Hey, guys! So, last January, I applied for a career school in my distract and was called back for an interview; now, normally, getting an interview isn't good. But because of an outrageous amount of people applying for the Medical field, much like I had, it was inevitable. So I was called in and they sent me a letter. I GOT IN! :D The pathway, Pre-Medical, is the hardest to gain entry to and I got in. Whoo! I was so happy! (:
Anyway, I just wanted to update you guys! Enjoy this chapter! It's got fluff, sort of, and action, maybe. So, R&R! I'd love to hear what you guys thinks! Thank you guys for sticking with this story! :D
Again, no proofread.
~C
-Annabeth-
Percy and Thalia's loud chuckles filled the interior of the car. I twisted around in my seat to glare at her and she shrunk back from the intensity of my gaze before her lips quivered and a giggle burst forth. Falling back against the seat, I groaned inwardly and made a mental note to retaliate in the near future. I saw Percy cast me a sideways glance before chortling obnoxiously. "It's not that funny!" I insisted. Hearing this only caused them to dissolve into another episode.
From the second Percy pulled the car from the hotel's driveway, Thalia felt compelled to recount every embarrassing childhood stories that concerned me and a Ferris wheel. Was there a lot? Let's just say that Thalia had enough blackmail material to last for the duration of the hour drive. And every story that was told resulted in a ten minute lapse where all my two companions did was laugh and chuckle. At one point, Percy's face reddened and his chest fell rapidly. Tears welled at the corners of his eyes and he flicked on his blinkers, pulling to the side of the road where the dam withholding the laughter shattered.
"I remember this one time she went on a double date with Luke and I," Thalia started. She caught my wide-eyed gaze and smirked mischievously. I shook my head vehemently but she ignored me, leaning forward eagerly. "She's been talking about this date for weeks and when it finally came, the guy - what was his name, Carter? - told us we were going to a carnival. Now, judging from Annabeth's tragic history at carnivals," Percy snickered at this. "she was reluctant to agree but since it was Carter, she sucked it up and grew some lady balls."
I blinked. Her words were so familiar. Then realization struck. It was the same words Percy had spoken to me at the beach days before. I smiled wryly. It seemed like Percy and Thalia were either going to be great friends or each other's worst enemy. Fortunately, it seemed like their relationship was the former.
Thalia continued, forcing my thoughts back to the present. "Of course, he wanted to be romantic and totally cliche, so, they boarded the Ferris wheel. Luke and I were in the cart below them. After the first rotation, she seemed fine. She was even smiling but then came the second and third rotation and by the time we got off, Annabeth was green, seriously unattractive."
Percy nodded and grinned widely. I rolled my eyes as he pressed down on the gas pedal and merged with the traffic. Turning on his blinkers, he switched lanes, ignoring the series of honks and screeches of tires. "Go on." Percy urged.
"Then we went over to the hot dog stand to get something to eat. By then, Annabeth's steps were unstable. She was tipsy and stumbling. Sick Annabeth bore a lot of resemblance to drunk Annabeth. Anyhow, the boys bought us some hot dogs and one bite was all it took. The hot dog flew from her hands as she stooped over and emptied her stomach. All over Carter's shoes." Thalia grinned at my look of pure horror. I clasped my hands over my ear and mumbled under my breath, trying to block out the sound of her voice.
Beside me, Percy howled with laughter. His grip on the steering wheel tightened and the car suddenly swerved as he momentarily lost control of the wheel. "Stop that!" I scolded, placing my hands on top of his to try to gain some level of stability in the vehicle. "Thalia, stop making him laugh! We're going to crash!"
"No, we're not." Percy retorted, his laughing fading. "I'm a very certified driver."
I huffed. "If you say so." I let my hands fall from his. Percy captured my left hand on its way back to my lap and squeezed lightly in apology. I stroked the meaty area between his thumb and index finger gently before letting go.
"It's safe to assume that there wasn't a second date?" Percy asked Thalia, smiling.
"Oh, yeah!" Thalia nodded vigorously. "He avoided her at all cause."
I turned my head back to look at her. "I find it hilarious," my voice dripped with sarcasm, "that you guys are laughing at me at my own expense."
"Don't get your thongs in a twist," Thalia responded dismissively.
"Wait." Percy interrupted, his voice rising three octaves. "Annabeth wears thongs?"
"Thalia!" I cried, horrified. I covered my face with my hands and shook my head. Blood flowed through my veins, up my neck to pool at my cheeks. My surrounding was suddenly sweltering and a light sheen of sweat washed over my forehead.
"No, she doesn't." Thalia replied lightly. To me, she said, "At least I didn't tell him about your date with Ethan that one time he took you to a carnival.
Percy's hands tightened on the steering wheel. His jaw clenched and his knuckles whitened. I tensed and held my breath. The events of the date flooded through my head and I flushed. "Thalia!" I reprimanded. "S-shut up!"
"Oh? What happened?" Percy ground out, his words venomous.
I fell back against the seat as Thalia retold the story of my horrendous date. Meanwhile, I closed my eyes, trying to block out the sudden torrent of images that bombarded my mind. After she finished, the interior was silent. I opened one eye and surveyed the stoic face of the man sitting next to me. His brows were drawn and his eyes had gone dark with anger. Throwing a cautious look in Thalia's general direction, my hand snaked out and I laced my fingers through his. Percy turned his head sideways and smiled with difficulty.
He gripped my hand tightly as if it were a lifeline connecting him to the earth. My heart thudded in my chest as Thalia's gaze swung back and forth between the two of us. The tension in the car was suddenly very palpable. "So," I said, my voice piercing the silent air. "what did Luke say?"
…
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I murmured to Percy as we headed toward the carnival's entrance. With every step forward, my stomach churned. Thalia was ahead of us, bouncing on the balls of her heels in excitement. Nervously, I scanned the area, searching for any signs of the men. No one seemed suspicious but shadows darkened the nooks and crannies of the carnival.
"It'll be fine." Percy said to me.
"But twice before, they ambushed us. What makes you think this time won't be the same?" I retorted. "And we have a liability this time - Thalia."
Percy sidestepped as an elderly couple hobbled past us. The woman's eyes flickered to our clasped hands and she smiled warmly, nudging her husband. They both gave us approving looks before getting lost in the growing crowds. "I'm sure David's men have better things to do than have a stake-out at a carnival grounds in hopes that their boss's enemy would show up with his girlfriend." Rolling his eyes, he pulled me to his side.
My heart gave a little trill at his words. Girlfriend. I smiled contently and wrapped my arms around his waist. "I'm still worried." I told him.
"I know, but I seriously wish you weren't. It'll be fine." Kissing the side of my head, we entered the fairgrounds. Whimsical music boomed through invisible speakers and the sounds of laughter and chattering incomers were loud and rambunctious. Children streaked past us, holding on tightly to balloons and their snow cones. The weather tonight had been merciful. While it was cold, there were no snow. Despite the chilly air, the people didn't seem to mind.
Booths were set up around the perimeter of the fair. Games and contests were held at every booth. The food courts were located near the edge of the fair while rides and machines dominated the main area. At the center loomed a big, colorful Ferris wheel, donned with flashing lights. Delighted squeals could be heard. My hand on Percy's tightened instinctively. "Really bad idea." I remarked.
"Don't worry." Percy urged. "Nothing will happen."
"How can you be so sure?" I asked him, brows furrowed.
"Because, I brought back-up." He announced.
My heart lurched. "So you do think something will happen."
"Let's go." He pulled me to a group assembled at the center of the fair, right next to the wheel. My breathing deepened as we neared the contraption. As we neared, Travis gave me an overexcited wave. Katie rolled her eyes at her husband's idiocy but gave me a warm smile nonetheless. A man that looked identical to Travis stood next to a woman with lanky brown hair and toned arms. "Where's Holly?" Percy asked.
"With my parents." Katie replied. "I didn't want to bring her tonight."
"Good. She shouldn't be here." Seeing my confused glances toward the two strangers with us, Percy made hasty introductions. I learned that the other man was Travis's identical twin brother, Connor and the other woman's name was Clarisse. They all followed under Percy's leadership when they were still in the gang, Katie included.
"So, what do we do?" Clarisse asked in a gruff voice.
"Keep your eyes peeled open for any suspicious looking people dressed in black." Percy instructed. "Don't go off on your own. Have someone with you at all times. Travis, Katie, especially you two. You have a kid to get back to. If at any times, you see them, do not engage. Send a quick text to the rest of us and get out. Don't wait for anyone. Get out as fast as you can, do you guys understand?"
They all nodded and dispersed. Gripping my hand tightly in his, we took off in the opposite direction in search of a wandering Thalia. "I feel bad." I commented.
"About what?" Percy murmured.
"They're risking their lives for someone they barely even know." I replied, casting my eyes to the dirt-streaked grounds. "What if one of them gets hurt?"
"They won't." Percy insisted. "They know how to fight and they're damn good at it. Everyone that used to be in the gang retains the majority of their fighting skills afterward."
"Okay," I breathed. "So, what do we do now?"
"Well, first, we're going to find Thalia. Then, I'll win you one of those cheap, poorly constructed stuffed animals." I cracked a small smile. "And lastly, we'll get on the Ferris wheel."
…
At one point during the night, Thalia had sauntered next to me. She'd disappeared for at least thirty minutes so her reappearance was a bit of a shock. "Where have you been?" I demanded. Percy gave me a half-hearted shush as he tried to concentrate on knocking all the bottles over on the stand with a ball. Contrary to his words, he still hadn't won me a stuffed animal and this would be the sixth try in twenty minutes. It wasn't his fault, I suppose. It had more to do with his lack of hand-eye coordination when it came to silly carnival mini-games.
"Wandering around." Thalia replied vaguely. "I wanted to give you two some alone time."
I snorted. "Funny."
Shrugging, she narrowed her eyes in Percy's direction. He pulled his arm back and angled the ball in his hand. The man running the booth was bleary-eyed as he waited for Percy to take his final shot. The ball flew from Percy's hand and hit three out of five bottles off the stand.
"Nice try, kid." The man responded, sliding off his stool to pick up the ball.
Rummaging around his pockets, Percy produced a crisp one dollar bill. I groaned lightly as he handed the money to the man, who looked just about ready to fake an aneurysm. Picking up a ball, he flung it at the bottles. Unfortunately, he overshot and the ball hit the back tarp instead. Thalia snorted in amusement. "He sucks." she whispered to me.
"Be nice." I told her, finding his attempts strangely endearing.
His second shot was aimed too low and it bounced off the stand. Thalia sighed under her breath and stepped forward. She held out her hand for the last ball and Percy handed it to her reluctantly. Skepticism was clear in his eyes as Thalia pulled back her arm and let the ball fly free. It smashed against the bottom row of bottles and bounced limply on the ground. The bottles tumbled forward, all six of them hitting the ground with muffled thuds. Grinning sheepishly, she pointed at the small panda bear hanging on the tarp.
The man smirked at Percy before reaching up to snatch the panda from the hook and handed it to Thalia, who hugged it to her chest. "H-how...?" Percy stuttered, staring at Thalia with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
"It's not that hard, Jackson." Thalia rolled her eyes. "Annabeth and I are pros at games like these. You just...you lack skill."
He swung his gaze to me and I shrugged, "You do kind of suck." I said impishly.
"Like you can do better!" He huffed. Percy thrust another dollar bill at the man, who handed him three balls. He chucked one at me and I caught it deftly, stepping up to the front of the booth. Percy crossed his arms over his chest and watched me closely. I took a deep breath and let the ball flew from my hand. Thalia let out a high pitched laugh as the bottles toppled to the grounds. Percy whimpered girlishly as the man brought down my stuffed animal of choice. I dragged Percy away from the booth and handed him the seahorse I picked out. Grudgingly, he took it from me. "This is so not how I planned out."
"Oh, you're such a baby." I retorted, rolling my eyes.
"You emasculate me." He muttered. "Ferris wheel time!"
"Uh, actually, I'm pretty tired." I lied. Percy grinned and shook his head. He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the center of the fairgrounds. Unfortunately, when we approached, the Ferris wheel stopped its duration and the people were let out. He handed the woman in charge of the ride two tickets and she ushered us into a cart. I gripped the edge of the seat tightly.
"Secure your seat belt." Percy instructed. I raised my hands to do it but it shook so badly, the clasp fumbled in my hands and fell back to the seat. Percy reached over and secured the belt. "Annabeth," he said, voice laced with concern. "It won't be that bad. I promise I'll - are you shaking?"
"I can't do this." I whimpered, leaning over the edge. The ground whirled and I pitched forward. The people gathered below were small and insignificant. Percy pulled me back as the cart moved upward. I gasped and adhered myself to him. The wheel was in full rotation now. The ground came into and out of focus. I clung to him tightly.
"Hey, Annabeth," Percy nudged me. "Open your eyes. The view's absolutely beautiful."
"No." I shook my head, keeping my eyes tightly closed.
"C'mon. Open your eyes for me."
Slowly, I parted my eyelids and peered down. Though the sight was dizzying, the overall view was absolutely beautiful; Percy was right. The rolling hills of Italy were accentuated by the streaks of sunset. Gasping, I leaned over the edge, wanting to drink in more of the sight. Percy pulled me back slightly. "Now, now, let's not go overboard. We don't want you to fall."
"It looks really beautiful." I breathed. From my vantage point, I could see Travis and Katie wandering around the fairgrounds, laughing and embracing. Katie leaned her head on Travis's shoulder and he kissed her forehead. I smiled and felt my heart melt at the sight. I didn't know how long they were married but it was evidently that they were still deeply in love. Near the food stands, I spotted Clarisse and Connor. They were bickering while waiting for their funnel cakes. A few feet away from them sat Thalia, phone pressed against her ear, a goofy smile spread across her face. I grinned. Luke.
Fixated by the sight, I didn't register Percy's hands on my waist as he pulled me tightly against him. He turned my face and smiled warmly at me. I leaned in and pressed my lips against him. He smiled during the kiss. I pulled apart and gave him a quick peck. "Are you still scared?" He asked.
"Not anymore." I answered truthfully. "I wonder why."
Percy chuckled and tightened his grip on my waist. He leaned in for another kiss but a faint buzzing halted him. Frowning, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. I waited patiently as he scanned the message. "Damn it." He hissed, stuffing the device back into his pocket.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my heart thudding in my chest. "Are they here?"
"Yeah. I-I don't understand how they could've found us." Percy growled. He peered over the edge. "Oh, good, they're letting us out." The wheel slowed down and we were dragged to the ground. The woman unhooked the clasp and Percy led us out. He ran through the crowd, my hand tightly gripped in his.
"Where's Thalia?" I gasped.
"She's with Travis and Katie. Connor and Clarisse are on their way out. Travis and Katie spotted them and alerted the rest of us. They're going back to Travis and Katie's; we're going to meet them there." Percy informed me as we ran.
"She can't know!" I blurted.
"I'll tell them not to tell her anything but Annabeth, we have to keep going!" He urged. I willed my legs to go faster. Risking a look around, I saw that there were six men racing toward us. They weren't dressed in black but rather in brightly colored clothing. That's where Percy miscalculated; he'd anticipated men dressed in black. "Damn it!" Percy cursed as the men started to gain speed. It was difficult to plow through groups cluttered around us and we made a point of trying to weave through them, but that only slowed us down. "There's too much of them."
He was right. Three of the six men were well within arm distance. Suddenly, Percy pushed me to the side. Startled, I stumbled slightly. He caught my arm and hauled me back to my feet. "Listen to me." he said forcibly. "I need you to run. Get out of here. Haul a taxi and tell them to bring you back to the hotel."
I shook my head, refusing to leave him.
"Annabeth, don't be stupid!" He growled. "Having you with me is a liability. They can hurt you and they won't even hesitate doing so."
"What about you?" I exclaimed.
"I'll be fine. I can handle all six of them but I need you to be safe." As he was talking, the men had come considerably much closer. In the low light, I could see the malice wafting off them. "Go.Now."
I took off blindly. I didn't make an effort to dodge anyone in my way. No one came after me; they were all focused on Percy. Thinking about him made my stomach twist and my heart ache. I didn't doubt his fighting skills but he couldn't last long in a fight with six men. I streaked past the food stands, past the ball toss where Percy had failed in every attempts to win me a toy, and arrived at the arch that marked the fairgrounds' entrance.
Stopping at the edge, I breathed in deeply, trying to catch my breath. My lungs heaved up and down rapidly and every inhale was short and sharp. Gasping, I turned around, my eyes scanning for Percy. From an outside observer, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, my eyes zoomed in to seven dark figures inching toward the perimeter of the woods located next to the carnival.
I contemplated pulling out my cellphone and calling the police but I knew it'd do more harm than good. Percy had made it clear one night that David had friends working for the police station. I bit my lips and looked up. The men had disappeared entirely from view. Percy was gone also. Shoving my phone back into my pockets but keep a close grip around it, I ran to my left.
Leaves crunched underfoot. The sliver of moon provided little illumination. Branches reached out and began a terror-inducing dance on my body. Chirps of crickets and other woodland insects sounded. Up ahead, I could heard the stomps of the men and the discorded stumbles of Percy. Their paces quickened and soon, any sounds that indicated their location was gone.
Clenching my jaw, I forged deeper. The woods narrowed and widened. In a few minutes, I could see the broad back of one of the men's. They were moving deliberately, knowing the area like it was painted on the back of their hands. With every fork in the path, a decision was made without hestitation. Soon, I'd lost them again.
Disregarding all cautious, I plunged in after them and the darkness of the trees engulfed me.