7 - Surreal

                                    

                                          



Percy's POV 
                          
I stood just outside the door, touching my cheek where Annabeth had just kissed me.
                          
Oh. My. God. 
                          
Why did I feel so... weird? She meant it as a friend. A friend, and just a friend. 
Did I have to blush? Now she probably thought I was a creep or something. 
I groaned, pushing myself up and running down the stairs. I'd be there tonight, though. It wasn't going to be awkward. Not in the slightest. 
                          
Annabeths POV 
                          
The sun quickly passed it's climax and began to fall. Percy would be here in an hour, if he was on time, that is, (which I really doubted). 
I quickly changed out off my PJ's which I really couldn't have cared less to take off, but Percy was coming over, and the shirt wasn't exactly going to clean itself. 
                          
I pulled on a pair of grey leggings and a simple white shirt.
                          
I stood looking at the mirror, ruffling my hair a bit. It looked like a birds nest. 
Just as I picked up the brush, the doorbell rang. 
                          
Percy's early? Well that's unexpected. 
                          
I put down the brush and ran downstairs, swinging the door open.
A thought burned my mind a second too late. Maybe it wasn't Percy. And boy, was I right. Ice crawled up my spine, a sudden chill sending shivers racking my body. 
   "Can I help you?"
In front of me stood a boy with brown, messy hair, a twisted smile on his cruel lips, and a black eye. Ethan had decided to pay me a visit a mere week after Percy had arrived. Well, I suppose that in itself, that is a long time for him to hold off. 
   "Well, darling. Actually, you can. Paybacks a bit of a bi-" 
   "Swearing now? Well, in all honesty, if you're that out of vocabulary I could always offer you a class or two." I spat. 
   "Shut your smart-ass mouth, girl." 
I smiled sickeningly sweetly at him, saying, "Well, I mean, gender is a human construct, so pretending that one of the said genders are an insult, I really don't see effectiveness in." 
I heard my jaw cracking before I felt it. 
Then the stinging came. It hurt too much to move. Too much to scream.
Instead, a muffled, rather obscene world escaped my lips. Ethan said something, but I couldn't here it, I could only see his lips moving. 
Then I felt his icy breath on my neck.
I shuddered, grappling to reach the air my lungs so desperately yearned for. 
                          
I am not this weak. 
                          
I dragged air into my throat. I could only think of one plan. And it would probably not work. Scratch that, it wasn't going to work. I grabbed his shirt as the shadows started clearing in my vision.
   "What the-"
I pushed him against the wall, confusing him eternally. In one hand I was holding my sweater that had come of my as I'd fallen to the ground. 
                          
I am not weak, I repeated as a mental mantra time and time again. 
                          
I smiled knowingly at him. He gave me a confused look again, but didn't try to advance or make a move, probably just as curious as to how this was going to play out as I was. 
He realised a split second too late what I was doing. 
   "No-"
I gagged him with the sweater, pulling the oldest trick in the book: kicking him in the crotch. He fell to the floor, howling through the sweater still draped around his mouth. 
He clutched his throat, choking, but still trying to plead.
   "Pl...ea...se..."
I smiled evilly, and I'm not going to lie. It scared me more that I was secretly enjoying this, rather than the fact that I was actually choking someone. 
Twenty seconds passed and Ethan was still struggling. 
Twenty five seconds. 
He slumped forward, but I didn't let go. 
Thirty. I released. Thirty, the magic number for knocking someone out cold. 
I'd done it, relishing in the feeling of the whole situation. I'd saved myself. I was the hero to myself. I'd protected myself. On my own. 
I looked up after taking Ethan's pulse, to see a familiar face gaping at me. 
    "Percy..."
He continued to stare at me.
I didn't care what he'd think of me. 
    "I did it."
I said triumphantly, breathing heavily from restraining Ethan.
                          
Just as the silence grew unbearable, he rushed to me, hugging me tightly. I ignored my heart, which was probably racing faster than the speed of light. 
                          
I felt a cry crawling up my throat, but I bit it back.
                          
Not this time. I'm not weak. Not. This. Time. 
                          
I sighed as I let go of Percy. We both glared at Ethan, who was lying in an awkward position on the floor, his backside up in the air. Normally, it would have been funny, except now I'd have to get him out of the apartment, and go to school tomorrow. 
                          
   "Percy! It's Monday tomorrow. I completely forgot! I- I've got to pack!"
I squealed as I ran up the stairs.
Percy stumbled up after me, grabbing my arm.
   "Woah there, Wise Girl. First of, Ethan is snoozing downstairs, waiting to be dumped on the streets. Second, I forgot to tell you. I'm coming tomorrow instead of waiting for two more weeks."
He smiled at me, rubbing the back of his neck.
I tackled him with a hug, for the third time today. 
   "That's great!"
I yelled, as I screamed internally. Percy might know about some bad parts of my life. But he certainly didn't know about all of it.
                          
I'll have to come up with something on the way to school then... 
   "Do you want to stay over tonight?"
My massive mouth said before I had a chance to think about it.
   "Uh, what? I mean yes! Uh, yeah sure. Uh..."
He rubbed his neck again. 
I smiled awkwardly at him. 
   "Want to order some pizza?"
I asked causally enough.
He smiled mischievously.
   "Only if it's pepperoni."
My shoulders slumped a I sighed.
   "Are you trying to insult me? Im vegetarian!"
A terrified look flashed across Percy's face. 
   "What? You vile creature!"
He replied with. 
I flipped my hair at him, then turned towards the door. 
I raced downstairs giggling, momentarily forgetting about Ethan.
   "No! Annabeth, I didn't mean it! Don't ruin my life. ANNABETH!"
I heard as he raced down the stars, once again chasing me. And for a while, I couldn't have cared less that a potential bully lay in my very apartment who'd come here with the intention of hurting me. 
                          
*** 
                          
I snuggled up closer to Annabeth, breathing in her sweet lemon scent. 
 I'd dumped Ethan on an empty alleyway a little earlier on. Served him right if he was found by some thief. 
I pursed my lips.
  "This movie is so cheesy."
I complained, shifting around slightly. 
She looked at me, her eyebrows raised. I noticed her dimples were showing as she desperately, and quite obviously, tried to fend of a smile. 
   "Cheesy? Perseus Jackson, what is wrong with you?!"
This time, I raised my eyebrows.
   "It's cheesy, 'kay? Don't deny it."
Her eyes widened even more. 
   "How can you call this cheesy? It's adorable!"
I huffed at her, lifting her hair slightly, leaving it in her eyes.
She didn't move the strands of hair out of her face, but instead left them hanging. 
She glared up at me. 
   "Your such a dork."
   "Phht. Thanks."
I muttered. 
But the movie was cheesy. It was a classical, and Annabeth had practically begged me to put it on. 
I'd said yes, of course, but I was only in it for the pizza. But the pizza was gone now, so I could insult it as much as I wanted. 
Ha ha.
Annabeth shivered a bit, even if she was in my arms. 
I grabbed my hoodie lying right next to me.
   "Here."
She shook her head.
   "It's too big for me..."
I smiled at the thought of her wearing it.
She'd look adorable. 
   "You'll look cute in it." 
Her eyes widened, and so did mine.
   "No! I mean, you won't look that bad in it... not that your ugly or anything bu-"
She snickered, cutting me off. 
I glared at her unresponsively. I just hoped my cheeks weren't as red as they felt. 
She took the hoodie and pulled it on. 
Cute. 
Wait. Back up. What? No she's my best friend. She's not pretty. Well... she was. Just- no not pretty. 
I was going to go to school with her as her best friend. 
Not her boyfriend- oh lord. Stop thinking Percy! I shook my head, silently scolding myself. The TV flashed to a new scene, and so my eyes focused on it instead. 
Annabeth snuggled closer to me again, now resting her head on my shoulder, close enough for me to hear her short uneven breaths. 
The TV flashed again. The couple in the movie slowly leaned in and kissed each other. 
I felt Annabeth tense up a bit. She probably felt just as awkward as I did. 
                          
   "When's your family coming back?"
I said, finally breaking the silence.
   "Not sure. Within a day or two. Not tonight though. Don't worry so much Seaweed brain."
I smiled to myself, feeling my eyelids growing heavier with every breath I took.
My head rested on Annabeth's head, but she didn't seem to mind. 
I took a deep breath, and with that, I felt myself drift into deep sleep.
                          
Merci! Tack! Thank you! I dunno I'm tired.... thanks for reading! Please vote and comment!