Best Friends

It started on Percy Jackson’s 10th birthday. His mom and dad were once again arguing instead of celebrating his birth and he was so enough. The one day his separated parents were supposed to put their differences aside and tolerate each other few hours had been ruined the second they breathed a single word to each other.

He was so upset cause they wouldn’t stop fighting and when he tried to stop them, they both pushed him to the floor and went back to arguing, not even checking to see if their son was alright so Percy went to the front door and opened it, and started running down the path desperately wanting to get as far away from them as he could. Like they would care about him, all they did was argue so why would it matter to them if he was gone.

Percy ran to the only other place he knew, the playground a couple of blocks away from his house, he didn’t even have is shoes when he ran away and when he arrived at the park, he immediately went and sat on the swing set, not caring if his raven black hair fell in front of sorrowful green eyes. They just hid the tears that were streaming down his face as painful sobs escaped his lips.

He just wanted to be left alone to cry because not only was he tired of his parents fighting, but his birthday was ruined. It was one after the other that got ruined because he didn’t have any friends. His friend Grover moved away several weeks ago to Texas so Percy was all alone. When Percy felt something touch his shoulder, he looked up and met a pair of dark stormy grey eyes that were a part of a girl’s face with choppy blonde hair tied in a ponytail.

“Are you alright?” she asked, her grey eyes filled with concern and Percy shook his head before looking down and watching as the tears that fell soaked into his pants, leaving dark spots behind.

“Son, are you alright?” A deep voice asked and Percy looked up at the face of a man who was standing tall and proud over him. He had sandy blonde hair with rectangular glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, his brown eyes watching Percy closely as he knelt down on one knee to get a closer look at Percy. Percy couldn’t think about how silly the man looked in the dull sweater vest he was wearing. “Can you tell me your name son?”

Percy was very timid when he answered his name, not meeting the man’s gaze. “Percy.”

“Can you tell me where your parents are?” The stranger asked, the little girl lingering to the side.

“They aren’t here. I ran away because they are always fighting. They ruined my birthday.” Percy stuttered out as he looked back at his lap. “They pushed me and I fell to the floor, so I ran away. They are too busy always fighting to notice me. They don’t care about me so I ran away.” The tears started to pour again and before Percy knew what was going on, small arms wrapped around his neck, his vision obscured by blonde hair as the little girl held onto him.

Percy just let his arms drop as he hugged her back, letting her comfort him as the strange man with her wrapped his arms around them. “I am sorry Percy but I am sure your parents must be worried sick about you.” The man whispered as he pulled away and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and ushered the little girl away from Percy as he wiped away Percy’s tears. “Would you like me to take you home Percy? I am sure that you miss your mom and dad, don’t you miss them?” He asked and Percy couldn’t help but nod because it was true. He missed his parents even if they did fight all the time.

Percy nodded as the man smiled at him. “Who are you?” Percy found himself asking as the tears stopped and the man tucked his handkerchief away for now.

“My name is Frederick Chase and this is my daughter Annabeth.” The little girl was grinning at Percy as she stuck out her hand, trying to blow a strand of her blonde hair out of her face. Percy chuckled as he reached out and moved the pesky hair of Annabeth’s and tucked it behind her ear, earning him an even bigger smile as she shook his hand.

“Come on silly, let’s get you home.” Percy giggled as he climbed off the swing and took Annabeth’s free hand as she grabbed her dad’s who looked down at home.

“What’s your home number?” He asked curiously as they walked out the playground and onto the street, Percy pointing in the direction that he lived as they walked up the street.

“Number 14.” Percy answered as they walked in the direction of his house. Percy help but blush slightly as he held Annabeth’s hand. He hadn’t had a friend in so long and walking with Annabeth and his dad made everything so much better.

“Percy! Percy where are you!” A feminine voice called out. “My baby boy where are you!” The woman sounded like she was in pain, like she was all alone in a never ending silence as she cried out.

“Perseus where are you!” A man’s voice bellowed ahead of them. “My boy, please come home. Please Perseus. Where are you?” his voice was hoarse and broken, he sounded like he was losing his voice.

“Mommy, Daddy!” Percy called out when he saw the two figures ahead of them, even with the great distance between them; he could tell that they were his parents. Their heads shot in his direction and instantly the woman called out to her son, her voice filled with relief, her eyes held tears that poured down in bucket loads as she ran forward, calling out to her son joyously; the man that was with her, following right behind her.

Percy let go of Annabeth’s hand, his eyes filled with tears of joy as he ran towards his parents, calling out to them in happiness. The woman knelt on the ground with her arms open to embrace her son, her blue eyes filled with relief and guilt as she ignored her brown locks of hair that stuck to her face from her tears as the little boy’s body collided with hers and she wrapped him in a suffocating tight hug, never wanting to let go of her son.

The man embraced the two, crying tears of joy, the fear of never finding their son dissipating off of him but the guilt permanently branded on his heart because both him and Percy’s mother knew that it was because of their constant fighting that their son ran away. Percy’s father looked up at Frederick and smiled gratefully. “Thank you for finding our son.” He said breathlessly.

“It was my daughter Annabeth who found him. We were in the playground just down the road from here and we saw him run to the swing set and he was crying like no tomorrow.” Frederick answered as Sally tightened her grip around her son, reassuring him that she wasn’t going to let him go ever again.

“Oh my baby we are so sorry. We didn’t mean to make you cry and upset?” His mother spoke softly, pulling away and cupping her son’s tear covered face in her hands, unable to stop her own tears. “Please forgive us Percy. We didn’t mean to ruin your birthday. I am so terribly sorry for our actions but please don’t ever run away again. I couldn’t bare it if anything happened to you.”

“I am so sorry mommy. I am so sorry. I won’t run away ever again, I promise.” Percy cried as he wrapped his arms around her neck again, burying his face in her neck before he looked at his daddy. “I am so sorry daddy.” He cried as he pulled away and jumped into his dad’s open and waiting arms as he clung to his son for dear life. He planted repeated kisses against his son’s cheek who giggled as his father did it, unable to stop laughing.

“Sorry we haven’t introduced ourselves. I am Sally and this is Percy’s father, Poseidon. Thank you so much for finding our son and bringing him back to us.” She breathed out as she shook Frederick’s hand.

“It’s no problem. I am Frederick Chase and this is my daughter Annabeth.” Frederick announced as they shook hands with each other. “We should be going Annabeth.” He announced to his daughter who was pouting up at him. “Come on Annabeth, we cant leave the house empty for too long you know.”

“I know daddy but I wanna say bye to Percy before we go.” Annabeth announced, crossing her arms defiantly as she stared up at her father. Frederick sighed as he nodded at his daughter he trotted forward whilst Poseidon put his son on the ground. The two walked up to each and smiled at each other. “Meet you at the playground tomorrow?” Annabeth asked curiously and Percy smiled a lopsided smile.

“Pinkie promise to always be there for each other.” Percy asked curiously, extending his pinkie finger and Annabeth locked their fingers together.

“Pinkie promise.” She assured him before she strutted off and took her fathers had with a large smile on her face. Percy had an equally large grin on his face as he walked in between his parents, holding both of their hands, walking with a skip in his step the whole way home to his long awaited birthday party that turned out to be the best birthday he had had in years.

Percy was thirteen years old when he realized that he was in love with his best friend Annabeth Chase. Since his tenth birthday the two met at the playground every day and met at school every day and played and sat together when they found out that they go to the same school.

Percy realized that he loved his best friend when the two of them were working in his mother’s rather large strawberry patch collecting strawberries and as usual, Percy was being silly. He was currently dressed in an orange t-shirt with the letters CHB short for Camp Half Blood from his favorite series, Peter Johnson and the Olympians and a pair of faded denim jeans. Annabeth got Percy hooked on the series not long ago and they obsessed together over the series together.

Annabeth sat next to him, gingerly picking strawberries and placing them in the basket his mother had given them and Percy snuck his arm behind Annabeth’s back when she wasn’t looking and grabbed a strawberry from Annabeth’s hand that she had been saving for herself to eat and he snatched it, popping it between his teeth, smirking at Annabeth who was now glaring at him.

Percy’s smirk grew as Annabeth shook her head at him, “Seaweed Brain.” She muttered as she shoved her hand in his face the two of them laughing like maniacs as a mud war broke out between the two and Percy didn’t care as he smothered Annabeth’s light blue spaghetti strap top with mud, causing her to gasp. “You are so dead Seaweed Brain!” She growled as she got ready with her next ball of mud.

“You are gonna have to catch me first Wise Girl.” Percy had the audacity to smirk as Annabeth leapt with a catlike grace, faster than he expected and knocked the two to the floor. She was currently straddling his hips, smirking as she smothered mud all over Percy’s face. When it was done, Percy wiped the mud from his eyes and couldn’t help but stare at Annabeth as she straddled him.

He couldn’t help but think about how beautiful she looked when her cheeks were slightly flushed because she was out of breath, or how gorgeous her face looked when her messy, wind swept hair cradled her face in such a delicate manor that left him breathless. He couldn’t understand why his heart thundered against his rib cage harder than a stampede of elephants and faster than an army of horses racing to battle.

He couldn’t help himself has he took in each delicate detail of her face, from the slightly dry crack that ran across her bottom lip because her lips were slightly dry, or the somewhat silver flecks in her stormy grey eyes that just made her eyes look so much perfect than before. He couldn’t stop staring up at his best friend whom he had fallen in love with.

Love.

That word terrified Percy when he first thought it but he ignored it and continued enjoying his day with his best friend but when she left, he felt empty and lonely. Recently whenever Annabeth left he found himself wanting her to stay longer, he always felt that way, only now it was ten times stronger.

He couldn’t get the thought of him being in love with his best friend but what frightened him is that he actually felt this way the first day he met her, like it was love at first sight for him. how strange is that for a ten year old, and yet he was there right now, realizing that he was in love with his best friend since the first day he met her as a child.

It had taken a long time for Percy to gain the courage to tell Annabeth his feelings, over a year he reckoned but he finally decided that on Valentine’s Day, he was going to give her a thorn less lavender colored rose. Now many would wonder why he was very specific with this rose, it’s because this type of rose symbolized his feelings. He remembered how his mom told him and Annabeth that each rose symbolized something important and he went back and did research of his own.

A thorn less rose represented “Love at first sight,” which is what happened to Percy when he first saw her but also the lavender colored rose also symbolized love at first sight. If she didn’t remember the thorn less part, then she should remember the lavender color symbolism because she always talked about hoping to someday get a lavender rose from a guy.

He was severely nervous about giving his rose to Annabeth and as he waited at her locker for her, the longer he waited, the more his nerves got to him. The second he saw Annabeth coming towards him, dressed in her CHB shirt and a pair of denim shorts, her hair in a messy ponytail but he lost all feeling in his heart when he saw that in her hand was a rich red rose and she was reading a card that had “Will You Be My Valentine,” printed on the front.

That was the day his heart died. He quickly stuffed the rose into his pocket, not caring if it got crushed like his heart had and looked at Annabeth with a smile. “Seaweed Brain, Luke Castellan asked me out today. Isn’t that awesome?!” Annabeth said with every ounce of enthusiasm in her entire body she could muster as she showed him the card before crushing it to her chest like a love struck teenager.

“Yeah, that’s awesome Wise Girl.” Percy said calmly, hopefully hiding the disappointment and hurt in his voice as he and Annabeth walked towards the bus, inconspicuously chucking the thorn less Lavender rose he had gotten her into the trash, a single tear sliding down his cheek before he wiped it away and continued to listen to what Annabeth was going to wear on her date with Luke.

Percy hadn’t been more miserable in his entire life. For the last three years he had to sit and watch as Annabeth went out on date after date with his now least favorite person, Luke Castellan and slowly, he and Annabeth had drifted so far apart. He had barely seen any of his best friend at all, he was lucky if he even spoke to her on the phone about anything other than Luke.

One day, he had had enough.

That was the day Annabeth had promised to go with him to the premiere of Peter Johnson and The Lightning Thief, the official movie for the book and he had spent every cent he had managed to save on buying the tickets for the two of them and he left Annabeth to keep them. They were gonna meet at the theater and when Percy arrived, his heart shattered. Annabeth was standing in line, waiting to go into the theater with Luke and she was waving around the tickets he bought for them.

His heart shattered. He had spent almost five hundred dollars on those tickets which he got Annabeth for her birthday, for them, not for her and Luke and this was the last straw. He couldn’t control his hurt as he strolled right up to them and glared a glared he had never directed at Annabeth before and she was so confused as Percy continued to ignore the tears that streamed down his face.

“I can’t believe you. I spent every cent I had on those tickets for you and me, Annabeth and you do this to me. I got them for us, not for you and him.” He cried, letting his emotions all out. “I can’t believe I thought you were my best friend.”

“But Percy we are!” She fought back.

“If you were my best friend, where were you yesterday?” He wanted to see if she remembered, if the Annabeth he knew was still in there or if she was gone for good. “Do you remember what yesterday was?”

“No, should I know what is so important about August 18th.” She growled out and Percy’s shoulders slumped.

“I had hoped you would at least have remembered when my birthday was or at least remembered that it was the day we met.” He whispered as he looked at Annabeth with so much hurt it would bring anyone the most extreme guilt they could ever feel. Annabeth gasped, her hands going to her mouth as the tears pooled. “If you were really my best friend you would have remembered the day we became friends and how important it was to me.”

“Percy...”

He didn’t listen as he turned away from Annabeth unable to look at her anymore. “I hope you enjoy my gift. I hope that the friendship we once had, had been worth those tickets and I hope your relationship with him was worth ruining our friendship.” He forced out as his lip trembled and he walked away from her, she called out to him. He hoped she would come after him, but slowly he realize that the further away he got, the more distance her voice became. Then and there, he knew that she wasn’t coming after him.

He knew now that she cared more about her relationship with Luke than her friendship with him and that broke his heart. As he pushed open his front door, his mother was there and stared at him with shock and concern.

“Percy, what’s wrong? I thought you and Annabeth were going to see that movie you guys had been waiting to for like ever.” She asked as she walked forward, her hands cupping her son’s tear stricken face.

“She doesn’t care about me anymore. She doesn’t care anymore mom.” He forced out as his lip trembled, the tears pouring again as she wrapped her arms around her son’s neck, trying to comfort him and get him to stop crying because whenever he cried, she felt like a piece of her was dying. She hated seeing her son cry and this was just too much.

She just stood there in silence, just holding her son as he sobbed, in between his sobs he explained, well tried to explain what happened. Sally knew that Percy wasn’t okay so she didn’t let him go, not for a second, and she called Poseidon and told him to come because their son needed some comfort because he has been badly hurt by Annabeth’s actions.

Percy didn’t bother to look at his phone as read any of the texts Annabeth sent him. he ignored every phone call, every email, message, voicemail, he left them all alone and deleted them because if he heard her voice he would break down again. He had never felt so betrayed in all his life and every time he looked at the picture he had of him and Annabeth on their first Christmas together when they were ten years old and all the memories hit him like a freight train.

He had been been miserable for the last two days and sadly his mother wouldn’t let him stay at home and forced him to go to school. He had his hoodie up so that if Annabeth was near, she wouldn’t be able to see his face because he didn’t want to even look at her right now. He kept asking himself why she did this to him, why the fates hated him so much that they enjoyed watching him suffer.

Sadly they hated him more because the second he stepped into the cafeteria Annabeth saw him, her eyes ripped with guilt as she stared at him and he felt his heart go heavy. He grabbed his lunch and went and sat down at an empty table and hoped Annabeth would respect his wishes and boundaries and just leave him the Tartarus alone but sadly she wasn’t. She sat in front of him, twiddling her thumbs anxiously.

“Percy, I am so sorry.” She whispered, hoping that Percy would talk to her but he remained silent. “Seaweed Brain...”

“You don’t have the right to call me that after what happened Annabeth. You forgot my birthday Annabeth and the anniversary of our sixth year of friendship because all that has mattered to you for the last three years is your damn boyfriend.” Percy growled out, glaring at Annabeth but it was a sorrowful glare filled with so much sadness and hurt it brought tears to her eyes. “Annabeth, if you really cared about our friendship we would have been celebrating our friendship anniversary by you and I going to see that movie together. I bought them for us and you go and take Luke. It’s like I didn’t exist anymore.”

“I made a mistake Percy. I am sorry. Please, I am sorry. Your friendship means the world to me, you are still my best friend and I know I made a mistake...”

“You made more than one mistake Annabeth. You drifted from me for the past three years since you first went out with Luke. I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for that. You really did more than screw up Annabeth. You ruined everything. I need time because at this stage, I don’t know if I can ever forgive you because I put up with everything but you forgetting such an important day for me and us and then taking Luke to our event we had been planning since I got those damn tickets was the final straw.”

“So what are you saying Percy. I don’t understand.” She asked uncertainly, tears forming in her eyes because she already knew what he meant.

“We need space from each other for a while so I can get over this because you broke us Annabeth and I don’t know where we stand because right now, it seems like our friendship meant nothing. You can focus on your relationship with Luke and I can focus on the fact that my best friend hurt me so badly I don’t know if I will ever be able to get over it.”

“Alright. I understand. I guess I deserve it but I just want you to know that I will do whatever it takes to fix things. I won’t give up until I fix this, even if you don’t want to be around you, I won’t stop till I fix everything.” Percy nodded, not wanting to speak a word as she leaned over and pressed a kiss against his forehead. “I will earn the right to call you my best friend and my Seaweed Brain again.” With that she walked away but Percy couldn’t help but grin when she said “My Seaweed Brain.”

Percy knew he was being stupid. Since he told Annabeth three months ago he needed space, he had been regretting it. He missed his Wise Girl so much but his stubborn broken heart told him he needed space when in truth he needed his best friend so badly. He was gonna see her today but he didn’t feel like braving the storm that appeared out of nowhere. The rain belted against his bedroom window so hard it sounded like pebbles being thrown against the glass.

As normal, Percy was at home alone once again because his mom was at work, busy with her bakery as always, and Percy being Percy was sprawled out on his bed, dressed in nothing more than his sea horse decorated boxers and nothing else. When Percy heard his door bell ringing he cursed cause he honestly didn’t feel like moving but he crawled off his bed, not caring about putting anything else on as he descended down the stairs andaro the door.

He didn’t expect to see Annabeth standing on his deck, soaked from head to toe but even with all the water running down her face, he could see that Annabeth was crying as she hugged her chest, staring at him with severely puffy red eyes, and tears still pouring from her eyes as her lip trembled violently.

“Wise Girl-” Percy didn’t get to finish because Annabeth threw herself into his chest, hiding her face in his bare chest, her arms around his waist as she sobbed. Percy instantly wrapped his arms around her, not caring for the cold and wet clothes pressed against his chest, all that mattered was the grief stricken best friend of his. “Come inside Wise Girl. It’s freezing.” Percy whispered as he closed the door and she released him and he guided her in with one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders as he lead her up to the bathroom in his bedroom.

She sat on the edge of the bath as Percy grabbed a towel and he helped Annabeth take off her jacket she was wearing and that’s when he noticed the bruises on her wrists along with the Hickey that stared him in the face but the fast that Annabeth’s spaghetti top she was wearing, the one side had been ripped open and the strap was broken as well. “What happened Annabeth?” Percy demanded as he grabbed her wrists gently and looked at them and examined the blackening bruises.

“Luke invited me over so I went over and he kissed me like he always did but this time he threw to the ground and tried to…to rape me,” Throughout her entire statement, Percy was seething from the second she said Luke and he was ready to punch the wall as he looked at the bruises all over Annabeth. “He didn’t though cause when he tried to make me get undressed, I managed to kick him away and I ran. I just ran all the way here because I couldn’t go home looking like this.” She sobbed as she hugged her chest again.

“It’s okay Annabeth. It’s okay.” Percy whispered soothingly as he wrapped his arms around her, careful not to hold her too tight because of her bruises that obviously looked painful. “He won’t ever hurt you again. Not whilst I am around cause I will kill him if he does.”

And that was a promise. Percy would kill Luke the second he came near her because no one hurts those he cares and loves.

When Sally walked into her home, she didn’t expect to see Percy sitting on the couch, Annabeth laying across the couch with her head in his lap and a blanket covering her as she slept. Sally walked over to Percy who was holding on of her hands and Sally gasped when she saw the bruises.

“What happened to Annabeth, Percy?” Sally whispered as she pointed at the bruises on Annabeth’s wrists. In truth, Annabeth had always been a daughter to Annabeth and she absolutely adored her so she was very, very worried.

“She came in the rain this morning not long after you left and she was in tears. When I brought her up and helped her out of her hoodie, she had all these bruises and her top was ripped.” Percy said coldly as Sally sat down on the couch in front of him. “She told me Luke tried to rape her.”

Sally’s eyes widened as she looked at Annabeth. “Did he succeed?” Saying that left a foul taste in Sally’s mouth as a sickening feeling erupting in her stomach as she thought of that boy doing such a vile disgusting thing to such a sweet, innocent and amazing girl.

“No, she got away. Ran for god knows how long all the way here. She didn’t want her dad to see her like this. I phoned him the second she fell asleep and told him everything.” Percy whispered as he gingerly stroked Annabeth’s cheek, his eyes filled with so much love. “On Monday you and dad should expect a phone call from the school. Though I would let you know ahead of time because the second I see him, I am going to hurt him big time mom.”

“Percy…”

“No mom. I have made up my mind. I am going to make him pay for trying to hurt her. The second he tries anything on her, I will hit him because he will not hurt my best friend ever again. I may get suspended because I may not be able to control my anger so be ready.” Sally sighed, she was proud of her son for standing up and caring about his best friend but she didn’t like the fact those he was going to resort to using his fists but she should have expected this from him, not because he cared about his best friend but the fact that he was madly in love with her and had been for a long time.

“Alright Percy. I am going to make some dinner.” Sally announced as she stood up but not before she dug in her back and pulled out a brown paper bag and handed it to her son. “Brought you some cookies, thought that might make your day.”

Percy smiled at his mom as he opened the bag and inhaled the delicious scent of his mom’s cookies. If he had a second love, it would be these double chocolate chip cookies and he loved the fact that she made them blue just for him.

True to his word, Percy hunted down Luke on Monday and found him pressing Annabeth against the lockers, with his lips attached to her neck like a leech. He couldn’t control his anger as he grabbed Luke by his collar and ripped him off and away from Annabeth and glared at him. If looks could kill, Luke would be dead a thousand times over as Percy grabbed him by the collar and his fist collided with Luke’s nose.

Luke landed on the ground with a painful thump as he glared up at Percy, trying to stop the gusher that Percy just gave him. “If you ever touch her again Castellan I will give you more than a fucking nose bleed you hear me.” Percy ordered as Luke climbed to his feet, glaring at Percy.

“You can go to Tartarus Jackson because you know it’s what she wanted. Just like on Saturday, she wanted it.”

“No I didn’t Luke. You forced yourself on me, and were sexually harassing me.” Annabeth cried out from behind Percy who stood protectively in front of her.

“Mr. Castellan, Mr. Jackson, and Miss Chase, I will be seeing you in Mr. D’s office so we can deal with these accusations.” Mr. Brunner announced as he stood tall and proud, his eyes filled with a disturbing sense of calmness as he looked at three, before stroking his beard and continuing down the hall towards his office.

Percy glared at Luke who in turn glared back before Luke stomped off, still trying to stop the bleeding nose that Percy gave him. Percy sighed as he reached out and took Annabeth’s hand in his. “Are you alright Annabeth?”

“I am fine thanks to you Percy.” She whispered gratefully, her voice filled with relief, her eyes brimmed with tears as she smiled weakly at him. “If it weren’t for you Percy, I don’t know what he would have done.” She whispered brokenly and Percy couldn’t take seeing her cry.

He reached out and embraced her, holding with such tenderness and care, like a mother holding her baby, rubbing soothing circles against her back, not saying a word, just holding her. “You’re my best friend Annabeth, I’ll always protect you, my Wise girl.” He whispered soothingly into her ear, as a smile graced his face. He hoped that Annabeth didn’t catch a glimpse of his red, not pink, red tinted cheeks. He couldn’t control the colors of his cheeks when he said ‘My Wise Girl.’

“Come on Seaweed Brain, let’s follow Me. Brunner and get to Mr. D’s office before he sends Mrs. Dobbs to come and get us.” Percy nodded in agreement as the two walked to the office, but Percy still casually had his arm around Annabeth’s shoulders and her hands wrapped securely around Percy’s waist, a bright smile on her face.

Luke was expelled for his indecency and also because someone may or may not have ratted out Luke on the biggest prank of the season. Luke had drawn graffiti all over Principal D’s brand new Italian Ferrari and stolen all of the tires. Rumors said it was the mysterious pranksters that no one could catch, but CCTV footage showed Luke vandalizing Mr. D’s car.

Percy was probably the only person in the entire school who knew the identities of the pranksters or that they were twin brothers. He owed them for getting him off getting suspended for violence cause the video showed he was protecting Annabeth so he got two weeks detention and his detention was that he had to help cook lunch in the cafeteria everyday for the next two weeks but they did call his parents in and Mr. Brunner explained everything along with Annabeth’s help so he didn’t get punished by his mom and received a high five and a proud smirk from his dad.

Since that day, Percy had been working to repair his friendship with Annabeth. They hadn’t fought in so long and Percy was grateful for that but it still didn’t change his feelings because he fell in love with his best friend.

Once again, it was Valentine’s day and seventeen year old Percy couldn’t find the strength or courage to give her that thornless lavender rose he wanted to give her all those years ago on that Valentine’s day and since that day he always hated it because Luke stole his girl, best friend and his dream of ever finding pure happiness like he did the day he met Annabeth.

He needed to pick some stuff from his locker so he walked towards his locker, putting in the lock combination which was Annabeth’s birthday before pulling open the door but the second he did, he froze.

In his locker, neatly nestled in a vase was a bouquet of different colour roses and a letter attached to the center vases. Percy instantly pulled the bouquet, looked carefully at the neatly arranged flowers, like they followed a specific pattern. Percy placed them back on the place they were standing and neatly took the envelop off of the vase, before carefully breaking the seal and pulling out the page, covered in an assortment of curly and familiar writing.

Dear Seaweed Brain

If you have already guessed it yet, it’s me, your Wise girl and best friend. I guess it’s high time I finally admitted some things to you and I couldn’t think of a better, more romantic (and highly cliché) way to show you what I mean. You have seen the vase of roses. Have you counted them?

Obviously not so I am just going to tell you.

11

That’s a magical number if you remember. Your mother always told us that if you gave a person eleven roses, it meant that the person receiving them was truly and deeply loved. And you are Seaweed Brain so I got this awesome idea and I want to tell you a story with these eleven different roses.

We begin with my first, the little orange rose, now if you don’t remember, you mom always told us it represented three things and for me, it represents fascination. I always remember being this ten year old girl who only ever was a daddy’s girl but I was lonely and the day you ran into the park, I was instantly fascinated by you and every time I saw you, the fascination grew tenfold and I found it exciting.

The second rose, the yellow rose with the red tip represents both which means for me, that’s why there are two of them but the first one represents the friendship you and I started building together, and before we knew it, we were pinkie promising to be best friends forever. That’s why I put the dark pink rose as my third, to show how eternally grateful I was for the friendship I was given. I was so lonely and then I was given silly little old you that I couldn’t help but adore and admire.

Here’s the reason the white is the fourth, its because it represents the purity and innocence you carry as well as the youthfulness you have. You were always and always will be a child at heart but you have that gentleness to you that can captivate a person to their bones which is why the fifth is nothing more than the normal pink rose because that represents the incredible gentle side you have that any girl could love.

Now whenever your mom spoke of a black rose, I never knew what she meant or if one even existed, drove me so insane that I actually had to look up information about it cause I didn’t believe there was such a flower but I found it, and believe it or not, it only can grow in turkey so I had to come up with something so I painted a white rose black so that you could understand what it meant which isn’t death but the good bye you said to me whenever I was with Luke and that is why this rose is the sixth.

It was a good bye that should never have happened.

When you said we would always be best friends, that’s why I picked the yellow rose as my seventh rose because it has always represented the second chance you gave me, it was the promise of the new beginning of our friendship, a welcome back to the real me whom you always remembered.

The something changed. That’s why I have put the second yellow rose with the red tip as my eighth, it’s because after that, I realized that I had started falling in love with you, after all these years of knowing you, you were able to cast a line and unintentionally hook my heart into your grip and I realized pretty quickly how fast it had happened, but I realized something more and that is what the next rose means.

The ninth rose consists of your favorite color. Blue. It means the unattainable and to me, when I realized I was falling in love with you Percy, you were at the top of an cliff that I would never be able to climb in order to reach you. That’s the sad reality I was hit with but I knew I couldn’t give up but when a little birdie told me a little secret, I knew there was hope after all.

It’s also why I chose that interesting rose with a tinge of green as my tenth rose because for roses, green is the color of life, abundant growth, and constant renewal of life and energy. The green rose signifies the constant rejuvenation of spirit, and is therefore a messenger of cheerfulness. I feel happy and grateful at the fresh start we are going to have and it means the world to me that I have it.

Don’t be mad Percy but there are only ten roses in the vase. There are supposed to be eleven, wan to know where the 11th and final rose is.

Turn around and find out Seaweed Brain…

Percy’s eyes widened as he turned around and instantly his mouth dropped to the floor when he saw Annabeth standing in front of him, wearing a loose royal blue summer dress, something which she never liked wearing with a pair of blue flats, her hair in a neat ponytail, but she wore no make-up, which Percy was grateful for because to him, she looked flawless and naturally beautiful and perfect without it.

His eyes landed on the rose in her hands. It was one he had never seen before. It was a peach rose that had deep rich red tips.

“My brain couldn’t help me pick the correct color to use for the eleventh rose so the thinker and experimental side of me joined forces and created my final rose. The red of the rose represents the strong love I have for you Percy, something that I never thought I would ever experience but here I stand, as nothing more than a girl asking a boy to love her too.” Annabeth whispered, her grey eyes twinkling with a bright light Percy had only recently seen in her eyes.

“But what does the peach part of the rose mean Annabeth?” Percy asked, his cheeks were a bright pink as Annabeth stepped forward, and continued in her stride until she stood directly in front of Percy.

“You really are a Seaweed Brain.” Annabeth giggled as she rolled her eyes at Percy, reaching over his shoulder and inserting the unique rose into the vase before resting her hands around Percy’s neck, standing on her tippy toes she was at eye level with him. “It means that I want to be with you. I want to get together with you so Perseus Jackson, will you do me the honor of going out on a date with me and being my Valentine.” Her cheeks were brighter than his as his hands snaked their way around her waist, pulling her flush against her.

He stared deeply into her eyes, sea green into stormy grey, their lips barely a centimeter apart as a blinding smile broke out on his face and he did the most cliché thing in the world.

He kissed her.

The gentle, loving caress of his own against Annabeth’s left her brain turning to jelly and her body melting like a stick of butter on a stack of flapjacks. She felt the kiss in each and every one of her nerve endings as he kissed her. He couldn’t believe that he was finally able to do this, after so long, feeling heartbroken and not himself anymore, the big hole in his world was finally repaired.

His lips left her when he needed again and he stared into her eyes once more, his green orbs filled with so much mirth and love it had the butterflies in her stomach belting out rock ballads in Percy’s honor, the feelings she was feeling were so intense and she loved it.

“Yes.”

The single world that brought them into a whole new journey.

“I love you so much Annabeth.” Percy whispered as his hands climbed up and cupped Annabeth’s face in his hands, the smile he had on his face would forever be permanently cemented onto his face never dulling.

“I love you too Percy. I love you too.” Annabeth grinned as she leaned forward and kissed him, unable to stop smiling as she laughed musically when Percy lifted her up and spun her round, the two both seeming to finally have their perfect happily ever after.