Percy
"You're going to be late for your date!" I heard my mother call from the kitchen.
"For the seventh time, Mom!" I called back, grabbing my shoes, and sliding on my bag. Pearl yawned and watched me leave, her white tail flicking side to side in distaste as I accidentally knocked over the stack of CD's from the desk with the backpack. "It's not a date!"
I emerged into the small kitchen, and my mom looked up from her laptop screen. She pulled her reading glasses off and stood from the table, opening her arms for a hug.
"Say hi to Annabeth for me. And try not to stay out too late."
"Of course, Mom. Love you." I hugged her and pecked her cheek. I grabbed my keys from the hanger by the door and pulled on my navy-blue Vans. My phone buzzed as I locked up, headed down the hallway to the stairs.
Hey, it's been a while.
I looked at the contact and my body froze.
It was Rachel.
I didn't respond back and shoved the phone back into my jean pocket. I raced down the stairs, my mind spinning, trying to understand why she was reaching out after all these years.
It had been over two years since I had seen her. She never texted, never called. I thought maybe she forgot my phone number, or just forgot about me. I never tried reaching out because I was afraid that she'd think I finally made my decision.
My cheek stung at the memory of that day, the last day of camp. The night before, she kissed me during the campfire, and I pushed her away. She got mad and yelled at me, saying that I had to choose between her and Annabeth. She refused to listen to reasoning and stormed off. The next day I tried to talk to her again, trying to convince her to still be my friend. She slapped me.
I never saw or heard from her since. And now she was reaching out...
"What took you so long?" Annabeth's front door opened, and Magnus appeared behind it. "The pizza is getting cold!"
I smiled and he let me in. Annabeth was trying to turn down the volume of the TV, standing up on the couch so the old DVD player could read the signal. She was wearing the grey hoodie I had left the last time I was over, and some black leggings and blue socks. I laughed as she fell over and flopped onto the couch with a thump.
"I hate this old DVD player. It's so slow!" Annabeth huffed, crossing her legs, and attempting to blow a strand of blonde hair out of her face. She was a mess, her hair tangled and haphazardly pulled back in a messy bun, dark circles under her tired grey eyes.
"You never should have volunteered to plan the homecoming. You aren't getting any sleep," I put my bag down by the couch and sat next to her. She leaned against my shoulder and I wrapped my arm around her. Magnus sat down on my other side and opened the pizza box, ready to eat already.
"I never get sleep anyways. Now I have another reason to stay up until two in the morning," Annabeth closed her eyes and sighed as the TV blasted the loud, horrifying noise into the room.
"COMING SOON TO THEATERS"
"Yeah, theaters twenty years ago," I scoffed, looking for the TV remote to turn it down. Annabeth already had it in her hands. "So, what are we watching? You refused to tell me yesterday."
"It'll be a surprise," Annabeth stuck her tongue out at me, and I kissed her cheek. Magnus gagged next to us and Annabeth shot him a glare. "I thought you invited Alex."
"Alex? Like, 'Alex Fierro' Alex?" I asked.
I had never known Alex before high school, and we only shared a few classes. Alex was usually in the back with me, but too focused on other people or schoolwork to acknowledge me.
"That's the one. She's dating Magnus," Annabeth laughed as her cousin reached over me to smack at her.
"We aren't dating!" Magnus frowned. "We're just friends."
"Friends who are going to homecoming together. As a date."
"Well, you and Percy are going as friends, too."
Annabeth and I exchanged a look. He didn't know.
"Maggie, I'm going to homecoming with Percy, my boyfriend..." She smiled, her cheeks reddening as she said the word boyfriend. I guessed it was the first time she said it out loud.
"...Oh..." Magnus's faint smile was wiped off his face. He simply stared at the floor and bit into his pizza sadly.
Why was he suddenly so sad? Did he not want us to be dating? Or was he jealous that Annabeth was dating, and he didn't think he was? Magnus was so hard to read sometimes. I hadn't known the guy too well before a few weeks ago, but he always was reserved. Never really reached out, even now.
I wondered if he liked Alex more than he said he did. I wasn't the greatest at telling who liked whom, and the incident with Rachel and Annabeth was proof.
"Well, did you invite her or not?" Annabeth asked again, either ignoring the sudden gloominess from her cousin or not noticing it. Riptide leapt up on the couch and curled up on the blanket beside her. I reached over and pet the beautiful cat. She reminded me of my own cat, Pearl.
"Yes, she said maybe," Magnus grabbed another piece of pizza.
Just then the door opened. A girl with short, wavy green hair stepped in, pulling off the leather jacket she wore and hanging it next to Annabeth's brown coat. She was wearing a peach-print crop top over a skinny black long-sleeve shirt, with black shorts and dark tights. She slipped out of her black combat boots and waved.
"Sorry I'm late. Traffic again."
"Alex!" Magnus leapt to his feet and raced over to hug her. She grimaced as he pulled her off the ground. "You actually came!"
"And I'm starting to regret it already..." Alex huffed as Magnus set her down.
"Sorry. I'm really happy to see you." Magnus sheepishly rubbed his neck and smiled. "Come sit down. We have pizza and Annabeth picked out a movie."
"I didn't get that kind of welcome from you," I leaned over and whispered into Annabeth's ear. She blushed and nudged my ribs. "I'm kind of disappointed now."
"No popcorn?" Alex asked, glancing at the coffee table littered with paper plates, pizza, and chips. "You can't enjoy a movie without eating some popcorn! It's against the laws of the living room!"
Alex disappeared into the kitchen, and soon I could hear the hum of the microwave. Magnus disappeared into the kitchen, too, leaving Annabeth and I alone on the couch.
"So, did you have any time to find a dress to wear to the homecoming dance?" I asked, and Annabeth nodded. She gave me a smile and remained silent.
I guess she was keeping it a surprise.
"Well, if you don't tell me what it looks like, how will I know what to wear?"
"Just wear grey and blue colors. Nothing bright," She pulled out her phone and scrolled through Pinterest, leaning against my shoulder. I saw a lot of clothing, poetry, and interior design pins on her recommended. She went to her profile and clicked on a board titled 'Hoco'. Most of the pins were planning ideas she had saved, like snacks and punch and décor. It was an ocean theme. I smiled.
Annabeth stopped at a picture and showed it to me. It was a color pallet: navy, pale blue, silver, pale grey, and cream white. "These are the colors. Want me to screenshot it and send it to you?"
I nodded and kissed her head, smelling lemons and vanilla in her hair. She curled up in my arms and went to her Snapchat. She turned on the selfie camera and I stuck out my tongue. She snapped it and saved the selfie on her phone. She sent it to her close friends as well. My phone buzzed at the notification. A few moments later, her phone blew up with surprised texts from her friends.
"Crap!" Annabeth shot up and rapidly tapped the phone. "I forgot I hadn't told anyone we were dating yet!"
"What?" I sat up and glanced at her phone. Seven people were texting her at once. "But you just sent it to your best friend list, right? Not a big deal."
"Thalia screenshotted it!" Annabeth cried and went to Thalia's story. Sure enough, she had posted the screenshot of their selfie onto her story with the caption 'Aren't they so adorable?'. I pulled out my phone and texted Thalia.
Why'd you post that picture? Annabeth and I haven't told anyone yet!
Oops, sorry. I didn't know.
Could you ask next time?
Yes, ofc. I just didn't think. Forgive me?
Yeah. But you owe me.
I put my phone away, and it immediately buzzed with texts from other schoolmates. They were all asking why I hadn't told them Annabeth was my girlfriend. Annabeth's phone was still blowing up, too.
"This is insane. So many people are freaking out!" Annabeth sighed and flopped down again, blowing her hair out of her face. "They're congratulating me for finally getting a boyfriend."
"Well, people were sad when we stopped talking to each other. Especially Thalia," I put my arm around her again. Alex and Magnus walked in, the former waving her phone with a smirk on her face, the latter holding a huge bowl of popcorn.
"Saw that snap. Are you going public now?"
I sighed. "Apparently. Thalia screenshotted it and posted it onto her story, and now the whole school knows. I bet our teachers know!"
Annabeth gasped and put a hand over her mouth. "Oh, God no!" She leapt to her feet and ran out of the room. I hurriedly got to my feet, but Magnus handed me the popcorn and followed his cousin.
"What was that about? Is it that big of a deal if our teachers know?"
Alex gave me a confused look. "You really are that stupid."
"Hey!" I frowned, but she rolled her eyes and sat down on the armchair, crossing her legs.
"Her dad is the principle, Percy. Her estranged dad."
My mind went spiraling. Her dad...was my principle. He could make my life at school a living hell if he found out.
Which he probably already had.
My phone buzzed again.
So, I hear you and that brat are dating now.
Rachel...
Things had just escalated.
Just when I thought things were getting better...
//AUTHOR'S NOTE//
Thanks for so many reads, guys! I appreciate each and every single one of you!
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~Yawarakai~