A/N The song is 'Lightning in a Bottle' by The Summer Set. Please R&R. I've never had feedback on my writing before. Enjoy! -Winter'sFangirl
Next Week
Thalia
It's been five days since Annabeth's world flipped upside down. It's been five days since we learned that she's marrying a creep in New York and leaving California. It's been five days of inner turmoil for us both- Annabeth's with getting married, me with leaving the only home I've ever known.
But there's nothing left for me here. My dad was a good-for-nothing jerk whom I've never met, and my mom was an abusive alcoholic who's been dead for six years. So I'm not missing anything but the weather.
"Annabeth!" Carol, the evil stepmother, calls up the stairs. "The escorts are here to take you to the airport!"
Annabeth makes no advance to get off her bed. She lies on the bare mattress, staring at the ceiling. She studies those glow-in-the-dark stars from her kid days as if they were the most interesting of novels. Preserving the memory, almost like she'll never see them again. Which, I suppose, she may not. But that's a topic I'd rather avoid.
"Come on, Beth." I mutter, pulling at her ankles. "Time to go."
She sends me a death stare. "Don't call me Beth."
"Fine. I can always go get the Bitch Queen to come get you..." That makes her shoot out of bed. I smirk. "Thought so. Hey, after today you won't have to see her face for three months."
This brings a small smile to my friend's face. "That's the only reason I keep going, Thals."
"Annabeth!" The step-bitch calls. Annabeth rolls her eyes.
Before she says something really snarky, I reply for her. "She'll be coming in a moment, madam."
Annabeth holds back laughter at my 'respectful maid' role. We both know I was only hired because her father couldn't throw me in the streets. "Come on, Chase. We're going to the Empire City!"
Annabeth
"If you'll please get in the car, Miss Chase," a young man standing in the doorway asks. I make a move to get my luggage. "We'll get your bags, miss."
Thals and I slide into the backseat of a black car while the man lifts our suitcases and boxes into the trunk. My heart is pounding. There's a tap on the window.
"Would you like to say goodbye?" The young man asks. I shake my head. The only me I'd be missing would be Dad, and we'd said our goodbyes earlier. I'd show no affection towards Carol. She hated me, and the feeling was likewise. My brothers, Bobby and Matthew, held no special place in my heart, either. Carol didn't see it 'fitting' for me to be around them much.
"Okay. We'll be leaving now. Your fight is at three, we should arrive in New York by four, with the time difference. If you should require anything, please feel free to let us know." The car starts, and we begin driving away from my house, my street, and then my town.
The airport is crowded, but there's no rush. We've arrived hours early. Thalia and I amuse ourselves in the waiting area while the chauffeur (whose name is Daniel) and the other man (named Charles 'you can call me Beckendorf') see that the bags are taken care of.
I sigh, and slouch into the uncomfortable seat. Too late to back out now. Thalia sits beside me, sipping an iced vanilla latte and listening to her iPod. The earbuds are so loud I can hear some of the words.
I'm catching lightning in a bottle.
Don't give a f*ck about tomorrow
Yeah, we're dancing in the backseat
We don't need gravity here in the afterglow
Yeah, we're rolling with the thunder.
Now take a breath, were going under
She's pretty occupied. I sigh, and dig through my carry-on for my sketchbook. Time to draw my last glimpses of California.
Before I know it, hours have passed and it's time to board the plane. Thal and I are in first class, near the front. A stewardess offers me a pillow, and I accept it. The plane begins to take off, and I lean my head against the window and watch San Francisco slowly disappear behind me.