Escaping our Shadow - Percabeth AU

CHAPTER EIGHT

Anecdoche
(n.)  a conversation where everyone is talking, but nobody is listening.

——— Annabeth's PoV / 5th November, 2023

"Great, really great. This is just perfect." He mutters, his eyes fixed on the ground.

"Percy." I say, my voice came out more fragile than I wanted it to, it made me sound weak, and I hated that.

He was pretty mad, anyone can see that, he was fooling himself if he thought he was good at hiding it. I don't get why tho, so I tell his brother we're going to McDonald's, and?

He hadn't eaten all day and I wouldn't let this be another week, where he doesn't eat for five days straight, because he is so "busy", at least not, with my knowledge.

Percy mutters something, still not daring to look at me, "What?" I ask, waiting for an answer. At first there is only silence, I stare at him, and he stares at the ground, must look pretty interesting. After probably a minute or two he looks up and our eyes meet, his now familiar storming sea green eyes look at me and I could swear I saw the ocean in them.

"You could have asked me first, Annabeth." He says, almost whispering, and I nod, I probably should have done that.

Still! I knew him enough to know that he would have told me that he has some kind of thing to do and that he has no time, he'd say he will eat at home and boom another day passed and all he ate were some cookies.

"Maybe. Now it's too late, next time, I'll ask, for now...we can just go and eat? I'm starving." I try, but he shakes his head, why does he need to be so stubborn? I'm trying to be nice here! What's the big deal with him and McDonald's?

"You can go eat, I only have $5 with me right now, so I won't go." I roll my eyes, this idiot! All this because what? Because he is too proud of himself to borrow some money from me? And I thought something was seriously wrong.

"This is the dumbest excuse I have ever heard!" I yelp, ready to walk back to the kids, expecting him to follow me. I'm done with the argument and so should he be, why? Well, firstly... It's stupid I'm obviously in the right and secondly, I will win anyway.

Whatsoever, he doesn't, he keeps standing there with his scrunched eyebrows, looking all worried, there was no reason to be, but Jackson had his emotions all mixed up. Getting nervous, worried and angry just because I am inviting him to McDonald's.

I was smart enough to know there was more to it, but also smart enough to know that me of all people he would not tell, and I like to be right, so I'll stick with the money reason for now, later I'll think more into it.

"Okay, how about this; I'll pay, you'll pay back. Does that work for your ego?" I suggest, but again he shakes his head. I swear to Hades-This boy's head is full of kelp. And just to annoy him, I tell him so too.

"Your head is full of kelp." I said, annoyed.

"And you... You are such a wise girl!" I chuckle, he is so immature, it's amused.

"Oh no. Now you got me, I may never recover." For a second all the worry and nervousness left his face and I thought I finally had him...to go with me, I mean. But as stubborn as he is, he went straight back to saying no and looking all grumpy.

The kids were busy playing a racing cars game or something else on Percy's phone. Meaning that we could take our sweet time, give a kid the phone and they'll shut up. Still, I didn't want to take my sweet time, I was actually hungry and in need of a meal asap.

"Percy, don't make this more complicated than it is... For Tyson?" I know, I know, that was low, even for me, but I also knew it was exactly the right thing to say to convince him.