Percy Jackson One Shots and Short Stories

#45 - Rule Number Four (AU) (Part I)

Chapter 45 - Rule Number Four (AU)
published: Monday, 9 December 2019

Time Frame: Alternate Universe (AU); Percy and Annabeth are in their senior year of high school

Summary: While neck-in-neck for the Principal's Prize, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase begin a 'friends with benefits' arrangement after an argument explodes into chemistry. As expected, nothing goes as planned.

Contains: the 'friends with benefits' trope; Annabeth and Percy bonding; angst; competitiveness

Warning(s): mature/slight sexual context

—*—

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Annabeth glanced up at the clock, blinking the weariness out of her eyes. She'd been finished for at least ten minutes.

A quick flicker of her gaze told her that Percy Jackson was also done with his paper.

Both of them had been absent the day before when the English test had taken place, so they were doing it now. No teacher was invigilating them, assuming that Annabeth Chase wouldn't cheat even if her life depended on it.

"Have you finished?"

Annabeth furrowed her eyebrows. "You think?"  she said sarcastically.

Percy Jackson had been called "dreamy", "cute" and "hot", but Annabeth didn't quite see the argument. Sure, he was good-looking in an obvious kind of way, but she kind of looked past that when he was attempting to steal the Principal's Prize from right under her nose.

The Principal's Prize was awarded to a senior who contributed the most to school life. It was prestigious, and recognised by some of the best universities in the country.

"You don't have to be so rude all the time."

Annabeth scoffed. This time she turned around, the legs of her chair scraping so that she could glare at him. "Rude? What about you?"

Percy crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. I'm fair competition for the Prize and you know it."

"No," Annabeth corrected. "I'm going to win because of my grades. They won't award the Prize to someone who just swims."

"Hey, I get decent grades too," Percy retorted. "Maybe not as great as little-miss-I'm-the-best-thing-since-white-breads, but at least I still have a life."

"A life?" Annabeth snorted. "Like all the girls you've banged in the school bathrooms."

Percy flushed. "Not at school," he defended.

"Wow, amazing argument," she muttered.

Annabeth slid out of her seat and tossed her paper onto the empty desk. There were footsteps that followed as Percy did the same.

"For the record," a sharp voice came from behind her. "The rumours you hear are a lot different than what actually happens."

"Yeah, believe me," Annabeth scowled. "I know."

As she made to leave, Percy pulled her back. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded.

"What do I mean?" Annabeth repeated furiously. "Last year, when everyone was buzzing about how I was another one of you conquests?"