Mortals Meet Percabeth

More than Meets the Eye

Percy Jackson slouched in his chair, half-heartedly poking at his lunch. Around him, the cafeteria buzzed with post-summer energy. Leo was recounting some elaborate prank involving fireworks and a barbecue grill, Jason and Piper were locked in an argument over who had the better music playlist, and Hazel was chatting animatedly with Frank about their favorite summer hiking spot.

It was the first day of junior year, and Percy felt the usual mix of excitement and dread. He didn't mind school, but he wasn't exactly thrilled about it, either. At least he had his friends to keep things interesting.

"Did you see the new girl?" Jason asked, leaning forward with a curious grin.Percy blinked. "What new girl?"

"She's not new," Hazel interjected, her golden-brown eyes sparkling. "That's Annabeth. She just walked in."

Percy choked on his water. "Annabeth?"

Percy turned to look, expecting to see the familiar face of his math partner—the girl who always had her hand in the air before the teacher finished asking the question, who wore hoodies like they were armor and never bothered to brush the stray curls out of her ponytail.

But the girl standing in the doorway was not the Annabeth he remembered.

She looked... different. Her blonde hair was loose and slightly wavy, falling past her shoulders, and her outfit was simple but stylish: fitted jeans, a green jacket, and ankle boots. She still had that same confident posture, chin slightly lifted as if daring someone to challenge her, but her 

presence seemed to fill the room in a way Percy had never noticed before.

"Whoa," Leo said, eyes wide. "I barely recognized her. She looks like she walked out of a magazine or something."

"Everyone's staring," Hazel murmured, clearly amused.

Percy noticed that, too. Guys from nearly every table were watching Annabeth as she walked through the room, some whispering to each other.

His stomach twisted.

Annabeth caught his gaze for a split second, her stormy gray eyes locking with his. Percy quickly looked away, scratching the back of his neck like the cafeteria ceiling had suddenly become the 

most fascinating thing in the world.

He wasn't sure what was worse—the fact that everyone else was noticing her now, or the fact that she looked genuinely... happy about it.

---

Annabeth knew the stares were coming before she even set foot in the cafeteria. She'd spent all summer preparing for them, though she'd never admit that out loud.

Her step mom's insistence on "stepping out of her comfort zone" had started as an annoyance, but after weeks of swimming lessons, jogging, and the occasional shopping trip with her cousin, Annabeth had to admit she felt... good.

Not because she looked different—though she knew she did—but because, for the first time, she didn't feel like she had to hide.

"Annabeth!" Hazel called, waving her over.

Annabeth smiled and made her way to the table where Hazel sat with her usual group of friends. Percy was there, too, though he was looking everywhere but at her.

"Hey," Annabeth said, sliding into an empty seat.

"Hey," Hazel greeted warmly. "You look amazing. How was your summer?"

"It was good," Annabeth said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Relaxing for once."

"You're lying," Leo said, leaning forward with a grin. "You've clearly been doing some kind of superhero training montage. What happened to the hoodies?"

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "They're still in my closet, Leo. Don't worry."

As the group laughed, Annabeth noticed Percy finally looking at her, though he quickly glanced away when she caught him.

Her heart sank a little. She and Percy had gotten along well last year—better than well, if she was honest with herself. He was easy to talk to, funny in a dorky kind of way, and smarter than he let on. They'd spent hours working on math problems together, and she'd started looking forward to his company more than she cared to admit.

But now, he seemed... distant.

Over the next few weeks, the changes in Annabeth's life became more obvious. Teachers still called on her first because they knew she always had the right answer, but her classmates were paying attention to her for different reasons.

Guys she barely knew started showing up at her locker, offering to carry her books or asking if she wanted to study together. Girls complimented her hair and clothes, though Annabeth couldn't tell if it was genuine or just curiosity.

It was overwhelming.

The only constant was Percy—or at least, the way Percy avoided her. He still sat with their group at lunch, still laughed at Leo's ridiculous jokes, but whenever Annabeth tried to talk to him, he mumbled an excuse and left.

---

By the time October rolled around, Annabeth was fed up.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain!"

Percy froze halfway down the hallway. He turned to see Annabeth storming toward him, her gray eyes flashing.

"Uh, hey," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "What's up?"

"Don't 'what's up' me," she snapped. "You've been acting weird since school started. Did I do something to annoy you?"

"What? No!" Percy said quickly.

"Then what's your problem?" Annabeth demanded, crossing her arms. "You've barely said two words to me in weeks."

Percy hesitated, his throat dry. He didn't know how to explain it—the way seeing her now made his chest ache, not because she was suddenly "different" but because everyone else was noticing the girl he'd liked all along.

"You wouldn't get it," he muttered, looking away.

"Try me," Annabeth challenged.

Percy sighed. "Fine. It's just... I liked you before. You didn't have to change for me to see how great you are. And now everyone else is acting like they just discovered you exist, and it's... annoying."

Annabeth blinked, her expression softening.

"You liked me before?" she repeated, her voice quieter.

Percy shrugged, his face red. "Yeah. I mean, you're smart, you're funny, and you always beat me at chess. I thought you were pretty awesome back when you wore hoodies every day."

Annabeth's heart fluttered. She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear those words until now.

"Well," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips, "just so you know, I didn't change for anyone else. I'm still me, Percy."

He looked up, meeting her gaze. "Yeah, I know."

For a moment, neither of them said anything. The hallway seemed quieter, the world narrowing down to just the two of them.

"So," Annabeth said, breaking the silence, "do you want to go out sometime? Maybe get coffee or something?"

Percy's eyes widened. "Are you asking me out?"

"Yes, Seaweed Brain," she said, rolling her eyes. "I am."

Percy grinned. "Yeah. I'd like that."

---

The rest of the day felt like a blur to Percy. By the time he walked Annabeth to her locker after school, his nerves had finally settled.

"You know," he said as she grabbed her books, "I'm still going to beat you at chess one of these days."

Annabeth smirked. "Dream on, Jackson."

As they walked out of the school together, Percy felt lighter than he had in weeks. Annabeth hadn't just changed on the outside—she'd grown more confident, more self-assured.But the girl he liked was still there, beneath all the new attention and compliments.And now, she was his.