The Hate Between Us (Percabeth&Solangelo)

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Can It Ever Be The Same

Percy POV:

"Have you heard from him recently?" I asked as softly as I could. She shook her head in response. "Has he not even tried..."

"Tried? Percy, he never tried. Not since the day I was born. And especially not after he met my Step-Mom."

"How can he not realise what he's missing. Who he's missing. His own daughter."

"Because he never really saw me in the first place," she whispered. Her words made my body feel numb. "He never wanted a daughter, so he acted like he never had one. I tried so dam hard sometimes... I gave it my all... and nothing."

I stayed silent, unsure of what to say.

"Percy, you're the only person in my life that hasn't left me or let me down."

Then I promise, Annabeth, that I never will.

Liar.

I'll be the first to admit that I was more than a little nervous.

I woke up at 5am, blamed it on the early morning light disrupting me in my sleep, but I knew better. So I went on a run, ran for an hour longer than intended, blamed my skittishness on the busy London rush hour, but still I knew better. Had a shower, got dressed, sweat through two shirts and blamed it on the summer weather, and yet of course I knew better.

Finally I decided that fighting my sweat was a losing battle, and with my third shirt on I left my hotel room and arrived at the café half an hour earlier than planned.

She was already there when I arrived. At first when I caught sight of her golden hair through the window I thought she might be someone else – after so many years of hoping to see her, it was hard to believe that I was finally catching sight of the real thing. She was even more beautiful than even I had remembered. Me, who had got to know her better than I knew myself, got to see her more than anyone had before. And somehow her beauty outshone it all.

Iris & June was a modern-looking café just off Victoria Street. I could imagine Annabeth visiting here often. She would walk past Westminster Cathedral every morning – perhaps she'd even stopped to sketch it a few times. She'd buy a pastry and a latte most days, read a book or do more sketches as she drank. Completely oblivious to the world around her. She's probably got a routine in England now. Morning run, café, work, gym, home to Piper... was there anyone else in her life? What if Piper wasn't the only one at home? What could I say to that?

Well, Annie, actually in the five years that we've been apart I haven't been with anyone else in the hopes that you might walk through the door one day and take me back! Have you done the same? No... I'm pathetic, aren't I.

I coughed nervously, took a deep breath, and entered the café. The door made a little ding sound as it swung open, but Annabeth didn't look up. I suppose she wasn't expecting me to be early – I never had been great with time management in the past.

Putting on my best British accent, I strolled forwards and said: "Excuse me, Miss, your card got declined – you didn't pay for that coffee."

She looked up from her book, eyes wide in panic. "But I paid with cash, I- Percy!" She groaned once she caught sight of me. But then a smile broke onto her face, and she jumped up to hug me.

The impact of her body on mine made me stumble backwards slightly, but I held on to her tight, in shock. My whole body felt electric. Her arms around my neck, leaner since I last felt them but still hers – still what I imagined to be mine. Her body on mine, which still fit so perfectly against me, as if we were made for each other like I had always dared to believe. Her hair brushing against my skin, so soft and perfect and smelling of lemons and home. Home. My home, in my arms again, making my heart beat too fast and my breath leave my body and tears come to my eyes.