The One From Before

Part Eleven- Seaweed Brain

Percy
The weeks before the exams were hectic. For Annabeth and most students they spent nearly all of it recklessly studying away. The weeks after were nerve racking. There used to be a big jar of blue candy that Annabeth had brought back with her from her trip. When Percy was studying he picked up a habit of rewarding himself with something from the jar when he got an answer right. He would occasionally take something from the jar when he was nervous too. It's safe to say by the time exams came around there was nothing left.

Percy had talked to Annabeth and they were both confident he could make it. By the time everyone had gotten their scores, it was the end of february and the first semester had finished.

Annabeth was struggling to step over a snowbank when Percy called her name.
"ANNABETH! ANNABETH!"

She gave up and turned around.
"Woah there Perce- Is everything alright?"

He nodded and held up a finger as he caught his breath. "Better than alright, I got my scores back."

Annabeth squealed "You did? And...?"
He showed her and she squealed again. "That's amazing! See I told you; hard work pays off!"

She pulled Percy into a hug, which surprised the both of them equally who were now grinning big and bright.

If Percy could bottle her reaction, her smile, he would keep it forever.

----

Nine years ago

"PERCY!" Annabeth cried out between a burst of giggles. The water splashed around her ankles, "I found another face rock! It looks like Mickey," She grinned at him, her two front teeth just starting to peak back through. It matched his own semi-toothless grin, they considered it an accomplishment that they both lost them at the same time although his had been taking longer to grow back. They would often goof off with straws and try to drink without opening their jaws.

Blonde hair looking more golden-brown in its wet state curled at the edges of her face. Their parents had taken the two of them to a beach that sunny afternoon. They had been looking for funky rocks all day wanting to assemble their own Mount Rushmore, Annabeth had found a nice little rocky bend off to the side of the main part of the beach. All sorts of rocks were found there, even one that looked like "The Rock Johnson."

"Lemme see, lemme see!" Little Percy yelled.

"Only if you catch me!" Annabeth giggled again and tried running carefully over the rocks.

Percy tried following. Ouch. He stepped on a rock as they made their way back across the sand and back into the water. They splashed through, water up to their thighs now.

"Annieeeee," Percy whined as he chased her. He tried lunging to tackle her into the water and instead face-planted himself. He surfaced and spat out water. Annabeth had stopped running, the water now past her waist.

"We're not supposed to go further without a parent..." he warned.

"Oh don't test me with the rules just yet Seaweed Brain, I can't go at least a foot further." She crossed her arms, her know-it-all grin never fading.

"That was one time!" he protested at the name. Seaweed brain.

Last month their parents had rented a cottage upstate. Seaweed got stuck in his hair and Annabeth claimed it was because Percy was acting like a doofus. Then the name Seaweed Brain was formed as a joke. He had even decided to make a seaweed crown with it and played along for the day. Standing on the edge of the dock with his seaweed crown he shouted across the lake "I am the son of the sea! Bow down to me, fishies."