Shoutout to pjoheadcanon for winning!!!

Annabeth was guilty.

She stormed away from Percy, and as each step she took further away from his designated spot, a weight seemed to drag itself onto her already worn out shoulders. Annabeth knew that feeling, it was that disgusting emotion that seemed to creep up on you at the worst times, latching itself into your mind, a memory wished to be forgotten.

She turned to a corner, then forward, left, right, repeat. Annabeth didn't even know where she was going until she stood right outside the library door, her hand resting on the worn out wood, her feet inches away from touching the beige carpet that surrounded the library grounds. Pushing the door open, Annabeth stepped inside, amazed by the quiet whisperings and the slight sound of pages being turned. It was peaceful, seemed to take her mind off of things.

A small comfortable chair lay at the left corner of the room, a sea of aging books surrounding it. Annabeth found herself drifting towards the said furniture, gazing over the large variety of novels. From Enid Blyton to Charles Dickens, and a few other famous authors. She picked up a random book, opened the first page and started on the wonderful journey that was called 'reading'.

It was funny, really. It took ages for Annabeth to read a book due to her dyslexia, but it was engaging, and she didn't mind spending ages reading, as long as it took her to a new world, something far better than her reality. Four pages in, Annabeth ready to swiftly turn to the other page, her fingers resting lightly on the corner, the annoying shrill sound of the bell rang through the classes adjacent to her, so loud that she could clearly hear it through the wide, thick walls.

She carefully placed the book in its previous position, going out of the library and making her way over to homeroom. Annabeth tightened her ponytail, wincing as she managed to pull out a knot.

The homeroom class, unfortunately, was already full as she came in, meaning Annabeth had to sit back at the front, receiving smug looks from both Khione and Drew. She shrugged it off though, if they had so much interest to her that they had to always show it, then so be it. Paul sent her a look, and Annabeth responded with a shrug.

"You're late," he said.

"No, I'm not, the time is . . ." She checked the time on her watch, and groaned. "Sorry?"

"Five minutes after school, Annabeth." Paul sent her a sympathetic smile. "That's just the rules."

She rolled her eyes, but she sat down. The chair creaked as she plopped down on it, resting her head on the light wooden desk. Her forehead grazed from the markings on the desk, and Annabeth tilted her head in confusion. On the desk, there were tons and tons of engravings, all donning her name.

"Annabeth's a slu*"

"Annabeth is a bit**"

"Annabeth has no mom."

There must have been dozens of them, sprayed across her desk and Annabeth put her bag all over them. She turned to Drew and Khione, and they were watching her excitedly, wondering what she would do. Annabeth shook her head, shaking those thoughts away from her. I'm not any of those, Annabeth thought to herself. They can't hurt me.

"Annabeth, pay attention." Mr. Blofis said. "What's the answer to the question?"

She smiled at him, trying to buy time to remember what the heck he asked her. "I don't really know."

"You come in late and you're not listening." Paul sighed.

Annabeth blushed. She never got into any trouble at school than ever before, and to have one done by your best friend's step-dad, that was a new low.

She tapped her pen on the desk, and just then a person tapped her from behind. Annabeth was having none of it, she was tired and first period hadn't even started yet, she already was a prime suspect for a one hour detention, and Khione and Drew couldn't keep their big mouths from spreading disgusting rumours around.

"Hey, turn around." The girl said, and her voice sounded strikingly similar to someone Annabeth knew a long time ago.

She did as she was told, and Annabeth dropped her pen in surprise. "What are you doing here, I thought you left?" She wasn't exactly surprised, Thalia was known for making unknown appearances at the wrong time.

Thalia pouted. "I was expecting more of a 'oh my, you're back!' with tons of screaming and then -"

"Just get to the point."

"Well," Thalia raised her eyebrows. "They put me back in." Annabeth raised her eyebrows in surprise. "With a little bit of persuasion from my dad and some super small threats from him, I was put back in."

"Thalia?" Annabeth said. "You're two years older than me, you shouldn't be in this class."

"They put me back two years, which is okay, because you and Percy are both hear." Annabeth flinched at his name, she hadn't really said 'sorry' yet, and she knew Percy would be with Piper and her friends at lunch, and she didn't really want an audience. Saying sorry was already hard enough for her.

"Are you and Percy an item yet?" Thalia whispered, and Annabeth blushed. She was the only person that knew of Annabeth's crush, and she liked it that way. No matter how mean Thalia would supposedly be, she was kind, it's just that she showed it in different ways.

Annabeth laughed. "No, and I'm not telling him."

Thalia let out a gasp in mock horror. "You have to." Thalia smiled. "He likes you back, I know it."

"Yeah, as friends and anyway -"

"Annabeth, please step outside. This is the fifth time I've heard you talking." The class sniggered at Paul's comment, and Annabeth burned a bright red as she stepped outside. The bell rang, but she had nothing to fear, her class for English was the same as homeroom, so being late was not an option.

"What's going on with you? You've been talking the whole time, and haven't been listening at all." Paul sent her a sympathetic smile. "Something happen at home?"

She quickly shook her head. "No, I -I just have a headache, couldn't concentrate at all today." Annabeth wasn't exactly lying, the vibrations of pain increasing as if to prove her point.

"Would a trip to the nurse's office help with that?" Paul offered, and Annabeth shook her head. The nurse's office was completely baloney, all they gave you was a glass of water and you were done for the day. Annabeth didn't even think the woman there was qualified for the job, always spending hours on the school computer, playing that stupid Candy Crush game.

"I'll live," she smiled and went back into the class after asking for Paul's approval. The class instantly went silent as her presence entered the room, and Annabeth had no choice but to quickly sit down, despite Drew and Khione's sniggering.

Thalia kicked the back of Annabeth's chair, and Annabeth impatiently turned to her, a frown clearly evident on her face. "What?"

Thalia pointed at the two dreadful girls- no, demons and Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Those girls bothering you?"

"They're trying to, but they're not." Annabeth lied, knowing that Thalia would beat their brains out if she didn't. At first, it started with the small name-calling and shoulder-shoving after school, and Annabeth would just brush it off. However, as the days went by, Drew and Khione couldn't help but be entranced to her, using any chance they had to torment her.

"Why aren't you sitting next to Percy?" Thalia asked, and she noticed the slight frown on Annabeth's face. "You messed up?"

Annabeth smiled. "How'd you know it was me?"
Thalia shrugged at her response. "Because if it was Percy, he would've already made it up with you."

"Hey," Annabeth wanted to say more, but the boy sitting next to Thalia was probably hearing everything. "Excuse me," she said to the boy and he turned around. "Would you mind swapping places?"

He shrugged, and let Annabeth swap with him, and she smiled gratefully. He didn't seem to care though, just plopping onto his seat already bored. "So then -"

The bell rang, and Annabeth groaned as she got up. Thalia most definitely wouldn't be in any of her classes, but she remained in her seat.

"Thalia?" Annabeth asked. "Where's your schedule?"

Thalia shrugged. "Don't have one for today, so I'll be following you."

. . .

Annabeth finally had the guts to go over to Percy, after school of course, he was busy talking to his new friends at lunch. No, Annabeth did not sound bitter, that was just how she was.
Definitely.

She waited for Percy as usual, and his face fell into confusion as he came over to her.

"Sorry," she blurted out. "Sorry for overreacting and being annoying, and -"

"Sorry for not coming," Percy shrugged, and Annabeth froze in place.

"You have nothing to apologise for, I was the one -"

"Annabeth?" Percy laughed, "just take the apology."

She smiled, and they walked side by side, just like their usual. Well, that was until Piper and her friends came to join them.

"Hey Percy!" Piper called, and he turned around smiling.

"Hi," he waved and Annabeth noticed how many people were there around Piper. There were far too many, and Annabeth could feel her hands shaking. Why are they shaking? She thought to herself, she wasn't scared of them. She wasn't fearful that they might take Percy away, sure she had Thalia, but . . . Percy was Percy, she didn't just want to leave that.

Annabeth smiled hesitantly, and quickly turned to Percy. "Bye," he was about to protest, but Annabeth quickly gave him a hug, rendering him speechless. The heat rushed to her face, and Annabeth could tell she was blushing, quickly turning around and walking back to her house, ignoring their muffled laughs, she couldn't help but smile herself.

"Boo," a very monotone voice said, and Annabeth nearly fell onto the ground in surprise.

She turned to the supposed attacker, and scowled at the smug face of Thalia, who was trying not to laugh under that smile.

"Ha, ha ha," Annabeth replied, getting up without the help of Thalia's outstretched hand. "That was super funny, you should be a comedian."

Thalia raised an eyebrow, laughing. "You're lying."

Annabeth reflected Thalia's previous smug smile. "Was it my sarcastic voice, or the fact that no one laughed?"

Thalia gasped. "You're mean."

Annabeth lightly pushed her. "You're the one who scared me."

"Anyways," Thalia put her arm over Annabeth, holding her like a drunkard. "Did you apologise to Percy?"

"Yeah," Annabeth replied nonchalantly.

"Did you . . ." Thalia nudged her arm on Annabeth's. "Hug it out?"

"Well yeah," Annabeth fidgeted. "But -"

"Did you confess your undying love for him?" Thalia was now leaning on Annabeth, pretending to be those wretched damsels in distress.

"No!" Annabeth quickly exclaimed, pushing Thalia off of her. "You're crazy for goodness sake, no one does that."

"Romeo and Juliet." Thalia shrugged, and Annabeth widened her eyes in surprise. Thalia usually never listened to anyone when it was about education, so knowing this answer was a huge accomplishment.

"They died, and Juliet was underage, she barely knew the guy and -"

"You make everything so factual Annabeth, why can't you just relax a bit?" Thalia laughed, and Annabeth fell victim to her smile.

"Relaxing will result in me becoming a slouch, living off potato chips and grovelling about my former ex's."

"Who said you'll have an ex? You're going to marry Percy, remember?" Thalia smiled, and Annabeth put her hands over her face, trying to rub away the blush that was on her cheeks.

"He doesn't even like me like that, Thalia. I can see that." Annabeth argued, and Thalia opened her mouth to gasp.

"Ever heard of being smart and dumb? Yeah, you're both of them Annabeth." Thalia clarified, and she ran as Annabeth tried to shove her with her bag.

. . .

"Percy or . . . that hot guy next door?" Thalia asked, as her and Annabeth sat opposite each other, trying to throw popcorn at each other's mouths. They had been doing this for an hour, and neither of them were counting on quitting, not stopping until they could finally do it. All in all, they were going to be there forever.

"That guy is a jerk, I'll go with Percy." Annabeth said.

"Luke . . . or that hot guy again," Annabeth asked, and Thalia wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"None of them."

"Not even Luke? He's handsome, I can't lie." Annabeth ducked as Thalia threw a handful of popcorn at her.

"You're supposed to like Percy, you can't like Luke."

Annabeth raised her eyebrow. "Yes, I can. Ever heard of having more than once crush. A love triangle?" Annabeth laughed.

"He'll get jealous." Thalia said, and Annabeth laughed.

"You have to like someone to be jealous."

"But if you like Luke -"

"Like who?" Percy asked as he came into the room, grabbing the popcorn bag despite Thalia's protests.

"None of your business." Thalia replied, and Annabeth thanked her with her eyes for her bright red face would've given it away.

"You never tell me anything," Percy joked, lying on the bed so his head was upside down.

"You'll choke like that," Annabeth pointed out, and he shrugged, throwing a piece of popcorn in the air and catching it his mouth. And just like that, he coughed for about two minutes until Thalia had to smack his back.

"Told you," Annabeth laughed, and ducked as a pillow came her way. She threw it back, though Percy managed to catch it.

Thalia jokingly grabbed a pillow at a distracted Annabeth, and it hit her square in the face. Annabeth laughed, throwing two pillows at the opposing players, and the Pillow Fight War had begun.

Her phone rang, and Annabeth paused the raging war, grabbing for her phone on the drawer. It was from Luke, and Annabeth hesitantly answered. What does he want? Annabeth thought to herself. He never calls.

"Hello?" She asked, and Luke's eager voice rang through her ears. She didn't like that, the way he would just go from being seriously angry, then quickly turn the other cheek as if he wasn't shouting at her just a second ago.

"Hey, you want to go to a diner with me and my friends?" Luke asked, and Annabeth shook her head at Thalia.

"No thanks, I'm with Thalia and Percy right now." She winced, knowing that Luke would shout.

"Just leave those two, they'll be alright on their own." Luke's irritated voice rang through the room, he didn't realise it was on speaker.

"Sorry I've got to go, have fun with your friends!"

"No -"

Annabeth turned off the call, sighing to herself. Why couldn't she just tell Luke, tell him that he had changed, and she had preferred the one she met on the streets, not the rough two-faced guy that sprung fear on anyone who angered him. She'd always wondered if he would admit he changed, then maybe she would like him more, for a childhood crush wasn't enough for someone to blush.

"He's obviously drunk," Thalia rolled her eyes, and Annabeth gritted her teeth. He wasn't drunk, he never did those kind of things. Every time Annabeth would smell a hint of that intoxicating liquid, Luke would always deny, and his smile and crinkled eyes always made Annabeth forgive him. Thalia was just using it as an excuse, even she knew that Luke wasn't that kind of person.

Percy got up from the bed, giving both Annabeth and Thalia smile. "I gotta go," he nodded his head. "Bye!"

"Bye," Annabeth said as the door shut.

Thalia, without a word, strode over to the door, opened it then closed it, and turned to Annabeth with a frown. "Luke," she said. "Something is off with him."

Annabeth shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with him, you're being delusional."

"I've known him longer than you, Annabeth. He's different."

"He's doing something, then," Annabeth said to herself as if seeing if those couple of words fitted in the same sentence.

"More like he's on something," Thalia scoffed, though Annabeth was instantly hurt by the little 'joke'. If Luke ever so much as touched a cigarette, Annabeth would- she would . . .
I wouldn't do anything, Annabeth thought to herself, and she blinked several times to stop the tears from rolling. He's not doing anything, there's no need to cry.

Thalia noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere and she quickly changed the subject, much to Annabeth's delight. "So would you . . .

. . .

Annabeth woke up with a start, the loud hail causing her window to rattle. She went over to the glass pane, ready to close the windows when she realised it wasn't even raining. A lone figure on the ground waved at her eagerly, and Annabeth tilted her head to the side in confusion. He looked familiar, with his tall physique and as the light shined on his hair, Annabeth noticed an unmistakable blonde.

"Luke?"

Got any good plot ideas, preferably small so it can evolve into the story? Can be a big plot, though chances of winning are rare if soo.

Pm me with an idea you have, and I'll choose which one I'll put in!

Love,
JustWannaEatWaffles