AN: hi, again. I'm having a writer's block for 'Percy Jackson and the Magical World', so I am writing this. Just informing, this story do not have a happy ending. If you want to read a story with a happy ending, go somewhere else. I got the inspiration seeing the video- Criminal by Britney Spears.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, sorry for the disappointment :P

"Can't you behave for a day, Annabeth?" Luke whispered in a harsh voice. Annabeth cringed. They're in a party Luke's friend threw. It's their tradition to make all their friends see who's the richest. I hate these parties, Annabeth thought.

"Light up your pretty little face, will you?" Luke says harshly. "Go to the washroom and compose yourself, come back smiling,"

Annabeth went to the washroom, to get away from Luke. Luke beat her every chance he got. Annabeth tried to stay away from him, but he'd always make her pay.

How did this happen?

Luke was so kind to her when they first met. He listened to her every plea and comforted her in night when she had nightmares. How did he turn into this hideous monster?

You could leave him. A small voice whispered in her mind.

"He'll kill me." Annabeth whispered aloud. Tears were running down her beautiful face. Her grey eyes looked sad. Her sea green gown fit too tight on her. She felt terrible.

She reminded herself that she had to keep going. The last promise, she made to her mother, before she died. She choked back a sob. It was all too clear in her memory how mum held her hand and whispered her last wish, her voice barely audible.

She came outside the restroom, confident as ever, but what she saw next, didn't shock her at all. She was just surprised; Luke decided to do something like this here. She saw none other than Drew Tanaka and Luke Castellan flirting.

Annabeth went over to them. They were so wrapped around in their flirting they didn't even notice her

"So, you're not in the Strippers' club today?" She asked, Luke glared at her, and Annabeth knew she is going to pay for her moment of fun. Drew Tanaka looked at her, faking being insulted. Annabeth knew that Drew actually worked in a strippers' club as a part time job. How did she have gotten here? Annabeth thought.

"I'm so sorry, Drew," Luke apologized in the sincerest tone. You can never believe that he is abusive. Annabeth thought.

Luke harshly grabbed Annabeth's hand and dragged her. She knew she is going to pay for her few minutes of fun. When they were outside Luke threw Annabeth in a corner. Annabeth looked at the building. She always had a wish to become an architect and build something permanent. Something beautiful like this building.

"How can you disrespect me like that, over there?" He yelled.

"You were flirting, while you have a girlfriend." Annabeth whispered looking at the building. Oh, how she wished she can build something like this.

"You call that flirting!? I was talking with my colleague!" Luke started.

"She is no colleague of yours." Annabeth whispered. Annabeth knew the first blew will come soon. Luke slapped her across the face. The blow was so hard Annabeth backed away a few meters. She closed her eyes. It is regular for me. Annabeth thought. He'll always beat me up, when he wants to.

Annabeth waited for the next blow, but it never came. Annabeth heard Luke's voice shout in pain. She opened her eyes to see that a guy with messy black hair throwing a punch in Luke's stomach. Luke held his stomach with his hands. The guy threw another punch in his jaw. After he made sure Luke was unconscious he turned around to face Annabeth

The guy was wearing a pair of black jeans and blue t-shirt. Luke was groaning, and suddenly everything was quiet.

"He's unconscious. Are you all right?" The guy asked Annabeth. She nodded.

"I'm Percy Jackson, you're?" Percy Jackson asked Annabeth.

"I'm Annabeth Chase," She took out her hand to shake. "Thanks for saving my life." Percy shook her hand.

"My pleasure," He said. After a few awkward seconds, "I'll just…go; you go back to the party." He said uneasily.

Annabeth snorted. "It's not my party to go."

"You can go wherever you like, I'm going." Percy turned to his motorbike.

"I have nowhere to go," Annabeth whispered in a hoarse voice. Percy stopped in his tracks.

"What?"

"My mum and dad died, and left all their property to one of dad's brother. I lived with Luke, now if I go back there; he'll kill me, after that he'll kill you." She didn't understand why she was telling this stranger her life story.

Percy snorted. "He can't kill me. Now, you can stay with me, until you find a decent place to live, not with this monster."

That's how Annabeth found herself riding a motorbike with Percy Jackson. She held onto Percy tightly as he laughed.

"Never rode a motorbike, I see." Percy shouted over the roar of the bike.

"NO!" Annabeth shouted. Percy laughed.

"At least, now you can tell, you've ridden a bike."

"Never wanted to ride a bike!" Annabeth shouted.

Percy drove them into a dirty alleyway, Annabeth never saw in New York. Percy stopped in front of a black building. He saw Annabeth's look and said absentmindedly.

"You never saw this kind of place in New York, did you?"

"No, Luke never let me."

Percy sighed. "Why did you stay with that bastard anyway?"

"When my mum died, she told me not to break down. And the only way I could've prevented that was dating Luke."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence. After a few minutes Percy broke the silence.

"Let's go inside," Percy lead Annabeth inside the building, they were supposed to go in. It was a nice place to live in, Annabeth thought. There were five people spraying over a car in the garage. Percy took Annabeth inside.

"Hey, Perce," "Hi, Percy," Six different voices boomed. They looked at Annabeth, whom Percy covered in a protective gesture and looked back at Percy.

"Who's she?" A beautiful girl with choppy black hair asked. She looked like Cherokee Barbie. Though, it looked like she tried to hide her beauty.

"Annabeth Chase," Percy said stiffly.

"Why did you bring her over here?" The guy beside him asked. Now, Annabeth was angry. She didn't ask to be brought here!

"I'll just go." Annabeth said and turned around.

"Wait, Annabeth," Percy said and turned towards his friends. "She was hit by his boyfriend, didn't have anywhere to go, so I brought her here." Percy gave them a six seconds long version of what happened.

"Oh, I see, Annabeth why don't you come with me. I'll give you something more comfortable." The Cherokee Barbie said. "I'm Piper McLean."

"And this blonde guy here, my boyfriend, is Jason Grace. His sister," Piper pointed to a girl with spiky hair, "is Thalia Grace. This emo guy is Thalia's boyfriend Nico Di Angelo. Nico and Percy are cousins."

She pointed to the elfish looking guy, and a girl who looked she can kill. Maybe she can, Annabeth thought. "This is Leo Valdez and Reyna Stark. Mow let's go and put you into comfortable clothes." Piper pushed Annabeth inside the room.

"You shouldn't have brought her here, Perce." Nico said, as soon as he was sure Annabeth couldn't here.

"I know that. But he was fucking hitting her!" Percy said furiously. Their faces softened.

"What are we going to do now?" Thalia asked.

"I don't know. But I couldn't leave her there, in the mercy of a monster." Percy whispered.

Inside the room, Annabeth saw all kinds of racks filled with clothes. She looked at Piper, who was in a closet, literally in a closet, searching for some clothes for Annabeth.

"Are all of these, yours?" Annabeth asked. Piper looked out, and grinned.

"All of them are not mine; these are for all of us." Piper explained. "Reyna's size would fit you I think." She held out a purple button down shirt and a pair of ripped jeans.

"Thanks," Annabeth smiled. No one has ever been kind to her, since her mother died. She held out her clothes awkwardly.

"Oh, you need privacy, um…I'll leave!" Piper exclaimed and left her in the closet room.

"So, Jackson explain why you saved her," Piper demanded kneeling in front of Percy, who had his face in his hands.

"Her boyfriend was abusing her," Leo explained for Percy. Percy nodded.

"You can't just bring her in our lair," Piper said kindly.

"Don't you think I know that?" Percy asked his voice harsh but barely a whisper. "I couldn't leave her behind," Percy sighed. His heart felt like a lead.

"We can't hide it from her, we have to tell her." Thalia murmured.

"No, not an option, we'll find her a job and then make her leave us. We'll not tell her about us." Percy said with finality. Anyone couldn't argue him, because Annabeth entered the room.

'Not tell me about what?" Annabeth's voice sounded sharp.

Percy looked at her, like really looked at her. Her blonde hair which was tied in a bun is hanging loose, in curls like a princess's. She was wearing a purple button down shirt, which Percy recognized as Reyna's—she's crazy for purple—and a pair of ripped up jeans. Her face was out of the light make up she was wearing. Her natural beauty is much, much perfect than make up, Percy thought. But the most paralyzing is her eyes. They are grey like the clouds. But right now, it's like a cloud during a storm.

"Nothing Annabeth! You know, we might want to look for an apartment for you, do you have any friends around here?" Thalia jumped in, seeing Percy stare at Annabeth.

"She can stay here for a few days." Percy reasoned. Jason and all the other rolled their eyes. Not typical Percy, Thalia decided. Annabeth looked like that her eyes may come out her sockets.

"Really, Percy?" Annabeth said, daring to believe it.

"Yes, really, Percy?" Leo also asked.

"Yeah," Percy said in a trance.

"Umm… excuse us, ladies and gentlemen; I need to talk with my cousin." Nico took Percy's arm and dragged him outside.

"What the hell are you thinking Perce? You can't involve your personal life with your gang life. You know the rules!" Nico shouted at him. Percy just glanced at the loosely held building.

"I know." He said.

"So, you know we can't let her stay, she'll know our lair, then? Then she might go and report the police!" Nico looked outraged.

"Might, Nico, she won't." Percy said.

"How do you know, huh?"

"I just know."

"Damn it, Percy. Would you care for a second?"

"I do care, Nico. I care too much." Percy said and walked away. He turned around to say "Oh, you won't shift her out, easily. She's staying."

Nico just stared at his cousin, who completely changed. He was always the goofy one in the group, now Percy's breaking Nico from his record of gloominess.

AN: The whole story is in third person. I'm rubbish at it. The scary thing is summer vacation is ending too fast, *whines like a little kid until Reg comes to the readers' rescue*

Reg: I'm sorry guys, my sister just heard that she has to go to a singing class somewhere. Sorry sis!

123 or Alex: You are the one who suggested it to Ma and Pop, I hate you!

Reg: Ok, I'm going to give you sleep pills so you can calm down. bye guys, thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!