This is going to be a few chapters, updates not on any sort of schedule.
"There's nothing good anymore," Annabeth Chase muttered as she sorted through her movies. There were several missing, probably taken by her friends. Sighing, she picked one and put it in her DVD player. The first preview hadn't even started when the buzzer sounded. She refastened her robe and got up, tripping over several piles of stuff before she got to the door.
"Oh, god," She said, trying to close it again. Her friends wouldn't have it—Piper stuck her arm out, blocking the door.
"Annabeth," She said, her voice steady. "Let us in."
Annabeth shook her head.
"Or," Hazel piped up. "We could go and come back with a therapist."
Annabeth let go of the door and the two of them came in, looking around disapprovingly.
"Go get dressed," Piper commanded. "I don't care what, as long as it isn't that ratty robe."
Annabeth did as she was told, but putting on sweatpants and a baggy tee.
When she came back, Piper and Hazel were sitting on her couch.
"Sit down."
Annabeth sat in her armchair.
"Listen," Piper said, leaning forward. "You've got to stop. I know what it's like, okay? He dumped you, and that hurts. A lot."
Annabeth looked down, her face burning.
"But if he stops by to pick something up, you think he's going to regret that?"
Annabeth bit her lip, still staring at her hands.
"He's not." Piper's words were sharp. "But you are, and you do."
"And we don't care about him," Hazel added. "In fact, we do the exact opposite. Luke was a jerk. But we care about you, and we're worried about you. You have to stop sitting around and feeling bad."
Annabeth opened her mouth to protest, but Piper cut her off.
"No. You've given us excuses for almost two months. I don't want to hear any more. We're here to help. Pretty soon, Jason's going to come and take you to look at apartments. I want you in jeans, a nice shirt, and something done with your hair. Hazel and I will clean up here."
"Why'd you make me change if I was just going to change again?" Annabeth muttered, standing up and going to her bedroom.
"Because I didn't know you were going to change into that."
Annabeth put on worn jeans and a tank top. She brushed her hair and reported to Piper.
"Huh," Piper said. "We don't have enough time for you to shower. Put your hair up."
Annabeth obeyed. Part of her wondered why she was letting them push her around, and the other part of her knew that they were right.
"Hello?" A voice called. The girls turned, a smile lighting up Piper's face, a pit of dread settling in Annabeth's stomach.
It was Jason. He grinned at them. "I've found several nice apartments," He said. "Ready?"
Piper shoved Annabeth forward. "She's ready! Be back here at six, and not a moment before."
Annabeth went to protest—it was barely one o'clock—but Jason grabbed her arm and yanked her out the door.
They saw five apartments, none of which Annabeth liked particularly much, and then ordered take out at a Chinese place. Jason took her back to her apartment.
The sidewalk was lined with garbage bags, and Annabeth got a queer feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Piper, we're back!" Jason called, carrying a bag of food. "We brought Chinese!"
Piper popped up from behind the island counter.
"You did? Oh, Jason, you're the best." She got up, brushing her hands off on her pants. "Hazel! Food!"
Hazel materialized from Annabeth's bathroom, holding another trash bag.
"Finally," She groaned, dumping it by the door. The three of them sat on the counter while Annabeth looked around.
The dishes were out of the sink and into boxes, the floor clean. The trash bags seemed full of clothes—hers, and Luke's.
"Come eat," Piper commanded. "I swear, I've seen sticks bigger around than you."
"Depends on the stick," She mumbled.
"Okay, so now that the apartment's clean, we're calling in back up to come and help finish cleaning. Then half of us are taking you out. I get to pick out your outfit."
Annabeth knew protesting was hopeless.
After eating, the door rang again. Piper answered it, revealing Thalia, Frank, Travis, and Katie.
"You fixed the apartment!" Thalia exclaimed, surveying it. "Well, almost. Where's Luke's trash?"
"On the curb," Piper replied, closing the door behind them. "Okay, divide up who's here and who's going out with us. Annabeth, come change."
Annabeth obediently followed. Her closet was half empty, and the clothes that were in it were unfamiliar, the tags still on them.
Piper threw her a longish red top, a black leather jacket, black jeans, and red strappy heels.
"Strappy?" Annabeth asked. "Leather?"
"Shut up and change."
Annabeth did, again, as she was told. Piper did her make-up and scrubbed her hair in the sink.
When they emerged, the group clapped. Annabeth grinned and twirled.
"Okay, what'd you decide?" Piper asked impatiently, pulling on her jacket.
"Jason and Travis are going with you, the rest of us are staying here."
"Okay. Let's go!"
They whirled out the door, leaving the others to pack up Annabeth's life.
They went to a movie and then decided to go for a walk.
"Annabeth," A voice called behind them. Her veins turned to ice. Piper gave her an encouraging look as she turned.
"Luke," She said, her stomach down at her feet.
"Hey, long time no see!" He said, laughing. His hands were in his pockets, and there was a brunette behind him, looking at her phone, obviously waiting.
"Yeah." Annabeth swallowed, her voice shaking.
"And Piper! Jason, Travis!" Luke grinned at them, but they returned it with frosty glares. "Well," He said, a bit of his confident attitude fading a bit. "I was wondering when I could come by to get my stuff."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow and hauled her stomach back up. "Whenever. But you'd better beat the garbage trucks, because it's all on the curb right now."
"What?" He asked, staring.
She smiled, wiggled her fingers, and turned back around and walked away.
The other three erupted in cheers in front of her building. They were still hollering when they made it to her room, the others staring.
They started shouting, too though, when Piper told them.
Annabeth went pink. Slowly, her friends left, after patting her on the back. Piper even gave her her phone back, though Luke was still blocked.
Annabeth sat on her couch after, surrounded by packing boxes. She was fingering the wine stain Luke had made once, laughing and coming to kiss her.
Suddenly inexplicably furious she stood up and yanked the couch as hard as she could. She yanked it and pulled it down the stairs and out the door, to rest on the curb with the rest of the bags of Luke's stuff. Giving a yell, she kicked one over.
She kicked the rest over in a fit of rage.
Sweaty and swearing, all of her nails broken, she went back into her room and sat on the floor.
I will not cry, she commanded herself. It's been two months. Get a grip.
There was a rattle at the door and it flung open. Luke stood there, his face red.
"Here," He shouted, and flung the key at her. It hit her in the cheek and left it stinging.
"Get out!" She yelled, standing and clutching the key in her fist.
"I'm getting!" He yelled back. "I just wanted to give you that piece of trash, although it doesn't seem you want anything to do with it." He sneered, looking around. "It took you two month to even start to get over me, didn't it? And you had all of your little friends protecting you."
He stepped closer. "Well, they aren't here now, are they?" He asked softly.
Her hands shook. "Get out."
"No."
He reached for her and she flinched away. Reaching again, he caught hold of her shoulder and held her, his nails digging in to her skin.
"Let go of me," She said, struggling.
"No. You still want me? You can have me." He stepped even closer, still holding on.
She brought the key up in her hand and stabbed him with it, on the upper arm. He gasped in shock and staggered back.
"Get out," She hissed. He composed himself and smiled at her, taking a step back.
"I'll be back."
She slammed the door, hoping that he was close enough to hit.
Shaking, she turned, her back to the door, and slid down.
I know she's OOC, but bear with me until we really get it going. Review, favorite, and follow, please!