How You Changed Me (Demigods In High School AU)

Chapter 15 || Annabeth's Mission

ANNABETH CHASE

"Well," Annabeth said, slinging her jacket over her shoulders, "I guess I should probably get going."

"Yeah," Percy said, "It was... nice."

She felt pain in her chest as she remembered she couldn't reach up and kiss the stupid seaweed brain. He was taken and Annabeth wasn't surprised.

"Take care, Seaweed Brain," she said, calling him the nickname she called him when we first met.

Now it was literally about to be winter break.

"See ya, Wise Girl," he gave her a signature troublemaker smirk before she got her shoes on and he closed the door.

Annabeth made sure she wasn't anywhere near the peephole before she let out a tiny squeal, jumping up and down slightly. Relaxing herself, she made a mental reminder that she couldn't have Percy because he was dating Renee Baldwin. They were the golden couple. But it didn't make her feelings any smaller. Ugh! Why? Why, Annabeth? Why'd you go and make yourself drama by hanging out with this dummy you call a seaweed brain and developing feelings that are as stupid as he is?

Oblivious. Not dumb. Percy's voice popped up in her head.

Great. Now she was hearing his voice. Just the way you wanna be in your senior year. Annabeth got back to the apartment and immediately, Piper was at her.

"So, how was it?"

"Just a dinner--"

"Did you guys kiss?"

"No, he's dating, Piper! We've established that we don't hate each other though, we just get really annoyed with each other."

"That's a start!" she squealed like her mother.

"Aphrodite did you possess your daughter?!" Annabeth yelled up at the sky.

"Did he smile at you?"

"Well, we both laughed at some points I guess," she said awkwardly. "But I can't date him because he's dating Renee."

"But you can change that, Annabeth!" she insisted, "You can change everything!"

"Piper I'm not going to go in and break their relationship," Annabeth shook her head.

"But you could make him so happy, Annabeth!" Piper pleaded, "And I'm not saying you should break it. But the closer you get to Percy, the more Percy will turn to you and not to Renee."

"That's not gonna happen, Piper. He's devoted his life to Renee. He loves her and he trusts her more than I'll ever be trusted when I'm around him."

"Annabeth you need to listen to me," Piper looked straight into Annabeth's eyes, "Percy is not happy."

She frowned, bewildered.

"What? Why? They've been a couple for two years and they're seriously in love!"

"No," Piper shook her head, "Renee is toxic. Percy and I met when high school started and when he was a freshman, you could see the stars literally shining in his eyes. And something happened that I can't seem to figure out still, but he got with Renee. And he changed. All this stuff about you saying he's cold and he's arrogant and he's cocky? That's all Renee's doing, Annabeth."

Annabeth reeled, taking in all this information.

"His eyes don't sparkle anymore, Annabeth," Piper said, "I know something happened, though no one knows except Leo and Percy's other friend, Bryan. But after that, his eyes literally never shined. And if Renee really made him happy, his eyes would be shining again. They don't. If anything, they're duller than they were in the past. The first time I got to see you look at him and he looked back... there was a faint sparkle in his eyes. Annabeth... you make him happy."

"But he dislikes me and I dislike him," she protested.

"No matter how much you annoy each other, there's something that can only be Fate that draws you together. Don't you agree he can make you happy?" Piper begged Annabeth to answer.

She thought about it. During dinner, he was laughing. Smiling. Grinning from ear to ear. And... she was, too.

"I can't," Annabeth shook her head, "It's his decision whether he's gonna date Renee or not."

"But you have to break them up no matter what you do," Piper said with urgency written all over her face, "I've talked to Hazel, Jason, and Leo. They all say Renee is toxic for Percy. If you want Percy to be how he was on your night at dinner, you have to get her out of the picture."

"Can't you see, Piper?!" Annabeth exclaimed, "I'm not Renee! I don't have a boy magnet aura! He's not gonna notice me like he does with all the other girls! I'm not a 'pick me' type!"

"And that's what makes you stand out, Annabeth. You're special."

"Am. Not."

"Is, too! I'll make a bet with you. But if you care about Percy, you'll help him."

"He won't care," she persisted, "He'll be with Renee. Because that seaweed brain is stupid."

"Then knock some wisdom into him, Annabeth!"

"No. I'm not helping. It'll only make me hurt myself."

Piper sighed.

"Fine. But he's gonna change and you'll regret it when there's no turning back."

With that, she left Annabeth alone in the kitchen. That's when the News alerted her again.

Percy Jackson and Renee Baldwin went on a date and THIS is what paparazzi saw of their relationship. Is Renee worthy of being Percy's girlfriend? Did Percy do something wrong? What's going on between what seems like a golden couple?

A video was below and Annabeth clicked on it. It was Renee and Percy walking on the sidewalk and Percy saw a homeless woman, who had two children next to her. Her sign read, Please, I need to feed my boys. So Percy knelt down, giving her some of his loose pocket cash and a few foods he'd gotten from the market. A McDonalds Happy Meal.

"Here," he said and the woman nodded gratefully.

As a child reached out to grab it, Renee kneed Percy in the gut, sending him to the floor.

"Why are you associating with other women?!" Renee growled angrily, slapping Percy across the face.

Percy was laying on the streets of New York now, staring up at his horrifyingly bitchy girlfriend.

"I was helping her! She has two boys--"

"Well screw those two boys!"

Renee snatched up the Happy Meals and began to storm off when Percy grabbed the Happy Meals, giving them back to the children and the mother, who was watching with wide eyes.

"Stop it, Renee!" he exclaimed and Renee pushed him against the wall of the supermarket. "Renee they need help! Why can't I help them?!"

"Because you're not responsible to give them help, Percy! If I was sitting there, would you help me?"

"Well, if you weren't rich, yeah!" Percy said and Renee kicked him again with her stiletto heel.

"LIAR!" she slapped him across the face again and reached for the Happy Meals.

"Stop!" Percy dared shove her back and Renee was silent, staring at him.

"Is this the Annabeth girl's doing?" Renee hissed, staring at him, "She's turning you into a monster who gives out food to poor people! They can make their own food! Not steal from rich people!"

"Renee it's called charity!" Percy protested and Renee grabbed his hood strings like they were leashes.

"Come on. I'm settling this with you later."

She sent a glare at the poor mother and yanked Percy's strings so tight Annabeth thought she'd choke him.

When the video stopped playing, she stared in shock. Piper was right. Renee wasn't making Percy happy. And Annabeth had to do something about it.