soulmates ⋮ heroes of olympus au

twenty-seven.

A n n a b e t h

☼

Annabeth had decided that all guys, especially Percy Jackson, sucked.

Well, it wasn't as if Percy was a 'bad guy'. In fact, he's great. Too great, if you asked Annabeth.

You know that feeling you get when you really like someone, but you're never sure if they like you back? So you're stuck in this never-ending loop of 'He likes me, he likes me not'? And every time you see them you kinda die a little on the inside because they're just them?

That's how Annabeth felt when she was around Percy.

It scared Annabeth a little bit. She'd never liked someone so much before. Especially the funny, popular, sarcastic, extremely attractive Percy Jackson.

Nothing really major had happened with him though. All they had done was make fun of each other or help the other person with homework – usually Annabeth helping Percy. Minus the hand-holding at the one football game, Percy hasn't done anything that hinted he wanted to be more than just friends with her.

Then again, it's not like Annabeth had done anything to suggest she wanted to be more than friends.

But Annabeth wanted to forget about that right now. She was about to head over to Rachel's house, and she was going to completely forget about him until Monday when she went to first period.

Or when she faced the likely interrogation that is to come from Rachel and Piper.

Thalia was already waiting in her mom's car – she didn't use it often because she walked to school most days and considered parking permits to be "overpriced parking spaces" – with Hazel sitting next to often.

"Seriously?" Annabeth questioned as she sat down in the back seat. "Hazel's tiny, and she's getting the passenger seat?"

"You're just as tiny," Hazel pointed out. "I think we're the same height."

"I'm half an inch taller," Annabeth grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and trying her best to frown even though she was fighting back a smile.

"Awww..." Thalia said with a mocking voice as she stopped at a stoplight. "Short people are so angry."

Annabeth flipped her off, earning a loud laugh from the two girls in the front seats. "I'm going to change the subject before Annabeth strangles you," Hazel laughed. "Are you guys ready for the AP History test next Tuesday?"

"Can we not talk about school for once?" Thalia groaned. "I'd like to get through at least one car ride without talking about school."

"Well you're pulling into Rachel's driveway right now," Annabeth pointed out. "So we kind of made it through the car ride."

Thalia rolled her eyes dramatically as she parked the car. Annabeth noticed Piper and Calypso dancing through the living room window while Rachel and Reyna were sitting on the couch, laughing hysterically at the sight.

"I wonder what they're dancing to this time?" Hazel questioned aloud.

"The real question is if they know the entire neighborhood can see them," Thalia smirked as the trio walked up the driveway.

"The houses in Rachel's neighborhood are so ginormous, I don't think anyone here really knows each other," Annabeth said. "Plus, there are all these giant trees surrounding her house, so nobody can see inside unless they come near the house like us."

When Annabeth pushed open the front door, she found herself greeted with the song 'Footloose' and Piper and Calypso singing the lyrics at the top of their lungs.

"Are you kidding me?" Thalia groaned quietly before cupping her hands over her mouth and yelling, "Are you two seriously singing crap 80's music?"

"This music is iconic, are you kidding me?" Piper shot back, flipping her off as she continued to dance.

"Woah woah woah," Hazel yelled as she stepped in between the pair and shut off the music. Piper and Calypso cried out in annoyance but Hazel shushed them. "Are we seriously yelling at each other again about music?"

"I just don't understand why we can't listen to actual good music!" Thalia exclaimed as she walked over into the kitchen to bring out the tortilla chips and guacamole that were sitting on the counter. "You all have crap music tastes. Especially you, Annabeth." The girl in question let out a noise of protest as Thalia asked, "What is it with you and classical music?"

"It's incredible, alright? And it helps me concentrate."

"She's not wrong," Calypso agreed. "I'll even listen to it sometimes while I'm studying."

"Nerds." Thalia rolled her eyes. "You're all a bunch of nerds."

"But you love us anyways," Reyna teased, poking Thalia in the cheek. She smacked Reyna's hand away, but still laughed anyway.

"Before Thalia yells at us anymore about our music and because Annabeth is probably going to yell at us if we ask about it more throughout the night..." Rachel interjected before turning to the curly-haired girl with a smirk on her face. "I want to know what's going on between her and Percy."

"You and me both," Annabeth mumbled with a shrug, a little relieved she was getting the conversation over with now. "Nothing's happened since the football game."

"English suggests otherwise," Hazel teased. "I swear, Mr. Blofis is about to separate you two because you spend half that class flirting."

"We spend half that class arguing."

"Arguing is how you two flirt," Reyna pointed out.

"Percy just..." Annabeth struggled to form her thoughts into words. "I don't really know what to do about him."

"Make out with him."

"Rachel!" Annabeth screamed as she chucked a pillow at her. The red-headed girl laughed as the pillow smacked the side of her head. "But honestly...I'm debating on telling him that I like him. The problem is, I just don't know if he likes me back."

"Percy so clearly likes you," Piper responded with a small smile on her face. "And you'll see that eventually. Trust me on that."

☼