Percy
It's been two weeks since I found out my father has cancer. He still doesn't know that I know... I think.
We've recorded most of the album, but Jason's set on one last song. "It needs a little something extra," he said. "Like, a duet or something. You guys know any good singers?"
My mind immediately went to Annabeth, but would he even consider it? She's been extra stressed the past week, and with the wedding coming up... It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?
The thing was, I hadn't had the time. With the wedding in just over a week, everything around here has been tense. People have been in-and-out of the house all week, delivering dresses and decorations. The backyard looks like a circus, right before it's all set up. Boxes of white Christmas lights sit by the half-erected arbor in the garden. Flowerpots of white roses and blue irises sit along the edge, waiting to be placed 'just so' along the aisle.
I hadn't had much time with Annabeth, and when I did, it was during wedding planning. We had to hurry for the reception, and sometime later this afternoon a giant fish tank is supposed to arrive. For what reason, exactly, I don't know. The wedding planner is a bit eccentric and confusing.
I've learned things about my own house, too. Apparently we have an outbuilding that isn't used, and it's 'the perfect location for a ballroom'. (Juno's words, not mine.)
In the spare moments I have where I'm not working ('gotta learn to run the family buisness!'), in the recording studio ('one more song'), or planning wedding events ('what shade of gray, dear?') I've been with Annabeth. We've been bracing ourselves for the arrival of her parents, but apparently her father isn't coming until the day before. She says she's not upset about it, but something's bothering her. Thalia's acting strange, too. Well, stranger than normal.
I'm upstairs in Annabeth's room. It's a lazy day, so everyone's hanging around in sweatpants. She's been reading all afternoon, and Thalia and I have been attempting to play Chess. Neither one of us knows how, so it ended in a screaming match and her stomping off to her own room.
"You want something to drink?" I ask Annabeth, who's engrossed in her novel. She barely lifts her eyes from the pages and gives a vague head nod sort of thing. "I'll take that as a yes, then?"
"Hmm? Yeah,okay."
I hop out of the chair and exit the room, closing the door behind me. Just one more week, I remind myself. One more week until things are back to normal.
Someone rings the doorbell as I approach the top of the stairs. Grover heads to answer it, opening the door to a tall, blond-haired woman with lots of makeup. Next to her stand 2 little boys, twins by the looks of it.
Forget the drinks.
I turn and hurry back to Annabeth's room. "Annabeth!" Se looks up from her novel, startled. "They're here."
Her eyes widen. "What? How did you-"
"Come see." I grab her wrist and yank her into the hall. We crouch at the top of the stairs and peer down into the foyer. Annabeth let's out a small gasp.
"Oh no," she breathes, gripping my hand tightly. "They weren't supposed to be here until Thursday!"
We can hear bits of their conversation drifting upwards. "-the flight was dreadful. Airport security nowadays-"
"Yes, of course, madam." Good call for Grover; he knows this is the sort of person who treats people like dirt. She's going to want the utmost respect.
Carol says something else, but I only catch the last bit: "Annabeth? She's a dreadful, spoiled..."
This woman is the poster child for witchy mother-in-law.
Annabeth
The sight of the person below makes me want to hurl.
It's Carol. She's arrived early.
So much for lazy day.
A/N: Hello! I've got another chapter squeezed in before finals! I have my Spanish and Language Arts ones on Monday, but I'm good with those, so I'm not particularly worried about them. Thursday, though. I have my math one, and since I have piano lessons Wednesday and I have to study, don't expect a chapter. (But then I have three days of school left and get to write as much as I want!)
Until the 21st, I won't be on much. After finals, my best friend is graduating, and we both suck at keeping in contact, so... I'm going to spend as much time with her as I can.
Okay, enough with my schedule. Last time, I posted the summary of one story idea. Here's a snippet of the actual story for the other one. (This is Cinderella meets Romeo and Juliet.) if you could help with a title for this one, too, that would be amazing!
"Annabeth! They're gone! Time to get you ready for the ball!" Thalia's footsteps came tromping up the stairs to the third floor bedroom. Annabeth did not respond; how could she? She didn't have it in her to tell her dearest friend that she couldn't attend the masquerade ball. She wasn't going to find Percy, and she wasn't going to get a happily ever after.
The flood of emotions were too much for Annabeth, and the ones she couldn't deal with came through her eyes as salty tears. Why were they all so wretched?
"What are you crying for?" Thalia said, arms akimbo.
Also: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 200 REVIEWS! You guys are the best!