I'll be one of those author that write anything at the bottom unless it's of great importance.
Her ragged breath filled the room with tortured noises. She gripped her throat, her chest, desperate for oxygen. Her once beautiful hair is slicked with cold sweat. Her sheets ripped apart.
I'll have to sew that later, she noted to herself.
Like every night.
After a couple minutes, she tried getting up on her trembling legs. Using the bedside table as a her helper, she got up and move a bit.
Slowly, she soothed herself, take it slow.
She progressively walked towards the bathroom, one small step on her vulnerable legs at a time. The bathrooms plain white walls and cold, stable floor reassured her. She walked in front of her sink and splash herself with water. It's coldness welcoming. It calmed her further.
Until she looked into the mirror.
She gasped, even if she had seen her reflection a millions of time before. After that fateful night, she had looked at herself a lot. To see if she looked different, had changed.
Nothing had changed.
Well, except her eyes.
They use to be light. Once, a girl from the orphanage had approached her. "I like your eyes." She had said. "They are like a feather, beautiful, rare and light." The girl wasn't older than 7. She had a heart shaped face and beautiful almond shaped eyes. Somehow, she found it impossible that such a sweet and soft soul got stuck in this horrid place.
It wasn't right.
But since when were things right?
Back then, everything was okay. Even if she was abandoned by her family. She still had friends. She could survive.
Back then, she was so free, so innocent. She'd taken everything she was hoping for granted. Except her family. Now it's different.
She understands why her eyes became a darker gray. Like a storm, about to burst with lightning. She couldn't lie that she wasn't explosive.
After that day, the same girl had walked up to her. She was now a year older, but she hadn't really changed. Same beautiful face. Same beautiful eyes.
"Why are your eyes so dark? Why did they change?" The spoken girl crouched at the small girls level and though for a moment.
"One day, you will change. That's when you find yourself." She smiled softly at the smaller girl. The truth rang in her words.
"What's your name?" She had asked gently, tucking a brown curl of the other girls face.
"Giselle, but call me Gia," Annabeth faintly remembered that her name meant Oath. "And you?" The chocolate brown eyes tugged the heartstrings of the gray eyed girl.
''Annabeth,'' She said slowly, as if admitting it. ''My name is Annabeth.''
It was the first time somebody had talked to her voluntarily. First time someone had asked her name.
And she promised herself she would protect the girl with her life. The girl would find the perfect family. Until then, Annabeth would take care of her. Until she finally found what she deserved. Something far away from her. But she would always watch her from afar, as she grew into a beautiful woman.
Whist she, herself, grew lonely and frail.
Until she will be no more, having seen too much of the world's secrets.
Knowledge is power.
But it is also a poison.
So deadly it kills you.
But first, it rips you apart.
xx-xx
'Okay,' Annabeth told herself, breathing deeply, 'On three,' Her breath came out shakily.
'One,' She straightened her back.
'Two,' She stared at the door as if she could see through.
'Thr-' Her thought was broken by the door opening. She came face with a chest. A shirtless chest.
"Oh," Percy said, running a hand through his hair, the one who wasn't hurting. "Hi Annabeth." She quickly backed away from him.
"Hi." She replied, staring at the ground. Percy sighed softly, she had been distant lately. Never was in the same room with him, she would always leave with excuses. She would clean his room when he was away whether it would be because he had private tutoring or went to Jason's, or Calypso's. She would always stay quiet whenever they did talk and it was grating on his nerve.
What had he done?
"What are you doing today?" The question might have sounded casual but what Percy meant was 'Please don't be mad, spend some time with me.'
"I'm-" Annabeth racked her brain for an excuse. "I am cleaning the bathroom." She said without thinking, and blushed immediately after.
Percy sighed in defeat. Of course he didn't believe her lie. After all, who would wash a teenage's bathroom? Especially one of the same age. And of opposite gender.
''Spend some time with me?'' He asked without thinking. Annabeth bit her lip. ''Help me with my algebra homework.'' He added as an excuse which both didn't believe.
''You still haven't done it?'' She asked incredulously. At Percy's sheepish smile, she decided to help him.
''No, I'm slightly late in returning it.'' Annabeth sighed in exasperation, looking up at the ceiling for help.
''Okay, I'll help you.'' Seeing Percy's huge smile, she decided it was worth saying yes.
Percy backed back up into his room and picked up a random shirt in his wardrobe. He put it on, his back to her.
Crumpled pieces of paper with scribbled writing on it were lying carelessly on his bed. Annabeth assumed is was his homework and when she saw his form falling on his bed she opened her mouth to warn him against but she was too late.
The algebra homework was squished under Percy's heavy frame.
Annabeth sighed heavily putting a hand to her face.
''Whoops. Sorry Algebra.'' Said Percy, even though his look suggested he wasn't sorry at all.
''Why did I agree to this?'' Annabeth muttered. ''Come on,'' Annabeth urged. ''Up you get.''
Percy got up and Annabeth rescued the squashed paper. She then took a seat at his desk which looked brand new and proceeded to check his answers. To be serious, almost everything was wrong.
''You are so going to fail math this year.''
''They love me too much to make me fail.'' Said Percy cockily, looking over her shoulder. She could feel his breath tickling her ear and she shuddered pleasantly.
''I don't think so. If I remember correctly, Miss Dodds hates you.'' Replied Annabeth, ignoring what just happened.
''Nah, she loves me. She just hides it.'' Annabeth raised an eyebrow at that.
''In any case, she won't with this homework. Let me help you.'' Percy rolled back onto the bed, sighing dramatically. Annabeth stared at him like he was crazy.
''Why are you on your bed, we're going to do algebra homework?'' Percy gave her a look and patted the spot next to him.
''We're doing it on my bed,'' Annabeth's eyes slitted.
''Oh hell, no.'' The girl shook her head violently. ''We are not doing homework on your bed.'' Annabeth laughed as if the mere idea was ridiculous.
''Then where do we do it?'' He asked confused.
''At the desk.''
Percy's eyes widen in pure fear and horror
''No,'' His breath hitched. ''No, no, no.''
Annabeth smiled coyly.
''Come on, Percy,'' She urged. ''Baby steps.''
Annabeth tried to be serious but when Percy's look of utter horror glared at her, she couldn't keep it in. She rolled on the floor her body shaking with laughter.
''It's not funny!'' Percy exclaimed, sending Annabeth into another fit of laughter. ''The desk hates me!''
Annabeth snorted loudly, ''I doubt that.''
''Please, Percy,'' She made puppy eyes. ''We just can't do homework on the bed.''
Percy caved in.
''Alright,'' Annabeth smiled. ''But if the desk doesn't cooperate, it's all your fault.''
Quickly, Annabeth sobered up.
It's all your fault.
''Yes, of course.'' She shook her head, getting rid of the intrusive thoughts and focused.
Percy stood up and sat slowly on his desk chair, as if testing the limits.
Annabeth peered over his right shoulder and explained what he did wrong.
''You see, here you added it together whilst when something on the outside of the brackets is without any sign against the brackets, it's times.'' By the end of the two hours of torture, Percy had learned way more than ever in his life.
''Tada!'' He smiled smugly and started doing a victory dance. With his algebra paper. The paper accidently fell to the floor and Percy, being the idiot he was,slipped on it, rendering it unreadable.
''Well, you just earned the opportunity to write it all out again on a new paper.''
Percy groaned.
''Alone.'' Percy groaned even louder and Annabeth quickly skitted around the lump that was his body on the floor. She excited Percy's bedroom and let out a big sigh.
''I am never helping him again.''
xx-xx
I was about to write a Piper and Jason part but I really, really wanted to update this and get your opinion. Good? Horrible?
And I'm working on this songfic which is why it took so long. It's hard to write and I decided that if the songfic was taking so long I might as well just not finish it before updating.
:)
Review!
RM