Head Under Water

Chapter 14

Percy plainly looked at her and said "No". Annabeth's shoulders slumped and she tried to hold back tears.

"What is with you girls? Am I the new trophy or plaything you're all competing for? Well news flash, it's not gonna happen" Percy continued before getting up, wincing, and leaving Annabeth alone in the library.

Annabeth wanted to blame all of this on Rachel, but it was also partially her own fault. Percy was a nice guy, but his interactions with the people around him turned him cold, and untrusting.

Annabeth really was interested in him, but it seemed almost impossible at the moment to change his mind on dating her.

She walked back to the cafeteria, where she was suddenly blocked by Rachel. "So, Annie, you'd really stoop that low to ask that worthless trash out?" She pointed to Percy who was walking the other way across the room.

"What? No, he's so not worth the ride" She tried to cover for herself, but Rachel pulled her phone out and showed it to Annabeth. On it was a recording of her trying to ask Percy out, and more regrettably, the rejection.

"You have two choices Annie, resign as the head of the group, or I get you forcibly removed and ridiculed" Rachel put her phone away and waited for an answer.

"Fine Rachel, you win. I'll resign. Now delete that video" Annabeth caved.

"No, I think I'll keep this in case you try to pull something on me later. Toodles Annie, have fun being an outcast again" She waved mockingly and left,

Annabeth went through the rest of her day, avoiding her old group, and especially avoiding Percy. She had lost everything again, She was at the bottom again, three years of work to get there, gone. She figured she would eventually have to talk to Percy again, she was still stuck tutoring him on the weekend. And she needed the tutoring so she could apply it to outside credits for college. She walked out the front door, having gotten her homework early today so she could catch up with Percy, and spotted him walking out, hood up, backpack lazily hung on his shoulder.

She made her way over to him, wading through the crowd as if she was a miniature hurricane. "Percy!" she called, and he turned towards her

"What do you want? I already said no" He replied to his own question.

"That's not what i want to talk about, come with me" She took his hand and pulled him to the side of the school.