Author's Note: This story may start out like after chapter 2 so this is just only like a small introduction. Eat well, yeast well!

LOL That made no sense. XD

Disclaimer: If you think I own all these chapters, I must say. I am a girl, not Rick Riordan.

Chapter 1

I looked at my textbook again in the dim light. My animal studies test was coming up and I didn't want to screw up. If I did; well… I did not want to think of the reactions from my classmates.

Ever since I moved from Pennsylvania to California I was striving for a chance to actually be known as a really smart girl, an equal person to all, and to be known as charitable at my new school. Now I was only known as a snobby girly girl who lived in a rich neighborhood and was being stared at by other boys.

I scoffed and whispered sharply after dramatically rolling her eyes, "As if! If my classmates saw my room they would be shocked!"

It was a true fact. I could already see dust piling up under my bed and on my toy boxes. One day; I promised myself, I would be brave enough to give my parents the boost of courage to actually try to donate those toys. It seemed my parents were too careful and kept giving the excuse of the charities weren't trustable enough. They even said that they wouldn't let me do volunteer work at the animal shelter or have a pet because it would be too much work, and would probably spread fleas and ticks if it was a furry mammal. I just wanted to make someone feel better somewhere even if it's a bug or an animal.

I sighed and looked at the time. It was 10:21 p.m. Well, I guess I could squeeze in one more passage… I squinted at the lettering on the book and saw that some of the letters were starting to blur and float. I groaned.

"Ugh! I thought I was finally getting over this!" I whisper-shouted so I wouldn't wake up my parents.

Ever since I was little, I had been struggling with dyslexia, but 3 years ago I had found out on T.V. that doctors sometimes used the "placebo affect" as a control treatment to help make their patients healthier in body by giving them a pill saying it will make their situation better and after the patient takes the pill (which has no medical effect in it at all) they start to feel better while believing that it was the pill that helped them in the end. I also did some research online and with my friend's mom [who was a doctor]. I had tried so hard to believe dyslexia was something to be just an obstacle that could be cured, but after trying for 2 years it sometimes crept up on me in the most unruly situations. Like when the teacher was giving orientation or when I tried to read the map of the school. I decided this time that I couldn't just stop studying because of my dyslexia, so I consulted help from some non-dyslexic friends I got along with and consulted them on video chat.

I waited for almost 8 minutes before one of my friends answered. I could make out Mags's sleepy face already as the image's pixels finally cleared up.

"Shwada! You at least could've video chatted earlier!" he wailed in a way that almost sounded like a goat bleat.

Suddenly, another person joined the conversation in another video chat box. He yawned loudly and stretched his arms in the air. Typical stretch of my friend, Matt.

Suddenly, I suddenly grew worried when I heard the floor give a slight creak and gave them both an irritated look before silently pressing one finger straight up against my lip. I waited and waited and waited… The silence stretched out longer and longer until I was sure I was clear.

"Guys! Please be a little quieter! My parents are sleeping! I just need help with my textbook on page 67. Can you both help read it to me and/or explain the key notes or something? Dyslexia is creeping up on me again!"

So far, they're the only ones I trusted enough to tell them about that, but I hoped I would make more trustable friends and less enemies in the future so I could have my held-in thoughts cleared up.

Matt groaned and whispered sharply, "I thought you were getting over it and blocking it out!"

"Well, nice to know I'm being supported, Mr. Sunshine." I said sarcastically.

"You should never wake me up in this hour! I was enjoying a very good dream!"

"Oh, what was it about?"

In the video chat I could see Matt was blushing bright scarlet.

"Cynthia?" I replied to his red face.

He gave me an annoyed look which confirmed my suspicions. Although, I am not a gossip I like to notice things in people's social lives so one day I could help them to make make their lives happier, so in orientation and in class I couldn't help noticing Matt stealing glances at Cynthia who was seated in the front.

"Back to topic, Shwada?" Mags's said; interrupting my and Matt's glare war on the screen.

"Oh, yes. I was also wondering if either of you have a copy of the history book from school available so you could read me the passage quietly." I said while putting the emphasis on the word "quietly".

Mags sighed, "Ok, I do have a copy I can use to read to you. I keep it at home in case for situations like this."

"Situations like this?" I asked.

"Yeah, ever since you told me about your dyslexia and how you were fighting against it I kept some textbooks at home in case."

"What?! I am perfectly fine with dealing with my dyslexia, Mags!" I shouted and then I realized what I was doing so I clasped a hand over it and listened.

There was a big creak and I quickly wrote down on paper for them to be quiet and I showed it to them on the screen. I minimized the video chat screen and put on black wall paper before hiding the toolbar. I put a blanket on the equipment to muffle the humming of the computer and went to bed and covered my face with a different blanket. I heard footsteps in the hall, and held my breath. Then, the footsteps stopped and went back to my parent's bedroom. I didn't let out even a single breath until I heard the door down the hall close. After almost 7 minutes I decided I was safe and crept back to the computer, but kept the blanket on the equipment as I let out a quiet sigh and put everything back as it was before continuing with my video chat with Mags reading and Matt stating an extra fact he read about in other books or in the internet once in while.