How To Love

Ch. 11: One Glance

1.5 years later — Junior year 2nd term

-Annabeth's POV-

''So yes, the simplified version of the equation is this.'' I explain to Thalia.

''Damn girl yo smart!'' She says in a boyish voice, wiping the corners of her mouth, acting like there from staring at me.This was one of her many ways of teasing me. I just answered the same way I always did: I rolled my eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, she got dead serious.

''Annabeth...I have to tell you something.''

''Okay.''

''I...Annabeth...I...'' she said. I could tell that she was about to cry.

As soon as I realised that, I started panicking.

Was it family issues? Thalia did have quite a lot of those. Was it her mom? Dad? Maybe even Jason?

''Thalia, it's okay. I'm here for you, just get it out.''

''Annabeth...I''

I started leaning towards her to hug her.

''I... I have to pee.''

''Excuse me?''

She bursted out laughing after that.

''Oh God! You should've seen your face.'' she says, yet is interrupted when I shove a pillow to her face.

''Thalia, it's okay. I'm here for you.'' she mocks me, changing her voice to make it really high-pitched.

''I sound nothing like that.''
Which, of course, resulted in her making different animal noises and asking which one I was.

This act earned her another pillow to the face.

''Jerk.''

Soon Thalia's joke had turned into a full-out pillow fight.

After, half an hour or so spent fighting, we find ourselves laying on the bed and laughing our guts off. This is one of the reasons why Thalia is my best friend. We just click. She's what you call a kick-ass. She radiates power and demands respect. I guess I somewhat became like and close to her after... anyways.

''Annie, I have to get going, my shift starts in 15 minutes.'' I may have forgot to mention, but Thalia works. She has to. No one else is bringing any money home. Well, not any that she will accept anyways.

''Don't call me Annie, you know I hate it.''

''Oh, sorry, I won't next time...Annie.''

''Stop it.''
''Annie. Annie. Annie. Sweet lil' Annie.'' she sings as she runs out of the room.

''Thalia Grace stop now!''

''Annie. Annie. Annie. Sweet lil' Annie.''

She opens the apartment door and runs out, the song mixed with laughter echoing throughout the halls.

''You shall pay!'' I yell after her, just for my personal satisfaction.

I close the door and smile like an idiot.

Now that it was getting a bit darker, I went up to my room to finish my homework. I was done an hour later. Just as I stole a glance at the window. I saw Percy.

His room's lights were off, yet I could tell it was him because of his muscular outline. He went to the edge of his bed and sat down, taking his head in his hands. It wasn't really hard to tell that something was troubling him immensely. For a while, he sat without any motion. He got up to open the light and saw me. Our eyes locked, and we both stood just staring at each other. His face was incredibly pale and his eyes were swollen from which I guess is because of crying. His body was trembling. He looked traumatised. Then, the tiniest tear escaped from his now swollen sea-green eyes.