The Library Book

#26 - Homecoming

"It's that swimming club I joined, remember?" Percy reminded her as they walked side by side towards the assembly hall. "Practice was four times a week during summer."

Annabeth's eyes widened. "I'd hope that you're an Olympic swimmer after all that," she informed him.

"Mm, not just yet."

+++++

"Looking out for a certain someone?" Jason said suggestively, hovering by Percy's shoulder.

Percy gulped down his fruit punch to hide his reddening cheeks. "Just our friends."

Leo coughed to hide his mutter of "Annabeth."

"I heard you."

"I meant for you to," Leo told him.

Homecoming was boring, in Percy's opinion. They'd practically just had prom before the end of school, and now they were back again. He was using the same suit, which was now a little small, but had borrowed a red tie from Frank.

The four boys were sitting on one of the tables, impatiently waiting for the rest of their friends.

"They're thirty minutes late," Leo complained.

"It's called being fashionably late," someone piped up.

Percy shifted in his seat to see Piper sliding into the chair beside him. Her short purple dress was tucked under her thighs as she smoothed it out.

"Oh, you look beautiful," Jason murmured, kissing her on the cheek.

"Gross," Leo mimed throwing up, which made Percy stifle a snort.

Hazel and Annabeth trailed behind, Annabeth constantly tripping as she stiffly made her way to their table.

"This is your fault," Annabeth huffed at Piper once she reached their table. "If you hadn't made me wear such tall heels I wouldn't have nearly died about three times from the car to here."

Her hair was brushed out to smooth the curls, which hung down to her waist from lack of a haircut. The red dress she was wearing rippled and shimmered as she moved.

Percy eyed Frank suspiciously. He yanked on the red tie around his neck. "Really?"

Frank winced apologetically. "Sorry. Hazel said I had to, and you know she can be scary when she wants to."

Well, Percy couldn't exactly argue with that. Homecoming was nice in the idea that it gave everyone a chance to catch up and discuss their respective summers.

They even took a group picture in the photo booth with a copy printed for each of them.

And of course, Percy danced with Annabeth.

"It's a tradition at this point," she noted, resting her hands on his shoulders.

Percy was glad to know that whatever awkwardness had been between them was now gone. Except that he still liked her. A lot.

Even more than before if that was possible. Percy's head had gone all dizzy and faint when he saw her for the first time this morning. No one should be allowed to look that pretty.

Summer had been a nightmare. Swimming and exercising had been a much-needed distraction Percy had thrown himself into, mostly to escape Gabe, but also to get his mind off of Annabeth.

He'd hoped that his feelings would fade over time, but they hadn't at all. It was like being apart from her only made him build her up in his head so much more, and then when he saw her again, Percy knew that she surpassed even his imagination.

"Did you meet anyone new this summer?" Annabeth asked, a nonchalant facade plastered across her face.

Percy tried to smile when she asked that. As good a liar as Annabeth was, she couldn't hide the slightly jealous tinge to her voice. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but it made him want to laugh just thinking about it.

"Well, there was this girl Sadie," Percy admitted. "She's the lifeguard at the pool. But she's just a friend — well, actually, I think she might be a minor criminal."

And it wasn't like he could see himself with anyone except Annabeth.

Annabeth visibly relaxed. "Oh."

"What about you?" Percy returned, hoping he didn't sound too eager.

"Nah," Annabeth said easily. "I spent most of the time with my family." Her face seemed to droop when she mentioned it.

Percy frowned. "What's wrong?" He clasped her hand and spun her to the right.

"Helen and my dad seemed really...tense," Annabeth confessed. "But it's not like they're fighting, it's just...they're not really speaking to each other. I thought a long family holiday would fix it, but if anything, it just seemed to push them apart more."

Percy pulled a face. "That sucks. I'm sorry."

Annabeth shrugged. "No, it's fine. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." She eyed him suspiciously. "What about Gabe?"

Percy flinched.

"That bad?" she said anxiously.

"Only a couple of times," Percy tried to sound reassuring. "There wasn't anything major except for when he made me waiter for their poker game and I refused."

"I thought we discussed you not being impertinent."

"It slipped out," Percy said, the implied "oops" in his voice.

"Did you patch yourself up?" Annabeth asked.

"My mum helped once. I told her I slipped and fell in the pool."

"Your excuses never fail to impress me," Annabeth said sarcastically. "And she believes you?"

"I think she'd believe anything to deny that her husband's hitting her son," Percy pointed out.

"Well, fair enough."

They moved in silence, more coordinated and in sync than actual couples.

In the back of his mind, Percy recalled the charm bracelet he'd bought from the store across from his mum's candy shop. He'd got it impulsively to give to Annabeth, but the more he thought about it, the more Percy realised that that might give her the wrong idea.

Or, make her realise that he still liked her.

"I still have your jacket," Annabeth said abruptly. "From when we saw 'The Lion King'."

And we kissed.

The missing words hung in the space between them.

"I doubt it'll fit you anymore," Annabeth grumbled. "Seriously, my neck hurts from having to tilt it up to look at you now."

Percy chuckled. "I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate."

"That's right. You'd better be."