Dreams (A PERCABETH AU)

Chapter 2- Little Losses

Annabeth POV

Wednesday 7th October

I awoke feeling worse than ever; reality sinking into my veins like thick liquid metal. It spread through my body making my arms and legs feel heavier.

This would be my last term of school and what freedom I had left. I wouldn't be able to fall back on my friends today if I started grieving again. I wouldn't have Percy and he wouldn't even know why I was ignoring him.

One by one, I was losing everything.

I slumped out of bed, turning my alarm off and dragging my feet over to my wardrobe. After I'd said goodnight to Percy yesterday, Helen had kept me up most of the night to help her clear up and do some computer files that she didn't understand. Come to think of it I didn't really help her I did it for her while she sat back and watched me bend my back over. Her raging superiority was becoming almost unbearable these days.

Without really caring, I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on from my closet. I pulled on a pair of black leggings, a white tank top and a light grey Nike hoodie. I probably looked like a slob but it was the least of my worries. I ran my fingers through my hair in the mirror, it was messy but I didn't care.

The rest of the morning was just as unbearable as the funeral. I spent the whole time putting on a fake smile for the customers at the café, pretending like I was happy and positive about life when, in reality, I was far from it.

I'd stuffed Percy's tracksuit jacket, the one I'd slept in at the weekend, into my school bag, having no clue how I was going to give it back to him but I couldn't exactly keep it. It just made me sadder—maybe it would be the last time I spoke with him. If Rafael was trying to isolate me, he was doing a pretty good job of it so far and with my Dad gone, everything just felt hopeless.

I walked through the car park with my hands in my pockets and my head down. I felt like the old Annabeth again, the one without a stomach or a voice. It was horribly disheartening. One step forward, three steps back—that's what life was like for me.

"Hey Annie! Back from rehab?" Someone called and I turned to see Drew and Rachel pulling into a space near me with Calypso sitting quietly in the back.

"Is it true your step mom caught you smoking crack in the basement?" Rachel grinned.

A painful twisting feeling began to knot in my stomach and I knew, I just knew that this was going to be a horrible...horrible day. They didn't even know my Dad had just died. Would they be so cruel if they did? Probably.

"Cat caught your tongue?" Drew snorted. I didn't even bother to defend myself, I just turned and walked away, ignoring their snarling insults behind me. I scrunched my eyes shut, doing my best to block them out but what good did it make?

Song Tribute: [Ocean Eyes – Billie Eilish]

It felt like everything was moving in slow motion as I pushed the school doors open and slipped into the overcrowded corridor. I was invisible again. People rushed around and picked fights with freshman. Girl gangs grouped together talking about the latest Instagram posts and America's next top model. Boys scampered through the corridors with basketballs or footballs, messing around and gaining irritated glares. The world went on—storming ahead while I was crawling, stumbling, scrambling behind.

Some part of me would miss it, though, from the crazy students to the thoughtful teachers. I'd miss Miss Daniels and Miss Kelly, maybe even Coach Hedge. I'd miss it all...

I held Percy's jacket in my hand now, looking at it sorrowfully. Everything about it just screamed Percy, from the smell, to the style, to the warmth it gave me when I held it. I brushed my fingers across his small name on the front, left side. It said 'Percy' in curly white letters, so simple and perfect. Not enough people would know that behind that name was the most amazing guy that could ever grace this great planet. A selfish part of me wanted to steal it and keep it forever but I had to let go now. It was the only way.