Finding You || Percabeth College AU ✔️

Prologue

Camp Pine Haven, Long Island, New York. Six years ago.

Annabeth Chase sat in the shade of a maple tree, reading a book titled 'Greatest Architectural Achievements of the 18th Century.'

"Hey."

She glanced up, slightly irritated someone was interrupting her reading time. Percy Jackson was standing above her, cracking a sarcastic smile.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, shutting her book. "What's up?"

"Oh, you know," Percy sighed, "just realllllyyy looking forward to going home tomorrow."

Annabeth smiled grimly. "Me too."

Percy shifted his posture and put his arm around her, just as Annabeth leaned against his shoulder. Both of them felt their hearts skip a beat.

"Are you sure we can't just run away together?" Percy asked after a several moments. "Just you, me, and my mom?"

"You know that would never work," Annabeth said sorrowfully. "You and I are already" - she put air quotes around the next two words- "troubled kids. What would happened if we tried to run away and the police caught us?"

"I know," Percy said. "I just don't want to leave you again. We won't be able to see each other again."

Both of their parents had pulled them from being enrolled in the camp that next summer because, according to the news, it was "unsafe development for our children" and "causing them to evolve into rebels that will destroy our good society." Annabeth and Percy knew that wasn't even close to the truth, but who would the parents believe: authority figures or two kids already in trouble with the law?

In the distance, a horn sounded, prompting the two of them to stand up and head toward the mess hall. It was crowded with people lugging suitcases and duffels, shouting to each other, or in the case of Clarisse La Rue and Sherman Yang, wrestling and attempting to knock the other out.

"Everyone shut up!" Mr. D, the director of the summer camp (not the owner) bellowed. "Or I'll leave you here to fend for yourselves!"

That hushed everyone up. Everyone knew that you never wanted to make Mr. D angry; the last kid who had was never seen again (Actually, the kid was just thrown overboard in Long Island Sound and eventually rescued by the Coast Guard, but the campers didn't need to know that).

"Good," Mr. D said once everyone had shut up. "Now, I am legally obligated to ensure you get into the vans safely and blah blah blah. So, just grab your crap and find your van. Or don't. I could care less."

Mr. D departed, leaving many of the campers terrified and several younger ones in hysterics.

"Calm down," Chiron, the activities director, said soothingly. "Mr. D is just in a bad mood. You will all get home."

To ensure his words would ring true, Chiron picked up much of the luggage and carried it to its owner's respective van. The rest of counselors  shepherded the campers to their vans, where a surprise awaited Percy and Annabeth.

"Annabeth, get over here!"

Annabeth turned, her heart sinking faster than a stone in a river. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick you up," replied her stepmother sourly. "Your father is busy with work."

"I'm not riding home with you," Annabeth said flatly.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm riding in the van with Percy."

"This is not your decision, young lady."

"Annabeth and I are riding together," Percy said stubbornly.

"That's not happening, brat," said an unpleasant voice behind him.

Gabe, Percy's stepfather, stood before his Cadillac with a sneer on his face.

"Why are you picking me?" Percy growled with clenched fists.

"Because your mother's busy," Gabe sneered, striding toward Percy. "Let's go, brat."

"Hell no," Percy said.

Gabe's sneered increased, and he grabbed his stepson roughly by his collar and dragged him toward the Cadillac.

"Let him go!" Annabeth snarled. "Percy!"

"We're not doing this," said her stepmother, and she grabbed Annabeth by the arm and pulled her toward her convertible.

The two best friends struggled and clawed at their stepparents in an attempt to reach each other. Their stepparents held on and forced Annabeth and Percy into their respective cars.

Annabeth looked desperately out her window at Percy; their gazes met.

"I'll come back to you! Soon!!" Percy shouted desperately, kicking Gabe in the balls so the car door could stay open. "I promise!"

As her stepmother drove away from her best friend, a tear trickled down Annabeth's cheek.

"I'll see you again soon, Seaweed Brain," she whispered.

Unfortunately, soon did not mean a few weeks or a couple months as Annabeth had hoped; it meant six years.