A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well, glad to see the story had a strong reaction out of the gate! In response to on review, yes I know it's a creepy image, Percy with void eye sockets, but I put that their on purpose to show just what he gave up and to try and hammer in the meaning of it. It was supposed to feel uncomfortable to the reader. If I had them covered up the scene would have lost something.

Here's chapter 2

Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Relatives and Family

POV: Percy

Despite what some people say there is a difference between relatives and family. Relatives are connected to you through your blood line. They can never be removed from your life, no mater how hard you try. Family are the ones you want there. The first ones you go to in times of joy or sorrow. They are your support and you are theirs. Family are the ones you choose.

Some say you can't choose your family. That you're just born into it. Those are the people that confuse relatives with family.

I have plenty of relatives in my life, but I can't honestly say I have a family.

My mom died when I was thirteen and left me with my strep father, Gabe. The rotten bastard beats me on a daily basis. I spent years trying to cover up the bruises. My job was made easier by the fact that no body gives two shits for me.

I have no adults to turn to, no friends that would ask questions and no stray animals to confide in. I was probably the loneliest person on the planet.

One day I decided to tease myself. I knew it was a waist of time but I went to the mall to look at the video games.

I couldn't afford video games. I could barely afford food since Gabe doesn't feed me. But I went anyway.

On the way home I saw a black mustang drift turning around a corner and taking off down the street bast me. I was nearly run over as I tried to cross the road.

"Ass hole!" I called after the car.

I stared in shock as the car cut right to avoid a tractor trailer. The momentum made the car roll over and flip at least six times.

There was glass and car parts scattered everywhere.

Once the car stopped, upside down, the driver door flew open and out climbed Luke. The kid was the son of some millionaire packaging company president and school quarterback.

Stupid fucker. I thought.

He looked around in shock and ran off.

I shook my head in disbelief. Then a moan came from the car.

I slowly approached it and crouched to see who was in it.

"Annabeth?" I asked.

She was strapped to the seat with her long hair in a mess around her and blood pouring onto her far-head from her eyes. "Oh, man..." I paused in shock of what I was looking at.

My crush since I was twelve was hurt, badly.

"Hold on, I'll get you out." I said as I started to fidget with her seat belt to free her.

And then I woke up.

I was staring into the same darkness that has been present for almost two weeks now. I had returned home from the hospital only to be kicked and punched by Gabe.

Real classy, Gabe. Beating up a blind kid. I thought bitterly.

He had done this every day for as long as I remember. He called it "Education time."

He's just a fat pig.

I lay on my bed and cried to myself.

I was still alone, still abused, and now I was hungry because I could no longer hold a job and Gabe still won't feed me.

Why had I donated my eyes again? I thought.

But I knew the answer as I asked the question.

It was Annabeth.

She was in so many sports. She's funny, smart, athletic, and she has a family. Not just relatives but a family. She needs to be able to wines that, and I really don't need to see Gabe's next beating coming to know it is.

I laid on my be and cried until my alarm went off to tell me it was time for school.

I dragged my but out of bed and got dresses. I was sure I put my cloths on wrong but I didn't care.

Then I tried my best to walk to school. The ten block walk took about two hours. I was getting lost every few steps. Eventually I made it though and joined my class at the end of home room.

I found a seat in the back corner and put my head down on my hands until first bell rang.

I stood up and gathered my things. I fumbled my way to the front of the class and tripped over something.

A small group of people snickered.

"Watch your step, kid!" Luke joked from across next to me.

His dad had basically bought Luke's way out of jail. That pissed me off but what ever. I have bigger things to worry about. Like how not to starve in the next few days.

POV: Annabeth

I looked away in shame as Luke stuck out his foot to trip Percy.

"Watch your step, kid!" He joked as his friends laughed.

Percy's face went red as he stood back up and continued to walk to first period in silence.

I hadn't talked to him since the hospital. I had no idea what to say to the kid. As far as I knew he came to school and went right home. Even before the car wreck he never hung around or did anything.

I gathered my things and went to first period. It was science. My teacher was a conspiracy theorist nut case so instead of doing physics we did "Why bush caused 9/11".

I hate this class. I thought to my self.

The teacher had some video on about how jet fuel can't melt steal.

Duh. I thought. The fire didn't melt the steal or the heat resistant foam. The blast nocked off the foam and the fire heated up the steel. Combined with the structural design of the towers which supported it's weight in the outside walls rather than a strong core and you have disaster! The planed had ripped a hole in two sides on one tower and three in the other. This means the towers are at one fourth to on half structural strength at best with the weight of the entire upper half of the buildings Bering down on them. Then weaken the mettle with fire and boom! The steel didn't have to melt. The wight alone would have done it. The fire just softened the mettle a little bit which only severed to bring them down faster.

I thought all this as the teacher played the video and said "You see! They said jet fuel did this!"

Just shut up! I thought.

"This is why we need to research!" He called out. "They're lying to you."

Then maybe you should research architecture you ass. They were doomed from the start! Those conspiracies always over look the simple revers design of the towers and how there floors were aid out would have amplified the affects of the fire. I thought.

But that was the cost of being a super nerd! You had to deal with ignorant people who don't bother applying their own logic and listen to whoever tells them something.

I shook my head in annoyance and glanced around the room to see Percy sitting a few rows in back of me.

I hadn't given it much thought but he couldn't see the video so what has he been doing?

The bell rang and interrupted my thoughts. I gathered my stuff and got up to leave only to walk right into Percy. He flailed in surprise and fell over.

"Sorry." I said as I garbed his arm to help him to his feet.

"Annabeth?" He asked.

"Yup." I said as I helped him up.

"Haven't heard your voice in a wile." He said. "How've you been?"

I shrugged, forgetting he couldn't see me. Which I thought was odd being his void eye sockets were still staring at me.

"Fine." I said. "You?"

He shrugged.

"Not much has changed to be honest." He said.

"I'm sorry." I said. "But can you get some sunglasses or something. Your kind of freaking me out."

He laughed.

"Would if I could." He said. "Don't have the money and wouldn't know if they were sunglasses or not."

"Hm." I said so he knew I herd him.

I was about to speak when his stomach made a loud growling noise.

"We better get to lunch." I said.

"Oh, man." He said in a frustrated tone. "That's right, second period lunch today."

I walked with him to the cafeteria. It took a while with him moving slowly and keeping one hand on the wall but we made it.

When we entered Luke waved me over to sit with him.

"Want to sit with me and Luke?" I asked Percy.

He frowned and shook his head.

"I'm good." He said as he wandered off and bumped into a table. He felt it's edge for a chair and sat in the first one he found.

I then walked off and sat next to Luke. I was still mad at him for running off after the ascendent but he said he was running on instinct and he didn't mean to. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"What did he want?" Luke asked me when I sat down.

"Nothing." I said. "I nocked him over so I helped him up and we came to lunch."

Luke frowned.

"You know you're above him right?" He said.

"Above him?" I asked, coldly. "That is such a dick thing to say! No one's 'Above' Any one! Plus he's the guy that gave up his sight to fix what YOU did! Or did you forget my eyes used to be gray?" I shook my head in disgust and got up to leave.

"Annabeth," Luke began. "All that I'm saying is..."

"No!" I cut him off. "You're a jerk to people who you don't think are 'cool', you blinded me, and you insult the person that gave me my sight back?!" I shook my head as I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding. "We're done Luke."

"What?" He asked as a worried expression crossed his face.

"I said we're done." I said. "I'm dumping you're ass."

With that I turned around and walked away.

I felt really great to be honest. Like I just dropped a weight that had been drowning me.

Running on auto pilot I sat down next to Percy.

He stiffened in his chair.

"Relax." I said. "It's just me."

"Annabeth?" He asked, tilting his head in concentration.

"Yup." I said.

"I thought you were sitting with Luke." He said in a curios tone.

"I dumped him." I said. "He's just such a jerk."

Percy nodded in agreement.

"To be honest I never got what you saw in him." He said.

"Hm." I said to let him know I heard what he said. "Well, I'm hungry. Let's go get some food."

He shook his head.

"I'm good." He said. "But you go."

His stomach was growling as he said this though.

"Come on." I said. "I can hear your stomach."

His face went red.

"I don't have lunch money." He said.

"I'll cover you." I said to him. "You can pay me back tomorrow."

"No thanks." He said quickly.

"What?" I asked. "You don't like food?"

His face went redder.

"I gotta go." He said quietly as he stood up and stumbled towards the door.

I stood up to follow him when a hand grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"Annabeth." Luke said as he held me. "Please. I said I was sorry about the car wreck but you're fine. You can see so I don't see..."

"No! You don't see." I cut him off. "The only reason I'm fine is because of Percy. You just left me to die but Percy got me out of the car, called an ambulance and gave me his sight."

I wrenched my arm out of his grip.

"You're just a self centered ass hole." I said as I walked off to find Percy.

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well? What ya think? If you want more then post a review! The more reviews the higher on my update priority list the story becomes.