Lasting Moment

four

I was outside Jason's again. I wasn't quite drunk, just... intoxicated.

I knocked on his door. I thought the first knock was too quiet so I pounded on the door. He opened it up on the fourth knock.

"Hey, Piper," he said. His glasses were perched on top of his messy head of hair. "It's been a while since... whatever this is." I was almost hurt because it wasn't like the other times. I wasn't here because I missed him. I was here because I need his advice.

I nodded. "Can I come in?"

Jason hesitated and looked back into his apartment. "Okay."

I stepped in. Leo was on Jason's couch, but he jumped up when I came in. We hadn't talked in person in almost a month. We sent the occasional text. He commented on my Instagram when I posted some of pictures Annabeth had taken of me.

"Hi," he said awkwardly. His hands fiddled at his sides. He didn't know what to do with them.

"Leo!" I responded thrilled to see him. I charged and wrapped him in a hug. I didn't realize I was crying until Jason pried me off of him and I realized my vision was more blurry than the alcohol should have allowed.

"Hey, Pipes," he said, I think he was crying too. "Why are you drunk? I thought you were doing better?" Leo held onto my shoulders and shook me a bit which made my head hurt. Jason retreated into the kitchen, and started making an espresso which I hoped was for me.

"I was out."

"With?" Jason asked from the kitchen.

Leo guided me to the couch like I was a frail grandmother. The TV was paused on 'We're The Millers'.

"Annabeth and Percy," I answered. It was actually just Annabeth, but Percy was bartending so he was technically there. Maybe his presence was my excuse of it not being a date, even though I wanted it to be.

"How many drinks?" Leo asked frowning.

How many? Three? Seven? No. Five. No, no, Annabeth had two. I had three. I think. "Three?"

Jason came back with the coffee. He sat down on my other side and handed it to me. I sipped at the espresso. "And?" he asked.

"I ran away." Because feelings terrify me. Because Annabeth isn't as familiar as Jason. Because she's out of my league.

"Why?" Leo prompted me, like I was a toddler.

"I really like her," I whispered. On my right Jason winced. On my left Leo gestured for me to keep going. "And so I really wanted to kiss her but I don't think she likes me like that and— and, so I, um, I ran away. And then I came here."

Leo cracked a smile like the old Leo, before he was mad at me and the world got more complicated. "Did you have fun?"

"I always have fun with Annabeth. She's a birthday party." Like electricity. Like I'm a camera and she makes everything more clear and in focus.

I could tell Leo was trying not to laugh. I glared at him. "A birthday party. Right okay."

"Talk to her." Jason had a small smile on his face like maybe it was getting a little easier for him.

"She won't want to date me."

"I'm sure she will, anybody would be lucky to date you," Jason said softly.

Leo grinned his signature grin. "Yeah, I mean, you're one of the best people I've ever met."

"But you wouldn't talk to me for a really, really, really long time."

Leo's smile slipped off his face. "Just because I was mad at you and your life choices doesn't mean you're not awesome. Yeah, you were being sort of pathetic and self destructive, but I think you're getting much better now. I want to be here for you, Pipes, and I'm sorry we didn't really talk before." Leo looked down at his lap, and fiddled with his fingers.

I had started crying again. I finished drinking the coffee, as though it could help with the tears, before hugging Leo as hard as I could. "I'm sorry," I sobbed. I felt the weight of Jason on my back. We were now engaged in a group hug.

"Call her, okay?"

"She's gonna wonder where you ran off to, Beauty Queen," Leo added.

I nodded. I couldn't let Annabeth down, she was too new to my life for me to do that.

I started with responding to her texts from Jason's couch where he and Leo were reengaged in the movie.

Annabeth ❤︎ where did you go?

piper?

are you okay?

i'm worried about you.

text me or call me okay?

Me Hey Annabeth, I'm sorry I ran off on you

I'm safe, at a friend's house

Can we get boba tomorrow? I'll explain

She texted back five minutes later.

Annabeth ❤︎ i'm so glad you're okay.

sure, 11?

I smiled and confirmed the time.

By the time I went home with Leo (because he wanted to sleep over to solidify our new era of talking), I was significantly more sober and much more smiley.

Talking was really the cure to everything. That's what my dad had told me. Sure, he was talking about some contract he didn't like for one of his movie series, but I figured it works in relationships as well.

Slowly but surely, I was making my way.

_____

Thank you for reading this short chapter. This and the next one are more meh but they're necessary.

Vote and comment if you enjoyed this section!

~Speedy