How You Changed Me (Demigods In High School AU)

Chapter 35 || The Wild Chase

ANNABETH CHASE

Annabeth scrolled through her phone on the taxi ride, everyone piled in nice and tight.

"His next concert is in Venice, so we need to go there," she declared.

"And what if the concert passes by the time we get there? We're in New York," Renee pointed out.

"It doesn't happen until two days later. It'll take a long time to get there, but not too long. We'll be okay," she reassured them.

"This is so strange..." Jackie said, looking at them, "Being around people again."

"Not the time, Jackie," Annabeth sighed as they approached the airport, all their stuff ready.

"Thank you!" she said, giving the driver some money before they rushed into the airport, buying their tickets and running over to the waiting area.

"What do you think he'll think of me when I show up?" Jackie said quietly.

"I don't know," Annabeth admitted, "But it won't be bad. The goal of this is to let Percy say it. Say all his feelings out instead of drinking--"

"He drinks?" Jackie asked incredulously, "Why in the f**king world would he drink?!"

Renee raised her hand guiltily. Jackie's eyebrows raised up, but she said nothing.

"Sorry," she apologized, "It's just... Percy was so innocent when he was my boyfriend so... I didn't think he'd even start to drink, especially when he had an abusive stepfather in the past. I guess I had a part to play in it."

She looked down at her hands in guilt.

"It's okay," Annabeth reassured them, "Just be prepared for a lot of feelings."

She checked the news. There was a video clip of Percy's concert, him grinning with his pearly whites. Jackie peeked over Annabeth's shoulder.

"Okay, I know I can't say this anymore," Jackie said, "But that's fake as f**k."

Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"You think? He looks like his cheeks are about to burst open!" Renee scoffed, staring at him, "I can't believe I didn't realize it when we were dating."

"And I can't believe I didn't stop him from doing that!" she stared at the phone screen.

"Flight for Venice, Italy, boarding now!"

They lined up behind the first class passengers, ready to get in.

"Come on..." Frank whined when the line moved slowly.

When they finally got on, she stared out the window, pressing her palms against the cold surface, thinking about Percy's cute little face.

PERCY JACKSON

Percy pressed his palms against the window of the plane window, thinking of Annabeth's gorgeous face. Her beautiful gray eyes down to her beautiful smile. Wincing from the memories it brought, he turned to Leo, who was stirring.

"Whoa!" he cheered when he saw Venice below, "YEAH, BABY! VENICE!"

He laughed as the intercom popped on.

"Welcome to Venice, ladies and gentlemen. We'll be landing soon, so please take courtesy to buckle your seatbelts and wait for a couple of minutes. We appreciate your stay at Delta Airlines."

Percy plopped down in his seat, buckling his seatbelt and feeling the lurch of the plane going down. He smiled up at the sky with a cheeky grin because he could almost feel Zeus glaring down at him. Over the years, he had learned to not fear Zeus. In reality, he couldn't kill Percy without starting a world war, and knowing Zeus, he'd rather avoid that. 

So Percy crossed the line, sticking out his middle finger. He could see the clouds form a scowling face and he smirked, waving goodbye as they landed in Venice, the bright lights already making history in his brain.

ANNABETH CHASE

Annabeth rolled around relentlessly, glancing at the clock, trying to watch movies to pass time... but no. Her whole body was too jittery to focus. All of her attention was on the anticipation of seeing Percy's face. She accidentally whacked Piper in the face.

"Whoa..." Piper grabbed her shoulders in an effort to put the jitters at rest, "Calm down, Annabeth. We get you're excited to see your lovebird--"

"First of all," Annabeth said, her teeth chattering, "We're in the sky and I'm so f**king afraid we'll get blasted down to the earth--"

"Sparky's with us, so we'll be fine," Piper rolled her eyes.

"Yeah... Sparky..." Annabeth wriggled her eyebrows.

"Okay, my matchmaking skills are rubbing off on you and I don't like it..." Piper scooted away as far as she could without squishing Jason.

Hazel and Frank were bundled up in a blanket, watching movies. And all she could think was that she couldn't wait to feel Percy's soft lips against hers.

"You can't wait to feel Percy's soft lips on yours?" Piper asked, amused.

"Shut up, Piper," Annabeth whacked her arm, "It's been 8 months and you think I'm gonna lay off easily? That boy's in for a beating!"

"Well with all your jittering, you forgot to check on the fact that we're here in Venice."

"What?" Annabeth bolted upright, looking out the window.

And they were in Venice. The moment the plane landed, she resisted the temptation to bolt straight out of the plane.

"Welcome to Venice."

She checked the date and froze.

"Guys," she said, showing the time on her phone, "Percy's concert starts in an hour."

They all froze and when the passengers began to get off, they ran out of the plane like someone was chasing them.

"MOVE!" they yelled, running to the baggage area, grabbing their bags as they came through. "COMING THROUGH!"

Bolting out into the streets, they called taxis.

"TAXIS!"

Tumbling in, Annabeth picked up her phone, scrolling through the dates until she found the exact place Percy was having his concert.

"Virtuosi di Venezia!" she said and the driver nodded, driving the taxi there.

"Come on, come on..." Annabeth whispered, "Don't let us be late, don't let us be late..."

She quickly dialed Leo and when he picked up, he sounded really confused.

"Where are you?" Annabeth demanded.

"Uh... we're backstage getting ready for the concer--"

"I know there's no backstage in the Virtuosi di Venezia area. Which hotel are you getting ready in that's next to it?"

"No, there's a little house that's built if you just walk down the little bridge-like thing. Inside, it's the dressing room. Why--"

"Tell the guards we'll be in there."

"Wha--"

"Just tell them!"

Annabeth hung up.