I'm in love with my Best Friend. A Percabeth Story

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Annabeth

When I finally found Percy, he was shooting hoops in the gym, like he always did when he was frustrated. His raven-colored hair was sweaty, and stuck to his face in a couple places, but his green eyes shined with determination. I wondered what he was thinking about, and I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. If only Steven cheating was my biggest worry.

I glanced down at my watch. 11:45. Ten minutes before the warning bell. I took a deep breath and stepped forward. I knew that I couldn't convince Percy to let Steven come (that excuse about not enough room was terrible), but I had to try. I couldn't risk getting Steven mad. Or else... I shivered at the thought.

"Percy?" Percy caught the ball from where it bounced back to him, and didn't turn around. "Are you sure that you won't let Steven come?" His grip hardened, and I half expected him to break the seam and send the ball flying around the room like a popped balloon. He took a deep breath, took several deep breaths.

"I'm sure," his voice was calm and even, like he was trying not to blow his enormous temper. "Why do you want him to come so badly? And don't say it's because he's your boyfriend," he spat out the word boyfriend with ice. "You know what I think of him. You know I'd never allow it. And yet you're trying so hard. What gives?"

I bit my lip. Percy knew me too well. I had been afraid of this. "I-I just don't want to see him upset." If Percy noticed my hesitation, he gave no sign of it.

He sighed, then tossed the ball into its storage basket. When he finally turned around, his gazed softened on me. "Suit yourself," he whispered, so softly that if we weren't in a gym, I probably wouldn't have heard him. "If you don't want to tell me, I'll leave you be." But the pain in his gaze told me that he didn't like it. I wanted so badly to tell him, but I knew that I couldn't. That Steven would find out. That Percy would overreact. That I would feel the pain again.

I tried to laugh it off, but it came out empty. Feeling miserable, I put out my arms, and—after rolling his eyes with a smirk—he stepped forward and pulled me into his chest, burying his face in my hair.

I would never have told Percy or Steven this, but I loved it when Percy hugged me. Everything about him had to do with the sea. His eyes: sea green, were as vast and emotional as the ocean. When he was angry or frustrated, they sparked like a tempest. When he was happy or laughing, they twinkled and shined like the sun's reflection on the water. His build reminded me of the waves rhythmically crashing against a cliff: strong, yet soothing. His personality was also like the sea: he hated to be contained and obedient. He even smelled like a sea breeze. When he held me, it was almost as if I was standing on the surf, letting the cool ocean breeze leave scented droplets in my hair. I felt absolute bliss.

I held fistfuls of his t-shirt, and rested my cheek over his racing heart—probably from the workout he had just had. I could feel his hot, labored breathing on my forehead. His strong arms pressed me against him. I never felt like this when Steven hugged me. But, I had already had enough boy troubles without Percy.

Wait... boy troubles? But, Percy and I aren't... I mean, we don't... like each other...

I pushed back, confused, and Percy let me go. I didn't know how long we had been standing there, but it must have been a while, because as soon as we let go—as if on cue—the warning bell rang, indicating that we should go to class. I followed Percy to the door. He had gym next period, so he didn't have to go anywhere, but I had shop class, on the other side of the campus.

Just before I left, Percy put his hand on my opposite shoulder from him, stopping me. I felt his breath on my ear as he leaned in and whispered, "Before I lose my courage, I'd just like to say that: even though you are probably the smartest girl I know, you are also the most clueless..." Then he pressed his lips quickly and lightly to my cheek, and let me go.

I felt my face get hot, and I hurried away. As I rushed off to class, I wondered what he meant. Percy couldn't possibly... He couldn't possibly... Could he?

After school, I raced for the parking lot, not wanting to run into Steven. When I got to Percy's truck, everyone else was waiting impatiently for me. Percy was the only calm one, sitting on his tailgate, nose in Ender's Game. "Sorry I took so long," I gasped, out of breath. "Other side of the campus, you know?"

The others nodded in understanding, and we all piled into the truck. Percy pulled up in front of each person's house, including his, and each went in and came out after about ten to fifteen minutes, carrying nothing.

When we finally got to my house, Piper went in with me. After a brief explanation from Piper to my parents, she pulled me up to my room and started digging through my drawer. After a little while, she yanked out a two piece swimsuit, a bottle of sunscreen, and a pair of Daisy Dukes.

"Change," she tossed the bundle to me, and went into the hall closet for a beach towel.

Instantly, I felt panic. What if they saw them? What would I do? I ran for the bathroom to change. When I finished, I checked my reflection in the mirror. Steven hadn't done it for a while, and I was praying... Yes! Any visible bruises were too yellowed to be very noticeable. If I added some waterproof cover up, you couldn't tell that they were there. I let out a breath of air that I hadn't realized that I had been holding. The only noticeable bruise was one on my back, right where Steven had done it last week, when he got angry at me for being ten minutes late to our date. The others had been from the countless times that I had tried to break up with him.

The truth was that I hated Steven. But, he refused to take no for an answer. At the moment, I was just terrified of what he was going to do for my refusal to cancel my plans with Percy and the others.

Percy had always been a great judge of character. But, this time, he had no idea just how right about Steven he actually was...