Hiiiii! 182 REVIEWS?! NO WAY! Thanks so much guys! And to 'Guest': No, I'm not mad at you! It's all good. You weren't the only one who thought that. We're all a little insensitive sometimes, and I can be very blunt sometimes. And to 'Sky': Thanks for the suggestion. I don't normally put the ANs in the middle of the story and I'm not planning on doing it again! I was doing the last 2 chapters when my friend was over and she kept telling me to put the Barney song in there. Lol! Me and my friends are weird/lame. Anywho, I'm not too sure where I'm going with this chapter but it won't be the dance... yet! And I'm so sorry for taking so long to update! I feel really bad but the teachers have loaded me with work! And sorry about major OOCnes in this chapter! But she's going through tough times. What do you expect! I'll shut up now!

Review! Happy Reading!

Annabeth

I watched wide-eyed as she raised the knife, a million thoughts going through my head. I mean, she wouldn't actually do this would she?

Then she stabbed the knife. Into the wall. A centimeter from me.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"I let you off the hook this time. Next time... you won't be so lucky," Sue said, taking the knife out of the wall and walking out of the room.

I started crying. I just couldn't believe this! I ran over to my cabinets and pulled out a notebook. I started writing furiously, as if my life depended on it. Which, maybe it did.

Why? Why me? I don't understand! What happened to the life I used to have? Why does Sue hate me so much? Why is Dad never there for me anymore?

I have so many questions but so little answers! Wow, that sounded so cliché. But I don't get it!

What's happening to me? I just want to cry! I want to run away! But where would I go to? I have no one!

Why did Mom have to leave me? That just wasn't fair! Yeah, yeah, I know she couldn't help it, but that doesn't take away the pain! My family is so broken.

I want to meet someone. Someone who has to deal with pain like I do. Someone who will understand me. Someone who will listen.

Thalia is like that, but I want something more. It's hard to explain. I feel like the person I need is right there in front of me, but I'm too blind to see who it is.

I want someone who will hold me in their arms and let me get everything out. Someone will hold the pieces together when I can't. Someone who won't judge me because I'm not as strong as I appear to be. And someone who can see right through me when no one else can.

I long for that fairytale. I long for peace and happiness and a way out.

I feel like some cartoon. Like my feet, are moving as fast as they can, but I'm just not getting anywhere! (Ew, that sounded really lame, too)

All I know, is that if I don't get out of here soon, I won't last much longer.

I slammed my notebook shut. Even I had to admit, writing in that notebook was a little childish, but I didn't really care. It was either that, or screaming those words at Sue while attempting to strangle her. That actually sounded like fun.

I sat down on my bed. Tomorrow's Tuesday and it wouldn't be long until it was Friday. The anniversary of my mother's death. I felt a wave of pain wash over me again.

I held my locket gently in my hands. It was hard to believe that a couple of years ago, Mom had held this very same locket in her hands. That she had handed it to me and hung it around my neck. It made me feel like there was a part of her still with me. And maybe there was. She'd promised me that she would never truly leave me.

I just sat there, until my eyes closed, and I finally drifted off to a deep, dreamless sleep.

The rest of the week flew by, to my dismay. Every single day Thalia and Silena would pester me about dance. They were sooooo annoying! My friends Hazel and Piper told us that they could also come, so they were all just waiting on me.

Percy became part of our group. He mostly hung out with Nico, Grover, Jason, Leo, and Frank. I never really talked to him, though Thalia always tried to get us to talk to each other. And our conversations would always end with me saying something pessimistic and him going into an awkward silence until one of the boys took pity on him and saved him.

Rachel mostly stayed away from me, but when we did see each other, she'd sneer and give me a look that clearly said,"You'll pay me for that stunt you pulled the other day." But she didn't scare. She never could, never will.

Sue was worse than ever. She would hit me once or twice a day for something stupid, but thank goodness she never pulled the knife on me. I don't think she's been to the bar again.

I still never got to see Dad. He was always at work. He never had time for me. What's new? I didn't even think he cared about me anymore.

And then, it was Friday.

When I woke up, a sense of dread filled me. I just wanted to stay locked up in my room or the rest of the day. I forced myself to get out of bed and get ready for the day. I wasn't really sure if anyone could actually be ready for a day like this.

When I saw my reflection in the mirror, I could immediately tell that makeup wouldn't help. My face was red and tear streaked from crying all night, and my eyes were puffy and red.

I quickly washed my hair and teeth, and walked back into my room. I looked at the picture of me, my mom, and Dad that was sitting on my bedside table.

I shoved my face into my pillow to muffle the sobs. I felt this overwhelming sense of hopelessness rise within me.

Come on, Chase! You're tougher than this! Pull yourself together, I scolded myself.

I grabbed my book bag, took a deep breath, and walked out of the house.

Thalia wasn't there. I took out my phone and tried texting her, but she never answered. I was hurt. She was always there for me on a day like this.

I kept crying as I walked, hoping that the tears would run out before I made it to the school. No such luck.

I was one of the first ones at the school. I walked in and went straight t Mr. Brunner's room. I tried no slam a lid on the tears, but they just kept escaping.

I walked in quietly and picked a seat in the very back corner of the room. Mr. Brunner looked up.

"Annabeth." His voice was full of gentleness.

He came over to me and tilted my chin so that I'd have to look him in the eyes.

I reached over and hugged my father figure. I didn't care how weird it was that I was hugging my teacher.

And he just comforted me for a little bit and then I sat in the shadows and waited for my friends to come in. But they didn't. I was so confused.

"I'm going to get my books out of my locker and see if I can find my friends," I whispered hoarsely.

He nodded, his eyes full of sadness. He knew my mom too, seeing as he had been my teacher a year before my mom had died.

I walked out slowly into the now crowded halls.

I stopped in my tracks when I got to my locker.

NO WAY!

Boring chapter and not much of a cliffy, sorry! I'm pretty devastated because my mom got rid of my puppy. :.( But sorry about it being so boring and rushed in some places. Also to 'Sky': I have no idea what Super Why is! As I said, I wrote the last 2 chapters when my friend was over and she put some ideas in. I just updated 'Letting Go'. Please check it out and tell me what ya think! I read The Giver in 4 hours and LOVED it! I usually hate the books that teachers assign us to read but this one was great! And I decided to try the Kane Chronicles. I like it... it's just really confusing in some places. And I'm not a huge fan of Egyptian mythology, but it's okay I guess. Thanks! REVIEW!

Random question: Do you support Lazel or Frazel? 'Cause at my school, it's half and half so I'm just kinda curious about what other people think.