Bonding through Secrets {w/ Annabeth Chase}

Percy Jackson had done it again. The annoying, good for nothing fifteen year old has managed to forget to call Annabeth when he had promised to do so, leaving her regime completely messed up. Gods, didn't he have any idea on strict schedule formation? She ought to teach him a word or two about it. Numerous times has she taught different kinds of information about a number of subjects, but now she's beginning to wonder if his little seaweed brain had processed all that data.

Annabeth found a free spot in her schedule, wedged between her reading and training time. According to her calculations, she would have enough time to head to New York to give Percy a good scolding and to return to Camp Half-Blood. It may have been an excuse to give him a good whack on the head or it was just a chance for her to see him again. His sixteenth birthday was fast approaching, which meant that the Great Prophecy was starting to unfold right before her eyes. She didn't want to admit it, but there was a huge possibility that either one of them could lose their life in the battle. Percy was a strong demigod, but all Annabeth had was her extensive knowledge.

Pulling out a decent ensemble for the day, she slipped on a white 3/4 sleeved shirt, paired with denim shorts and her white converse. She stacked a bunch of bracelets on her right wrists, her left reserved for her purple wristwatch. She could never leave her cabin without it. After all, she believed that lost time could be never found again. Grabbing her white canvas backpack, she set out for the subway that would take her to Percy's apartment in Manhattan. Fortunately for the demigod, she didn't run into any monsters on the way and made it safely to their complex. When she made her way to his door, she pressed down on the button and tapped her foot impatiently as he waited.

She was about to open her mouth to start yelling when the door opened, but much to her surprise, his mother, Sally, was home. Annabeth closed her mouth and flashed Sally a friendly smile. "Hi, Mrs. Jackson. Percy failed to call me yesterday and I was worried about him. Would you happen to know if he's all right?"

Glancing at her watch, the hands were pointed at 11:17. If she was able to monitor her time wisely, she would have enough time to pass by Subway to grab a sandwich for lunch. When she averted her gaze to Sally, another idea popped in her head. Maybe she could get her revenge a different way.

"And, you know how much I hang out with Percy. It's getting really tiring, I mean all the testosterone levels." Annabeth gestured to her surroundings, aware of the fact that Sally would understand her situation since she lived with two boys. "You're the closest thing I have to a mom right now and I figured that we could, you know, hang out?"

The sweet smile on her lips was a mask of a wicked grin. Oh, yes. Percy Jackson, prepare for hell.

Annabeth nodded, muttering a thanks, as she was let inside the Jackson residence. "Yeah. I figured that since that I'm dealing with all these problems with him, I should get to know more about him from the woman who knows him best, right?" she smiled at Sally as she made her way to the couch to plop down, just as she did numerous times before. She clearly remembered how Percy's apartment looked like since she visited them quite often. In fact, the small, yet homey, space was more familiar to her than her own home in San Francisco.

"Oh, yes please, Mrs. Jackson," called Annabeth as her friend's mom entered the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled at the mention of her cookies, which she has tasted before in the past. Annabeth envied Percy a bit for he had the mother that she always wanted. Her step-mom had been cruel, but she understood her intentions for she was thinking about the welfare of her sons, Annabeth's half-brothers. Sometimes, she wondered if Percy knew how lucky he was to have a mom like Sally. Sneaking a glimpse at his bedroom door, she could faintly hear music being played from inside. It was a good sign; he wouldn't be able to hear their conversation. If she stayed long enough, she would be able to gather as much detail as possible about Percy, which she intended to use for blackmail or to satisfy her curiosity. Either one was good.

When Sally returned, holding a plate of cookies, Annabeth smiled gratefully and said, "You know how much I've been dying for your cookies? The ones they give out at camp doesn't even compare." she grabbed one of the cookies on the plate and started to nibble on it. You should see Percy at camp. I swear, if I wasn't his best friend, I would be like a mother figure to him," she joked, settling back down on the couch. "Have you heard that I have to remind him to make his bed and to do his laundry? It's unbelievable!"