Annabeth pushed the submit button as if it was the last thing she wanted to do on earth. She let out a breaths he hadn't realized she was holding after the screen said...
Thank you. Your application has been submitted.
A few streets down Percy was doing the same thing. He struggled to complete the application on his own because well, dyslexia, not cool. His mom ended up helping him finish the rest that he and Annabeth didn't complete. When he pressed the button he felt relief.
He and Annabeth still haven't talked since that day in the hallways after Percy was all beaten up. Luckily though his face healed quickly except for one little scar on his cheek. It was barely noticeable. His mom came into his room and congratulated him.
"I invited the Chase family over for dinner tonight." She said as if it were no big deal.
Percy's eyes grew wide and he jumped up out of his chair.
"MOM! YOU WHAT?!"
"Percy, just becasue you and Annabeth don't talk doesn't mean us parents aren't." She winked and left his room.
Percy then felt a rush of panic, fear, happiness that they would be forced to talk, and a dozen other emotions he couldn't name at the moment.
~~~~
The news wasn't exciting to Annabeth. She did not want to go but she felt bad saying no to Sally. So when her parents told her she acted as if she were happy. She didn't want to see Percy. Not after what he did.
What made her feel the worst about it was the fact that Rachel had won. After years of competition Annabeth had finally admitted her defeat. Rachel won, she lost. Then there was the fact that Percy was talking to her. It all just didn't add up well in her book. She dressed herself in casual yellow dress that went to just above her knees and had buttons. She had been the the Jackson's house so many times she could show up in her pajamas and it would be normal.
When they got there Annabeth stayed behind her parents.
"Come in!" Sally said opening the door. She gave Annabeth a hug as she walked in.
Annabeth was a little nervous, seeing Percy and all. They hadn't talked in almost 4 weeks now. It was now late April.
Percy rushed downstairs but for some reason wasn't expecting to see Annabeth right there. He knew she was gonna be there but he just forgot somehow.
"Hey." He said.
The adults had gone to the dining room leaving the two teens alone by the front door.
"Hi." She said back. She didn't have any emotion, her words were clear.
"Can we talk?" He asked while praying she was going to say it was okay.
"No, we should probably go..." She motioned to the dining room and then walked away. The tone in her voice was strong and almost a little angry, or even annoyed.
Percy followed after her and they sat on opposite ends of the table. She didn't look at home once. The parents talked but Annabeth wasn't exactly expecting any questions for herself.
"So Annabeth, you going to go to New Rome if your accepted?" Paul asked.
Annabeth set down her fork and sat up straighter. It was a weird thing she did whenever she was about to talk, maybe it's because ballet had taught her her poise. She would always straighten up before speaking.
"Well maybe. Probably not though. Since my injury is preventing me from going to auditions I'll probably audition next year. No point in going to college to only drop out one year in."
Everyone nodded their heads approvingly. Well except for Percy he was too busy staring at Annabeth to hear anything she said. It was the first time he could actually look at her without her giving him a strong glare.
"Percy? Hello?" Sally waved her hand in front of his face and Percy brought himself back to reality. "Mr and Mrs Chase were just asking about your plans for college."
"OH! Yeah I mean, New Rome is the only school I applied too along with NYU earlier around Christmas." Percy said. Saying her name out loud with her right there suddenly felt so unnatural.
Earlier around December while Annabeth still had the big dreams of going to New York she convinced Percy to apply to NYU. That way if they both got in they would be close. Annabeth had almost even forgotten Percy applied there.
The conversation kept moving but thats when Annabeth's step mom brought up her boyfriend and Annabeth cleared her throat to interrupt the conversation and she stepped in to change the subject. She hadn't told anyone about what was recently going on with her and Luke. Luke had dumped her just the other day for some other girl at his school, not fun. Everyone still thought she was in a relationship. Sure it was short lived but she liked Luke. Probably because he substituted for Percy even if they were nothing alike. Percy was funny and sweet. Luke was serious and often only comforted Annabeth when he wasn't too busy thinking about himself. She wasn't sure why she ever really did decide to date him. She was really just lying to herself saying that she liked him, she never really did.
After dinner they stayed to help the Jacksons clean up. Percy was reaching for the same dish as Annabeth but she snatched it before an awkward moment could've happened. She never looked at Percy at all during dinner. Annabeth put the dishes in the sink while Sally washed and loaded them into the dishwasher.
"Glad to see you're doing well." She said.
Annabeth smiled. Sally was a mom to her, more then her step mom was.
"Well life threw me a major curve ball." Annabeth laughed a little and shook her head.
"Looks like we are done! You are always welcome at anytime."
~~~~
Their families said their goodbyes to each other and Annabeth pulled Percy aside.
"Sorry about being so mad before dinner. Looks like everyone had fun." She looked at the adults who were laughing.
"Yeah." Percy ran a hand through his hair and Annabeth was struggling to be mad at him. She felt the butterflies growing but she immediately shut them down.
"I should get going..."
"Wait," Percy said while grabbing her hand to make sure she wouldn't walk away. "Annabeth, I'm really, really sorry. Rachel just started talking to me and I wasn't thinking. I know how much it hurt to see her win for you, because I know you don't lose. I'm really sorry. Like I will buy you a puppy kind of sorry."
Annabeth laughed and Percy let himself relax. The one thing he probably missed was her laugh. The first time he made her laugh it was one of the best days of his life, well when she wasn't laughing about his vice cracking, he didn't count those times.
~~~~
12 yr olds
They were working on their project at Percy's house after school when Percy finally decided they could do Athena.
"Yes!"
"Now, what do you say???" Percy smirked.
"Let's get this project started?" Annabeth said.
"What elseeee???" Percy was trying to get a small little phrase out of her.
"Thanks." She finally said it but Percy squinted.
"Just a little more...."
"God! Your so needy! Thank you Percy."
"That's more like it!" He cheered and Annabeth rolled her eyes and laughed.
He just made her laugh. The words played over in his head.
I just made her laugh! Hey! I just made her laugh! And this time it wasn't from my voice cracking!
~~~~
Present day
"I forgive you, but I will eventually be needing that puppy payment from you!" She started to walk away and Percy laughed.
"Deal!"
Once they left Percy cheered to himself and weirdly danced around the house. Thank god no one was watching, well no one but Sally. She knew her plans always worked. ;)
Percabeth may be back but it's not gonna get any easier from heerrreeee