Chapter 17 - The Spring of Break-Ups
published: Wednesday, 15 April 2020
Percy glanced up as the restaurant door's bell jingled to see a familiar redhead ducking inside.
"Hey, Percy," Rachel breathed. "Sorry that I had reschedule for dinner. My head was killing me this morning."
Suppressing a grin, Percy feigned innocence. "Yeah, that's such a surprise. You weren't at all drunk last night."
Rachel chuckled. "Shush, you." She picked up a menu and scanned the words. "What are you getting?"
"Ravioli, I think?" Percy shrugged. "What about you? I know you're allergic to shellfish. Maybe the pasta?"
"Lasagne," Rachel amended.
After they'd put in their orders, Percy watched uncertainly as Rachel shrugged off her coat and turned on him with a serious look.
"Okay, Silena told me I shouldn't do this at the start of the date, but I think we need time to talk about it," Rachel sighed. "I'm breaking up with you, Percy."
It was like someone had flash-frozen his mind. Left stunned, Percy stared at her in disbelief. "I-w-what?"
"It's not because of you," Rachel protested. "Well, not because of your personality or anything — you're funny, sweet and the best boyfriend I could've asked for, Percy."
"Is there a reason?" Percy asked helplessly. "Sorry, it's just a little..."
"Out of the blue," Rachel finished apologetically. She paused. "There is a reason. A rather obvious one at that."
Percy looked at her expectantly.
"You don't know?" Rachel voiced incredulously.
"Rach, I have no idea what you're talking about," Percy said, bewildered.
Rachel returned the stare. "It's because you like Annabeth."
Percy's mouth fell open as he was left ogling her speechlessly.
"Don't tell me you haven't seen it," Rachel snorted. "Percy — it's so obvious."
"I-I don't," Percy stammered. "We're just friends!"
"Maybe you are," Rachel shrugged. "But you have feelings for her that go beyond that." She cast a look of concern upon him. "I'm not mad or anything — hell, I even like Annabeth, in fact, you guys would make a nice couple — but I just don't want to be with someone who's in love with someone else."
"Woah, woah, woah," Percy interrupted. "In love? Okay, Rachel, now that's just insane."
"I think it's true," Rachel said nonchalantly. "I think you know it too, and you're just too afraid to admit that you like this girl more than you've ever liked anyone before."
Percy opened his mouth and then closed it again. The facts were laying themselves out in his brain.
That weird feeling when Annabeth mentioned her date with Brady. How easy it was to be around her. Last night had been a party, and talking in the kitchen had been the best part. The notion that he hated studying, but enjoyed it with Annabeth more than a casual dinner with Rachel.
Percy groaned. "Oh my God, I like Annabeth!" He buried his face in his hands. "What am I going to do?"
He could hear Rachel trying to stifle her laughter.
"Mean," he said accusatorially, looking up.
Rachel's expression lapsed into a smile. "It's just funny to see you this worked up over a girl."
Percy swallowed. "I'm sorry it wasn't you."
Rachel shook her head dismissively. "Don't worry, really. I guess we weren't meant to be."
"I am so screwed," Percy said, aghast, as he slumped into his chair. He gave Rachel a sheepish look. "Sorry, I know you don't want to hear about this."
Rachel winced. "Yeah, I'm happy to be friends, but I am your ex-girlfriend. It's a little weird."
"Thank you," Percy told her gratefully. "For being so good about all this." And he really meant it. He hated that his feelings weren't for Rachel, but instead, they were for someone he could never have.
What luck he had.
Surprisingly, the rest of dinner wasn't that awkward.
Rachel was a fun friend, and maybe a relationship hadn't worked out, but Percy was glad that their calling-it-quits hadn't caused him to lose her.
But as he waited at the bus stop later that night, Percy found everything he'd kept at bay rushing back to him.
He liked Annabeth.
Annabeth.
Annabeth Chase.
Wanting to kick both himself and a wall, Percy exhaled helplessly.
It wasn't like he could do anything about it. She was with Brady. And there was no chance that Annabeth even felt the same way about him. Telling her would be at risk of losing her completely.
Percy fidgeted with his hands nervously. They hadn't made any plans yet for spring break, but he had barely two weeks before they were back in school.
How was he supposed to keep such a huge secret?
+++++
"Just do it over the weekend!" Leo insisted. "Your dad's business trip ends on Friday, so he'll be back to meet Brady!"
"No, no," Jason interjected. "Bobby and Matthew are at soccer practice, they won't be able to meet him."
"Hey, this is my boyfriend we're talking about!" Annabeth protested indignantly. "Brady? My date? Ring any bells?"
Piper rolled her eyes. "Oh, we're trying to decide for you because you're too fickle!"
Annabeth slumped into her couch. Her best friends could be a pain, but they did push her to do things she was usually too afraid to do.
"Why are you so in reservation about this?" Piper asked exasperatedly. "It's like you don't even want..." As she trailed off with a start, Piper turned an accusing look on her.
Leo gasped in realisation. "You don't want Brady to meet your parents!"
Annabeth flushed a dark red. "We've only been on a couple of dates," she protested.
"You've been going out for almost two months," Jason reminded her.
"What's the really reason you don't want to introduce Brady to your family?" Piper demanded.
Annabeth exploded, "Fine! I-I'm not that serious about him," she admitted. "Yeah, yeah, he's sweet and all, but the spark just isn't there. I don't know how to explain it, but I don't see this going on for that long."
Piper slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh, Annabeth."
Annabeth winced. "I have to break up with him, don't I?" As she was met by three nods, Annabeth pulled out her phone and texted Brady.
hey, are you free for lunch tomorrow? I kind of need to talk to you about something.
She felt Leo staring suspiciously at her. "Are you sure there isn't another reason?"
Annabeth frowned. "What other reason?"
Even Jason raised his eyebrows. "Percy," he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Annabeth shot him one of her piercing glares. "I don't like Percy," she enunciated for emphasis. "Percy doesn't like me. There is nothing going on between us besides friendship!"
"There is so much more!" Leo protested. "I could cut the sexual tension with a knife!"
"Leo!" Annabeth wailed, horrified. She buried her face in her hands. "Oh my God, I hate you so much."
Her head snapped up as soon as she heard the revving sounds of a car pulling up in her driveway. Annabeth sprang to her feet, staring daggers at each of her best friends.
"That's Percy, Hazel and Frank," she said sternly. "Not. A. Word. To. Him."
Piper mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key, but Annabeth caught the smug look she and Jason exchanged.
"Hey!" Annabeth said brightly as she answered the door.
Percy was standing there, his grin from ear to ear almost mesmerising.
Leo and Jason's words from earlier came rushing back to her and forced a blush to cover her face as she ducked her head to hide her flaming cheeks. "Come on in," she managed, holding the door open for them.
"I've never been to your house," Hazel noted as she flung herself onto the couch beside Jason, hugging a pillow larger than her head.
"My parents are never really out," Annabeth explained. "And my brothers are always at home, plus, they would kill me if I ever hosted a party here without telling them."
Her gaze flickered to where Percy was sitting cross-legged on the floor, staring into black space. "What's up with him?"
Percy blinked to attention, giving her a sheepish look. "Sorry." He shrugged. "Rachel broke up with me last weekend."
Shouts of disbelief erupted from the group.
"What?" Hazel shrieked. She promptly leaned over and began beating him up with her pillow. "And you didn't mention anything on the ride over?"
"Ow!" Percy brought up his arms to defend himself from the onslaught of attacks. "You didn't bring it up!"
"What happened?" Jason demanded. "I thought she was head over heels for you."
"Did she give a specific reason?" Piper asked curiously.
Percy hesitated. For a moment there, Annabeth could've sworn that his eyes flickered over to her. She remained silent, not sure how to explain how she felt about this break-up.
"Just that we didn't really work well," he said vaguely.
"Well," Leo said, aghast, as he leaned back against the wall. "It's the spring of break-ups, I guess?"
"What?" Hazel demanded. Her alarmed gaze landed on Piper and Jason. "No, don't you dare break up! We've never had a good couple to double date with!"
"Not us," Jason said instinctively, gesturing to Annabeth.
"You and Brady?" Percy said incredulously.
Annabeth nodded slowly. "Yeah, he's too nice. It's going okay but, there's no point investing time in something that I know won't last."
"When are you gonna do it?" Frank questioned.
"Tomorrow," Annabeth sighed. "I've picked the most unromantic place for a lunch date; the food court in the basement of the mall."
Leo chuckled. "Oh, that's rough."
"I don't want to hurt him," Annabeth groaned. "He's so nice."
"Just say "it's not you, it's me"," Leo suggested.
"That's such a cliché," Hazel said with a frown. "Just tell him the real reason."
"That he's too nice?" Piper scoffed. "That won't give the guy any closure at all."
"Or you could just use the other reason you're doing this," Jason told her, hiding a grin.
"Shut up," Annabeth said through gritted teeth.
"What?" Percy asked in confusion.
"Nothing," Annabeth interrupted, before Jason could say anything more. She stood up abruptly, desperate to get out of here. "Who wants cupcakes?"