Percy and Annabeth-Their future

Riding the Fast Lane

"Okay, now hit the gas..." I watched as Percy sat in the passenger seat, and Sophia pulled out of the driveway. Or tried to.

"Like this?"

"Uh, trying touching the pedal." Sophia pushed the gas (a little too hard) and soon Percy was screaming.

"SOPHIA!!! BRAKE!!!!!!! BRAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Her face was ghostly white as she slammed the brakes. Percy almost flew through the windshield.

"Sorry," she whispered. Percy muttered something to her, and she gently drove up the driveway, stopping every millisecond. Three hours later, she gave up.

"I'm horrible! I can't do this!"

"Aw, c'mon Sophia, you're not that bad..." Rion said as she slammed the car door. Luke covered his mouth.

"No, she's pretty bad...." He giggled. Taylor slapped him.

"It doesn't matter if she is! You don't say that! Duh," Taylor shook her head. Sophia didn't listen to anything. She just ran up to her room, slamming the door in poor Lena's face.

Percy's cheeks were red when he walked through the door.

"How'd it go?" I asked as if I hadn't watched the entire failure.

Percy didn't even respond. He just grabbed a beer from the fridge and muttered something about how it'll be a long year. I rolled my eyes. I'd get her to drive. No problem.

Not that I really had the choice- she had her test in a week. On her birthday. She hadn't made much progess since July, but that was about to change. I walked up the stairs, opening Sophia's door and grabbing her a jacket.

"C'mon, Sophia. We're going for a drive."

"What?" I didn't let her respond. I just dragged her out the car, telling Lena that we'd be back in a few hours. She knew better than to ask where we were headed.

I knew what it felt like to fail. I knew what it was to want to be the best at everything and just not being able to. I saw all those things in Sophia. I saw all those things in myself.

Sophia's face was tear-stained. It was that bad. I had desperately hoped that her fatal flaw would be Personal Loyalty like Percy. Clearly I hadn't prayed hard enough- hubris had already eaten up her soul, built up her hunger for being at the top, and cursed her with deadly pride. Thinking back to when I'd realized I was the same way, I wish I hadn't. It was horrible. I could never be second best. I cried when I lost my soccer games when I was little. I threw fits when I got older. I couldn't see Sophia suffer like that, but there was nothing I could do to take it away. I just had to ease the pain.

"Switch with me," I said, hopping out of the car. We were in an old parking lot that I'd never heard of until Percy had taken me here when we had first moved. It was surrounded by endless trees, but it was the perfect place to learn to drive.

Seeing Sophia sitting in the driver's seat made me see what my own dad must've seen when I was her age. I saw a bright future for her.

"Okay, now lightly touch the gas. Do the circle." Sophia looked at me like I was crazy.

"I'll get us killed!"

"No, you won't. You're a hero- you've gone through much harder. I promise you can do it." I saw the glimmer of hope in Sophia eyes as she lightly touched the gas pedal just as I'd told her to. She turned the wheel, and the car going (slowly) around the loop.

"Great job!!!" I smiled as she pulled to a stop. An unshakeable grin painted Sophia's face. 

"Thanks, Mom," And then we went off again. Over and over and over until she could parrallel park, drive uphill, and do circles backward. The moon guided our way home.

                                                                                                ~

"Ready?" I asked. Sophia nodded, grabbing a pear from the kitchen. 

"Ready as I'll ever be." It was her test day. I knew she'd do well if she kept her nerves down, but I was still nervous... I wasn't sure if she would do it again if she failed. We drove to the RMV, Sophia breathing heavily as if each breath was her last.

"Calm down, sweetie... You'll do great, I promise." 

"I hope so..." That was all she could manage. I dropped her and the car off and went for a coffee, considering hte fact that if she failed, I would definitely need it. 

But half an hour later, I didn't get screams of agony and concern and utter disappointment. I actually got HAPPY from Sophia.

"I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed. Tears were rolling down her face. She had passed all her classes, done extremely well on the driving exam, and now she was waving her license in my face. 

"That's great honey! I'm so proud of you!"

She smiled at me. "You helped a ton," 

"You took the tips and put them to use."

"Now I can drive wherever I want!" She smiled, then reconsidered. "With your permission, that is." 

We laughed, walking to the Starbucks down the street. 

"Does that mean I can ask you to take the kids to sports?"  Sophia shook her head.

"I don't really want to do that."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey guys! Happy day after Halloween! I hope you all had a great, safe night! 

I'm sorry I didn't get this up last night, my grandma is here so I was trying to spend a little time with her :) 

Well, I have to go, so I'll make this quick :)

QUESTION  OF THE CHAPTER:

What are your top 5 names (for girls or boys)?

Xo

~PercyAnnabeth20owl