Hey! I'm back, with a new oneshot. Sorry this took so long, I have a life. However, since it's Winter Break (for me, at least), I finally have some time. Literally EVERYBODY I know has a birthday in December, and it's driving me crazy. I would have updated yesterday, but I was at my best friend's 11th birthday party.
Hope you enjoy this random one-shot that came out of the weird place I call my imagination. It's set between TTC & BoTL
Disclaimer: I. NO. OWN!
~WiseGirlGeek
-o-
School was boring.
Annabeth was probably the first daughter of Athena in generations to even think about that, but she didn't care. She was starting to be 'the first daughter of Athena' to do a lot of things. Gods of Olympus, her best friend was a son of Poseidon!
She really didn't understand why she needed to go to school when her IQ could rival Einstein's. It was so pathetically easy, it was sad to her. And since her school refused to move her up a few grades, she was stuck in 8th grade (Idk if that's correct… I have no idea, I'm in 6th).
Her school, not academically speaking, was not Annabeth's favorite place. It was typical; scared 6th graders, gloating 7th graders, and bossy 8th graders. The kids in her grade made Annabeth feel so bad, she once cursed at them in Ancient Greek.
Anyways, it was now 4:30. School had been out for less than an hour, and she had finished her homework. The homework other kids were staying up till midnight doing.
So, what to do?
Annabeth pushed her chair out from her desk. She was about to put her school supplies away, but an Iris Message burst to life in front of her.
A hazy image of black hair and green eyes was slightly visible. Percy looked like he was sitting in a dumpster, with a notebook in front of him.
Oh, wait. That was his room.
"Hey, Wise Girl, I have a homework question to ask you,"
Annabeth gritted her teeth. She reserved Iris messages for important, life-threatening demigod stuff. Not homework help. "What is it, Percy? I'm busy!"
"Really, from what I can see, you look as if you were cleaning up your homework,"
"Just tell me."
"Okay… so, what's 33 divided by 3?"
Annabeth wanted to slap him right on top of his kelp-stuffed head. Her voice rose.
"You Seaweed Brain! You could have just asked you mother!"
"And the answer is…?"
"11, you idiot."
"Okay, Annie, no need to get mad."
"Don't call me Annie!"
"Gods, it was just a question!"
Annabeth slammed her head on her desk. He would never get it.
The door creaked slowly open from behind her. Percy froze in the IM.
"Oh, hi Mr. Chase," he said, rather slowly.
She didn't even bother turning around. "Hey dad."
Annabeth's dad walked towards his daughter, until they were shoulder to shoulder. "Hello, Percy. I heard yelling. Is everything alright?"
"Of course it is, dad. We were just… talking. Catching up, ya'know?" Annabeth stated.
"Then why were you yelling?" somebody said, but the voice didn't belong to one of the three of them.
Annabeth was sighing in the inside, but on the exterior, she exhibited a bright smile.
"Just friendly yelling," she told her step-mother, in a painstakingly happy voice.
Percy looked strangely at her. What's with the fake attitude? He silently asked.
Tell you later.
The silent exchange wasn't making Annabeth feel any better. The minute her step-mom walked into the door, she started putting on the mask she always wore in front of those who didn't understand what she had gone through in her life.
She always felt bad when she realized how often she used her mask with her dad. The only people she ever truly took it off for were Percy, Grover, and Thalia.
The exchange she and Percy were having made her realize something. She was closer to her friends then her family. She had never had a silent conversation with her dad.
"Okay," Helen (Let's just say that's her stepmother's name) looked strangely at Annabeth. "Hey, Percy, you have the same gray streak in you hair that Annabeth does! She never told us what that was. Is it like something you guys did for demigod symbolism or something?" Helen could sound really nice when she wasn't talking to Annabeth.
Percy looked really awkward, and Annabeth tried to hide the giggle that was rising in her throat.
"No… just something that we both got from holding up the sky."
"Holding up the sky… oh right! You guys just did that a few weeks ago!" Annabeth tried not to get infuriated by how easy Helen was talking about this stuff. She had almost died, for Zeus's sake!.
The tension in the room was building. Not wanting to create an awkward scene, Annabeth quickly told Percy that she would IM him next week and cut through the mist. Then she turned toward her parents. Cough. One step-parent.
"So, why are you both here? Actually?"
"Somebody's waiting for you downstairs," her father said.
Sighing, Annabeth left the room and trotted down the stairs. The hallway actually looked really nice in her eyes. It was painted a cheerful yellow and decorated with pictures of the family.
Her eyes wandered to the corner where her father had let her put a few personal pictures.
One depicted Annabeth and Percy laughing and hugging after winning capture the flag last summer. Another was of Thalia and her making silly faces. The last one was of Thalia, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth in front of Thalia's tree.
Only Luke was missing. Not wanting to bring up all memories, Annabeth turned away and opened the door.
When she raised her eyes to the face in front of her, she gasped.
Luke.
Emotion swirled through her eyes. The evil traitor, her once 'older brother', the person who she couldn't despise, no matter how much she wanted too.
Then she turned the tap off. She couldn't appear as weak to the enemy.
"What do you want, Luke?" Annabeth tried to sound as emotionless as she could.
"Annabeth I… I…"
"Just get on with it. I'm busy," her hands flitted to her jean's pocket, where her knife lay. Her eyes surveyed Luke. He was unarmed.
"Kronos… he plans to take over my body. Please, I don't want that to happen. I want us to be a family again. Thalia's left, but will you still run away with me? It can be just like the old times. Us, running away from the unfairness of the world," he rushed out.
Annabeth took a long, cold look at his eyes. Gray met blue, and she knew her decision.
"I have a new family, one that won't give up on me. Goodbye, Luke. I hope you realize your mistake," she turned away and started to close the door, but a hand landed on her shoulder.
"You mean Percy Jackson? He's your new family?!" Annabeth turned around to see Luke gazing at the picture of her and Percy.
Annabeth didn't answer.
-o-
And that's that! Hope you like it, please review, I love constructive criticism! Remember, this is only my second story, and I'm only 11, so don't expect a lot. Stay tuned, I'll probably publish something in a few days!
~WiseGirlGeek
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