How it all started... But in High School

It Always End Up Like This Huh

This is the last day I get to spend with Percy before I leave. We had been together the entire time along with a lot of days with everyone else. I couldn't help but dread the next four years at Yale. I wouldn't have Percy or any of my friends. I would be a total outcast. Helen had already bought me the plane ticket. 

Everytime I asked myself why I was going when I didn't want to, a little voice (that sounded a lot like Helen) told me it was because it could be huge for me. So I had to go. As if it weren't up for discussion. Basically, I regretted my decision to go to Yale. Too late to back out now I guess. 

I was on my way to Percy's house. I had slept over at Thalia's house the night before, so she was giving me a ride. She was singing / yelling along to her favorite songs and the entire ride was just really fun.

I had arrived at Percy's house and we were in his room looking through the photos we took during these past few weeks. Percy had printed them out so I could put them on the wall at my new apartment in Connecticut. Helen had prepared it for me so I didn't have to share a dorm. 

"Oh my gods remember when we were at the beach and Clarisse was there with Chris?" Percy was practically beaming at the picture. "Yeah and then she convinced everyone to carry us and throw us in the water" 

"But we kissed underwater and it was pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time" We both laughed and I put my head on Percy's shoulder. 

"I don't want to leave Perce. I'm gonna miss this.". Percy kissed my forehead. "If you don't want to leave when why are you going?" 

"Because I have to." I replied pulling away from our cuddling position. "I feel stupid right now Annabeth"

"Why?" Percy sighed and looked back down at the photos. "For some reason my mind keeps telling me that the reason you want to leave is because you want to get away from me" This was so ridiculous I kissed him.

"Percy I'm leaving because this is a big opportunity. Don't you dare think that I want to leave you. Not now or ever." Looking into his eyes, I felt like my heart would shatter. He obviously didn't believe me.

"I know. But it feels like whenever we're finally happy together, life just comes in and screws everything up. It's as if no matter how hard we try, no matter how much we manipulate the situation, we'll always just be stuck. In something like a hurricane." I nodded. It was true.

"And I can't shake my head out of that feeling. Because it keeps telling me that you wouldn't do something without a different reason. You wouldn't go if you didn't want to. Because you would do it your way". I opened my mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't seem to come out. He was right. 

"Percy I can't back out now. Not after I have the plane ticket and the apartment ready.". He nodded. He wouldn't look at me and his expression seemed almost mad.

"Are you mad?" Percy looked at me and there was no way he wasn't mad. "I- I don't know. A little? I just- I don't understand why you're still leaving. Annabeth I love you, you know that. But how are we going to make it work?" I thought for a little bit.

"Connecticut isn't that far from New York Percy." I replied trying to reason with him. "Ok but you're going to be in college. You're barely going to be free. You'll always be busy until we barely talk". He had a point there.

"And the next year, if we even last that long, I'll be in a different college. Annabeth I have my mind set on a college in California. All the way across the country. I'm going to apply to Berkeley. Do you really think we're going to make it work?" I was beat. He made excellent points.

"I want us to make it work. But it's unlikely." He nodded. "Why are you pointing all of this out now?" 

"Because I don't want to sit here and pretend like everything is going to be ok when we're most likely not going to make it past the first two months of next semester." I silently swore to punch the fates in the face if this was going where I thought it would.

"So what are you saying?" I started fiddling with my hands. "Annabeth. I think we should just end it now before hurting ourselves more later". I nodded. I picked up the pictures and stared at them for a few minutes. 

"Ok. You're right. We should. We'll still be friends right? Please" I said quietly. "Of course we'll be friends Beth" 

"Can I take the pictures? I like them." He nodded. I separated the pictures of us together and only kept the ones where I was with other friends. I stood up and put the pictures of us on his bed. I secretly kept the one where we were on the ferris wheel together. 

"You can keep those. I don't want them.". He looked at the pictures and frowned. "Are you-" 

"I'm sure. I'm going to go home. I forgot to pack some books. Bye". If he said bye I didn't hear it. I quickly made my way out and said goodbye to Sally quickly. I called Thalia for a ride home. I wasn't going to cry. I felt like crying, but I wouldn't let myself cry. He was right. We wouldn't have lasted even if we tried.

But at least we ended on pretty okay terms and we would still be friends (try to be). Talk about bad luck