Mortals meet Percabeth

Clear as Glass

Percy's POV (again :P)

I'd known Annabeth Chase for years. She'd always been that girl – the one buried in books, working hard, showing up at every study group and somehow making any test look like a breeze. She wore these thick, round glasses and clothes that weren't exactly...fashion-forward. Mostly sweaters, old T-shirts, and jeans that looked like they'd been worn about a thousand times. Annabeth was brilliant, sure, but she was just Annabeth – the girl who spent her lunch in the library and avoided crowds like the plague.

But after spring break, everything changed.

When I walked into the hall on the first day back, I saw her standing by the lockers, adjusting her bag. At least, I thought it was her. I actually had to do a double-take, because she looked completely different. Gone were the oversized sweaters and baggy jeans. Instead, she wore a fitted top and a skirt – an actual skirt – that showed off her long legs in a way that caught the eye of pretty much every guy who walked by. Her blonde curls were down, brushing her shoulders, and her glasses were missing, replaced by contacts that made her gray eyes stand out in a way I'd never noticed before.

"Whoa...is that Annabeth Chase?" I heard someone murmur nearby.

"Did she get a makeover or something? She's...actually hot."

The comments kept coming, people staring as they passed by, some even stopping mid-hall to get a second look. Part of me felt this strange mix of pride and annoyance. It was like they were only just now seeing her, when I'd been noticing her all along – noticing how funny she was when she'd let her guard down, or how passionate she'd get when talking about a book she loved. But there she was, looking so different that even I couldn't look away.

Finally, I made my way over to her, trying to play it cool. "Hey, Annabeth."

She turned, and for a second, I saw her cheeks go pink. "Oh, hey, Percy," she replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Uh...how was your break?"

She seemed nervous, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, and it hit me that she probably felt uncomfortable with everyone staring. I shot a quick glare at a few guys who were still looking and offered her a smile.

"Break was good. Looks like yours was, too," I said, nodding to her new outfit. "You look...different. In a good way, I mean."

Annabeth laughed, the sound soft and shy. "Thanks. I guess I was ready for a change."

She glanced down, tugging a little at her skirt, and I could tell she wasn't used to the attention. I suddenly felt this urge to do something, to make her feel more like herself again.

"Hey, want to grab lunch together?" I offered, hoping she'd feel more comfortable with a familiar face.

She hesitated, then nodded. "Sure. I'd like that."

Lunch: Different, But the Same

We found a quiet corner in the cafeteria, and despite the whispers and stares still following us, she started to relax. I'd seen Annabeth look this happy before, but today there was something extra there – like she'd stepped out of her comfort zone, and it was paying off in ways she hadn't expected.

"So, are you, like, going for a new style now?" I teased, gesturing to her outfit.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, my friend convinced me that maybe I should try dressing a little differently. She thought it'd be good for me to 'branch out'."

"You mean, you don't usually dress for all the attention?" I grinned, nodding toward the group of guys at the next table who were all still glancing over.

Her cheeks flushed, and she shook her head. "Believe it or not, I'm not usually trying to get the whole school to notice me."

We both laughed, and as we kept talking, the initial awkwardness faded. It was easy – the same way it always was with Annabeth. Only now, I was hyper-aware of every little detail. Like the way she tucked her hair behind her ear or how her eyes crinkled when she laughed. She'd been right there all along, but something about today made everything feel...different.

After Practice Surprise

The next day after swim practice, I headed out of the locker room, towel around my shoulders, and spotted Annabeth in the bleachers. She was sitting there, reading a book, looking both completely in her element and, somehow, completely out of place. Her new look seemed to catch the attention of everyone who walked by, and I noticed a few guys making an excuse to linger nearby.

I jogged up to her, my hair still dripping from the pool. "Didn't expect to see you here, Chase. Aren't you more of a library type?"

She looked up, smiling, though I could see the hint of nerves in her expression. "Yeah, I guess so. But I thought I'd come see what swim practice was like."

I shot her a grin, wringing out some water from my hair just to mess with her. "Well, it's mostly just me doing this," I said, ruffling my wet hair until a few droplets hit her.

She squealed, pushing me away with a laugh. "Percy! You're dripping water everywhere!"

I just shrugged, laughing as I tried to shake off more. "Consider it payback for sneaking up on me at practice."

She rolled her eyes, but her smile didn't waver. "And here I thought you were just trying to impress me with all that fancy swimming."

I was about to respond when I noticed a couple of my teammates looking over at us, obviously wondering what Annabeth Chase was doing at the swim meet. I caught one of them making a thumbs-up gesture, and I shot him a look before turning back to Annabeth.

"Ignore them," I muttered, feeling a surge of protectiveness. "They're just not used to you being here."

Her smile softened. "It's okay. I'm not really used to it either."

For a second, we stood there in silence, the sounds of the team packing up fading into the background. It felt like the rest of the world was in soft focus, leaving just the two of us, standing close enough to hear each other's breaths.

The Movie Marathon

A few days later, I finally got the courage to ask Annabeth over for a movie marathon at my place. My mom was thrilled and pulled out all the stops, with popcorn, pizza, and a bunch of candy. When Annabeth showed up, wearing jeans and a simple T-shirt this time, she looked more like the Annabeth I knew. And, honestly? She looked great, new look or not.

We settled in on the couch, side by side, and started with an action movie. Annabeth's dry commentary had me laughing so hard I could barely keep up with the plot.

"This movie makes zero sense," she muttered, shaking her head at a ridiculous explosion scene.

"Oh, so now you're a film critic, huh?" I teased, nudging her with my elbow.

She nudged me back, her eyes sparkling. "Someone has to be."

By the time we were three movies in, we'd both shifted closer on the couch. I felt her shoulder brush against mine, her warmth somehow making me hyper-aware of how close we were. When she laughed, her hand would graze my arm, sending shivers down my spine. Each accidental touch felt deliberate, as if we both knew what was happening but didn't want to admit it.

Then, halfway through a scene, our hands touched, and she didn't pull away. Instead, she glanced up at me, her expression soft and uncertain.

"Percy," she murmured, her voice so quiet I could barely hear her over the movie.

"Yeah?" I whispered back, trying to keep my voice steady.

She looked down at our hands, her cheeks pink. "I...really like hanging out with you."

My heart hammered as I laced my fingers through hers, squeezing lightly. "Me too, Annabeth. And for the record, I liked you before spring break. Glasses and all."

Her eyes sparkled, and she squeezed my hand back, her smile lighting up her whole face. And just like that, I knew that whatever this was – whatever it could become – it was real. Real enough to be worth every moment we'd shared, new clothes or not.