More Than Just A Little White Lie~ A Percabeth AU

Chapter 10

Percy orders a large vanilla milkshake and I order a chocolate one. We are seated at the bar, and Percy keeps swiveling in the 360 stools.

"You're like a little kid!" I tell him though it's actually pretty cute how he doesn't act his age sometimes.

"Aren't we all little kids in some way?" He muses. The waitress sets our milkshakes on the table just then and Percy stops his twirling.

"Hey, check this out." Percy says and he take the cheery off the top of his milkshake and pops it in his mouth. I wait a few seconds, not sure what he's trying to show me but then he sticks out his tongue and resting on it is the cherry stem, tied in a perfect knot.

"Was that supposed to impress me? Because I can do it too." I say, laughing at his disappointed face.

"Prove it." He demands and I do just that. I smirk before sticking my own tongue out and showing him my knotted stem. I'd mastered the trick when I was in the third grade, after Ricky Smith had told me that girls weren't able to move their tongues in the same direction as boys. I showed him the next day how wrong he was.

"Maybe that's why you're such a good kisser." Percy teases and I shove him playfully because he knows that we've only kissed twice and both weren't longer than a few seconds. I am curious though about what it would be like to kiss him for longer....

"So, why did you break up with Rachel?" I ask him, fully expecting him to not want to answer.

"Because she was being really controlling. I'm hoping that by taking a break from each other and seeing me with you, will help her realize how bad of a girlfriend she was being." He says, not meeting my eyes. I feel kind of bad for him, because I don't think he realizes that she's not going to just change her personality.

"In my experience, people like that don't really change." I say quietly, swirling the straw in my half empty milkshake.

"No offense, Annabeth, but you don't really have much experience to base anything off of." He says and I'm a little pissed. I know that I don't have that many toes dipped in the dating world but I'm not stupid and I'm good at reading people. My years of reading about other people's relationships gives me at least some insight.

"Usually when someone starts out with 'no offense', they're about to say something offensive." I say, glaring at him. I'm right about this and he knows it but he's in denial. His phone buzzes and since it's laying on the counter between us, I can see that he's got a text from Rachel.

"You still talk to her?" I ask in a surprised tone, forgetting for a second about his earlier comment.

"Yeah, we dated for a long time and we're still really good friends." Percy says, shoving his phone in his pocket but I can hear it buzz again.

"Ok, think about this as if we were actually dating. Would you be ok with an ex of mine still texting and calling me even after I started dating someone else?" I ask him, gesturing with my hands for added effect. Percy frowns as he thinks about what I said.

"I guess not. Do you think that I should stop responding to her?" He asks, his brows furrowed. Finally, he seems to be getting it.

"If you want her to truly realize what she's missing out on by not being with you, then yes!" I exclaim. I hate that I'm helping out Rachel here but this boy is clueless. I look at it as that I'm helping out any future girl he dates, should he not end up with Rachel. We finish our shakes in silence, not knowing what else to say to each other. Percy pays, even though I offered to cover mine. The same band that was playing the first time I rode in his truck is on and I remember that I wanted to ask him who they are.

"Who is this singing?" I ask. He glances quickly at he radio.

"The Wombats. You've never heard of them?" Interesting name for a band.

"No, I usually only listen to a few bands. I don't listen to music too often, usually just when my brain is feeling overwhelmed and I need to drown it out." I say, looking out the window. I watch the many lights of the city flash by. It's true when they say the city never sleeps.

Percy drops me off at my house and we say an awkward goodbye. It's pretty late now and I thought my dad would have already gone to bed but he is waiting up for me when I come in.

"How was it?" He asks. I wish we could skip the whole interrogation.

"It was fine. Too loud and too many people for my liking but we went out after to get milkshakes so that made up for it." I tell him while slipping off my shoes. My feet are aching from being out for so long.

"Is this Percy your boyfriend?" He questions and I cringe. I was hoping he wouldn't ask that.

"I guess so, Dad." I say, slowly backing up in the direction of the stairs in order to make a quick getaway. He pauses to read something on his phone and I take the chance to dash up the steps. Collapsing on my bed, I take a deep breathe. Tonight was definitely an experience. Ever since I met Percy, my life has been busier than I'm used too. I haven't even had a chance to talk to Thalia since she left, though I have been partially avoiding having to do that bit. I still feel a little weird talking to her while having a crush on her former boyfriend. Plus I don't want to have to explain Percy. Thalia would know I'm lying in a heartbeat.

My phone goes off and I look at the notification. Percy posted the photo of me kissing his cheek on his instagram and tagged me in it. His caption is so ridiculous, he wrote 'kisses from bae'. I shake my head and comment a heart on the photo, in keeping up with the charade.