Fate (PIPABETH FF) ✔️

Oh Gods...

P I P E R

I sighed and sank down at the edge of my cabin bed. It'd been at least a day or two ever since Annabeth had returned from the outskirts of camp acting strangely. Sure, if you knew her only surface level you'd think she was perfectly fine. But I, in fact, knew her quite well (if I do say so myself), and I could see that something was definitely not right. When we sparred, her clean-cut movements were much more robotic and lacked their usual precision and grace. When we ate together, she hadn't said a word. 

However, during the same sparring match, she had complimented my fighting skills– something strange, since we'd recently taken up playful banter after graduating from tips and fight tricks. I usually left every match with new combat knowledge, courtesy of Annabeth herself, someone who had grown up learning to fight, but that time I'd left with nothing but slight confusion. Similarly, during luncheon, she had barely spoken. Sure, she could be quiet sometimes, but it felt a little strained this time, as if she had something to say but wasn't sure if she could say it or not.

In a way, it kind of felt like she was avoiding me, but also... not? 

Last night, though, Annabeth had told me to wake up early to meet her in the random patch of forest at the edge of camp. I had a "secret place" there. Nobody knew about it. But I better hurry, I don't want to be late...

I walked outside, leaving my hair matted and frizzy and sticking out everywhere. I made no move to make myself pretty. Of course my dear mother would do that for me, I thought with an eye-roll. Slipping on some flip-flops, I walked to the edge of camp, slouching slightly. It's like, 5am. Of course Annabeth would need me up at a time like this. I sighed. 

I entered the thick underbrush and yawned. I stopped mid-yawn, looking quite stupid, when I heard a loud PSST!

I turned to the left and saw Annabeth behind a tree, bickering for me to go there, eyes darting around as if we were in a quest. I walked there, confused– was there really something to be wary about in the borders of camp? 

Then I noticed something very, very, wrong. Annabeth's eyes were slightly red and puffy, as if she had been crying. Immediately, my stomach dropped. What happened? I swallowed. If it were enough to make Annabeth Chase cry, then...

I quickly headed over to where she was and she cleared her throat, but her eyes were still slightly wet. She wiped them, narrowing her eyes as if she hated others seeing her so...

So vulnerable.

She breathed out a soft, nearly silent curse as she shook her head, her blonde hair fluttering in the gentle morning breeze. "I'm sorry for pulling you out of bed for this. I don't know why you even bothered to come..." she said, her voice strained. I put my hands on her shoulders and made her face me. "Why wouldn't I come?" I asked, concern laced on my voice. Seriously, why wouldn't I? I'd be a disappointment of a friend if I didn't come.

I'd never taken my friend as a cryer. Hades, I'd barely ever seen her cry. Why now? It must be something important, I thought. "Spill." I ordered softly. "And don't hold back, either. Well, I mean, you can hold back, but only if you want to, which is really up to you, so..." I began, stopping and clearing my throat when I realized how ridiculous I was sounding. Ooh. So much for being a good listener. 

She cleared her throat. "Piper..?" she asked. 

"Yes?"

"First of all, don't freak out." she warned. 

I nodded slowly but uncertainly, feeling myself on the brink of freaking out. Consider– it was bad enough to make Annabeth cry, and it was bad enough to have me pulled out in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely nobody else in sight. Biting my tongue, I signaled for her to continue. 

"I'm sorry, Piper. I..." The other girl paused, brows furrowing as she seemed deep in thought. "Piper, I think... Jason's... uh..." 

Okay, now I was just confused. "What's all this about Jason, Annie...?" Concern began to seep in as I thought of things that guy could have done. Did he electrocute something? Break something? Another prophecy...? As quickly as those thoughts came, they left as I remembered Annabeth's soft cries. She wouldn't cry over things as trivial as that, would she?

"Piper, I think Jason's cheating on you. With, um... With Percy, of all people." 

I blinked. Once, twice, maybe three times fast. 

A laugh. Disbelief. 

What? No.

I laughed and punched her shoulder jokingly. "Come on. Tell what's really wrong," I said, crossing my arms and leaning against a tree. "It was good until then, Annabeth. If you're acting, you've sure gotten darn good at it."

Annabeth's eyes darted up to meet mine, and for a minute I felt exposed. The way her stormy gray eyes flickered with offense and the way her brows furrowed uncharacteristically was off-putting, and I felt a trickle of shame. The blonde girl exhaled sharply and turned around, clearly upset, looking up as if to stop an onslaught of unwanted tears from escaping down her cheeks once again.

"Annabeth, no, really. Why are you sad? You're kidding, right?"

The gray-eyed girl said nothing.

"Seriously, you're joking, right?" I asked, my heart pumping faster. Panic finally set in, and I could feel myself starting to worry. She shook her head, lashes fluttering softly as she closed her eyes, raising two fingers to her temple. "Piper, do you think I would be kidding?" she asked, her voice hard and cold.

"Stop. Shut up. Stop lying already, I told you it wasn't funny, Annabeth," I said, shoving down my feelings of fear. "And I already told you I'm not lying, so why won't you believe me?!" Annabeth snapped, turning back to face me. 

"Then why– why would you cry for me? If what you're saying is true, I'm the one who got cheated on, not you!" I said bitterly, frowning. There was a huge lump in my throat, but I managed not to break down. Not in front of her. Not now, not ever.

A small, unwanted tear slipped down her cheek, and she furiously rubbed at it with her hand. "That's the problem," she said.

My heart thumped faster. Huh?

"I think Percy's cheating on me with Jason."

My heart stopped.

"Um, are- are you serious?" I asked, unable to hold in a laugh of disbelief. She nodded. "I couldn't believe it, either." she said, her voice serious. "What? But– but that makes no sense! Why would they be together? They have us! We– we've done nothing wrong, have we?" I asked, my panic beginning to take a toll on me. "It makes no sense! You and Percy have been to Tartarus and back, literally! Jason and I, we've been through... we've been through a lot, too..."

I frowned, feeling a huge lump in my throat forming. My eyes, beginning to sting, blurred my vision, and I scoffed. This is so stupid. This sucks. Don't cry. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms, but in the end, I couldn't hold it in. 

My eyes stung as tears began to fall, a pathetic sob at the brink of escaping.Why? Why would he do this to me? Why would they do this to us? My head hung in shame as my mind begged for the tears to stop. I probably look like a huge crybaby in front of her, I thought, determined to stop crying. Please, just stop...

 Annabeth, during my saddened stupor, had composed herself and now had a determined glint in her eyes. Sinking down next to me, she wiped a tear from my eyes– a hesitant yet strangely comforting motion. I looked up at her wearily.

"Hey..." she seemed a bit hesitant at first, yet when her eyes flickered to glance at me, it seemed to disappear. "Piper, listen to me." she said, and put a hand on my shoulder. Her voice still wavered, but it had a more determined glint in her fierce gray eyes. 

"I have a plan." she whispered, her grip tightening.

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oh my.

-june 10, 2020

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slay!!

- feb 25, 22