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Annabeth still couldn't believe just how she could go to a half pipe and forget to bring her skateboard back with her. Seriously, if she were coming home from a coffee shop, or Piper's, or one of her classes (or anywhere else, honestly) and left it behind, it was at least understandable... But no, she goes to a freaking half pipe and comes back without it.
She walked the whole way to Canarsie Park, Brooklyn, lecturing herself about attention and thinking that she deserved this; that it was all her fault and that if she'd stop being so greedy and thinking about that donut place close to her apartment, this never would have happened. It probably isn't even there anymore. I bet someone already stole it. She was so deep in thought that she didn't realize there was someone in front of her until she bumped into him.
"Hey, watch where you're go–"
Annabeth stopped talking abruptly when she saw who she'd bumped into. He was a man about her age – twenty or so. He was tall, kind of tanned and had dark, unruly hair that she instantly knew wouldn't stay in place even with three jars worth of hair gel on it. He had a skateboard under his foot and was wearing a large black AC/DC t-shirt and floppy jeans, but you could see that he was lean and muscular underneath them. The most stunning thing about him was the color of those big, almond-shaped eyes: the deepest shade of sea-green. He stared back at her for a few seconds with a stupid look on his face until he blinked and shook his head, as if getting out of a trance.
"Holy shit..." he murmured lightly. "Um, sorry, I didn't mean to – I mean, I – I just... sorry, it's just that you're really beautiful."
As soon as he said it, his eyes widened and he opened his mouth nervously. "Uh, sorry! I didn't mean to sound offensive or anything, I really –"
"You didn't," she smiled.
"What?" His cheeks were red and he looked too cute to be real.
"You said you didn't want to sound offensive. I'm just saying you didn't. It's never offensive to be called beautiful."
He gave her a full-on smile and gods, he was handsome. How he could find her beautiful dressed like she was, with baggy grey sweatpants and a white tank top, complete with her messy hair tied in a bun, she would never know, but she always appreciated a compliment.
Only then she noticed what he had in his hand.
He was holding completely wrecked skateboard with a stylish graffiti design of the New York City skyline, surrounded by rays of color – her skateboard, personally designed by her friend Rachel. Her friends kept telling her to buy a new one, since this one was all scratched and the sandpaper was peeling off on both sides, but she grew really attached to it and she promised herself she would only buy a new skateboard when this one broke in half.
"Hey, that's mine!"
He looked confusedly at her, glancing at the skateboard.
"What?" he asked. She realized he said that a lot.
"That's my skateboard," she said matter-of-factly. "If you look in the corner my name is written on it, see? It says Annabeth."
He looked closer and saw the name she had scribbled with a black Sharpie.
"Oh. Here you go, then, I suppose," he said, handing it to her. "I figured someone forgot about it since I was the only one left in the half-pipe, so I was going to take it to the lost and found here at the park... although I don't know if that would have been any good, since everybody keeps stealing stuff over there."
He had a little smirk on his face, and wow, Annabeth really felt like kissing him.
"They have a lost and found?" she asked, bewildered, examining the skateboard to see if it was all in one piece (even if it was already totally ruined when she left it).
"Yeah, right next to the parking lot," he answered.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, until she realized she should say something, since they couldn't stand there on the street forever, even if she did want to look into those green eyes all day.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Percy Jackson, pleased to meet you." He bowed dramatically, and his smile grew when he heard her laugh. "And you are Annabeth...?"
"Chase. Annabeth Chase." She smiled.
They paused one more time, and Percy simply stared at her like she was the prettiest thing he'd seen all day. She bit her lip before breaking the silence again.
"Um.. so, Percy Jackson..." she started. "My plan was to just get my skateboard back and head home, but since I'm already here and I have nothing else to do, I think I'm gonna go ride for a bit. Care to join me?"
"Hell yeah!" he said enthusiastically. He seemed to notice her surprise, because he blushed again and scratched the back of his head.
"I – I mean, sure," he added, looking at her sheepishly.
Annabeth laughed again and his face lit up, giving her that crooked smile again, and ugh how could he be so cute? He seemed completely oblivious too, which made everything even better. She hopped on her skateboard and started heading towards the park, noticing a few seconds later that she couldn't hear him behind her. Annabeth looked back and there he was, seven feet from her, staring with a dazed expression.
"Uh, you coming?" she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. He blinked.
"Oh, yeah. Right." Percy shook his head and jogged a little to catch up to her. She laughed again and he grinned as they skated together to their favorite place, each with the one they would one day call their favorite person.
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i'msosorry
but i was doing a storm and silence marathon to feel good so i forgot to update and yeah.
