A Little Too Much

"She would not show that she was afraid.
But being and feeling alone was too much to face.

Though everyone said that she was so strong,

what they didn't know is that she could barely carry on."

A Little Too Much – Shawn Mendes

A/N: I'm working on the next chapter of Faked, but it's proving to be difficult. This has been in my head for awhile now so I'm going with it! This is kind of an Annabeth loses her way, Percy is a bad influnce but they are perfect for each other fic. Enjoy some OOC everyone :)

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Everyday is the same.

She comes home, does her homework, does her chores.. She does whatever her step-mom wants her to, but it's never enough.

It's no secret that Margaret hates Annabeth. There's no reason behind it. Maybe it's because she's not her biological child like Bobby and Matthew are? She'll never know. Annabeth gets treated like she's not human by her step-mother. Like she's not even part of the family.

It really wouldn't be so bad if her dad did something about it… but he doesn't.

Bobby and Matthew can get away with anything. They're fifteen, keep in mind. They go out whenever they want, do whatever they want, and Margaret never seems to care. Annabeth is seventeen, and Margaret tells her she's not allowed to do anything.

Annabeth is practically an adult! She should be allowed to go hang out with Piper, Reyna, Thalia and Hazel whenever she wants to. She wants to be able to go hang out with Jason, Leo and Frank without having to play twenty questions on who the guys are. She should be allowed to sleep in like her brothers do. She should be allowed to do whatever it is her brothers are doing or even more since she's older, but Margaret doesn't see it that way.

To Margaret, Annabeth is just… there. She's not her step-child. She's not Frederick's daughter. She's just there to do whatever Margaret wants her to do.

Annabeth is getting sick of it. She's getting sick of being treated like she doesn't matter to her "parents".

That's why when Piper asked Annabeth if she wanted to go to a party, she agreed. It's her senior year, she'll do what she wants. She'll hang out with whoever she wants. No matter what. She'll still do her homework and have good grades and do whatever it is Margaret wants her to, but she wants to enjoy herself for once without feeling bad about it.

Jason and Thalia's cousin has moved to town, according to Piper. Thalia decided it would be a great idea to throw him a welcoming party and introduce some friends so he won't be a "loner" at his first day of school on Monday. Annabeth agreed with Thalia that it would be a good idea. She was new once, she knows what it feels like to be the new student and not know anyone. It's not a good feeling.

It was a Friday night, which meant Annabeth had some homework to do before going to the party. She was sitting at her desk when her phone rang. She checked the caller ID, smiling to herself as she picked it up, "Hey, Pipes. What's up?"

"What time are you leaving?"

"… When I'm done with my homework?"

Annabeth tapped her pencil against her textbook loud enough for Piper to hear on her end. Piper sighed, "No. Come over to my house now. You have the weekend to do homework!"

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "I want to get it out of the way now."

"If you don't leave your house in the next five minutes I swear to every God I will come drag you out kicking and screaming, and I'll tell Margaret what you're up to tonight."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me, Chase."

"Fine. I'll see you soon."

Annabeth heard Piper cheer as she hung up the phone.

Is this party really worth it? Annabeth isn't one to party, if you couldn't tell. She's definitely the more stay at home and read and do next weeks homework kind of girl. She never takes her glasses off. She never wears her hair down. She never wears anything but jeans and sweaters. Piper likes to call her Nerdy Annie, and she doesn't really mind. Well… she minds the Annie.

Maybe she'll change it up tonight. Wearing her hair down wouldn't be bad, right?

Margaret doesn't even know where she's going tonight. She had to convince her that she was just going to do some late night studying at the library with a group of people. Margaret fell for that, too. Annabeth has never been the best liar, so she was honestly surprised. Annabeth isn't even sure if libraries are open this late.

She pushed herself away from her desk, grabbing her phone and shoving it in her pocket. She grabbed her keys off the side table and called out a goodbye, waiting for and not getting, a goodbye from her family. She only shrugged, slipping out the door and heading to her car.

Thank God for her birth mom.

Minerva left Annabeth with her dad when she was only a few months old. Annabeth never got the story behind why she was left, but she stopped searching for the answer as she got older. If her parents wanted her to know, they would have told her. Minerva calls Annabeth every birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, but she hasn't seen her in years. For her sixteenth birthday, Minerva got her a car.

Annabeth is incredibly grateful that at least one of her parents pays attention.

Piper's driveway is long and her house is huge. It's a wonder why Jason's party isn't happening at the McLean Mansion. It should be known that Piper is the daughter of a famous actor, Tristan McLean. Piper chooses to just keep it a secret. She could live without people wanting to be her friend just to get near her famous dad. It's happened far too many times to count.

Annabeth pulled up to her usual parking spot in the McLean driveway and climbed out of her car. She's been friends with Piper for years, but the size of her friends house will always amaze her. She makes her way around to the backyard and the back door that Annabeth has always used to get into the McLean house.

Piper is standing in the kitchen, a drink in her hand and a smile on her face, "It's about time! You were taking forever."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You literally live five minutes away."

Piper set her drink down, looking her friend up and down. "We need to get you changed and ready for a party. Everyone will be so excited that you actually decided to come!"

Annabeth frowned. She looked down at her t-shirt and jeans. Why can't she just wear this to a party? This is... casual. This is party acceptable in her book. Annabeth crossed her arms over her chest, "What's so wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"You look like you're ready for a study session instead of a party."

"I technically was having a study session."

Piper grabbed her arm, pulling her up the stairs and towards her room. Annabeth loves Piper's bedroom. It's so big and she could fit at least three desks in here! Not that she would ever need that many desks in one room. Piper dropped her arm, walking towards her closet and pulling it open. She brought a hand up, tapping her fingers against her chin, "Let's see.."

"I don't want -"

"You're going to wear a dress."

"But -"

"No buts. You need to look hot." Piper glanced over her shoulder at her now silent friend, "You're hot everyday, 'Beth, but you need to look jock hot not nerdy hot."

Annabeth fell back onto Piper's bed and sighed, "I'm not a jock, though."

"And you aren't wearing those glasses."

"I need them to see."

"I have contacts. Wear them. Your eyes are unique, let them shine!"

Annabeth glared at the back of her friends head. Dresses make her uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as shoving a finger in her eye to put a contact in. Piper knows all of this, but she's guessing she has to go all out for her first actual party.

"I don't know if I can force myself to put a contact in."

"Then I'll do it." Piper walked out of her closet holding two dresses, a black one and a blue one. "You need to choose one of these dresses. I think you'll look good in both, but it's up to you."

Annabeth scrunched her nose up staring at the dresses. Those are... something else. They're both so revealing and they look short. Oh Gods, Annabeth has to wear one of those?

"Don't you have anything longer or less.. revealing?"

"Have you seen my wardrobe? Of course I don't. These two are tame compared to everything else. Hurry up so I can get those contacts in. Jason is going to be here soon!"

"Jason is picking us up for a party that he is throwing?"

"We're going to help him set up. Now choose! Go!"

Annabeth frowned as she took the blue dress from her friends hand. She feels the black would have been too.. sexy for her. She's already going out of her comfort zone, she doesn't need a red revealing and incredibly short dress to cause her anymore discomfort.

"I guess I'll go with this one. I've always been fond of the color blue."

Annabeth headed out of Piper's room and towards the bathroom, rolling her eyes as Piper called out "Hurry up so I can do your hair!"

Piper is really making her go all out for this party.

Annabeth hung the dress on the back of the bathroom door and stared at it. This is what she's been wanting, right? She wants to go against everything Margaret has been telling her, to rebel. To be an actual teenager for once.

This isn't her. The dress? The contacts? Having her hair styled? This isn't Annabeth Elaine Chase.

But she's okay with that. She doesn't want to be Annabeth Elaine Chase for once. She wants to be someone else. How wonderful would it be to be someone else for a night? To be someone who doesn't constantly worry about school and family problems. That's all Annabeth has ever wanted.

Pushing her doubts to the back of her mind, she quickly changed into the dress and looked at herself in the mirror.

The dress hugged her curves in a way that almost made her feel uncomfortable. It ends mid-thigh and... she doesn't look bad. She likes the way the blue looks against her tan skin. The way it makes her feel good about herself. Why has she never worn dresses before? Maybe she should let Piper choose her outfits more often.

"You done in there 'Beth?"

"Yeah, give me a second."

Annabeth stared at her reflection for another second before taking a deep breath and opening the bathroom door. Piper was standing on the other side, her hands clasped together and a smile on her face. "'Beth, you look hot!" Annabeth blushed at her friend, "Now come on! I wanna see what you look like with contacts in."

Jason chose the moment that Piper was straddling Annabeth on her bed and yelling at her to 'just breathe it'll be over before you know it' to walk into his girlfriends bedroom. He froze, his hand resting on the doorknob and eyes wide. "Am I interrupting something?"

Piper looked over her shoulder, "Nope. I'm just trying to get Annabeth to let me put these contacts in for her but she's freaking out."

"Have you ever had someone shoving a finger in your eye? It's terrifying!"

Jason raised an eyebrow, "Are those my contacts? I've been looking for them."

"Well Annabeth is wearing them tonight."

"Is that even safe?" Annabeth said from below her friend.

Piper sighed, "It's fine. Jason keeps them clean. Right Jase?"

Jason scratched the back of his neck, "I actually have no idea. But 'Beth, I promise. You won't feel a thing. Do you want me to put them in? I don't think Piper knows what she's doing."

"Please."

Piper scoffed but rolled off her friend, passing the contacts case to Jason. "Fine. While he does that I'm looking up things to do with your hair."

"Isn't my hair fine?"

"It's too wild."

Jason laughed, shaking his head as he moved to sit by Annabeth. "I'm sorry she's making you go all out for this."

Annabeth shrugged, "I'm not really fighting her on it."

Jason got the contacts in faster than Piper could have, and Annabeth blinked a few times, trying to get use to the feel. She smiled, looking to Jason, "Now who knew we had the same eyesight?"

Piper laughed from her spot at her dresser, "I didn't even think of that. I was just going to put them on you and hope for the best."

"She's so nice, isn't she?"

Jason rolled his eyes, "The best. Are you two ready to go? Thalia is waiting."

Piper frowned, "I wanted to do her hair."

Jason looked from Annabeth back to Piper, "I think she's good. You got her in contacts and a dress."

Piper sighed, "I guess you're right. Come on Annie!"

"Don't call me that."

XXXXXX

The party was in full swing a few hours later.

Annabeth and Thalia hung a welcome banner in the living room while Jason and Piper put out snacks and drinks. Their plan was for all drinks to be non-alcoholic, but you could never guess what some people would bring to parties.

They're in high school, but that would never stop anyone.

Annabeth was sitting on the couch, a drink in hand as she people watched. Really, she had no idea who she was welcoming. Thalia was off with Luke, Jason and Piper were off doing whatever, so she decde to just sit and watch. She didn't know half the people that came, she's sure Jason and Thalia didn't know half of them, either. Did they even go to school with them?

"You having fun?"

Annabeth felt someone sit next to her and she looked over. She didn't recognize this guy either. She would definitely remember if she had seen those green eyes before. She laughed, shrugging, "Loads of fun."

"I can tell. You don't usually come to parties, do you?"

"That obvious?"

"Little bit."

Annabeth laughed, turning in her seat to fully face the guy. He was good looking, she won't lie. But who is? Was he one of the strangers that hears the word party and just shows up? He's dressed in all black. He's wearing a leather jacket, and she likes it a little too much.

"What's your name?"

"Percy. Yours?"

"Annabeth."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Annabeth." he leaned back against the couch, his eyes moving from her to the crowd. "Who dragged you here?"

"Piper. I didn't really have a choice, but I also didn't fight her on it." she stared down at her drink, wondering if someone had spiked the drinks the Grace's had put out. She's not an open person, especially not to strangers. "What about you?"

"Well," he started, a smile coming to his face "the party is sort of for me. I had no choice, either."

"Oh!" Annabeth's eyes widened, "Oh my god! Hi! You're Thalia and Jason's cousin!"

Percy nodded, "That's me."

"Welcome!" she threw her arm out that wasn't holding the drink, a smile on her face. "All they told me was that it was a welcoming party for you, but then I realized I had no idea who you are."

Percy laughed, staring at her. Annabeth isn't one to ramble. Ever. She's quiet, she doesn't talk to strangers. She's surprised she even has friends with how quiet she is! A part of her wants to believe this is the start of a new her, but she doubts it.

"Do you wanna go somewhere quieter? To talk, I mean."

"Yes, yeah, that sounds good! I'd like to get to know you."

"Me too." he stood from the couch, and took a step before stopping, waiting for Annabeth to follow, "I have something I want you to try. You may enjoy it."

Annabeth is smart. She should know better than to follow some stranger to God knows where and to try something. That part of her is still wanting to rebel against everything she's been taught, so against her better judgment... she followed.