Yes yes, I know I left you guys at a major cliffhanger last chapter. Sorry... Wait. Not sorry.
Anyway, I think I actually enjoy being an author now. Since it's your story, you basically can write anything. That won't offend anyone, that is. Without further ado, let's get on with the story!
Annabeth POV
After the stupid party, she ran out of the noisy house and onto the sidewalk. Her stupid black pumps were hurting her feet so badly, she took them off. Even worse, the sky started to rumble and it soon began to pour.
That's how Annabeth Chase got home - barefoot in the rain.
At home...
"Where in the world were you, little brat?!" Helen screamed. "I've been looking for you for hours! Do you know how much your father and I wondered?!" Annabeth cringed and tried not to flinch. Of course she forgot that her stepmother might wonder where she was when she was at the party.
"I was at the library, studying for an extra credit." She replied, trying to meet Helen's eyes.
"Oh really? Then why are you dressed like that?!"
Annabeth paled, realizing that she was still in Piper's clothes. "Oh... um. My friend gave me this outfit. She said it was a Christmas gift." Helen narrowed her eyes, a fresh rant ready to break.
"Since when do you have FRIENDS?! Who in their right mind would want to be friends with you?! Tell me! TELL ME!" She screamed.
"I do have friends! Her name is Piper and Hazel and they are in their right minds!" Annabeth blurted out.
"Well that's what you think." Helen glared at Annabeth, her lips pulsed in a disapproving frown. "Why can't you be more normal, for goodness sake? Look at the Rachel girl! She's perfectly fine!"
That was the last straw. (Literally. There was only one straw in the straw container I'm looking at right now.) "Excuse me? Not to brag or anything, but I have a 4.0 GPA. I have my name written all over the honor roll papers. I am high school valedictorian. Why don't we look at Rachel now? She has a 2.89 GPA. She has a bunch of drinking and other records. She has straight D's. So if you want me to become more like her, fine."
Helen's ears literally had smoke puffing out. "You little... brat!"
"Oh, so I am a brat now, huh? How surprising. If you've been maybe... I don't know. Kinder to me, I wouldn't complain as much. Maybe if you didn't slap me as much, I would be more normal-looking. But yeah, that is all my fault, since I'm stuck with a crazy stepmother and a careless father, if I could even call you two parents." Annabeth let out all the words that had been stuck in her head ever since Helen came.
Helen looked like a dinosaur tied to a tree while its prey danced around it. But you know. In the good ol' days, dinosaurs didn't have rope. So they just eat the prey. And that's exactly what Helen did.
"YOU LITTLE!" She screeched. Even as author, I couldn't help but flinch at her loud voice. If I were Annabeth, I would be running to Alaska.
"For your information, I'm not little." Annabeth stated coldly. "Even Bobby and Matthew know that!"
Helen was seriously about to blow up. But before she could, Annabeth's father emerged from the stairs, peering tiredly over his silver spectacles. "What's all this racket down here? The kids can't sleep."
Then his gaze flickered over to Annabeth, and he sighed. "Not this again. Helen, what's going on?"
"Oh? You want me to tell you what's going on?! Well, this brat over here-"
"I am not a brat. You are." Annabeth cut her off with an icy glare. "Frederick, this woman you married slapped me, said I am not normal, and yelled at me to become more like Rachel Dare."
"Rachel?" Frederick frowned. "Helen, why do you want our Annabeth to be like that stupid Dare?"
Helen burst out suddenly. "She's normal, for goodness sake! Now here, Annabeth runs around in crop tops... can never wake up on time... and look at her! Ugly!"
"First of all, Rachel wears crop tops. And I told you, my friend gave me this. Second of all, you want me to wake up at 5:30. I bet Rachel sleeps in. And why do I want to sleep for that early! Third, I'm only ugly because you always waste your time slapping me, kicking me, or abusing me any other way."
Her parents stared at her. Helen exchanged a glance with her husband. Annabeth grew hopeful, wishing that they would finally see that she was being mistreated and they would apologize.
Oh, how we all wished it was true!
"I told you that she is one of those rebels." Helen snapped.
"Yes, she does seem like she's overreacting. Like, why would you slap our little Annabeth? She must going through mood swings." Frederick sighed.
That was the last last straw.
"EXCUSE ME?! SO YOU DON'T BELIEVE YOUR OWN DAUGHTER!? WELL THAT'S OKAY. BECAUSE I CAN PROVE IT THAT THIS BITCH WAS SLAPPING ME!" Annabeth screamed.
Then she pushed her hair aside to show the bruises on her cheek that Helen had made. Frederick's eyes widen, but Helen scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah rig-" Annabeth cut her off by rolling her jeans up above her shins. There, showed scars and more bruises. One bruise was especially big, shaped like Helen's right slipper she loved to wear so much.
"Helen. Why did you do this?" Frederick turned to her.
"What?! I-I... S-she's l-lying!" She stuttered, obviously lying.
"Frederick, I thought you knew this. She kicked me right in the kitchen once, and you just sat there watching." Annabeth said, her voice suddenly low, and accusing.
"Annabeth. I've been very busy lately-"
"YOU'VE BEEN VERY BUSY FOR THAT PAST SEVEN YEARS!" She screamed.
Silence.
"Got nothing to say, huh. Well guess what? I've had enough. I don't need a 'dad' who doesn't pay the least bit of attention when his wife is abusing her stepdaughter." She paused, seeking anxiousty and confusion among the couple.
"I'm leaving, and I'm never coming back."
Without waiting for another word, the blonde haired, grey eyed tear-streaked girl raced upstairs. Within seconds, she packed every last thing in her room. She ran downstairs, and while her parents tried to persuade her to stay, she ran into the living room. Right there, was a family photo. The whole family prized it, except Annabeth. The picture had been sitting there for years, but now it looked vulnerable with Annabeth holding it.
"I won't forget what you've done." With those last words, she threw the picture on the ground, hard. The picture made a deafening shattering sound, but Annabeth had already ran out the door.
It was still pouring.
Annabeth didn't bother to put her shoes on.
And that's how Annabeth Chase walked - barefoot in the rain.
So, what did you think? This was a particularly emotional chapter for me. I cried invisible tears all along!
See, look at the streaks: _ _ _ _ _
Yup. But anyway. Bye! The next update will be on Monday. Ciao!
