Limitless Love {Percabeth Fanfiction}

{17} I ADDRESS EVERYONE'S PROBLEMS BUT MINE {17}

Let's face it. I was a fifteen year old boy. I had never dealt with a girl crying, clutching me so hard it was as if I was to only thing tethering her to the earth. I had no idea what I was doing, so I did what I always seemed to do. I winged it.

"Shh," I whispered into her hair. "Calm down, Annabeth. Deep breaths, alright?"

I felt her nod against my chest. I stroked her hair more, because not only did it seem to calm her down, but it was also very silky against my hands.

I reluctantly pulled myself from Annabeth, and took her appearance in. She had dark circles beneath her eyes, red cheeks, chapped lips, and tears streaming down her face. I wiped them away with my thumbs quickly.

"Please tell me why you're crying, Wise Girl. I need to know so I can help you."

"I don't know why I'm crying, Percy. I never cry. What's wrong with me?!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, hey, nothing is wrong with you. I'm sure it's just a lot of stress weighing you down. Has anything been straining you recently?"

Annabeth nodded.

"Do you want to, you know, specify?" I asked quietly.

She sniffled. "I guess so. Just - promise you won't tell anyone."

"Always."

A small smile appeared on her lips as she stuck out her pinky. I breathed out a laugh and entwined my pinky with hers.

"Now it's official," I stated.

"Yeah. So, um - you know Luke. I hadn't seen him in a while, but one day I ran into him at the store when I was running errands for Helen. He t-told me he missed me, and the we needed to keep in touch. So we did. We met up again at the park a few Wednesdays ago, the one before your movie hang out that Saturday. I ended up inviting him to the hangout, obviously. Then, on the way h-home, we stopped for gas. He had to go inside to give them the cash, and that's when I took a little look around h-his car. There was s-so many cans of beer, Percy."

My eyes widened. I didn't expect that from Luke.

She continued, "The floor in the back was covered. There was also so many cigarette butts. I had no idea that he was into that stuff, I swear. But I didn't confront him until our run Saturday, and he didn't really say anything. He just told me it wasn't my business. But yesterday he called me, and he was screaming at me, He t-told me it was my fault. What was my fault? I don't know what's going on, Percy."

"Oh, Annabeth." I hugged her again, rubbing her back. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this. You shouldn't be the one addressing Luke's problems. He should've dealt with them himself."

"I don't mind that part," she admitted, burying her face in my shoulder. "We've always helped each other out of trouble. But what was he blaming me for, Percy? I haven't done anything wrong...have I?"

"Never," I promised. "I'm sure that he was just under the influence, or something. He just wasn't in the right state of mind."

I was trying really hard to focus on Annabeth's words, and not her arms wrapped around my shoulders, or her lips brushing my neck, or the fact that she was practically sitting on my lap.

"Have you talked to Thalia about it?" I croaked. "Does she know?"

"I haven't gotten the chance to get in touch with her," Annabeth told me. "But I'm guessing she knows. I'm assuming that this isn't new news."

I glanced at the alarm clock on Annabeth's nightstand. School would start in less than ten minutes.

"Are you planning on going to school today, Annabeth?"