Percy Jackson One Shots and Short Stories

#46 - Rule Number Four (AU) (Part II)

Chapter 46 - Rule Number Four (AU) (Part II)
published: Monday, 16 December 2019

"H-Hey," Annabeth panted as she jogged up to Percy, who was standing outside the arena and staring down at his phone.

Percy's face brightened the moment he recognised her. "You came!" he laughed. "After all that, my mum broke you."

She was wearing leggings and a blue t-shirt, along with a large scarf that hid most of her chin.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Sh-shut up," she said through shaky limbs. "I can't feel my feet," she told him. "I should've worn boots."

"It's not even snowing, you weakling," Percy snorted. He eyed the sleeve of his hoodie sticking out of her rucksack. "Why don't you just wear my hoodie?"

He instantly regretted it when Annabeth's eyes widened in alarm.

"Not like that," he reassured her with a nervous laugh. "I mean, it's cold. It's just so you don't get sick."

Annabeth nodded slowly. "Yeah, of-of course."

Percy pulled it out of her bag and handed it to her. She'd brought it over to his house on Wednesday, but they'd been a little too...preoccupied to organise themselves.

"Good luck out there," her voice came out muffled as she pulled on his hoodie.

"Yeah, it'll be that much better knowing you're in the stands," Percy said sarcastically. 

"Pretend I'm behind you and you'll swim faster," Annabeth fired back.

Two months ago and Percy would've taken that as a spiteful insult. Now that they were technically friends, they often poked fun at the other, just for old times' sake.

Annabeth was fun to be around, and they clicked incredibly well. Percy didn't mind being himself around her, and usually found them sitting in a comfortable silence.

He watched as Annabeth disappeared behind the doors of the arena and exhaled deeply.

"Shit," Percy muttered under his breath.

Rule Four: No feelings.

"Not a problem," he'd said.

God, he'd been such an idiot.

Percy shook the image of Annabeth out of his head as he slid back into the changing rooms.

"Hey, Jackson," the coach barked. "Don't get distracted with your girlfriend out there."

Percy blushed as another guy on his team, Beckendorf, clapped him on the back with a laugh.

"I don't have a girlfriend."

"Sure you do," Beckendorf chuckled. "The blonde in your hoodie? Sitting with your friends?"

Percy felt his stomach do a flip. "My what?" he choked out.

Beckendorf slapped a hand to his head. "Oh god, sorry. It was supposed to be a surprise. Hazel and Frank dropped by today; said they wanted it to be a surprise. They brought another girl — red headed, I think."

Percy raced to the changing rooms' exit, where he almost passed out upon seeing exactly what Beckendorf had described.

His mum was in the stands beside Annabeth, and Hazel and Frank were right next to her. To make matters worse, Rachel Dare was here too.