𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 | 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇

chapter 27

i just realized that my nails have gotten super long

It was now New Year's Eve, and Annabeth still wasn't awake. It had been a little more than a week, and Percy began thinking she might never wake up. And that was, in fact, a possibility. And that scared Percy a lot.

It was weird, you know? He felt like every day that she was gone, he began to fall in love with her even more, even though she was in a coma, and they weren't communicating.

That day, when he went to visit Annabeth, he brought an extra little note:

We're at Jason's house for the New Year's Eve party

If you see this and I'm not here, it's because I'm at Jason's. Get here as quickly as you can. Can't wait to see you!

-Seaweed Brain

Today, Percy had to leave at 5 in the afternoon instead of when the visiting hours ended. All that thanks to the party. He was happy that they would be hanging out (just their friend group), but he did also want Annabeth there with him. And worst of all was that he blamed himself for all of it. Because let's face it: it was his fault.

He placed the note next to the Christmas gift and began to quietly cry. "I'm sorry, Annie," he said between sobs, crying into his palms. "I-I didn't mean for this to happen to you."

He wiped tears off his face and closed the door to the room. Then, he really began to cry. He let it all out. Everything he'd been holding in.

He cried. And he cried.

He would never forgive himself if she never woke up.

She had already missed Christmas. He'd hate it if she missed New Year's Eve. He'd hate it if she missed the rest of her life, for that matter.

He wiped the last of his tears off his face just as the rest of his friends entered the room.

"Hey, Percy," Jason said, realizing that Percy was already there.

"Hey, guys," Percy said, plastering a fake smile onto his face. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," Piper began, "we know that Annabeth has missed a few key things in the past week and a half, so we decided to bring her some things for when she wakes up."

"If she wakes up," Nico added. Hazel punched him to get him to shut up.

"Ow," Nico said.

Everyone laughed. It felt good to laugh.

Piper put down a bouquet from her and Jason, with a few Lotus flowers; Annabeth's favourites, on the desk. Leo put down an owl plushy.

"That's from Calypso, too, by the way," Leo said.

Frank and Hazel put down a card each, saying that words speak louder than objects.

"Nico, did you even bring anything?" Percy asked.

Nico blinked. "Oh, yeah. I give you the greatest gift of all!"

Nico bent down and hugged Annabeth.

There was a collective gasp around the room. It was understandable, however; Nico never hugged anyone. He hated when people touched him... except for Will, of course.

"Nico," Hazel said, flabbergasted. "Did you just- did you just hug her?"

Nico simply shrugged.

"NICO YOU HUGGED HER. OMG. CAN I HAVE A HUG?" Piper yelled.

"Nah, I'm good," Nico said. "I wouldn't wanna ruin your makeup, now would I?"

Everyone started laughing, and soon enough, it was time to go to the New Year's Eve party...

i like the word flabbergasted