When I got to school that day, I found out the news.

Kara Lee was found dead in the morning, her throat slashed two inches deep. She was the third in the past few weeks. I found it quite sad, considering Kara was one of the few girls that I had a neutral relationship with. But we weren't friends. I didn't have many of those.

No one paid much attention to the wealthy girl in the room, studying. I didn't exactly mind it, but it would've been fun to have someone to mess around with.

Most people knew to ignore me, considering my wealth compared to most others' in the school, my mom being the, well, queen of Athens itself. In fact, she is such a great ruler that they renamed the entire kingdom after her. Many people expect me to follow in her footsteps. I've heard what people have said. Respected not befriended.

Oh, and you can't forget the fact that I knew how to use a knife. And I was not afraid to use it.

I might have blonde hair and princess curls, but my sharp features and stormy gray eyes would catch you off guard. Sometimes people freeze when they look me in the eye.

Do I really blame them, though? After what's happened before?

Perk of being ignored: No one questions you about anything. Not a single person even glanced over at me analyzing at the past three weeks' Newspapers. I mean, from first glance it sounds pretty sad, but considering I don't really care, it doesn't mean much.

But… If I think about it so much, do I really not?

Off topic. Anyways, after staring at the papers without really reading them, I start paying attention. It's funny how easily things come to me when I think.

I realize people are blind.

If you clearly look at the papers, it's clear that there's a pattern. They're all females, all my age, and all pretty. It takes anyone with a brain to realize it. Everyone's just blind to the fact that "Oh, Athena will take care of it! It doesn't matter that there is a serial killer on the loose. She'll save us all. I won't even glance at this week's papers because she'll take care of us." That and "Oh my gods there's a KILLER ON THE LOOSE WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE."

Sometimes I wonder how someone so intelligent as my Mother would have such idiotic followers. Or maybe it's so simple that they're looking at one part of a painting. Everyone thinks differently. Some people think so complex that they miss everything obvious, some think so simple that they get a conclusion before actually doing anything.

I came to the conclusion that I'm going to keep this information to myself, because someone in government business has to have noticed this. My Mother should have gotten this pattern by now.

So why aren't they doing anything?

"Class, take your seats."

After School

Now that I know the pattern, I'm extra careful walking home. I don't think I'm pretty or anything, but better safe than sorry.

Even my older brother Malcolm noticed, because he started keeping an eye on me and occasionally walking with me. We have a way of communicating without talking, so he was aware that I knew. He's the closest thing I have to a friend, really.

Sometimes I think that's another reason why people think I'm unapproachable. My only friend is my brother who, coincidentally, thinks the exact same way as me and Mother, except he's just a little more outgoing than me.

"So, Annabeth, how was school?" Malcolm asked.

"Same as always, you know."

He shook his head. "Why do I even bother asking?"

I chuckle. "It's your routine. Mine is saying 'Same as always.'"

"What is it with you being the same all the time?"

I didn't respond. When we made it to the house, he left to go do some errands. I answered his question when he wasn't within earshot.

"Because no one's around to change me."

Thanks for reading!

~KawaiiChick