Beyond the Storm: A Percabeth Collection

Study Session

Percy's POV

History is the absolute worst. I mean, who cares about a bunch of dead old dudes who spent their time making bad decisions? But apparently, I should care, because I've got a test on it tomorrow. And the only reason I'm not completely freaking out about it is because Annabeth's here, sitting across from me in the library, trying her best to teach me things I swear I'll forget the moment I leave.

She taps her pen against the open textbook. "Percy, focus."

"I am focusing," I protest, though my eyes are more on her than the book. I've read this same paragraph about Alexander the Great three times now, but it's hard to care about some ancient conqueror when Annabeth's hair is falling in front of her face like that. It's distracting, okay?

Annabeth narrows her stormy grey eyes at me, clearly unconvinced. She's got her serious face on, the one where her eyebrows furrow just slightly and she looks like she's about to take on the world—or at least, get me to take history seriously for once.

"Really?" she asks, flipping a page. "Then tell me, what did Alexander the Great accomplish by age 25?"

I blink. "Uh, well..." I rack my brain, but all I come up with is something about him being great because, you know, it's literally in his name.

Annabeth sighs and rubs her temples. "Percy, if you don't take this seriously, you're going to fail tomorrow."

I lean back in my chair, folding my arms behind my head. "I won't fail. I've got you to help me."

"That's exactly why I'm helping you," she says, pointing the pen at me. "But it won't work if you don't actually pay attention."

I grin, hoping to ease the tension. "Oh, I'm paying attention."

"To me, not the history," she mutters under her breath, but I still catch it.

I give her my most innocent look. "Can you blame me?"

She rolls her eyes, but I catch the faintest hint of a smile playing at her lips. "You're impossible."

"I know," I say, inching my chair a little closer to hers. "But seriously, you're way more interesting than Alexander the Great."

Annabeth raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with my attempt at flattery. "Nice try, Seaweed Brain. Now, let's go over this again. What's significant about Alexander's conquest of Persia?"

I groan, rubbing my face. "I don't know, something about battles and stuff?"

She lets out an exasperated laugh, but it's the kind of laugh that tells me she's not actually mad—more like fondly frustrated, which is basically how Annabeth feels about me all the time. "Something about battles and stuff. Very specific, Percy."

I shrug. "History's just not my thing."

Annabeth's face softens a bit, and she reaches across the table, lightly brushing my arm. "I know. But you can still pass this test if you try. You're smart, Percy."

I feel a warmth spread through my chest at her words. Annabeth doesn't just throw compliments around. If she says I can do something, she means it. And I really don't want to let her down.

I straighten up, picking up my pen. "Okay, okay, I'm serious now. Alexander the Great—Persia. Hit me."

She gives me an approving smile, which, I'll be honest, makes me feel like I just won a gold medal at the Olympics. Annabeth's smiles are worth more than any grade.

"Alright," she says, flipping back to the right page. "Alexander's conquest of Persia was significant because..."

And she's off, explaining how Alexander took on the Persian Empire and made it part of his ridiculously large empire. I try to focus on what she's saying, I really do, but then her hand accidentally brushes mine as she turns the page, and my brain short-circuits. It's just a tiny touch, but my entire arm tingles like she's got some kind of electric current running through her.

"Percy?" Annabeth's voice snaps me out of my daze. She's looking at me expectantly, like I'm supposed to answer a question she asked.

"Uh, what was the question again?" I ask, sheepishly.

She narrows her eyes, but I can see the corner of her mouth twitching like she's trying not to laugh. "You weren't listening."

"I was! I just... got distracted."

Annabeth tilts her head, her hair falling to the side. "What's distracting you? We're in a quiet library with no monsters trying to kill us. What could possibly be on your mind?"

I take a deep breath, knowing I'm about to tread dangerous territory. "You."

That catches her off guard. Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink, and she blinks at me. "Me?"

I nod, leaning forward just a little. "Yeah. It's kinda hard to focus on history when you're sitting right there, being all..." I wave my hand vaguely, "...you know, you."

She stares at me for a second, and I wonder if I've gone too far. But then she laughs softly, shaking her head. "You're such a Seaweed Brain."

"Hey, you're the one who fell for the Seaweed Brain," I shoot back, grinning.

Annabeth rolls her eyes but doesn't deny it. "That doesn't mean you get out of studying."

I let out a dramatic sigh. "Fine, fine. Back to Alexander and his giant empire. But if I ace this test, you owe me."

She raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "Owe you what, exactly?"

I pause, trying to think of something. Then it hits me. "A date. A real one. You, me, and no textbooks."

Annabeth chuckles. "That's what you want if you pass? A date?"

"Yep," I say, feeling more confident now. "Just one night where we don't talk about school or ancient empires. We can go to that pizza place you like."

She smiles, and I can tell she's considering it. "Alright, deal. But only if you pass."

"Challenge accepted," I say, turning my attention back to the book. I can feel Annabeth watching me as I try—really try this time—to focus on the text.

We spend the next hour going over battles, dates, and strategies. I manage to retain a decent amount, and by the end, I feel like I might actually stand a chance at passing. But the real prize is seeing Annabeth's proud expression when I answer a few questions correctly.

As we pack up our things, Annabeth bumps her shoulder against mine. "See? You're not so hopeless after all."

"I had a good teacher," I say, grinning.

She shakes her head with a smile, then surprises me by leaning in and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. My heart skips about ten beats, and I stand there, frozen.

"Good luck tomorrow, Seaweed Brain," she says, smirking as she walks ahead of me out of the library.

I touch my cheek, feeling like I've already won—whether I pass the test or not.