CHAPTER THIRTEEN – Weaknesses Show…

With the little energy I still had, all I could do was give him a strange look. He knew what I was feeling? He knew how hurt and lonely and lost and trampled on I felt?

He looked down, running a hand through his dishevelled hair.

"Annabeth," Percy was still looking down. But his voice was lower, softer. "Do you remember when you pointed out that I flinched when you said "take the hits"?"

I nodded slightly. He flashed his eyes back to me for a split second before looking away again.

"We didn't always live here. My mum and I, this is. My mum, she used to be married to this bastard called Gabe. He…" Percy choked a little over his words. His eyes looked wetter, like he was trying not to cry. "He hit my mum. Abused her." His voice had dropped to a whisper. "I watched it happen for years, too scared to do anything about it. Mum always pretended that it didn't affect her, but I could tell it was all fake. Put on for my benefit. He hit me too. Not often and nowhere near as much as he hit my mum. And it hurt. I'll admit it. I don't know how mum did it; how she put on a brave face every day. Mum took a lot of those hits for me; she wouldn't let the bastard hit me if she could help it. One day, though, I snapped. I saw how broken my mum had become, and I just…snapped. I called the police before he came home. He got home, just before the police arrived, and go real angry at my mum for not having his dinner started. I punched him before he could hit mum. It knocked him out cold."

There was more to the story; I could tell that Percy wasn't finished. But he paused for a while. Taking deep breaths to calm himself.

"The police had actually gotten there to see it happen. Gabe getting angry, about to hit mum, then me knocking him out. I was lucky. I didn't get charged; they classed it as self-defence. That was all two years ago. It's taken a year for me to get over everything. Mum took a little longer. We moved away, to here. Mum met this guy, Paul. He's a real good guy. Genuine. He really looks after her, which is what she needs after Gabe. Within a month of their relationship we'd moved in here, into this house. His apartment. After Gabe, mum and I started over. This time, it all worked out for the better."

We fell into silence. Percy continued to look down and fight his inner battle with trying not to cry in front of me.

"Gabe sounds like an asshole," I croaked.

Percy snapped his head up to me, a slight smile on his lips. He gave a single light chuckle.

"Yeah, he was an asshole. But Paul's the complete opposite. He gives mum and me whatever we want. He surprises mum with roses and chocolate and dinners. He got me my iPhone, which was pretty cool of him."

"He seems…" I croaked again while observing my surroundings for the first time. Even though my eyelids were getting heavier, I'm trying to stay awake for a little longer. There was something about Percy opening up to me that I like. I want to dig deep into his life. I want to find out more about him and what type of person he actually was. "Sturdy."

The place had white wall from what I could see. The apartment was stylish, and credit is definitely due to whoever designed it. The apartment also had a higher ceiling, making it look that little bit more open and roomy. The lamps around were all black or white; plain and simple. It was a nice place to call home.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Percy must have noticed me looking about because he even turned his head to check everything out. "Mum's always going around and cleaning off every little speck of dust."

Something slipped down my cheek. What the- was I crying? No. God, Annabeth, get it together and shut the bloody waterworks off. This is so not the time to be getting all emotion and shit.

I mean, what the hell am I meant to do – how am I meant to act – now that Percy's told me all this and taken me to his home and cleaned me up? And he's seen my cuts.

My eyes folded closed. Slowly, my head start to tip to the side.

"Annabeth, no," Percy's hands were cupping my face again.

This was, like, the third time he's done that. What is he hummm memummm… fall… sleep…shit…

"Shit, Annabeth," concern was laced into his voice. "Something's wrong here. You shouldn't be this tired, unless…"

One of the hands dropped from my face. It was suddenly tracing the scars on my wrist that wasn't hurt. His hands…so gentle…so soft?

"I think, Annabeth, if you can hear me still, I think that you've actually lost a lot more blood than you might have thought. That's why you're so tired. You see, I read somewhere that if a little bit of blood is taken out of you every day over a little while, you begin to – You probably aren't even listening anyway…"

Yes, I actually am.

He sighed. Arms shifted under my body, picking me up bridal style. My head fell onto his chest. It moved with the rise and fall of his chest. Jeez, his chest was hard. All muscly. Kind of warm.

What in the name of fuck am I thinking here?! Maybe Clarisse did manage to get a fist to my head? I must have black out a little when she did, that must be why I can't remember it. These thoughts about Percy and his chest, these aren't my thoughts!

My body was placed on a soft something. It felt very much like a mattress. And a mattress sits on a bed. Please tell me this is the spare bed. My head hit the pillow and I could tell that I'd be right out in seconds.

I felt Percy carefully arrange me so I was comfy. He also placed my injured hand down by my side with the ice pack still on it. Blankets were laid over me….

I woke with a jolt as I felt someone fiddling around with my hurt hand. The hand itself was starting to really throb now.

My eyes opened and I saw a middle aged woman with long, black wavy hair. Slight freckles scattered her cheeks and nose. Her eyes were bright blue. They weren't like Percy's because Percy's was exactly like the ocean, but I could tell that this was his mum. She smiled and her teeth were perfect; straight and white.

"Hello," she said welcomely. "It's good to see you've woken up. How are you, honey?"

"Fine," I slipped my hand out of hers, glancing briefly at it to see that she'd bandaged it up for support. "And I'm just about to leave. So if you'll excuse me"- I hurriedly crawled out of the bed, trying to stumble over to the door and out of it. My mind registered that the sheets are blue, there's a blue laptop over on the wooden desk, the bookshelf had actual novels and some books about the ocean, and pictures of Grover, Juniper, Jason, Leo, Piper, Percy and him on the walls.

Bloody great. It was Percy's room.

"Thank you Ms Jackson," I called to her as I walked out of the room. The layout of the house was so unfamiliar. Damn, I should have paid more attention when Percy was carrying me. Following my instinct, I navigated myself through the apartment until I spotted the door.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" an annoyed male voice demanded.

"Back to Susan's, Percy. Tell your mum I said thanks-" I reached out with my good hand to open the door.

Arms captured me. "Oh, no you don't," Percy growled in my ear.

"Let me go! Get off me!" I yelled at him, squirming and flailing in his arms, trying to get him to loosen up so I could leg it out of here.

He hauled me back into the room with the couch I'd first been on yesterday. My attempt to free myself didn't even make Percy falter. He was so strong my crazed fighting barely fazed him.

"Percy, stop man-handling her!" Ms Jackson's voice was somewhere in the background. "She's only fragile and not as strong as you so be careful with her!"

"God damn it, Percy! Freaking let me go!"

"No, Annabeth! Now shut up and be still, woman! Jesus you're so frustrating!"

"And you're so persistent, now let me go!"

"No! How many times do you want to hear it?! You're not fine and you're not okay to leave yet!"

"You're right! I'm not fine! I feel freaking brilliant! So let me leave!"

"Annabeth, you stubborn and controlling little shit, just stop struggling because it is getting you nowhere fast!"

He flung me onto the couch. Immediately I tried to shoot upwards and away from him, but he held my arms – being very careful with my bandaged wrist – which stopped me from lashing out at him. I glared up at him as he glared down at me. Sparkling green eyes meeting my dull grey ones.

"Listen to me, Annabeth," he gave me a look that clearly meant not to interrupt him. "I will not let you out of my sight until I know that you are okay." I opened my mouth to protest but he carried on quickly. "And only I will diagnose for myself whether or not you are okay. Got it?"

"Eat. Shit."

"URGH! For the love of God, Annabeth, just let someone else take care of you for once!" Percy snapped.

It actually made me close my mouth. I was a bit surprised – too say the least – that he was so adamant about wanting to actually take care of me. No one wants to take care of me. Or at least, no one has tried so hard to want to take care of me.

"Fine. But I demand pancakes, Nurse."

Percy's face broke into a grin. He let go of my arms, stepping back and almost tripping over himself as he went to where ever the kitchen was.

I should run for it now. I should leg it quickly. But I'm not. I don't…want to. I want to stay here…? This is seriously something that I would not do. Ever. Not the new Annabeth.

"May I?" Ms Jackson was suddenly standing next to me. Flushing a bit at my bad manners, I scooted up so my feet were on the floor and I was sitting straight.

"Sorry," I muttered, looking at the floor. The vibe from Ms Jackson was familiar to Juniper's. I felt like I had to cut out being an asshole and obnoxious teenager because they were so…nice. Kind. Innocent.

Maybe her past also had something to do with it. How much we could relate on.

"Oh it's alright," Ms Jackson waved a hand like it was no big deal. "Sorry about my son. He seems very protective of you. A little bit pushy too, but he has good intentions."

"Yeah, Percy seems so… genuine? It's weird," I clamped my mouth shut. That last line wasn't meant to come out. Bugger.

"Weird? How is it weird, honey? What's your name?" she looked at me with caring eyes.

"Annabeth."

"That's such a lovely name. Very unique. From what I can tell, I think it suits you. Actually, I remember Percy mentioning you a few times. Well, more than a few times."

"Ah, Ms Jackson, I really don't-"

"Call me Sally. Formal names are really not necessary," she smiled at me.

I looked at her, confused for a few seconds. "Right. Sally. Got it."

She continued to smile at me. "Sorry. Please continue."

"Um, well, I don't think Percy's told you the whole truth about me. I'm sorry." Why am I apologizing?

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true. He was mostly just curious about you."

"Right," I muttered, looking at the ground again.

"Annabeth, will you tell me how you became so…beat up?" Ms Jac - I mean, Sally – asked.

My back straightened unconsciously. It was somewhat of an instinct now days whenever I was being questioned over something. "It was just a disagreement."

"It was a fight," I looked up and glared at Percy as he stood there, arms crossed. "You need to start being honest, Annabeth. Mum and I, we are here to help. By the time you leave here, you are going to be completely honest with me. Capishé?"

I slowly shook my head. "Percy, I may be down, but I am certainly not out. A few hours or whatever here is not going to change anything. Whatever you think is going to happen, you're wrong. It takes a lot to get someone to open up."

"If it's a lot it takes," he looked directly into my eyes, "then it's a lot you'll be getting. Come on, Annabeth, you should know me enough by now to know that I don't give up."

"And you should know me enough by now to know that I'm not going to give in without a fight. And hey, where's my pancakes, Nurse?"

I'm so sorry everyone! I think this has been the longest I have ever taken to update and I am so incredibly sorry for that! But hey, you guys should feel pretty privileged because I am actually uploading this on my birthday.

16 today... and I don't feel any different to yesterday. I thought this was meant to be a millstone or something? Like, I thought something would click into place and I would feel more... responsible or just something more. But I really don't.

On Friday, I am hoping to go for my Learners. I'm seriously excited for that!

I am on Block Exams right now. I had one yesterday (Monday) and today. The one today was maths. Thank you so bloody much school. That is exactly what I wanted. A maths exam about total shit-all on my birthday. (I think you probably figured it, but just in case you didn't pic it up; that was all sarcasm).

So yeah, I'm feeling okay about the SoS (yesterdays) exam. But maths... Oh hell, I'll be lucky to pass. You see, I happened to be away on that camp the week the class learnt (well, sort of revised again) on surface area shit. And - of course - the exam was mostly on area and stuff.

But I got perfume (expansive) from my sister. L plates, a bookmark, a mug and Eiffel tower scissors from my parents. An optimistic book from my nan. An Eiffel tower throw rug and slippers from one of my Aunts and Uncle. A gold chain necklace from mum and nan. And some money.

So I'm pretty lucky and very happy!

I was looking at some of the reviews and I had to laugh. There was a heap of you guys telling me to update. Even though I was laughing, I did feel incredibly bad for taking so long. Again, apologizing for that.

I hope you like this chapter!

I love you all for reading. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

And THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all of my new followers!

Everyone, you are all amazing and incredible and important.

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important." - This is from The Help. I haven't read the book, but this movie is amazing so I totally recommend you guys to watch it!

Also, I recommend reading this book called "The Darkest Minds". It's written by Alexandra Bracken. ANd I am reading it right now (yeah I know, I should be updating this and studying, but I need some relaxing time. It helps too coz I don't feel as stressed) and it is seriously good! It's like a screwed up world where kids are feared, hated and killed. There's 'feels' in it. A lot of emotions too. I'm almost finished it, but so far, it is a good read.

The only thing is, I would maybe check it out from a library first. I'm not sure it is one of those books that you read over and over until you can memorize whole paragraphs because they are you're favourite part.

Take care, Everyone!

- Cassie.