Losing Games

21.

21.

The Apology

~*~

Annabeth POV (Finally!! I swear it's been like 10 chapters without her POV...?)

I pressed my ear against the door to Percy's room, wincing slightly as I heard him throw up into the trash can, Piper whispering soothing words beside him.

He'd been like this for a few days now, ever since he passed out at the studio he's been really, really sick. 

He couldn't keep anything down and had an extremely high fever. 

"I... can't-" I heard him wheeze.

"Shh," Piper whispered. "Don't talk."

"He just needs to rest," I heard Dr. Solace murmur to Silena who both sat outside talking about Percy's situation. "His body can't handle the no sleep and no food that he's been doing."

Percy's door flew open, and I jumped in shock as Piper exited.

"How is he?" Jason immediately asked.

Only a few of us were Percy's house because it was a school day and even though Percy had a legitimate reason for missing school, the school apparently didn't accept 'Percy Jackson's Best Friend' as an excuse for everyone.

So only Silena, Piper, Jason, and I were here this morning.

Piper sighed and Jason went over and pulled her into a tight hug. 

"He's... tired, I guess," Piper answered.

"Is he awake?" I asked.

"He's half-awake, I think. He was just lying on his bed with his eyes closed but I don't think he's asleep."

"I wanna talk to him," I told her, glancing at Dr. Solace. "Is that okay?"

Dr. Solace shrugged. "If he's up for it."

I entered stood up and walked over to his room, knocking a few times.

"Come in," I heard his weak voice say.

I opened the door to see darkness. His lights were off; curtains were closed, and he was under so many sheets of blankets I couldn't even count.

"Annabeth," he murmured. "I didn't know you were here."

"Yeah well when my best friend gets extremely sick and has a high fever, I think I can miss a day of school."

"We're best friends?" he asked softly.

"Look," I started. "I never meant anything I said that night Gabe took you. I did fall for the boy with sea green eyes when I was five and I still love him."

"But?" he prompted.

"But we can't be together," I finished. "Gabe said he'd hurt you and I can't allow that..."

"I'd let myself die for you than stay away from you forever," he said softly.

"But-"

"And besides," he added. "Gabe's dead."

He said it so casually like it didn't bother him that it broke my heart because no matter how much pain Gabe had caused him, he provided a house and food for his mom when they were little.

"He is?"

Percy nodded. "Yeah, he was the one who hit us that night." His jaw tightened. "If he ever shows up again, I'll make sure he knows how violent I can be."