Internet Friends (Percico)

Chapter 22

-Percy-

Waiting for Annabeth after school was torture. My stomach churned even though I'd been reassured everything had been cleared at lunch, and my head ached at the thought of what this talk might bring. News? She didn't want to be friends? She had a new boyfriend too? I had no idea.

I was sat on the railings outside the main entrance (because I'm so edgy) as that's where we used to meet to walk back to my house after school. I just naturally assumed that's where'd she'd mean to 'talk'.

But what if that's where she didn't mean and she meant somewhere else?

Oh, man, I'm fucked.

And before you dirty readers comment anything on that, not by Nico.

I almost fell off my railing when I felt a tap on my shoulder and a soft voice pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Hey." Annabeth smiled at me reassuringly after her eyes landed on my hands, which were gripping the rail for dear life.

"Hi." I tried to smile back as best I could.

Annabeth chuckled. "I'm not here to kill you, Percy. You look terrified."

Okay, so my best smile clearly wasn't a smile.

"C'mon, we'll go to my place." She nodded over to the right and readjusted the strap of her bag that hung across her shoulder. She was being so casual, how could I have gotten so worked up over nothing?

I jumped off my railing and picked up my bag, slinging it over my shoulder and beginning to walk side by side with Annabeth. The quiet was free of tension; it felt just like before we broke up.

Annabeth spoke up. "So, I bet you're wondering why I wanted to talk to you after I practically broke our hearts."

I nodded gently, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah."

"I wanted to tell you it's okay to be with your boyfriend." She looked up at me with a smile.

I didn't know what to say. That hadn't been what I expected. "Um-"

"That sounded weird." She sighed and blushed, looking away. "Sorry. I meant that you don't have to feel guilty. I understand that you've moved on and I want you to know I fully support you and...um, Nico? Is that his name?"

"Yeah." I smiled, relief flooding through me head to toe. "Thank you."

"You don't thank to thank me for being a good friend." Annabeth met my eyes again, smiling as she nudged my shoulder.

I nudged her back. "Best friend, you mean."

Her smile only grew from there.

-

"So," I said as I put down my bag in the corner of Annabeth's room, "what exactly am I doing here?"

"Girls night in." Annabeth said simply. She was perched on the end of her bed taking off her shoes.

"I'm not-"

"Hush." Annabeth looked up with an impatient look. "You don't have to be a girl to enjoy a girls nights in."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is it because-"