Home Is Where You Are

Chapter 27

Happy Reading! 

Determined, I slammed the book shut and shoved it back into the wardrobe, along with my bag. I stormed out of the spare room and into the living room, 

"I thought you were leaving," Thalia didn't even turn her head when she spoke, 

"Sorry to disapoint you," I  snapped, "Where's Percy?" Thalia's eyes flicked up to mine momentarily before returning to the T.V, 

"He left like two minutes ago, don't know where he went," She shrugged. I closed my eyes and shook my head, 

"Thanks for the help," I mumbled and I walked towards the front door. I wrenched it open, and stuck one foot out the door, 

"Sure you wanna go out like that?" I turned around to see Connor walking into the living room, his hand disappearing into a bag of crisps. I looked down at what I was wearing, when I realised that I still had on my bright orange Camp shirt. I rolled my eyes and pulled the nearest jacket I saw off of one of the coat hooks in the hallway. I pulled it on and walk out of the door. 

It's raining when I reach the bottom floor and step outside the doors, which were covered in tape due to my run-in with the hellhound. Truth be told, I wasn't really sure where to look, given the fact that I didn't know my way around. 

There was one place that I was sure Percy would go, but the problem was getting there. That's when my luck turned around, 

"Hey Annabeth,"

"Hey Morgan what's up?" I smiled as Morgan pulled his bike to a halt just infront of me, 

"Um, I just came to see how Percy was. He seemed pretty pissed when he left - or that's what Jade said," Morgan grimaced, "Where is he?" 

I bit my cheek, something I had picked up, 

"Well, I think I know where he is, but I don't know where he is," I laughed. Morgan frowned, "I don't really know my way around all too well," I explained. He smiled, 

"Well, where is it that you need to be?" He asked, raising his eyebrows, "I could take you, if you like?" 

"I owe you, Morgan," I said, as I dismounted the bike. Morgan's cheeks flushed and he shook his head, "You ever meet Nico?" I didn't look at him as I spoke, 

"N - Nico?" He stumbled over the name. I turned around to see his face turning red. I smile, "I'll put in a good word for you," 

He opens his mouth to reply, but only a squeak escapes his lips. I turned back away from him and looked through the rain, which only seemed to be getting heavier by the second, 

"I'll see you tomorrow," I called over my shoulder and I began to jog in the direction, I was almost sure he would be in. I didn't hear a reply, but I didn't look back to check. 

The rain began to turn to hail, as it seeped through my borrowed jacket and make me shiver, 

"Percy?" I call. The skate park looked empty from where I stood, but even from my distant position, I could hear the rolling of a skateboard. Taking my time, I walked over to where I heard the sound. I shoved my hands into my pockets, as if it would keep them warm. When I reached the edge of the pit, where the sound is coming from, I sat down, my legs dangling over the side. 

I watched carefully as a figure moves around below me. I don't know how long I sat there, watching him, but eventually, I remembered why I had gone, 

"Perce?" I said into the darkness. The figure stopped, almost immediately and turned around to face me. I watched as he stomped on one end of his skateboard, making it flip into the air before he caught it. 

Shoving it under his arm, he began to walk up to where I was sat. I watched as he slid his board next to me, and then pulled himself up too, sitting next to me. We sat in silence for a while before he spoke, 

"Are you mad at me?" His voice was soft and concerned. I lifted my head up from his shoulder - where it was previously rested - to look at him, 

"Why would you think that?" I laughed. Percy grimaced, 

"Because you were going to leave," My face dropped and I looked away, 

"Oh. I was thinking about that," I looked at him again, "And then -" I thought for a moment about the book that I ha found, "And then something changed my mind. I'm not going anywhere, Percy, but on one condition," 

Percy frowned. I opened my mouth to say something to him, before there was a loud pop from in front of us. Both of out heads snapped towards the sound at the same time. My shoulders slumped as I saw what was there, 

"Just our luck right?" I murmured. I heard Percy scoff from beside me, and saw him reach for his pocket from the corner of my eye. I drew my dagger, and we leapt from the top of the pit in unison. 

The hellhound bared it's teeth at the movement, a long drool of saliva creeping it's way to the floor. 

"Another day in paradise," Percy wrinkled his nose and uncapped riptide, tossing the lid to the side, "I'll distract, you attack," He nodded to me and I nodded back. I turned around, making sure to keep the monster and Percy in the corner of my eye. I jumped up onto the top of the pit and heard Percy shouting from behind me, 

"Over here, fish brain!" I laugh, "Wait, no, that was meant to be an insult, let me try again-" He stumbles the last few words as the hellhound begins to run towards him. I stand on the very edge of the pit, and counted to three, and jumped. 

I was winded when I landed, but I grabbed two large fistfuls of fur. As soon as I had landed, the monster began to spin, as if it were chasing it's tail. It took me a moment to realise, that he was actually trying to bite me. Every now and then, it would snap its jaws and growl, making him shake. 

"You got him?" I heard Percy shout. I tried to focus on breathing through the feeling of compression on my chest. 

"I got him!" I yelled back eventually. Slowly and carefully, I let go of the acting reigns and straightened my back. I drew my dagger and plunged it into the hellounds back, "Percy!" It took me two seconds to realise what would happen. 

Suddenly, the weight beneath me disappeared and I fell to the ground, though not entirely, 

"How'd you do that?" I asked in awe. Just before I had hit the ground, a large bubble appeared beneath me, catching me in my fall. 

Percy smiled as he held out his hand. I took it and slid off of the bubble,

"Thanks," I mumbled, looking down. I could feel my face heating up as he laughed. I looked up and smiled at his grin. Our eyes met, and our smiles faded, though nothing seemed to change the happy buzz in the air. Percy cleared his throat, 

"So, um, you were saying something?" I frowned and then shook my head, 

"Oh, right. The condition," I paused, unsure of how to word it, "Percy, the people at your school are -" I searched for the word," 

"Problematic?" he suggested, and to answer my puzzled look, her added, "I read it off of one of your homework sheets," 

"I don't want to ruin things between us and - " 

"Annabeth, I know that my friends are a little weird, but I don't want to stop hanging out with them - " 

"Gods! Percy no! I just mean, Charlotte," Percy's face seemed to relax at first, but at the mention of the name, his nose wrinkled, "I don't want us to fight because of her, Percy, so we have to do something about her," 

Percy narrowed his eyes and smiled, 

"I like were this is going," I laughed at took his hand, 

"Come on fish brain," We started walking up the side of the pit, going a few minutes in silence, 

"Was that meat to be an insult?" 

So, yes I'm a day late on the birthday post, but happy birthday Percy Jackson an happy anniversary Percabeth for the 18th. I've had some major writers block, so sorry for the very long wait. You'll probably have to suffer another one for a while, so sorry about that. If you have any idea's as to how we can get back at Charlotte, it would be well appreciated! See you not-so-soon! - Bidsmvn750