Hi! I'm back! I hope you enjoy it.

Reviews make me feel warm and fuzzy. Please do.

Also I might make this into a multi-chapter story. Review if you think I should!

-SOS

Little Black Dress

My mom was late coming home again. For most people, that was a good thing, because they could be home alone. It wasn't good for me, because I would have to spend time alone with my stepfather, Gabe.

I hesitated outside the doorway. I could hear Gabe and his buddies laughing and talking, but Gabe sounded angrier than usual.

Usually I took that as a sign that my mom wasn't home, so I just stood outside the doorway until I sensed his footsteps coming to the door. Then I took off running.

I ran for a minute, then stopped on a bridge. There was a blonde girl standing there in a little black dress. I couldn't see her face-she was facing the other way-but the way her shoulders shook made it seem like she was crying.

I walked up to her. "Whose funeral is it?" I asked, referring to the black dress.

"My mom's." Her voice showed no sign of emotion, though tears ran down her face.

"Shouldn't you be there, then?" I wondered.

"It was two years ago," she stated flatly.

"Oh." I didn't know what to say.

"That dress really brings out your eyes?" It came out like a question.

"My eyes are grey. The dress is black." She rolled her eyes.

"It was supposed to be compliment," I pouted.

"Whatever." She looked away and stared off into the distance.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "Who are you, anyway?"

"I'm Annabeth Chase, and I'm really good at changing the subject, so who are you?"

"I'm Percy Jackson. My dad died when I was born. But I was never brave enough to do anything about it."

"What do you mean?" Annabeth's face was blank.

"Um, I don't know, you looked like you were going to jump?" Percy regretted the words as soon as he said them. Even if she hadn't been planning to jump, his words might have triggered her enough to be seriously thinking about it.

"No," she frowned, and I sighed in relief. "That's not why I'm here."

"I'm here because this is where my mom jumped."

I froze. I looked down at the water, then back at Annabeth.

"She jumped?" I asked. "Why?"

"I don't know." Annabeth shrugged. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"So the reason you're standing here crying is because you're trying to figure out why your mom died?" I tried not to sound incredulous.

"Yes. And I'm not crying," she said, wiping the last tears away.

"Okay, you're not. Do you want to take a walk with me to the other side of this bridge?" I offered.

"Okay. But...but you have to hold my hand," she answered.

"Fine, but may I ask why?" I questioned.

"Because otherwise, I'll jump."

My eyes widened, and I grabbed her hand. "There will be none of that happening today or ever," I said.

Annabeth smiled. "Thanks, Percy. Hey, I should really be getting home, but here's my number if you want to hang out again."

She got a little notebook from her pocket and wrote down a number.

"See you later," she said, and skipped away down the road.

I immediately put the number into my phone before going home. Luckily, my mom was there, so I was easily able to sneak up to my room.

Life would get better.

I just knew it.