Oh my goodness. I don't even know where to start. I am SOOOOOO SORRRRYYYYY! But I swear, if you were in my shoes, you'd know why. I'm a big fan of lists so TA-DA!

1) Hectic! All of the holiday planning and school stuff, it's overwhelming. There's Winterfest, my birthday party, our Christmas party, spelling bee, community work, tests, concerts, clubs, dances, presentations, and SO MUCH HOMEWORK!

2) This has not been my month. Yeah, that's right—month. I swear, everything I try works out for a few hours then it comes back to bite me in the butt! For example, I've been trying to persuade my parents into letting go to the Camp Half-Blood in Texas. They said no because we didn't have enough money. Then they changed their minds because we got some extra money coming in. So I'm trying to get the registration done, then I find out all the freaking spots were filled! Now I have to wait another year! Grrrr . . . Not to mention, today was so embarrassing. My school makes us wear a uniform. I thought today was the dress-down day. So I come into the school in jeans and a t-shirt all happy and all that crap. Then I see everyone in uniform. I go to the office and they say the dress-down day is next week. AUGH! My friends try to hide their laughs and I end up having to walk around the school for half a day in fear that one of the stricter teachers who would give me detention. Then my mom finally brings my uniform and grounds me. And all this (camp, stinkin' dress-down day) only happened in two days. I'd like you to imagine what would've happened in the whole freaking month. Yeah . . . What happened to 'everything happens for a reason'? I'm not that bad. Seriously, if you knew me, you'd think so too.

3) I'm just in a slump. All the bad luck is getting to me. I think I spend more time embarrassed or crying than I do smiling. (BTW, if you're laughing about the crying part, just shut up. I'm an emotional person. Not to mention, sensitive. Mentally, emotionally, and sometimes even physically.)

4) I had the biggest case of writer's block! Every day, I would pull up my document and I would spend hours just staring at the computer, literally. And whenever I would try and type something, I would delete it because it was just stupid. Even the essays I typed for school were crappy. I mean now I'm getting A minuses! I know that seems really stupid because that's still sort of good. But that's to other people's eyes. To mine, that's crappy. You can deal with my picky-ness.

I'm sorry, I'm not usually this mean. If you ask any of my friends, they'll say I'm the nicest person they ever met. Not bragging, just quoting, because that's seriously what they said. And for those of you who know what I'm talking about, I think this AN just topped my other AN.

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Annabeth's POV

"So Percy?" Helen started. Oh, crap. "Is it true you were kicked out of every school you attended?" My family has been going on and on like this for over an hour. It's like they're trying to find something wrong. Well, I have to be honest. It's not going to be hard.

"Well, uh, maybe . . . kind of . . . yeah. But not Goode. This is my second year." He smiled, proud. I groaned and buried my face in my hands. "What?" he whispered. I could just feel their stares on me.

"Guys," I whined, directed at my family. "You know it's hard for a demigod to stay in a school. Trouble just follows us around like a lost puppy dog," I complained, stabbing at my peas that just wouldn't get on my fork.

"Yeah," Percy said, sounding dazed, "everywhere." I looked at him, worried. He was craning his head so he could see out the window. His eyebrows scrunched together, and you could see the confusion in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I looked out the window, but saw nothing. I just saw the same boring red minivan, the same idiot next-door neighbors playing in their yard, and the same dirty driveway. Nothing unusual.

Helen looked at Percy, concerned. My dad smiled, as if he finally found something really wrong with Percy. Matthew and Bobby . . . well, they were hitting each other with their spoons.

"I said to move out of the way!" Bobby whined.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to look out the window too!" Soon, the two of them were wrestling each other on the tile floor.

"Matt! Bobby!" Helen yelled, pulling the two of them back into their chairs. "Would you behave for once? We have a guest!"

"Percy, what's wrong?" I whispered. I took his hand in mine and made him look me in the eyes.

"It's fine," he reassured, though he didn't sound so sure. "I probably just need some sleep."

"That's what you get for becoming invincible," I said, trying to lighten the mood. Apparently, my dad overheard because his smile faded and he continued to eat his food in silence.

"Almost invincible," he pointed out, smiling. I smirked and gently touched the small of his back. He gasped and almost jumped out of his seat. I laughed as he sent his fork and three chicken wings across the room in surprise.

Helen yelped and dropped her knife. Matt and Bobby burst into a laughing fit.

"Remind me again," Percy started, "why I told you where my Achilles spot is." I raised an eyebrow at him and tried to hold in my laugh. "Oh, yeah, 'cause you're my best friend."

"And?" I prompted.

"And my . . . Wise Girl?" I groaned again. "Oh! Oh, because you're my girlfriend."

"Your brain is full of kelp," I muttered. "Seaweed Brain." It seems like he completely ignored me because his was staring out the window again, with the same confused look on his face.

His eyes widened and I heard a deep growl in the distance. "Hellhound!" I screamed. I grabbed my knife from the kitchen counter and pulled my Yankees cap from my back pocket. Within a blink of an eye, Percy and I were ready to fight. My family, of course, was hiding under the table or behind the counter.

"Ready?" Percy asked clutching Riptide so hard his knuckles turned white. I nodded and pulled on my cap, watching myself disappear. We ran out the door and stopped in our tracks.

The growling stopped and Percy looked at it confused. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see my parents and brothers walk cautiously out of the house to see what was going on. I walked backwards to the door, leaving Percy's side, who was still just staring at the hellhound.

I slowly took off my cap, so they could see me. "Stay back," I whispered. I didn't even know what they were seeing. Probably something along the lines of lion or ape—the usual. They weren't used to the monster attacks and I don't want them to screw something up. You know . . . no offense. They nodded, silent in shock, and ducked behind the bushes that seriously needed some trimming. It just messes up the whole image of the house, which is—Annabeth, focus! I backed up against the wall. "Percy!" I whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

"Down, girl," he said advancing. It growled and leaped forward, its yellow teeth bared. "Okay!" Percy yelled, ducking. The hellhound's claws just barely missed his head. "Not Mrs. O'Leary! I get it now!"

"Percy!" I shouted, as it tried to shake me off its leg, even though it couldn't see me. "Distract it! I got this!" He nodded, and ran, knowing exactly what to do. It was just like before. We were a team, and it would stay that way.

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Percy's POV

"Distract it!" she yelled. I spun around trying to find her. You know, you'd think after five years, I'd get used to not finding her. I mean, she literally disappeared. You can't blame me. "I got this!"

I nodded and ran back. I jumped over the unruly bushes. I had to bite the insides of my cheek to keep from yelling. I didn't- and I repeat, did not- expect Annabeth's parents and brothers to be there, watching the whole thing through the bushes.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, gripping Riptide. The celestial bronze was gleaming in the afternoon sun.

"What are you doing here?" a familiar voice asked. I whipped my head around to see a very nervous Grover, gnawing on a mangled tin can.

"Grover! What are you doing here?" I whispered. Wow, that question came up a lot.

"I'll explain later! Now aren't you supposed to be helping Annabeth?" I was snapped back to reality and I jumped over the bushes. Taking one confused glance behind me at the five watching, I ran forward and swung my sword in an arc in front of me, just barely scratching its stomach. Great, now it's mad.

"Come on, dweeb!" I yelled. I know, it's not the best insult, but have I ever been known for good insults? "What? You can't do better?" I ducked as it threw a tree, ripped out of its roots, at me. "Okay, jeez. Temper."

I was just about to take another shot, when the hellhound's eyes widened and it turned to dust. Annabeth reappeared breathing hard and wisps of her hair sticking out. Her cap was tucked back into her back pocket as she ran over to me. The golden dust lingered in the air for a while like the pixie dust kids love to play with.

Annabeth wrapped her arms around me and held one arm around her, the other hanging down by my side gripping my sword.

"Took you long enough," she muttered against my shirt. She punched me hard on the shoulder and I bet it would've hurt if I didn't bathe in the Styx.

My eyes widened and it was noticeable because Annabeth groaned and pulled her cap back on.

"Distract it," she said, almost sounding bored. I pulled her back and shook my head.

"No, it's not a monster. Grover's here," I told her and as if on cue, Grover's curly head popped up from behind the bushes along with Annabeth's family.

"Annabeth!" Grover yelled nervously with a smile. "Hi, how are you?" Annabeth put her hands on her hips and stared him down. Through the empathy link, I knew he was trying to stand his ground against Annabeth. He started to tremble and I immediately knew he wouldn't stand a chance against Annabeth.

"I'm sorry! I was hanging out with Nico at camp, then Clarisse dared us to stay outside the borders for an hour, and—,"

"Hey guys!" A head of shaggy dark brown hair popped up next to Grover.

"Nico!" I yelled, with a hint of annoyance in my voice. This day is going just perfect.

Grover continued rambling. "A hellhound attacked then Nico did that shadow-traveling thing that really annoys me because it makes my ears pop and each time it seems like I'm going to puke and—,"

Nico hit him in the stomach, which finally got him to stop talking. "Hey, it wasn't my fault," he defended. "I told my dad I would start doing it subconsciously if I practiced shadow-traveling too much. I told him. He can't deny it."

"Annabeth?" Bobby asked tentatively, shaking. "Why did a tractor try to attack you?"

"Tractor?" Matt questioned, confused. "I saw a hippo."

Annabeth groaned again and leaned her head on my shoulder, crossing her arms across her chest. It was silent for a moment as we regained our breathing and I held Annabeth against my chest.

"Oh. Percy?" Nico started. I looked up to see him staring at the Chases. "Were you meeting Annabeth's family?"

Ugh, like I said, this day is going perfect.

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Haha! I finally got it done! Don't forget to review! Flames will be used so I can burn your face off! Sorry, I hate flames/ flamers.