Loverboy (PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 23

Mornings after a big night always feel different.

Not in the "my life has completely changed" kind of way — at least, not for most people. But for me? After last night at Percy's, after sitting in his apartment with his mom and trying not to overthink every smile he gave me, I woke up with this restless, buzzing energy under my skin.

Like I had something I needed to hold onto before it slipped through my fingers.

By the time I got to school, I'd already gone through two cups of coffee, straightened my hair twice, and changed my outfit once — not because I was trying to impress him, obviously. Just... because.

He was by his locker when I walked in. Hoodie half-zipped, backpack slung over one shoulder, that familiar slouch that somehow managed to look both lazy and ready to run at the same time. I didn't even say hi at first. I just walked up, leaned against the locker next to his, and nudged his bag with my elbow.

"Morning, Seaweed Brain."

He glanced at me, his mouth twitching into the faintest smile. "Hey, Wise Girl."

That smile was enough to make me want to stand there for another hour, but the warning bell rang. I ended up walking with him to first period, the kind of casual silence where you both know you're listening for the other to say something first.

By the time lunch rolled around, my energy had shifted into something else — like I needed to make sure the day didn't just slip by. Piper was at our usual table, waving us over.

"You guys are late," she said as we sat down.

"I was helping Percy find his math homework," I said automatically.

Percy shot me a look. "You were lecturing me about not doing it on the bus this morning."

"Same thing," I said, biting into my sandwich.

He rolled his eyes, but there was no real heat behind it.

Halfway through lunch, a girl from our chemistry class — Emily — walked past our table. Percy looked up and smiled at her in that automatic, friendly way he had.

Something in me tightened, like a rubber band snapping in my chest. I didn't even think before nudging his foot under the table.

He looked at me, confused. "What?"

I shrugged. "Nothing." And I went back to my sandwich like I hadn't just tried to wordlessly drag his attention back to me.

After the last bell, most people scattered for buses or rides. I was halfway to the door when I spotted him leaning against the wall outside the science wing, scrolling on his phone.

"You walking home?" I asked.

He nodded. "Probably gonna grab something to eat first."

I didn't give myself time to overthink it. "Sandwich shop?"

That got his attention. "You're buying?"

I smirked. "You wish."

The sandwich shop was half-empty when we got there. The smell of fresh bread hit the second we walked in, and I claimed the booth by the window before he could.

He slid in across from me, glancing out the window like he always did, eyes tracking the people walking by.

"You always people-watch like that?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Helps me not feel like I'm stuck in my own head."

"And here I thought you just liked avoiding eye contact with me," I said, letting my voice tilt toward teasing.

His lips twitched. "That too."

I nudged his shin with my foot under the table. "Jerk."

His smirk deepened, but he didn't move away.

We talked about random stuff while we ate — classes, Piper's latest rant about her history teacher, Leo's weird invention he swore could toast bread and charge a phone at the same time.

At one point, a group of girls from another school walked past the window. Percy's gaze flicked toward them for a second — not in a lingering way, just a glance — but I felt my jaw tighten anyway.

"You ever gonna finish your sandwich, or are you just here to stare out the window all day?" I asked, more sharply than I meant to.

He blinked, turning back to me. "Uh... yeah. Sorry."

I busied myself with my drink, pretending I wasn't annoyed at all.

When we finally left, we didn't talk much on the walk back toward our neighborhood. It wasn't awkward — just quieter than I liked.

Outside his building, I hesitated. "You busy?"

He looked at me like he was trying to guess where I was going with the question. "Not really."

"Good," I said, brushing past him toward the door. "I'm coming up."

He sighed, but he didn't stop me.

His mom, Sally, was in the kitchen when we came in, stirring something in a pot. She smiled when she saw me.

"Annabeth, hi! Didn't expect to see you again so soon."

I smiled back. "Hope that's okay."

"Of course," she said warmly. "Percy, grab some plates?"

While he disappeared into the kitchen, I leaned against the counter and talked to her — just casual, safe topics. But I couldn't help slipping in little things, like how we'd been spending more time together lately, or how he'd walked me home after the pier the other night.

Nothing over the top. Just enough for her to notice.

When I finally headed home, I was already replaying the whole afternoon in my head. The sandwich shop, the way he'd looked at me when I teased him, the quiet walk back.

And yeah — the tiny flash of irritation when his attention wandered to someone else.

Maybe I didn't like how much that had bothered me. Or maybe I did.

Either way, I knew one thing: I wasn't letting this slip away without a fight.

When I got home, I tried to focus on my own homework. I really did. But my phone kept sitting there on my desk, lighting up with every random notification like it was daring me to pick it up.

At exactly 8:14 p.m., I gave up.

Annabeth: You didn't finish your math homework again, did you?

The reply came thirty seconds later.

Percy: Wow. No "hi" first? Straight to the accusations?

Annabeth: Just a prediction.

Percy: ...I plead the fifth.

I smirked to myself.

Annabeth: I knew it. Want me to walk you through it?

Percy: Nah. I'll just copy off someone tomorrow.

Annabeth: Percy.

Percy: I'm kidding! ...mostly.

Annabeth's phone slipped from her hand onto the blanket, the last message from Percy still glowing faintly on the screen. Her smile lingered even as her eyes drifted shut, the quiet hum of the city outside her window lulling her into a dream where his voice was the last thing she heard.

Short Chapter