Previously...
She quickly put on the DVD on the top of the pile and handed me a handful of cookies and a box of tissues.
In the course of the evening, Rachel had managed to get through the whole jar of cookies and I had managed to use up a whole box of tissues and fall asleep on the sofa.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
I woke up. Nothing wrong there, but I woke up on my bed. Next to Rachel where Percy was meant to be. Then I remembered what happened last night. Rachel was in the foetal position, hugging the cookie jar. I looked towards the door and there stood my mom in her less godly state.
"Annabeth darling, Why did Percy come over to Olympus and drop off these?" She stood there swinging Percy's keys round her finger.
"Mom, I'm gonna go through with it. I'll join Artemis." Rachel suddenly decided to spring up and glare at me.
"Why are you joining Artemis? You've hidden the reason for long enough now. Tell me!" I looked at mom. She slightly nodded her head and I turned round to tell her.
"Rachel, promise me that you won't tell Percy. It'll only make the transition worse. Ok?" She gave me a quick nod.
"I have cancer. The only way to get me back to my normal self is by either through chemotherapy or joining Artemis. I can't bear see the pain in him watching me go through months of therapy. I love him too much. I'd rather see him happy with another woman than watch him go through the pain. No-one will ever compare to Percy so if I join Artemis, he has no choice but to find happiness in someone else. I love him too much. I wish I didn't have this stupid disease where I have to make a choice. Why can't I be normal? I want to live a normal life where I can love Percy as much as I want to. Why do I have to make this choice?" I cried whilst asking all those questions with Rachel rubbing my back and mom hugging me.
"Because life is never fair. Life is a roller-coaster. There will be many twists and turns but you'll end up safe and sound. Just remember to make it worthwhile." I detached myself from my mothers grasp, nodded and hugged her again. Rachel got out her quick-print camera and took a picture.
"There, one for the family photo album!"
I scrambled off the bed to see the photo. Rachel was waving it in the air and slowly handed it to me. I showed up, but mom didn't. I guessed that it had something to her being a goddess so I quickly understood, but Rachel was completely baffled to why mom didn't show.
"Wha... How come?"
"Rachel, I'm a goddess. I have to keep my identity a secret or the titans will come and find me. I know having a mom for a goddess is hard but we have to be kept secret. I should be leaving now, I had a job to do whilst I'm here: collect Percy's things for him. Please Annabeth, could you find his things for me?" I quickly nodded and set to work.
I managed to get all his stuff together as well as getting through many tears. Every so often I would be hugging one of Percy's shirts and cry over it. It was so painful to do this but I had to. I cried over every photo I put in the box, over every shirt I had put in there and every random quirk he had brought into this life before I found out about my stupid disease. I wanted Percy back. I hugged the last shirt when Rachel realised something.
"Oh my gods! Why didn't I realise this earlier! 'The young sea and owl': that's you and Percy, 'will have to face deadly trials with full embrace': you and Percy have to beat cancer together. 'This will test he love for the other': this is seeing how much you love Percy and sees how much he loves you by letting this... This happen. 'Before one goes and follows the commands of another': I'm guessing your mom came up with this idea, or Artemis. 'They must figure out the solutions before the date', which I'm only guessing is the date which you take the oath and 'Or a few words will seal her fate' must be the oath bounding her to Artemis! When is the oath going to be taken by the way?"
Me and mom just stood there shell-shocked. How did she manage to work this out? Mom quickly snapped out of the shock and answered her.
"In three days. We said that we would do it three days after she had left Percy. Three is a very magical number," she said very calmly.
"But she can't! She has to beat Cancer with Percy. That's what the prophecy said! Annabeth, I'm gonna break my promise if you don't tell him. You must tell him. I stood there completely baffled but I quickly snapped out of it.
"No, I love him too much to tell him that I have cancer. That's the reason why I have to see him happy with another person. I'm going to join Artemis in three days and that's final."
"Fine! Well in that case, I'm gonna break that promise-"
"Excuse me ladies, but I have to give Percy his stuff in the café downstairs in a few minutes so if you would please pass me the box and the shirt you're hugging Annabeth," I quickly passed the box to my mom but I wouldn't let go of the shirt.
I didn't let go. It was my favourite shirt that belonged to him. I wasn't letting go.
"Annabeth, please hand me the shirt that you are holding." I wanted a keepsake if I were never to see him again. I suddenly broke down into tears and buried my head into the shirt.
"Annabeth, everything's alright. I'll persuade Percy into letting you keep the shirt. And I'll take the stuff to him, if it makes you feel any better. And then we'll get some films to watch until we fall asleep again." She said this whilst rubbing my back, which soothed me a lot.
"Rachel, can we have ice cream tonight as well as cookies?" I spoke into the shirt and she squealed a nice, loud yes. I didn't really want to be watching films all night, I wanted Percy to make me feel safe. Either that or I needed to see that he was happy with another person. I now understood why they call love a disease: because it will make you sick and the only way to cure it is either by death, or a cure. I needed that cure.
I moved myself towards the seat nearest the window and just stared outside with my knees near my chin and the shirt within my grasp. Mum thanked Rachel before she headed back to Olympus and Rachel went downstairs to return the stuff to Percy. During all that time, I just stared out the window, watching the people pass by on the side walk.
A/N: Do you like the length of this chapter? I told you that the chapters can only get longer... Please review! it will make my day! 3
With Love,
A xxx
