Secrets | Percabeth AU

45- Stay

Annabeth's POV

It's been two weeks now since Percy had left for his tour. Everything is going as planned. We make time for each other. Whenever Percy finishes a show, he always calls me. Sometimes I can't pick up because I'm in the middle of a meeting with Mom, David, and Mark. I try to call him back after, but he sometimes is asleep. We usually make it up to each other by calling back the next day.

One time, we were face timing. Percy had just came from a show, and I came from the library. He was really tired and ended up falling asleep on me. I heard his breathes and saw the drool from his mouth.

I'm still used to Percy always being here. Sometimes, I would plan to go to his house, but I stop myself short when I remember that he's not there. Over the past two weeks, I grew a habit of touching the two necklaces. I would find myself holding it in the middle of a meeting or when I'm with the girls. It scares me how one person could make me develop habits that I barely even notice.

My phone and the news weren't much help with my dilemma with missing Percy. They usually had news about him or a video of him singing in one of his shows.

"Wise Girl," Percy said. He was in the airplane, heading off to Australia. It was night here in New York.

"Yeah?" I groggily said. I just came back from a meeting with DC firm and from the library. I don't understand why Mom still needs me to be there. She kept insisting me to attend, even though I have no influence on their board. All I do is listen and pay attention. Mark said that it felt like he was at school all over again, which was almost true.

"I'm just making sure you're not asleep," he said, smirking, "Why are you so tired?"

"I just came from a meeting with DC firm," I said. In the computer screen, I saw his eyebrows furrow.

"Isn't that Mark's dad's company?" he asked. He knew that I've been going to some of Mom's meetings, but I've never told him with who. "Was... Was Mark there?"

"Hmmhmm," I said. My tiredness slowly took over me, but I saw Percy stiffened. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, "I... I just have a lot of things going on. Grover's been so strict with time, lately. When I land, I have interviews and a soundcheck at Sydney."

I suddenly felt bad because he should be sleeping. He should be getting rest.
"Oh, I'm sorry. You can sleep. I'll call you back tomo-"

"No, no," he cut me off. I raised my eyebrows. "I want to keep talking with you. I barely have time tomorrow. Stay."

The way he said Stay made me want to jump through the screen and be where he is, but I settled for a weak smile. I could tell that the airplane was in sleep mode because it was dark. Only his face was illuminated by his computer. His gray lock almost looked white.

"When are you leaving for Stanford?" he asked.

"2 months. I want to stay with my dad's family first, then I go to Stanford," I said. Percy loudly groaned and leaned his head back on his chair. "How have you not gotten asked to be quiet, yet?"

He looked around and shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. I guess people here are deep sleepers? Or people in first class do not care?"

I chuckled. I miss this, I thought. For two hours, we talked about random things from his experience in London to my time with the girls. We ended the call with an I miss you and an I love you.

-

"Are you okay? You look like you haven't gotten any sleep," Mark said. He met up with me as I was going up to the conference room. I probably looked disheveled, but I could easily fix that later.

"Haven't gotten any sleep? No. Slept too late? Yes," I answered. I heard him chuckle.

"What? Did you fall asleep reading an architecture book?" He smirked. I gave him a look.

"No," I plainly said. "I was video chatting with Percy until late at night."

"Oh." I swear I saw his jaw tense up. What is up with people tensing up lately? I asked myself.

"And you? You have more energy than usual," I said.

"It's the coffee. Oh, which reminds me..." He had two cups of coffee in his hand. He held one out to me. "Here."
I gave him a wary look. "I promise I didn't put any poison in it."

I took a sip, letting the warmth take over me. "It's not that. It's just... unusual to see you this-"

"Energetic? Yeah," he answered. We made our way to the conference room. When we entered, no one else was there.

I guess we're early, I said to myself.

"You know what's weird?" He asked. I sat down on a chair with my warm coffee and urged him to continue. "Our parents are making us attend to these meetings. All we do is sit down and listen. Well... I pretend to listen."

"I know," I agreed. He sat down on a chair next to mine. "I understand how they want us to take these meetings as an 'educational experience', but two or three meetings are enough."

He stared at me. His hazel eyes piercing through mine. He lifted his hand and pushed my lock of gray strand behind my ear. We stayed like that for a second.

What are you doing? I cursed at myself. I managed to look away and cleared my throat. Mark flinched, as if he was woken up from a trance.

"Sorry," he muttered. "There was something in your hair." Just like that, the quiet Mark came back to replace, that once was, his energetic side.

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I'm back at school from a week long Thanksgiving break. Ugh. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I was tired as hell. I was so tired that I tried opening the wrong locker. Heh. It's Cyber Monday!! (for Americans, idk about other countries)

I love the picture for this chapter so much (Even though it's an IM instead of chatting with a laptop)! Also, Percy's in his bed instead of an airplane. I still find it cute.

Thank you for reading this chapter! The love and support this book has been getting is truly amazing. Any suggestions, questions, and/or CC is appreciated. I hope all of you stay till the very end, since this book is starting to come to its end :( / :)

I do not own any of the characters from this book, except for David and Mark Collins.

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-Brainy_dolphin<3