Hi guys! I'm back with a new chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Percy's POV:

Man, you should have seen the look on Annabeth's face when she saw me. She shrieked and jumped back like a cat.

The window opens with a screeching sound and she winces. "Okay. What the HELL are you doing here, and how do you know where I live?"

I shrug. "Ya know, I'm just here to return," I hold up her sketchbook, "your sketchbook. You left it at the park."

"Oh my gods, thank you so much! Now returning to the other question. How do you know where I live?"

I start hesitating. I run a hand through my hair nervously, not knowing what to say. "Um. I kind of followed you back home?"

Her eyes widen, and she looks at me in horror. "Get out. Now." She tries to get my hands off the rim of the window, but my grip is tight. If I fall, it's going to be a drop from the second story. Not like that's going to be that bad but…I needed a place to stay. If I couldn't…I shudder. There was no way I was returning to that house. Ever.

"No I can explain–"

"How do you explain the fact that you were stalking me back to my house?"

"Well," gulp, "I–" I start fiddling with my shirt again. "I'm a runaway," I say quickly, my words coming out in a jumble.

There's silence as Annabeth processes this information. I watch as her facial expression changes, and my eyes instantly drops to look at my hands.

"Okay," she says after a long time of soundlessness, "come in. We have much to discuss."

§ • ~ • § • ~ • §

"Start from the beginning. I want to hear your whole story."

So I told her. From the story of how my father abandoned me when I was a baby, to how I was living with my stepfather and decided to run away. About how my mother fled the house when I was nine, leaving me with my abusive stepfather alone. Annabeth is quiet while I explain. Her forehead scrunches up thoughtfully, and I can almost see the gears turning in her brain.

"You don't go to Goode High do you," Annabeth states, and I shake my head. "You don't even go to a school now."

I hang my head, staring at my fingers.

"You can sleep on that couch-bed over there, we'll figure this out tomorrow." Annabeth says, yawning. She's clawing at her blankets blindly, obviously tired.

"But don't you have school tomorrow?" I ask.

"Dr. Chiron– the principal– would probably take you in as a new student. Our school's always looking for new students no matter what time of the year. We get a bunch of new students almost every month."

"What if he doesn't want any new students?"

"I doubt he doesn't. If he doesn't, I promise I'll get you into that school no matter what,"

"What about your parents? What would they say tomorrow morning?"

"I'll just explain your situation, you'll be fine. They'll understand,"

"Okay. Goodnight Annabeth,"

"Goodnight Peter," that's when I realise that Annabeth actually didn't know who I actually was. Guilt washes over me like waves crashing the shore. She had actually tried to help and promised me that I was going to be safe– for a while.

I had to tell her. She was going to find out sooner or later.

Annabeth's POV:

I wake up to light shining in from the window. How did I not close my curtains? I think sleepily as I get up. I feel like I'm forgetting something–

Then I see Peter on the couch-bed, still sleeping. I gasp, at first startled, but last night's memories start coming back to me, and I calm down. When I check my alarm clock, it's still 6:30– plenty of time to explain to my parents about his situation and why he's here. I change from my pyjamas to a sweater and long skinny jeans, then I go to wake Peter up.

"Peter, wake up," I say, on an attempt to wake him up. It doesn't work.

"Wake up!" I say louder this time. Still no answer.

"WAKE UP!" I practically scream, shaking him. All I get is a groan and '5 more minutes'.

Alright. If nothing's working, then there's only one way. I lean close to this ear and shout, "WAKE UP PETER JANSON!" right into his ear. Ouch.

He sits right up, his eyes alert as if searching for something…specifically saying, danger. When he sees me, he calms down, the alert in his eyes gone.

"Get up– we're going to go to school."

He starts towards the bedroom door.

I stop him. "Whoa no. We're climbing out the window."

"I thought we were going to talk to your parents."

"Screw that."

Well, here goes nothing.

Hi guys! Second chapter. Good so far?

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~Maia