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~GoGreen52

Chapter 24- Pride and Prejudice

-Beth POV-

Being back in New York City is hard. The feeling that knowing someone is after me is harder. But, knowing someone I love doesn't love me anymore is the hardest.

Yes, I've seen the headlines- Percy Jackson and Rachel Elizabeth Dare Back Together!

I bought a copy of the TeenTopic magazine, the one that shows all famous people gossip. And Percy made the cover. He looks like he did before I met him… his eyes don't shine like they did when I knew him. His smiles never reach his eyes.

Mine never do anymore either. In fact, I look like a whole different person. Piper helped me change my look, and now I have brown straight hair, with the help of temporary hair dye and a flat iron. My eyes are a solid blue color, and I wear a different style of clothes than I did before.

Piper wants me to look bolder, considering it will help make me look different, and I honestly think she likes playing and experimenting clothes on me.

My clothes are usually striped lose shirts, that hang nicely, with skinny jeans. Piper even got me wearing high heels… heaven knows how she got me into them every day, but she has… good convincing techniques.

Leo, on the other hand, is way different. He falls in love with every girl he sees, besides me and Piper. Jason keeps him in check though, so no woman can get him to make a bad decision.

Jason… I'm not sure who he really is. He was in a car accident that took his memory of his childhood away from him, and he basically just started a whole new life with Piper and Leo, who took him in. He's… mysterious, I guess. But at the same time, he's one of the people you'd trust with your life, hands down.

"Beth! Let's go!"

I was taken out of my reverie by… Leo.

"What do you want, Leo?" I asked, angry he invaded my thinking time.

"We're going to the hotel! Let's go!" Leo exclaimed, and grabbed arm to make me come along. Leo is a head shorter than me, so it must look weird to outsiders.

"Okay, whatever you say."

He stopped pulling me about a block down, and just let me be, finally understanding we're going to have to walk a ways to get to the hotel, and neither of us had the money for a cab.

"So… can I ask you something?" Leo asked, walking at my pace, right beside me.

"Sure, go ahead."

Not smart.

"Why did Percy leave you? You know… because he's one of Piper's favorite singers," Leo said, blushing at the last part. I smiled a little bit- knowing he was just covering up his personal interest.

But, the memory of Percy leaving was painful. That internal pain that wouldn't go away, still didn't go away, is defiantly not the reason I get up every day.

I felt my feet stop as I remembered what happened that day.

The letter…

-FLASHBACK-

Dear: Miss Boyfriend Stealer.

You see? Percy will never really like you the way he likes me. He'll never love you. Like, who could ever like you with that snarly yellow dreads you have? Sorry, I guess you could call them curls, if you were blind. Now, miss boyfriend stealer, I want you to give up on Percy. He's mine. With your past, you'll never deserve him. But I do. I'm actually in his social class. Unlike a little idiot like you. If you ever show this to Percy, I know the man who killed your mother.

Yeah. That's right. I know who killed your mother. So tell Percy I sent you this, you're dead.

From: Me.

Oh my God.

She knows the killer.

But… her and Percy?

How?

I thought he loved me?

I thought he was the one?

How did this happen?

How did she even find out my mother died?

For all she could know, my mother might be living out in California.

How?

-END FLASHBACK-

Him coming into the store…

-FLASHBACK-

I rang up a few people, and tried to get how Percy screwed up my life, but I could never forget that letter. Rachel Elizabeth Dare sent me it, and now I'm scared. Scared crapless, if you catch my drift.

I was working on some paperwork, when I heard the door open, I looked up.

Oh no.

Percy walked in, and was looking at me with confusion. "Annabeth?"

"What do you want?" I snapped, my eyes only temporarily meeting his.

"Annabeth, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean what's wrong? You should've known not to, Percy!"

"Should've known not to what?" I'll give him credit, he looked genuine. But I knew he had acted in a few movies, so who knows what's real and what's not?

In answer, I held up the picture I got in the mail. From Rachel. Cue the barfing.

"Annabeth, when did you get this?" he asked, his face pained. I was looking at him now.

"Just yesterday."

"Don't you know I love you? How could you think I would ever do this?" Percy asked, gesturing to the picture. Now, I was actually confused. What?

"What do you mean?"

"Annabeth, this was a picture from when Rachel and I were dating."

Oh.

"I-I-"

He cut me off, "You can't trust me."

"Wai-"

He cut me off. Again, "If you can't trust me, maybe we shouldn't be dating."

"Per-"

And again, "I'm out of here."

He walked out of the book corner, slamming the door behind him.

-END FLASHBACK-

"Beth?"

"Beth, are you okay?"

I looked around, coming out of my past, and I saw a worried looking Leo, with bystanders looking at me like I was a freak. But, having already dealt with that before, I shook it off.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I guess my past just came back to me."

Leo looked at me, studying my face. It was as if he knew my every thought at that moment, but understood them all none of the less.

"Look, I'm sorry for asking the question… but, I guess my curiousity is the winner. And it still is… do you think you could tell me what happened?"

I shook my head. I had to go somewhere first. "Follow me, okay?"

He nodded, looking a little bit weary, though.

We walked five blocks to my favorite place in the world- my old corner bookshop. And judging by the name, some old friends took up on it. And now they call it- Thal and Juni's Corner.

As soon as I caught sight of it, I sprinted to go inside. It would be nice to just see them again. Leo looked shocked for a moment, but soon caught up to me. When we got there, I stood in front of the old bookstore.

You can do this.

I watched as my two best friends checked people out, smiling, but a light in their eyes was gone. And I know I was the cause for it. I guess it must take some guts to come here every day, knowing Percy and I broke up here, and not to mention- this was my home for a couple years.

"Thank you, come again!" Thalia exclaimed, as someone walked out of the shop. They looked content, and knowing customers like I do… they'd come back again.

I walked in the door, hearing the familiar chime that signals the door being open.

Juniper walked up to Leo and I, taking a second glance at me, but she shook it off and asked, "How may I help you two today?"

"Oh, we're just looking around," I said, elbowing a speechless Leo in the ribs.

Juniper giggled a little bit. "Let me know if you need anything."

We walked around the store, and somewhere through this, Leo left me to look at what he likes. Finally, I thought.

I heard the chimes signal another person either left or came in the store, but I didn't care at the moment. I was too busy looking for my favorite book, Pride and Prejudice. All of the sudden I felt someone tap me on the back.

"Sorry… erm… you can't buy that book."

I turned around to see Thalia and Mrs. Jackson. They both looked a bit sheepish, as if they knew they could've avoided this. And yes, they could've. I took the book I had in my hands and looked in the front cover.

Annabeth,

I noticed you reading this book in the library…

I hope you like it.

Love,

Mom.

I looked at my mother's signature, and closed my eyes. This was my book.

"Here," I said, handing it to Thalia. She gave me a small smile and walked away. But… Mrs. Jackson, on the other hand, didn't.

"What's your name, sweetie?" Mrs. Jackson asked me, giving her signature smile. It reached her eyes.

"Beth…" I said, trying to play it stupid.

As soon as I told her my name, her eyes lit up.

Uh oh.

But, instead of saying anything, she nodded at me, and walked away. Well… that was weird.

Leo walked over, giving me a questioning look, as if to say, "What was that?" I just shook my head, and walked out of the store. But before I did, Mrs. Jackson cut me off, so to say, and handed me a different copy of the Pride and Prejudice.

Before I could say anything, she said, "Don't worry- it didn't cost me a dime."

I smiled at her, giving a quick thanks, and walked out of the store.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

After finally getting back to the hotel, I laid down, and opened that book. Though, as I did, a piece of paper fell out.

I looked at it for a second, not sure what to do… call Leo? Read it? What?

Curiousity got to me, and I opened it up.

'Beth'-

I know your secret. Not to sound scary or anything, but I finally figured it out.

Come to my house tomorrow at six for a dinner. I want to know what happened.

Don't worry about Paul- he's out with friends on a fishing trip.

I know you're really Annabeth Chase.

-Sally Jackson

All I could think was:

Man… Jason and Piper are going to kill me.

.