Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart
And no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up
Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
Taylor Swift, "Never Grow Up"
Ana's POV
I've always wondered why parents named me in two different languages, and why dad was always nervous when flying, why mom would have a serious panic attack when she saw a spider and how dad would always take her seriously. Why my grandpa on my dad's side looked like he was twenty-five and always seemed different, and why the grandma on my mom's side looked more like twenty, who didn't seem like me. A million unanswered questions, an old-looking pen in a locked box. I never expected there was only one answer for all those questions that my parents always tried to avoid. I never expected the answer would be like that, like straight out of a fantasy.
I knew that they weren't crazy because both my mom and my dad believed it, and it's kind of hard to go crazy with another person, about the same thing no less.
Annabeth's POV
I'll admit, Percy and I stalled for a couple of years after Ana started asking questions. We didn't want to rush into telling her something that would alter her life forever. Everyday I look at my daughter and husband, knowing they're as safe as can be, I count my lucky stars for that day Percy and I decided to go down the road of peace in a more relaxed way. In rare moments when I start to regret my decision, like when I'm looking at Riptide in Percy's study, or I find my cap in the closet, I quickly stop thinking about it. I would have to give up the beautiful life the gods helped pave for us.
If we continued on our way that day, we might be dead, or with more scars that we could ever count in a million years. Sometimes the most beautiful thing you will ever see is the simplest, the easiest thing to not appreciate enough. I don't regret our past, but I don't long for it anymore than I did years ago.
With a 16-year-old on our hands, living in quiet Buffalo, New York, it's easy to think we were always this way. Living in cookie cutter houses and mowing the lawn every weekend. When first having Ana, both Percy and I agreed that 16 seemed a good time as any to answer her questions, but we also agreed that she would be the one to bring it up.
So when both Poseidon and Athena were over for her sweet 16 after everyone had left, we didn't refuse her answers when she asked.
"I just don't understand why when I ask you guys how you met or where you went to school you change the subject or pretend you didn't hear me. I mean, do you have something to hide or something?" Ana asks us as Athena and Poseidon walk around with Percy and me picking up wrappers and Dixie cups left over from the party. I sighed and looked at my daughter, motioning for her to sit down. Percy pleaded with his eyes, he was always the hesitant, protective one. I just shrugged my shoulders, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Athena and Poseidon both looked slightly alarmed at the expression on my face, sitting down in the chairs opposite the couch, sensing the importance of my next words. Percy and I each sat next to Ana on the couch, and I held his hand behind my daughter's back for support. What are you suppose to say when your words will impact someone forever? 'This is important, so pay attention.'?
"Know that we were never lying to you, Ana. We were only waiting until we felt you could handle it." I knew this would press her teenage buttons, but she needed to know it, when she was older at least. Surprisingly, she only looked puzzled.
"You said 'we', who does that include?"
"Well, your mother and I, your grandparents here, as well as my parents and your mom's parents. Most of our childhood friends." Percy tells her, a look of guilt plastered across his face, I squeeze his hand sympathetically.
"When you say 'childhood friends' do you mean my multiple 'aunts' and 'uncles'?"
"Yes, Aunt Hazel and Uncle Frank and everyone in that bunch." I say with a smile, thinking of all of our friend in various states of settling down.
"Oh, okay." Ana says seriously, making me proud of her. Always so understanding, with the exception of a few teenager moments.
"Your parents named you in Greek, and then taught you to speak, write and read Greek, yes?" Athena asks, putting her hand on Ana's.
"Yeah, I always thought I had Greek relatives or something. I mean, it is our religion and everything." Ana tells her, her brows knitted together.
"You do have Greek relatives, as well as Roman ones." Percy tells our daughter, motioning to both Athena and Poseidon. Ana's eyebrows raise, but she doesn't say a word. We're all staring at her, trying to get the point across that this is crazy important.
"AnatolĂ Sally Jackson, everyone in this room are different from your friends at school, including you." Poseidon tells her, looking deeply into my daughter's sea-green eyes. Her left eyebrows lift as she looks around at all of us, probably looking for someone who's at least a little sane. To late. We're all crazy.
Percy's POV
"Can someone tell me what you guys are talking about specifically? Can I get some straight none-vague answers please?" Ana demands, looking exasperated.
"Fine, your grandparents are gods and your parents are demigods, happy? What have I told about giving me attitude?" Annabeth snaps, her lips pressed together, breathing deeply through her nose. I massage her hand, she must be really stressed.
Ana sits and stares at her, her mouth hanging open, eyes wide.
"What?" She asks, looking around at us again. "You mean, I like live with the gods I worship? How is that even possible, or sane?"
"I know this is a lot to take in, but my name is Athena, and this us Poseidon, and it's exactly as it sounds." Athena told her, as Ana ran her fingers through her hair and basically started shutting down.
"Okay, okay. Five minutes, no an hour please. I have to go, clear my head or something." Ana told us as she quickly left the room, shutting the door to her bedroom and turning on the radio.
We all stare at each other, and I find myself unable to decide if she took it well, I mean, she didn't scream, right?
Athena and Poseidon stand up to leave, and I have to refrain from asking them to stay. The last time we saw them was when Ana was born, and despite telling her over and over about them as accurately we could afford, I was still surprised at how well she took to them.
They said goodbye to Ana through the door with a lot of 'nice to uh meet you uh' and 'uh yes you too uh'. At least she had met them, I couldn't imagine when she would see them again. Probably when she's thirty. I wish it didn't have to be like this, but it's the price we paid for going down the road we chose.
Ana's POV
"Ana, sweety, please talk to us." My mom asked through the door, and I turned down the radio out of common decency.
"Mom, you just like, laid a knowledge bomb on me. Let me decompress." I ask her, exasperated and feeling more than a little high-strung.
"Okay, you do that." My father says wearily, sounding awkward as they walks away into their bedroom.
It's just, what are you suppose to say to that? 'Oh, ok. My grandparents are mythical religious figures, got it.' Sometimes I felt weird when my friends puzzled over my religion, but most of my friends had the a same religion. The only kids my age that actually understood me, were my 'cousins'. They all lived all over the US, and mostly we just texted and such.
Just then I got a message from my best friend/text buddy/cousin/pen pal. Her name was Zoe, the daughter of my parent's friends, Jason and Piper. We texted all the time, she was my confident. Lately, no, more like two years, she wouldn't answer any of my persistent questions. Now I know why. Zoe was currently 18, so her parents, in theory, should have told her about this two years ago.
I felt like texting wouldn't be enough, so I opted to call her.
"Zoe, did your parents tell you something really important when you turned thirteen?" I ask her, prepared to grill her and not wanting to waste time on small talk.
"You mean like the sex talk?" She asked me, snorting lightly.
"No, I mean what our parents are." I was so screwed if I guessed wrong.
"They told you, didn't they?" She asked me, sighing in her two-years-superior way.
"Yes, and Zoe, do tell me, are both our parents on crack?! They're either high or crazy to suggest anything like that." I told her, disbelieving and just plain confused.
"No, it may be you with the problem. Trust your parents, they wouldn't do this to us if they didn't mean it." She told me, acting like a sage, who's only a senior herself.
"I can't believe you." I told her. This whole idea was crazy.
"I've got to go, my brother's on the other line." Zoe told me, I found myself rolling my eyes, Zoe had the most annoying 13-year-old brother named Alex. He gave me a head ache.
"Whatever." I told her, hanging up before I said goodbye.
Percy's POV
I knew logic would eventually win out, but it was hard to keep my patience when I heard Ana ranting to Zoe in her room. I didn't know if I could take waiting.
A/N#3: I don't know why, but I found writing about Ana in her teenage years kind of awesome and fun. So I'm going to do another chapter, plus it will help you map out the OC I'm going to add in (second generation demigods like Zoe). Sounds good?
A/N#2: I'm so sorry this chapter was so full of dialogue. I had a really difficult time trying to write this, I couldn't decide where to start and what parts I should describe in detail and which parts I should just summarize. I hope I did decent at least. Seriously, it was really painful. Not looking for a pity party, just at least one pick-me-up review.
