The Library Book

#4 - I'm Not Pining

Chapter 4 - I'm Not Pining
published: Wednesday, 29 January 2020

Percy strolled into school on Monday in a great mood. His weekend had been a rare good one, what with his time with Annabeth and game night with Hazel and Frank.

Twister with them had been the funniest, since Frank was just about the clumsiest person Percy knew and had nearly crushed them when he collapsed on Hazel and Percy after trying to move his right foot to 'red'. They'd rolled away from each other, Hazel clutching her stomach as endless giggles left her lips. Frank had gone as red as a tomato and was incapable of going back to his normal colour for the rest of the night.

Gabe had been in an okay mood, which, while it put Percy on edge and very tense, left him without any injuries. Almost a whole week; it had to be his new record.

"Hey, Percy!"

Percy waved to Travis and Connor Stoll, the pranksters in his History class, as they passed him in the hallway. After greeting a few other people, he pulled his locker open and started piling his books into his school bag.

"Percy!" came a cheerful voice. It was Hazel, ready to walk with him to Chemistry, which they had together on Monday mornings. It was just about the only good thing when starting a new week. "Good morning!"

"Morning, Hazel," Percy sang as he sling his bag over his shoulder.

"You're happy today," Hazel said, astonished.

"That makes me sound so moody."

"No, you're usually all down in the dumps," she insisted. "What's different?"

Percy opened his mouth to reply when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. It was Annabeth, walking between Jason and Leo, chatting as they left their lockers and started heading to class. 

His gaze caught hers for a moment, and Percy suddenly realised with a jolt that he couldn't even tell her 'good morning'. Jason Grace and Leo Valdez were right there, and Hazel was next to him.

Annabeth didn't even flash that irritated smile she usually used with him. Percy didn't shoot his lopsided grin at her. She lowered her gaze about the same time he did and continued on her way down the hall.

Percy turned back to Hazel, swallowing. "Nothing."

After Chemistry was Physics, and Monday morning's double science had always been painful for Percy. Right after that History and elective A - Computer Science for Percy. He honestly wasn't quite sure why he'd taken that subject, especially since neither Hazel nor Frank was in his class and he wasn't really interested by it.

Lunch was different, for once. Percy was queuing up for his food - later than other students because he'd stayed behind for extra help after Computer Science. Everyone else was already seated at tables; Frank and Hazel were talking animatedly a few tables away, waiting for him.

The sound of a tray clattering behind him made Percy turn around in surprise, only to see a familiar blonde ponytail. It was Annabeth, she must've ended her last class late as well.

Percy didn't know whether to acknowledge her presence or not. To his disbelief, Percy actually considered her his friend. If nothing else, she had given him help when he really didn't have anywhere else to go.

But this was school. They weren't at Walter's, where no one was around to judge them. So Percy just grabbed his plate of steak and walked off with his tray, simultaneously pointedly avoiding her gaze.

Either she was doing the same or he was getting good at it.

He muttered a quick "hey" as he took the seat next to Hazel. The weirdest thing was that Percy found himself distracted over Annabeth's presence. He'd gone two years without talking to her unnecessarily, so why did he suddenly feel disappointed?