Chapter Text
Percy
Look, I didn’t want to fake date.
If you’re reading this because you think you want to, don’t do it. Unless it’s for your best friend who you would do anything for, no matter how painful it can be.
I would have done it a million times over, but that’s beside the point.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
My name is Percy Jackson. Here lies the story of how I did, in fact, (fake) date my best friend who I would do anything for.
I collapsed against my bed, my white ceiling meeting my eyes as my phone dug into my pocket. I pulled it out, and my hands automatically did the familiar motion of calling Annabeth.
The ringtone blared out as I waited for her answer.
You know I want you
It’s not a secret I try to hide
I know you want me
So don’t keep saying our hands are tied
My lips split into a grin, and I couldn’t stop the laughs from tumbling out of my mouth, possibly a result of my long day.
“What are you laughing about?” a voice answered. Not just any voice. Annabeth Chase. My best friend. Aside from Grover, of course, but Annabeth was different.
The camera was on, and I stared at her carefully even as I couldn’t stop laughing. I wish I was there next to her so I could twist my hands through her hair like I always did.
“Percy,” Annabeth said again, her voice lowering. “Percy. My gosh, you did not. Do you still have that stupid song as your ringtone?”
My nose scrunched up, and I fought valiantly to stop the laughs even as her guess just made it harder.
“I knew it,” she hissed, shooting me a murderous glare.
“Why are you so shocked?” I choked out between laughs. They finally slowed as I took a deep breath, and I leaned onto my side, my phone in hand. “It’s been my ringtone for you for ages.”
“I told you to change that,” she warned. “And why are you laughing about it now?”
I exhaled through my nose. “I don’t know. I guess it’s just funnier after today. Seriously, this has been the worst day.”
It was Annabeth’s turn to laugh, although hers was more bitter. “Tell me about it. Being an adult is so overrated.”
“I wish I could be with you to cheer you up,” I said, scowling. If I were next to her, I would probably tickle her until we were both out of breath and our horrible adult days were forgotten. “What happened?”
Even through the small screen, I was met with her glare. It didn’t last long, though, as her lips curved into a small smile.
“You idiot,” she remarked warmly. “This isn’t about me. You’re the one that called me because of your horrible day.”
I stuck my tongue out at her, ever the mature eighteen-year-old. “How do you know I didn’t just call to see your beautiful face?”
Once again, I wished I could have been next to her so I could see the heat in her cheeks. And yet, we were unfairly divided and I was left imagining her cheeks getting all red and adorable like they always did when I said stuff like that. The world really was conspiring against me since the screen wasn’t able to capture the color.
“How about this,” I settled on. “I’ll tell you how my catastrophic day went, if you tell me about yours first.”
“Catastrophic, huh?” she teased, although I didn’t miss the concern. “That’s a big word. Was it really that bad?”
“I resent that you think I don’t know big words,” I said with a dead serious face, even as the corner of my lips tilted slightly and threatened to give me away. “Stop trying to change the subject. I want to hear about your day.”
Her lips pressed together, and her eyebrows were furrowed in that adorable way they always were, and for the millionth time, I had the urge to be next to her and smooth the crease.
“Please?” I jutted my lip forward slightly, widening my eyes. She always claimed that look didn’t work on her whenever I brought it up, but I disagreed because it always worked perfectly. Maybe she thought it was funny. But regardless, success was success.
“Fine,” she relented. She closed her eyes, and my hand itched to brush against her face comfortingly. “You’re going next, though. I woke up late, for starters.”
Her voice tightened, and I grimaced sympathetically. “I’m sorry, Beth.”
She shrugged, but I could feel the tightness in the gesture. “It’s fine. I just didn’t sleep well, I guess. I had nightmares all night. And when I did get up, my class had already started, and I was a mess. Als,o I didn’t get any coffee, which should be illegal. I don’t know how people survive without coffee.”
My chest tightened. “Were you able to get the notes from earlier in the lecture?”
“No, but it’s fine. I can deal with a few missing points in my grade. I’ve been keeping it up pretty well.” Her eyes opened after she said that, and I couldn’t stop my smile from seeing the familiar gray. “I mean, it sucks. But it’s fine.”
“Are you doing okay?” I asked carefully. It wouldn’t help much; Annabeth would never answer that truthfully. But I never could stop myself from asking.
She buried her face in her hands, and I felt slight disappointment at not being able to see her face. “No, because it gets way worse.”
“Worse?” I bit my lip. “How worse?”
“I’m fine,” she assured me. “Just frustrated. It was just Helen.”
“What did she say?” My voice was a bit too angry, and I regretted not speaking softer despite my anger at her stepmother.
“She asked if I had finally gotten a boyfriend. Ugh,” she groaned, rolling out of the camera. I heard a muffled scream. When she came back into view, she seemed a bit more calm. “She’s always messing around in my love life. And when I told her no, she had the audacity to ask if I had a crush, like I’m some stupid middle-schooler.”
“Do you?” I blurted, my chest tightening. “Sorry, I know you don’t like questions like that.”
“No, you idiot. If I did, you would be the first to know. Ugh, I haven’t even had a crush in so long. Like, maybe back when I had a crush on Connor.”
“Connor sucks,” I complained. “Why did you even have a crush on him in the first place?”
Annabeth laughed a little. “He’s your friend, doofus. And I was like fourteen. I kind of hate Helen for asking, though. It’s not my fault all the guys around me suck.”
I pouted jokingly. “Do I suck?”
“Yes,” she answered simply.
I gasped dramatically, clasping my hands against my chest. “Annabeth Chase, you wound me. I am offended that you would even joke about something like that.”
“Who said I’m joking?”
My pout might have been a little more real now, despite knowing she really was joking.
“Obviously you don’t suck,” she told me.
“What did you tell her?”
“I just told her I was too busy to be dating,” Annabeth said. “It’s not too far from the truth, anyway.”
I sighed. “I know, right? You’re too busy with your best friend to even entertain the idea of dating someone else.”
She flipped me off. “What about you? How was your catastrophic day?”
I shrugged in an attempt to be casual, but there was a tightness in my shoulders as I recounted the events of the day in my mind.
“Perce?” Annabeth asked softly.
I looked up at the screen and was met with her careful stare.
“I tried taking the test,” I confessed.
“The test?” Annabeth checked.
“The test,” I confirmed.
“Oh, Percy,” Annabeth said softly.
I swallowed, the memory of the water weighing in my mind. “It’s okay.”
“It didn’t go well?”
“Nah,” I said flippantly, although not going well was an understatement. “I failed.”
“I’m sorry,” Annabeth whispered.
I shrugged, suddenly finding myself at a loss for words. Clearing my throat, I angled the camera toward my leg, which was back in the brace.
“It flared up again after that, so I had to put it back in.”
“Perc—” Annabeth started to tell me off for pushing myself too early, I’m sure. She was almost definitely going to say that, but she changed the subject. “Hey, maybe I could come over tomorrow? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you guys.”
Warmth pooled in my stomach, and memories of my failed life-guarding test were shoved aside. “Wait, actually? That would be amazing.” I cleared my throat again, slightly aware of how obviously excited I was being. “Miss me, do you?”
“I miss Estelle,” Annabeth stated calmly.
I put my hand on my chest. “Ouch, Annabeth. That hurts.”
“Of course I miss you, you doofus.”
The warmth expanded like a balloon, although it mingled with something a bit sad. “I miss you, too.”
Neither one of us said anything for a moment. The words echoed between us.
After a moment, I broke the warm silence.
“Would you come over for dinner after school, maybe?”
Annabeth grinned, which made me want to wrap her in a tight hug and spin her around. “Of course. I’ve missed your mom’s cooking so much.”
I clicked my tongue. “Should’ve known you just wanted a home-cooked meal.”
“I can want a home-cooked meal and to see my best friend at the same time,” Annabeth deadpanned.
“Aw,” I crooned. “I’m your best friend?”
“Ha, as if. Estelle is.”
I let out a loose laugh. “Wow, okay. Ugh, seriously, though. It’s been so freaking long since I’ve seen your beautiful face. At this rate, I might be starting to forget what you look like.”
A blatant lie, of course. I could never forget how Annabeth Chase looked. I may not be the smartest ever, but I wasn’t that much of an idiot. And I wasn’t blind, for goodness’ sake. I knew she was one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen.
Just the way it was.
Also, to be fair, I had drawn her face so many times. I couldn’t help but try to capture the way her hair curled like a princess, or her stormy gray eyes. The way she would look when she was teasing. Her smile would be ingrained in my mind forever after the amount of times I had attempted to draw it.
I was never quite able to capture everything about Annabeth, though, and I wasn’t really sure I would ever be able to have the skills to make a drawing look even close to as beautiful as her.
“Well, I should probably go now,” Annabeth said, and I realized I had been zoning out, noting her freckles again. “I have to get up early. But see you tomorrow, though.”
“See you tomorrow,” I echoed.
“Goodnight, Perce.” She grinned one last time into the camera, and I decided I had to capture the way her nose scrunched in her pure excitement. Essentially, I gave up on getting a good night’s sleep, but this was more fun anyway. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I replied earnestly, feeling warmth all throughout me. It felt like having a blanket draped over me. “Goodnight.”
She hung up, and instantly I reached for my sketch book. My hands moved slowly, and I fought valiantly to get her smile right.
I made sure to get all the creases in her cheeks and her nose from the big smile.
It was well into the night before I finally finished the drawing, and I put it in my folder, mostly satisfied. It was still missing something, but it was close enough for now.
I would get it down eventually.
Sleep came soon after that, and my last thought was of striking gray eyes.