Hello, fellow readers! I decided to post chapter two early because I was bored.

Review Responses:

Audreyradio: Thx! I try. Well, you don't have to wait any longer, and I hope you like this chapter!

~LittleMissReader36

LINE BREAK

I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! ALL RIGHTS GO TO RICK RIORDAN

Now, on with the story!

Chapter 1

The Day She Left

Annabeth's POV

"Alright, class! It's recess time!" Ms. Johnson, our fifth grade teacher told us a few minutes after lunch. Everyone barreled outside, clearly excited to play their favorite games. Rachel's words from lunch ran through my head as I followed them. Don't go near Percy ever again. He's mine, okay? Mine. You can't have him, you'll never be able to get him, so leave him alone. I had retaliated by saying, he's not a toy. He has feelings just like you and me. Rachel had opened her mouth to speak, but Percy swooped in before any sound could come out.

Once I reached the playground, I saw that Percy was already there. He was on the swings, waiting for me. I ran to him, a smile splitting my face in half. My shoes pounded against the tire chips, and I saw Percy smile excitedly, as if he was happy to see me. Reaching him, I grabbed his hand in mine and pulled him towards the mini balance beam on the side of the playground. When we got there, I released his hand and stood on the balance beam. He smiled, starting to get up on the beam. Before he could, Rachel grabbed his hand and pulled him away towards her friends, Drew and Calypso. She flashed me a look that said, follow and die. I wanted to scream. She always does that. It's like she thinks that she owns him or something. Percy looked back at me, and I tried to hide the distressed look on my face, covering it with a fake smile. He looked at me confusedly, as if trying to figure out whether my smile was real, and I made a shooing motion at him with my hand, telling him to go with Rachel. He smiled at me, then made a look of disgust as he turned around and let Rachel pull him towards her friends.

Smirking to myself, I followed Rachel and Percy, hiding behind various playground equipment. When they stopped, they were by the bars, and I hid behind the slide, watching them. Rachel wrapped her arms tightly around Percy, and I wrinkled my nose in disgust. She was just so… possessive. When she pulled back, Percy said, "can I go now?"

"Why?" Rachel questioned, hurt. Like she was the one who was going to get hurt by that.

"I want to spend some time with Annabeth. I miss her. I haven't seen her in a week because she went to South Dakota for spring break." Percy told her.

Annabeth's heart warmed, and she smiled. Percy'd missed her while she was away. Sure, she missed him too, but she didn't expect him to miss her.

Rachel's expression did the exact opposite. She glared threateningly at him, daring him to leave. "No, Percy. You cannot play with Annabeth. She's not the one for you. She's just not right for you. You need to forget her and start spending more time with me. You are mine, after all." Rachel said.

That angered me. Percy was a human being, the kindest one she'd ever met. He could do whatever he wanted. It wasn't Rachel's place to decide what he could and couldn't do. I burst out of my hiding place and stood protectively in front of him and started yelling at Rachel. "It's not your place to decide what he can and can't do!" Percy grabbed my wrist, and I turned to look at him. He pulled on my wrist slightly, and I sighed, leaning back and resting my head on his shoulder.

Rachel then proceeded to grab the wrist that Percy had just released, and yanked me off of him.

"Stay away from him, Annie." She said in a mocking tone. I lunged at her, but Percy beat me to it.

"Leave her alone." He said in a menacing tone, and she cowered under his fierce gaze. Then, she seemed to have a bright idea, because she smirked.

"No. You remember Luke? The boy Annabeth specifically told you she didn't do anything with?"

"Yeaaaaah." Percy said, sounding completely unsure as to where this was going.

"Yeah. Well. She kissed him." Rachel said innocently, as if it didn't matter one bit.

"No. That's not… that can't be… no." Percy stuttered, then he looked at me desperately. "Tell me it's not true. Please. Tell me it didn't happen." He sounded on the verge of tears, and I felt the same way, my eyes beginning to tear up.

"Yes," I whispered.

"It's true." Rachel piped up. "I have a picture." She made a big show of unlocking her phone, then went to camera roll and clicked on my worst nightmare. There, on her phone screen, was a picture of me Luke and I kissing. Percy's flitted from me to the picture in disbelief.

"You told me nothing happened. You lied to me. How could you?" Percy said.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I didn't know what I was doing. He forced it on me." I pleaded desperately.

"Likely story, Annie." Rachel mocked. "Now, run along. I think Percy knows who he'd rather spend his time with, and I know it's not you."

To my surprise, Percy went over to Rachel and wrapped his arms around her, sobbing into her shoulder. My heart twisted, and I couldn't take it anymore. I ran.

I had no clue where I was going, all I knew was that I had to get out of there, as fast as possible. I kept running and running, my shoes pounding against the soft green grass, tears blurring my vision.

Eventually, I hit a barrier. I went right through it and, confused, I kept running. Then I stopped abruptly, remembering the stories came back to me, and I remembered why the barrier was there. I was in the Land of the Forgotten. I turned around and ran, trying to escape, but I couldn't get out. I was trapped. I banged my fists against the invisible barrier, wanting more than anything to get out. Eventually, I slumped with my head against the wall, exhausted. Then it hit me. They'd probably all forgot about me now. My sister, who I was supposed to walk home, my parents, who had always loved me, like proper parents should. Lastly, and worse of all, Percy. Percy, who I'd unknowingly hurt, Percy, who was seeking comfort from Rachel when I left. With that terrible thought in my head, I slumped to the soft grass and fell asleep.

Please review, and I'll see you next time!

~LittleMissReader36