Hey guys! Great news! I've finally figured out what I want to do with this. Sort of. I was toying around with ideas all night, so I think I know a little bit of how I'm going to write it. My ideas have changed SLIGHTLY. I will be doing idea A, though. I cannot thank you guys enough for the support you have given me. To the guest reviewers: Thank you so much. Some of your reviews had me near tears. And no, I'm not being bothered by a boy. I've never liked or dated a guy before. ;)

Okay, guys, here goes nothing! Except maybe my reputation.

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Sorry, I couldn't think of a more creative disclaimer.

Warning: Mild language.

Happy Reading!

Chapter 1: Annabeth

I open my mailbox, and a bright smile takes over my face as I see an orange package hastily stuffed into the box. I already know what it is. I take it out and walk happily inside the house. Once I'm inside, I don't hesitate to rip the package open.

And out falls a brightly colored notebook with a Little Mermaid cover. I'd been shocked in second grade when I got my first reply to the letter I had sent to my pen pal. While everyone else had been sent a small envelope, I'd gotten a similar orange package containing the same notebook.

Now, the notebook is worn down and tattered from years of being sent back and forth. Even after the 5th grade assignment was done, we kept writing together. And now, after 6 years of messages, the tradition still goes on.

I turn to the the very last page that had been written on, and grin when I see a new note written to me.

August 17, 2013

What's up, Wise Girl?

I smile yet again at the use of the nickname he gave me years ago after he figured out I made straight A's, which, according to him, is an impossible feat.

How's senior year been so far? I bet you love it. Well, not the people, but the classes. Tell me, have you slipped up and made a 99 yet? ;)

I have awesome news! Smelly Gabe is officially gone! I finally convinced Mom to go to the police.

I let out a whoop of excitement. "Smelly" Gabe is - well, I guess now it's was - his abusive stepdad. For the past few years, he's written to me about how Gabe always demanded money and gambled all the time. He'd tell me how he'd hear his mom, Sally, crying in the night and how she'd wake up the next morning with bruises on her arms. I always wished I could help somehow. I know how it feels. I can relate.

It didn't take much. All she had to do was show them the bruises. She also had some old pictures. I think she'd always dreamed of going to the police, but she just never had the nerve to. But now that he's gone, she's thinking about enrolling into a writing school. She's pretty hesitant, but that's understandable. She's not used to this newfound freedom. Mom says hi, by the way.

We went out to Montauk over the weekend to celebrate. Grover, Nico, and Thalia came along as well.

Grover his his best friend from school, and Nico and Thalia are his cousins, though they get in fights and arguments all the time, supposedly. But from what he's told me, they're all closer than they seem.

When Grover was eating his sandwich, a seagull came out and took his Doritos. Mom brought a bunch of blue saltwater taffies as well. Yum! :d I'll have to send you some one day.

School sucks. I hate being a senior. All the teachers and administrators are like, "Senior year is going to be the best year of your life!" and I'm just like, "Well I sure hope not!" If this is suppoed to be the best year of my life, then I can't imagine how depressing the rest of my life will be.

I laugh aloud at that. My teachers said the same exact thing, and I had the same exact response.

Somehow, I've managed to land myself in two detentions, and I've made enemies with all my teachers but one.

I roll my eyes at that one. That's what he says happens every year.

I don't even know what I did wrong. I think they have something against dyslexic people. I mean, I'm sure getting straight F's doesn't really help, but still. Or maybe they're just jealous of my unbearably good looks. This one teacher, Mrs. Dodds, is a total demon. I swear she's come straight from hell.

Anywho, I guess there's really not much that's new on my end, except for the thing with Gabe. I hope everything's good with you, and I hope to hear from you soon!

Love from you BFFF,

Percy

I laugh, feeling happier than I have in a long time. Percy is my only friend, and getting letters from him always makes my day. I love hearing about his friends and family and how crazy he is at school. It helps to know that someone else lives a life so... free.

It gives me hope that mine could be like that one day.

I bend down to take a pen out of my book bag, and I open to the next clean page in the notebook. But just as I put the pen to the page, I hear the front door slam open, and quick as lightning, I stuff the notebook and pen into my bag.

"Annabeth!" I hear a voice yell. My dad.

"Yes, Father?" I answer, trying to keep my voice steady as he walks into the room.

"Where have you been? I've been trying to call you!" he bellows. I can tell he's been at the bar. The smell of alcohol rolls off of him in waves, and I am drowning in the foul scent.

"You took my cellphone from me two days ago, remember?" I remind him.

"Well, whose fault is that?" he asks, getting in my face. Don't flinch, Annabeth. Don't flinch. I don't say anything.

"It's your fault. If you'd just do what I tell you then I wouldn't have had to take away your phone! You good for nothing bitch," he says angrily. I blink and try to convince myself that it's the alcohol making him say these things, that he's my father and he doesn't really think that. But I have heard those words far too often to believe they're the result of too much beer.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" he asks snidely, spit flying from him mouth and onto my face. This time, I can't help it. I flinch.

"I'm sorry, Father. I promise to do better next time," I say quietly. It's what I've been trained to say every time I make a mistake.

"You'd better," he warns before giving me a light smack on the face as he always does as a way of showing he's serious. Tears spring to my eyes. Not because it hurt, but because this man is not my father. I stand there, not really seeing anything as he stalks off to the kitchen.

I run upstairs to my room, hoping my mom will be home soon. I need her. We need each other.

It's eleven o'clock at night, and my mom, Athena, still has not come home from work. Dad has most likely passed out on the couch, and I am now sitting at my desk, the notebook open in front of me. Slowly, I start to write.

August 20, 2013

Hey, Seaweed Brain! Senior year has been fine, I guess. It's not like I'm filled with some sort of evangelical zeal now that I'm a senior. Honestly, I couldn't care less about the people. I don't like them, they don't like me. We live in a mutual understanding of hate. The classes our amazing, though! I'm doing this awesome AP Architecture class, and I just love it! I'll have you know that I have yet to get under 100 in any of my classes. Ha!

Oh my gosh, Percy, that's amazing! Words cannot describe how happy I am for you and your mom. Both of you deserve so much better than Gabe. Tell your mom I say hi back and that I am beyond happy for her! She should definitely enroll into the writing school! Haha, I wish I could have seen Grover's face when the bird stole his chip.

Interestingly enough, the teachers told us the same thing. They suck at encouraging students. I highly doubt they have anything against dyslexics. After all, I'm dyslexic, and my teachers LOVE me. ;) But seriously? TWO detentions? What did you do? And what unbearably good looks? From the last picture you sent me, you still look like that scrawny kid who was obsessed with the ocean in second grace. You know, maybe school would be better for you if you actually tried.

Everything's fine with me, I guess.

I hesitated at writing the lie. Should I tell him? No, he doesn't need to be burdened with my problems, anyway. And besides, what could he do to help. He's on one side of the country, and I'm trapped in hell. A brief bout of hopelessness swelled within me at the thought, and my eyes started to water. I swiped at them furiously.

Anywho, it's late here, so I better get to sleep. Write me back soon!

Love from,

Annabeth

The sound of my doorknob turning made me jump in surprise. I tensed, hoping it wasn't my father.

"Annabeth?" The voice was soft, sweet, reassurring. Mom.

"Mom! You're home. I was worried. I didn't hear you come in." She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. I felt safer than I had since I got home from school today.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I was held up at work. I came in quietly in case you were sleeping. How was your day?" she asked me.

Most parents ask their child that for conversational purposes, but coming from my mom, it was always genuine. I wasn't the only one Father was terrible to. Mom always had to know if I was okay.

I shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. She grasped my shoulders. "Annabeth," she said gently, but there was a tense undertone laced in her voice. "What has he done? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Mom," I say, looking away from her.

"You avoided the question. What did he do?"

"Nothing, okay? He was just mad at me because he couldn't get ahold of me. So he...h-he just... It doesn't matter," I trail off, my voice cracking slightly. I silently curse myself for being so weak.

"Oh, Annabeth," Athena cries, smothering me into another embrace. I hug her back, squeezing tightly as I stare over her shoulder at the open notebook.

"Mom?" I ask in a small, child-like voice.

"Yes, hon?"

"What happened to Dad?" She squeezes me even harder. It hurts, but I don't say anything. There's silence for a moment, before she answers, her voice sounding so defeated, it breaks my heart.

"I don't know, sweetheart. I just don't know."

A tear falls from my eyes, but this time, I don't wipe it away. I let it trail down my face and fall onto the pages of the notebook.

I look out my wonder and see a white bird fly across it. I wonder if that bird knows how lucky it is.

I wonder if I will ever feel such freedom.

Eh, still not great. But it is much longer than the last chapter, thank goodness! How was this for a faster update? Am I rushing this? I feel like I'm rushing it. And I really don't like this title, so if you have any title recommendations, that would be SO helpful! Percy and Annabeth probably won't me in person in the next chapter, just so you know.

Has anyone read Allegiant yet? Veronica Roth is now at the top of my hit list for that stunt she pulled. :-( And guess what?! I GOT A DIVERGENT T-SHIRT! OMG, I AM TOTALLY DORKING OUT RIGHT NOW! AHHHHH!

So, what are you guys wanting for Christmas? Or what's on your list of books to read? I have 46 books on my Christmas list, but I'll only name a few:

-The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Crosby
-Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi
-Every Day by David Levithan
-The Program by Suzanne Young
-If I Stay by ?
-Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver

Has anyone read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher? I am in love with it!

Also, I realize I switched to first person, present tense. That's because I 1) realized that I suck at writing in 3rd person and 2) have been reading a lot of books written in first person present tense. I'm pretty sure there's a name for that, but whatever.

Anywho, enjoy the rest of your Black Friday! Love you guys and I cannot thank you enough for all the support. I'm too lazy and hungry to edit right now, so I'll do it later. If you have any ideas for this story, feel free to share them! Reviews are always loved by both members and guests! Thanks!

~HCG13