Breathe (Percabeth AU)

XIX: The Second Confession

OKAY I DID IT YOU GUYS. I GOT THE BREATHE UPDATE OUT IN ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO ALSO GIVE YOU A HALLOWEEN CHAPTER ON HALLOWEEN. also I don't know if I ever told y'all that this is October 2018 if you wanna like follow Annabeth's pregnancy and tell me that I'm wrong in a chapter you know it's all cool here.
But yeah thank you so much for your patience and support with this I love you all so much.

Friday, October 19th
11:55 am - Goode High's cafeteria
11 weeks and two days

"Hi guys," Annabeth said, placing down her lunch tray at the table. Everyone stopped talking and looked at her. Annabeth had been public speaking her entire life; she was always the example student that the teacher used. She knew how to project and draw her audience in by making it feel more personal. But suddenly, under the eyes of her friends, her palms got sweaty. She glanced down at Percy. He gave a small, yet encouraging smile.

"Um, I just wanted to tell you that I'm inviting all of you over to my house tonight. It's kind of important, so I'd really appreciate it if you could come. I'll text you all my address," She finished. "Oh, and please don't bring anyone else," she quickly added. Annabeth looked around the table. She decided she could trust all of them—even Rachel. Annabeth still wasn't very fond of her, but she figured she'd have no reason to use what she was going to tell them against her.

"Sounds fun," Jason said, smiling. Everyone else seemed to agree. "Nico, you're coming?" Jason said it as less of a question and more of a demand. Annabeth had told Jason two days ago with Thalia's help. He had been pretty attentive to her lately. She found it really sweet. Nico nodded before glaring at the blonde-haired boy.

Annabeth sat down next to Percy. Will leaned towards her from her left.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," she whispered, smiling at him.

"So this thing tonight, you're gonna tell them?" he asked.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"That's awesome, Annabeth. I'm really proud of you." He smiled at her, like a ray of sunshine. Will understood what it was like to have to hide something, and then to announce this secret. He didn't come out until two years after he realized he was gay—but he did tell Annabeth. That's why she knew she could trust him that night in the bathroom.

Percy looked over at Annabeth as Will went back to bickering with Nico. She suddenly felt like her mouth was full of sand.

He must have noticed her fear. "This is the right thing to do," he said. "Trust me." He took her hand under the table.

She smiled at him. His hand felt warm in hers. It was like the rope that kept her tethered to the earth. One of the few things keeping her from losing it. She nodded.

"This morning in Mr. Vickers room—was that you two?" Katie asked, pointing to the Stolls.

They both started laughing.

"Who else would it have been?" Annabeth asked rhetorically.

The brothers laughed even harder. "But let's be honest here, that was hysterical," Connor insisted.

"Especially when he started screaming," Travis added between laughs.

"Wait, so what happened?" Will asked, popping a tater-tot in his mouth.

Katie looked at the boys but they both were laughing too hard to relay the story. "Well, Mr. Vickers has made it very known that he has a thing about reptiles—you know, turtles and lizards—"

"I think we all know what reptiles are, Katie," Thalia butted in.

"Whatever," Katie continued. "he hates the little creatures. So, naturally, Connor and Travis had to do something with this information. They decided to go to the pet store and get 3 newts. Then, they put them in his desk drawers. Connor asked to borrow a stapler so Mr. Vickers goes to get one, but guess what he found instead," she said.