CHAPTER TEN – Get Me Out NOW.

Why can't I disappear? Why does this have to happen?

"Luke, you're back!" Juniper exclaimed in pure happiness as I felt – rather than saw – her jump up and no doubt wrap him in a huge hug. If she knew the truth I doubt she'd be so enthusiastic towards him.

I sensed the bodies around me leave the table and walk behind me to where he was standing. But I couldn't. My head wouldn't budge, my body felt like it was offline, yet still powered on. One of the emotions I'd tried so hard to keep locked away, deep, deep down, was waking up. Fear.

"I thought you were coming back next week?" Jason.

"Why didn't you tell us or something?" Grover.

"We could've made you a Welcome Back party!" Piper.

"Did you have fun over in Australia?" Percy.

"Did you ride kangaroos everywhere?" Leo.

They knew him. They all knew him. They thought he was amazing. A friend. A nice person. They were even happy to see him!

"I take it you've missed me," I could just imagine the smirk, the gleam he gets in his eye when he knows his right. It sent chills down my spine as my stomach churned. "Slow down with the questions though; we've got plenty of time. But first, I've got a question. Who's our new addition?"

Impossibly, my heart raced faster. I wanted to scream. Or cry. Or run. I wanted to be anywhere but here. I don't want him to see me. To recognize me. And I don't want to see him! I'd spent years running. Years trying to get away. Years trying to pick myself up again. Years! Yet he has ruined it in seconds!

Footsteps were coming closer to me. Around the table. They stopped right next to me. My eyes stay glued to the table. Don't look up. Don't look up.

"Oh, that's Annabeth," Juniper's voice registered in the back of my mind but I couldn't focus on it.

"Hi there, I'm Luke," he said.

Slowly my eyes moved upward. And found his face. It was almost still the same. Older and taller but not changed. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Even though there should be, there were no red horns protruding from his head. He still had that scar; the one from his eye to his chin. The one from me.

He may have been acting like we didn't know each other, but it was definitely an act. I could see it, in his blue eyes, the recognition. The lust. The annoyance. The anger. The greed. The surprise. Worst of all, the monster within. He knew exactly who I was. Hell, he probably figured it out the moment he saw my blonde curls!

"Annabeth?" Piper was suddenly beside me, her voice cutting through the haze and fog in my head. "Annabeth, are you okay?" He placed a hand on my shoulder but I pushed it off immediately while standing abruptly.

"What?" I snapped at her. Trying to hide my reluctance to look at him, as well as all the other emotions threatening to spill over here and now, I swung back to him. "I don't give a shit who you are, I'm not a part of your group, so don't even talk to me, okay? Have a nice fucking day."

Grabbing my bag, I strolled off, keeping my pace under check to not look as frightened as I felt. But as soon as I was out in the hall way, I looked back over my shoulder. Good, no one followed. Then I sprinted. Down the hall. Out the front door. Through the school gate. Down the sidewalks of the city.

My feet kept going. This city was strange and unfamiliar, even though I spent hours yesterday walking around it. But I didn't care. I just needed to run. To get away. People gave me weird looks as I shot passed them, but I barely even noticed them.

Suddenly my legs gave out from underneath me. I fell to the concrete. And I stayed there. Something was on my cheeks. I brushed it away. Part of me was shocked that I was crying. The other part was shocked that I wasn't breaking down.

This was my worst nightmare come true. I'd changed myself so much to get away, but in the end, Life has fucked me 'round again. He's here.

I was this way because of him. The trigger to change may not have been pulled by him, but he was the one to make me need to change. I didn't won't to. I was scared back then. No, I was absolutely petrified back then. But I had to. Life or death. I chose to live. As a consequence, I had to become the bitch I am now. I thought that would have been enough to get away from him. But I guess it isn't.

Why does this happen to me?! "Why me!"

Curling up on the cold, hard sidewalk, I let the sobs I'd held back for years rack my body. There was almost no feeling inside me. I was almost numb. Except for the pain. That one emotion coursed through every bone, every cell, every particle in my body. There was nothing, and then there was the pain.

Clear as day, a memory flittered on in my head. Like an old video.

The darkness of night above. The terror. The strong hand holding my arms above my head. The body on top of mine, keeping my own pinned to the cool grass. The horrible warm breath on my face. The hand trailing down my body, to my shorts.

"No-" but his lips were already on mine before I could say any more. Before I could attract attention. Pushing him off was futile. He was too strong. I was too weak.

Then came the pain.

"Miss? Miss, are you okay?"

I blinked. The face above me shifted into focus. Along with where I was. It was dark now. The city lights were on. I could see the taxis speeding passed over on the next street.

Shit, I must have passed out or something.

"Miss?"

I turned my attention back to the man bending over me with a worried expression. He was tall, looked maybe in his early twenties, and was darker skinned. African-American. His lips were parted enough for me to take note of the perfect, white teeth he had. Lucky him.

"I'm good," as my voice came out croaky and weak; I felt my facial muscles relaying my confused feelings to him. Why's my voice sound like this?

"No offense, but you don't really look it," he said honestly and politely. He held out a hand. "Let me help you up."

I looked at it, yet didn't move to take hold of it.

"I don't bite," he prompted with a small, reassuring smile. Somehow, that remark seemed to convince me that he was alright. That it wouldn't hurt to get a hand up.

I reached out and took his. Wow, it's actually really warm and soft. Not what I was expecting. He hauled me to my feet with the barest effort. I was about to let go when my knees began to wobble and I stumbled forward.

"Woah there," the guy caught me. "Maybe we should get you to a medical centre."

"No," I pulled back my hand and stepped away. "No, I'm fine." My voice was stronger now. Back to normal. "Thanks for your help, but no thanks, I don't need anymore." I spun, turning my back to him, and walked away.

"Wait a sec!" he ran, catching up to me in mere seconds. "Where are you going?"

"The House." I wouldn't call it a 'home'. I would never call it a 'home'. I had one of those, once, but it burnt down along with the people I loved.

"Right. Then I think I should come with you. Tell your parents what-"

"How about you rack off?" I didn't mean to be so bitchy to him. I mean, he had just been really kind to me then. But the mention of "parents" set me off. Of course he would think that. Of course he would assume that. Most normal people actually have parents. "Look, thanks for waking me up and all, but everything is fine now so there is no need for you to come along. Have a nice night."

Quickly, I picked up my pace until I was running. "Wait!" I heard him yell from behind me. But I wasn't going to. I didn't need a freaking escort to the House where Crow lady would just yell at me anyway. Unlike before, I only ran until I thought I lost the guy, not until I collapsed.

Eventually I found myself back at the front door of the House. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door… to find a furious Susan. And I mean furious. Her face was pink and everything. Was that smoke blowing out of her ears?

"Annabeth. Chase." She said my name slow and deliberately. "Skipping school. Returning late again. Defying our rules. What do you have to say?"

"The fuck you gonna do about it," I smirked at her, even though inside I wasn't really feeling it. The fire. The annoyance. It had gone. The numbness had taken over almost the whole of me.

The swearing seemed to push her over the edge.

"Excuse me?!" she cried. Now her face was actually turning red.

"You're excused."

"How dare you speak to me that way! I am your guardian! You are staying in my house, under my roof! I deserve RESPECT! I should go ahead and call up your social worker-"

"DO IT THEN! Do it! Pick up the phone, call Rachel! Do it! See if I care!"

I could get out this way. I could get away again. Rachel could move me. Hopefully as far away from here, from him, as possible. Can they move kids to Alaska? Maybe I can go there.

Susan opened her mouth to shout back but stopped herself. In a more calm voice, she replied, staring m hard in the eye, "No. No, I won't. That's what you want and I certainly can't let you get you way after-"

"You should just call her! I won't get any better, so give up thinking you can make me! Get that through your think head!"

I shouldered passed her, marching towards the stairs. A prickling on the back of my neck made me look up. And there they were. Juniper, Leo, Jason, Grover… and Percy.

I glared up at each and every one of them. Four looked away. But Percy… he locked eyes with me instead. Challenging me. I felt naked with his gaze so intense. Like he could see straight through to the centre of me. Right to the depth of me.

A thought came to me. I went, grabbed the house phone from its socket, and then stomped up the steps. Juniper, Grover and Leo stepped back to let me passed. Jason stood there, kind of dumbfounded. But Percy just kept watching me until I slammed the door on them all.

I plugged in the number I knew by heart. On the third ring, she finally picked up.

"Hello, this is-"

"Rachel, it's me, Annabeth."

"Oh, Annabeth! How are you go-"

"I won't out. I won't out of here."

She sighed. "Annabeth-"

"Listen Rachel, I know that I'm a delinquent and I seemed to cause trouble everywhere I go, but please, this time it's not the House's calling you. This time it's me. Rachel, I need this. I need you to do this for you. Rachel, please."

It was silent on the other end. Then she spoke with a heavy voice. "I'm sorry, Annabeth, really, I am, but I can't. I can't move you-"

"Please Rachel! I've never called you up to ask you this before! This once, can you please get me out of here."

"What's happened?" this time she sounded worried.

"Life."

She knew that was all she would get from me. I'd only ever told one person about what he did to me, and she was… well, she's gone now. Her… passing… was the thing that triggered all this. As for Rachel, she knew nothing. All she had to go on was that I was a nice, polite girl one year, then suddenly I was getting kicked out and turning into a rebellious asshole.

I heard Rachel sigh again.

I wonder what I interrupted her doing. Probably painting. She was really good from the little bits and pieces that I'd glimpsed. She'd told me one time when driving me to another foster house, that she could express herself through art better than doing anything else. The colours, the brush strokes, the textures, they all contributed to making the art have meaning.

"Look, Annabeth, I can't just pick you up and move you like that. It's not that simple. But – and I can't believe I'm actually suggesting this because it goes against everything that I've tried to get through to you – if you are really that desperate to get out of there, then you have to do something so bad, that Susan has no choice but to phone me and request to have you removed."

"That's the only way?"

"That's the only way. And I'm only telling you this because you sound so desperate to get away from there that I feel sorry for you, okay? This is a one off, so don't expect that advice again."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it Rachel," I rolled my eyes. And for the first time today, I felt a little better. A little more alive. A little less numb.

"Okay, Annabeth, I'm going to hang up now before I say something else to contradict myself. I'm sure I'll be talking to you again soon."

"Yeah… And hey, Rachel?" I quickly added before she pressed the end call button. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Annabeth."

That said, she hung up.

Holy God guys, it's been soooooo long and I'm soooo sorry!

I had Military Feild camp on the week end nd I legit got less then 3 hours sleep the whole time. LIke, that shit may float a boat for school (on the rare occation anyway) but for the whole time we were either crawling through the bush, doing stand to's (that's were you lay on your stomach at the border of companies area and point a styre out, looking for the enemy and ready to fire if they come), trying to heat food on a hexi stove (I don't recomend it because it is completly stupid, God dammit) and pretty much doing everything you can think of military in the dark.

To make matters worse, it was the coldest freaking night on Saturday, we were on a hill, and the ememy kept attcking all the freaking time, at one time we were at stand to for (and I kid you not) a FREAKING HOUR AND A HALF! I was really ready to shoot someone then, let me tell you.

So yeah, it is amazing to be back in my warm, comfy, bloody soft bed. We were under hoochies (tarp like things hanging over a rope that was strung up between 2 trees) with the world's supply of rocks under me and spicky grass around me.

I have somthing I think every one of you reading this should do. Cry. No, I'm not shitting with you. I mean it. Just sit or lay on your bed or whatever and cry. Let it all out. You'll feel way better afterwards. Beleive me, do it on your choice of time and place rather than letting it build until something real tiny triggers it all to crumble.

I say this because, well, it happened to me on camp. On Saturday, lunchtime, I was cooking with the Hexi stove. I totally thought that it was cooled down. I mwan, It was sitting for what seemed like forever. I sould be cool, right? Fucking nope. I got burnt on my left thumb and two other fingers. At first I was like "OWW Jesus God hold it in your fine breathe man keep it together Jesus"

You probably guessed I couldn't manage to keep it together. Which was totally embarrassing. The Medic came up after a concerned friend/ fellow cadet, went and got him as soon as he saw my face. Then I broke down and pretty much freaking sobbed down to the mess hall where I continued to sob for the next 15 minutes. And no, the burn didn't actually hurt that much, nor am I usually a cry baby, I'm actually pretty good with holding in my emotions when it comes to physical pain.

I'm pretty sure (98.99%) that every cadet there, both in my unit and the other, saw me like that. They all think that I'm a total weakling and wuss now.

See what I mean. Cry by your own decision. That's my point.

Some of you guys probably didn't hear about the lady cop who died of Ovarian cancer on the weekend. She was diagnosed a long while ago but had a few scary times just before her and her fiance (who also is a cop) was due to get married. Nevertheless, she overcame them, getting married in January. Her little girl (to someone else but that's not the point) was her flower girl or something. The wedding was, like, perfect. Like a fairytale really! But, sadly, she lost the battle with the cancer. Rest in Peace Natalie.

Rest in Peace also, to every one else out there who have also been taken to from the world to fast by any type of Cancer.

On a brighter note, though, I got new glasses today. One red pair, One black. My eyes are actually deteirerating (how the bloody wank do you even spell that without spellcheck?) and so this is a stronger pair then the last lot. I only that last lot last year as well, which is seriously not good. Seriously. By hey, feels great to see properly again! My eyes are so bad that I probably should wear these permanently, but I don't. I won't be able to drive a car or anything like that without glasses. Heck I can't even do school without glasses!

Anyway, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TO ALL MY NEW FOLLOWERS!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TO ALL MY REVEIWERS AS WELL!

I'm trying to take into consideration of your comments now that I'm kinda behind on my writing schedule (seriously, I can't even spell that word either).

By the way, for any of you guys who follow the V8's and are a huge huge fan like I am, I am soooo proud of Jamie Whincup! Over in Austin, Texas, the raced for the first time ever. And I'm extatic to announce that Jamie (my main man) won on Saturday (1st), Sunday (1st, this was also legitally the first thing I did when I got home from camp, turn on the V8's and cheer on my man! Even though I was shit tired and all, this comes first!), and today - Monday - he came 3rd in the frst race, and then took out God-Damn 1st again in the last race! So yeah, makes me real happy.

Anyways, laters mates, Ima get onto writing the next chapter cause I'm still procrastinating on my assignments.

- Cassie.