(31st December night)
Helen had been pestering me about the bookstore relentlessly, and I really wanted to talk to someone about it. She got a tax evaluation done to see how much it was worth and asked me a billion questions.
Luckily when Aunt Aphrodite learnt of Bobby's broken leg, she sent over one of her butlers to help so I could go to the beach party with my friends. I was really grateful to her for that, she'd done a lot for me this year.
I really missed my friends. Percy too. It had been almost a week since I've seen them and I had to time to talk to them between taking care of Bobby and University applications. Helen didn't help matters either.
I was super late.
I was supposed to have reached the beach yesterday and spent the night with them, but I couldn't get away from my family.
The cab ride there was wayyy too slow for my liking, especially given how the cab driver kept yammering about his love for yams and drove so excruciatingly slow.
My worries slightly eased when I could hear the faint sound of music, screams and what I could only assume was air horns.
The party was in full swing when I finally arrived, quickly paying for a locker to place my bag in.
Gods it was almost 12 and I still couldn't find my friends.
I called Piper, trying to understand where they were. The reception was almost nonexistent and the music was too loud for me to be able to comprehend anything she was saying.
I was left wandering around aimlessly, trying to find the Argo.
The music dimmed for a minute durning my search as the crowd immediately screamed, straining their vocal chords as I kept moving through the huge crowds.
On the huge screens, I could see the countdown begin. And hear everyone around me yell it out.
10
9
8
I had almost lost hope when I finally spotted him and everything went quiet as his eyes met mine.
Hope bloomed in my chest.
It always did.
Always with him.
7
6
"Percy!" I shouted, running towards him.
5
4
3
2
1
I jumped into Percy's arms, he braced me as his lips met mine.
The sound of fireworks exploded from all around and I could make out the crowd cheering. Nothing mattered. Only he did.
I missed him so so much.
"I love you," I whispered, as he set me on the floor, his hands around my waist.
"I love you too," he whispered, his amused eyes turning to the floor as our beanies lay there discarded, already peppered with shoe prints.
"Annabeth! Finally! Happy New Year!" Piper cheered, snapping as picture of Percy and I turned towards her, still very much entangled.
"I missed you!" I screamed, tackling Piper in a hug. Then Thalia, Reyna, Calypso and Hazel. Leo too (only because he was whining about it)
We danced the night away in merriment. The drinks, company, jokes and bond made it a night to remember.
All of us stumbled into the Airbnb early morning, dead tired. Frank and Leo collapsed at the front door, already snoring.
We threw a blanket over them decided to leave them there. After all, we didn't have many rooms.
I opted to stay with Percy. And after a quick shower and changing my clothes, I found him on our bed, sitting there waiting.
"We need to talk," he explained as I sat parallel to him.
"Okay...talk."
"I just....don't want to keep secrets. Last time I kept one, it almost took you away from me. So I'm being honest now."
"Good start to the year," I smiled, shifting to his side,"You can tell me anything"
"They set a date for the wedding."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts, "O...oh...what is it?" I asked carefully.
Percy took my hand, he looked miserable,"Your birthday."
I couldn't help it. I let out a mirthless laugh, letting myself laugh into exhaustion, clutching my stomach in pain, "This..has to be some sort of joke."
"It's official, apparently," Percy whispered.
"I....I don't know what to do,Percy," I inhaled, trying to calm myself. Freaking out was not going to help anyone.
I'd just gotten a sliver of hope that Percy and I would somehow end up together. A nice house, couple of kids and Percy flipping burgers on weekends as our friends came to visit.
Even if I didn't have that dream. Didn't have that hope.
It was always there at the back of my mind. Always him and I....
Not him...married to someone else, living in a mansion far away from me.
That's what I envisioned.
Percy and I talked about running away or getting married in secret. But....we can't anymore. I'm still 17, and he's going to be married by the time I turn 18.
This....was a torture.
The fates couldn't be this cruel. Giving me Percy just to rip him away. A lifetime with him wouldn't be enough to savour him, and all I had were a couple of months.
"Annabeth look at me," Percy called, tilting my face towards his. He kissed my cheeks and it took me a second to realise they were wet. I
hadn't even realised I was crying.
"I love you...so so much," I whispered, "so so much."
"I know.,"Percy whispered, pulling me into as I cried into his shoulder. When I pulled back, there were tears in his eyes too.
"We'll...figure it out right? We'll figure it out?" I asked, convincing myself we would. We would. We didn't come this far just to give up.
"We...will," Percy nodded, quiet as he held me. I savoured the moment.
I didn't know how many else I had.
I'd honestly forgotten about the arrangement in the hubbub of things. It felt like someone threw a bucket of ice cold water on me, forcing me to wake up from a dream and watch Percy wed another.
"You told me you wanted to talk about something?" Percy asked, referring to the text I sent him a couple days back. I wanted to tell him about Helen. But now was not the time.
"Later, Seaweed brain. Just hold me."
So he held me. He held me until we could make out the faint light of the dazzling orange sky through the tiny window in our room as the sun rose above.
"Happy New Year, Annabeth," Percy whispered.
Happy was an understatement.
"Happy New Year, Percy,"I whispered as he shifted to his back. Already alseep.
Our room was quite cozy. With the bed seemingly made out of a thousand quilts and pillows. It felt like the princess and the pea book.
I shifted closer to Percy, kissing him one last time before I closed my eyes, wrapped in his oceany scent.
We would make it. I had to believe so.
I couldn't let myself think of the alternative.
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Did I post a New Years chapter quarter way through the year?
I believe I did
Timing's not my strong suit
Hope you enjoy this chapter!!
Any suggestions?