CHAPTER 9

A/N:

Wow, it's been long since the last time I wrote an A/N. Guys, I'm really sorry for taking so long to update! I'm the worst. I entered college and it stole all my free time. I haven't been able to write, so don't be surprised if you think this isn't my best chapter. My brain was on fire as I tried to write. Anyway, I hope you like this and don't hate me. You know I'm busy now, so don't be surprised if I disappear again. AND I'm currently writing another story along with my best friend (a Percabeth story!), OrangeSunset1618. I hope we can publish it soon :). That's all I have to say! Have a good time!

"Alright, I think you've studied enough, Annabeth." The man sitting to my right closes his thick calculus book, placing it inside a small suitcase. As he works on fixing his things I watch him. Five years have passed and Chiron still looks the same. There's not a single white hair on his head yet, and his eyebrows are as bushy as they were before.

"Thanks for helping me study, Chiron," I reply, guiding him towards the living room. "It's much easier to study when someone is teaching you. Otherwise you have to investigate, and that takes some time."

"I do it with pleasure, Annabeth." He smiles. "You've been one of my best students. But don't thank me. Thank Percy for asking me to come. If he hadn't done it I would still think you're in coma. He was one of my best students too, you know? He was a little troublesome and a prankster, but he is very intelligent. No wonder he's a doctor now."

"Yeah, he is really smart. And nice. And caring. No wonder I like him." As I sit down in the couch, I realize I'm talking about my boyfriend with a teacher. Actually, he's more like a friend; back in Goode, whenever I needed something he was there to help me. However, he's still a teacher. A blush creeps to my cheeks when he smiles.

"I bet you like him a lot." He teases. Fortunately, the conversation's topic changes quickly. "Well, Annabeth, I must say you're ready for your college admission test. I didn't teach you much, you knew everything. I just helped you with minor things."

"Your help was useful, Chiron. I owe you a lot. You didn't have to do it, but you did it anyway. And during your free time. If I'm ready for the test it's thanks to you."

Chiron smiles but doesn't say anything more, staring down at his lap. Silence fills the room for some minutes until he sighs. "Well, I must be going now, Annabeth. If I don't go I will get late to work, and what kind of example would I be for my students if that happened?"

I stand up right away, flashing a new smile. "Thanks again, Chiron. You are the best teacher I've ever had."

"Again, it's nothing. And I want to wish you good luck this Monday. I'm sure everything will be okay and you'll enter college. You'll be the best architect that the world has ever had." He's wishing me luck? What's going to happen this Monday? It takes me five seconds exactly to process everything: this Monday is my college admission test.

Everything in the room turns silent, the word 'Monday' echoing inside my head. This can't be real. How could time pass so fast? There are seventy-two hours left exactly before the test. I knew the test is next week, but the information hadn't sunk in until now. What am I going to do? Am I really ready?

As if reading my mind, Chiron says, "I had forgotten you react like this when something important is about to come. But don't worry, Annabeth. You'll do fine. You have studied for months according to Percy and you are very smart. If there's someone that deserves to enter college is you."

That doesn't help. I won't be able to relax until the test is over. However, I pretend to feel better. "Thanks. I will do my best to enter college and recover all the time lost."

"I know you will. I recommend you to study a little tomorrow and relax on Sunday. That way your mind can be rested during the test."

"I will, Chiron." Though I don't say it honestly. Is it a good idea to study too little for something so important?

We exchange goodbyes. I follow him to the exit, and once he is gone I go back to the living room. The following couple of minutes I spend them thinking. What if I don't pass the test? Will I have to remain in the house for another year? I just can't afford to think like that. Shaking my head, I get on my feet and take some books from the table. Then, I go upstairs and continue studying.

. . .

"May I come in?"

I turn on my seat to find Percy standing at the entryway, looking worried. Nodding, I place the pen inside my hand upon the desk. An algebra book rests beside it; I've been working on it for an hour. Damn problems.

Percy enters the room, walking over to the bed. He takes a seat and stares at me in the eye. "Annabeth, I'm a bit worried about you," he says, shaking his head. "You've been locked in here for too much time. We always have dinner together and now you spend most of your time here. I expected to have breakfast with you today but you didn't go down."

"Of course. Tomorrow's my test, Percy," I respond. "I need to be prepared for it."

"Didn't Chiron tell you to relax today? Annabeth, you're ready for it. I've never seen someone as smart as you before. You were worried about your high school's exams too, yet you obtained excellent grades." He slides down the bed and crawls in my direction. I let him take my hand, and our eyes meet. There is nothing more relaxing that watching this guy's beautiful eyes. For a moment, all of my problems vanish.

It's true. I was very worried about my tests too, but I got good grades. This is different, though. This test will define if I enter college or not. "But this is a different situation, Percy."

"No, it's not. It's a test. You are smart. You have studied. The situation is the same, and the result will be the same. Come on." Here he comes. I try not to stare at his eyes, but it's inevitable when he's pleading. They look brighter than usual, reminding me of a sad puppy. "Relax. Leave those books and take a break."

I don't say no, but I don't say yes either. "If I don't do anything my mind will only think about studying."

"Let's do something to distract your mind," he says. He snaps his fingers and stands up, offering his hand to me. "I know. Put your swimsuit on. Let's swim. I just realized that you've been here for months and you've never used the pool."

Yes, I haven't used the pool yet. During these past months, Percy and I have only watched movies or gone out. It's the first time he asks me to swim with him. I take his hand, nodding. "Okay, but I will only accept because that will help me study. You know, I can calculate the pool's volume and perimeter."

"You're impossible." Percy rolls his eyes, shaking his head, though I can see the corner of his mouth quirking up. After kissing my forehead, he exits the room, closing the door.

. . .

"Well, how do I look?"

Percy turns around to find me standing at the bottom of the stairs. It is so funny to see him react to my appearance. For a moment, he doesn't do anything. But then his cheeks turn red, his eyes opening as much as possible. I want to laugh at his amazed expression so hard, but I just walk past him to the backyard. I sit on the edge of the pool, feeling the water covering my legs—and my boyfriend's gaze on my back. Being a woman is cool. I like to make Percy look like an idiot.

"Uh, you look p-pretty good, you know?" He comes to sit by my side while scratching the back of his head. The tone of his skin can't be redder than this. I smile lightly in response.

"Thank you. You know, I feel more relaxed now."

"That's good to know. You'll feel even better after I win you in a race." I turn around to find him grinning at me.

"How is that supposed to help me feel better?" I ask, rolling my eyes. "Of course you'd win me in a race. It's been years since the last time I swam. I would be surprised if I didn't die drowned while trying to advance."

"Why don't we find out if you would survive?" Without warning, Percy places his hands on my waist. Immediately, I know what he's about to do. However, before I can do something, he jumps into the water and takes me with him. The sounds of cars and people disappear. I can't hear anything but water.

When I open my eyes (something I will regret later, since you're not supposed to open your eyes inside a pool or the sea) I can see Percy swimming away. If he could breathe underwater I know he would be laughing. After mentally cursing him, I start kicking until my head emerges though the surface.

"You will pay for this, Perseus Jackson!" I exclaim, though he doesn't hear anything thanks to all the movement he's doing. He goes on slipping away from me while I move to the pool's edge and pull myself out of it. Half a minute later, his face is still inside the water. Is he some sort of merman? What kind of normal human lasts so much without breathing?

Something odd happens when Percy is getting close to the other end of the pool: he crashes against the wall. I laugh so hard at him that my stomach starts hurting. Swimming was a very good idea. Now I no longer feel nervous about my college admission test. Nerves? Pff, what's that?

"That's what you get for messing up with me! Karma!" I shout, but my laughter dies. Percy's not moving. He's just floating there. Jeez, how could I have laughed? He hit on the head! Something serious could've happened to him! "Percy!" I expect him to stand up and turn around grinning, but it doesn't happen. "Percy!"

I jump to my feet and a miracle happens: I can remember how to swim now. In a second I'm inside the water, swimming like a professional towards my boyfriend's unconscious body. I feel like a lifeguard in action. When I reach him, I turn his body around until he is facing the sky.

"Percy, are you okay?" I ask, removing wet strands of blond hair from my face. He is. He is breathing, but the hit on the head must've been very hard because he looks dizzy. I just hope he doesn't faint or it'll take me hours to drag him into the house.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he responds with a low voice. Smiling, he says, "Thanks for coming for me, Annabeth. I—I need your help."

"What do you need?" He motions for me to get close, and I do as told until his lips are just in front of my ear.

"I—I need…" His voice is turning lower. Please, don't faint right now. "I need…rescue breathing." Out of nowhere, he grins and stands up, taking my face between his hands. Then, he's kissing me. I kiss him back until I realize what just happened: he pretended to be in danger. He scared me to death!

I push him away and punch him on the chest. "Ouch!" He places his hands over the spot where I hit him. I can see clearly where my knuckles touched his skin. "What was that for?"

"Oh, you don't know?" I cross my arms, frowning. "You scared me to death, you—you idiot. If you ever do that to me again, I will make sure you really are in danger."

Complete silence. We stare at each other, gray to green, until I smile and pull him to a kiss. It is my time to catch him off guard. And we kiss, until all my nerves vanish completely and I feel very, very good. He makes me feel that way. With him by my side, I don't have to worry about anything.

. . .

The next morning, my heart is beating very fast as Percy drives me to college. But I don't feel as nervous as I did yesterday morning or two days ago. No. I know I will pass the test. If Percy and everyone else think I'm capable of doing anything, I'm capable of doing anything. Even of spitting fire. Well, not really.

After twenty minutes of traveling, he finally stops the car. The time has come.

"Thank you for brining me," I say, unfastening my seatbelt. "I'll—I'll see you later."

"Good luck. You'll do fine," Percy says, leaning forward to place a quick kiss on my lips. He runs his thumb over my cheek and smiles. "I love you, you know?"

I smile, too. It's the first time he says this directly. "Yeah, I do. And I love you too, Percy." I open the door and prepare to get out. "If you can, please lit a candle and pray to all the Gods. Ask them to help me. Bye!"

He waves a hand at me and doesn't leave until I'm inside campus.

I smile. Everything will be fine.