Chapter 3

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Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and annoying mortals.

For all the years Percy had lived as a demigod, one thing had still not changed.

Deadlines just aren't real to me until I'm staring one in the face.

It was his final day to prove that Annabeth was real - and he had zilch. Percy regretted ever mentioning her to Brian in the first place.

"All Goode students please sit in this area," Mrs Goodwin gestured for the year level to make themselves comfortable on the grass - Speech Day had finally arrived, and she was determined for everything to go to plan. For the fifth time that day, Mrs Goodwin started to lecture them on good behaviour, whilst Percy's mind raced for ideas.

"You got your one hundred bucks ready, man?" Nathan sat a few feet away from him, smirking.

"Have you got yours ready?" Even to him, the taunt sounded lame. Percy was screwed, and they all knew it.

"Percy! Is it really so hard to not talk for at least a moment?" Mrs Goodwin frowned.

Always me.

"Sorry," Percy muttered.

Half an hour later the speeches began - they were so absolutely fascinating and awe-inspiring that Percy didn't pay attention even for a moment. In fact, hardly anyone did.

"Hey," Brian's voice was indistinctly speaking to Nathan, "you reckon Dani and Gabby will be here?"

Dani and Gabby. Percy frowned. The names sounded vaguely familiar... But whatever. He'd probably just heard Nathan and Brian talking about them.

"Yeah, Gabby said that their school was coming here - ha, I'd be able to prove that I have a girlfriend!" Nathan purposely accentuated on the last part of the sentence. Percy's fists clenched. He heard someone behind him speculate about what kind of lowlife pretended to have a girlfriend.

oOo

"And that, my young friends, is why I must tell you to strive for your goals. You don't need society - society needs you!" As he finished, the speaker grinned at the inattentive audience, who clapped anyway, despite their boredom. Annabeth was among them, though she had actually listened - if a little cynically.

Society needs me? Well, you don't say, Annabeth thought, I've been saving everyone's sorry butts practically every year.

If Percy had been there, he'd probably have almost fallen asleep by that time. The thought made Annabeth smile. Then the smile disappeared and was replaced by what Percy would have called her 'thinking face'.

If Percy had been there. There were schools from all around New York City here - the chances that a school like Goode would also be were considerably high. She glanced around her, at all the heads of students surrounding her. Perhaps, Percy was one of them.

Annabeth thought of her friends' scepticism concerning her boyfriend. The eye rolls, the 'knowing' glances. She also remembered her mental oath to prove Percy's existence.

And children of Athena never broke their oaths.

oOo

Percy yawned, desperately rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Hades, he thought, don't these people realize that no one cares? Ugh, gods help us.

Perhaps it was coincidence, or perhaps, the gods really had just heard Percy's plea, but at that moment a woman spoke into the microphone, telling them that it was break time. All around him, people began to stand up and wonder off in groups to eat.

Percy didn't particularly feel like sitting with Brian and Nathan, but at Goode he found that he had an alarming shortage of friends. And besides, on good days, when they weren't making stupid bets, Nathan, Brian and Percy could get along quite well. Percy awkwardly followed the two, trying to be invisible.

However, as it turned out, once they had sat down, it became rather apparent that Percy was not invisible. Nathan took a bite of his sandwich and looked at Percy expectantly.

"What?" Percy pretended to be clueless.

"What do you mean, 'what'? Pay up, man!"

"Now?" Percy did not have one hundred dollars with him. "I... uh... I still have until the end of school to prove it!"

"Dude, are you seri-"

"Whatever," Brian intervened, "like it changes things anyway."

oOo

"Hey, Dani," Both Annabeth and Dani looked at Gabby who was smiling down at her phone, "Nathan says that he and Brian are both here... Maybe we could go sit with them if...?" she looked at Annabeth hopefully.

Annabeth sighed. Being stuck with two couples by whilst she was by herself was not her ideal lunch, but her friends looked so eager to see their boyfriends. And besides, perhaps moving about would help her find Percy...

"Okay, fine, let's go," she rolled her eyes, but then a thought came to her. "What school do they go to?"

oOo

"They should be here soon..." Percy watched as Brian tried to see past all the high schoolers that were blocking his view.

Miserably, Percy took a bite of his sandwich. Two more people were coming - two more people who would think that he was a complete moron.

"Hey, I think that's them," Nathan got to his feet to wave them over. Percy glanced over, and almost did a double take. Through the throng of students, a flash of blonde caught his eye. A shape that looked way too much like a certain daughter of Athena.

No way.

In a second, Percy was on his feet. Then he was running.

"Dude, what the -" he barely heard Brian.

Grey eyes met green, and then they were kissing. Percy smiled into the kiss. Annabeth had the most perfect timing even when she didn't know it.

oOo

"I... You're Annabeth?" A guy with brown hair - Brian - stared at her as if she'd just come from another planet.

"That's me," she replied, trying not to smile as her fingers interlocked with Percy's.

"And this Percy guy is real," Dani squinted at Percy as if he might be made from clay.

"Well, apparently," he replied. Annabeth rolled her eyes. Seaweed Brain. Around them, she could've sworn that she could see people constantly looking at them, and hear Percy's name in conversations. Weird.

"Fine," Nathan looked severely depressed - Sorry for being alive, Annabeth thought - "You win."

"I guess you owe me an apology," Percy's smug grin annoyed even Annabeth, and something about his tone made her frown. Owe me... Hm.

Once they'd all eaten and their mortal friends had gotten over Percy and Annabeth's existence, an announcement was made that everyone had to return to their seating areas.

"I'll be waiting for you to walk me home, idiot," Annabeth said affectionately.

"Got it," came the reply. They kissed again before parting ways.

As she Gabby, and Dani moved off toward their area, Gabby's face was scrunched up, no doubt trying to form an opinion about Percy.

"He's sweet," she said finally, "And cute - dorky, yes, and kind of goofy, but cute all the same," she turned to Annabeth, mock-seriously putting a hand on her shoulder, "I am proud of you, friend."

"Thanks, captain," Annabeth laughed.

After a few hours later of valueless 'inspirational' talks done by people at least three times their age, Annabeth waited for Percy to come to her, and she smiled as she saw his familiar face approach her.

"Hey, Seaweed Brain."

"Hey. Your friends left? Mine too. I guess we have each other to ourselves." If he was trying to sound romantic, he failed miserably.

They walked in silence for a while, Annabeth constantly combing through her hair with her fingers.

"Your hair looks fine, Wise Girl," Percy took Annabeth's hand away from her face, "in fact," he said, with a strange gleam in his eye, "you look like a hundred bucks."

Annabeth looked at him. She was quite sure that she'd now caught on.

"Percy, did you do something that I should know about?"

"Maybe, but you'd kick me where it hurts."

"Yeah," she sighed, agreeing, "Probably."

Fin.

Merry Christmas, people of the world! :D I hope you liked this story! I know this last chapter was quite rushed, but I am going overseas TODAY, and seriously I was typing this so fast and then my mum would come in like "HEYYY WHAT CHU DOIN CRAZY CHILD?!" so I was kind of dying.

Anyway, please review, and to those of you who have accounts, I will be getting back to you (except only muuuuch later because as I said I am going overseas), and as for the anons, I thank you in advance! :D (Same for the kind souls who choose to favorite/follow :))

Happy Bir- Okay no, Merry Christmas Eva, this was TOTALLY always supposed to be a Christmas present. :)

(also as a side note, I know a lot of people wanted a huge dramatic Percabeth meet, but I think that only happens when Percy gets taken to the other side of America and has his brain wiped. Sorry. I think these two like to save each other's butts more than have huge PDAs so yeah. :) I hope you understand. :))

Again, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

xoxo COL