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~GoGreen52

Chapter 26- Who Are You?

-Percy POV-

My mom finally got me to go to her house. I haven't talked to her since Annabeth's funeral, but for some reason, she called me up and told me I absolutely had to go to her house for dinner. Rachel, having come to New York with me, decided she had to come too. Then, since two stars had to make an appearance, Ethan went too.

But somehow I know my mom wanted to talk to me in private.

We walked into the old apartment complex, and Rachel's nose scrunched together in disgust.

"You actually grew up here?" Rachel asked, looking at everything as if she was only seeing the flaws. And knowing Rachel, that was exactly what she was doing.

"Yeah, I grew up here," I told her, cringing a bit when I remembered how Annabeth wouldn't be seeing the flaws at all- she'd be so intrigued with the place, and the architecture, that she would completely forget about all of the bad things here.

Rachel didn't, and just clung to me like a monkey to a tree.

"I'm sooo excited to meet your mom, Percy-Bear!" Rachel exclaimed, and held onto me even tighter- if that was even possible…

I just looked down at her with a vacant expression and sighed. I love Rachel, but sometimes she can just get too out of hand.

"I know you are, Rache Cake."

Rachel smiled in contentment at hearing me call her by her nickname… that she picked out.

We walked to the elevator- the one I met Annabeth in, and we waited… and waited…

While the elevator took it's time to get us up there, I was pulled into how Annabeth and I met.

FLASHBACK-

By the time I saw who they were, my eyes widened. Her eyes reminded me of the stormy grey clouds, but intensified with so much knowledge in them that I was surprised. She was jogging, causing curly blonde hair to bounce up and down, making me smile a bit. I immediately knew that she had not dyed her hair to get that color, nor she had worn any makeup.

Her clothes were casual, something you'd wear on a Saturday night, bundling up with a book.

"Thanks," the woman sighed, leaning back onto the elevator wall when she finally got in, "I owe you."

I looked at her questioningly. Had she not noticed that I was Percy Jackson? Teen superstar? I mean, has she lived under a rock for so long that she hasn't seen or heard about me?

"Yeah. You do. By the way, my name's Percy Jackson," I said, and she looked up at me, her eyes wide.

"P-Percy Jackson?" she stammered, her eyes still as wide as saucers.

"Yeah, that's me," I said boldly. I smirked down at her, and she lost that look of shock, replacing it with a look of remembrance.

"And I'm Annabeth Chase. How do you do?" she asked, holding out her hand. I took it, and we shook hands… she squeezed my hand hard, and my eyes got wide. But it wasn't because of the squeezing part… I felt a jolt of a relieving feeling electricity go through my veins.

"Don't you know who I am?" I asked, looking at Annabeth intently.

She just glared up at me and smirked, "I know who you are. As a matter of fact, I could care less about you." She smiled and walked to the other end of the elevator.

-END FLASHBACK-

I smiled a bit to myself, remembering how she was very cold towards me, and how I just wouldn't let her walk all over me.

My mother knew her before me, and I guess she had her eyes set on Annabeth being right for me from the start- which is pretty creepy, if you ask me.

Looking down at Rachel, I noticed she had her cell phone out, and she was texting someone. She was using all of this text talk that almost looked like a blur to me. She was going way too fast for my taste. I remember how Annabeth would take almost a minute just to reply back to someone.

She always used to tell me that she would rather call someone, before she would text someone. But at the same time she would always let me text her since I'm not a fan of calling people. She was always into self-sacrifice like that.

The elevator stopped, and opened. Rachel immediately put her cell phone in her pocket, and clung to me like a monkey again.

Do I ever get a break?

I shook my head a little bit, then followed Ethan, who was walking out. We started too my mother's apartment, when I saw her.

There were four people, two men and two women. One man was shorter, and looked to be Hispanic. While the other man was taller, with blonde hair and brown eyes. An odd combonation on someone, right? Kind of like Annabeth…

With them, there were two beautiful women. They looked… real. No dyed hair, not too much makeup… that kind of real.

One woman, the taller of the two, didn't look like a native New Yorker. She had this vibe to her… that told you she's been to places, with beads in her hair, and her 'I've seen it all' eyes, she defiantly travels.

The other woman… the one I thought I've seen before, was gorgeous. She just had this essence to her… that made me want to kneel at her feet. But… and the same time, she had this look on her face that told me she was sad. Depressed even.

I wanted so bad to make it go away…

I stopped in my tracks, and stared at her. It's not like what my mother always used to tell me, 'Staring isn't nice!', but I just couldn't get enough of her.

But she just didn't look like she was happy… not to mention that she reminded me of someone- and I couldn't remember who this mystery woman reminded me of.

We met eyes, and I saw everything- remembrance, love, longing, sadness, depression. I felt like I could see into her soul.

Unlike Rachel.

She also had this look in her eyes, which told me she was calculating my next move, her next move, and that she could take me down with a single punch. That reminded me of someone, too… but I couldn't remember who.

She blushed, realizing we were still making eye contact, and looked forward, to the elevator. I wanted nothing but to follow her, but I remembered my mother, waiting for me in her apartment. I looked down a split second, and saw Rachel, glaring at the girl. She sensed something too.

Ethan didn't pay a bit attention to this little meeting at all, and was still completely concentrated on the little I-Phone of his.

I never should have gotten him an upgrade…

I shook my head, and walked forward, doing my best to forget the girl.

I have other duties I need to get done.

I heard the elevator's ding signaling it closed, and was going down. There goes my chance of ever getting to know that girl. Rachel looked up at me, giving me a smile that I think was supposed to look hot, but really looked like an animal pooped on her face.

It's times like this that I wonder why I even bother with Rachel. But then I remember I love her, and then all of those thoughts go to the back of my head.

But for some reason… they always come back.

We walked to my mother's apartment, and Ethan knocked on the door.

My mother opened the door, a few seconds later, and greeted us politely. But I could tell something was bothering her. Something wasn't right.

We walked in, the apartment feeling as homey as ever. Rachel looked around, and I could see through the mask of fake politeness. She hated everything of this place.

I looked around, getting the familiar sense of home. I saw the living room, and I remembered when Annabeth was here- she had plopped down on the little chair, reading what I soon learned was her favorite book, Pride and Prejudice.

My mother was a mother to everyone, including her.

Rachel didn't seem to take in this place like Annabeth had, and when my mom, as nice as she is, asked us to make ourselves at home, still was standing. I, on the other hand, made myself right at home. Because, I was.

"Percy, are you really, going to leave me here?" Rachel whined, still standing by the entry way.

I just shrugged and leaned back into the chair.

"UGH! Why do I put up with you?" Rachel exclaimed, stomping her foot, which was wearing designer Jimmy Choos.

I looked over at Ethan, who still was intently looking at his I phone.

My mother, thankfully, decided it was time to bring out the cookies. She still looked like she was holding something back, but she was able to make small talk with the two.

I didn't say anything, really, but chose to listen. Rachel only talked about herself, Ethan only talked about his job, and my mother was making a good conversation. But I could tell she was holding something back. The other two didn't live with her for the majority of their life, so they don't sense something's up.

But Annabeth would.

Yeah, that's right. Annabeth would… but she's dead now. I have no choice but to move on.