Percabeth at high school

Chapter 8

The walk of shame.

At least, that's what the walk from her car to Percy's door felt like. Annabeth wasn't ready to face Sally.

She rang the doorbell, her hands drenched in sweat. What was she supposed to say to Percy's parents after her scandal the other night? "Hey, remember me? The drunk crier? Yeah, I'm here to watch your child. Have fun!"

Annabeth was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the front door open.

"Come in," Percy said, pulling her into his home. "It's cold."

She frowned. It was somewhere around fifty degrees, not too chilly for New York. A tiny voice in her mind told her he might've said that as an excuse to touch her arm.

"Can I say hi to your parents? I want to, uh, properly apologize."

He shut the door behind him. "Just missed them, actually. Plus there's nothing to apologize for."

She gave him a look. "Sure."

That's when a squealing little girl came running into the living room. She was clumsy with her movements and she wore multiple flowers in her hair.

"Stella!" Percy cried. "Did you take mom's flowers again?"

Stella, Annabeth noted. A beautiful nickname for Estelle.

The girl only giggled. Percy picked her up and tickled her stomach. When she curled up against his chest, Annabeth found her heart growing tender.

Estelle turned and looked Annabeth up and down. "Are you Percy's girlfriend?"

"Hey!" he cried again. "What did I say about embarrassing me? I won't play dress up with you if you keep this up."

"Dress up?" the blonde asked.

...

" Please let me post this on my Snapchat."

"Don't you dare, " Percy replied. He had three pink bows in his hair, his mother's pink scarf around his shoulders, and had pink eye shadow on his eyelids, courtesy of Annabeth and Estelle.

"You look fabulous!" Estelle insisted. She'd recently discovered her favorite color, and Percy had fallen victim to an attack of pink. The eyelids were an extra touch added after Annabeth mentioned that her favorite color was glitter pink.

It was late, and Percy decided to tuck his sister in for bed. Annabeth didn't mean to watch, but the way he kissed Estelle's forehead and hugged her goodnight really touched her heart. She'd never received affection like that—not even from her own dad. She never had any older siblings growing up, either.

Percy closed his sister's bedroom door and gestured for them to go downstairs so as to not bother her.

"Want something to eat?" he asked.

"Pizza?" she suggested. He smiled.

"I like the way you think."

After he ordered it, he asked if she wanted to watch a movie in the living room. He probably meant to look nonchalant and collected, but there was a light blush on his cheeks and he still had the pink bows and eyeshadow on. Annabeth bit her tongue.

"You're really sweet to your sister," she said suddenly. Percy blushed even harder. Perhaps the bright kitchen lights were highlighting his undertones.

"Yeah," he said. "I mean, yeah. I love her."

"You keep surprising me," she admitted. "No offense."

He laughed. "Maybe you'll learn to not underestimate me."

Annabeth smiled. "Maybe."

They sat through a part of the movie until the delivery guy came, and Annabeth let Percy answer the door with his bows and eyeshadow. He glared at her when the guy left.

"I'd forgotten about that."

"I hadn't," she said. She took the bows out of his hair and continued, "leave the eyeshadow. Really makes your eyes pop."

He pushed her to the side while she tried to control her laughter.

They decided eating on the couch would be fun, and when they had stuffed their mouths, Percy tentatively put his arm around Annabeth.

She asked herself what the most fun option would be. Her brain replied, cuddling.

So she leaned into him and they both relaxed into each other. And so what if they practically molded into each other? It was fun. They were having fun. And that was what they did.

As Percy tightened his hold on her, she silently wondered how many other girls he'd introduced to Estelle.