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Annabeth Chase hated Valentine’s Day.
Everything about it, from overpriced chocolate to over advertised romance movies, obnoxiously large teddy bears to flowers everywhere that of course had to make her sneeze, pissed her off to some capacity. She had decided, during a miserable Valentine’s Dance freshman year of high school, after finding out her date had only asked her out as a joke, that the day capitalizing on happy couples doing sickeningly sweet things and pretending to enjoy them just wasn’t for her. This was a decision she had lived by for the past eight years, at her roommate Selena’s shock.
The worst part, she decided as she surveyed the packed room, was the horrible crowd her usual coffee shop drew. It wasn’t even that fancy of a place, but apparently all the wannabe Rowlings and Pollocks thought the place just romantic enough to grace with their presence one day a year, dragging along their significant others and enthusiastically making out over cappuccinos.
Even her typical table, the little one in the corner by the window, was taken, making her blood boil. Any other morning and the place would barely be occupied, making it the perfect study environment for the caffeine addicted student. She had half a mind to leave until she was jostled to the front of the line and asked her order before she knew what had just happened.
"Uh, just a skim milk latte. Small." The less she ordered, the sooner she could get out of here. If only they did drinks to go.
Leo, the familiar barista, smiled from under a mop of frazzled hair. "The usual!" He exclaimed, punching in her order. His voice lowered. "Tell you what, Annabeth-today, it's on the house. I'll even bump you up to a large." Glancing around at the mob of lovers, he continued "Sorry about the crowd."
"That's really not necessary..." she tried to protest, but Leo had already waved her on. She wasn't one to reject hospitality, but there went her plans of getting out early.
When her latte was unceremoniously placed on the counter, Annabeth found herself lingering, unsure of where to go. Practically everywhere was a laughing college student.
"Looks like that guy might have an open spot, if you really want to sit down," Thalia, another barista, addressed her. She gestured to a guy a few tables away, slumped in his seat, nursing a cup of something steamy.
Nodding graciously, Annabeth navigated the cramped space until she stood above the stranger. She recognized him; he was another regular. Although, his usual cocky grin was nowhere to be found, shaggy black hair hanging in his face rather than tousled casually. “Uh,” she started nervously, trying to get his attention over the cacophony of cups clanging and people shouting. He looked up, a dazed expression on his face.
“Do you mind?” Annabeth asked with a forced laugh, pointing to the seat across from him. “There really isn’t room anywhere else.”
He hesitated for a moment before giving his head a shake to clear it. “Yeah, yeah,” he replied, shifting in his seat uncomfortably, as though he was hiding something. “Sorry…” he continued, as she tentatively sat down and pulled a folder out of her tote bag, trying to find room for her papers.
“What are you sorry for?” Annabeth asked, giving a friendly smile. “Not your fault the place is a zoo.”
“Right, yeah.” In an attempt to slide his drink out of her way, he skidded the cup on the table and coffee splashed out. Poor guy, Annabeth thought, feeling it was only right to sip her latte and pretend she didn’t notice his shaking hands trying to clean up the spill with some napkins.
“I’m Annabeth, by the way,” she said, extending her hand when he had finished.
He shook it halfheartedly. “Percy.”
There was an awkward lack of conversation as Annabeth retrieved a pencil and ruler and bent over her blueprints. Percy drummed his fingers on the table, peering at her designs with tired-looking eyes. “You at the university?” He inquired after a few minutes.
Annabeth looked up, startled out of a drawing trance. “Yup,” she answered. “I’m an architecture major. I mean, you could probably tell,” she laughed, waving at her half-finished building plans. “I’m a language minor. Latin,” she continued. “The two don’t really go together but that’s okay. The Latin’s more for fun, anyway. And it helps with science, and literature, I guess.” Suddenly her face grew hot. “I talk too much, I know,” she added, turning back to her papers. “You don’t care.”
“Nah, that’s cool!” Percy protested, leaning toward her. “I’m a marine biology major. I haven’t totally picked a minor year-I’m thinking equine sciences, maybe. Or something in education…”
“Oh?” said Annabeth, looking up. “What kind of education? Like a veterinary thing?”
Percy seemed suddenly bashful. “No, actually, um, I surf a lot, I guess, and I figure I could always give surfing lessons if I need cash.”
That did explain the tan, although Annabeth would never admit she’d noticed that. “That’s cool,” she answered politely, sipping her latte.
“I guess,” he replied. “I’m not a smarty-pants like you, but I can ride a wave like nothing you’ve ever seen.”
“I’m sure you’re brilliant.” The words slipped out of her mouth. Annabeth’s face grew hot again, but Percy just shrugged and went back to drumming his fingers on the table.
Another few minutes of Annabeth silently drawing lines passed before she felt she had to ask. “You okay?”
Percy had been caught off guard and coffee dribbled out of his mouth as he responded. “I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“You just seem a little down.”
He was frantically trying to wipe the coffee off his pants. “It hasn’t been the best day. I don’t know. Valentine’s Day, right?” He laughed. “It always sucks. I don’t know why I thought this one would be any different.” Percy shifted again uncomfortably, squishing the bundle that was his jacket against the wall.
He’s definitely hiding something, Annabeth decided. “I’m with you there,” she said. “Never been a fan of the day. It’s so...it just doesn’t make sense.”
“I guess it’s great if you have someone to share it with,” Percy continued, a hint of sadness suddenly in his voice.
“Did something happen?”
He chuckled. Annabeth didn’t even know real people could chuckle. “You could say that.”
For a moment, it seemed like he wasn’t going to elaborate, before Percy added, “Remind me to never tell a girl I like her ever again. Even if it’s on Valentine’s Day. Because I’m just going to look like an idiot.”
Oh. “Sorry,” Annabeth cringed internally with secondhand embarrassment. She’d been there.
“Eh, I’ll recover.” He took another sip of his coffee and managed to get the caffeinated-bean-water equivalent of a milk mustache. Annabeth found herself giggling for the first time that day. “Don’t laugh at me!” Protested Percy good-naturedly as he licked the beverage off his lip.
Smiling, Annabeth turned back to her blueprints, cursing under her breath as one of the shouting cafe-goers knocked against her arm as they carelessly walked to the back of the cafe. “I can barely concentrate in here,” she hissed. Percy jumped in his seat.
“I am so sorry!” He exclaimed. “I must be really annoying, um, I’ll stop talking, I’m almost finished anyway-”
“Oh no!” she interrupted, “You’re fine; don’t worry, um-”
“It’s really no trouble, I just-”
“Stay there!” It wasn’t until the words were out of her mouth that Annabeth realized how commanding they sounded. “I mean, if you want to, really, it’s been a pleasure…”
She could have sworn she saw him sigh with relief. “If you insist, smarty pants.”
“Don’t call me that,” she retorted, rolling her eyes and suppressing a smile. Percy said nothing, only flashed her a boyish grin she had seen before, when they were both at the cafe alone.
“Now, I really am about finished with my coffee,” he told her, tilting the last swallow into his mouth. “And I should probably get going. But unless you’re planning on finishing that latte you’ve barely touched, you could come with me. It might be cold out but the beach is still pretty.”
Before Annabeth could answer, he rushed to add, “You don’t have to, though. If you have a class or something. Or if you just don’t want to. It’s cool, you know? Whatever.” The tips of his ears turned bright red.
Checking her watch, Annabeth figured she had about an hour before her first class. “Yeah, I’d like that,” she answered as she stood to put on her coat. It took Percy a moment to process that she’d agreed.
He grabbed his coat and unrolled it, revealing what he’d been moving around the whole time. “Don’t take this the wrong way or anything-I’m not, like, trying to just hit on you here, or be a rebound or something, but just as a friendly gesture, uh…” His voice trailed off until he realized she was smiling again. “Every pretty girl should have flowers on Valentine’s Day, right?”
Annabeth took the bouquet she was offered and immediately sneezed. “These are lovely,” she told him as he laughed at her unfortunate allergies. It might not have been the most conventional method of bouquet presentation, if it made them both happy, then what did that matter?
As the two of them navigated out of the crowded cafe, tote bag draped over one of Annabeth’s shoulders and Percy’s arm over the other, leaving a half-drunk skim milk latte behind them, Annabeth Chase couldn’t help but think that maybe Valentine’s Day wasn’t always quite so bad after all.