Loverboy (PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 25

Percy POV

The next morning, I woke up to my phone lying on the floor beside my bed like it had tried to escape in the night. My screen was lit up with a bunch of notifications—two from Mom, one from Jason about homework, and three from Annabeth.

I didn't even open them right away. Just stared at them until the guilt started scratching at me like Stella when she wants food.

By the time I made it to school, the snow was crunching under my sneakers and the wind was blowing sideways. I spotted Annabeth before I even got inside—she was waiting near the steps, bundled up in a cream-colored scarf that made her look like she'd just walked out of a catalog.

Her face brightened the second she saw me, but it dimmed just slightly when I didn't speed up.

"Morning," she said, tugging her scarf down.

"Hey," I mumbled, stomping the snow off my shoes.

"You didn't answer me last night," she said, like she'd been holding it in but couldn't anymore.

"Yeah, sorry," I said, forcing a grin. "Crushed by homework. Passed out."

Her eyes searched mine, like she wasn't sure she bought it. "I was starting to think you were avoiding me."

"Me? Avoid you? Never," I said, giving her a quick nudge with my elbow. I meant it to sound light, but it came out more tired than I wanted.

Inside, the hallways smelled like wet jackets and pencil shavings. We walked together to my locker, Annabeth talking about a history project she wanted us to start on early. I tried to listen, but my brain kept wandering—to the pile of math homework I hadn't touched, to Mom's rent worries, to the way every time Annabeth leaned in, I felt like there was less space to breathe.

At my locker, she reached up and straightened my scarf. "You'd lose your head if I wasn't here," she teased.

I gave a half-smile. "Yeah, guess I would."

Annabeth started to grin

"What happend Wise Girl"

"I got you a gift Seaweed Brain!" she exclaimed

"Ohhh What is itt??!" I said with a small grin

She held out a watch, "Here!" 

"Thanks so much Wise Girl I love it!" I said with a grin

The rest of the morning blurred. I found myself zoning out in English, tapping my pencil against the desk while Annabeth sat a row over, shooting me little smiles like she was making sure I was still there.

At lunch, she slid into the seat next to me before anyone else could, setting her tray down so close ours were touching. "So," she said, "about that trivia night—"

I hesitated, fork halfway to my mouth. "Maybe. I'll have to see."

Her brows knit just slightly, like she was storing that answer away for later.

Later in lunch Leo kept annoying me, adding on the my already building frustration from the day

He poked a fry in my ear, "What happend Water Boy, so gloomy"

"Leo stop" I said

"Oh cmon Perce live a little" he kept going

"Leo I said stop" I said again

The table slowly started to look towards us

"Perce cmonnn TALKK"

"STOP BRO JUST STOP!" I slammed the first thing I had in my hand, 

Annabeth's watch.

Everyone was staring at us, and I walked out. 

By the time last period ended, Annabeth had convinced me—well, more like told me—we should go grab hot chocolate at that little café near the park.