Annabeth at Goode[EDITING]

Chapter 9

IMPORTANT NOTICE: if you are a new reader reading this, PLEASE STOP NOW. I am currently editing this story, and I have started changing lots of things. I have not gotten to this chapter yet, so the events that happen in this chapter and in the rest of the story do not correspond with the previous chapters. I also may not have finished editing this chapter, so it will end midway. Continue if you want, but the rest of the story may not make sense and will seem strange. When I am done editing, I will remove the editing warning from the title of this book, so please check in to see when I am done!

PERCY

That night, I didn't get much sleep.

Even as it grew later and later into the night, then earlier and earlier into the next morning, all I could think about was Annabeth Chase.

Call me sappy and cheesy, but every time she crossed my mind, I couldn't help but smile like an idiot.

Even though we hadn't actually said it, Annabeth and I both knew what we were to each other.

We were together. Dating. For real, this time- not as a show to cover up the stupid lie I had told, but as an actual couple.

I don't know what time it was when I eventually fell asleep, but when I did, it felt like only five minutes later that my alarm was going off, waking me up for school.

I let out a low groan as I reached out and aimlessly hit my bedside table, trying to switch off the blaring alarm.

I sat up slowly, rubbing my hands over my face, and very much regretting how late I stayed up the night before. But then, the reason for my little sleep came back to mind, and once again I was smiling like an idiot at the thought of Annabeth.

I staggered around my room as I got ready for school, stumbling through the hallway into my kitchen fifteen minutes later. My mother was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and typing away on her laptop.

"Morning," I mumbled, helping myself to some coffee in order to wake up.

"You came home late last night," my mom said, looking up at me from over her screen.

"Yeah," I replied through a yawn. "I was at Annabeth's. Sorry, I should have texted."

At the mention of Annabeth's name, my mom perked up, sitting straight up in her chair and holding her mug closer to her. I shouldn't be surprised- my mom loves Annabeth. Sometimes, I think that Annabeth is better friends with my mother than she is with me.

"Annabeth, huh?" she questioned. "How is she?"

I stopped in the middle of sipping my coffee to shoot a look at my mom. "Mom-"

"What?" my mother interrupted, raising her hands in innocence. "I was just asking a simple question!"

"No, you're asking if Annabeth and I are dating, like you always do every time I bring her up."

She raised her eyebrows at me. "Well, are you?"

I looked down at my feet, wanting more than anything to avoid my mother's intense gaze. "If I tell you, you can't make a big deal out of it."

"I promise."

I inhaled deeply, puffing my cheeks as I let it out and finally looked up. "We're dating."