You Belong to my Heart: A Percabeth FF

22. Annabeth

Chapter 22: Annabeth

~first day of school~

My alarm woke me up, like a squealing pig, and I groaned angrily. Today was the day I had been dreading for ages. I didn't want to wake up, I didn't want to get up or get dressed or ready for school. I didn't want to board the bus of doom and sit alone at lunch. I didn't want to know the loads of homework that I would receive from all of her classes. But alas, I had to do all those things. It didn't help that last night I was so nervous I had barely slept at all.

Though I tried to dress up and look acceptable, my reflection in the mirror told otherwise. Dark bags under my eyes were already appearing and no matter how much I brushed my hair, it just wouldn't brush out the knots. Oh well.

~time skip like an hour~

I walked through the big arch of the school, and entered a quad, filled with students, all in their own friend groups, laughing and talking with excitement about the summer and upcoming school year. Thousands of hugs were thrown and hundreds of kisses were blown.

I roamed around the hallways, where fewer people were gathered, in an attempt to find my classes. As I walked, I approached a building, where there was a group of boys, all holding large bags, grouped together. My eyes caught on a familiar flop of raven hair and I immediately stopped walking. I couldn't force myself to turn around but at the same time, I couldn't risk actually moving forward to talk to him.

"Annabeth!" someone called out from behind me. It was Will. I smiled because finally I had found someone familiar.

"Hey doc!" I ran up to hug him.

"So..." he waggled his eyebrows. His eyes fell on the group of boys behind me. "Oh, girlie don't tell me you're stalking him at school, too!" he squealed.

"Scream it a little louder, I don't think the people at the quad heard you," I glared.

"I'm just messing with you," he pouted.

"And I was trying to get the courage to talk to him," I retorted.

"Were you, now?" Will blinked.

"Yes," I snarled.

"Oh don't worry, he'll find you. He always does, doesn't he?" Will winked.

I rolled my eyes once more. "I'm done with you. Can you help me find room H-304?"

"Hmm, that's right next to my homeroom! We'll walk together," he smiled.

The school day so far was exhausting. I was in a couple classes with Percy, but he hung out with his friends on the swim team. I was alone pretty much the entire day, except for my AP Biology class, where both Will and Piper were in my class. Of course, Percy was in it too, but he didn't even shoot me a glance. I couldn't help feeling a little hurt. The last time I'd actually talked to him was at his birthday party... except of course a few calls here and there. Maybe he didn't like his present? That didn't seem like a good enough reason for me. I decided I would confront him after school.

At lunch, I walked over to the cafeteria to get some food. The sight and smell was horrifying, and I noted to myself that I needed to remember to bring a packed lunch.

I grimaced as the lunch lady served me a burrito. It wasn't really a burrito, but rather a mess of beans and who knows what. I sighed, picked it up and began to walk around the quad, trying to find a free table. It was obvious that I was going to be sitting alone. My eyes flickered over to Percy, as they always did nowadays, who was laughing and joking with Jason. He looked so happy, and my chest warmed up.

Of course, I was so distracted by him, that I didn't realize when someone stuck their foot out. And of course, I fell. And the burrito and mess of beans fell on me.

The hard impact of the concrete nearly made me burst into tears, but I somehow resisted the urge. The entire quad was silent, staring at me, waiting for my reaction. I looked up and saw that it was a member of Percy's swim team who had done it to me. Luke was standing next to him with a betrayed look in his eyes. When our eyes locked they filled with sympathy.

"Beth!" someone called out, and I looked away from Luke. "Are you okay?" I looked down at my gray shirt and winced.

Everyone was still staring at me, and Percy was running towards me, but I couldn't deal with him after he had ignored me all day, so I picked up my bag and ran out of there, not caring if I had left a mess on the ground.

I ran into the girl's bathroom, and Percy continued to follow me. I could hear his footsteps outside the door. "Beth?" he asked. "Are you in there?"

I didn't respond. I was too busy letting the water out of my eyes while I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My shirt was a mess, but I also had a dark scrape on the sides of my elbows and on my chin. The dark bags under my eyes were even more visible, my hair was completely messed up and I looked lost and ugly.

"I can hear you," he whispered. I heard him take a deep breath before saying, "I'm coming in."

"No! Wait! Percy, please don't! I can't be caught with a guy in the bathroom," I sobbed harder. I couldn't stop, and even though I knew I was being dramatic, I continued to cry hysterically.

He walked in, and his sea-green eyes were the only comfort in the loneliness I felt. "It's okay Beth," he hugged me, from behind, setting his chin on my shoulder. He turned me, so that I was facing him and wiped the tears off my face. "The first day can be very difficult, huh?" he asked sadly.

I only nodded.

"Wait right here, okay?" he smiled. "I have something for you." When he came back, he was holding a hoodie. "Wear this," he handed it to me.

"But —" I choked.

"Go change, Beth. I'll wait outside," and he walked out. I changed, but I felt weirdly uncomfortable, firstly because I was only wearing the hoodie and a tank top, and secondly, because his last name was on the back.

When I walked out, he smiled. "Let's talk hmm?" he smiled and led me through the hallways.

"Look, before you say anything, I'm really sorry I didn't talk to you. I've been a jerk but I didn't know how to approach you and I thought it would be weird." His eyes showed a genuine expression of sympathy and regret.

"All you had to do was wave at me!" I cried out. "Perce today has been horrible and I don't think I've ever felt more alone," I cried into my hands.

"Beth, please forgive me," he begged. "And I'll tell my teammates to back off," he continued. "Please forgive me," he continued.

"Okay," I whispered. He hugged me, and I leaned into the hug, wanting to be loved and recognized by someone more than anything. "I'll take you out for ice-cream later," he smiled.

"You better," I giggled and held his hand tightly, setting my head on his shoulder.