Partners

Chapter 4

Percy's POV

"Yo," Grover exclaimed over to me as he slid his lunch tray next to me. "How's your project coming along?"

I set down my sandwich. "The science or history? Cause both are going downhill."

"Really? But you have Annabeth for science, so don't you, you know, automatically get an A+?" Grover argued.

I shrugged. "I don't know, it's like she was thinking about something else."

Grover took a bite of his taco. "Probably, she's always been a bit distant, look." Grover nodded towards the crowded lunch table that many of the popular kids sat at.

I glanced towards the table. There was Octavian, Hannah, Piper, Charlie, and a few others. Piper wasn't too bad, she's pretty nice, which doesn't make any sense because she hangs out with Hannah, but whatever. Next to Piper was Annabeth, her nose in a book, trying to keep breadcrumbs from her peanut butter sandwich off of her copy of some book that I've never heard of that seems to be a mile long. Her curly blonde hair was tucked behind her ears, and her gray eyes skimmed through the pages of the book.

"Well, she's been like that ever since..." Grover's voice fell off at the end, not wanting to complete the sentence.

Annabeth's mom died 3 years back, and it had taken a big toll on her. Even worse, her father for married a over the summer and now she has a stepmom and 2 little brothers.

I nodded, before that had happened, Annabeth's hand was always in the air, ready to ask a question, dying to learn more about everything. Now, when it went up, it was only because no one else knew the answer.

It was almost hard to not feel bad for her. I say almost because she hated pity. The after her mother died, she finally came back to school a week later, and everyone was cautious and kind to her. I came to her and asked her how she was. She rolled her eyes at me, and I told her about my dad, and how he died when I was 7. Annabeth seemed to be more open with me, and we had become almost friends- not quite, but we would work together on math problems, even though she was light years ahead of me.

Annabeth glanced up from her book and saw me. I have a half-smile and waved- we should try to become friends, we'll be working together for the semester. She raised her hand and gave me the same half-smile and wave, and then went back to her book.

Progress.

Hi!!
Sorry for the delay, updates should be coming sooner now!
Remember, comments, advice, and suggestions are always welcome!
~Cinder