Fate (PIPABETH FF) ✔️

Right?

A N N A B E T H

Stupid. Absolutely unacceptable.

I slammed my head into my hands, suppressing an unbefitting groan from escaping my lips while ignoring the pointed stares my siblings gave me. My ears felt unbelievably red as my mind went rampant with thoughts that probably had no right to be in my head.

I felt my cheeks go redder as I let the groan slip out. I worded that wrong. 

I shut my eyes tightly as I felt my pulse quicken. I let my head rest on the face of my hard, wooden desk, the cool wood pressing up against my heated cheek. Flashes of Piper flickered in my brain, her bright laugh, her reddened face, the way she flushed at my words...

Am I going insane?

I forced myself to peel my face from my desk as I focused my gaze on a book that was stacked neatly atop the wooden bookshelf that sat close by. A small layer of dust had rested on its front from long periods of stagnancy, and I recognized it to be a small, rather insignificant book about Grecian tales. 

Of course, we as a collective were already quite familiar with them, so there was really no need to read that. Hence the book's period of disuse. 

My eyes lingered on the cover. There was a vivid purple etched into a figure's clothing– one that I could not ignore. Vivid, eye-catching, and certainly very alluring. 

I bit my lip as my memory flashed back to Piper's purple hoodie. That was something that was not hers, I could tell that for sure. The way she had sunk into its soft fibers as she hid from the rest of the world– I didn't know whether the way she had seemed so comfortable was the most jealousy-enticing thing, or if it was the way the action had seemed so... second-nature. 

I nearly slapped myself. Jealousy? Seriously? Jealousy-enticing? There is nothing to be jealous about towards a friend.

Somehow my stomach churned at that, but I only shook it off as a knock at the cabin door shook me from my thoughts. In a flash, Malcolm was already at the door, opening it with a soft creak. "Yes?" My back was turned, and only his soft voice permeated through the air as I tried my hardest to focus on what I had been previously working on. My eyes scanned my notes as I tried to make sense of what I had written, but all that was there was a mess of words and sketches that failed at supporting what I was trying so hard to convey. 

I huffed in frustration. Just what is going on...? I couldn't concentrate, I couldn't work, I couldn't even think properly! Outrageous was the only word that could describe the situation at hand. 

I nearly jumped out of my skin as a finger gently tapped at my shoulder. I turned quickly in my seat, whirling around to see Malcolm next to me, worry etched in his gray eyes. "Annabeth, there's people here to see you," he whispered as to not arouse anyone else's attention. 

I turned more to peer at the doorway, and my heart slowed as I saw a familiar head of raven-black hair. Piercing sea green eyes were peering at me nervously but firmly from the doorway, and from this alone, I stood. "Thanks," I murmured to Malcolm, who only nodded in response. "I'll take care of everyone when you're away," he muttered softly. I nodded. "I know. It's your job, after all."

I grabbed a large, loose gray jacket and slipped it on before heading out, muttering a quiet excuse to the rest of the cabin before shutting the door silently behind me. The cool dusk air wrapped around my body as I looked up expectantly at Percy, shoving my hands in my pockets. "What do you want?" My words were muffled as I sank into my jacket, guilt already rising in my chest. He's here to clear things up. To talk. He was already reasonable enough the first time we spoke, but I had to mess it all up.