"Hanna, you better stop before I kick you across the living room!" I snapped at my little blond butt-faced sister. She giggled.
"What kind of kick?" she snickered.
"A drop kick." She ran off squealing into her bedroom. "Dang kid is gonna drive me nuts." I muttered to myself. My stepmom walked in, on the phone.
" Liz, we have a new neighbor." She hissed. I jumped up and ran out the door.
Unfortunately, neighbors are half a mile down the road.
When I got there, the moving van was gone. I skipped to the door and found it open.
"Knock knock." A boy peeked out from around the corner.
"Hey." He said. "What can I help you with?" he kind of had an Italian accent.
"Nothing. My stepmom said we had a new neighbor, so, I came to meet you."
"Southern hospitality, I see."
"Son, this is Vermont." He laughed and motioned for me to come in. I skipped in and seen a grand piano. "Oh my god, can I?" I asked pointing to it.
"Sure, can you play?"
I jumped on the bench and the notes came instantly.
The slick feel of the ivory keys, the savory sound of the chords, the rhythmic motion of my fingers was like a high on drugs for me. Canon , Fur Elise, Wedding March. No sheet music required.
"How long have you been playing?"
"My whole life. I didn't even need lessons. I picked up a key board when I was old enough to walk and talk and BAM! Musical prodigy."
"Nice. I'm Nico Di Angelo"
"Liz Baker." I said, shaking his hand. Nico looked at my shirt and cocked his head.
"Do you really?"
"Really what?"
"Have a chronic fear of zombies?"
"Yessir" I replied. He mumbled something that I couldn't understand and looked at his wrist watch.
Then there was a knock on his door and a very hairy teenage boy with a cane hobbled in.
"Hey, Nico, nice place!" he called from the entry way.
"Grover, we're in the living room!" Nico called back.
"Hey I can't find that girl, the uh, Liz girl" Grover said, looking at a crumpled piece of paper.
"Me?"
They both looked at me.
"Yeah, actually. I have some news for you."
xXxXx
"You reacted well, actually." Nico commented as he handed me an ice pack. "I mean the fainting part. The hysterical laughter was a new one though. Commonly its fainting, crying-sobbing really-, irrational anger and 'WTF are you talking about'" I smiled a thin lipped smile. I was about to vomit.
"Its really crazy that you just happened to be at my demi god friend's house just as I came looking for you." Grover said, taking a bite of something. The smell hit my nose, and I covered my mouth.
"What is that?" I choked.
"An enchilada"
I bolted for the kitchen and lurched, vomiting over, well not the floor. That would've been gross.
"I am so sorry, Nico." I practically sobbed to Nico as he walked with me back to my house.
"Hey, it's okay. I've seen some of my friends do way more embarassing things." He said. We approached my door.
"Don't be scared of my dad, okay. He's not a skinny dude. He's a construction guy. Really giant." He chuckled. It was a nice sound.
"My dad is huge too. But he's, you know, Hades, so I'll be okay" I laughed nervously and he squeezed my shoulder. His hand was still on my shoulder when my gigantor dad walked in and stopped dead in his tracks.
"So, you're Carlos." He said bluntly. I blushed madly and Nico dropped his hand.
"Dad! No, this is Nico! He just moved in down the street!" I cried.
"Oh. I'm David Baker, Liz's dad." My dad said shaking Nico's hand.
"Nico di Angelo" Just then my evil step mother came swishing in to the living room with all her sexy trophy wife FAKENESS.
" Hello Nico. I'm Janelle Baker" HOW DARE SHE USE MY LAST NAME IN FRONT OF MY (POSSIBLE) DEMIGOD COUSIN!
"Nice to meet you" Nico said, unphased. " Mr. and Mrs. Baker, I would like to talk to you." The realization struck my dad.
"So, they've finally found her."
My dad led us into the kitchen. I settled into my favorite spot and Nico-thankfully- sat by me before my dad could.
"Yes, we've found her." Nico said, with a voice that hinted anger.
"Honey, what is he talking about?" Janelle asked, stupidly.
"Don't act like you don't know. I'm not your kid."
"I'm talking about Liz's mom. " Nico murmured " And how you all must come to terms with what Liz has to do to live a safe demi god life."
"She's been living a perfectly safe life." My dad interuppted.
Thats when Nico's composed cover blew.
"MOVING HER WHOLE LIFE? HOME SCHOOLING? Thats safe? How long did you think that was going to work? Work until she finds the monsters under her bed as a kid were real? She has lived her whole life in a controlled enviroment and it will impact her when she leaves here. If she dies because of this giant lie she's lived, Calliope will kill you and your wife" He yelled. The last word was venemous.
But it pissed my dad right off.
"SHE'S NOT LEAVING!" That was the last thing my dad said before being hit in the head with a cane.
"How's that for perfect timing?" Grover laughed, triumphant. Janelle then fainted from shock at seeing a goat boy.
As I walked out of my room with my stuff, I seen Hanna in her door way, pink footie pajamas and her Kayla Bunny hanging from her tiny hand.
"Lizzy, whereyagoin?" she asked in a sleepy blur of words.
"I gotta go away for a while. I'll be in New York."
She began to cry. I hugged her and sobbed quietly.
"I'll be back for Chanukah okay?"
"Promise?" she sniffled.
"I promise" I kissed her head, letting my lips linger as I carried her to her bed.
I wiped my eyes before going to get my stuff.
That wasn't there.
"Your stuff is in the car!" Grover called. I snagged a pen and an envelope from the counter
Dad,
Going to meet Calliope on Olympus then I'm going to Camp Half Blood. I told Hanna I'll be back by Chanukah.
Don't be mad. It had to happen.
Lizzy
Heaven Help Us played the whole time on my iPod while Grover drove me to Olympus.
Heaven Help Us is a My Chemical Romance song, just an FYI