Chapter 8: Step 1 of Phase 1

I was awoken from the sound of my alarm clock beeping. I hit the snooze button, but I looked at the time. 6:05, it said. I groaned and managed to get up. Usually I was an early riser, but today I felt as if I had risen a bit too early. I dressed in a simply grey long-sleeved shirt and skinny jeans. I had brushed my hair when I got a text from Thalia.

Hey, want a ride? -Thals

I smiled and quickly typed up an answer.

Yea, thanx. Don't really want to ride w/Susan and the terrible 2s -A

Percy's coming too.

Those three words sent a chill up my spine. I knew Thalia was trying to help me with the plan. I always wondered why. I mean, her cousin's going to get his heart-broken by her best friend. Wasn't blood thicker than water? I sighed and dismissed these thoughts, deciding to come back to them later. For now, I had figure out what I had to do to actually become real friends with Percy. I set the brush down and stared at myself in the mirror. I was a Plain Jane. Curly waist length blonde hair, calculating gray eyes. No traces of make-up on my face whatsoever. Only a few pimples on my forehead. I rubbed irritably at them. I hated this part of being a teenager. With a sigh, I slung my backpack (which was lying by my desk) over my shoulder and walked down the stairs. Susan, my stepmother, stood at the stove, making breakfast.

"Good morning, Annabeth!" she greeted cheerfully. I muttered a "good morning" back.

"Is your friend picking you up?" she asked me. I nodded. Susan was a good woman, but there will be no one else but my mom who could be a mom. I poured myself a bowl of cereal and sat at the kitchen table, eating them while gazing off.

"Susan," I said, gazing out the window. "What do you know about make-up and girly stuff?" Silence. Probably a shocked silence.

"...I know a bit, Annabeth," she replied, stunned. "Why?" That one word snapped me back to reality.

"No reason," I mumbled, put another spoonful of cereal in my mouth. I got a text message.

Hey, we r outside -Thals

I quickly chewed and swallowed, slinging my backpack over my shoulder again.

"Bye Susan!" I cried, running out and into Thalia's backseat.

"Hey," Percy said as I shut the door. I gave him a wide smile.

"Hi," I greeted. He returned my smile.

"You sound cheerful," Thalia mused. "You're usually not a morning person." I laughed. This is purely acting Thals...

"Well, I feel happy today," I lied, shrugging.

"So, Annabeth," Percy said. "I think we should finish the project today. Didn't you say that Brunner gave extra credit to those who hand in early?" I nodded.

"I think we should too," I replied. "Then, we can go celebrate when it's over!"

"Pizza and a movie?" Percy asked. I shrugged.

"Sure."

"Hey Percy," Thalia said. "What's going on with you and Rachel?" I listened intently.

"We...um..broke up," Percy replied nervously.

"Oh," I said sympathetically. "Why?"

"Well...she was cheating on me...with Ethan," he answered, evidently a bit sad.

"Ethan?" I asked. "Luke's second-in-command?" Ethan Nakamura. The second-in-command of the Kronos.

"Yeah," he replied miserably.

"I told you Rachel was a slut Perce," Thalia scolded. "She was a whore from the very start. I mean, she slept with you the day the games began." That was about...two years ago.

"I know-" Percy started.

"She's also so stupid," Thalia continued on irritably. "I saw her answer for one Socials test we had. 'What city was the 2008 Beijing Olympics held in?' You know what she wrote? 'Portugal'." I stifled a laugh and looked concerningly at Percy. I could feel him get angrier with every word Thalia said.

"Thals," I whispered warningly.

"And her clothing! Don't get me started with her clothing Perce! I mean, it was the middle of January last year and she wore short-shorts with a low-neck tank top!" she ranted. I saw the stoplight turn red.

"THALIA!" I yelled.

"WHAT!" she yelled back.

"RED LIGHT!" She looked at the stoplight and slammed the brakes. We all lurched forwards.

"Thank you for not killing us," Percy muttered. No one spoke for the rest of the journey to school.


Percy and I walked towards Science and I could feel that he was upset about something. With a sigh, I pulled him in an empty classroom.

"Alright," I said, turning him to look at me. "What's going on?" He sighed and paced around the room running a hand through his already messy hair.

"I just...UGH!" he yelled. Then he punched the wall. I looked at him, pitying him. He saw it.

"Don't...don't look at me like that," he demanded, pointing at me. a

"Like what?" I asked. He sighed and continued pacing.

"Like...I'm a poor kid that just got his heart-broken," he said, sitting in a desk. I sat on the desk.

"Aren't you?" I asked. He looked up at me.

"What?" he replied.

"Aren't you a kid that just got his heart-broken?" He sighed.

"No."

I was trapped in his eyes. They brought back memories of my mother, when she was alive. She always despised the beach, but I loved it. I always demanded that she should come with me to the beach. She reluctantly would after much persuading. The bell rang, making me look away.

"We should go," I mumbled. He nodded. We both stood up and walked out.

I tried to ignore that feeling in my stomach.


A/N

1 of 3 chapters I promised for today! Sorry I didn't post earlier. School truly is a party pooper. Anyways, I will update again in probably about an hour.

Thanks to: Alittlebitdifferent, XxbethamphetaminexX, Johnwisne, TheWall706, la bella nunez, JokeOfTheDay, bookworm2609, The-One-And-Only-Piper-McLean, bookhugs, MoonVixen96, vball7girl, goddess of fear, SilverLiningsGirl, Princessash247, PJOOF16, JamieAnimeLover, Guest(s), Codex, PurpleQueen981, Apeni, Irfhanaz for reviewing/favourting/following! Love you guys!

vball7girl: Thanks! It is a romance story so there must be some heartbreak, right? But not too much. Makes me feel awful.

goddess of fear: Aww...thanks! :)

SilverLiningsGirl: She slowly is falling for him, don't worry. The Percabeth is going to come.

Princessash247: Well...I don't want to make you cry... But I can't promise anything unfortunately.

PJOOF16: I would be scared too! Annabeth can be pretty scary sometimes... Happy that I made your day!

JamieAnimeLover: Thanks!

Codex: Thanks!

Johnwisne: Hate Luke? I sort of do too, but he just had to be in this story.

PurpleQueen981: Thanks!

Apeni: I will take that suggestion...maybe change it a bit. But thanks!

Alittlebitdifferent: OMG Thank you!

XxbethamphetaminexX: I guess she is. I guess the 'Thalia is a Hunter' thing slipped my mind...

Johnwisne: Well yeah, Percy IS awesome, but Annabeth is also his target too remember? An eye for an eye. And thanks!

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