

Annabeth instantly tensed. "But, Thalia. . .I-I can't!"

"Why?!" Her bestfriend demanded. "He's your only choice right now. Don't tell me you're giving up just because of this?"

"He won't do it! I've hurt him and I doubt he'll want to see me again!"

Thalia squeezed Annabeth's shoulders for good measure. Her voice now held a commanding tone, and the blonde knew better than to argue with her bestfriend.

"Listen, Percy doesn't hate you, okay? You're going to call him and tell him that he needs to be here."

Annabeth frantically shook her head. She couldn't do it. She still couldn't. "Thalia, please, no. Not-"

"Give me your phone."

"It's not like-" The punk gave her a glare that clearly translated into something Annabeth never wanted to share. She gave in. "Okay. Here it is."

Thalia dialed Percy's number and as the ringing continued, she grew more impatient. Annabeth was more frustrated with the fact that perhaps, he didn't want to hear her again.

Annabeth pleaded. "Thalia, you don't have to force him." The line connected before it even went to voicemail.

He actually answered!

Thalia grinned triumphantly and handed Annabeth the phone. The blonde stared at it as if it was an alien thing that suddenly appeared in her hands. She was shaking, she knew it and for a second, she thought that the phone might slip from her grasp. But Annabeth couldn't speak.

'Talk to him,' Thalia mouthed.

"Hello?"

His voice sounded the same. And even in the phone, she could still feel the same shivers running through her spine when his voice reached her ears. He was indeed Percy.

But Annabeth couldn't talk. She wanted to say so many things to him all at once. Annabeth wanted to tell him how sorry she was, how she missed him and how she really loved him. Yet her words were caught in her throat.

He spoke softly, like he was talking to a child. "Annabeth? Are you there?"

'Say something,' Thalia tried to tell her again.

She knew. Annabeth wanted to. But it seemed as though her mind and tongue weren't cooperating.

It wasn't long when her bestfriend grew agitated that she snatched the phone again.

"Listen, Kelp Head. Annabeth needs you right now. If you don't come here at this moment, I'm going to kill you ASAP."

Percy chuckled through the speakers before the line went static.

Thalia was furious. "How dare he end the call like that?! I'm going to kill him for sure."

Annabeth hushed her bestfriend. "Thalia-"

"You don't need to kill me, Thalia."

Both girls spun around, only to be greeted by Percy's infamous lopsided grin.

And wow, even though Annabeth was utterly afraid of the awkward tension between them, she couldn't help but admire him right now.

Percy was dashingly handsome.

"Good to know," Thalia muttered with a knowing smirk and fled off the scene as fast as possible.

That left Annabeth alone with Percy.

The air grew tense around them. Annabeth stared at her feet, not trusting herself to make the first move. She wondered if he hated her right now.

She leaned with her back against the wall, and quickly turned rigid when he stood beside her in the same position.

"Hey," he mumbled, so quiet that it's almost a whisper.

"Yeah?" she asked without looking at him.

"Do you hate me?"

"Why would I hate you? You have the every right to be mad at me, Percy."

He kept quiet but the silence seemed to be lighter than before. She could feel the heat emanating from his body. They were standing close but nut touching, and distance between them seemed to be galaxies apart. Annabeth wanted to feel his skin on hers but she's afraid to reach out. She's afraid that he might flinch from her touch. That he'll be burnt all over again.

"You've read the letter I guess?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Percy looked down. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, Percy. I'm not disgusted by you. I don't hate you. In fact, I-I. . ." Annabeth trailed on.

"I love you," she wanted to say. But she kept her mouth shut.

For the first time that day, Annabeth stared at Percy with a small genuine smile. "I miss us, Percy. I miss the. . .Best Duo Ever."

"I do too."

"So. . ." Annabeth straightened up, flashing Percy a bigger grin. She raised her finger to him. "Are we still the Best Duo Ever, Seaweed Brain?"

He curled his finger to hers, his smile now spreading ear to ear. "We're the only best Best Duo Ever from the start, Wise Girl."

And then he placed his arms around her, pulling Annabeth closer to his body. She eagerly returned his hug, burying her nose deeper on his chest and inhaling his scent down to her very heart. She felt lighter and better now, like she was breathing in the air for the very first time. This was what love felt like. And Annabeth needed to tell him what had been going in her mind for some time now.

She pulled back and stared straight into his sea green eyes. His eyes appeared to have a thousand shades, each of them bending and swirling around his irises.

"I need to tell you something."

"Yeah?"

"Percy, I. . .I-"

HONK!

They jumped away in shock. It's the signal for them to get ready.

Percy looked at her. "Tell me about it later, okay?"

She nodded. "Right."

"Ready to throw some butts?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

As they walked towards the door, Annabeth felt a strange surge of courage through her system.

So, before she changed her mind, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

On the cheek, of course.

"Goodluck, Seaweed Brain. Let's win this."

Annabeth's heart was thundering in her chest as her gaze traveled among the faces of the spectators. All eyes were watching their every move and she felt like she's shrinking every second.

But Percy squeezed her hand reassuringly and she pretended not to blush with the way their hands fitted perfectly with each other.

She could see Thalia cheering from the sides with Nico beside her. He must've said something funny since she swatted him away with a glare. The scene made her laugh a little and Percy laughed too when she did.

They walked towards the tatami mat and she saw Drew smirking at her. There's a pale-looking blond guy standing beside the Asian girl, who Annabeth assumed to be Octavian.

Chiron's voice boomed through the speakers. "The match will last about five minutes. Same basis of scoring will be applied. The two fighters will work as team to increase their score. Though it is required to fight one by one. When an opponent gets pinned down for 20 seconds, the team is awarded with an ippon. If it lasted less than 20 seconds but more than 15 seconds, the team gets a waza-ari. A pin lasting less than 15 seconds but more than 10 seconds will have a yuko. The team awarded with an ippon will automatically win the match. An ippon equals to two waza-ari. No number of yuko will equal to waza-ari. In the even that a member of a team submits, the opposing team will be automatically declared the victors."

The sensei gestured to Percy and Annabeth. "Team A, Percy and Annabeth."

He raised his arm to Drew and Octavian. "Team B, Drew and Octavian."

The crowd clapped and hollered. "Please perform your bows."

The two teams bowed at the same time then Chiron gave the signal. "I now commence this match!"

Percy took Octavian while Annabeth had Drew. Octavian made a grab for Percy's sleeve but lost his footing when the guy pulled his left lapel. With his right hand on the lapel and his left arm holding Octavian's right sleeve, Percy heaved forward and twisted his body, his back turned against the blond guy. But before Percy could throw him, he managed to escape his grip.

Annabeth was having a hard time to gain on Drew. The girl was undoubtedly strong and she'd have to knock Drew's center of gravity to take control of her momentum. Annabeth twisted her hip to the right and stepped with her right foot between Drew's legs. With her left hand, she pulled the Asian girl's right sleeve and clipped her foot with Drew's. Then she swung her leg back and knocked Drew backwards with her waist.

Annabeth casted a quick glance at Percy, who seemed to be using kata guruma against Octavian. Using his left hand, Percy grabbed Octavian's right arm and ducked his head under it. He gripped the blond's right thigh and wheeled him over his shoulders. Octavian hit the mat with a thump and while on his back, Percy pinned him down. The raven-haired guy's strength was superior than that of Octavian, that it took 16 seconds to escape his grip; therefore earning the first waza-ari point for Team A.

When Drew saw this, she hastily seized Annabeth's right sleeve. She turned her back and tugged forward, pressing her shoulder tightly against the blonde's. Then she placed her right arm on the ground, using this as a lever to roll Annabeth over her hip.

But before Drew could tackle her on the mat, Annabeth struggled to get on her feet, ignoring the shooting pain on her back. They needed to win this. Screw those muscle aches. They've got pain relievers anyway.

With her right hand on Drew's lapel, Annabeth grabbed the girl's sleeve using her left hand. She heaved forward while turning her back against Drew. Then Annabeth squatted down and bent her upper body forward. Using her right shoulder as the fulcrum, the blonde whirled Drew over, with the Asian girl hitting the mat hard.

Annabeth locked her right arm on Drew's neck and with her left arm, she held the other arm down. She tangled her legs with Drew's, pinning those down to keep her from moving. The girl was already choking, Annabeth knew it, but she didn't lessen her grip. Soon enough, Drew tapped the mat twice and with that small movement, the crowd erupted to cheers.

Annabeth couldn't believe it. Drew just admitted defeat.

With Chiron's signal, she released her grip on Drew and help the girl to stand. She was a little surprised that Drew smiled at her a little as they performed their bows. At least, she knew good sportsmanship.

Annabeth met Percy's eyes and she could see the triumphant gleam in them. They stood beside Chiron, who looked more relaxed. Then he raised their arms in the air.

"The victors: Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase!"

Annabeth was smiling so wide it's starting to hurt and she reckoned, Percy too. Then after Chiron stepped out; forget all the etiquettes and morals, forget all the awkwardness and forget everything around them, because Annabeth couldn't help but flung herself to Percy right now. She's hugging, crushing and grabbing, but who cares? She certainly didn't.

"We did it," she whispered to Percy's ear, with a grin stretching almost endlessly.

He beamed down at her and his smile looked like one bright quarter moon. He's sweaty, breathless and everything, but he never looked more beautiful right now.

"Yeah, we did it."

They were the Best Duo Ever, anyway.

Be ready for the last chapter next update!