(Song Dedication- Breathe (2 AM)- Anna Nalick)

Dear Mom,

It's yet another day and another letter. I seem to find that this is much more therapeutic than a diary could ever be. I'm looking out my window right now and I see the most beautiful blue jays. I remember how much you loved those, and it seems almost taunting how they decide to show up as of right now. School is still school: your occasional lost football game and the average, catty mean girl. Sometimes I think I can't take it anymore, with dad being gone at work and everything, and I dream of just packing my bags and running away. Oh, what a life. But I figured that won't look too good on my application to Columbia that I'm going to need to start writing up. It's been my dream school ever since I found out you graduated from there. I know it seems weird, but I guess I might be able to feel at least some sort of connection to you if I were to actually get in. That, and they have an amazing architecture program a girl like me could only dream of. Well, I need to start getting ready for school or else Helen is going to begin her whole speech of how I'm a "complete disappointment" or a "cliche lazy teenager". I guess I'll write to you tomorrow. And the next day. Well you get it.

Sincerely, Annabeth Chase

I set down the notebook, the one with all of my letters, and sighed as I finished signing my name in the bottom corner. Once I put my pen away, I carefully set it into the special brown lockbox resting next to me on my covers and slide it underneath my bed. Sometimes I think it's useless or desperate what I'm doing. She left eight years ago, get over it, I think to myself. But I can't. I can't seem to stop writing letters to my mother who just got up and left, no questions asked.

~8 years ago~

"Mommy, where are you going?"
"I can't talk right now Annabeth, I'm in a hurry."
"But mom-"
She quickly turned and suddenly realized the extent of what she was about to do. She knelt down to Annabeth's line of sight and stared into her eyes. They were that startling grey that she knew all too well, not only because they belonged to her daughter, but because they belonged to herself as well. They were on the verge of tears. The little girl just didn't understand-no, she couldn't. Though the woman didn't show it, Athena's heart was breaking into pieces. But no matter how hard she had tried, it just wasn't enough to convince Frederick to work it out.
"Annabeth, I need you to listen to me." The little girl nodded slowly, trying her best to keep up her proud and proper appearance that she always seemed to wear.
"You are so beautiful, and kind, and more intelligent than you will ever know. There's a letter on your bed stand that I want you to keep. No matter what, my darling, I will always love you, and although I can't promise you won't hate me, I wish that you keep the words in that letter in mind." The woman kissed the top of her blonde head and looked one last time at her beautiful daughter.
"Mommy..." Annabeth whimpered as she watched her mother walk away, hand in hand with Bobby and Matthew, the two brothers that she would barely remember when she aged into the young, intelligent girl she is now.

I kept the letter. I think about those words everyday. You are worth more than you know. You'll show the world just what you're capable of when the day arrives. I love you, Annabeth. Then why did she leave? Why didn't she fight harder? Why did she just abandon me with my distant father and my horrible excuse for a step-mother?
I jumped slightly as my sentimental daydream was interrupted by the incessant sound of my phone alarm going off.
"Just another day in paradise." I muttered as I slowly dragged myself out of bed. Once I managed to stumble over to my closet, I picked out some light-wash denim jeans and a navy button-up tank top with spaghetti straps, along with my favorite cozy grey sweater. Just like everyday, I swept my blond curls up into a messy ponytail, which I'd like to think is cute. It just seems practical. I have no idea how girls wake up early enough to do a full face of makeup and hair, just for something as dreary as school. But then again, they're popular and have a reputation to maintain. My reputation, on the other hand, does not need nearly as much holding up, considering I practically scream your average new girl. I promise I'm not a complete basket case when it comes to popularity, but I just don't feel the need to make new friends every time my father decides to uproot my entire life and move us to a new state. As of right now, we are stationed in sunny California with my dad's company. It's been about two months, and I don't completely hate it, but it's just lonely. Besides, my best friend in the entire world is visiting soon: Thalia Grace. Her name might sound familiar to you because her father owns one of the largest aero-shipping companies in the world. If you've ever been on a plane, it's likely that it was once owned by Zeus Grace.

Thalia attends some prestigious boarding school in New York, so I only get to see her about once every blue moon. This next rare occasion actually happens to be this weekend. I walked over to my calendar that hangs over my desk to mark down the days- only 3 more until Thalia arrives. It was about the only thing getting me through this week.

I made it to school right on time and walked over to my locker where my books were being kept. I grabbed my AP United States History and my AP Calculus text for my first two classes. After that, I would go to architecture, my favorite class. I can't explain how architecture makes me feel, but something about it just allows me to feel free, like I can finally breathe every once in a while and do something for myself rather than for everyone else. I spent the rest of my day studying or sketching building layouts in my notebook. School was never especially eventful until my daily run-in with the populars.
"Hey Annabeth." Drew cooed as she slammed my locker shut. Her sickly sweet voice always had a knack for ruining my day. Drew Tanaka was the head bitch in charge at school, and she loved to make fun of anyone with a GPA higher than average. Mine just happened to meet her standards.
"It's so sweet that you let your grandma pick out your outfit today!" The rest of her posse cackled as if it was the funniest thing they've heard all day. The things she said probably would've hurt if she had actually thought of something clever.
"What do you want Drew?" I replied hesitantly.
"Have this essay done by tomorrow hun, okay?" Although she used little pet names like that, they never did sound loving.
"Yes, your majesty." I muttered underneath my breath as she strutted away in her too tiny clothes and high heeled booties.

It was finally the end of the school day and I was able to walk home and just think to myself for a while. There was a time where I contemplated not going to school. I've already fulfilled all of my highschool credits and have been taking online college for a couple of years now. I never liked to talk about it, but I was smart. Really smart. But of course, Helen, my oh-so loving step mother, just decided that I needed to have the "highschool experience" before trying to run away from her constant on-looking eyes. As I walked through the front door of my house, something seemed off. I looked around the eerily quiet room when-
"BOO!"
"AHH- Thalia!? When did you get here, I thought you weren't coming until Friday!" I practically yelled.
"I found an earlier flight and decided I needed to see my best friend a little sooner than expected!" she exclaimed when I quickly ran into an embrace with her. Now, Thalia isn't exactly who you would expect my best friend to be. She loved to wear all black, heavy eyeliner, and ripped band t-shirts. Of course, today she was wearing exactly that, and her short black hair was in its usual, slightly messy, state. Yet, there was always something unique about her look that she could never hide, and it was her striking blue eyes. When she was happy, they would light up like the summer sky, but when she was angry, it was as if a storm was brewing in them.
We caught up for a while, and she ranted on and on about the school she attends now- Goode Prep Academy. It sounded like heaven compared to my highschool experience.
"Oh and I have to tell you about Piper, Leo, Perc-"
Just as she was speaking of her friends, my dad walked through the door. He'd been gone for about two weeks on a business trip to Seattle.
"Mr. Chase! What's up?" Thalia jumped up and greeted him. Our families have been close for years, so they knew each other well.
"Oh, hello Thalia, uh give me one second, I need to take this call very quickly... yes, this is Frederick Chase..." we heard him say before he closed the door to his study on the first floor.
"Jeez, has he been this busy for a while now?" Thalia asked.
"Yep, it's like I never see him nowadays."
"Ugh, I'm sorry Annie-"
"Don't call me that." I interrupted and Thalia knowingly smirked. She knows I don't like that nickname, but it doesn't seem to irk me as much when Thalia says it, so she continues to do so, even though I correct her each time.
We sat in a comfortable silence for a while when my father came out of his office.

"Annabeth, Thalia, I'd like to talk to you two. Why don't you both sit down."
We sat at the kitchen countertop when he began speaking.

"So, I just got off the phone with Goode Prep-"
"Wait what?"
"Goode Prep?" Thalia and I both inquired.
"Yes, now if you'd let me finish..." He sighed. I noticed that he looked more tired than usual. He began to speak directly to me now. "I have decided that we are going to enroll you at the academy. I've discussed this with Thalia's father and he highly recommended Goode and I believe that it will benefit you." He looked at me expectedly.
I was in complete shock. Goode Prep Academy? That means I would have to move. Again. Yeah, sure it'd be great to go to school with Thalia, but he was just sending me away. Again. And across the country?! Goode was in New York City! He's just trying to get rid of me now. All these thoughts were swirling around in my mind when I vaguely heard Thalia start to speak up.

"This is great!" Thalia exclaimed, although I saw that she could sense something was up.
"Yeah, that sounds awesome." I said a little quieter than Thalia.
"Well, sorry to do this honey, but we need to fly you out this weekend, so you'll be skipping the rest of this week to pack, and then you will fly to New York with Thalia on Friday night." My father explained.
Wow, so he'd had this all planned out. I had no choice. I quickly decided that I wasn't going to mope about this any longer. I was going to school with my best friend! And I'm sure Goode Prep had some really advanced classes that I would love. But once again, a new fear settled in my stomach. Didn't Thalia already have a group of friends there? There was no way I'd be outgoing enough to integrate that quickly into their friendship. I was going to be left behind and just seen as the social outcast, yet again. I saw Thalia peer at me through the corner of my eye. She gave me a reassuring look. It was as if she could read my mind, that one. All of the sudden, I felt better, like a weight was lifted off my shoulders and a smile reached my face. Maybe things would work out in the end. Maybe this would be my chance to start a new life. It looks like I'm moving to New York City.