Come Back to Me[Sequel to YME and Crossing Paths]

Chapter Twenty-Five: Just A-Holes

Chapter Twenty-Five: Just Assholes

Annabeth

Late that night, while Percy and I were sitting on the couch watching baseball, he lay in my lap.

"I have a question," he said.

"Shoot," I was focused on the game.

"What do you want to do with the next few years. I mean, we haven't really thought about the next five, ten years a whole lot." Percy looked up at me. I paused for a minute.

"I think we should get a bigger place, maybe in the next year or so. This was only supposed to be a temporary place. We should definitely talk about if we ever want to get married, have another kid, stuff like that, I guess."

"I definitely think we need to move back into a house at some point. As much as I love this place, we don't have a guest room. Or two bathrooms." Percy chuckled lightly. "As for getting married, I don't know. I've been thinking about it for a while and. . . marriage is just a piece of paper, something that people look at as the foundation of something. I get why people get married, but why do that when you can just live your life with the person you love?"

I thought about it, and it made a lot of sense. "That's...actually a great point. I love you, you love me, what more do we need in our relationship?"

"It's kind of like that scene at the end of Mamma Mia, when Sophie stops the wedding because she realizes that she just wants to live her life with Sky and that social standards are bitches."

I nodded. "Then we shouldn't get married, because social standards are bitches."

"And we aren't bitches. Just assholes."

"Yeah," I began, "But you are my Asshole."

Percy laughed, "Good to know. So, no marriage. Got that. Kids. What do you think?"

I took a deep breath, "As much as I'd love having another kid, I'm scared. My last two pregnancies have miscarried, so I doubt the chances of carrying full term are very high."

"There's always adoption or fostering or surrogacy," he reminded me.

"Personally I'm more comfortable with the first two options. Seeing another person carry your baby...I don't know, I guess I'm not comfortable with it."

"That makes sense, definitely. So, you want another kid?"

"I think we should wait a few years. I mean, Rosie just came back, after all. And if we are going to move, then we should wait until after that, take some time to get settled in, maybe once the girls are in middle school or high school." I said.

"Yeah, that makes sense."

"How many times have you said that tonight?" I smiled softly.

"I have no idea," he said.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked.

"Yeah, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"Can you kiss me?"

Percy's eyes glimmered with mischief. "I don't know, can you say please?"

···

Rosalie started school today, and I was terrified. She hadn't been out of our sight since Percy brought her back.

"Mom, I swear I'll be okay! Annie will be in my class, our desks will be next to each other, and we will always have an adult around." Rosie assured me in the parking lot of the elementary school.

"Hopefully. Can I come with you guys to the office?" Annie asked.

"No, sorry. You are going to class." I grinned.

Before getting out of my car, I flattened my hair and straightened my sunglasses. "Ready?"

The girls nodded. We went inside the school building, and Annie went off to her class while I took Rosie to the office. I noticed a few students gawking, and so did Rosie.

"Ignore them, sweetie." I whispered. She nodded, looking straight ahead.

"Janel?" I called out. I happened to work with the principal's sister, so we knew each other well.

"Annabeth? What are you doing–" her eyes landed on my daughter. "Right. Come with me." She led us into our office, and we all took a seat. "So...your daughter is alive after all."

"So it seems. I registered her last week with the secretary. Janel...you did see my recommendations, correct?"

Janel sighed. "I did, Annabeth, however, I don't know if it would be wise to never separate Annalise and your daughter. They are good friends, wouldn't it be a distraction?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me that not getting distracted in class is more important than Rosalie's safety?"
Add
"No, not at all! I'm just saying keeping them together at all times may not be the best decision. Maybe we could assign her a different partner for the second half of the day?"

I looked over and Rosie. "Would you rather we do that?" She shook her head.

"If Rosalie doesn't want that, then it's settled. I'm sure the girls will be extremely well behaved." I smiled. "You put both of them in Mrs. Johansen's class?"

"Yes, I did. Their desks are next to each other, as you requested."

"Good. Thank you for doing this, Janel. If there are any problems, call me immediately." I nodded to her as I stood up, taking Rosie's hand. "Do you have any questions, Rosie?"

"Um...yeah. I don't remember many people here or the layout of the school, but I went to this school before everything. I don't want to answer my old friends questions, either. What do I do about that?"

"Just tell the kids that you don't want to talk about it. Your teachers and myself are the only people who know what happened. Come see me if you have problems." Janel explained. Rosie nodded.

"Thank you,"

···

I wrote this entire chapter in an hour on my way back from a shopping trip.

That's not saying much. My brother was looking over my shoulder and he almost deleted my entire 200 page 30000 word document. I was pretty pissed at him, but he didn't.

I went to hot topic today and the guy at the cashier told me I was making him feel old, because American idiot came out in 2004 and I bought a green day shirt. I told him my birthday when I was signing up for an account and his face was so funny. I never knew until now that clothes are fucking expensive and I know why people rotate through the same three outfits each week.