Annabeth's Pov

You know, I don't really know when things began to get so complicated. After that first time that Percy told me Gabe was out, I knew there was suddenly so much more to it. He wasn't telling me everything, and it was killing me. How am I supposed to help someone who won't even fucking let me in. It's frustrating and I'm constantly exhausted and I really want to be there for him, and for Thalia, and even for Leo, but they're all so evasive and I just want to help, which leads me to believe they don't want me to help, which. That hurts. A lot, and I kind of want to punch them all in the face, but if I was them, I'd probably not trust me, either.

I'm honestly just the most self-deprecating person there is, and lately it all just feels like it's piling on and piling on and sometimes it gets really hard to breathe, so I don't, and then I freak out because, as much as I try, something in me won't allow me to deny the air. And so I'm gasping, and I'm crying, and it's suffocating and then-then I can breathe again, and it's as if nothing happened, but that urge to just not breathe is there, and I have to pretend that it isn't and-for just a moment- I wish someone would look at me and just say- I know. It's not okay. There's something wrong with you. Because then at least we'd be acknowledging it, not pretending that I'm okay when I'm not, and maybe that's my way of asking for help or maybe I'm an attention-seeking imbecile, but frankly I know longer know the difference between who I am and who I'm not.

Every day it's easier to forget her. Then the dreams come and it's as if any other memory of her is gone except for that one- the one with her head squished between my hands, and my tears dribbling onto her nose, and her hair down for the first time I think I've ever seen it, and the blood matts it to her forehead, and I remember thinking she almost looked prettier this way, because at least it was over.

Then I worry the thoughts I'm having are mine and not hers, and...that terrifies me.

The Next Morning

It's almost funny, seeing his face as I walk down the hallway. I know it's petty, and I know I'll probably regret it, but I've made my bed and now I must lie. Notice I used the word 'lie' as opposed to the phrase 'lay in it.' Can you figure out why?

"Hey, Annabeth?" Matthew scoops up my hand and squeezes it, and I turn to him and attempt to ignore the feeling of that stupid Seaweed Brain looking at me. I focus in on Matthew's brown eyes, and his floppy brown hair, and his thick eyebrows, and I ignore the fact that I don't feel anything when he smiles at me. "Thanks for, um, you know." His grin is so genuine, I allow my gaze to soften slightly. I give him a tentative smile back, and that seems to give him more confidence. "Agreeing to the date and everything. I just- I'm glad you said yes."

I give out a small laugh, and squeeze his hand back. It feels wrong. Holding Jason's would be less uncomfortable than this, and his palms sweat like I've never seen. "Sorry it took me a while to agree, I just..." We were nearing my locker, and my gaze caught Percy's as his jaw clenched, abruptly turning and beginning to talk to Grover animatedly. "I've had a lot on my mind, I guess."

"Is everything okay?" He asks immediately, and I inwardly sigh. He seems so concerned though, and it makes my heart lurch slightly, so I give him a big smile and nod. He breathes a sigh of relief. "Good. I like it when you're happy."

And the sentiment is nice, but a part of me wonders if he'd like me if I wasn't.

Hazel's Pov

My breath catches in my throat as my father paces in front of me. We're in his office, and he's just told me what needs to be done, but I have absolutely no idea how I'm supposed to pull this off. My friends trust me, they care, and I'm keeping such a big thing from them and it's killing me, and I can just imagine Percy's face when he realizes-

"Hazel, I know that this is a lot to ask," he says, voice slightly gruff and uncomfortable as his obsidian eyes struggle to meet my own. "but Perseus doesn't even know Nico, yet, and we can't have him catching wind of this. Or anyone, for that matter." He squatted in front of me, where I sat on his huge, color of feces couch. His hands reached for me, but at my flinch he nodded almost sadly and backed off slightly. "Sorry, I forget." Of course he does. He wasn't there through any of it. His voice takes on a warm tone, and I relax slightly. "But, remember, I got you out of New Orleans, didn't I? You have new friends because of me, right? And you've taken care of the Samuel problem, too?"

Sammy, I mentally correct. I still see him every day, but I nod anyways.

"This will work out perfectly, then."

I look him square in the eye, and we both ignore the shake in my voice as I reply. "Yes, father."

Leo's Pov

I think I've made it pretty clear that I don't understand shit about anything, but I do understand this- Piper is mad at me. I have no idea why. All I know is that she's avoiding me like the plague, and she keeps cancelling our Sundae Sunday's, and Silena sends me these pitiful looks as if I'm a man on my way to my execution. Also, my foster family is getting tired of me. I can tell. I see their faces when I pass, their smiles as they stiffen at my sight, how they flinch when I make a sound above a whisper. They despise me. They loathe me. They abhor me.

I know what it all means. I know what happens next. So why is it so hard this time?

I breathe deeply in and out as I stuff my bag with a few necessities, pocketing the money I swiped from my foster mom earlier. If you get mugged, they take the bag and run. They don't usually check the pockets, especially when you're my age.

I wish I didn't know that.

I fist the letter I wrote Piper tightly in my fist, shame crippling me. I ruined everything. Again. Apparently it's the only thing I'm capable of doing.

It takes me almost an hour to get all the way to Piper and Silena's house, even if the bus driver on the Subway did take pity on my sorry ass and let me hitch a ride half way there. I drop the letter in their mailbox, dread spilling over me. If she doesn't already, she'll definitely hate me now. My only regret is that I never got to-

Shut it, Valdez. You need to stop thinking this way. Now more than ever.

She won't understand why; she'll hate me. Then she'll read the letter, and probably hate me even more, but oh well. It's not like I'll ever see her again.

I almost cry out as that thought hits me, but I close my eyes and shake my head twice, determination taking over me. No one will love me if I can't even fix myself first.

I turn away from the stupidly huge mansion, my trademark grin nowhere in sight now that no one was here to see it. Squaring my shoulders, I walked away, not looking back.

I've heard San Francisco's nice this time of year.

I want to thank those of you who reviewed, sorry I didn't mention you by name this time, but I will next time. Thank you for understanding :)

Hope you enjoyed it.