All is Vanity ~Percabeth

Prologue: The past

"Thump! Thump! Thump!" The loud banging on my apartment door echoed throughout the quiet room, "Annabeth!" Someone cried, pleading me to open the door.

I startled up, staggering to the door hurriedly, sliding it wide open. Piper stood before me, eyes filled with tears, her eyes met mine and drenched me with sorrow, I've never seen Piper look so...sad.

"An-nabeth!" She choked out, she wrapped her arms around my neck, sobbing onto my pajamas.

"Piper, what happened?" I asked, responding to her embrace, stroking my hand on the back of her head.

She didn't answer me, she just kept crying, screaming in pain, her hand wrapped tightly around me.

"He broke up with me!" She sobbed, her voice husky and short of breath, followed with another harsh shriek.

I was stunned, "Who? Jason?"

She nodded violently, eyes puffy with sad tears, she looked so broken. I rubbed her back, carefully setting her on my bed then closing the apartment door. 

"Hold on for a moment," I told her, "I'll go grab some warm water."

I ran to the kitchen, hurriedly pouring her a glass of water, I handed the glass and sat down beside her, offering her some tissues.

She pulled a few out from the kleenex box and blew her nose, wiping her tears away with another. I stared at her face, her usual happy and cheerful face turned sad and broken hearted. I spontaneously tucked her messy hair behind her ear, scooting closer to her.

"What did he say?" I lowered my voice as I spoke, placing my palm on her hand gently.

She shook her head, biting her lower lip as if she didn't want to talk about it, "H-e tol-d me he didn't find happiness with me anymore, and that we should br-eakup. He never told me anything!" She wailed, "I could've fix it! I loved him... I really did."

"I know, Piper. Did he give an explanation to what went wrong?"

"No, he just became cold and distant recently... I tried to get closer to him, I didn't want it to end. Then, last night I asked him about and he ignored me. But today... He confronted me holding a suitcase-- It hurts, Annabeth. It hurts a lot."

"Piper, I'm so sorry."

She looked at me wearily in the eyes, "C-an I sleepover at your place tonight?"

"Of course," I replied, "What are friends for?"

She choked out a laugh, "Thanks, Annabeth."

I took the empty glass out of her hand and placed it on the counter, then leaned her back, tucking her in with a blanket.

"Good night." she yawned. Before I could even say it back, she had already started snoring.

"Night." I whispered, staring at her calm and poise face, her eyes still red with tears. 

I walked over to the other side of the bed and pulled myself beside her, hearing her soft breathing, feeling her warmness through the blanket.

I plucked out a sticky note from the behind of my bed frame, with the familiar cursive writing I had used back in 5th Grade, 

"Percy" It wrote, with a bunch of little cute heart plastered all around it. I stared at it, smirking immaturely.

"Love," I sighed, "Is so complicated."

I accidentally dropped the note, watching it float all the way onto the floor, sliding under the bed. 

I didn't bother to pick it up, I twisted and turned comfortably in bed, closing my eyes as I fell into deep sleep.