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Percy

Annabeth was smiling at me and I swear, the whole world was in slow motion. She was glowing. Literally glowing. Was it possible for people to actually glow? I know it's strange that I just met her two days ago and I was seeing her in this new light. But she was so...I don't know. I just liked her. Wait...like? Did I just think that? Fine...I will confess. I do like her. Kind of...I guess. I don't know. Is it actually possible to like someone for no reason? I was not an expert at this kind of thing.

Bruno Mars was right. When she smiles, the whole world stops and I'm the one who stares for a while.

My ogling was interrupted when the door opened and then came the worst part of my day.

"Annabeth!" her father came stumbling through the doorway. He reeked of alcohol and his eyes were red.

I could see Annabeth stiffen from the corner of my eye. Her walls were up again.

"Who's this?! Is is the boy from earlier? What did I tell you?!" he yelled, pointing his finger at her. It was obvious that he was drunk. Annabeth's father was gripping the knob, back to the closed door. His coat was damp from rain.

"Dad, are you...drunk?" Annabeth's voice was cautious.

"Bah! What does it look like?!" he scolded. "I thought you were a smart girl! How wrong of me."

He limped towards Annabeth, ignoring me. Annabeth became as still as a statue. Then it struck me. She was afraid of her father.

Annabeth's father towered over her. I blinked and the next thing I knew, there was a loud noise and Annabeth was on the floor with a red cheek.

"You are so much like your mother you know?!" her father was circling her, his eyes glinting evilly. He looked like a maniac . Annabeth was staring dully at the floor, no light in her eyes.

"SO WEAK!" he continued yelling. "She didn't even bother to protect herself when she died! Why didn't she protect herself? Why did you ask her to do what you wanted to that night she died?"

I was confused. Instead of asking what was going on, I intervened.

"What the hell is wrong with YOU?" I snapped furiously. His eyes flashed. "You just slapped her! You're supposed to be your father!"

I glanced at Annabeth. She was still on the floor, I looked for any trace of tears. There weren't any.

"GET OUT!" her father thundered. "You have no right to be here!"

"Leave her alone!" I yelled. Annabeth looked at me and shook her head. I ignored her.

"I decide what I get to do!" her father retorted.

"Don't you see what your doing to her? Look at her!" I screamed back at him. I pointed at Annabeth. He refused to look at her. "LOOK AT HER!"

He was as stubborn as his daughter. "I'd rather not."

"Dad..." Annabeth spoke softly. "Let's just...I'll take you to bed...maybe your sleepy...please."

She got up as slowly as she could. There was sympathy in her eyes. She felt bad for her father?! After he just assaulted her? What was she thinking?

"I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!" he roared at her. She flinched. "I've had enough of your pity after your mother died."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes. Uh oh.

"What about me?!" she screamed at him. It was his turn to flinch. "You don't even bother with me after Mom died! Nowadays, it's all about..'me, me, me, me,'! Have you forgotten that I'm here?!" Annabeth was pointing at herself.

I looked at Mr Chase and saw that there was hurt and anguish in his eyes but it only lasted a second.

"Don't talk to me that way!" he yelled. He got dangerously close to Annabeth again, his breath on her face. Her face twisted in disgust when she smelled the alcohol. "I'm your father."

"No. You're not anymore. You don't act like one." she whispered. I felt very out of place at the moment, it seemed like I was watching a scene from a drama show. But there were no tears.

Her father's eyes were icy. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Get yourself away from me before I do something we'll both regret." He hissed, looking away from her. "And take that stupid boy with you."

Annabeth looked defeated from their screaming match. Her face was all red from frustration, her eyebrows scrunched up together and her lips pursed. If the circumstances were different, I would have said to her: 'Having an intense thought, Blondie?' and I also would have thought she was really cute. But of course, the circumstances were not what I wanted it to be. Life is so unexpected.

"Percy, let's go." she told me softly. Her voice was hoarse. The temperature of the room seemed to have dropped and so were our happy moods from earlier.

I nodded and we both headed towards the doorway. I opened the door and took one more look at her father. His back was turned to us, he seemed to be breathing heavily, staring at the opposite wall. His knuckles were clenched tightly at his sides and his posture was stiff.

Annabeth sighed in relief once I had shut the door.

"I hope no one heard that." she muttered. She was rubbing her left cheek in circles.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, worried.

I swore I saw a hint of a smile from her but it vanished instantly.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry that you had to see all of that." she answered, her voice was dull.

I rolled my eyes at her futile attempt to deflect the question. "Answer my question first."

She huffed. "I'll be fine."

It was dark in the corridor, outside of Annabeth's apartment. The only light was from the moon, which was visible from the window at the end of the hallway. Again, if we were under different circumstances, my hands would have been sweating from being so close to Annabeth in a dark area. But, again, the situation was unexpected.

"You can come over to my apartment for the night." I blurted out. I slapped myself internally when I said that.

"What?" she responded, surprised.

I put my annoying face back on. "You heard me. Don't you have ears?"

"I heard you just fine." Annabeth grumbled. "I was just surprised."

"By my kindness?" I raised my eyebrows.

She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Whatever, Seaweed Brain. Take me there."

"If that's okay with you, Mom." I told my mom as she was looking at me and Annabeth back and forth. "She's just had a rough day."

My mom knew better than to ask why.

I had brought Annabeth into my apartment while my mom was watching tv. When we had walked in, she looked relieved but surprised when she saw Annabeth. I was looking around for any sign for Mr Blofis but he was long gone. Annabeth's cheek was still bright red. She looked like she had put a lot of blush on one side of her face. Every time I looked at her, I had a burning desire to laugh but then I would remember where she got it from, I would have wanted to hug her.

"Of course." my mom nodded. "Just...um...figure out where you guys will sleep. Do you need anything else? Blanket? Food? Water?"

I looked at Annabeth for an answer. She shook her head.

"No. Thanks for letting her sleep here, Mom." I said gratefully. My mom nodded in response and went back to watching television.

I led Annabeth into the little hallway right beside the kitchen. I could hear her take deep breaths behind me.

"Here we are. My bedroom." I said, when we were in my room. My room was painted a light blue and there was clutter everywhere.

"Don't clean up here often, do you?" Annabeth questioned as she stepped over a pile of books. She bent down and picked one up. "Gossip Girl?" she scoffed, disturbed. "Seriously, Seaweed Brain?"

I blushed. "Guilty pleasure."

Annabeth looked at the book underneath Gossip Girl. She smiled, it was a real one this time.

"The Fault in Our Stars." she breathed. Annabeth patted the book affectionately. "Well, at least you don't have bad taste, Seaweed Brain."

"Haha. Can you stop admiring my book collection and get on, please?"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine."

Annabeth examined the my bed. It only had room for one. "I'll take the floor." she declared.

I grunted. "Nope. I'm taking the floor."

"Why don't you just take the couch?"

"Have you sat on it? It's rock hard! No thanks."

"Whatever. I'll take the bed. You won't mind?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Just don't get too comfortable, Blondie."

Ten minutes later,Annabeth was snuggled on my bed, looking very comfy. However, I was already rubbing my back from the floor. Hey, at least it was better than the couch. It was dark in my room and I had set up a little mattress beside my bed made out of multiple shirts and pants. The blanket I had was short and it didn't stop me from getting cold.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth apologized sleepily. "It's my fault this happened."

"No it's not." I told her. "You're father is the one to blame."

"No, he's not. It's my fault that I'm here."

"Don't defend him." I remarked.

"Don't." Annabeth's replied, her voice monotone. "You don't know anything."

"Well, I can't help you if you keep being like that."

"Why are you so interested in helping me, Percy?" she stated angrily. "I can take care of myself. I don't need your pity."

Annabeth sounded like her father. She realized that.

"Sorry." Annabeth apologized again. Then she sighed. "It's just been a really long day. Too long."

I heard her shift in the bed so she would face me. It was pitch black but I could see her pale face.

"Seaweed Brain, your blanket smells like salty air." she said. I laughed, I could also hear her giggle.

I had no idea why we were finding it funny but we just laughed anyway. "Goodnight, Wise Girl."

I knew she was smiling. "Likewise." she responded.

My eyes were getting heavier and I finally drifted off to sleep.

Annabeth

'Mom!' I yelled from the bottom the stairs, clutching the book in my hand. I could hear my mother in the kitchen, making a cake. I was eight years old.

It was my father's birthday and me and my mother were going to surprise him when he got home.

"Yes, dear?" my mother answered as she came to see me.

My mother and I looked a lot like each other. Stormy eyes, blonde hair and we always looked determined. My father always teased both of us for looking so worried and grumpy all the time but he always said: 'It would be strange if you weren't like that.'

"Do we have the party hats?" I asked her.

My mother slapped her forehead. "Ugh. I forgot."

"Oh that's okay!" I chirped. "I'll go and run to the store to get some."

She shook her head. "No. You stay here, it's getting dark anyway. I'll go."

"No! I'll go! Pleeease! " I begged. I wanted to go. I had a bad feeling but I didn't know why.

"Don't be silly, Annabeth." she scolded me gently. "I don't want you to go alone."

"But I'm a big girl now! I can do it just fine."

"I know that, sweetie, but I'll do it tonight okay? she insisted. No, no, no, no, I told myself in my head.

My mother grabbed her coat. I felt a overwhelming sense of dread.

"Get the cake out of the oven when it's ready." she told me.

I nodded but still couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

My mother gave me her last smile. "Okay. Bye, Annabeth. See you later." were her last words.

The door was shut and I was left alone in my house.

The wait was unbearable. I had already taken out the cake. I watched the clock's hands turn and an hour had passed. Where was she? It didn't take that long to go to the store. My bad feelings didn't go away, they only got stronger by the second.

It was already seven at night and I waited by the door for my father to come back.

"I"m home!" the door opened and my father came in, looking tired. He noticed me. "Annabeth! Where's your mother?"

"I don't know."

I told him what was going on. and he frowned. My father was now pacing around the living room, muttering things

Another hour passed and just as the hand on the clock reached the number eight and twelve, the telephone rang. My father rushed towards it and picked it up.

"Yes...this is him." he answered.

There was silence for over five minutes.

I sat next to him, wondering what it was all about.

"Yes." my father mumbled. "Of course, yes. Thank you."

He put down the phone and stood still.

"Daddy?" I asked, placing my hand on his fingers, cautious. "Who was that?"

My father turned around and his eyes were dead. "I'll be honest with you...Annabeth because I know you're smarter than you look so..."

He paused. I was already getting teary-eyed. I knew my mom was in trouble.

"Mom...she.." his voiced cracked. "She's gone. She was killed."

I took a sharp breath. I knew it. I could feel the sting in my throat and eyes.

"What do you mean gone?" I breathed.

My father didn't answer. Instead, he shoved past me and I saw him run up the stairs.

I was left in my living room, sobbing and all alone.

My eyes snapped open. My breathing was shallow from my dream and my forehead and hands were dream felt so real and I could already feel the tears coming. I shook my head and scolded myself for crying. I rarely showed emotion and always hated it when I did. It made me feel weak and vulnerable.

I tried to go back to sleep but it was no use. I kept twisting, turning and looking out the window. I knew that it was in the middle of the night and there was nothing I could do about it. I wasn't used to sleeping in a different bed. Back home, my bedroom was a happy place and it was comfy but in Percy's bedroom everything felt so foreign. I always wondered why my father wanted to move here, other than work reasons. I found England wet and grey but it did have some of its beautiful places, no argument there.

"Seaweed Brain." I whispered.

Silence.

I didn't give up. "Seaweed Brain." I said loudly.

Still no response.

I got up and bent down to shake Percy's shoulder. "Percy." I whispered. "Percy, wake up, please. Percy! Seaweed Brain!"

He stirred and groaned. His eyes fluttered and so did the butterflies in my stomach.

"What?" he groaned in a sleepy voice.

"I can't sleep."

"So you decided to wake me up?"

I just sighed in defeat. "Fine. Sorry I bothered you."

"What's wrong?" he asked me.

"I can't sleep." I repeated.

"Why?" he asked, curiosity in his voice.

My walls were crumbling fast. I couldn't understand how Percy could do that . Soon enough, tears were streaming down my cheeks for no reason.

"Annabeth.." he said softly. "Are you crying?"

"Nope." I responded, my voice thick.

"Oh, for just once, Annabeth." he complained. "Show some emotion. "

I sighed. "Yes, Seaweed Brain. I'm crying. There I said it."

"Why? Are you crying, I mean." he asked.

"Bad dream." the words tumbled out of my mouth.

Percy sat up and looked at me.

"Tell me about it."

I don't what was going on with me tonight,maybe it was my vulnerable state or something else but for once, I let go. I told Percy about what I had dreamt, my mom and my father. If you had told me three days ago that this was going to happen I would have snorted so loud that it would have resembled a pig. Percy listened and for the first time ever since we met, he didn't argue with me. When I had finished with my story, he unexpectedly gave me a hug.

The butterflies went wild and his touch was sending tingles up my spine. I hugged back and rested my head on his shoulder. I wiped the tears off my face.

"Sorry for getting snot on your shirt." I apologized.

He laughed. "It's okay."

I couldn't tell if he meant it as an answer or he was comforting me.

We stayed in each other's arms for heaven knows how long. He was so warm and he smelled like cookies and the ocean. It was relaxing.

"Annabeth." he broke the silence.

"Yeah..?"

"What happened to her?" Your mother? How did she...die?" he asked me cautiously.

My walls were up again. I knew he was going to ask that question.

"She was murdered." I answered bluntly, my tone dead. "Some guys mugged her, stabbed her and left her to die."

He was silent for a minute. "Is that why your father hates you?"

I grimaced. "Don't blame him. I mean, how stupid of me to remind her of party hats. We didn't need them. She's dead all because I couldn't stand it if we forgot something."

"Don't blame yourself." he told me.

I ignored his response, that's what people always said. I finally let go of him and I could feel a headache coming from all the crying.

"Do you know what you need?" Percy said all of the sudden.

"What do I need, Seaweed Brain?"

"A walk."

"What?"

"You need a walk." he remarked.

"Um... in the middle of the night? I don't think so." The idea was tempting but it would be too much.

"Oh, c'mon." he mumbled. "Loosen up. It'd be so much fun. Not adults. No drama. Nothing. Just streets and the stars."

"You sound like an advertisement." I scoffed.

"C'mon!" he said. "Let's go."

"Okay." I had no idea why I just said that. Back home, I never would have snuck out but I wasn't home. I was here in England, in an apartment with some guy that I had just met two days ago, suggesting that we should take a walk. Oh, life. But at the moment, I was enjoying it.

"That's my Blondie." Percy said.

He grabbed my hand and off we went.

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