Troubled

78

chapter seventy-eight
annabeth

Why am I still here?

Fear flooded my system as I peered up at Percy's apartment building and then back to my phone, where my text sat unanswered.

Tears welled in my eyes and threatened to fall down my face, but I quickly blinked the tears away and took a deep breathe in an attempt to calm myself down.

Sally's car was nowhere to be seen, which made me feel hopeless, and I saw no sign of Percy, Paul, or Sally.

Do they travel over holidays? I wondered as I bit my lip, partly embarrassed and confused. Do I really know nothing at all about Percy?

The cold air soon got to me as I shoved my gloveless hands into my pockets, stuffing my phone in my pockets along with them.

My legs started bouncing up and down slightly as if I were dancing as an attempt to keep me warm, which was failing.

I cursed myself under my breathe as in the heat of the moment I'd only brought a coat. Wishing that I'd brought gloves, earmuffs, a scarf, and maybe a portable heater, I brought my phone out of the pocket and peered at the screen again.

No new notifications. Nothing from Percy, Athena, Thalia, or even my family, concerned on where I was.

Once again I was able to convince Athena to go on a business trip without me over the holidays. She was easy to convince as apparently the Los Angeles branch of Athena's architect firm was on the fringe of closure, allowing me to be alone by pushing Athena halfway across the country.

My father, who had apparently finally learned how to use his iPhone, had texted me, asking me for my plans over the holidays.

Despite the slightly pleasant (let's be real, tolerable) Thanksgiving I had had at home, I had no desire to return there.

Helen would, of course, judge me, fueled by her relatives. I would get grilled about what I did at graduation, which I'm sure spread through the family like wildfire, questioned about my mother who had suddenly made a reappearance in my life (they'd probably ask if she needed money), and then questioned about why I was absent over Thanksgiving, and I'm pretty sure their theories consisted of I was in jail, sick, or both.

God, what is taking him so long?! I thought as I continued to shiver and glared at his apartment building, hoping to see him exiting the building any second.

I had no such luck.

Maybe he was out with that redhead. Or maybe he was really traveling for the holidays? It didn't seem like something Percy would do, but neither does kissing random redheads, but he did do that already.

Thoughts of him ignoring my texts, not wanting to see me, and things like that filled my head with doubt as the minutes passed why.

Where is that seaweed brain?!

Finally a sigh escaped my mouth. I looked up at his building one last time before shaking my head and extending my arm to hail a taxi, more tears welling in my eyes.

"Taxi, taxi!" I cried.

Then, all of a sudden, my free hand which had escaped my pocket was gripped by someone. I instantly turned around, my golden hair whipping in the wind.

Standing behind me, one of his hands grasping mine, was Percy Jackson himself.

He was taller. And looked older. I suppose that was a given since I hadn't seen him for nearly a year, but it still surprised me.

His hair was as messy as usual, which made me smile. His sea green eyes still had the same mischievous glint to them they'd always had, and he wore his signature grin on his face.

My hand fell to my side as I ushered away the taxi I had called. Words tried to form in my mind but no sentences escaped my lips.

Instead of talking, Percy grabbed my face with his free hand and pulled me into a kiss. His hand quickly released mine as we pulled apart and he pulled me into a hug.

"God, where have you been?" he managed to whisper in my hair as neither of use dared to break the embrace. His voice was shaky and I could tell he, like me, was close to tears.

"Looking for you," I answered as we were finally forced to pull apart by the people yelling and pushing at us in the streets. "I'm sorry—"

He shook his head, which had a red tint to it that I wasn't sure was from the cold or crying. "No, I am. I never should've come up with that stupid graduation plan, I never should've caused a division between you and your family, and I should've tried to—"

I cut his rant off by pulling him close to me again in a kiss, which caused his face to turn redder, which I didn't think was humanly possible.

"Do you wanna catch up inside?" Percy mustered as he ushered to his apartment. "I've gotta new place, but you already seem to know that. How'd you get the address?"

"Uhhh...." I replied, unsure of how to answer. "Well, er, I went to your old apartment first....and the lady there, well, gave me the address...."

He rolled his eyes. "You're such a stalker! Did you google me, too? I bet there's a wall of photos of me up in your room with red string all over it."

"Ha ha," I responded with a fake laugh as Percy wrapped an arm around me and led me to the apartment building.

Warm air hit me as I entered the building, causing me to be relieved as the cold was starting to get to me.

"Hey Percy," I said, suddenly stopping before we went up the stairs. Percy turned to face me and nodded, clearly concerned. "I love you."

A grin spread across his face as he planted a kiss on my forehead. "I love you, too, wise girl."