The Trials of Annabeth Chase [Percabeth AU]

Chapter Three - More, More, More

Percy had absolutely no clue on what to say to Annabeth. The girl who had told him to stay away from her was sitting right in front of him, and she looked like she could kill him at any moment.

He took a deep breath. "Annabeth, I'm sorry. I was wrong. Being friends is a bad idea, the media could take it the wrong way. And -"

Percy stopped talking as he heard her snicker.

"What?" He asked.

"This is actually kind of funny." She sniggered.

"Why?"

"Because." Annabeth gave him a small smirk. "I was actually about to say the exact opposite to you."

Percy stared at her, confused. "Wait, what?"

Annabeth chuckled. "I think I was wrong. As much as I hate to admit it, I think that being friends is better than pretending that the other doesn't exist."

"So... we're friends from now on?"

"Duh, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth smirked. "Now gimme your number. We should hang out with Frank and Hazel sometime."

"You know Frank and Hazel?" Percy raised his eyebrows. "And what's with the nickname?"

"I've known Hazel since high school. I tutored her for a bit, as she's three years younger. Frank I met at that party. And Seaweed Brain suits you."

"Okay, nice." Percy quickly scribbled his cellphone number onto a piece of paper. Annabeth entered it into her phone and then held it up to take a picture.

"Take off the glasses and give me your best smile."

Percy pulled the sunglasses off and held them in his hand. He smirked at her and Annabeth laughed as she took the photo.

•••

Friends or More?

Just a few days after 'the kiss', olympic swimmer Percy Jackson and pop star Annabeth Chase have been sighted together out and about in New York City. Though their disguises would fool anyone who glanced their way, the couple seem to be having a good time as the internet storm rages on.

But to many fans's disappointment, the pair weren't lovey-dovey towards each other, which begs the question: did the kiss spark something or are they just friends? Could the two be so overwhelmed that their emotions are mixed up?

Annabeth has been seen with a 'friend', actor Luke Castellan on multiple occasions. After meeting on a movie set a year ago, the pair can't seem to get enough of each other, and Annabeth's new album is rumoured to  feature many songs about choosing between Luke and Percy.

Further details to come.

Annabeth scowled as she slammed shut the magazine - a gossip magazine. How outrageous yet oddly convenient that they'd placed it there for her, even if it was a few months out of date.

"We're live in two!" A voice called. Annabeth stood up from the couch and made her way towards the studio. Someone grabbed her arm and lead her towards the couch beside the counter where Drew Tanaka was seated. She gave Annabeth an empty smile. It wasn't returned.

A lady brushed some makeup onto her face as someone shouted "thirty seconds!"

And then everyone moved away as the red light came on the camera and they were live.

"Welcome back to the Aphrodite & co Show where we now have singer Annabeth Chase in the studio!" Drew cheered.

Annabeth waved at the camera and smiled. "I'm excited to be here."

"We're happy to have you here too." Drew blew a kiss in Annabeth's direction. "So, while we have Annabeth in the studio, lets see if we can get anything out of her." Drew leaned her chin on her hand and stared at Annabeth. "Can you tell us what your new album is about?"

"Well, I can certainly give you some more information about my new album." Annabeth said. "I can exclusively reveal that the title is 'Trials Of Annabeth Chase' and that it will contain a bonus version of Victors featuring Grover Underwood!"

"Wow, so you and Grover worked together?"

"Uh huh." Annabeth nodded. "We've been friends for a while and we just decided to collaborate and do a new version of my song!"

"You two are tots friendship goals." Drew fake-gushed. "Is there a reason you called the album 'Trials'?"

"Well, after 'My Life' I decided that I needed to have some hurdles in my music so now I have 'Trials'."

"By hurdles, do you mean Percy Jackson?"

Annabeth knew it was coming. Interviewer after interviewer had all asked her different versions of the same question over the past three months. She'd replied smoothly before, but now she wasn't so sure.

"Well, I guess you can kind of say that." Annabeth said. "The whole 'party' scandal is in the past now and we're just friends, but that definitely counts as a trial."

"Right. Now, I believe backstage earlier you said something about a new song of yours?"

"Mmm-hmm." Annabeth nodded. She turned to face the camera. "It is now my pleasure to present my brand-new single to you. Right now, right here, live."

"Right after we go to Mitchell who has this week's sixty-second gossip." Drew winked at the camera and the red light blinked off as the cameras turned to Drew's brother Mitchell in another studio.

Butterflies drifted in Annabeth's stomach. She took a deep breath and headed over towards where a microphone had been set up for her.