Welcome and Happy Reading! (go easy on me its my first fic:P)

ANNABETH CHASE'S POV

I could see my breath, and the cold morning air stung my cheeks. I rubbed my pink hands together and blew into them, wistfully thinking of the week before when California was actually living up to my dreams of always warm but not to hot, green grass but perfect beach, weather.

Then over the weekend it turned on me. The dragon that blows fire into the magical weather furnace and keeps the warm days warm fell asleep. If that makes any sense at all.

I guess it was really my fault that I was cold, because if I had chosen to ride to school with my senior step-brother I would have still been asleep. But if I had chosen that there was a 80% chance that he would have forgotten me anyway and I would still have to walk to school, just be a gazillion years late. And on my first day too, and I couldn't have that.

It's not that Malcolm is mean, in fact, he's a really nice guy, it's just he and his mom had been on their own for so long he just simply forgets. Our parents got married this past summer and some horrific force of nature must have whispered to Frederick (my dad) to wait to move in with them, because here I was, in the middle of the school year starting my first day at Goode High School.

And then of course on this day my only pair of jeans is in the wash and when I find them they are sopping wet, so I had to sneak into Frederick and step mom's room at five o'clock in the morning and borrow a pair of Susan's. For the record, I had to wear one of Frederick's old belts that I had to poke extra holes in just to keep them up, and roll the bottoms up quite a few. So my day started off pretty not fun. It's really alright though because I don't think I woke anyone up, and I had time to make pancakes for Malcolm, Susan, and my Fredrick before I left.

I thought back to when I was leaving the house. I was walking to the front door holding and apple not-so-gently, and re adjusted my old backpack on my shoulder. I was comforting to feel it's familiarity in this alien world I was tossed into. I had slipped my shoes on, navy converse so worn they were grey covered in sharpie doodles, and re did my bun in the mirror in the hall.

I huffed and just as I turning to open the door, my bag hit the shelf that held every key the four of us owned and they all came crashing to the floor in a symphony of rattling and clinking. I froze as the noise echoed through the entrance way. I stood there for a minute and then bolted as gracefully as a swan out the door, locking up mind you, and ended back in the present moment.

I cringed at the memory. How could The Athena Chase's daughter be such a clutz. I mean sure, She gave me her hair and eyes, but aside from that and I guess skipping a grade or two, I am nothing like her at all.

I wished I was so badly. She was so graceful and long, her beautiful, curly, blonde hair always bouncy and soft. Her grey eyes glinting silver in the light. Yes, she was a strict, demanding actress known to be a bit hard to work with, but no one could deny her silent grace, beauty, and humor.

Then about three years before I was born she quit her fabulous life and moved from Britain to America, where she met Frederick, became a well known architect, and well, hi. By the time I was born, she wasn't the talk anymore, and for the most part we were left alone. And anyways, no one cared about her family, just her.

When she died, (car crash, drunk driver) he was mentioned once or twice, and me even fewer times. Then her name was gone. Forgotten. I didn't mind, and neither did he, but he was really torn up about her. He really loved her, he did. I just don't think he was ready to be a single parent yet.

Blinking, I shook my head, coming out of my thoughts and back to me being a clutz. And let me just say that yes, I got her hair and eyes. But not the good parts. Her hair was golden, mine is blonde. Her eyes were a beautiful silvery color, and mine are grey. I got almost nothing from Frederick, except maybe that I am short. Definitely not from my mom.

I was just emerging out of the suburbs now, and the main street was quiet, the air foggy and the ground wet. I knew from my few weeks here that by noon it would be in the eighties and the wetness would be gone.

I clicked the power button on my phone rapidly until the screen flickered to life. It glitched a few times, and on the fourth try, my lock screen, a plain background with a book dead center, popped up and according to it, the time is six thirty.

Perfect, I thought I crossed the street my thoughts wandering as I strolled down the street, past tiny shops and cafes.

I crossed another street, and a motorcycle zoomed by.

The restaurant I was passing now was called "The Blue Grapes," and because of the cool name, I made a mental note to try the place out.

Ever since last night, hell, since I heard the words, "new school," a pit had been growing in my stomach. Now, though, a few minutes away, it was almost unbearable. I had tried to ignore it last night and this morning, but my throat was constricting and counting to ten did little good. There must have been a hippo in my stomach, because the thrashing goin on down there was not making me in the least bit happy.

Remembering my deep breaths, I crossed the street again, this time to a church. I crossed its parking lot to the back near the very smelly rubbish bins, where a heavily graffitied bridge stretched over a silent highway.

I ended up a block from the school, and as I neared I could see the long beige building with another building along the side of it, making an L. There were a few more buildings around the area, but the long part of the L was clearly the main building, parallel with the main road.

A large lawn with a fountain in the center it and a couple palm trees and regular old "kindergartener's drawing" trees dotted thought. I could even spot a few benches, It was six forty five now, and there were a few cars in the parking lot, probably the football player's. I could hear their grunts echoing through the wind.

Speaking of wind, it had died down a bit, but it was still very cold outside, so I crept into the long part of the L. It was steamily hot, and stuffy, but it was welcome from the biting cold. A plastic plaque said the building was L1. How ironic, I thought, as I walked the long hall till I found the main office near the top end.

The lady at the desk smiled at me and my stomach flip flopped. I managed to get out who I was, and the office lady, Mrs. White, her name tag said, nodded with recognition and tried to start a conversation while she pulled up and printed her schedule, and a map of the school. But it was almost like she was talking to herself.

She ended up sipping her steaming cup of sweet smelling milky coffee while the printer make noises. I couldn't seem to look up from the toes of my shoes. I could feel the woman's eyes, itching my skull, but she didn't trust myself to speak. It wasn't my forte, and I would rather come of as quiet nerd without a life then a awkward clown without a life. Mrs. White said,

"Sweetie, just checkin, you're Annabelle, oops sorry," she tapped her coffee cup awkwardly and said, "Mornings! Right, sorry, Annabeth Chase," she mumbled a bit, finding her place and said, " Birthday: July 12, 2000, Age: 15, Grade: Senior," She raised her eyebrows and looked up.

"Sorry, my mistake sweetie, let me fix that," she said.

"Not a mistake." I whispered.

"Didn't catch that Annabeth, dear."

"It's not, not a mistake. I'm a senior." I said quietly.

Mrs. White just nodded and kept going, but she kept on glancing at me like she was a rare flower from the African Jungle. Another reason why I don't plan on making friends: School comes easier to me, most people don't like being around me because of that. I thought back to Clarisse but snapped out of it quickly when Mrs. White tried again with small talk.

By the time I got out of there it was seven fifteen and I wanted to give myself a tour of the school before everyone came at seven thirty.

I glanced at her schedule and went over it in my head. I studied the map for a minute and then walked quickly from classroom to classroom that I had.

When all was in order I found my locker and dug through my backpack till I found the lock I brought. I attached it and placed my books in the locker before closing it with more force than necessary. I looked down and my hands were trembling. I clasped them together. Deep breaths. Deep breathing. I am strong. I can do this. I pictured the scene from She's the Man where "Sebastian" is facing the boys dorms and says to herself, "I can do this. I am a hunky dude. I am a badass hunky dude." I got this.

I slumped against the locker. Or not. But I could hear chatter coming up the stairs, yes, the L was two stories, and yes, the lockers were on the top floor.

Time to skedaddle.

Hi Guys! I really hope you loves loved it3 First fic ya'll so go easy on me:)

June Out