Chapter Text
The last first day of school was a mess.
Annabeth was ready to die once she saw how crowded the cafeteria was at lunch time. There were so many people, too much noise, and somehow it already felt stuffy and loud even though it wasn’t even that late. She stepped in the huge place and immediately regretted it. She looked at the food line and saw a bunch of people waiting, approximately fifty persons waiting to get food. Then she looked over at the lunch tables and found an empty table by the window.
If she got food first, she’d lose the table. And there was no way she was wandering around with a tray trying to find somewhere to sit with people she didn't know.
She looked around and found her friends making the line so she decided to take one for the group and sacrifice herself.
Annabeth arrived quickly and took a seat at the table. She let out a quiet sigh before pulling the book she had been reading from her backpack.
She felt a little more relaxed. Before she knew it, she’d gotten so caught up in her book that the noise of the cafeteria faded into the background, and for the first time that day, she got a moment of peace.
So far, the first day of senior year had been painfully boring.
Introductions, introductions, and even more introductions from the teachers. She couldn’t wait for the day to be over.
“Nice!” Thalia said, breaking her calm while sliding into the seat across from her. “You found a table.”
“Barely” Annabeth said. “I didn’t even get lunch so we could sit.”
“I’m sorry and I love you.” she answered, making Annabeth let a small laugh.
Luke sat down next to Thalia, setting his tray on the table.
“I had to cut the line,” he said. “No regrets.”
Clarisse dropped into the chair beside him.
“Of course you did,” she said. “Some of us waited like normal people.”
“You say that like you didn’t push two freshmen out of the way” Thalia pointed out.
Clarisse shrugged. “They were too slow.”
Grover arrived next, slightly out of breath.
“It’s impossible in there” he said, sitting down. “I almost got stuck behind the vending machines.”
Juniper laughed, sitting beside him.
“That’s because you stopped to talk to everyone.”
“I was being polite!” Grover said.
Annabeth glanced around.
“Where’s Percy?” she asked.
Clarisse didn’t even look up. “Late. As usual.”
“He was behind me” Grover added. “I think.”
“He probably got distracted” Luke said.
“Or started talking to someone” Thalia sighed.
“Or forgot what he was doing” Juniper added.
Annabeth rolled her eyes slightly, but she still glanced toward the entrance.
Typical.
It was the last year but Percy never changed. In some way that still calmed Annabeth that he was always the same, but him being late always bothered her.
A minute later Percy finally showed up, walking through the crowd like none of it bothered him, greeting some people on the way.
He reached the table and dropped into the empty seat next to Annabeth.
“Wow,” he said, looking around. “You guys didn’t save Annabeth anything?”
Everyone went quiet. Percy rolled his eyes and set a plate down in front of Annabeth.
“You got the food for me?”
Percy shrugged like it was nothing.
“You were definitely going to choose a seat over food.”
Annabeth stared at him for a second.
“That’s actually true.”
Percy smirked, already stealing one fry.
“I know. So I was going to get food for both of us but they didn’t let me get two trays so… we have to share.” He smiled innocently. “Or if you prefer to get in the chaos back there…” he said, pointing to the line behind them that was still growing.
Annabeth shook her head, trying not to smile, and reached for the fries.
“Sharing is okay for me. Thanks, Percy” she whispered to him.
“Yeah” Percy said, smugly. “You are welcome, Wise girl.”
Annabeth rolled her eyes at the nickname, but there was no real bite behind it.
“Don’t call me that.”
Percy just grinned, completely ignoring her, and took another fry.
Annabeth smiled and reached for another fry, only for Percy to grab it at the same time, their hands brushed, both froze for half a second.
“Sorry” Percy said quickly, pulling his hand back.
“It’s fine” Annabeth replied, just as fast.
She grabbed a different fry.
Percy cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair.
“So” he started, a little too casually, “what were you reading before everyone showed up?”
Annabeth hesitated for a second, then reached for her book. She usually didn't mind showing him what she was reading, he always asked him.
“Just something I found.”
Percy leaned slightly closer over her shoulder, trying to see the cover.
Annabeth immediately tilted it away from him.
“You’re hiding it.”
“I’m not hiding it.”
“You definitely are.”
Annabeth sighed.
“It’s just a book, Percy.”
“Yeah, but what kind of book?”
“Why do you care?”
Percy shrugged. “I don’t. I’m just curious, you always show me your super cool history books.”
“This one is just… a… magic book.”
“Liar.” he laughed.
Annabeth gave him a look.
Percy smiled like he was enjoying this way too much.
They were close, pretty close. Annabeth could feel his breath on her shoulder, she could perfectly see his frekles with such a clarity that scared her.
“Let me see it.”
“No.”
“Annabeth.”
“Percy.”
“Pleaseeeee.”
He leaned even closer, lowering his voice slightly.
“Is it a romcom?”
Annabeth almost choked on her own spit.
“No.”
“That sounded like a yes.”
“Percy, you are so annoying” she said, rolling her eyes and getting as far as she could from him.
Percy opened his mouth to argue, but Annabeth suddenly glanced past him.
Her expression changed just slightly, Percy noticed immediately.
“What?”
Annabeth nodded behind her. When Percy turned around he saw him too, Connor Stoll had just walked into the cafeteria.
Her stomach did something strange.
She turned back quickly, hoping no one noticed.
Percy definitely noticed.
There was a small pause. Then he said, casually, “So… you gonna talk to him today?”
Annabeth frowned “I don’t know.”
Percy nodded slowly, like that answer didn’t surprise him.
“You should.”
Annabeth looked at him.
“You think so?”
“Yeah,” Percy said, grabbing another fry. “Theres only a year left before we leave for college and you haven't even talked to him for more than two minutes…” he made a pause, putting a hand on her shoulder “Look, if you really like him, you should start by talking to him. If you don’t then you will never get a chance.”
Annabeth hesitated.
Connor was laughing with someone near the entrance.
She looked back at Percy.
“I don’t even know what I’d say.”
Percy shrugged.
“Anything. Just… talk to him.”
Annabeth closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands with a groan.
“You make it sound so easy.”
He smiled “Because for me it is, I mean, I'm one of the most popular guys in school” he said, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulders.
Percy had always been well known around school. Being the captain of the swim team tended to do that. He and Annabeth had been friends since kindergarten, and even though they had ended up taking very different paths, their friendship had never changed, they knew each other better than anyone.
“It is that easy" he said now, with sympathy. “You’re just overthinking it.”
Annabeth rolled her eyes.
“I am not overthinking it.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“You so are.”
She crossed her arms.
“You’re not helping.”
Percy leaned back in his chair.
“I am helping. I’m giving you confidence.”
“This is not confidence.”
“It is,” he said. “Just fake it.”
Annabeth blinked.
“Fake it?”
“Yeah” Percy said, like it was obvious. “Act like you’re not nervous.”
Annabeth stared at him.
“And that works?”
Percy smirked.
“Works for me.”
Annabeth narrowed her eyes slightly.
“That explains a lot.”
Percy laughed.
“Wow”
Annabeth shook her head, but there was a small smile on her face again.
She glanced once more towards Connor, then back at Percy.
“I don’t even know how to flirt” she said.
“Percy could teach you” Thalia joined their conversation “Is he not the most desired guy at school?” she said with a sarcastic tone.
“Yeah, he could probably teach you how,” Grover added. “Thanks to him, I finally worked up the courage to ask Juniper out last year.”
Juniper smiled and pressed a quick kiss to Grover’s cheek “He’s right.”
“Yeah.” Annabeth said, she turned to Percy and studied him for a second.
“What are you thinking?” Percy tilted his head.
But before she could say anything, the ring belled. Letting them know their break was over.
“Nothing” Annabeth said, grabbing her bag.
Later that day, Annabeth was laying on her bed pressed up against the wall, legs stretched up along it and her phone between her hands.
She thought. A lot. She was used to think everything so much her head sometimes even hurted, but she got used to it, somehow.
And as she kept thinking, an idea creeped in her head and now she needed to do it. Because Annabeth promised herself someday she would fall in love and be happy. And last year she met Connor Stoll, a guy who had a twin brother but both of them where very different. He decided to move to New York with their mom and his brother decided to stay in California with their dad.
And so he was new, and Annabeth was designed to show him the school and instantly she felt something in her stomach twist. He was so nice, fun and kind that Annabeth thought she even fell in love with him. But that was it. He would only say hello and goodbye to her, it was sad. And she wanted to change it. She never even dated anyone so for her this was like a really hard aspect in her life, and that was making her go insane because she loved having everything under control.
So now, she was there, with Percy’s chat open and ready to propose a maybe crazy idea.
ANNABETH
Percyyyy
ANNABETH
Percy Jacksooooooon
ANNABETH
PERCYYY
ANNABETH
peeeeeeeeeeeeercyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
PERCY
i was doing cookies with estelle swrry :((
PERCY
what is going on??????
ANNABETH
.Okay don't worry. Sorry for bothering
PERCY
yuo never bother me beth
ANNABETH
*Okay, ANNABETH
ANNABETH
.i'm texting you because I have an idea
PERCY
keep going
ANNABETH
…Well
ANNABETH
Don’t laugh at me
ANNABETH
?And don't feel obligated to say yes, okay
PERCY
you are scaring me:0
ANNABETH
.Percy
PERCY
okaay
ANNABETH
I might have an idea, about all the Connor situation
ANNABETH
Like, I know last year you and him where in the same drama class and that he's close with some of your friends… So maybe you could idk, help me
PERCY
help you what?
ANNABETH
Don’t make me say it
PERCY
i dooooont understand what you mean, wise girl…
ANNABETH
.I hate you
ANNABETH
Maybe you could help me so i can talk to him and
PERCY
and?
ANNABETH
.show me how to flirt
PERCY
wise girl wise giiiirl… that is not something you just teach people
ANNABETH
.Everything can be taught
PERCY
naahh no one can teach my flirting skills
ANNABETH
Im going to block you
PERCY
IM SORRY.
PERCY
if you really need help i can teach you how to flirt but under one conidition.
ANNABETH
?Which one
PERCY
you need to join the drama club
ANNABETH
.Fine
ANNABETH
And please lets not tell anything to our friends, this is kinda embarrassing
PERCY
dont worry wise girl, i wont.
PERCY
now i gotta go before the cookies explode!! byeee
ANNABETH
Bye
The next morning, Annabeth dragged herself out of bed with a mix of dread and determination. She’d already committed to drama club Percy’s “under one condition” and now she had to face the reality of actually doing it.
She shoved her phone in her bag, ignoring the small ping that meant Percy had probably already sent some pointless text about some random thing.
At school, she spotted him near the lockers, leaning casually against the wall like he owned the place.
“Hey, Wise Girl,” Percy called when he noticed her, smiling.
“Morning, Percy,” she muttered, hoping her voice sounded normal.
“You ready for this?” he asked, eyes sparkling.
“For what?” she replied, though she knew exactly what he meant.
Percy smirked.
“Drama club. Lesson one.”
Annabeth rolled her eyes, but the small smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.
“Yeah, I already signed up as soon as I came here.”
He clapped, happily. And then walked with her to her first class.
When she got to class, she met up with Thalia, Clarisse, and Luke.
“You look… weird” Thalia said, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m fine” Annabeth said quickly, though she fiddled with her bag strap.
Clarisse snorted.
“Yeah. Sure. Totally normal.”
Luke gave her a knowing look.
“You’re definitely up to something,” he said.
Annabeth opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it. Not a word. She could handle this on her own at least for now. If she could relax her nerves a little.
By the time lunch rolled around, her heart was already pounding a little faster than usual. Percy was waiting at the table with his lunch already, and the cafeteria was definitely more calm than yesterday.
“Are you ready to survive your first practice?” he asked, as she slid into the seat next to him.
Annabeth sighed.
“As ready as I’ll ever be” she muttered, but inside, she knew this was going to be… interesting.
Across the cafeteria, Connor walked by, completely oblivious, laughing at something someone said. Annabeth felt her stomach twist when she saw him, and she quickly turned at Percy.
“Don’t worry” he said casually, though his eyes followed Connor for a second. “We’ve got this.”
Annabeth stared at him with a brow raised.
“We?”
“Yeah!” Percy said with a grin. “Me and you. Look, step one: pretend it’s nothing. Step two: survive.”
She groaned.
“Step three: do I even know what I’m pretending?”
Percy leaned back, smirking like this was all a game.
“You’ll figure it out” he said. “I’ll guide you… kind of.”
Annabeth shook her head but couldn’t stop the small laugh that escaped.
“Kind of, yeah” she repeated, already regretting how nervous she actually felt.
Percy just winked “This is going to be fun. Just let yourself go a little, relax”
And in that moment Annabeth realized… Maybe Percy was right. This could help her be more relaxed… yeah.