Sorry for updating so late guys. I'm not being able to take out much time to update so please be patient if the updates are slow. I'm not going to leave this story before completing it so don't give up, kay?
Annabeth's pov:
Hollow. That's what I feel right now. I don't know what to feel actually. Angry? Because he kept it hidden from us, from me, for so long? Happy? Because my best friend found his true love? Sad, broken, betrayed? Because he loves her?
I listened. I listened to each and every word he said. How he met her, how he loves her. I saw how he held her hand, how he looked at her with love. I haven't said a word to him and I know he noticed it. But what do I say? That I hate the way she keeps her head on his shoulder, that I have the urge to rip their intertwined hands apart, that I envy her for being so close to him, that I crave for the love and admiration he has in eyes for some other girl, that I love him and always have?
Someone drags me into the house as Sara shuts the door behind us. She is smiling widely with a bright twinkle in her eyes. Why does she look so happy? I see Mr Jackson leaving the mansion with a small smile on his face too.
Someone shakes my shoulder and I look ahead to find Piper staring worriedly at me. I notice everyone going down to the basement with Mrs O'Leary in tow. Thalia glances back at me before Piper gestures her to go on.
"Annabeth, would you like to go back to your room and rest for a while?" she asks softly. I don't completely register her words but the 'rest' part sounded good.
"Rest...yeah" I say absentmindedly nodding my head. She leads me to my room and it's good she did because I probably would've gotten lost in this huge mansion. My head's too filled up with thoughts to remember my way around the house.
"Do you want me to stay?" she asks as I sit upon my bed. I simply shake my head to answer her question.
She nods and quietly leaves the room, closing the door firmly behind her.
I release a sigh and lie down closing my eyes. I take my time to comprehend what all just happened.
Percy suddenly dragged her upstairs yesterday night and comes down late this morning holding hands with her. He said he met her two years ago. I met him before her didn't I? I've known him for nine years. He said he loves her. But doesn't he always say he loves me? Oh wait, he means it as a best friend. Has he ever kissed her? He must have. He gives me pecks on the forehead and cheek, nothing more than that. But she has felt his lips on hers. Is he even a virgi- no I refuse to think about that. I tightly shut my eyes, trying to force the images of his arms around her out of my mind. I pull my knees up to my chest and bury my face into the pillow as the truth finally hits me. He loves her. He loves someone else. My arms tighten around my knees and I try to control my erratic breathing. How can he fall in love with someone under two months? That's just ridiculous! He meets a girl during his two month summer vacation, a girl he's never seen, never heard about, and falls in love with her- so much that he loves her even after two years of never seeing her again. And I have been his best friend for nine fucking years and he never developed feelings for me? Never saw me as anything more than his best friend? What is it about that girl that he loves so much? Her beautiful face, her silky hair, her drool worthy figure? I pull my hair frustratingly as images of him staring at her in awe and wonder flash through my mind.
The thing that hurt me the most though? He didn't even bother telling me about that girl. I have never hidden anything from him, he knows my deepest, darkest secrets, he knows me like no one else does. And I thought I knew him the best too. 'If anyone knows him better than his mom, its Annabeth' Thalia and Jason always used to say. And I would be proud of it. Proud and happy of being the one knowing my seaweed brain the best. His happiest moments, his saddest memories, his greatest achievements- I was a part of each and every one of them, or at least I thought so. Was I ever his best friend even when I didn't know the most basic things about him like him being a billionaire or having a girlfriend? Heck, I didn't even know he had a pet dog.
It should be expected though, shouldn't it? He's Percy Jackson, the heartthrob of Goode High, the handsome man who breaks thousands of hearts every day without realizing it. He surely must have had a few girlfriends and flings, right? Wrong. He never did, except until that moment years ago. I know for sure though that Calypso is the only girl he ever had feelings for. He would have told us today if he ever had feelings for any other girl. He owed that much to us.
The sudden wetness on my pillow makes me aware of the tears running down my cheeks. A humourless laugh releases from my mouth as I realize something. I never thought I would be crying over a boy, much less my best friend. I always thought of myself as a strong willed and practical person, paying attention to my studies, focusing on making my career. Never thought I would shed tears because of my broken heart. It was always my intention to stay as far away as possible from all this love and heartbreak shit. Couldn't stay away from him though could I?
Loud banging and shouting from outside my room brings me out of my thoughts. "Just a minute!" I exclaim to whoever is at the door, trying to keep my voice from shaking too much.
I run into the bathroom and wash my face, trying to clean it of dried tears and lessen the redness in my eyes. Tying my hair into quick ponytail I open the door and clear my throat to address the impatient person.
"Gods, Annabeth! I've been calling you for the last 10 minutes!" Thalia exclaims at me angrily, her concerned and worried expression betraying her tone.
"It was more like shouting than calling Thals" I say trying to put on a smile to ease her tension.
It does little to ease her tension and she says, "do you have any idea what the time is? It's 9:30 pm Annie and you haven't come out of your room or eaten anything since morning. Come on now." She takes my hand and pulls me down the hallway.
"I would've come up to get you much earlier, but Piper stopped me. She said you needed some time" She says as we go down the stairs.
I merely nod and quietly follow her down towards the dining room. No one is there except for Piper who is sitting on a chair with a plate of food in front of her. She looks up once she hears us coming in and gives me a small smile. I try to return the gesture, but it's difficult to do. She pushes the plate towards me once I'm seated opposite her with Thalia beside me. The warm, delicious smell coming from the food makes me realize just how hungry I am. I feel the absence of a presence beside me as I lift up my spoon to start eating. He's not here. He always sits beside me at the dining table and the meal just seems incomplete without his voice constantly teasing and ringing in my ears, providing me with comfort and putting me to ease, reminding me of home and all things pleasant. He didn't even wait for me today. Did he leave because of her?
Thalia, probably sensing my discomfort, keeps a hand on my shoulder and says, "just eat and get some rest okay? We'll talk about it later." I know very well what it is. Forcing all the thoughts out of my mind I somehow manage to swallow the food, which no more seems delicious to me.
As soon as the last bite goes into my mouth, I stand up from the table and make my way up the stairs with Thalia and Piper following close behind me. I wouldn't have eaten a bite of that food if not for these two. I don't want to worry them more than I already have.
"Look Annabeth, whatever happens just know that..." Piper begins as soon as we reach our floor, but the rest of her sentence fall on deaf ears.
There he is pinning her to the wall of the living room with his lips on hers. A burning sensation fills my heart as I see his hands roaming all over her body. It becomes difficult to breathe as I feel a painful stab in my stomach like a hot iron rod burning and slowly consuming me in flames. It becomes unbearable to watch anymore so I run away towards my room, slamming my door shut. I can feel the bile rising in my throat as the image plays again and again in my mind, reminding me of the way she had her fingers buried into his hair as he kissed her with his body pressed flush against hers. I empty the contents of my stomach into the basin as hot tears run down my cheek. The pain doesn't subside as I splash my face with cold water, trying to get rid of the burning sensation in my heart. My chest feels heavy and my vision turns blurry. Whatever little I ate throughout the day has now gone down the drain, sapping me of whatever little energy I had left. Someone comes in running into the bathroom and pulls me into a tight hug, gently rubbing my back. I simply close my eyes and take deep breaths trying to keep my mind blank, trying not to think about it. The person pulls away after a few moments and I soon feel the soft mattress of my bed underneath me. They tuck me in and switch off the lights of my room.
"Goodnight Annie" I faintly hear as darkness finally consumes me, ridding me of the physical pain. But that isn't the only pain which needs to be healed.