First Impressions

Chapter 1 =)

It was Annabeth's first day and she wasn't sure how she should feel about it. Not only was she living in a house she didn't belong in, she also didn't feel comfortable with it. She knew the reason behind it all, but she felt used and she'd much rather be working on her studies at camp. She was at the end of elementary school and it was already difficult for her. Her mental illnesses didn't help, and it made her feel a little alone or like an outsider. Annabeth always longed for summers to roll around. Too see everyone's faces and be were she really belonged with everyone around. Even though she was always there, it felt more complete with the others. She figured that this sort of mission she had, would help her happiness of the others. She wished the year would go fast though. So she could go back to her real home.

Camp Half-Blood.

She loved going there. She had lived there since she was seven. It was pretty much the only thing she knew of. So going to a new school and being with unfamilar people, it made her feel more and more alone. She always did dream about the real world though. She wanted a quest of her own and to go out there to see what it's like. Now that she was to be doing it and not under her own terms. She didn't like anymore. Even though she loved her home, her mentor Chiron decided she needed to be out in the world more. To show off her potential and see things she never really got to until now. Besides she was eager and she enjoyed learning. She didn't enjoy these new arrangements, but she trusted Chiron and did what she was told. She thought maybe the school would be good anyway. It's school and she loved the thought of it. Even with the her disabilities in the way, Annabeth was very bright. She was starting in a city school in Manhattan. It was a different and big city. She was worried, though she nevered showed it. She tried to give all best thoughts towards it. Which was difficult. The only thing she had to look forward to was her knowledge of another. Another like her. One that belonged in the camp like she did. That person didn't know of her existence and she didn't know them either.

Until now...

Annabeth:

I didn't like having to walk, but I didn't have money for a taxi. It seemed to take me forever to get to this new school of mine. Something kept me going though. I was super curious about the kid there. Chiron said that I would know when I see them. I didn't even know if it was a him or her, but I was excited to find out and maybe even get to know them. Not to be the only kid like me here. Have something in common with somewhere in the city. Either way, it was my duty to keep an eye on this person. Well, not necessarily. I didn't have to make friends with them if I didn't want to. Though Chiron said that'd be easier than having some kid think I'm being a freak for staring at them. I really was just supposed to see the surroundings, keep a watch on things, and continue my own studies. Which I was somewhat happy about. Still, I wanted someone to talk too. Other than those kids I live with. I was looking forward to finding that kid more and more.

I finally made it to the school and when I walked through the front doors, I already wished to leave. It was some weird school called, "Mat Hat Elementary". Who came up with that horrible name?

It was my first day of 6th grade, and I already felt more mature than the kids I saw around me. They all hit each other or just threw things. I guess that's what I get for going to a public school. But I was stuck here and I had a mission.

Find the Half-Blood.

I looked around for a sign of her or him. But I couldn't sense them. Would I even be able to tell like Chiron said I would be able too, I didn't know. I searched around the school and watched the kids. I would say they were just like me, but it wouldn't be true. I was different and I still wished I was with my real family and friends. I wanted to train and learn stuff THERE. If only Chiron just let me stay. I knew that it wasn't really my choice because Chiron was my guardian. He told me to think of this as my 12th birthday present. That it was opportunity to go out there and make something of myself in the real world. It was sort of his excuse to make me deal with it. My present? Yeah right. I sighed to myself and thought about how I always DID want to be out here. But now that I am, I felt better with being home. There wasn't any going back now, so I did my best to deal with it. Still no sign or smell maybe, of this half-blood.

I'm going to find them though.

I walked around the school, looking for the front office. It wasn't a big school or very clean, but it was decent. I was a werid brown color and the classes were tightly put together. I still watched the kids and I was completely disgusted. I hoped if i did find this kid, that they wouldn't be like these others. I sorta gave up looking for now, and walked to the counter by the front desk. I asked the woman where my class was. She couldn't help but notice my sense of surroundings. So she commented on them.

"Don't worry dear, this school is harmless," she said with a smile.

I had a real hard time believing that. I returned the smile anyways and asked her for my class. "Annabeth Chase right?" I nodded and she told me room number was 15. I thanked her and walked towards the halls.

I looked around at the doors and was almost there. Class must be starting soon because the kids were disappearing. I looked at the doors and found Room 15: Mrs. Kipper's class. It wasn't far away from the office, which was a good thing. That way I can ask for my immediate removal as soon as this place got worse. I walked in the room and looked around. It was decorated with students work and it was really warm. I already had a feeling that I would enjoy this class or at least prayed I would. I found the seat I belonged in because the teacher put my name on it for me. That was nice of her, I thought. Most of kids were making there way into the class and so I sat down. Mrs. Kipper looked up at me from her desk and smiled. I smiled back shyly, but I was still worried. Certain questions kept bugging me.

"Will I get along with kids? Will they like me? Will I even do good? Where's this half-blood kid?"

More and more kids filled up the class room and school was starting soon. I sat there waiting and hoping that the teacher wouldn't make me get up and talk in front of the class. I sat staring outside the window and then the bell rang. I looked towards the front and saw that Mrs. Kipper was about to close the door, until someone ran through it really fast. REALLY FAST. They stopped as soon as they got through and took a breath. Mrs. Kipper didn't look surprised to see them.

"You really need to learn to come earlier."

The boy who ran past her, turned around and said, "Yeah sure. Sorry." Then he turned back and walked to his seat. This boy was rather lanky and pretty thin. He was wearing a blue shirt and jeans and his hair was a little messy. I couldn't see him well from this far, but I was really interested in how he ran so fast! He sat down and put his backpack on the desk. He didn't talk to anyone and he was very to himself. He didn't seem to be unfriendly, just that he might prefer to get the class over with and leave. Kind of like me. He looked around the class a lot and shifted in his chair once in awhile.

Why was I watching him? I had no idea.

My attention went back to Mrs. Kipper as she walked towards the front of the class. Everyone got pretty quiet, so I guess she has her class well under control. She spoke to us sweetly about how we would be doing some history and reading of some sort. She passed out some worksheets too. I was more interested in the history part of today. I always loved it and since reading english was never my favorite because of my dyslexia, I got worried. I really hoped that it wouldn't get in the way and that the kids wouldn't laugh or anything. Also it was near the end of the 6th grade year and I was behind.

"Annabeth, dear? Why don't you come introduce yourself?" Mrs. Kipper had said. I was busy in my own thoughts, I didn't realize she asked me to do the thing I DIDN'T want to.

I got up really slow and walked towards the front. All eyes on me, except that messy haired kid. He wouldn't look in the front and for some reason...that bothered me. I was annoyed and wasn't sure why either. I was a student just like him and I was just as important. But this boy didn't seem to think he had to pay attention. That really bugged me.

I wasn't normally that shy, but it was a new environment and I didn't really like to be stared at. It made my ADHD go crazy, because I wanted to move constantly and couldn't stand still very well. I rubbed my arm up and down to keep my ticks at bay. The kids were looking and I had the urge to run away, but I talked anyway.

"I'm Annabeth Chase and I just moved here from Florida." It wasn't the truth, but it was the first thing that popped into my head. The class just looked at me and some snickered. The messy haired boy still looked down or around the class room. He didn't move his head and his eyes were no where near the front.

"Well, what do you like to do Annabeth?"

I didn't have to think about that. "I love to sketch buildings and read histories on popular and ancient buildings too." I left out the fact that I read it in Ancient Greek, only because I could actually read it, and the others kids DEFINITELY couldn't.

The class was still quiet, with the side of snickering again. Mrs. Kipper smiled at me and shushed the class. I was used to be the brainy one anyway. I actually enjoy it, so I didn't care about the laughing.

"That's great dear. Welcome to our class and I hope you have fun in here."

I smiled and nodded, glad she was letting me go back to my seat, but she said something that stopped me from even moving.

"Now let's be kind and generous towards Annabeth. She has certain disadvantages that some of you don't have."

OH GODS! She can't actually be announcing this to the whole class! My stomach churned with fear, embrassment, and absolute anger. If it wasn't for the fact I needed this to work out and I was in a public school, I would've have tackled her to the ground.

"Annabeth has dyslexia and ADHD and will not be treated differently then anyone else and we will help her as much as we can." She smiled at me, like she was doing me a favor. I really hated her now. Of course all the kids we're going to treat me differently. Especially NOW! In this world, I was an illness shy from Special ED.

As I stood there and kept my head down, I almost felt like crying. But that's when the boy looked up at me. The messy haired one. He had a surprised face and he looked almost...confused and very surprised. It was almost like he was searching for me to say more. Like he was still waiting for something else. I could see him and he made me curious, but I didn't want to meet his eyes. It made me feel even more crappy. He just stared at me and had this just all around shocked face. He was suddenly so interested in me too. I was less irritatd with him, now I was more...excited.

Mrs. Kipper spoke again, while putting hand on my shoulder. Deep down I wanted to slap it off of me.

"Annabeth, I'm sure you'll have a great and easy time here. You might even find someone just like you." She hesitated, for a second. But then spoke again after I looked up at her. "Now lets get back to class work." For some reason when she said that she looked at that boy and his head went back down. He must have the same problems as me, I guessed. That made me feel a little less alone, but still this boy confused me. A lot.

I doubted that I would find a friend, unless I found that kid I was looking for. I walked back to my seat and sat down with a slump. I hated when teachers did stuff like that. They think it helps, but it makes kids like me feel worse. That's why I longed to be back at camp. I didn't belong here, at all.

I was lost in my own sadness, until Mrs. Kipper spoke up again. A little loudly.

"Percy Jackson will you stop staring at the new student and try to concentrate on your work." I looked up suddenly to find she was talking to that boy again and she was talking about me. He looked up at her with a slight annoyed expression and just nodded. Mrs. Kipper left to her desk and the boy looked back down. There was something about him I really didn't get, and I couldn't help but stare at him too. When he looked at me earlier, he looked really surprised and he wouldn't stop looking either. It was like he thought he knew exactly how I felt, and he was looking at me because maybe he wondered about me too.

He looked down at his work and keep moving his pencil up and down in his fingers. Like some sort tick. Like the ones I had because of my ADHD. I looked at him more deeply, just watching him. He had black hair, along with his slim figure. He wasn't like any other kid in class. He didn't snicker or throw things. He just sat there, either in deep thought or just bored. Or maybe both, like me. I was trying to figure out why he stared at me and also why I was so interested in him.

He was only 2 seats ahead in the row on the right of my desk. He started to then slowly turn his head around, towards my direction. I knew it was awkward staring at him, but I couldn't help it for some reason. But he was watching me too, so we were even. He turned his head all the way towards my seat, but his eyes stayed to the side. His face was cautious, he checked towards Mrs. Kipper and she was just writing on papers. I watched his every move. He was acting so weird, but there was just something about him, that I couldn't help myself from becoming more and MORE interested.

Finally he looked at me, and he did a certain wide-eyed face. Because he realized I was staring at him too. When our eyes met, I realized his eyes were a pretty set of green and blue. But that's not why I was staring at him too.

Even though we were both staring at each other like weirdos, he still had that look of wanting to know more about me and a look of being out of place in the world. I recongized it right away. Why was he acting weird. Why was I acting weird back to him? It was like he was sending me a signal of understanding, without actually intended too.

That's when it hit me. It hit me like a slap on the face. The reason he was surprised and interested, was because he knew. He was going through my problems also and neither of us realized it. But I did. Just by his look.

He WAS like me. He WAS different. He WAS interesting. He DID the same problems I did. He was exactly what I was.

Half-Blood...

Percy Jackson.