I woke up feeling tremendous swelling and soreness from my back. I was able to get out of bed but when I looked in the mirror, there was a blackish-blue bruise on the small of my back. It wasn't they big at all, but when I tried to touch it, I wanted to cry out in pain and collapse. It hurt that much. It felt like an electric shock. Then I spotted the cuts on my wrists. I realized that I would have to wear a sweatshirt. I rode on the subway with Nico, and I found out that it was really uncomfortable sitting up straight. Nico asked if I was okay, I said yes. I wasn't going to tell anyone anything, because technically I would be lying to them. I definitely wasn't going to tell them that my stepfather was abusing me.

I didn't think of the weather report before I put on the sweatshirt. It wasn't like I had a choice. It turned out to be 95 degrees. Nico was laughing at me. I don't know if he still cuts of not, but I think that this has happened to him before. He doesn't think I still cut, because I haven't told him. So maybe he just thinks that I'm an idiot. Before lunch I had science with Annabeth. Joy.

She laughed at me too, duh, of course she would. "Do you not watch the weather channel? Technically it's still summer you know." She pointed to my black sweatshirt. I was starting to sweat; the school had no air conditioning. The only thing I had under the sweatshirt was a regular T-shirt, and that would show what I did last night. I had to rinse my face in the bathroom to keep me from overheating earlier. I decided to make this a win for me.

"I'm not hot." I said trying not to simile.

She scoffed, "Yes you are, dummy." She sounded sure of herself.

"Stop flirting with me Chase." I grinned mischievously at her. She must have gotten the joke, because she pushed me roughly out of my seat. Unfortunately I landed right on my back. Annabeth and everyone were laughing at me because I couldn't get up. I had to grip the table to haul myself up. Annabeth must have figured that something was wrong because she helped me get back in my seat.

"Are you okay? I didn't push you that hard."

"I-I woke up with a bad back this morning. I'm just a little stiff. It happens sometimes." I did my best to sell it. Annabeth didn't seem to be convinced, but she dismissed it.

Thalia came to sit with me Grover and Nico at lunch. I was surprised. I didn't think she'd leave her friends just to sit with us. Nico was ecstatic. I came up with a really great idea to cool myself off. I decided to eat fast and head over to the school's pool area, but when I got there, Annabeth had beat me to it. She wasn't swimming or anything, instead she was on the bench reading some book about architecture. Besides her, it was empty. I was able to sneak away before she noticed anything.

-The next day wasn't any better. My back was still killing me. I still wore a sweatshirt in the 90 degree heat, except it was blue this time. When I got to science class, Mrs. Davidson introduced a project to us. I groaned, Annabeth smiled, until the teacher told us we had to work with our lab partners. Then she groaned along with the rest of the class, and glared at me. Ugh! Why does she keep DOING THAT?!

Annabeth reached in her backpack and handed her cell phone to me, saying nothing else.

"Gee, did Annabeth actually give me a phone? I'm glad there's some kind of humanity deep down in there somewhere." She glared at me harder. It felt like she was penetrating through my soul. Again, WHY DOES SHE KEEP DOING THAT?!

"No, dummy, we're lab partners. That means we have to work together on this project, which means I need your phone number to arrange meetings with you." What is this? Some kind of business deal?

I held her phone in my hands and typed in "911" then gave it back to her. She looked at it, scowled at me, took the nearest item she could find, which was a blue ballpoint pen, and threw it at my face. I had no time to react. The pen hit me in the forehead and flew across the room.

"Ouch!"

"Fine, be that way. Just give me your phone." Reluctantly, I gave it to her. She typed in her number and sent a text message to herself. She gave my phone back. I read the text; it said "U r the best Annabeth! So much better than me, the brainless Percy Jackson." This time I scowled, and she grinned.

"I am so showing this to Thalia. I'll call you this weekend to work on the project."

"This weekend? But Mrs. Davidson said it wasn't due for another two weeks!"

"Unlike you, Jackson, I excel into everything that I do. That includes projects. Besides, the sooner we start, the sooner we get to stop seeing each other."

"You're such a nerd." We glared at each other and started to head out of the classroom. I saw the blue pen that hit my face in the corner. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. Annabeth gave me a confused look.

"I lost all of my pens already." I said embarrassingly. Annabeth rolled her eyes and headed out the door. I swore I heard her mumbling about me being a brainless fish.

Later that day I was finishing homework, which was absolute torture.

"Sweetie, someone sent you a text, and it doesn't seem like a very friendly one." My mom was standing at my doorway. She handed me my phone. I must have left it downstairs. Huh, who would send me a not-friendly text? Oh right, my lab partner would. The text read:

"Listen Jackson, meet me at my place on Sat at 9 a.m. DON'T B LATE! My address is 1716 Wisdom Lane." I put my face into my pillow and groaned.

"Ugh! She hates me."

"Who hates you honey?"

"Annabeth Chase, my lab partner. Ever since I've met her, she always gets on my nerves with "intelligence" and "knowledge". And she thinks I'm a brainless fish." My mom laughed at that and shook her head. She sat down beside me and smiled. My mom's smile always cheers me up. Whenever she's sad or I'm sad, she smiles anyway. She's the friendliest and most positive person I've ever met.

"Honey, she doesn't hate you. In fact, she probably likes you."

"Well she has a funny way of showing it!" I put my face back into my pillow and my mom laughed again.

"Not like that. I mean she probably likes you, likes you." I finally understood what she meant. I looked at her with disbelief.

"Mom! No she doesn't! You should see the way she looks at me. It feels like she's analyzing me, looking for the best way to take me down in a fight! She glares right into my eyes, and it freaks me out mom!" My mom chuckled and shook her head.

"Okay, honey. Well the next time she does that, instead of intensely glaring back, try smiling instead." I looked at her confusedly.

"How will that help?"

"It will catch her off guard. And maybe not make her 'hate' you, as much as you say she does." I thought about it for a moment. It would be kind of funny to see what her reaction might be.

"Okay, I'll try it mom. Thanks." My mom gave me a kiss on the forehead and told me goodnight. I looked down at the text message Annabeth sent me. It looked so full of hate, but was it really? I texted her back.

"Sure thing, Wise Girl. Anything for u ." I added a smiley face just for kicks. I knew I probably left her speechless and confused. Was it an insult or a compliment? On one end, I called her Wise Girl again. On the other, it sounds like it was a pretty friendly text. I smiled; I just loved to mess with Annabeth's head.