The Last Day

Percy POV

Okay. Here's a rundown of the worst day of my life.

It started like any other day. Gabe was passed out on the couch as I quietly made myself breakfast. I settled on a simple bowl of cereal today. As I was pouring the cereal into the bowl, my hand slipped.

The bowl clanged on the floor loudly, and I froze. My breath hitched as I heard stirring from the living room.

A loud shout reverberated through the apartment. Gabe stormed into the kitchen and grabbed me by the shirt. I nearly gagged at his morning breath. Rotten teeth and rancid stench exploded in my face.

"It was an accident, Gabe."

"Accident or not, you need to be punished," Gabe shouted in my face. Then, he shoved me against the stove. The gas buttons roughly jammed into my hip. A bruise was inevitable.

"When are you going to stop making mistakes, boy?" he snapped. "I guess I haven't given you a proper lesson."

"Gabe, I'm gonna be late for school. It'll be suspicious," I tried. He was standing a few feet away, and I was frantically trying to get out of a morning beating. Those were the worst.

Then, his hand went into my hair. Tears stormed in my ears as he dragged me towards the dining table. "Lay down," he commanded.

I massaged the back of my head while laying on the table. My heart hammered as I watched Gabe's actions. He left the room before coming back with a pack of green bottles.

The box wasn't opened yet.

"Hands to your side. Clutch the table if you have to," Gabe ordered.

I swallowed my nerves as I clenched the edges of the table. I stared at the ceiling as Gabe opened the pack of beers. I didn't know what he was planning until it happened.

Gabe lifted the first bottle above me and dropped it. The tin can (filled with fluid) crashed into the right side of my chest. Hard.

I groaned while coughing out.

"I SAID DON'T MOVE," Gabe shouted as he dropped another can. It hit at the same location. He repeated the procedure with all six cans.

By the end, water clouded my vision.

Imagine how much it hurts when you drop a bottle on your foot. Now, translate that pain onto your ribs. I didn't even want to look at the bruising on my chest, specifically my right ribs.

Gabe smiled wickedly before leaving. I didn't dare move until he was gone.

It took several groans to pull myself off the table. I clutched my chest while drinking some water. Pain shot through my frontside with each gulp. Since I lost my appetite, I grabbed my backpack before walking out of my apartment.

The drive to school helped to distract me. I got lost in my thoughts, which helped ignore the pain in my chest.

Today was the last day of Annabeth's and my proposal.

At midnight, I would be declared the winner because I made it three months without having sex.

Even after I win the proposal, I wasn't going to force Annabeth to sleep with me. I was on board if she wanted to, but I wasn't going to force her into anything. My mother raised me better than to ignore consent. Being comfortable with your partner was important even in one-night stands. Consent is important.

As soon as Grover saw me, he knew that I was in pain. I was used to seeing the worry in his eyes. Sometimes, I feel bad about how concerned he gets. My best friend shouldn't have to feel pain because of me.

However, I need someone like Grover by my side.

Grover walked me to the nurse's office where we grabbed an icepack. Then, he led me to an empty classroom where I iced my chest.

"Did he punch you?" Grover asked angrily.

"No, he stood above me and dropped beer bottles on my chest. The bottles were unopened," I explained.

"Percy-"

"No, please. Just don't say anything. I'm used to it."

"Okay. The school doesn't start for another fifteen minutes, so we'll continue to ice your chest and numb it down. Hopefully, that will help you," Grover said while texting someone.

A few minutes later, Jason barged into the room. I groaned while slouching in my seat. I hate bringing people into my problems.

"Bro, are you okay?" he asked. His blue eyes sparkled with concern.

"I'll be fine, Jason. My body can handle a lot more than a few bruises," I said. "It was just a surprise this morning."

"It's the last day of the deal," Jason continued. He sat at the desk next to mine. "Are you sure that ending this proposal is a good idea? I don't think that Annabeth will appreciate a loss. It'll be bad for her, Percy."

I sighed. This wasn't the first time that Jason brought this up. He already spoke about the proposal twice this week.

"Well, I made it three months. If I get through today, then I win."

"I know that, and I'm proud of you, especially considering what you're going through. I understand, but Annabeth's an amazing girl. You can't do this to her."

"I'm not doing anything, Jace," I snapped. "Can we not talk about this? You can't say anything to make me lose."

My anger was rising. Everyone was seeing me as the bad guy here. However, I'm not gonna sleep with Annabeth if she doesn't want to. Furthermore, I didn't even want to make this deal. Annabeth agreed and pushed me into it.

Grover gently nudged my arm to calm me down.

"Percy, I don't want you to lose. I'm just saying that-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH. Annabeth knew what she was getting into. I'm not the bad guy here. Just leave me alone if you can't understand that," I snapped.

I dropped my icepack and stormed out of the room. I shoved my way through the crowded hallway in anger and pain. I couldn't believe Jason right now. He's supposed to be on my side; he was my friend. He knew everything about my life at this point, yet he still couldn't understand that I'm not a bad person.

I didn't force nor will I force Annabeth into anything.

Besides, I couldn't break the deal and let Annabeth down. I was too invested in her to engage with any other girl.

Why?

Because I'm falling in love with her.

***

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. I was hyperaware that everyone was watching me and my friends. More importantly, everyone was watching Annabeth.

I wanted to comfort her, but I didn't know what to say.

Plus, my chest was killing me, and I couldn't interact with everyone properly. Grover and I spent lunch at the library so that I can ice my ribs.

"Grover, do you think that I'm wrong about winning this proposal?"

"Not at all. This game that you and Annabeth started will finish today. You upheld your end of the deal, so you deserve to win. It's as simple as that. You had several opportunities and reasons to get with another girl, but you didn't. That's why you should win."

"Annabeth will be hurt if she loses," I commented.

Grover sighed while he patted my shoulder. We were sitting at a wooden table in the corner of the library. Shelves of books surrounded us in a maze.

"You'll be hurt if you lose," Grover countered. He had a point. I didn't want to lose.

"Anyway, considering your injury, will you go to the party today?"

"Yup. Everyone's gonna be there. Besides, I don't want to be with Gabe after what happened this morning. I need a break," I said firmly.

"Well, I won't be at the party," Grover informed. "Juniper's folks and mine are getting together for an official family dinner."

"It's all right. I'm glad that you guys are serious." I smiled.

Grover and Juniper belonged together. They were so alike and so perfect for each other.

I stared longingly at the rows of library books. Annabeth loved the library. She loved the smell of fresh books, and she loved reading and gaining knowledge. Her intelligence made her all the more attractive.

A lot of people would consider Annabeth a nerd. I don't think so.

Annabeth was worth too much to classify into a single stereotype. Besides, even if she is a nerd, she is the most beautiful (and sexiest) nerd in the world. Anyone would be lucky to be with her.

"You're thinking about Annabeth again, aren't you?" Grover asked slyly.

"When am I not thinking of her," I murmured with a smile.

***

Not surprisingly, Silena's party was bussing.

The music blared, and sweaty teenagers were dancing all around. Since it was January, everyone was crowded inside. The first floor and basement were horrific to walk through. I was trying to find my friends in the sea of monsters (I mean, classmates).

I found Jason and Piper making out on the first floor. I decided not to bother them. I got the same result with Leo and Calypso.

Frank and Hazel weren't kissing, but they were participating in a serious game of Beer Pong with Silena and Charles. I watched the match for a while before heading to the basement.

I managed to find Thalia in the basement. However, she was busy punching Ethan Nakamura for making a move on her. Thalia was a strong asexual, so don't mess with her in that way.

Annabeth and Rachel were in the corner of the basement.

I decided to walk over to them since I couldn't find anyone else to hang out with. However, Travis and Connor recruited me into a Ping Pong tournament. I didn't want to play. Every movement was shooting pain into my chest.

However, I couldn't deny the Stolls' pleading faces.

I served the ball, and the game started. Rachel and Annabeth were nearby, so my attention wandered over to them. I can hear their conversation from around the corner.

My body played Ping Pong while my ears listened to them.

"There are only four hours left till midnight. I hate to admit it, Annabeth, but I think that you lost this one. Percy is at the party, so he's not breaking the deal," Rachel expressed.

"I know, Rachel, and I hate it," Annabeth stated.

I frowned as I serve the ball again.

I was a single-player while Travis and Connor were tag-teaming on the other side. Their lack of communication was helping me.

"What are you going to do?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know. I don't like Percy. He's fine to be friends with, but he's a player. I can't get with someone like him," Annabeth said firmly. Okay, that stung. Ouch, my heart.

"Well, you don't really have a choice."

"Yeah. I just hate losing. I take great pride in my self-respect. Losing this deal and sleeping with him will destroy that. It'll destroy a part of me," Annabeth informed.

"I'm sorry, Annabeth."

My heart constricted in sorrow. My paddle hit the table in a loud thud. I groaned before crouching to grab the plastic ball off the ground.

Annabeth didn't like me. She definitely didn't want to get with me. Sadness settled in my chest in addition to the physical ache.

I quickly blinked back my tears. I wasn't crying. Nope, I was just sweating.

"I do NOT want him to be a player. He's a loyal person, Rachel, so I want him to stop sleeping around. I want him to commit. However, I don't want to lose."

I served the ball again, but I couldn't stop my racing mind.

"Gods, I want Percy to uphold our proposal, but I don't want him to win," Annabeth affirmed with a sigh. "But, that's impossible."

It's not impossible, I thought sadly.

If that's what Annabeth wanted, then I can give her that. Even though it hurt deeply that Wise Girl didn't like me (romantically), I can still make her win.

After all, I have four hours left.

I can lose without losing. I can sacrifice my win. When a man loves a woman (like I love Annabeth), then I'm willing to do whatever it takes to demonstrate the love. Even if she doesn't love me back.

I can fake my loss so that Annabeth can win. I knew exactly how to pull it off, and Grover can help me as well.

Suddenly, my phone's ringtone blared out of my pocket.

I checked the caller ID and panicked. My heart sank at the name on the screen.

"Guys, I gotta take this," I shouted over the music. The Stolls nodded with drunk smiles on their faces. But, this was no smiling matter.

I rushed to an isolated corner of the basement. My hands shook as I frantically accepted the phone call. I usually don't receive calls from the hospital.

"Hello, Nurse Hestia-"

"PERCY, YOU NEED TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL NOW. IT'S AN EMERGENCY..."