A Distant Love {Sequel to My One&Only} Percabeth AU

{2}-Pearl

Annabeth POV

"Mark, I don't know if we can do this...I just don't feel the same...anymore." I whispered pulling back from Markus. His face dropped to the floor and looked sad, his eyes threatening to spill. 

"We can work this out, I love you!" He said leaning in for my lips. I leaned back and looked to the floor, embarrassed. 

"No Markus, I don't love you, I just don't feel the same." I again said quietly. I half expected him to leave, storming off but he stayed put. A look of anger replaced his face. The caring boyfriend I've been dating four months was angry. 

"It's him, isn't it? Your ex? Percy Jackson. You're still in love with him?" He growled anger pent up inside of him. 

"No, I'm over that jerk. I'm saying I don't love you anymore. Just....just leave Mark." The edge of my voice was steady and firm. He gave one last wishing look and got up from the bench. 

I sighed, I was more than glad that was over. I just...diddon't feel the same anymore. He's the third boyfriend in the past two years, none of them have lasted long. At all. He was the second-longest, the longest was four and a half months. 

Piper walked over, she was watching from afar. 

"Boy am I glad you broke up with Mark, he was an ass," Piper grumbled and threw an arm around my shoulder. 

"You're glad? Gods our first date he couldn't believe I went out with a firkin super star....gods.....he really was an ass." I replied, smiling at her best friend. 

They sat together on the bench until Piper proclaimed she had to go and find Jason. 

It's a beautiful morning out, the sun shining and birds chirping. The soft breeze and spring moisture. It couldn't be more amazing if the stress on her hadn't taken its toll. 

Ever since they moved out of their old apartment and to Hecates Little CrossRoads, a better complex about half a block from the old one, the stress had been working harder to get her. She started her new business, an architect firm located in central Brooklyn. It's been online so far, gathering resources and intel and it's been hard, working late into the night with college tests and papers on her back. The girls gave Annabeth her own room so she could work better alone. 

The firm was called Minerva Heights, meaning wise dreams in Latin. So far I've been trying to get an application filled out for Olympic, hoping to get it approved for another chunk of their company, but recently something has been off. Athena hadn't shown her face in over two years, last seen at the Gala and no one's been trying to find her. Her chunk of Olympus has been working fine without her. 

At the end of the day, me, Hazel and Piper trudged home, soaked in sweat and tired to the bone, we were so done with college. I wanted to fish a beer from the fridge but I couldn't find it in me to drink quite yet. 

Luckily spring break was almost here and we girls were going on a huge trip to  L.A for two weeks, I was so excited. Piper's mom was feeling guilty and paid the whole entire trip for free, the airfare and everything. And gave us each a wad of cash to spend in L.A.  Piper wanted to visit her dad in Malibu, Hazel wanted to visit Reyna in her New Rome project and I just wanted to enjoy the beach. 

Since we were leaving at eight for the flight I had to pack since it was only five. It takes five minutes to get to the airport even in the worst days of traffic. 

I packed everything I needed, sunglasses, shorts, and tank tops, bikinis and all I wanted. I even threw in a party dress just for fun, since we were going to L.A I thought we might hit some beach parties or something. 

"Piper where's my promise ring!?" Hazel hollered to Piper from the other room. Piper who was lounging on my bed rolled her eyes. 

"Look on your finger!" Piper retorted and I almost laughed, Hazel almost lost that ring five times ever since Frank gave it to her a few months ago. 

".....thanks!" Hazel yelled back, making Piper roll over with laughter. 

I stumbled around in my closet looking for something good to wear, anything to wear would be fine.

My closet was normally clean but last night Piper was looking through it and made a large mess of everything. 

My foot hit the edge of a sharp box, cardboard. I groaned in pain and sat down, fumbling for the little box. I held it firmly in my hand and groped for the lid. At first, I'd hadn't remembered what it was and opened it. 

There is a square of perfect white velvet and dimpled around to hold it, baby, tight was a black pearl. Round and smooth with the surface all different shades of black. Percy's father had a whole collection of wondrous pearls and this was valentine's gift he gave me two years ago. 

To my surprise no tears came to my eyes, my heart didn't throb painfully like a bullet. My vision didn't swim with anger or I didn't lash out at the nearest wall and strike my fist at some stranger. 

It was a total and utter surprise. I mean why should I love an ass like him? He broke my damn heart, tore it into two. For weeks I was heartbroken. No one knew how hard I cried that day, on the plane, at the airport. I never thought I would heal. But I did. 

He never even got to come and confront me, didn't try and call me a thousand times, I didn't have to change my number or address though I later did. 

He was a firkin coward. Everyone is sure he is an amazing actor and singer but he's a coward, a cheat and a fool. 

I closed the box and slid it back into my closet and started to pack again. 

I didn't think about him for the rest of the day, I mean why should I. 

I think it's because I'm over him.