Hey guys! Sorry for taking so long to upload, I had writers flow (my name for the opposite of writers block) it's really hard to write when you have random ideas sprouting. But now im back!

I awoke on the ground. My hair was in a mess of curls, my cheeks felt tight with tear stains, and I was wearing my clothes from yesterday.

My heart felt like it was throbbing.

Thank God it's Sunday.

I needed one recovery day before I even thought about working.

It was then I realized there was a soft knocking at my door.

I got up and opened it.

"Annabeth honey, I heard you crying last night. I decided to give you some space, but now you need some love."

Sally Jackson. The life saver.

Sally has been my neighbour since the day I moved in. I didn't meet her until I was twenty, but she became a mother figure in my life.

You see, when I was two, my mother got up and left. No word, no goodbye, just one day we woke up, and she was gone.

My father was devastated. He was a single parent for about three years, and during that time I learned to be independent. Most days my dad would forget to cook meals, and I would have to do it myself. It took my innocence away.

Then my father met her. Helen. My father was so depressed that he fell head over heels for her. Unfortunately they got married.

Helen hated me. Not too long after the marriage the twins came along. Helen would let Matthew and Bobby sit around all day, and force me to do the cleaning. She spoilt them, and ignored me. If I didn't do something she asked, I would get beaten.

For a long time I went to school trying to hide bruises, and luckily she never hit me too hard for it to be overly noticeable.

That's why as soon as I graduated, I left. I didn't want to be stuck in the household forever.

I soon learned what a mistake it was, to move out so young.

I had to walk or bike everywhere. My father was oblivious to the fact that Helen abused me so he often invited me over.

I hadn't had a mother in so long that when I met Sally, she was like a gift from the heavens. Someone I could almost call "mom".

She was a little bit shorter than me; about 5'6, and was thin, but healthy. She had long brown hair that was just starting to grey. It was pulled up into a bun. She had soft blue eyes that twinkled when she laughed, and they were slightly wrinkled around the edges.

Sally stood there with a plate of blue cookies, and she still had her apron on. That meant the cookies were freshly baked.

"Come have breakfast at my place" she offered giving a warm smile.

"Thank you so much Sally."

"Any time, now come on over!"

She hugged me tight with one hand, the other still holding the platter of cookies.

Then we went back to her apartment, where I sullenly shoved cookie after cookie in my mouth, and Sally went to work on an amazing breakfast, offering kind and comforting words occasionally.

Soon enough, I had a plate filled with eggs, bacon, and french toast laid in front of me. Sally sat beside me and gently laid her hand on my shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Her question was gentle; she only wanted to comfort me, she wasn't prying at all.

I dumped a large portion of syrup on my french toast, glad that Sally had thought to put it out.

After taking a few bites, I took a deep breath and without looking at her, I told her everything.

How I had met a guy and really liked him, then hung out with him and thought we could be friends, before realizing the cruel fact that he had a jealous girlfriend, and so not only could I not think of him intimately, but I couldn't even be friends with him.

"Sally I don't even know why I love him so much! I just ran into him, and when I left the grocery I seemed to leave my heart behind!" I cried, looking up from my plate and proceeding to shove more food in my mouth.

Sally was quiet for a moment.

"Just because he has a girlfriend doesn't mean you can't be friends. Keep in touch. You may get an opportunity one day." She smiled.

The next day I tore through my work.

In the morning I got ready with a purpose. Once I got to my office I opened my document and got writing.

I ended up deleting all my previous work, and by 3:00 I had an article. I then started researching all the celebrities so I could work them into my article.

We all have a heart, and sometimes it gets unwillingly given to somebody else. Once they realize they're carrying it for you, there is always the possibility that they could tear it into shreds, and hand it back to you.

I think everybody at some point has been rejected. There isn't anything you can do to stop yourself from feeling the wounds they punctured into your skin. Tears are spilled and get littered across your floor as you drag yourself to your bed, to cry until you can't any more.

Once you've been rejected you must realize, they aren't anything to you anymore. Moving on is that dreaded topic to those who are afraid to let go. Love is like holding onto a balloon, and keeping it grounded. But once the balloon starts floating away from you, it will carry you away unless you let go. The longer you hold on, the more it will hurt to let go.

What if they were using you? You shouldn't try to hold on with hope, because if they used you they don't care. Jeffrey Lorang had a girlfriend for three years, but in reality he was just using her to get pleasure. He was cheating on her with Grace Kearney and after he dumped his former girlfriend, he proposed to Grace. Jeffrey and Grace are now filing a divorce.

This isn't any better than Amelia Delaski, who only dated Kyle Reger for his money and gifts.

Love is beautiful and dangerous. Once you're heart is given away, try to steal it back. Let them take your heart, don't let yourself give it away. Because once your heart is torn, a protective layer will be created. And while you heal there's nothing left for you to do but move on.

I sat back from my work, pleased. It was really hard to find good gossip about the topic, so it ended up being okay.

I submitted it to the editors.

Smiling to myself, I checked the clock, which read "7:34".

I then gathered my things, preparing to head home for the night.

As I left, I moved differently. No one would have noticed unless they watched closely. I moved with a different purpose.

It's because I had decided right then that no one ever be able to control me. I am my own person. They can't touch me.

Percy's POV

"Annabeth! Wait!" I called hoping she would turn around and smile, ready to face Rachel with me.

But she didn't and I heard the door close.

Rachel turned to me.

"Percy what was that?" She snarled.

"Rachel she's just my friend! She was helping me clean if you haven't noticed! How is that romantic in any way?"

"Oh yah, I shouldn't be worried when my boyfriend is in a small room with another girl!"

I sighed.

Rachel wasn't always like this. When I first met her she was amazing. Naturally beautiful, a great sense of humor, with not a care in the world. I fell for her, and we got together. But after a few months subtle changes began to happen, until now two years later, I dreaded her coming around.

She was okay when we were alone, but around anyone but my "hot" guy friends, she was nasty.

"Okay fine. If you're going to be like that. I'll have to pass on tonight Rachel. I'm going to go to the boys."

She gasped "HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON ME!"

"Rachel if I were cheating on you do you think you would have found me scrubbing a bathtub while Annabeth scrubbed a sink? I'm going to the boys. I'll even facetime you when I get there if that pleases you."

Then I grabbed my keys and phone, and left Rachel in the apartment amazed that I left her.

Once I got to the car, I took out my phone, and texted "The BOIS", a group chat all my friends made in grade eight.

Percy- Boys Night?

Jason- Rachel again?

Percy- Yup.

Leo- Dude u need 2 dump her!

Percy- JUST CAN WE DO A BOYS NIGHT.

Jason- I'm free.

Leo- Lets do it jases house

Frank- I'm in. Bringing the beer ;)

Leo- Ur the best man

Nico- Sorry guys I gotta date.

Jason- Ooh, who's the girl?

Nico- My sister -_-

Leo- Naw your probably introducing Thalia to your sister.

Percy- Who's this Thalia you speak of?

Frank- His new girlfriend.

Percy- YOU DID NOT TELL ME THIS.

Nico- Doesn't matter i gtg now. Can't make it.

Leo- whimp. So evry1 els can make it?

Jason- Yes, and Leo could you try to type real words?

Leo- Shut up.

Jason- Thank you

Percy- See you guys in 15

Frank- K bye

Leo- See ya

I felt really grateful for my friends at that moment.

Jason's house was 15 minutes away from my apartment, but I stopped anyways to get a bucket of ice cream.

A few minutes later I pulled into Jason's driveway.

Jason lived in the same house as his girlfriend Piper, who was a famous actress. That meant he had a nice house.

White, sleek, and modern would describe it. Four bedrooms, a huge kitchen and living room, and three floors. They also had a huge pool, hot tub, and Jason got a man cave in exchange with Piper getting most of the closet.

Stepping into it made me feel like I was homeless. I mean, I thought my apartment was pretty nice, but nothing compared to Jason's house.

I walked through their yard, which was lush with flowers, trees, and bushes in perfect asymmetry.

I knocked on their door, and after hearing a "Come in!" yelled from somewhere in the house, I opened it.

I stepped into the threshold. It was a grand open area, with a complex chandelier hanging above. A wide hallway continued into the house, while to the left there was a doorway leading to their laundry room; it was connected to the garage, and to the right was a large staircase.

It was spiraling, and made of dark wood. If you looked up you could see the staircase lead up to the upper floor, that contained bedrooms and a few bathrooms attached.

The large balcony looked out over the entrance.

I called out "Hello? Where are you guys?"

"In the man cave!" Came the reply.

So I went downstairs.

I came to the landing. In front of me was a huge flatscreen T.V. And a large couch. Off to the right was a bathroom and an extra guest room. To the left was the man cave.

A large room with thick carpets, a T.V. with at least three consoles below it, and bookshelves that touched the ceiling. These were filled with games, movies, and books. Jason was a reader.

Behind all that was a bar. It was technically a counter with drink making devices and alcohol behind it.

I walked into the mancave.

"Hey! I brought ice cream!" I yelled.

"Yes!" Screamed Leo, jumping forward and stealing the bucket from me.

I rolled my eyes.

Leo was short, maybe 5'9 and had had dark curly hair and elfish features. The latino, Jason, and Piper had been best friends since grade six and they still were good friends today. Somehow Leo managed a seriously pretty girlfriend named Calypso, and they had been dating for 8 months.

Leo was the definition of crazy. He got really excited over random things, and was always fiddling with something. The guy was a mechanic for his own company and he was fantastic at it. He could build almost anything, or fix it, earning him the name "Repair Boy".

Leo ran to the bar and rummaged through the drawers, eventually pulling out a spoon.

He popped open the tub of ice cream, and dug in.

With his mouth full of rocky road he said "Mmmmm… Fis is sho good"

"Leo save some for the rest of us!" exclaimed Frank.

Frank was 6'3. He was built like a sumo wrestler, with dark skin and shaved brown hair. The first time I saw him I almost pooped my pants, but I soon found out he was like a big baby. Frank was chinese-american, but he insisted it was chinese-canadian because he was from canada. He moved here for university. He was single, but he had a thing with another friend of ours, Hazel.

Frank jumped up and raced to the bar to join Leo in ice cream tasting.

I instead went and sat on the couch next to Jason.

He was the same height as me, at 6'1 and had blond hair and sky blue eyes. He was muscular, and had this refined look to him at all times. He had been dating Piper for four years.

He was probably the most mature person in our group, but most of the time he was one of us.

"Hey man how's it going?" I asked.

"Good. Piper's apparently "cheating" on me with Leo, and the paparazzi somehow haven't figured out that I've been living with Piper for the past year and a half" he chuckled.

"She still keeping up with the disguise?"

"Oh yah, she's going to quit acting once she gets her business degree."

Piper liked acting, but not the fame side of it. So she crafted a disguise to wear, so if she felt like it, she could drop acting and disappear forever. By disappear, she meant start a business.

"Good for her."

Suddenly Frank exclaimed "Leo!" And I turned around to see Leo trying to shove the entire tub of ice cream in his mouth.

I burst out laughing and started to chase Leo around, trying to save the ice cream.

Eventually I tackled him and grabbed the tub.

"Victory!" I yelled with a huge grin.

After the fooling around had died down, and we were binge watching movies, I thought "I have to learn to live. Without Annabeth."

For some reason, that thought hurt more than anything.

So now we're learning a but more about Annabeths past, and Percy's life. Excited for the next chalter? All I'll say about it is they will be invited to a dinner ;)

P.S. Because of my writers flow i now have like 30 fanfic ideas oops XD