A Mortal Fool

One

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He was exhausted. The trip had been long and tiring, and he was utterly unwilling to do anything. However, Asher valued his education, and he didn't want to miss yet another day of school. He'd just gotten back from visiting his grandparents in Virginia, and the drive had left both him and his family drained. Asher decided to go to school a few hours late, allowing him to sleep in for a little longer. Slowly, methodically, he pulled on a green shirt, short sleeved in accordance with the California weather.

At the last minute, he decided to switch the green shirt for a gray one. The exact color of his crush's eyes. Unbidden, an image of her face came to mind. Blonde braids, dark skin, and of course, analyzing gray eyes.

His mother called for him, jolting him out of his lovesick daydream. Sliding down the stair's railing, he grabbed a piece of toast, his backpack, and ran out of the house. The car door was already open, and he shoved both himself and his things inside. He didn't relax until the car was well out of the driveway

••••

He stepped out of the car when he reached the school gates, waving a goodbye to his mother. Asher was beyond excited to meet up with his friends, having not seen them in a while. Asher pulled out his phone once he was sure nobody was around, his eyes scanning his surroundings.

He sent a text to Jordan, letting him know that he'd finally arrived. Jordan responded with a smiley face, before immediately going offline. Texting during school was risky.

Asher had wondered for a while if he and Annabeth were siblings, or at the very least cousins. The same blonde hair, though Jordan's skin was lighter. The same mannerisms, the same fullness of their mouths. Things that could only be noticed when one had known them for ages. As always, Asher was correct. They were distant cousins. The pair had met in New York, though the details of that exact story got vaguer every time we asked them.

••••

As he walked to his first class, Asher suddenly decided that today was the day he would ask Annabeth out. Why not? Annabeth had never mentioned a boyfriend. For all he knew, Annabeth was single. And hopefully liked him.

"Hey Annabeth, I see you dressed up a little today," Asher muttered. No, that sounded stupid. "Hey Annabeth, I like you a lot." Too basic. He'd figure it out eventually, Asher reassured himself.

♡ ♡ ♡

Jordan was the first out of class when the lunch bell rang. School took a lot out of him. Even if he was a child of Athena. Compared to his other siblings, he felt like the black sheep. All of his siblings adored learning, but his mind didn't seem to be wired that way. He found more joy in singing, putting on a performance for others. Instead of becoming an architect like Annabeth- the golden child-, he wanted to become a musician.

Jordan often wished that he was a child of Apollo instead of Athena. He clicked with them at camp more than he clicked with his own siblings. Thunder rumbled in the sky as soon as the thought crossed his mind. "Sorry Mom," he muttered under his breath.

Jordan rushed to the cafeteria and sat down at his group's usual table. First Kayla arrived, then Annabeth. Asher seemed to have been running a little late. But after a few minutes, he also ran in. He was halfway to our table when another boy walked in. A tall, green-eyed boy with perpetually messy black hair. The legend himself. Annabeth's boyfriend.

♡ ♡ ♡

When he walked toward the lunch table, Jordan raises his eyebrows slightly in a greeting. As Asher got closer, Annabeth turns around. She grinned slightly. The smile seemed to widen the closer he got. She seemed to be extremely happy to see me. I felt the same, having not seen her in a while. She stood up and walked eagerly in my direction. The whole school seemed to watch with bated breath. Was this it? he wondered. Did she like him?

Our arms extended outwards in a hug. Asher walked faster towards her, ready to sweep her off her feet.

She ran past him.

Asher turned around in confusion, his eyes tracking Annabeth's movements. She was running toward another boy. Surfer's build, he registered, with a troublemaker smile and the straightest posture he'd ever seen. The boy swept her into a hug. 'They must be cousins,' Asher thought desperately. The boy pressed his mouth to hers. Jealousy and hate swirled inside him. Asher stormed over, ready to say something.

But he didn't. He just stood there in front of the pair, watching them embrace. Finally, the boy turned to Asher, raising his eyebrows in confusion. With a burn of embarrassment, he realized that he probably looked like a weirdo.

"What are you doing?" asked the boy. His voice was all innocence and confusion. Asher disliked him instantly.

"Who are you?" Asher asked, contempt underlining my every word. Asher looked to Annabeth, expecting her to do- he didn't know what. Perhaps just clarify things.

She didn't even look at Asher. She looked at the boy. Her eyebrows raised ever so slightly. He couldn't read her expression, but the boy clearly could. The boy looked at her with a pleading look. Annabeth's gaze grew sterner. He rolls his eyes. They seemed to be having a silent argument. Annabeth seemed to win. Sighing dramatically, the boy turned to Asher.

"I'm Percy Jackson. And I'm Annabeth's boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? She's never even mentioned you before!" Percy raises his eyebrows at Annabeth. She murmured a few words in an indistinguishable language. He nodded in understanding. They both seemed to have forgotten he was even there.

"Uh, hello?" He asked indignantly.

"I didn't mention him because you guys wouldn't believe me." Annabeth said. Was it his imagination, or did she sound guilty?

"I would believe you!" Asher half-yelled. "You're my best friend!"

Percy snorted. "What's so funny?" He asked angrily. "Nothing, man," he replied.

"I still don't understand why you wouldn't mention him," Asher said.

"You'd believe me if I told you that I had a boyfriend that I met at summer camp. Who lives all the way in New York?" She asked him. Asher's silence was all she needed. Annabeth raised her eyebrows as if to say 'I told you so.'

"Anyway, as you can see, I am her boyfriend...uh..." Percy paused.

"Asher," Annabeth muttered.

"Right. As you can see, I am her boyfriend, Asher, and there is no need for you to worry about my little nerd here." The comment earned an eye roll from Annabeth, but she grinned at the same time.

As if to prove his point, Percy pressed a kiss to her forehead. He felt undeniably jealous. Asher thought he had a chance, before all of this. All those sleepovers, and days at school where their little group stayed late, tutoring each other and messing around in the library. He had nothing on what Asher had with her.

It was when someone giggled that he was shaken out of my thoughts. He dimly realized that he had just humiliated himself in front of the whole school, on his first day back. Percy and Annabeth were still giggling to themselves. And he could see that the whole school was holding back laughter. When they looked at him again, Annabeth was staring at him with an indecipherable emotion in her eyes. Regret? Sympathy? He didn't know, but what she said next nearly broke his heart.

"I'm sorry if I didn't tell you he was my boyfriend and you got a little confused, Asher." Did she not trust him or something? He was her best friend! Annabeth said this with a tone that he couldn't understand. Was it regret? Did she regret dating him?

A glimmer of hope rose inside him, but was immediately extinguished when Annabeth looped her arm through Percy's and walk with him to the exit.

He walked back to his table and gloomily sat down at his usual place, watching Percy and Annabeth walk away. Just before they exited the doors, Percy turned around and looked at him. Asher glared back. Percy glared even harder. Percy then rolled his eyes and pulled Annabeth in for another kiss. When they broke apart, Annabeth giggled. Annabeth doesn't giggle.

He ground his teeth. Asher didn't care that Annabeth was taken anymore. Percy officially sucked. Even if she didn't want Asher, Percy wasn't good for her. And so, Asher made up his mind.