Run | TMR X PJO [ Editing ]

Chapter twenty, in which Annabeth and Aris cause worldwide outrage as they disgrace the sacred name of Percabeth.

"Annie! Hurry up!" Kathy was bent over her sleeping figure, clearly impatient and simply itching to get out and do something — what that something was probably involved fists.

Any other person would slowly flutter their eyes and mumble for a few extra minutes, but this was Annabeth. She practically dived onto her feet and was nearly out the door by the time anyone had bothered to be aroused by the sudden noise.

Kathy clapped her on the back proudly. "That's my girl! If only everyone got up as quickly as you do."

To the redhead, exhaustion was a word that didn't exist, especially on a day where they were to explore the Maze in more depth than ever before.

Perhaps that was why Kathy glared at both Aris and Annabeth as they wolfed down their breakfast. She clicked her tongue when they hesitated to chew, but she yelled at them for eating too hastily. "You'll get a sick stomach," she insisted, although she too was shoveling food down her throat like her life depended on it. 

Annabeth rolled her eyes, though they were playful and more teasing than annoyed. There was something to Kathy that screamed daughter of war. It was a thought from home, no doubt, but at times like these, it didn't matter if one was related to so and so. 

"WHAT SECTION?" Kathy demanded suddenly, making some nearby Gladers jump. 

Aris threateningly pointed his fork to her. "Section four. F-O-U-R. Numero cuatro. Now can I eat in peace please?"

After some bickering between the two, Kathy agreed to let them eat while she got her supplies first — Annabeth highly doubted that even a brick wall wouldn't be able to stand her rage given how angrily she stomped away.

Annabeth turned to Aris the moment the other was out of earshot. "Hey."

He nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Hey to you too."

"Are you nervous?"

Exactly thirty-six seconds passed before he answered. "Not really," he said slowly, unable to look her in the eye. Aris shifted back and forth for a few seconds as Annabeth narrowed her eyes suspiciously — she knew a liar when she saw one.

"Okay then," she replied all too casually, standing up. "I'll uh, get my runners pack then."

"Alright," he said. Aris returned to his food and did not look up.

Small talk never did Annabeth any good, but this was perhaps the one exception. She had come to the conclusion that even Aris had no idea where they stood with each other, and surely neither would want to do the confrontation. For a second, she allowed the selfish thought to cross her that perhaps she was stealing him away from some other girl. 

Her mind immediately flashed to Rachel. Oh, that prissy little shuckface — she nearly vomited at the very thought of her vile presence. Although one part of her mind rejected it, a little part of her brain sincerely hoped that a Griever would crush every bone in her body before dragging her guts away.

Speak of the devil, there she was — how coincidental. "Morning Allie," she drawled, a Chesire cat smile spreading across her face. Rachel wanted to stir up trouble.

"It's Annabeth," she corrected politely, gritting her teeth together to remind herself that Rachel was (and never would be) worth a trip to the Slammer.

"Whatever," Rachel said dismissively. "I need to talk to you about something."

And then, Annabeth assumed, she would pull the 'back off, he's my man' schpeal that no one really wanted to hear. 

"Sorry, I have somewhere to be," she mumbled, side-stepping nimbly before her arm was jerked back roughly by the small blonde.

"I do hope that somewhere is away from Aris."

Annabeth took two seconds to decide whether Rachel was bold or just stupid — she definitely agreed with the latter. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said innocently.

"Don't you know the things he's said about you?" she crooned in mock pity. "Or does he not tell you?"

"We aren't close," she replied in a clipped tone. Annabeth knew a bluff when she saw one, and only a fool would fall for one as fake as the one she was trying to pass.

"Based on what he said, he sure sounded like you two were close," she remarked quickly, her eyes screaming anything but good. 

When Annabeth side-stepped her the next time, she did not bother to stop her. Rachel's point had been made.

-

Aris caught up with her as she was going to the Map Room. "What was that all about? Looked like you and Rachel were arguing."

She waved at him dismissively, ignoring the traitorous thoughts that bubbled inside her rapidly thinking head. "Oh, it's nothing to worry about."

He narrowed his eyes. "When girls say it's nothing or it's fine, it's obviously not fine. I know that much, especially because I live with a ton of girls."

"It's nothing, she was just saying hey," she replied quickly. "Nothing to worry about."

He still wasn't convinced, though he thankfully let the subject drop. "Your hair looks nice today," Aris noted. "Real cute."

She ran a hand through it. Klunk, she forgot to brush it. Blame it on Kathy, who had insisted she get up and be out the door as soon as she got up. "Gee thanks."

He flushed quickly, his hands waving all over the place as he tried to make a smooth recovery to his seemingly sarcastic remark previously. "No, really, I like it."

"Thanks," she said meekly.

They went to the Map Room in an awkward silence.

"Took you lovebirds long enough," Kathy sighed, simply pointing at their table littered with weapons and diagrams. "Get your supplies and make it snappy. We leave in ten minutes."

Annabeth dived to the counter, grabbing her runners pack. She then strapped knives and all sorts of other goodies to it. Her hair had become even more of a mess as she scrambled to get her stuff, and an early blast of heat had caused her to be sweating — Aris found her twice as attractive with a bunch of dangerous weapons strapped to her.

"Stop drooling," Kathy hissed, kicking him in the shin. "She'll think you're some creep."

"She probably already thinks I'm a creep," he admitted, thinking back to what had happened only minutes earlier.

"Hurry up and get your gear lover boy. Grievers don't wait for lover boys."