how to fall in love - jercy

4 - what you want

j.g.

i hear something rustling. someone pulled back the blinds and sunlight was streaming on to my face. i attempt pulling the covers over my face to get maybe a few more minutes of rest, but i was already fully awake. defeated, i opened my eyes.

wait, this isn't my bed.

this isn't my room.

"look who's awake!" percy from last night was standing at the door. "mr. i've-never-done-this-before. you were amazing!"

"r-really?" i ask without thinking. "wait, what time is it?"

"11:26. i have to go to lunch soon, so..."

lunch. crap! i have to go to lunch! wait a second.

"where are you going to lunch?"

"amelie's, why?"

"with some girls named piper and annabelle?"

"annabeth, actually. they wanted me to meet some guy that's friends with the piper girl- wait-" percy stopped, finally putting two and two together. "you're that guy, aren't you?"

i started laughing. he joined in until we were both hysterical.

"since we're going to the same place, i'll just drive you there."

"do you have a scarf to cover up this hickey?" i ask finally, wiping away my last laughing tear.

"you cover up your hickeys? whatever, yeah i have one."

"what do you do, genius?"

percy shrugged. "just leave em on my neck. if i had to go meet my boss or something, it just takes some color correction and concealer."

"no idea what that means but okay."

i blushed as i quickly put my clothes back on and accepted the black scarf from percy.

"looks good on you. you can keep it." percy commented, wrapping it around my neck for me. "it's still september so i can't say it's seasonally appropriate yet, but not too suspicious."

percy turned on his music in the car and neither of us spoke. he listened to a lot of alternative and indie. should have known. dude owns a skateboard and a guitar.

the diner was chattery, with the sounds and smells of sizzling bacon and eggs.

"jason! over here!"

the both of us approached a booth where a curly haired blonde girl and an annoying hoe, also known as my best friend sat.

"oh! you guys came at the same time. well, look at that." piper said.

"percy, this is jason. jason, this is percy." said the blonde who must be annabelle. i mean annabeth.

"yeah, i think we've met before," said percy, smirking at me. i felt my face get warm.

we both sat down at the booth.

annabeth looked back and forth from the two of us. "percy, did you guys f-"

"can i get you dears something to drink?" interrupted the waitress.

while piper told her that we'd all like some water, please, annabeth looked at the both of us, raising her eyebrows. percy flashed her an innocent grin. she rolled her eyes.

"well i'm glad you guys already know each other!" piper exclaimed. "strange coincidence, huh?"

"yeah, yeah... really, uh, weird." i said, smiling as innocently as i could.

piper gave me a lift home, which i would have never agreed to if i didn't have any other way home. piper is the worst driver ever.

after a few quiet seconds in the car, piper spoke. "so how was it?"

"how was what?" i asked innocently.

piper rolled her eyes. "sex. with a guy. first time. i'm not that dumb."

my grip on the seatbelt i was fiddling with became tighter. "h-how'd you know?"

"jason, you're a dork, but not even a dork wears a scarf in september. you don't even own a black scarf. also, you're not wearing your glasses. you always wear your glasses unless you want to impress someone. you and percy showed up at the same exact time. also you don't have a ride home because you hitched a ride with percy. from his apartment. not to mention, your face has been an unnatural shade of pink all day. and you're not the best liar."

"didn't know you were sherlock holmes." i grumbled. "and if you wanna know so much, it was fun."

"i'm proud of you, dude!" piper exclaimed. "you finally got out of your shell!"

i rolled my eyes. "right. i have a shell. like a turtle."

"yeah and now you're a turtle who just bOOOONED!!!!!" piper shouted, rolling down the window.

"piper, please-" i said as she rolled the window back up. "why does it matter to you anyway?"

"becaaaauuuse," she said, drawing out the last syllable because she knows it annoys me. "you're my best friend. and i want you to get what you want in life."

"i do get what i want-"

"you let leo drag you to a bar every week and then abandon you to hit on girls, get disappointed, and comes crying back to you about how alone he is. you let me boss you around. you let your dad shit all over your life. and re-"

"i get it. i'm a pushover," i interrupted before she could go on. we'd be here all day.

"yeah, you're kind and generous. we love you for it. i love you for it. but i also want to see you happy, you know?" she turned to look at me at a red light. "i know you wanted this for a while. i know because i know you. you can't let others control your life, man! and you did it! i'm proud of you!"

"piper, it's green!"

"fuck!" she slammed the gas and we lurched forward.

we drove for a while longer in silence.

i sigh. "thanks, pipes. you're right. i guess i don't have to hide these hickeys anymore." i take off the scarf since it was way too hot for it.

"god DAMN, boy sucked yo soul out of your neck!"