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

Loving

I had been awake for the last twenty minutes, since about sunrise. But I didn't want to move. Percy's chest was so warm and strong... I had trusted Percy with my secret the night before, and he had comforted me when I started to cry. He was so different from Steven, who would have... hit me for showing "pathetic weakness." I could still feel the warmth of Percy's lips on my cheek from the night before. I had never felt this strongly for Steven, not even when we first started dating. It struck me just how close Percy and I really were. I felt confused.

After several more minutes, I felt Percy's breath on my ear. "You can cut the act," he whispered, sending shivers down my spine. "Your breathing's changed. I know you're awake."

I glanced up and smiled sheepishly at him. His sea-colored eyes were warm and soft, and I found myself drowning in them. I was surprised to feel disappointment when he turned his gaze back to the horizon.

With a quick look around, I realized that Percy and I were the only ones awake. I sat up and slid over until I was sitting next to him, and hugged my knees to my chest. We chatted for a little while, and he was careful not to mention Steven, for which I was grateful.

But I was worried. I knew Percy too well. I wouldn't be able to convince him to not get involved. On top of that, I was still worried about what Steven would do about my refusal to cancel the trip to the beach. It was coming. I knew it was. Steven would hit me again.

"Annabeth?" Percy touched my arm, pulling me out of my thoughts. "You okay?"

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Mm-hmm. I'm fine." Percy didn't look convinced.

Just when he looked like he was about to speak, Thalia stirred. Being the impatient girl that she was, she made the two of us help her wake the others.

Within minutes, everyone was awake. Percy left me alone, probably understanding that I didn't want the others to know. We all cleaned up and packed up after ourselves, and piled into the truck to leave. The whole way back, the others pestered us about what happened last night. Percy ignored their questions, and I only mentioned the conversation from this morning, making it seem like it stretched through last night as well. I didn't mention Percy's kissing my cheek, which was lucky. Every single one of them kept insisting that we "looked cute" together, and that I should break up with Steven. If only I could...I thought, and glanced sideways at Percy, who was suddenly very interested in the traffic light ahead of us.

One by one, Percy dropped the others off, until it was just me and him. We rode in silence, and when he pulled up in front of my house, I turned to leave the cab without a word.

Halfway up my drive, his fingers closed around my wrist. I stood staring straight ahead, waiting for him to say something along the lines of, I told you so. Instead, his hand slipped into mine, and he leaned forward until he could whisper, "I need to talk to you. In private." He nodded towards my parents and half-brothers, who were grinning out the window at Percy and me. "Since I can't right now, meet me at the old tree house at noon. You can't get out of this, so you might as well just come." He quickly kissed my cheek again, and left.

I sighed, watching Matthew and Bobby give me two thumbs up. Percy was right about one thing: there was no way out of this.

I stared up at the tiny tree house that I had once thought was so big. I understood why Percy would ask me to meet him here. After all... this place was the only reason I knew him...

I'm standing at the bottom of the enormous tree trunk, feeling very proud of myself. I moved here last month and found this only an hour later. There is no wayanyone else has found this... I found it!