Beyond All Expectation (Percabeth)

Chapter 25: What I'm Trying To Say Is

Annabeth POV:

After thinking that the night couldn't get any worse, it did.

First, after I left the games room and entered the kitchen in search of more drink, I ended up being stuck with a guy names Carter who spent the best part of ten minutes ranting about a girl called Zia who he liked. I was not impressed, and tried my best to show it, but he didn't get the memo. My head pounded as the alcohol set into my system.

"So then I invited her out for frozen yogurt but she said she doesn't like frozen yogurt and I said everyone likes frozen yogurt and she said she was rare so I thought it would be romantic to say she is rare but then she had a go at me for calling her a freak and the next thing I know she's making out with some girl called Zoe and I didn't even think she liked girls so I-"

"Carter, hey, bud," I held up my hands to stop him talking. He took in a massive breath of air. "Look, it's been great talking to you but I've really got to go. And just so you know, not everyone likes frozen yogurt."

I ran off before he could stop me, and that's when I overheard Rachel having a go at Percy. Her words were horrible, and I didn't even care that she was talking about me too. She was being impossibly rude to Percy, and here I was thinking that I was the only one allowed to shout at him. Before I could stop myself, I marched up to her and yelled the first words that came out of my mouth. Apparently confrontation agreed with me, because my speech turned out to be pretty impressive, and with this new-found confidence I grabbed Percy's hand and led him away. This was my chance, I was finally going to talk to him, I was finally going to tell him how I felt.

But, of course, the fates said fuck you Annabeth and I saw Thalia running towards me. Not wanting to cause another scene, I ran away from her and lost Percy in the process, and then I was alone on the front porch, not caring about the cold.

"My, my, my, I can't believe my eyes," a grating voice came from behind me. I heard the click of a door opening and closing and three footsteps trod on the frosty patio. I closed my eyes. Fuck this.

"Luke, I said I didn't want to see you again," I said sternly, turning to face him.

He burst out laughing and tapped Octavian and Ethan on their chests. They laughed along with him. The three of them looked stupid.

"Can you believe it, Annabeth Chase thinks she can tell me what to do," Luke chortled. "Confidence looks weak on you, Babe."

"You don't get to call me that now. I didn't like it before and I certainly don't like it now."

His face morphed into a fake pout. "Oh, no, is my poor Baby upset?" I scowled and stepped away from him, but my drink was just settling in. I stumbled slightly and tried to keep my balance. The boys laughed again. "Looks like you've had one-too-many drinks, Babe. Let me take care of you."

He darted forwards and grabbed my arm before I could object. He held on tight, his fingers digging in to my bruises, and I gasped in pain.

"What's the matter, hun?" He snarled into my face. "Don't you like it when I play rough? Come with me."

And I was just too drunk to fight back. The two other boys hooted and whistled as Luke dragged me back into Leo's house and led me up the stairs. He shoved me onto an empty bed in the end bedroom and closed the door behind us. I tried to focus, I tried to think straight, but my brain was hazing and I was seeing double. The room swayed side to side.

"Gods, look at you, you really have drunk too much," he laughed. I felt his hot breath on my cheek. I sat up quickly.

"Get away from me," I said, not sure if the words had come out right or not.