~ Hey Angels ~
It's Seaweed Brain Sunday and I'm finally on WINTER BREAK! Woooo!
I'm so sorry I didn't update on Wednesday, I'm honestly not lying when I tell you my internet just isn't working. I've tried rebooting, turning my laptop on and off - nothing works. It's something to do with my laptop because my phone connects fine and it says there is wifi, it just doesn't seem to want to connect :/
Anyway...so to make up for it, there will be Memory Monday next week because I want to get you all up to a certain point in the story before I take a week off for Christmas. *****
Who's excited!? So far I've watched Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, Arthur Christmas and A Christmas Prince.
Anyone got any other Christmas movie recommendations? I have yet to see Love Actually and The Holiday.
Shadowed. Angel - OH MY GOSH, reading your review made me almost cry with happiness! Thank you so so much for all those wonderful comments about Memories/ Dreams and my writing, I honestly can't even tell you how much I smiled when I came across them. Oh and yes, they are both part of a trilogy so there will be a third book after this one. And, my lovely reader, I won't let ANYTHING happen to you either ;) I hope you like this chapter and see you very soon. LOTS OF LOVE ~ AWG XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Dimitri Jinx - OH MY GODS, I LOVE YOU FOR STICKING UP FOR ME. Thanks girly! Also, super happy that you liked Athena and that you picked out on the dishes scene. Aaahhh, just thank you, this review gave me faith in my story again! Sorry I didn't update on Wednesday, I honestly tried to but as I said...wifi :/ Lots of love ~ AWG
The Book is Always Better - I know, he's such a sweetheart. I don't really know how restraining orders work fully, tbh, but I'm gonna have it cleared because Annabeth willingly chose to live with her mother and you can legally leave home at 16 in America. Oh really, I thought I'd avoid boring everyone with the detail, maybe I judged that wrong. I'm sorry, there's much more detail in this one. ~ AWG xx
Book. - I was just about to update and then I saw your review and, omgs, I simply had to reply. Eeek, thank you so much! So glad you like Athena and Sally, I really wanted them to be the best moms they could be. Also, super happy that we're on the same page about the necessity of Annabeth having to go through that tough stage for the benefit of the story. Haha, I know, it was such a relief to finally post the bit about her leaving Helen. Funny you should mention that now because there are quite a few different POVs in here from Annabeth, Percy and Silena and there will be one from Jason and Piper in the next chapter. Thank you so much for the review.
There are some more review responses at the end of the chapter but for now, ENJOY READERS! x
Chapter 7
It All Comes in Waves
Annabeth POV
"One morning she woke up different. Done with trying to figure out who was with her, against her, or walking down the middle because they didn't have the guts to pick a side. She was done with anything that didn't bring her peace. She realised that opinions were a dime a dozen, validation was for parking, and loyalty wasn't a word, but a lifestyle. It was this day that her life changed. And not because of a man, or a job, but because she realised that life is way too short to leave the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket."
Saturday 23rd October
Waking up to warm sunlight on my face and the satisfaction of knowing I could sleep in as long as I wanted was overwhelming. No more 5:30 alarms. No more café shifts. No more following orders. This was ultimate freedom.
Last night had been the best night's sleep I'd had in my 16 years of existence. I suppose my body had never welcomed sleep more than it had after going days without it. I felt completely replenished—more myself. Every single trace of the Adderall side effects was long gone and now I could put it all behind me.
It was just turning 8:30 as I looked at my phone. There was a long list of texts and missed calls on the screen but I didn't look to see who they were from. I shuddered a little, throwing my phone back onto the bed, I didn't want to look at any of that right now. I slid out from the covers and over to my closet. The staff had unpacked my suitcase for me and loaded all my clothes into the draws. There wasn't much to fill them with yet, but I had what I needed. I borrowed a white silk robe hanging from the door, wrapping it over my pyjama shorts and tank top and quietly left to go downstairs.
My mother was sat at the large breakfast table in the dining room, in a dark blue silk nightgown and robe. She was reading a newspaper as she sipped a steaming hot cup of coffee with a bowl of fruit and yoghurt sitting in front of her. Amara came over and poured some more into her cup, which she thanked her dearly for before going back to her paper.
"Good morning." I smiled brightly, gliding into the room.
It was weird; being here, being happy, it just made me change instantly. My voice was more tuneful, my walk was more dancey because I had a purpose now. I just felt better.
"Good morning, darling." She smiled. "Will you join me?"
"Of course." I smiled sitting perpendicular to her at the table as the waiters came over asking what I would like. The table was so large that we used less than half of it bunched together at the end, but it was nice to sit so close to her.
"Oh...um..." I wracked my brains trying to think of something to ask for. I just wasn't used to being able to pick what I ate for breakfast, I usually had to make do with what we had in the fridge.
"Pick anything you like. Daniel is the best chef in town." My mother smiled.
"Pancakes?" I asked as my eyes lit up, remembering how my mother used to make them for me when I was younger.
"Pancakes for the lovely lady." The gentleman said. "Any requests for a topping?"
"Um...strawberries and Nutella?" I asked nervously, not wanting to be difficult but he just smiled at me warmly.
"Excellent choice." He winked before asking my mother if she wanted anything else and disappearing from the dining room, into the kitchen.
"You have wonderful posture, darling." My mother smiled at me and I couldn't help blushing. "And your bone structure is quite lovely. It really shows off your complexion."
"Thank you." I smiled brightly, feeling flattered but also like I didn't deserve that kind of praise.
"I always knew you'd be a head turner." She smiled. "I bet most of the boys fall head over heels for you."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that." I giggled and then we fell into an easy conversation until my food came. It looked amazing and tasted even better.
"So, I was thinking, " she smiled at me, "you should come to work with me today. I can show you around the office and you can look at all my designs, maybe even show me some of yours. I think if you want to drop out of school and continue with online college, which I am more than happy to pay for, it would be good for you to get a job."
My eyes lit up. "Oh, please." I smiled. "I'd love nothing more."
She smiled. "I'll take you shopping so we can get you some smart work clothes and maybe some casual ones since you left most of them at home."
I smiled. Though I'd never actually liked shopping, a day out shopping with my mother sounded perfect. "Sounds like a plan."
~xXx~
We left in a frickin' limo which Bobbie and Matthew were extremely excited about. I guessed that this didn't happen often. They told me stories about how Matthew had broken his arm once, trying to ride his bike with no hands and how Bobbie had got lost in Central Park for an hour on a school trip after following the wrong school group by accident. Matthew cracked up hysterically as he told the story.
We walked into school as a family to drop them off and I held their hands to the door. I smiled as they both gave me a hug before running inside, shoving each other to the side and yelling that the other one was faster. My mother yelled at them to stop fighting and I laughed as we walked back to the limo together.
I was in simple jeans and a warm jumper since we were just about to go and buy new clothes for me anyway. She, however, was in a stylish dark blue coat dress with a gold belt fitted tightly around her slender waist, black heels and sunglasses again. She looked a million dollars.
So we spent that morning walking around the city, going to seriously expensive clothes shops. I didn't even want to know how much she was spending on me. I tried to tell her she didn't need to but she would just wave me off and say she liked buying clothes for me. Eventually, I gave up and started to enjoy it. Yes. I actually started enjoying shopping. Can you believe it?
We eventually ended up in a nice cafe where we sat drinking coffee for a few moments in our stylish work outfits. I wore smart tight fitted black jeans, a white top with a nude pink blazer over the top and matching nude pink pointy heeled pumps. She let me keep my necklace on, knowing that it was Percy's but not pressing on the matter. I knew she had her suspicions and well...they were right...I did like him...I still really really liked him, but I wasn't going to say that now, was I?
I briefly checked my phone on the cafe table and saw the text messages from him and a missed call. There were multiple from the girls as well but I couldn't bring myself to look at them so I just turned my phone off.
"Seems to me like your friends are trying to get in contact with you." My mother smiled at me gently from across the table.
I sighed. "I just can't talk to them right now."
She nodded understandingly. "I've called the school and let them know what's happening and I've talked with social services. They are setting everything up now that you've willingly decided to live with me. If it's what you want...I can make you part of the family again. Helen will likely be charged with unlawful custody."
I smiled. "I'd like nothing more than to be part of your family again."
A rush of emotions filled her eyes. "Then it's settled. I shall talk more with social services this week but for now, the restraining order is off and you can stay with me." She smiled, sipping her iced coffee.
"Will I get my stuff back?" I asked.
"Of course, and if you like...I can take you over there if you want to say your last goodbyes to..." She took a breath. "To..."
"Dad?" I finished for her softly and she nodded. "I'll think about it." I smiled, thanking her.
~xXx~
I couldn't shut my mouth when we reached Athena Associates, not because I was chatting but just because my jaw was dropping down to the floor. I stared at everything in awe, following her inside with Angela trailing us close behind.
People seemed to move out of the way as my mother came through as though she was royalty. She held her head high as her heels clicked on the floor and I tried to mimic that. She spoke to numerous people on the way up to the top floor; the secretaries, people passing in the corridor who would nod at every order she gave them before scuttling off to fulfil them. I noticed everyone jumping into alert when they saw her coming down the corridor, trying to make themselves look better and more presentable in every way before she saw them. I felt like I was watching Miranda Priestly walking through her fashion magazine building for the first time in The Devil Wears Prada.
The only difference was—everyone loved her.
She showed me all the different rooms and all the people she worked with. It was honestly the best experience I'd ever had; sharing my ideas with some of the top designers in the country. Talking about architecture with them suddenly made me talk freely and fluently like I had never been self-conscious in social situations before. My mother would just stand back and smile as though she was so proud and it was just the best feeling—to find your place in the world where people accept you for who you are.
I left that place feeling like I was part of something bigger, you know, like I had a purpose on this earth now. I was no longer restricted to waitressing in a cafe or cleaning an old ladies house, I was designing buildings with the most famous architecture company in the world. And for the first time, I felt like I had the world in the palm of my hands.
~xXx~
Silena POV
Thursday 29th October
There was a certain negative atmosphere between the group, with Annabeth gone. She had been absent a week now and I worried about her every single moment of every single day.
Sometimes I'd see a flash of blonde hair in the corridor and call out her name, only to be disappointed that it was somebody else.
Knowing that we had left things in such a state was tearing me apart. I wanted to see her—to tell her how sorry I was but she didn't give me that chance…
I guess I just missed her, that's all.
The only info we got from the school was that someone called in to say that Annabeth had dropped out and that was it. I felt empty a lot of the time with her gone now, like there was a piece of me missing. The worst part of it was the fact that she hated me and there was nothing I could do about it because I didn't even know where she was or what she was doing.
We all sat at our usual table in the cafeteria, Drew, Rachel and Calypso were with us. I didn't really know what was going on but we'd made some sort of alliance or rather they'd forced their way back into the group and the others and I didn't have the energy to argue. It just felt like everything was falling apart with her gone and it was mainly because of him.
Percy was like a different Percy nowadays, he wouldn't talk, he wouldn't eat, he'd barely spend time with us anymore. He'd started smoking more often now, not like every day but before he only had one every few months and now it was once every few weeks. It was because of that that the group fell on edge. We knew that this whole thing was killing him but there was nothing we could do to cheer him up and that was enough to make us all anxious.
What really broke my heart was the fact that Percy tried real hard to act naturally around us, he really did. He tried to smile, he tried to laugh but it just wasn't the same. We had lost the real Percy a week ago. That was Percy's nature you see, no matter how bad things got, he always tried to stay strong for everyone, but this...this was too much, this was breaking him. Sure, it had been awful when Annabeth left him when he was maybe ten but now he's eighteen, he's matured, his attachment to her has grown so much stronger and it's even worse.
He wouldn't even do his usual pranks with Grover and the Stoll's anymore. He wouldn't even look at any of the girl's in the school. I mean, he'd never been interested in them before but you know Percy, he flirts with them naturally. Now it's like looking at a girl just reminds him of her and that hurts him more than words can express. He missed her. We all did.
"You coming to football practice tomorrow, Perce?" Grover asked cautiously, trying to lighten the mood.
Percy glanced up from his water bottle which he was staring at mindlessly. He seemed out of it like he was a million miles away as he finally focused on Grover.
"Uh...sure...I'll be there." He nodded slowly and my heart sank for him.
Gently, I placed a hand to his shoulder trying to comfort him but he just shrugged me off. I gasped, feeling a little disheartened but I didn't let it get to me and Charlie took my hand to cheer me up as he whispered comforting words in my ear.
"I wonder what Annabeth's doing right now…" Piper murmured, pushing her pasta salad around the plate with a fork. "I hope she's okay."
"No thanks to you." Percy muttered, making her flinch. The two of them had been on edge ever since last Thursday when Annabeth had been arrested.
"Percy—" Piper started breathlessly, her expression so pained. It was heart-breaking. Anyone could tell that she hated the fact he was still mad at her.
"Leave her alone, man, you know she didn't ask for any of this." Jason snapped. "It's your fault for lying to her in the first place. She left because of you, not Piper, okay. Deal with it."
"Back off, Jason." Thalia cut in before Percy cold start yelling at her brother. I could see the anger all over his face but there was guilt there too and a lot of it. "You gotta let this whole car crash thing go. Everyone knows you're still mad at him but I'm fine, he's fine. Can't you just forgive him and make up? You two are supposed to be best friends."
Jason glared between Thalia and Percy, but he didn't respond which I took as a solid 'no'. He had been absolutely furious at him for drink driving with his sister in the car. After screaming at him in the hospital and practically banishing him from Thalia's life, neither of them spoke for days. It put a massive hole in the group because people felt compelled to take sides even if they didn't want to.
"Let's just all calm down and have some silence for a while, yeah?" Reyna said, cutting through the tension and using that reasoning tone of hers that she was famous for.
The two powerful yet clashing friends huffed but neither of them spoke. There was an awkward silence for a really long time and none of us knew where to look. I found myself transfixed by the flame coming from the lighter that Leo was playing with, at the end of the table. My eyes began to hurt and suddenly someone spoke up and I blinked, shaking my head.
"I really didn't mean for any of this to happen, Percy. Please, at least try to understand that." Piper begged.
Percy scoffed shaking his head.
"What do you want me to say?" She asked. "Tell me and I'll say it."
"I'd prefer it if you didn't say anything, actually." He retorted. "In fact, if you had kept your mouth shut, none of this would have happened. You snitched on your own friend and because of you, she got arrested. Now she's gone for good."
"I only told Mr. Walker because I was worried about her! I thought he would maybe talk to the school and a counsellor, I didn't think he would call the police!"
"Yeah, well maybe you should have thought of that before." He muttered.
"I—I'm sorry…" She whispered.
"It's not me you should be apologising to."
Piper's eyes began to well up and soon she was quickly getting to her feet and running away in tears.
"You're an absolute dick, you know that?" Jason frowned, before running after his girlfriend.
Silence again.
It was all this group was good at now. Awkward silences and uncomfortable glances.
Everything came in waves now—the happy moments, the sad moments. They were like huge powerful waves, never small ones. We were either extremely happy and giggly or we were hurting and yelling at each other like never before.
Ultimate ups and devastating downs.
There was no in between.
"Gods, when are we all gonna cheer up? It's like a zombie vill here. If I wanted to sit in silence I would have gone to sit in the library with, Annabeth." Drew scoffed and we all stared at her in shock before Percy bashed his fist on the table loudly. I jumped in shock looking at his menacing face.
"You shut your mouth about A—" His voice cut off suddenly as though he couldn't even say her name. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes before opening them and glaring at Drew. "You shut your mouth about her or I'll shut it for you." He snarled and she shut up instantly. "Who even said you could sit at this table? Fuck off, all three of you!"
"Percy—" Rachel started softly.
"Go away, Rachel! I mean it!" He shouted. "Get the hell out of my life!"
With a huff, Drew rose from the table and stormed off and Calypso quickly scampered after her. For a moment, Rachel stayed looking at Percy with sad eyes. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to leave him.
"I still love you…you know that, Percy." She whispered and in the seconds afterwards, I saw Percy's expression crack, his eyes soften and his eyebrows furrow.
Then she stood up and slowly walked away, glancing back ever so briefly before disappearing out of the cafeteria.
All of our eyes turned to Percy after that. I saw the pain and the complete and utter misery within them. It made me want to cry.
He sighed. "I need some air." He said in a low husky voice as he got up from the table, pulled his hood up from his black hoodie and walked out of the cafeteria without another word. He'd been wearing hoodies nonstop nowadays as if he could hide behind them and bar himself from the world around him.
"I knew this would happen." I whispered helplessly.
"What do you mean?" Charlie asked me and I turned back to the others who looked just as confused. I glanced at Grover who nodded at me and we both began to explain what was really going on.
"So now you know." I said softly, having told them all the story of young Percy and Annabeth.
"Just think what it would be like for Percy to lose one of us and then double the pain." She sighed. "He hasn't stopped loving her since the day she left." Drew and Rachel seemed to stare at her in shock as if they couldn't believe it...they refused to believe it. I loathed them for that. Annabeth was twice the woman they'd ever be.
"That would explain why he got so attached to her all of a sudden." Charlie nodded.
"And why he turned into a love-sick puppy around her." Leo sniggered, making jokes with the Stoll's at the end of the table.
"Shut up!" Reyna hissed, slapping all three of them.
"It's not like you don't choke up every time Calypso walks into the room." Grover mocked, low fiving Travis for that. All four of them began arguing at the end of the table and the rest of us decided to just ignore them.
"He never told me…" Thalia murmured. "I never even knew what he was going through. Oh Gods—he must be devastated." She seemed so genuinely hurt and concerned for him now.
"I can't talk about this anymore." I shook my head, getting up from the table.
"Silena wait!" Charlie called but I was already walking away. I just couldn't sit there and talk about Annabeth anymore. I missed her terribly and it seemed that everywhere I went, I was reminded of her and that...that was just too painful.
~xXx~
Annabeth POV
Woah. A whole week since I'd left school. Somehow, the time had moved so quickly.
Of course, whenever I thought about it, it made me unbearably upset but I had to cope with it to keep this life. This life was good for me—it was healthy. I was no longer waking up early hours, losing sleep and being isolated all the time and there was no more drama and I needed that.
I was finally happy. Don't I deserve to be happy?
I didn't want to lose that and if Percy's the cost, then I was just going to have to accept it.
I wonder what he's doing right now...
Song Tribute: [The Sun is Rising – Britt Nicole]
I was sitting in the back of the stylish black BMW that my mother had hired for me with my own personal driver until I learned to drive myself. I'd already started lessons and I was excited beyond belief. I wore a grey and white thin striped T-shirt tucked into a long pastel pink pencil skirt that reached past my knees and white pointy heeled pumps. Black sunglasses lay over my eyes and I carried a white leather flat clutch. I had just come back from Athena Associates which is why I was all dressed up.
My mother had had to stay behind for her kickboxing session with her personal trainer. Yes, my mom kick-boxes and she's good at it too. She'd insisted on cancelling to come with me, but I'd told her this was something I needed to do on my own.
I wanted the time to mull over my emotions alone.
Well, actually I wasn't alone because there were lawyers, cops and child service people everywhere. I took a breath and slowly stepped out of the car, peeling off my sunglasses as I went. I walked up the front steps and stepped inside. The door was open and there were cops everywhere. Hiding away, I slipped upstairs.
The house had mostly been emptied of stuff which, of what I wanted, was going back to my mother's. I walked into my room which was empty too now and shut the door behind me. Though this had never been home, I'd miss this room. It had been the only place where I'd felt safe when I'd lived here. I ran my fingers along the empty bookshelves and looked out of the window one last time.
I remembered watching Percy climb up the tree I was looking at now and I started to picture dancing with him that night. A blissful smile decorated my face, but I shook it away furiously. I could not think about that right now.
So I forced myself to walk out that room and close that door for the last time. My heels clicked along the floor as I wandered along the corridor. I'd gotten rather used to moving around in heels at work now. It had been a pact me and my mother had made. I was allowed to drop out of school and work for her only if she was allowed to pick my outfits, which come to think of it isn't really that bad a deal.
It wasn't the same thing as Helen wanting me to look presentable though, my mother wanted to pick my outfits simply because of the fact that she loved buying me clothes. I think it was her way of making up for lost time.
I slowly walked downstairs and saw that Helen was in the kitchen sat at the table with two police members and a social services woman.
"Annabeth, dear." She smiled standing up and taking a few steps towards me but the policeman stopped her. She looked at him in shock. "You can't take her from me."
"I'm sorry miss...I'm afraid we can." He told her and she scowled at me.
"Annabeth...I forbid you to do this." She ordered.
"Who are you to tell her otherwise?" The policeman frowned.
"I am her mother." She frowned, looking back at me now and for that one moment, I felt like the last hooks she had dug inside me were now being pulled out by nothing but my own two hands.
I took a deep breath and held my head up high, remembering every cruel thing she had done and said to me, every insult, every violent act and every threat. "You have never been...and you never will be...my mother." I told her softly but firmly.
She gasped and with that, she was handcuffed and taken outside. She squabbled and squealed as she went, yelling horrible insults at me but they no longer even made a dent. I'd learned to live with people who treated me like trash and I'd learned to look past the evil to only see the light. Right now, I felt like a dove just starting to take flight, to leave the terrible place called the ground and rise up into the sky where happy endings finally existed.
I stepped outside and walked over to the BMW. Before Helen was pushed into the back of the police car, I looked at her with sympathy. I couldn't help but pity the woman, jail was a scary place. I took a deep breath as she looked at me with jealousy and horror.
"I forgive you." I murmured and with that, her eyes widened and softened a little as if she couldn't believe I was showing her that kind of kindness.
A wave of absolute relief washed over me. Then I sighed, stepping into the car and we drove away.
And this time, I didn't look back.
~xXx~
Percy POV
Friday 30th October
Song Tribute: [How to Save a Life – The Fray] - (Shoutout to my girl Hermione Historia Chase for this one)
"Jackson, get your ass on the field!" Coach yelled and my eyes shot open. I'd been spacing out. I did that a lot recently because of...I can't finish that sentence.
I leapt to my feet, pulling my helmet on and running out onto the field. I wasn't really up for playing football right now but maybe it would be a good stress reliever— he lied to himself. Shut up brain!
I breathed heavily as I waited for the ball to be snapped back and suddenly it was in my arms and I was running and dodging. I didn't really know what was happening and all of a sudden, I just stopped. I could hear yelling voices around me but they were all faint like I was underwater or something. My heart raced in my chest and I could hear my deep breathing and then I saw her face. I saw her perfect smile and I realised I was remembering the night she'd come to see my football game.
"Annabeth?" I murmured, feeling my heart sinking in my chest. I missed her more than I'd miss my own limb if someone cut it off. It was literally driving me insane, like I was turning into this ghost of a person. I didn't even know who I was anymore.
"Jackson!" I heard someone yell furiously and suddenly I was being knocked into the ground, hard and the ball flew out of my arms. It didn't hurt too much, although it was a pretty good tackle, I'd just gotten used to that now. I didn't get up. I couldn't get up. I just stared at the sky watching my life waste away. This had been my worst fear. I had literally told myself not to let her in again but what did I go and do? I went and let her in again and now this has happened.
Suddenly, I saw worried faces above me and I recognised my teammates. "Let me through, let me through!" Coach yelled, barging his way into my view. He was frowning at me but I didn't really care. There was nothing I really cared about anymore with Annabeth gone. It felt like there was no purpose to my life anymore. "Someone help him up." He groaned and Grover and Beck both offered me hands which I took lazily as they pulled me up.
"What was that, Jackson?" Coach frowned at me and I pulled my helmet off drearily, giving him a shrug.
"Sorry Coach, I was...distracted." I mumbled.
"Yeah, well you've been distracted a lot lately." He frowned. "I think you need a break, son."
"What are you talking about?" I frowned.
"Coach, you can't seriously—" Beck started but he was cut off.
"I don't want to do this, but I have to cut you off the team."
"What?" I cried and the rest of the team backed me up, sharing my shocked look. I'd never been cut from the team before. Never.
"You're not playing your best anymore and I need you to be strong for the upcoming big games. Go take a couple of weeks off."
"But Coach we need him to practice with." Jason frowned, and I was surprised at him for sticking up for me but I was grateful all the same.
Truthfully, I thought it was completely fair of him to be so mad at me. I would if I was him.
"I know that, but we don't need this." Coach gestured to all of me.
I scoffed, throwing my hands up. "You know what?" I shook my head, raising my eyebrows. "Fine." I shrugged, dropping my helmet on the floor. I didn't give a shit anymore. I wanted outta there. "Fine."
"You can try out in a couple of weeks." Coach said.
"Bull shit!" I yelled and everyone stared at me in shock. "Get yourself a new captain cause I'm outta here." I didn't say another word as I stormed off the pitch, snatching my water bottle up on the sidelines and pouring it over my head. I shook my hair and ran my hands through it, pulling the strands vigorously as I stormed into the locker room to get changed. Football practice seemed like the least of my worries now anyway.
I was too busy dealing with these waves—each one more powerful and destructive than the other. I'd always been able to ride them but now it seemed that all I was good at was drowning underneath them.
Now that she was gone...
~xXx~
Annabeth POV
Just spending a few days with my mother changed me entirely. Not because I was happier—I mean, of course, I was happier—but it was the fact that I was becoming more and more like her.
My work experience gave me confidence and a maturity I'd never known before. I'd always been quite mature for my age, but this was different. I was becoming more graceful and elegant—ladylike if you like—from the way I sat, to the way I even walked.
I liked this new me.
I wasn't all that different, but I just had that little extra spark that I'd been missing, and it had been my mother who was able to light it.
"Start her up then." She smiled as we sat in the black BMW.
I turned the keys and the engine roared to life. It was the day after I had seen Helen again at my old house but that memory seemed a mile away as though it had happened months ago and I no longer even blinked thinking about it.
She watched me shifting to first gear and pulling up the handbrake, exactly as I had been taught. "Okay, now check your mirrors and look over your shoulder for pedestrians."
"Mom, we're in our driveway."
"It's all in good practice." She smiled teasingly.
I rolled my eyes, doing as she said. "Okay, now let the clutch up slowly."
The car began to move, and I slowly pulled out, shifting to second gear. I was a little nervous but I'd read up on this and I was 99.9% sure of what I was doing.
"That's right, now straightened her up and switch to third gear." She smiled.
She directed me down a road in the outskirts of the city so it was long, straight and empty with plain fields either side of it. I picked up the speed and she turned the radio on. 'Shut Up And Drive' by Rihanna came on and we both laughed as I stepped on the pedals and sped down the road. The wind whipped through our hair through the open windows and I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my entire life.
We both squealed as we descended a small hill, feeling butterflies in our stomachs and when we returned to the city I started to drive slower. We practiced parallel parking, three point turns and some other manoeuvres that would be in the test. When we finally returned home I felt like a pro.
"Well...that was fun." She grinned as we got out of the car.
"Wasn't it just?" I giggled as we walked up the driveway; she in her stylish outfit and me in my light blue boyfriend jeans, grey and mint Nike hoodie and white high-top converses. It was getting colder and colder here in New York City. Winter was definitely on its way and this year was the first time I'd actually been excited about Christmas.
I got my driver's licence a week or so later.
~xXx~
Silena POV
Monday 2nd November
I was walking through the school corridor with Charlie at my side and we were both talking about Annabeth and Percy...again. It wasn't really a topic I could avoid when I was reminded of it in Percy's distraught face every time.
"I'm just worried about Annabeth..." I sighed. I'd already gone around to her house but she wasn't there anymore. There was a 'for sale' sign up there now and I was terrified that Helen had kidnapped her and dragged her abroad or something. "I haven't spoken to her at all. What if she's hurt? What if—"
"Well, if you love her so much why don't you date her instead of me?" Charlie scoffed, cutting me off and I looked up at him in shock.
"What are you saying?" I gasped.
"I'm saying that all you ever talk about is Percy and Annabeth. I hardly ever see you anymore and when I do it's like you're not even there." He scowled and that broke my heart.
"I know that, Charlie..." I sighed. "I'm just...I'm finding it all really hard to cope with. Annabeth doesn't deserve this..." I murmured and he scoffed again, making me jump a little.
"Annabeth doesn't? This whole thing is her fault." He frowned.
"No Charlie, you just don't understand." I tried to reason with him.
"No." He said in a low grouchy voice. "I don't...but what I do know is that my best friend is miserable and it's all because of her. Believe me, I really liked her before but forgive me if I dislike her now because of that. Percy doesn't deserve this! I don't deserve this!" He scowled, gesturing between himself and me.
I gasped, stopping all of a sudden. "Charlie...you don't mean..." I gulped and he sighed heavily.
"I think we need to take a break." He said in a low voice, not even looking me in the eye.
I was at the brink of tears as I shook my head slowly, covering my mouth in shock.
"Look...it's clear that neither of us are really committed to a relationship right now and I think it's best to end it this way than to have it go on and get even messier." He sighed.
"But I am committed." I murmured. "I love you."
"Do you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, I do!" I frowned, utterly shocked that he doubted me.
"I'm sorry Silena, I just...I don't want to hurt you but—" He shook his head backing up a little now. "I can't do this anymore." He held his hands up defensively. "I'm sorry baby." He whispered and then he turned and walked away and that's when the tears came flooding down my cheeks.
"Charlie!" I called but he wouldn't look back.
I felt my heart shattering in my chest and every broken piece ripped at my insides like a thousand tiny little pieces of glass. My breathing was unsteady and I was still covering my mouth. I knew the majority of the people in the corridor were watching but I couldn't think about that right now. I couldn't think about anything except the fact that in the midst of all this turmoil Charlie would actually leave me like that.
My eyes landed on Percy, walking through the corridor and then he looked up at me. All previous sadness disappeared from his eyes when he saw my expression and he looked concerned now. I whimpered a little, feeling my knees start to buckle and he rushed over, catching me before I fell.
"Hey hey, Silena look at me. Breathe. What's wrong? What happened?" He frowned worriedly, stroking my hair back with both hands as I grabbed at his hoodie desperately.
"Charlie dumped me." I sobbed.
"What?" He frowned in shock. "Why?" I loved this about Percy, even through all his pain he was here for me. He would comfort me even when he himself wasn't happy.
"He thinks that with Annabeth gone and me worrying about you two all the time, that I'm not committed to our relationship anymore." I sobbed again.
"Oh Sil, I'm so sorry." He sighed heavily. "It's my fault."
"No...no it's not. Don't say that, Percy." I shook my head.
"But it is." He frowned softly, wiping a tear from underneath my eye. "I'll try and talk to him." He said, letting me go and all I could do was nod before he took off down the corridor. I whimpered again, disappearing into the girl's bathroom. I needed to be alone and out in the corridor, like this, I felt like I was on a reality TV show.
~xXx~
Annabeth POV
It was a beautiful autumn morning as I walked side by side with my mother through Central Park. Leaves covered the wide stone path in floods of vibrant oranges, yellows, reds and warm browns. It was getting more and more cold nowadays with every blow of the breeze.
I wore black heels, black tights and a navy blue peplum flare dress coat with the collar up around my neck. I wore black sunglasses because it was still sunny out but I'd pushed them to the top of my head. My mother wore the most gorgeous white winter coat, making her beauty seem effortless. One day I wanted to be a mom like her.
We chatted easily as we strolled through the park, leisurely taking our time on the journey to Athena Associates. I looked up at the trees above us, losing leaves and swaying in the gentle breeze. It was all so wonderful and the smell of the fresh air around us only made me breathe it all in even more.
I couldn't believe how utterly perfect my life was now. Who would have thought that the slave girl, who used to have no friends and no real family would end up with such a life as this? I sighed blissfully.
"Happy?" My mother smiled, linking her arm in mine.
I hummed in agreement. "Yes." I smiled warmly. "I still can't believe this is my life now. I don't see how it could be any more perfect."
She smiled softly, tightening her grip on me and leaning over to rest her head on the top of mine as we slowly walked, listening to the clicking of our heels on the ground. "I do." She suddenly murmured and I moved away to look up at her curiously.
"What?" I smiled.
She stroked my cheek softly and I saw concern in her eyes. I gulped a little at the sudden change in mood. "Sweetie, don't get me wrong, I love having you here with me and I know this life makes you happy and that makes me happy, but..." she sighed, "I know you're not completely content."
"What do you mean?" I frowned, using a soft voice and it wavered a little. I had a feeling that I knew where this was going.
She sighed once more. "Honey, I hear you crying yourself to sleep some nights." Her voice was soft as though she didn't want to strike a nerve. I froze up a little, gulping and looking away. "Is it because of Percy?"
I scrunched my eyes shut. "Mother, please..." I whispered but she stopped walking and gently pulled me around to face her. She lifted my chin up slowly and I had no choice but to look into her eyes. I'd never get used to the fact that every time I looked in her eyes it was like looking directly into my own.
"Annabeth, I know you miss him and you miss your friends too. It's not a sin to miss people. I'm sure if you just tried to talk to them they'd understand why you did what you did. They'll understand that you needed your space." She said softly but I didn't believe her.
I shook my head. "They wouldn't." I murmured. "I've been gone too long. They've probably forgotten all about me and if they haven't, they probably hate me." I sighed.
To be honest, my anger towards Percy and the others had evaporated weeks ago. I didn't even care that he lied to me, I just missed him. But I knew that if I contacted him he'd probably shun me for leaving like a coward and I couldn't put myself through that. I was too scared to go back there.
"You really think they'd hate you after everything you've been through?" She frowned sorrowfully and I could see the scepticism in her eyes.
"I don't know." I sighed.
Truthfully, I didn't because Percy had always said he cared about me and that he'd never leave me and Silena had always been very forgiving but I was too much of a coward to even try and apologise.
"But I know I don't want to see them." I said clearly. "Please mother, will you just support me on this?" I begged. "Please..."
She sighed before nodding slowly and planting a soft kiss to my forehead. I smiled softly at that and then we began to walk again, in silence this time though.
~xXx~
"Mom?" I spoke softly a few moments later, wanting to lighten the mood and I'd always been curious about this.
"Hhmm?"
"How did you and Dad meet?" I asked, looking up at her curiously and she smiled turning to me now.
"It's a long story but I think we have time." She smiled and I felt excited all of a sudden to find out.
"Your father was a brilliant young man at your age. I remember admiring his intelligence when we were in the same classes in High School back in England. I never really spoke to him until we met Senior year at a party. He was looking at the Cambridge University website out front and I sat with him, talking about how I wanted to go there too." She smiled wistfully as though it was the most romantic thing in the world and I smiled at that. "Over the next few weeks we just clicked and he told me he couldn't afford to go to Cambridge so I helped him study and apply for a job and eventually helped him to raise the money for it because my parents were always rather wealthy. Of course, they didn't approve of him but I never let that stop me."
I giggled at that as we began walking down a busy road now, crossing through a red light before turning a corner and walking towards Athena Associates.
"I remember dancing with him at prom and kissing him under the stars. Gods, I loved him more than anything in the world." She smiled, looking up at the sky. "We both ended up going to Cambridge and then I had you—a little early—but it was perfect." She smiled, tightening her grip on me and I giggled a little.
"I was maybe in my early twenties and I remember your father's panicked face when I told him. Of course, I always wanted to keep you and that put a wedge between us because I shut myself away, thinking he'd never want to see me again but I was wrong. He came to my house one night, promising to use all his savings to buy us a house anywhere I wanted and we'd raise you like a proper family."
I smiled blissfully at that, imagining how happy she would have been at that very moment.
"I'd never loved anyone that much that day, until you came along on June 6th." She smiled and I giggled again happily with a tear in my eye. "So after college, we moved to London and we both became rather successful in our professions. I suppose you know the story from then onwards."
"That sounds absolutely wonderful." I smiled, feeling like I knew my mother and father that much more now.
"It was." She smiled just as we reached Athena Associates.
We unlinked arms and I walked towards the revolving door only to turn back and find her snapping a photo of me on her phone just as I began to push the door open. I found myself smiling uncontrollably before I yelled at her to stop.
She giggled coming over to show me the photo. "This is so going on your Instagram." She clapped excitedly as we walked inside. I laughed a little at that.
Instagram had never been my choice of social media before now. I used to hate it, thinking it was just a place for people to be fake, pretend they were happy and popular when in reality, 70% of their follower count was either bought or consisting of complete strangers.
Nowadays, though I'd begun to like it. When it starts to look nice with cute photos, it actually becomes quite enjoyable. It was a place for me to go back through and look at all my wonderful memories. I had yet to post one of me and my mother just to show everyone how absolutely stunning she is. I'm not ashamed to admit that I am extremely proud to have a mother like her. I'd scream it to the world, I don't care. I love her.
Talking about high follower counts…um, apparently, I'm one of those people now. No idea why, how, who, when—whaaaaat?
Genuinely, it must be a glitch in the system. I had over a thousand followers and counting. Of course, I only accepted people I knew but it seemed that every single Goode student was following me now.
Most of my photos got over two hundred likes and a tonne of people were messaging me on Snapchat asking me how life was and whether I was ever coming back to Goode. I never answered them though, they kinda freaked me out, how everyone was suddenly so interested in my life.
"Fine." I giggled as we took the lift and rose up into the sky-high magnificent building where I'd been spending the past few amazing days working.
I watched as the pedestrians, below, shrank smaller and smaller out the glass window and we rose higher and higher into the sky.
We ascended from the bottom, where dreams are born, to the top where they come true. And I looked out over the city, thinking that nothing could ever be this perfect.
Nothing at all.
~xXx~
5th November
So it was Guy Fawkes Night as I'm told today. It's really an English tradition, they don't really celebrate it here in America but my mother said they always celebrated it to remember where they came from and that made me more than happy to join in. Besides, it involved, fireworks, bonfires, barbeques and who in their right mind would argue with that?
The night was amazing, many people came, distant relatives from the UK and close friends, none of which I recognised but they all welcomed me as part of the family. I never felt like I'd belonged anywhere more in my entire life.
I wore black leggings, a white top and a long brown cardigan under a long black trench coat with gold buttons down the sleeves and front. I had my converses on and my hair was done up in a messy bun. I wrapped a cream coloured woolly scarf around me and pulled some black gloves over my fingers. It was seriously cold tonight but the glistening fireworks exploding above me like a thousand paint splatters across the sky were enough to keep me outside.
I sat with Bobbie and Matthew on the terrace steps as we looked up in wonder at the sky. It was absolutely beautiful.
"Oooo look at that one!" Bobbie cried pointing at a sparkly golden Catharine wheel.
"And that one!" Matthew grinned, pointing at a purple Peony.
I laughed happily as we took in turns to point out the best ones and take photos on my new iPhone. Yes, my amazing mother had bought me the latest rose gold iPhone. I cannot even express my excitement about that. The camera on this thing is so much better, I can't even tell you.
Later, we pulled out some sparklers and ran across the garden, writing our names in shimmering sparkles and drawing patterns in the sky. I laughed happily as I chased the both of them around the flower beds and bushes and in and out of the trees. The garden was infinite, we could have run for days and never have even reached the end of it.
I managed to escape them a few moments later after they'd tried to attack me with a bunch of sparklers. They were a little crazy like that but I just laughed it off. I walked up the terrace steps and found my mum sitting on the wall with a wine glass in her hand as she watched the sky. There were more fireworks going off now and she was looking up at them in wonder. I smiled, joining her happily.
"And where have you been?" She grinned.
"Trying to escape Bobbie and Matthew." I giggled with a shrug.
A waiter came over and offered me a glass of red wine which I took gratefully. I started appreciating luxuries like wine more and more now. Not that I drank it all the time but my mother was a bit of an expert on wine. I drank it occasionally now and actually liked the taste.
"Aren't they beautiful?" She smiled looking up at a load of pink and orange chrysanthemum fireworks.
"Just so." I smiled, sipping the wine tentatively. "I can't remember the last time I saw a firework in person." I murmured wistfully as if I couldn't get enough of this moment and I couldn't.
"Well get used to because I'll drag you back here for tonight every year even when you do move out." She smiled, taking my hand in hers and I smiled warmly back at her.
"Of course, you will." I giggled and with that, we both looked up at the fireworks once more, watching the vibrant colours dance across the night sky. And it was the perfect end to the perfect colourful night.
Well, it would have been, if it wasn't for one tiny detail. Percy.
I sighed, wistfully staring up at the stars and the fireworks—looking at the people laughing and cheering around me. Everything seemed to slow down now, like I was in another time dimension. And I could see every tiny detail around me—the huge grins on my brother's faces, the clink of wine glasses together, the brush of pink across the cold cheeks of the guests—even the blow of the wind over the trees.
So much detail and yet the one detail I really wanted wasn't here. And all of a sudden the waves of happiness that had been hitting me over the past few days were completely drowned in a storm of tears.
My mind would only think of one thing now; not the excitement of being a sibling, not the content of living in a beautiful house and a beautiful world, not the elatedness of connecting with my long-lost mother—no, my mind was frozen solid on one thing and one thing alone.
How completely and utterly I was in love with Percy. Still. How without him, I just felt a great, big, vast emptiness.
And it consumed me.
~xXx~
Aaaaaawwww Annie! It's okay, you'll see him again soon. Well actually you won't, it'll be a LONG time before you see him again but don't worry readers, time will move much quicker for you.
There's only one more chapter to go before the BIG REUNION!
Anyways, what did you think of this one. I kinda liked writing that whole group squabbling session, that was quite sad but entertaining. I'm evil - I know ;)
Also, I like moody Percy.
I know most of you are probably mentally screaming at me for breaking up Charlena but don't worry, they'll be together again real soon.
Tell me what you thought about all the different little stages in this chapter, it was quite fast paced in terms of physical dates. We went from the 22nd of October to the 5th of November in one chapter! Well, a lot needed to happen.
KriKri - Aaaww, thanks chica! Omg, you know Latin, that's really cool. I used to know a little but I've pretty much forgotten it all now. Thanks for introducing me to Dodie, btw. You're right, she has such a calming, beautiful voice. I really want to find a place for 'Sick of Losing Soulmates' somewhere in Dreams. In answer to your question, I would love to be a daughter of Poseidon or Aphrodite but a lot of my personality traits suit Apollo - energetic, lover of music, childish etc. ~ AWG xoxo
Dicxon Phoon - Hi Dicxon, I'm glad you "accidentally" found my story and that you liked it! I'm also kinda happy about the fact you picked up on Percy's dorkiness and the facade he uses because he really does. Thank you so much.
PeriwinkleLuv9 - Hey Jilly! Yay, you liked Mumma Chase and the twins. I really wanted to create the most tight-knit family. Do you mean you want Annabeth to get closer to Percy? Because you're right, they did seem much closer in Memories but don't worry, they're going to be practically inseparable very soon! ;) Lots of love ~ AWG
DracoErebos - Thank you! Yes, I'm so glad we finally got to the bit where we can say 'adios Helen, you've been an absolute bitch'. I know, I'm soorrrryy. They'll be reunited real soon, I promise. Also, sorry I didn't update on Wednesday.
Redgoop3 - Thank you! The kiss is real soon ;) Yep, there will be some more of Rafaello very soon, (btw thank you for practically being the first person to spell his name correctly!)
Jessica L xxx - Yes, yes, yes aaand yes ;) ~ AWG xxx
Nicholas son of Poseidon - Thank you so much for the review, Nicholas! It makes me so so happy. Thanks for being an awesome reviewer and I hope you liked the new chapter.
See you guys tomorrow with Chapter 8! (Hopefully my wifi will be working then.)
Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think!
Lots of love,
~ AWG xx