[✔] False God ━ Percabeth AU

xlviii. Gloomy Day

xlviii. Gloomy Day

The feeling of gloominess lingered in the air and she awaited for the stormy January sky to downpour, however, it could not stop her from grinning as she waited for Percy outside Goode High School. But he never came nor did he answered any of her text messages. Annabeth checked her lips and checked her text messages for the nth time in the past half hour. It was already 7:15 am, the school day was starting soon...Where was he?

He's probably just running late, she concluded, but even then, he would've still texted her—ohmygod, what if something terrible happened to him?! What if—

"Oh my gosh! Did you hear? There was an accident on Fifth Avenue? It was very bad: I think a bus collided with a truck or something," Annabeth overheard.

Her eyes then widened, overhearing her classmate's conversation, and she realized that Percy rode the bus to school on fifth Avenue. Oh, no, no, no! All rational thinking became numb and all she could think was: what if Percy was on the bus?!

What if he's hurt? What if he's bleeding? What if he's injured? What if he has to go to the hospital?

Before Annabeth knew it, her cheeks were stained and wet and her white Converse were glued to the broken pavement as she quietly sobbed, unable to go inside or stop the tears.

"You okay, Annabeth?" through her blurred sight, Annabeth recognized it was Elle and the girl sounded worried, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Annabeth looked away from Elle and croaked out, "I'm not crying. Elle."

"Sure," Elle frowned then handed her a tissue with a soft smile, "Here, wipe your tears, it's going to be okay."

"Thanks, Elle," Annabeth mumbled and accepted the tissue.

"Of course," Elle smiled, "Hey, do you want to go inside? School has already started."

Annabeth bit her lips and checked her phone, hoping Percy would respond or at least read her messages, "I...not yet."

Elle frowned then exclaimed, "Oh! You're waiting for Percy? He isn't here yet? Oh, he's probably staying home today like he has been over the past couple of days: he has a cold, you know, and it probably best if he doesn't attend school."

"Oh? What?! He has a cold? And that's why he's been absent for the past couple of days? Really?He told me he had to visit family in New Jersey...and that he was coming to school today because he finally returned," frowned Annabeth.

Elle furrowed her eyebrows then exclaimed, "Oh, shit! He didn't tell you?!"

Annabeth's eyes flickered when she—and Elle—realized that Percy had lied to her and though she was relieved that Percy was likely not involved in the bus accident, her heart instantly sank and she was hurt that her boyfriend had told a some other girl that he was sick and not her, his girlfriend. How could he?