Loverboy (PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 32

Percy POV

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the carpet like it held the answers I needed. My chest felt tight, heavy, as if the weight of the last few weeks—and the last conversation with Mr. Chase—was pressing me down.

I couldn't stop replaying his words in my head. "You may have had many girlfriends, Percy, but did you ever really listen to them? Did you ever change for any of them? Have you ever felt empty when they weren't next to you?"

I had shaken my head at each question. I thought I understood what love was. I thought heartbreak was just another bad feeling that passed in time. But now... now I knew. That emptiness I'd felt the day after Annabeth left, the hollow ache I'd carried around like a stone in my chest—that had been heartbreak. Real, sharp, undeniable heartbreak. And it wasn't just a feeling. It was proof. Proof that I had loved her. That I still loved her.

I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the bed until my knuckles ached. Every memory of her—the way her gray eyes had lit up when she smiled, the way she always knew exactly what I needed, even before I did, the little things I'd thought I could live without—flashed through my mind like a slideshow on fast-forward. And with each memory came a twist of regret so deep it almost made me dizzy.

I had let her go. I had let her leave, thinking I was sparing her, thinking I needed space, thinking... I don't even know what I thought. And now, just thinking about the distance, the months ahead, and the life she was building without me, my chest burned in a way I couldn't ignore.

Two months. That's how long I had until NYU classes started. Two months to figure out what I wanted, what I needed, and whether I could fix the biggest mistake of my life.

I ran a hand through my hair and let out a long, shaky breath. I wasn't ready to wait. I couldn't. I had to see her. I had to tell her the truth, to show her that I felt what I had never fully admitted—even to myself. I loved her. I had always loved her. And I wouldn't forgive myself if I let her walk into a future without me.

I paced the tiny apartment like a caged animal, the walls pressing in tighter with every step. The morning sunlight spilled weakly through the blinds, but it didn't reach me. I barely noticed Mom bustling in the kitchen, Paul quietly reading the paper, or Stella toddling after them, asking for a snack. Their voices were distant, like echoes through water. Nothing mattered except the hollow weight in my chest, the absence of her, and the fire building in my gut that screamed I couldn't stay here another second.

I stopped in the middle of the living room and pressed my palms to my eyes, swallowing hard. I needed a plan. I needed to see her. Not tomorrow. Not in a letter. Not after I spent weeks trying to convince myself I was okay. I needed to see Annabeth, to hear her voice, to tell her everything before it was too late.

"Mom! Dad!" My voice cut through the quiet like a knife.

They both looked up instantly, concern knitting their brows. Stella froze mid-step, watching me with wide eyes.

"I... I need to see Annabeth," I blurted, my chest tightening with every word. "I can't stay here. I need to go to California. Before school starts. Before I... I lose the chance to tell her how I feel."

Mom took a careful step toward me, her hand brushing my shoulder lightly. "Percy... that's a big trip. Are you sure?"

 "I've wasted too much time already. I can't sit here and pretend I'm okay. I... I need to see her, Mom. I need to fix this—or at least try."

Paul leaned back from the counter, setting his paper aside. His eyes weren't angry, but they held that steady, measured weight that made you pay attention. "Percy... you've thought this through? You know it's not just a weekend visit. California is far, and you'll be alone, away from school, friends... everything you know."