Hello! I know those who were reading Insecurities are confused on why I deleted it. I just wasn't feeling the storyline. This fanfiction, however, I am. I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 1
Bianca Jackson opened up her notebook and picked up her perfectly sharpened pencil. She'd always preferred to handwrite rather than type things. She reread the prompt: Elaborate upon a person or an event that impacted you or your life strongly. Bianca sighed. She'd been trying to avoid the topic since it happened. It hurt so bad, losing her twin brother. Swallowing the tears, Bianca placed the pencil on the paper and began to write.
I remember it like it was yesterday. I can't help but feel guilty, like I could have done more. Everyone tells me that it wasn't my fault, that I couldn't control him, as much as I wanted to. Still, I was there. There was so much I could have done.
Luke and I were always close. Growing up, we never had the traditional sibling fights, never pulled each other's hair or went out of our way to annoy the other. Despite our differences, Luke and I always seemed to understand each other. Even though we had our own friends and our own interests, mine being studies and his being sports, we never once lost touch with one another. At the time, I thought we never would.
As close as we were, he began to pull away as we grew older. He spent more time training – especially training –, pushing himself harder, harder than ever before. I knew it was bad, dangerous even, for him to work himself the way he did. I told him so, but he didn't listen. I only knew why once it was too late.
"Luke," I asked groggily, "Why are you up so early? I swear if I hear that alarm again I'm going to break it on your head." Luke was sitting at the kitchen counter eating cereal. He was wearing his training clothes. I sighed heavily and down next to him. "Why do you do that?"
Luke looked up at me. "Do what?" he asked, mouth full. I rolled my eyes.
"Why do you work yourself so hard? All you ever do is train. What are trying to accomplish. You'll only hurt yourself. I'm worried about you." Luke looked away, dropping his spoon in his bowl. Something was wrong. I knew it. I always knew. "Luke?"
Luke stood up and slammed his bowl into the sink. I jumped at the clang. "You wouldn't understand. You don't know – forget it." I quickly slid off my chair and grabbed Luke's arm. He shook off. "It's just stress, okay?" he snapped. I watched as he stormed off. I felt hurt and pushed away. Luke had never done that before. Sure, we hadn't talked as much, but I hadn't thought much of it at first. We were getting older. We had our own friends and our own interests. We were growing up. Stress was normal. But it wasn't stress. It was me.
Luke and I stood side by side at the bus stop. I glanced over at my brother, and, to my surprise, saw him reading. My brother really never read anything without being forced to. I peeked over his shoulder. Science, I thought. Luke doesn't read science books. In fact, Luke rarely studied. He studied enough to pass, and that was about it. He had dyslexia, so reading for him was harder than it was for me. I don't have dyslexia, but I do have ADHD. People often said that we were an exact copy of our parents split in two. I'm more like my mom, though.
Before I could ask Luke what he was doing with a science textbook, the bus rolled up to the corner. Pushing his way past me, Luke climbed onto the bus and made his way through the tight isle to the back of the bus. Watching him with a confused eye, I slid into a seat about halfway between the front door and the back. Next to me was girl with long brown hair, blue eyes, and glasses. Carissa, my best friend.
"What was his deal?" she asked as I sat down. I knew who she was referring to, and so did she. "He looked like he was looking for someone to get in a fight with." I shook my head and rested it against the rough seats of the school bus.
"I wish I knew."
My high school was strange. In fact, all of my schools were. Sure, we had the same basic classes: English, Math, Science, and History; we also had some that were a little odd. Instead of Spanish or French, for example, as a world language, you took Greek or Latin. Instead of gym class, we had 45 minutes of mandatory training. Instead of music or art or STEM, we had battle strategy. And then we had a class of our choice, something more normal, that you'd find in a normal school with normal kids and teachers and staff who didn't have an ancestry of the gods. Those classes changed annually depending on the survey results that we took at the end of each school year. Aside from that, my life was pretty easy at the time.
As I was leaving the locker rooms, a voice called out my name. Alexis, Luke's girlfriend, jogged up to me. Her mom was Aphrodite, and it was no surprise. She was really pretty. I smiled. She didn't.
"Alexis, what's wrong?" I asked. She grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the locker rooms and to the nearest corner of the gym.
"It's Luke." Alexis looked past me to across the room. I turned. Luke was there, goofing off with his friends as though nothing was wrong. "Well, don't look!" Alexis commanded, grabbing my arm. "He'll know we're talking about him." I nodded.
"So," I began. "What's up?" I honestly was a little surprised. Alexis and I, we were never really that close. Even after she and Luke started dating, the most conversation we had outside of class was a small smile, a hello sometimes, in the hallways.
Alexis swallowed hard. "He's just been so distant lately. I'm worried he might be cheating. Or breaking up with me. I really like him, Bianca." I smiled sadly, and shook my head.
"Don't worry. Luke's just been training really hard lately. I would know if he was, even if he didn't tell me. He's not. And Luke isn't breaking up with you. He's not great at talking to girls. He had to ask me for help on how to ask you out." I laughed lightly, remember Luke trying to flirt with me as though I were Alexis. "Just don't tell him I told you. He'd probably kill me." Alexis laughed, and smiled gratefully.
A sharp whistle shot through the air. Alexis, the rest of the class, and I all rushed to the edge of the room. I glanced down the line, and locked eyes with Luke. How are you? I mouthed. He scowled and looked away. I sighed heavily. For the first time, I couldn't figure out what his problem was.
"Alright," a gruff voice began. The gym teacher was pacing the line, the way he always started class. "It's the last Friday of the month, and it's a free training day. Do what you want, but no killing each other." The class chuckled and dispersed throughout the room. I pulled Carissa behind me and stalked across the room. We watched as a sword-fighting version of Knock-Out took place. Luke and some other guy were up first.
Luke advanced first. In forty-five seconds, the other sword was on the floor. The guy angrily stepped off the mat, bumping shoulders with the next opponent. Person after person, classmate after classmate, Luke defeated mercilessly. I watched as his swings grew heavier as Luke grew more tired. 5 minutes before the end of the period, the last opponent Luke would face stepped up to the mat.
"Oh, no!" Carissa whispered. "Brick is really strong. There's no way Luke could handle him being that worn out." I turned around and glared at her. Carissa smiled guiltily. "Sorry, just being honest." I sighed, and turned back around to watch Luke.
Even before the match began I knew that Brick would have to be exceptionally slow today for Luke to even have a chance at beating him in his current tired state. Brick was pretty good with a sword, but his strength was his best weapon. On top of that, Brick hadn't been fighting for almost an hour non-stop.
I watched as Luke and Brick continuously went at each other, the upper hand being passed between the two. Despite having only a few minutes left, time seemed to drag on. I remembered a story that my parents had told me. It was about the Second Titan War, and how the previous leader and king, Kronos, could slow down time. I almost wondered if his spirit was beginning to linger again.
A loud clang pulled me from my thoughts. Brick's sword was on the floor. Luke stood with his sword at shoulder level pointed at Brick. I smiled proudly. I was about to turn and head to the locker rooms when Brick lunged at Luke. He grabbed my brother's sword's hilt and threw it across the room. Luke was a great sword-fighter, but he was never great at fist-fighting. Being at strong as he was, Brick excelled greatly. Within moments, Luke was on the ground, nose bleeding and bruises forming. Even so, his crazy smile was present on his face.
"Well, gee, Brick," Luke started. "If I'd have known you were such a sore loser, I would have gone easier on –" Brick ran at Luke, knocking him to the ground. I knew that Luke would be angry with me later for interrupting, but I wasn't going to stand by and watch him get pummeled.
"Luke, stop!" I shouted. He ignored me. I stormed onto the mat, something that was greatly advised against while a match was going on, and shoved Brick off my brother. "Luke, what are you doing?" I asked at I pulled him up.
He shoved me off. "Gods, Bianca, I'm just training." Luke was furious with me. I could tell, but I knew he wouldn't let on.
"That didn't look like training. It looked more like a beat-down. You know what Mom said. She'll kill you if you get sent to the nurse's office ag ain for training to hard." I lowered my voice. "She thinks you're going to get yourself killed. She's worried about you."
Luke scoffed. "And of course she told you. Because you're the perfect, mature child with the perfect grades and the perfect friends and the perfect life who never gets into any sort of trouble." I stumbled back, suddenly very scared for my brother.
Despite my worriedness, I reached out the touch Luke's arm softly. "Luke, where is this coming from? I'm not perfect." Luke opened his mouth to respond when a loud, ear-piercing siren began to sound. I locked eyes with Luke, and for a moment, I saw the old him. When he was happy, and didn't rush off to fight every opportunity he got, and cared about how his actions effected everyone else. But the old Luke was gone as soon as he arrived. My brother ran to his sword, picked it up, and rushed to the windows, myself and the rest of the class not far behind.
"Shit," I muttered. The edge of New Rome was far away, but not far enough to where I couldn't see what was there. I recognized it instantly, and not just from our lessons at school. My father described it perfectly. I looked up to talk to Luke, but he was already gone. I cursed again, this time in Greek, and pushed past my class to catch Luke before he did something stupid.
Luke was already halfway through the clearing when I finally exited the school. With a burst of speed, I caught up to Luke at grabbed his arm. "Luke, what are doing?" I shouted. "Are you trying to get yourself killed!? You've never fought a real monster before. It's nothing like training."
Luke shook me off and stormed towards the barrier. "And how would you know? You haven't fought any monsters before, either."
"I know that! But Dad and Mom have told the stories! They said that training can only do so much! And, hate to break it to you, but you don't think! That's going to get you killed."
Luke whipped around pointed his finger at me. "Right, because you think so much," he growled. "That must be why you aren't held to such a high standard. Because you aren't stupid. Because you actually have more going for you than you're fighting ability."
Again I stumbled. "Luke, I'm not held to a higher standard. Where would you get an idea like that?"
"Oh, I don't know? How about because I'm Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson's kid!?"
"Excuse me, but last time I checked, I am too!" I snapped. "And you still didn't answer my question."
Luke laughed angrily. "Please refer my second-to-last-answer," he responded mockingly. "You really don't think hear Mom and Dad, you even sometimes, talking about all the trouble I have in school." Luke's expression softened. "Bianca, I thought you of all people were on my side."
I reached out to Luke again. "I am! I swear. I'm just worried. I don't want you to fail. You have so much trouble because of your dyslexia and –" the moment I said the words I regretted them. "Luke, that's not what I meant."
"No, I get it." Luke whipped around. "I completely understand. That's why I have to do this. So maybe, just for a little while, Mom and Dad would lay off me." And with that, Luke ran off. I chased after him, but stopped just before crossing the barrier. I was unarmed, and couldn't help Luke even if I wanted to without a weapon.
I watched as Luke fought harder than I'd ever seen him fight in his life. For a moment, I thought he had the upper hand, as Luke made smart, strong blows at the monster. I smiled. Luke really seemed happy. Or at least as happy as someone could be fighting for their life. And then it started.
Luke stabbed at the monster, and I thought he'd beaten it. I really did. Behind Luke, I could see the sand-like substance that was oozing from the wound my brother had made. The monster howled in rage. I ran out to meet Luke. He turned around and met my eyes. He was beaming, and looked significantly more relaxed and happy. I wish he could have stayed that way.
We both thought that the monster was gone. Luke had stabbed it, so we thought that he'd killed it. We were wrong. Luke had barely left the small clearing in the trees along the edge when the monster reached out. I froze, fear masking my face. Luke stopped running, confused at my face. I screamed.
Everything slowed down. Luke was pulled backwards. His sword flew out of his hand and landed a few feet away. I wanted to run to Luke and bring him back across the border into New Rome and to safety, but I never got the chance. The beast roared, and pulled its arm back. Within seconds, Luke's limp body was lying next to me. I cried out, tears beginning to spill onto my cheeks. I reached out and threw Luke's sword as hard as I could at the monster, which dissolved instantly. I collapsed next to him, sobbing. I lifted his head onto my lap, stroking his blood-matted hair.
"Did I kill it?" Luke whispered. I laughed, and nodded. I knew I was lying, but Luke deserved to think he did what our father had done so long ago. "Good, now I can –" Luke started coughing. I tried to lift his head to steady him. When I finally did, I saw a small drop of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. I gasped. I swallowed back tears as I wiped it away.
Luke reached out for my hand. "Hey… hey, Bianca, don't worry. Don't cry. I'll be okay." I nodded in agreement as my tears began to fall again.
"Yes, you will. You're coming home and, and you… Oh, gods. Luke, you have to hold on. Please."
Luke shook his head, and cupped my face in his hand. "Whatever happens, you have to stay strong. You have to help Mom and Dad, and hold everything together. And for gods' sake, you have to stop crying so hard. You're shaking." I hadn't realized, but I was shaking. Hard.
"Sorry," I said. "I'm just worried about you." Luke laughed, or made a sound that seemed like a strained laugh.
"Isn't it," Luke began," a little backwards for a younger sister to be worried about her older brother?" A shocked, slightly confused look plastered itself across my face. Younger sister?, I thought. I asked Luke, and he laughed again, sharp coughs interrupting here and there. I winced at each one. "I was born first, remember?" I rolled my eyes, but nodded.
I readjusted Luke on my lap. "Are you okay if I go get help? You need serious medical attention and –"
Luke put his finger to my lips, silencing me. "You have to stop worrying about me." His voice sounded weak and strained, like talking took a greater effort than before. Suddenly, it dawned on me. The one thought that I had been trying to push away this whole time. Luke continued speaking, though I wish I wouldn't. "Bianca, you are the greatest twin sister I could have asked for. Stay strong for me, okay?" I nodded, crying harder that before.
Luke's body went limp in my arms. "No… Luke? Luke, wake up!" I screamed. But I knew it was no use. I knew it was over. My twin brother, my best friend since the beginning, was gone. All because he wanted to be a hero. As much as I wished it wasn't, it was true.
Luke died saving us all from a Minotaur.
Alright, that's chapter 1! I hope you all enjoyed! I have high hopes for this story! Please, comment, follow, share, and come back!
Yours truly,
daughterofpercabeth417