Annabeths POV
This time, when I opened my eyes, the throbbing in my head multiplied by ten folds.
I couldn't move, could barely breathe, but what some might consider being the worst part, I wasn't scared. At all, actually. My mind floated around in a sea made of nightmares and dreams.
Instead of focusing on any of those things, my mind drifted off till it was blank.
A question erupted now and again, but it fell silent with a light push back into the sea.
My brain lulled me back to a peaceful slumber whenever my eyes snapped open. I was lost in myself, literally.
At least I realised something, before I supposedly drift into a forever-slumber.
It wasn't when Percy had left that broke me.
It wasn't the people picking on me.
It wasn't all the times I woke up in a janitor closet with a metal taste in my mouth, mimicking blood quite well.
It was when Percy had come back.
I wasn't sure how, but the deepening crevice in my shattering heart had finally tore open, revealing a broken, near forgotten person, who couldn't care less about themselves.
Not that it mattered, though.
Truth was, I bore a secret with me wherever I went, I was sure I'd never say it aloud. So I'd repress it instead. Now that I was locked away from reality, permanently or not, I'd yet to work up the nerve to admit the dreaded thing to myself. I didn't care anymore.
I didn't care if Piper loved me.
I didn't care if Percy did, either.
I could just as well die in here, alone and forgotten.
Yes. That's what I'd do.
How long had it been, anyway?
Minutes, perhaps hours.
Maybe even days.
Who cares?
I don't.
***
Percy's POV
By now, Piper and I were worried sick.
After school we'd gone searching for her, and when she didn't pick up her phone, or leave any clue for us, Piper was nearing a complete breakdown.
The growing anticipation to find her had only doubled itself under the course of the growing hours.
What were we going to do?!
"Annabeth. Annabeth..."
I heard Piper mutter under her breath as we stood on toilet seats, fretting in the quiet whilst waiting for the school to completely close.
"Piper?"
Her name echoed slightly as my voice hitched in the last letters.
"Yes?"
I gulped, slowly stepping of the toilets lid, opening the door.
"We're going to- we can leave now."
I'd wanted to reassure her.
We're going to find her. Don't worry. You know Annabeth. Always the crazy prankster and the one cracking jokes.
But she wasn't anymore, now was she?
I'd missed the change in her, when her very being turned into nothing for her, when everyone looked away as she suffered, taking the pain in silence- stop.
No thinking like that right now.
It did no one any good.
Right. Back to finding Annabeth.
"Where should we check first?"
I saw Pipers nose flare.
"Check first? Check first? Percy Jackson, listen here. We've looked everywhere. Every janitor closet there is! Every bathroom, every... I don't know. Everywhere..."
Her voice cracked a bit, and I braced myself for what I was now sure was going to happen.
"What if... what if we're too late?"
She started crying then, clutching her necklace as if it could protect her from feeling the sorrow now invading her. She didn't start sobbing though, nor did she fall to the floor. She simply took the pain she got and let herself feel it. I admired her for that.
"Piper. She'll be fine, she is fine. We just don't know where she is..."
She leaned against the bathroom stall, not bothering to wipe the tears streaking her face.
I felt both awkward and bad about just standing there, watching someone my age breaking down, so I engulfed her in a hug instead.
I'm not sure how long we stood there.
But I can tell you now, I definitely needed it.
"Don't want to ruin this moment... but we should probably go look for Annabeth."
I said, my voice straining with mild drowsiness.
"Oh crap. Yeah, we should. And you just ruined the moment."
I scowled, but followed her out into the corridor again. No one was around and the sun had now fallen behind the skyline to reach another city's sky.
I sighed.
"Seriously though, should we double check the janitor closets again? Classrooms? The office?"
Piper nodded instead of giving me a direct answer.
"I'll check the janitor closet. You go for the classrooms. Meet back here in thirty minutes?"
I nodded, agreeing with her.
***
We didn't find Annabeth that night.
We didn't find her the next morning either.
She was officially a missing person, and no one had even noticed.
Hello! This chapter is SO short, but I'll post a new one tomorrow anyway, so DONT WORRY! It's coming, and it's probably going to break your heart into a million pieces, as well as mine...
Thanks! Merci! Tack!
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When Time Eludes You (Percabeth)
Fanfiction"I stood on the tip of my toes to catch a glimpse of his jet black hair through the ever-growing maze of people. He didn't look back as tears rolled down my cheeks heartlessly, and the trust I'd put in him broke into what felt like a million pieces...
