The Scars

Annabeth POV

"UGH, I HATE POOL PARTIES," I exclaimed.

I tried so hard to turn the vote of my friends, but they still decided to have a pool party for the Stolls' birthdays. We were throwing a surprise party for their seventeenth birthdays.

Piper rolled her eyes while Hazel laughed.

The three of us were walking to class after lunch. The Stolls were absent today, so it gave us the perfect opportunity to decide on a venue. Piper had access to the private indoor swimming pool in her community. Since it is Winter, we needed an indoor setting.

"Why couldn't we go with Percy's suggestion. The trampoline park is a lot of fun," I complained.

"What is your problem with pool parties, Annabeth?" Piper asked.

"I don't like the concept of pool parties. Everyone is pretty much half-naked, and I have to deal with the constant stares from the guys because I'm still single," I snapped. "Connor and Leo in particular are way too flirtatious."

"GIRL, deal with it. You have a sexy body. Just own it and show it off."

Hazel laughed while I blushed. Sometimes, I wondered if Piper was bisexual. She randomly compliments guys and girls alike without any filter.

"Besides, you probably won't have to worry about Connor or Leo this weekend because everyone knows that Percy likes you."

"Yup. The bro-code will be active," Hazel confirmed.

I froze in the middle of the hallway. Piper and Hazel bumped into me while I simply stared at them in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's so obvious, Annabeth. Percy likes you," Hazel responded.

I sighed. "If he liked me, then we wouldn't have pulled away from our kiss. But, he did. He didn't want to be kissing me."

"HOLD UP," Piper shouted.

I winced while looking around the hallway. The entire student body froze as they turned towards Piper's commotion. I forgot that I haven't told my friends about Percy's and my kiss. They didn't know about all the drama.

I scolded Pioer while pulling them both into a nearby classroom. Mr. Bruner was sitting at his desk, but he told us to continue. He had a small smile on his face while he went back to grading papers.

Hazel, Piper, and I sat down before I explained last Friday night.

"Wow, I can't believe Percy reacted like that. He likes you so much, so why would he pull away? That makes no sense," Piper huffed in frustration.

"Maybe, Percy has other issues right now."

"That never stopped him from getting into relationships," Piper commented. "Although, Annabeth is special to him, so it could be different. He could be feeling different."

I continued to listen to their commentary about my love life.

I like Percy a lot, and I want to see where our relationship could go. However, I can't do anything if he doesn't want to. I realized that I know Percy, but I don't know about his life.

"Girls, may I intrude into your conversation?" Mr. Bruner asked. He wheeled himself towards us as we watched him.

"Sorry, Chiron, were we being too loud?" Hazel asked shyly.

"Well, yes. You were being quite loud. As such, I couldn't help but hear you all talking about Percy Jackson. He's quite an interesting character, isn't he?"

"That's one way to put it," I muttered.

"He has a good heart. I know it. If you want to get to know him, you have to dig a little deeper. You have to push past his walls," our teacher replied. "Also, a pool party might help unravel a person with Percy's reputation."

"Thanks, Chiron. That is some great advice," Piper affirmed. "Especially since Annabeth won't stop complaining about the pool party."

I glared at my friends while they smiled innocently. Then, I turned back towards Chiron and smiled gratefully. People like Chiron and Helen were helping me through this relationship drama, and I was glad for the assistance.

Chiron was our teacher, yet he talked to us like a friend.

"How did you become such an awesome teacher?" I laughed.

"Teenagers are complex human beings. Through my experiences at summer camps in the past, I've learned to comprehend their developing minds," Chiron answered.

I nodded in understanding. After all, Chiron used to direct teen camps for sports and academic achievements. I went to an academic summer camp when I was little. That's when I first met my favorite teacher and mentor.

Piper, Hazel, and I thanked him again before going about our day. Piper and Will took charge of planning the surprise party, and she couldn't stop talking about the details.

I was too busy thinking about Percy to pay any attention.

***

"SURPRISE," everyone screamed at the top of their lungs.

The twins' jaws fell to the floor as they stared at the commotion in the room. We invited a bunch of people to come to the pool party. It wasn't a large crowd though. We invited people that were friends of the Stolls.

The perks of a surprise are that we get to decide who comes and who doesn't. Fortunately, we don't have to deal with any Drews or Lukes today. Hopefully, they won't randomly show up.

"OH MY GOD. Thank you guys so much," Connor exclaimed. Percy went forward and tackled his friends into a big hug.

"Happy birthday," Percy shouted into their ears.

I laughed the twins practically picked Percy off the floor during the hug. They looked so happy that their friends had thrown them a party. I understood why. As a teenager, you never know who's a genuine friend unless they do stuff like this.

These types of events show friendship and commitment. The boys pretty much hugged it out first before the girls went to congratulate them.

"Annabeth, this is awesome. Thank you," Travis cheered.

"It's nothing. You guys are awesome (albeit troublesome) friends, so this is the least that we could do. Have as much fun as you want tonight."

"Don't need to tell me twice," Travis laughed as he ran towards the pool. He grabbed Katie in the process and they jumped into the pool.

Everyone cheered as they sputtered to the surface.

Katie was fuming as her boyfriend wrapped his arms around her. Of course, Katie's anger immediately melted as she kissed him.

"ALL RIGHT. LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED," Leo exclaimed before cannon-balling into the water. People rushed all around us. Some were already changed, so they dived into the water. Others went into the locker rooms to change. My friends and I were eating appetizers near the side of the pool area.

Someone bumped into my back as I reached for the mac-and-cheese cupcakes, which are delicious by the way.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Percy apologized.

"Seaweed Brain," I paused suddenly. The last week has been so awkward between us. We didn't talk about what happened last Friday. Neither of us knew what to say. "I expected you to be in the pool already."

"Um, yeah, I just wanted food right now," he replied nervously.

He scratched the back of his neck before his gaze locked onto mine. The world around us was bustling with activity, but we remained a constant. We grounded each other.

"I probably won't swim tonight," Percy responded. I had trouble with that comment. Why wouldn't he swim? Percy loved the water.

Before I could ask questions, he rushed back to his friends. I wanted to pursue him, but my friends grabbed and pulled me into the locker room. The conversation was loud and cheerful as we quickly changed into our swimsuits.

I was wearing a gray one-piece. Sexy but not too revealing.

The party was fun, but it was also exhausting. Within an hour, most of the party had moved into the pool. It was crowded and hot but also very enjoyable. I was busy in a game of beach volleyball when I noticed Percy sitting at the edge of the pool.

His sea-green eyes were watching and studying me. Every so often, I'd look at him and he'd look away. However, the blush on his cheeks was noticeable.

"Piper, tap out," I shouted.

She swam towards me and tagged my hand. I laughed while splashing her before pushing her into the game. The beachball hit her in the face.

"I hate you," she screeched. "You're not leaving that easily."

I looked towards Percy before turning back to Piper. He seemed lonely, but he wasn't getting in the water. I wanted to know if he was okay. Piper nodded in understanding.

"Don't intimidate him, Annabeth. Just try to talk to him, preferably somewhere more private. I have faith that you can get through to Percy," she expressed supportively.

"Thanks, Piper. I'll see you later."

The swim towards Percy wasn't easy. There were classmates all over the pool, so it was easier to walk than swim. I should've realized this before getting dunked by a group of jocks.

Needless to say, Percy was laughing as I approached him.

"SHUT UP, Seaweed Brain. You're so annoying," I snapped. I playfully slapped his knees before pulling myself out of the water and sitting next to him.

"You look very pretty today," Percy offered.

"I don't need compliments when I'm half-naked, Seaweed Brain."

"I compliment your beauty all the time, Wise Girl. It's you that simply chooses to not listen. For example, just the other day, you looked so stunning while standing in a field of moon lilies," Percy expressed warmly.

I nearly melted at his words. So, he WAS thinking about that night.

"I think that we should go somewhere more private. We need to talk," I whispered. Percy sighed but nodded.

We walked towards the doors that led into the hallway. The community pool was a part of a larger recreational center. We walked into a hallway that connected the inside of the facility to the pool.

We were alone.

It was past reactional hours, so the facility was shut down. Only the pool, locker rooms, and surrounding hallway were open. I can still hear the faint blast of music from the pool area. We walked along the isolated hallway until reaching a window.

The sky outside was full of stars. The moon shone brightly, illuminated our faces. Percy looked handsome as well.

Water was dripping all around me from my soaking bathing suit and hair. I froze as he reached forward and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Wise Girl. You are... everything."

"Okay. We need to talk, Percy. You can't just say stuff like this and expect me to think that you don't like me. I can see the attraction and emotions in your eyes. Eyes don't lie."

"I'm not trying to lie. I'm being honest with you," he replied.

"No. You're not. You're not being honest, and it makes it very hard to believe you."

"Wise Girl, I'm changed because of you. I'm no longer a player. I get no satisfaction from being with anyone else. I only care for you."

"Then, why are you distancing me? Why did you pull away?" I asked. I tried to forget the hurt I felt when I thought that he didn't like our kiss.

"I didn't want to pull away, Wise Girl." My gaze locked onto his. Percy shifted closer to me. "I wished to kiss you all night long, but I couldn't. I simply couldn't."

"Why? What's stopping you from this?" I asked. "I want to figure out what we are. Don't you?"

"Of course I do. More than anything, I wanna be with you."

Percy stepped even closer before leaning into me. His lips brushed mine softly. It was different than our first kiss. Our first kiss was tentative. This one was passionate. It was a kiss that demonstrated the truth of his words. I believed the kiss.

I broke the kiss first, but I remained close to him. His forehead rested on my own.

"Then, let me in," I whispered firmly.

Percy shook his head before retreating. Tears bristled in his eyes as he distanced himself from me. His hands were shaking. His face expressed guilt, grief, and fear.

I didn't understand it. Why was he doing this?

It was time for a different approach. I reached forward and caressed his hand. My wet hand transpired some drops onto his skin, but that didn't stop the passage of warmth.

"Okay. Let's start small. Just tell me why you're not swimming tonight. Just tell me this one thing right now, and I'll believe you. I'll believe in our connection."

We have a strong connection. I had faith that Percy was willing to do phenomenal things to ensure my happiness and safety. He's already demonstrated a deep love for me, and I wanted to see how those emotions could grow from both ends.

His eyes locked onto mine. The emotions swirled violently.

Then, Percy turned around. My stomach hurt at the notion of being rejected. Again. My heart sank, my face fell, and darkness loomed.

However, I realized that Percy wasn't walking away. Instead, Percy lifted his long-sleeve over his head. In a smooth motion, he removed his shirt and dropped it on the floor. I could only see an angle of his face, but my attention flitted down.

Seven scars littered his back, varying in size, shape, and age. The most dominant was an old slice against his left shoulder blade. The newest scar hadn't even closed yet.

I reached forward and brushed my fingers against his skin. The pieces slowly fell into place even though large chunks of the puzzle were still missing.

I gasped in shock. I wasn't expecting anything like this.