An Abundance of Annas and Beths
A/N: Sorry for being out for so long. I was being lazy, and decided to get off my butt to post something before New Years! Have a happy new year and I'll see you in 2015! This one shot is based off of John Green's "An Abundance of Katherines" -EndOfBeginning
i
Percy was ten years old when he got his first kiss. A new family has moved into the house across the street, and his mom invited them over as a kind neighbor act. The family had three children; a girl Percy's age and two boys that were six years old.
After dinner while the adults were chatting, Percy sat down next to the girl (who he found out was named Annabeth) on the couch while she was reading a really thick book. Percy took a long look at her blond curls and stormy grey eyes, and wondered what it was like to kiss someone. He'd seen his mom and Paul do it many times, so why not try it out for himself?
Percy leant in and pressed his lips to the unsuspecting girl's mouth. He pulled back a second later, contemplating on whether it was good or not. Annabeth wrinkled her nose as she watched Percy.
"What was that for?" she asked.
"Uh...I don't know?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes. For a ten year old she looked awfully mature. "Well don't do that again. It felt weird."
Maybe Percy's ten year old mind didn't know it, but he was discreetly rejected by a pretty ten year old supergenius.
ii
Percy was eleven years old when he got his first girlfriend. Her name was Anna, and she had wavy brown hair and twinkling blue eyes. Percy had met her on his first day of intermediate school, and it had been love at first sight.
At least it had been for him.
After a week of holding hands and kissing each other on the cheek, Anna said she felt that they were just kids and didn't really want to be in a relationship meant for older people.
Percy nodded and pretended like he understood, but really he was crumbling on the inside. That day, he ran back home with tears in his eyes, only to be met with the sight of a blond girl eating his mom's chocolate chip cookies.
"Annabeth!" Percy wailed as he dumped his backpack by the closet. "I just got dumped for the first time."
Annabeth just tolled her eyes and snorted. "Honestly, Seaweed Brain. You guys are only eleven. Did you really think it was going to last?"
Percy sat down next to Annabeth and grabbed one of the cookies on the plate. The two had become best friends, even after their first awkward encounter. Two kids about the same age+living across the street from each other+sharing the same sense of humor=friendship.
"You're only eleven years old and you're already lecturing me about relationships," Percy groaned. "Next thing I know, you'll be teaching me about video games."
Annabeth patted Percy on the back.
"Hey, at least you'll know what it's like to have someone break up with you. You'll have firsthand knowledge when it comes to the next relationship."
Annabeth laughed when Percy punched her arm.
iii
Percy was thirteen when he met Annabell, the pretty girl who was at swim camp. She had wavy blond hair and chocolate brown eyes, and the thing that attracted Percy the most was that she loved swimming and the water.
Everyone enrolled in the swim camp had to stay there for a week; they got their own cabins. Percy didn't really know what to do since Annabeth wasn't here, and neither was Grover, the cool kid that sat next to him in science. So when the swim coach called for a break before dinner, Percy just laid on the grass looking at the sky.
Annabell had already been at the camp the year before, knew some pretty amazing hideouts, and offered to show Percy where they were. Percy agreed to go, and he followed Annabell to a cave, with a view overlooking the lake.
"Wow," Percy said. "This is amazing."
He tried to memorize everything about the setting sun: the pink and orange swirl just above the horizon, the purple molding in with the darkening sky.
"This is why I keep on coming back each year. Well, that and swimming," said Annabell from behind Percy.
Percy turned around to thank Annabell for bringing him here, but Annabell was actually closer to him than he thought. WAY closer. In fact, close enough for Percy to accidentally crash his lips to hers. That was somewhat embarrassing knowing that Annabell's lip height was the same as Percy's.
Much to Percy's surprise, Annabell deepened the kiss (or whatever it was), leaving them both breathless when they pulled apart.
"Uh..." Percy's mind was literally blank.
Annabell smiled, patted Percy's cheek and walked back to the dining pavilion for dinner.
The next day, Annabell wasn't there for breakfast, and Percy asked the swim coach where she was.
"Gone home because of a fever. It's the last day of camp anyways, so she won't miss out on a lot."
When Percy came home from camp that day, he found a certain curly haired girl lying on his bed, reading a book.
"Erg! Annabeth, why does this keep on happening to me?" groaned Percy as he flopped himself beside Annabeth on his bed.
"What keeps on happening to you?" Annabeth said, peering over her book to look at him. "By the way, welcome home."
"This girl that actually liked me back left without a trace! Well, okay, I know she's at home...but this is totally unfair. UNFAIR."
"Know what'll cheer you up?" said Annabeth. She set the book down, and slid off the bed. "Come on, my dad makes one mean brownie, and I'm sure you're going to fall in love with it too."
iv
Percy met Bethany Xiao when he was fifteen at school. She was the quiet girl that sat at the back of the classroom, her silky black hair covering her face while she worked.
Percy liked sweet girls, so he asked her to a date at the movie theater. Bethany at first was hesitant to go, but opened up to him at the theater. They both laughed a lot and went high on sugar. The vendor who sold the candy was not amused. But the most important thing was that they had fun, and made a new friend (or girlfriend, Percy didn't know yet).
When Percy stood on the porch of Bethany's house after walking her back from the movie theater, she leaned in and kissed him goodnight.
Percy walked back home with a smile on his face.
A month later of happy dating and an especially grumpy Annabeth, Bethany said that they should break up.
"What? Why?!" said Percy.
"I...I...I'm moving back to China."
"Oh."
"Yeah," said Bethany as she blushed. "I thought a long distance relationship wasn't going to work."
"So is this it?"
"I guess so. Bye, Percy, and be happy."
Annabeth found Percy on her bed moaning into her pillow.
"Percy? Are you okay?"
"No."
"Did Bethany break up with you?"
"Why do girls always do that? Am I not good enough for them?" Percy rolled onto his back to look at Annabeth as she sat down next to him.
"No, Percy. You're amazing. It's just that-"
"Come on, Annabeth. Even you when you were ten years old rejected me."
"Just because I rejected you back then doesn't mean that I'll-" Suddenly Annabeth pressed her lips together in a thin white line and stopped talking.
Percy sighed. "Even though they have all come and went, you're the only one that stayed. You're my best friend, Annabeth."
Annabeth's unfinished sentence hung in the air but only she could hear them.
Just because I rejected you back then doesn't mean that I'll reject you now.
v
Bethanna was the ultinate punk girl. Percy fell for her when he first saw her highlights flowing in the wind while she was on her motorcycle.
Bethanna actually decided to give Percy a chance, and the two of them ran wild across town; zipping through streets, chugging down root beer, knocking down people's garbage cans. Everything was great...until Percy found Bethanna cheating on him with another guy.
"Annabeth."
"Huh?"
"You're looking at me weird."
"Really?"
Annabeth did not realize that she had a dreamy expression on her face every time she looked at Percy. It was new year's eve, and Percy and Sally was at the party hosted by Annabeth's parents.
Percy and Annabeth were outside looking at the stars while the adults chatted inside.
Percy noticed that Annabeth has become prettier, growing out of that cuteness and into the realm of beauty. She wasn't the same as the little girl who he'd met when he was ten, and Percy was sure he had changed too.
"Do you think it would be bad if I kissed you right now?" asked Percy.
Annabeth's heartbeat quickened. "No."
"Okay." Percy made no movement.
"Is that it, you dork?" Annabeth slapped Percy's arm. Percy grinned.
He leaned over and sweetly kissed Annabeth just as midnight struck. Percy leaned back to see that Annabeth had a blush on her cheeks.
"You know, Annabeth. You're like my home. Every time I get hurt I come to you."
"Aw, so now you say it."
Percy laughed. "Are you going to reject me one day?"
"I don't know. Nothing's ever certain, but you can take my hand and come with me if you want."
Percy did.
AND DONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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