This took me awhile, sorry. I hope you enjoy this chapter. There should only be uno more. So, yeah. Hope you like this, mi amigos.
-Dedicated to: Tessie H for her badgering to get me to finish is this. iGracias, mi amiga!
-Disclaimer: Nope. Wish I did- or if I were Annabeth... *giggles*
Review, favorite, follow- just no flames, por favor. Gracias for not doing so.
The Token: Chapter Tres
Five p.m. rolled around and I knew that this day was going to drag on forever. I'd gone through a mani-pedi, shavings, a spa- they got rid of every little trace of acne on my body, which was a little creepy- a two hour long shower to make sure that I smelled perfect and clean and what not, I had perfumes, make-up and jewelry picked out and I was now getting my hair done. At five-thirty, I would be venturing downstairs to get makeup done, perfume checked and jewelry adorned.
"So," Mistress Artemis spoke finally. The snip snip of the scissor trimming my hair had been the only thing besides the whispered conversations and occasional bouts of laughter from the other girls in my group. "Are you excited about the ball?"
"Kind of," I respond, toying with my fingers as I feel the pull of the hair on my head lessen fractionally.
"Why only kind of?" she asks, combing through my hair. I watch her in the mirror and her dark blue eyes flit up to meet mine before going back to her task. "I'm sure you're excited to meet some boys after so long of being cooped up with girls."
"I'm actually not," I reply. "I'm more confused by the dream I had last night.'
Artemis and I were fairly close. She was one of the few teachers I really liked and we got along well; she was close to my age, about twenty. So, it was no surprise that we became a little more than acquaintances.
"What was this dream about?" she inquires, and pulls out her curling iron and turns it on.
"Well, there's this little girl, about eight I think, and she's just sitting there crying. I don't remember the reason why. But then this black foal comes up to her and they play with each other until sunset. Then, her mother comes out to get her and the little girl gives the horse this necklace that signifies the fact that she won't forget him. When she's running back to her mother, she decides to wave back at the horse and instead of the animal being there, it's a boy."
Artemis drops her scissors.
"A boy?" I nod as she picks up the instrument and puts it down on the counter. Grabbing the brush, she brushes it through and grabs the blowdryer from her black bag. Plugging it in and flicking the switch, it comes to life and I feel warm air run through my damp hair and down my neck and arms. As she pulls my hair through the brush while keeping the dryer close so that it can dry the pieces faster.
"Well," she begins again. "That certainly is an interesting dream."
"I guess so," I say, and we go back to silence. While she continue to dry off my hair, I think about her reaction to my dream. Almost as if she knew what it was about. But that's not possible, we don't have a great "dream interpreter" like that one guy is in the bible.
My mind trails off from what's going on around me and Artemis. It runs through the bible as I try to remember that dream interpreter and I don't think about the fact that she's started to style my hair. The tug of the brush on the bottom of my head and the fact that all my hair as now at my crown makes me return to reality as I remember the name- Joseph, the son of Jacob.
I look in the mirror to see Artemis tie my hair up in with a black elastic. She sighs, before her foot steps on a pedal underneath my seat and I lower so that she can do it. With that done, she reaches forward and grabs a piece of gold and red ribbon and ties it around the elastic, knotting it and letting it fall in loose coils down both sides of the ponytail.
"Done," she states. "You want to see?"
"Please?" she smiles at me before grabbing a big purple hand mirror and raising it above my hairstyle so that it reflects in the mirror in front of me. My hair is up in a simple ponytail, but my hair is slightly curled as it falls down to tickle the small of my back. The gold and red lights the faint red highlights in my hair and I smile.
"I'm sure all the girls are done," Athena walked in a with a clipboard. "I want you all to follow me so that we may finish up and be on our way by six thirty."
All nine of us jumped from our seats, thanked our stylist, and got in a quick and neat, single file line. Our hands behind our back, our back straight, our chins up and a smile on our faces, we followed Athena down the halls to our rooms. By ourselves, or with another, each of us peeled away from everyone else to our separate rooms. I was the last to leave, and before I enter my room, I gave Athena a quick curtsy. She smiled at me, I smiled back and entered my room.
It was buzzing with excitement, conversations and girls filling the room and making me feel claustrophobic.
"Are you Annabeth?" a woman in maybe in her mid-twenties asks me. Her brown hair is up in a tight bun at the back of her neck, her brown eyes taking me in quickly and seeming to make calculations. Her lips are pursed and her hands are on her hips.
"Yes, ma'am." I say. She sighs, before grabbing my wrist and dragging me into the chaos. We push through the crowd and make our way to my bed. It's the only place not crowded and I sigh as we make it to the small oasis.
My dress is laid across the bed, my earrings, necklace and bracelet all put where they would go on me. My shoes and stockings were on the bed beside my clothing.
"You ready to be perfection?" the brown haired woman asks. I shrug and she rolls her eyes at me before sitting me on the bed. She runs away and I'm left there, sitting and ready to run as soon as I was out.
When she comes back, her arms are laden with beauty products and whatnot.
How wonderful! Please, do note my sarcasm.
…
"Are you ready?" Thalia asks. She, Piper and Salena share the carriage with me. I shake my head and she and Piper laugh.
"Don't worry," Salena says comfortingly. "This will turn out just fine."
"I don't care about the turnout." I say, rolling my eyes. No, I'm just worried about what the boys will think of all of us girls- especially me.
Thalia looks absolutely stunning in her gown with knee high, lace up black combat boots. Her silver jewelry holds to her snuggly and are inlaid with beautiful clear blue gems, the same color as her eyes. Her hair is allowed to fall down her shoulders freely, in soft black waves while the fronts are pulled back with her gold token keeping it in the back. Little blue and white flowers are tied in with the front twists. Her makeup was light; glittering light blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner, mascara and pink lipgloss.
Salena looks breathtaking, as per usual. Her soft brown hair is pulled into a complicated looking bun, interlaced with pale pink flowers. A silvery white comb was tucked in with the pins that secured her hair. Her own gown looks even more beautiful with her white jewelry. Cherry blossoms hang from her choker like necklace to fall in her collarbone, her drop earrings also adorning them and the small white rope circlet also having one to fall in the middle of her forehead. The white sandals she wore glittered with small gems and her toes were also the color of cherry blossoms. Her nails were painted the same as her toes, but tiny little gems were on the tips of her fingers. Salena's make-up highlighted her most attractive features- her lips and baby blue eyes. Pink, silver and white was her eyeshadow, while her mascara was brown but displayed her blue eyes. Light blush and a tad of bronzer colored her cheeks, while her lips were lined with pink lipliner and the her lips were pinched and colored with pink lipstick.
Piper was simple, but beautiful as well. Her dress made her look like a goddess and her jean jacket that she wore everywhere went with it well. Her accessories were similar to Salena's, except for the fact that she wore a bracelet, an anklet, and converse a dark pink shade. The flowers that adorned Salena didn't adorn Piper's, instead the accents being dark pink english primroses. The makeup was also light, pink eyeshadow, a touch of blush and bronzer, brown mascara and pink lipgloss.
"Hun, stop comparing us to you," Salena chided me. I blushed as she had caught me looking over their dressup. "If anyone's doing comparisons, it's us to you."
Rolling my eyes, I sigh and look out the carriage window, ready to be out of here. Piper and Salena continue to chat while Thalia fiddles with her cellphone. The sun is making its way behind the mountains and high trees, turning the sky the same colors as Piper's dress, with purples and blues in it as well.
"We're here!" Salena and Piper squeal at the same time when the carriage lurches to a stop. Our coachman opens our door and gives me a hand out. I smile my thanks before grabbing my dress and lifting it off the ground. Thalia, Piper and Salena are right behind me and stare in awe at the place.
Carriages are coming up behind us, riding up the hill. We're at the top, where a great pine tree stands tall. Its needles seem to glow with health, and the branches are decorated with lights. But that isn't what has truly caught our attention- it's what's below us.
When the ground levels out, a great house, at least three stories and painted blue, stands tall. Beside it, a court with a net that seems to be what you would find instead on a beach. To the left of both of these structures are strawberry fields that glitter ruby red. From there, you can see a dark structure that, and from within glows cherry red and dark trails of smoke rise in the sky. My gaze finds two other structures as well, but I can't tell what they would hold. Tall white columns rise from beside of the rightmost structure and behind the forgery, that resembles a small arena. After that, there's a huge forest that stretches farther than I can see and hides anything else from my sight.
To the right of this, a column structure and underneath were stools and pedestals that reminds me of a class that some of the girls used to talk about- an art hall. A huge lake is behind this with a small structure beside it, most likely holding boats and the like to sail across with. To the left of the lake, is a long structure that might be bathrooms and showers for after falling in the lake, maybe. And there are rows of cabins beside that, some still in construction. Each are personalized and no two seem similar, but I can't see the detail so far away. Farther right, past the lake, is something that reminds me of an open air theater, like of which Shakespeare used to have his plays performed, with long, concave benches in a semicircle around the stage. Behind that is a huge form that I can't even tell what it is, and then a huge open air place that is glowing brightly and is filled with people. Past that, there are people milling around on a beach where the water glitters with the sunset's reflection.
"It's like a summer camp," Thalia whispers to me.
"I hope we're not staying here," there's no distaste in Salena's voice, just a yearning for a proper bed when the night's over. Not the bunks that are most likely in the cabins.
"If we're staying here until past midnight, I hope we are," I say, before I begin the long trek down the hill. The girls follow behind me.
When we reach the place where the life of the party is, I realize why- it's long tables of food. Laughing at the revelation, the four of us split up to grab a bite to eat.
As I sit there at the edges, I survey what's going on around me. Piper is blushing and fiddling with a stray hair as a guy that reminds me a little of Thalia talks to her. Speaking of which, Thalia walks up behind him and claps him on the shoulder. They talk a little and I conclude that the boy must be Thalia's brother, Jason. He's good looking, I guess, with ruffled blonde hair and a strong face. His blue eyes are like Thalia's, a striking shade of blue. He's solidly built, and he wears a fitting outfit- black slacks, a white ruffled shirt and a black tie with a black suit jacket. He's done up well, and attractive, but not really my type. Not that I really know what my type is either.
Rolling my eyes, I search for Salena to see her blushing. Wondering what could make her so giddy, I see a tall, dark and rugged looking guy. He's also dressed up in black slacks, but his shirt is simple, but hugs him tightly and shows off defined muscles. He wears no jacket, and his arms bulge that have Salena batting an eye. Even the boy seems a little awed, but who doesn't when it comes to her?
I shake my head and return to just looking around the party now that I've located all my friends.
"Did you see him?" I look over to see a gorgeous girl blushing. She seems to be talking to me.
"See who?" I ask.
"Percy," she giggles. "He was talking to me, but was so distracted. I wish I could no more than his name. Oh- I'm sorry. I'm Calypso."
I shake my head at her flighty-ness and instead introduce myself. "I'm Annabeth."
"Nice to meet you," she says. "Can I sit here?" she gestures to the empty bench beside me. I shrug and scoot over to make more space for her.
"Are you enjoying the party?" she asks, her eyes the color of almonds looking over the tables and crowds.
"In a fashion," I state, smoothing out my dress.
She tries again, "Are there any guys here that catch your eye?"
"Not really."
She huffs. "You're not making it this very easy on me."
I laugh and she grins, as if my smile is what she wants. "I'm not an easy person."
"I've noticed," we both break into laughter.
"Isn't this a merry company," our laughter dies down so that we can actually talk to the person. It's a boy, maybe an inch or so taller than me and Calypso. He's got unruly black hair and warm brown eyes. He's scrawny, but has light muscle definition in his arms and callouses on his hands. His suit jacket is laid over his arm, his shirt rolled up to his biceps.
"Where'd you come from kid?" Calypso teases.
He glares at her before sitting beside her and I know exactly where they would be heading.
"I'm Leo Valdez, darling," he says, bumping her with his shoulder. Calypso pushes him away playfully and introduces herself.
I shake my head at the two, before getting up to leave. Calypso must have heard me, because she turns to face me.
"Oh, don't leave!" she says quickly.
I smile at her reassuringly, glancing at Leo. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'm just making sure I don't stop the two of you."
Leo grins while Calypso flushes bright red. I give her a wicked grin before walking away. Laughter echoes from behind me.
I head to the beach, wanting to smell the salty air and feel the cool wind coming off the water. When I reach the sand, I sit down and pull off my gold sandal heel things and let my toes sink into the warm sand. Sighing happily, I stand up to trail the beach.
"The moon looks beautiful on the water, doesn't it?" I look to see a handsome guy several inches taller than me smiling at me. I smile back and he returns his attention to the sea.
"It does," I reply, before joining him to stare at the ocean. It glitters like a million diamonds and ripples the image of the moon that rises higher and higher in the sky. "Can I get a name?"
"Sure," the boy says, shooting me a smile. "Perseus Jackson."
"Perseus?" I ask, curious. "Like the greek hero?"
He nods. "I prefer Percy for just that reason." I laugh and he grins at me. "How about you?"
Rolling my eyes, "Annabeth Chase."
"Annabeth?" he stares at me in surprise. "Your name's Annabeth?"
I nod, curious as to why he's reacting like this. Hoping to break the sudden tension, I say, "Yeah, and don't call me Annie. I'm not four."
"No," he breathes out. "You were eight."
"What do you mean I was eight?" I inquire. This guy is starting to freak me out.
"Annabeth," he starts, "Do you remember me at all?"
I shake my head slowly, confused and turn to meet his-
His eyes are the color of the glittering sea before us, framed by black lashes. I don't know, but I know those eyes. I know him. And yet I don't.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I feel like I should, but I don't."
A smile begins to pull at the corners of his mouth. "Then maybe this will jog your memory."
He pulls away from me, before reaching underneath his shirt and pulling out a seashell worn on a leather strip. He rubs it with his thumb and, in a flash of silver, blue and green sparks, he's gone and replaced by a beautiful black stallion.
"F-Freedom?" I stutter.