This is going to be my actual real story because my first one was only two chapters and very short. I don't know exactly how this is going to go but I hope it's good and worth reading. Enjoy!

A piercing shrill sounds through the hallways of the school and I see the teachers running from the classrooms ushering students inside the old and stuffy rooms anywhere along the corridors. They utterly fail to bring the noise to a minimum making it sound like a circus rather than a school.

I feel the pressure of the students behind pushing forward like a wave flowing forward ready to crash on the coarse sand. I walk forward towards a room and Mrs. Grooms pulls me inside telling me to sit in a seat and stay quiet.

I look around the Chemistry classroom and see the others talking in hushed voices looking curiously around the room. Their eyes beg for answers they know they won't get. I scoot in a chair near the front of the classroom and put my head in my hands. The lack of sleep over the past couple days is finally getting to me. I have been trudging around the school going on only 5 hours of sleep due to a major extra credit project due this Friday. Ya I know. Why would I spend my time on a silly extra credit project instead of sleep? I need to have great grades or else I won't get accepted into Columbia University far from California and my family.

I definitely love them but sometimes the pressure my mom puts on me becomes too much. She just doesn't understand that I want to be successful and it isn't just her pushing me to be great. No Exceptional as she would say it.

I put my chin on my hands which are laid on my desk. The room is still quiet and I start to wonder what is going on. I had been too caught up in my thoughts to question what happened. I frown. Mrs. Grooms locks the door and turns to face us.

I pull my head up and sit up straight in my chair. My mother's words come into my head. "Annabeth sit up straight. It is unlady like to slouch."

"Students, please be quiet. There is an unknown man walking around campus with a gun and we are trying to keep you safe."

My blood runs cold. A man with a gun is on campus? I always knew this wasn't the safest school but I didn't think it was unsafe either. I guess sometimes bad things happen to a good school? No that doesn't really work.

The people who were once whispering to each other are now quiet with pale faces. Despite the situation, I smirk. Those popular girls with their fake faces are actually scared.

"Why would he do this? What did we ever do to him?"

I turn around and look at her with a raised eyebrow as if to say, "Seriously? Tell me you can't see the irony."

She manages to shoot me a weak glare then looks back at Mrs. Grooms.

"I don't know. All we do is stay quiet and hope this sorts out."

I turn back around and look at the board. It has the molecular formula from her previous class that I happen to be in. It's kinda funny how just 5 minutes ago I was at my locker talking to my best friend Thalia. I turn around quickly and see she is here which means she is hopefully safe. I smile and wave at her and she waves back.

I pull my phone from my bag and unlock it. I go to my messages and text my mom explaining the situation in as little words as possible. She responds seconds later saying she is on her way to the school. I slide my phone back in my bag and take out my folder with my agenda. Luckily I don't have work today only tutoring at the middle school. They probably heard about the lockdown and are canceling tutoring.

The door knob turns and everyone looks up. We hear him curse on the other side of the door and I realize it's locked. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. But the feeling of safety last only a second more before the door flies off the hinges. I freeze. Panic fills my body as a man walks in. He is holding a gun. He points it at Mrs. Grooms and fires. He points it at a boy across the room and I see out of the corner of my eye it is Thalia.

I watch her lifeless body fall out of the chair and on the ground. I didn't even hear the gunshot. Before I know what I'm doing I say it.

"Stop!"

He looks at me and smiles.

"Well what do we have here. A pretty girl. I must say you look like a princess."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because girl, I want to."

He points the gun at another student and fires. IT hit his arm so he didn't die but the loss of blood and shock was getting to him. He walks down the aisle picking the next victim. When he is facing the other way I walk behind him seeing the looks I get from my other classmates. I am determined to save the people in the school so I kick the gun out of his hand and put my arms in a ready position to fight.

He whirls around fuming. He lunges at me but I dodge and punch him in the gut. He doubles over but quickly remembers why and stands up facing me.

"You shouldn't have done that, bitch!" He snarls.

I step back suddenly aware of his height and weight compared to mine. I don't have a black belt so all I can do is rely on my instinct of when to move or strike. I feel someone's presence next to me and glance over my shoulder. One of the students, I think his name is Hector, is next to me ready to fight.

I recall kicking his gun on the floor and tell Hector quietly.

"We can threaten him with the gun."

Apparently I wasn't quiet enough because the man looks at the gun and lunges for it but I step in his path. He knocks me to the floor and starts punching my gut and face. I manage to yell help. I hear the screeching of the metal chairs on the tile floor and then feel the weight lifted from my body. I grab the gun and point it at the man.

I get up from my position on the floor and feel sweat on my forehead and blood dripping from my nose and lip. I smirk at him, attempting to act stronger than I really am. I stand up tall, positioning my feet in the proper stance.

"Against the wall, hands above your head."

He does as I demand and I stay close enough to make sure he can't run but far enough so he can't grab the gun.

I guess being smart and being able to evaluate a problem and solve it, helped me today. All those books I've read have finally come in handy.

"Someone tell the police we have him."

When no one moves I yell, "Go!"

A boy scrambles for the door and runs out.

"You won't shoot me. You're too weak."

"I think you are overestimating my character."

I lock a bullet into the chamber and position it like I am aiming. I see his face grow pale.

"You wouldn't. Please."

I hear sounds of running feet and then more men filing into the room tackling the one I had held at gunpoint. I take a deep breath and lower the gun. I hand it to one of the police officers then run to Thalia. Her body is crumpled on the floor. Tears trail down my face, mixing with the blood.

I feel a hand pulling me up and ushering me out the door probably to an interrogation room. Once I get outside a strangled noise escapes my throat. I should have been quicker. I should've done more to stop him. I wipe the tears off my face and curl into a ball on the floor.

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry."

I look up into the lady's eyes. She shouldn't say she's sorry. She has no freaking idea what happened to me.

"You don't know what happened in there."

"No I don't. Are you willing to tell me or do you need a break?"

I decide in three seconds I will go with the officer. I close my eyes. One Thalia's dead. Two. I was almost shot. Three. Time to be strong like a Chase.

I stand up and the lady tells me to follow her. I have to be strong like I always am. Let the threats the insults the pain roll off my shoulders. Keep my walls from falling.

We enter a classroom on the other side of the school and I sit in a chair. I explain what happened from when the bell rang through the hall until the officers came in the room. She asks me who my mother is and when she hears me say "Athena Chase" she stares at me shocked.

The walkie talky she has strapped to her waist lets in a few seconds of static.

"Could you repeat that."

A man's voice sounds through the static.

"He is on the way to the station."

"Thanks Mark. Could you send Athena Chase to room E7?"

After a few second pause he answers.

"Sure. She's on her way."

My mother walks in moments later and engulfs me in a hug.

"Are you alright? C'mon let's go home and get you cleaned up."

We walk out the door and I saw goodbye to the officer. When we reach the Mercedes Benz in the parking lot and slide in, my mother shoots me tons of questions.

"Annabeth you put yourself in so much danger by stepping up! Why would you risk your life to save those infidels!? You intelligence is worth more than that!"

"Is that really all you care about mom? That if I had died I wouldn't be able to leave a legacy behind? With everyone knowing I'm your daughter? A caring mom would help me overcome this! Not tell me I was stupid for trying to help others!"

"Annabeth don't be silly I care for you. But I want you to be able to live your life and be a lawyer like me."

I stay quiet knowing nothing I can say will change her opinion. I look out the window as we drive towards the penthouse. All the skyscrapers in Los Angeles look like they are mocking me. Like gates keeping trapped in this hell of a life.

We get out of the car and my mom hands the keys to the valet. She asks the concierge to send up some ice and a towel so I can clean up. Then we enter the elevator. We listen to the soft music as we ride it to the top. The familiar ding sounds and the doors slide open leading straight into the penthouse.

Everything is white or black and so modern. The couches are leather and the tile makes the floor. Everything echoes through the huge apartment which makes me feel so lonely. I immediately go down the hall to my bedroom. The walls are painted a light grey and my bed is in the other corner, diagonal from the door. The bedspread itself is white with dark grey pillows making it decorative. My walk-in closet is opposite the bed showing a variety of color. Diagonal from the closet is my desk. It has college letters hidden beneath lawyer documents.

I want to be an architect but my mom wants me to be a lawyer in the city and eventually live in a penthouse like she does. It frustrates me because everything she does is to push me towards my future, her dream. I cross the room and flop onto my bed. Posters and pictures are displayed on the walls. Quotes surround them. My room is the only place that actually feels like home.

I sit-up and wince. I pull my shirt over my head and stand in front of the mirror in between my bedroom door and bathroom door. I can already see the discolored yellow-green bruises forming below my ribs and above my belly button.

The doorbell rings and I can hear my mom's heels clicking on the floor as she walks to the door.

"Here is the towel and ice Mrs. Chase. You also have another message from a Frederick?"

"Thank you and I'll check on that."

She walks to my room and opens the door without knocking.

"Annabeth, clean yourself up. We have a dinner to attend tonight."

"Who is Frederick?"

"A business man."

She waves it off as nothing, but I recognize the name. Athena and Frederick. My father.

"No he is my father."

"Annabeth don't be ridiculous."

"Fine. He wants you to spend the summer with him in New York."

"Were you going to tell me?"

"Annabeth I know you. You wouldn't want to go. You have college to look forward to and prepare for your future here."

"You're wrong. I've never met my father, mother. I want this one summer and maybe I can look at the colleges in New York."

"You've already been accepted here and besides, there aren't any colleges for future lawyers in New York worth attending."

"I don't want to be a lawyer. I want to be an Architect. I love learning but I want to make my own choices. You can't always force me into doing something I don't want to do."

"It's been an intense day for you. You're just letting your emotions get the better of you. Why don't you take a nap and skip dinner. In the morning we can talk about UCLA some more."

"No mom. I'm not tired and I'm going to New York. You owe me something nice for once."

"I've given you your future! Everything you've ever dreamed!"

She was screaming at me now, obviously frustrated.

"No you've given me everything you've dreamed! I don't want to be like you!"

I fired back. Maybe just maybe she would listen to me for once. She pinches the bridge of her noise and speaks calmly.

"I'm not going to fight with you. I can't stop you from seeing your father but this discussion is not over."

Then she walked out. The suitcase I owned was on the floor under my bed and I pulled it out. I stuffed some clothes, coats, shoes, and other needed accessories and toiletries into the suitcase. The bedroom door swung open as I walked out rolling my suitcase behind me.

I entered my mom's room and grabbed a wad of cash and my father's address she had lying on her dresser. Then I walked into the elevator, ignoring the pain I felt emotionally and physically. The calming music had no effect on me as I rode the elevator down to the lobby.

After leaving the building I hailed a cab and asked the driver to take me to LAX. I went to the ticket stand things and thankfully they had a flight for New York leaving in an hour with open seats. I bought first class and went through security. The gate number was A23 and I walked there using the moving walkways.

I was still furious for my mom but she had it coming. Once I reached the gate I saw they were already boarding so I hopped in line. The flight attendant asked for my ticket and passport so I handed them to her. After she stamped and ripped what she needed I took them back and walked on the plane.

The first class seats were at the front of the plane so I sat in my seat and counted the cash I had grabbed. $4000. Wow I didn't mean to grab that much. Who knew what hell I had to pay once I got back. But at this point I didn't care. My best friend was dead and I already took my finals. Slipping the money back in my purse, I pull out my headphones and iPod and turned it on full blast. I guess I'm going to New York.

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