Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.
Annabeth's P.O.V:
Annabeth sat down silently in her chair, feeling unwanted tension rise in the air when her whole family was seated in the restaurant.
Her father had taken them to a restaurant Annabeth had never heard of, and Annabeth kept noticing Athena giving her small smiles, as if to cover something up. She was sitting across from her father, her mother in the middle, as Frederick started talking.
"Annabeth?" He asked his daughter and Annabeth mentally prepared herself to what was to come.
"Yes?" She replied, picking up a silver fork from the table, and lowering it down to her lap as she slid the cold metal against her wrist absentmindedly, her hands needing something to do.
"When was the last time you got a hair-cut?" He asked, and Annabeth mentally sighed.
"Why does that matter?"
"Because," Frederick said, looking at Annabeth as if she were a disappointment, "you look disgusting."
"Frederick," Athena told him calmly, "she looks fine-"
Frederick interrupted her. "Have you seen her? The bitch doesn't even work. All she does is stay in her stupid room with her lazy ass, letting everybody else do the work. She's absolutely worthless, Athena. Everytime I see her, I fight the urge to gag..all she does is sit around. She isn't good in cleaning, in school, in anything. All she is is an embarrassment to the family."
Annabeth looked down onto her lap, and bit her lip hard to prevent herself from saying anything. I know I'm a disappointment.
Athena sighed deeply, "Frederick, that's enough."
Frederick's cold blue eyes looked at Annabeth, critically, "Athena, look at her. Annabeth is obviously a waste of space, how do you expect her to get a husband like that? She's more likely to get raped."
A piece of Annabeth broke inside, yet she ignored it.
Athena gasped slightly, and glared at Frederick. "Do we need to leave?"
Frederick shrugged slightly, "I'm being honest."
Athena was silent for a moment before she spoke. When she did, her voice had become steady and hard, venom laced in it. "You, are not to speak of anything related to my daughter like that, and if you are, then Annabeth and I will gladly leave."
Frederick smirked. He looked as though he was going to say something, but was cut off once the waitress came up to them.
She smiled at them, with her auburn hair tied up. Her light blue eyes were kind, and she looked no older than in her 40s. "Have you decided your orders yet?"
Frederick nodded, and started speaking, and Annabeth, not wanting to listen, zoned out.
She stared at the peach-ish table cloth on the table, looking at it long enough that it blurred her vision.
What seemed like just a moment later, Athena spoke again. "Annabeth?"
Annabeth was brought into reality once she heard her name. "What?"
"What would you like to eat?" Athena questioned her, her grey eyes softer than Annabeth had seen before.
Annabeth's stomach grumbled at the thought of food, but she ignored it. "I'm not hungry."
Athena looked at Annabeth with a look of doubt. "Are you sure? You haven't eaten anything for the whole day."
"I have," Annabeth lied, and when her mother gave her another look of doubt, Annabeth decided to lie. "I promise."
"Okay," Athena said, and Frederick spoke up.
"She doesn't need food. She's fat enough." He stated, and Annabeth felt a pang at her heart, and mentally scolded herself for being so vulnerable to her father's words.
Athena glared at Frederick, but looked at the waitress with a smile. "That's it."
The waitress nodded, as she left, and Athena turned to glare at Frederick.
"What is wrong with you?" She asked him, her grey eyes cold, "Do you not have any respect?"
Frederick wore a smirk. "Well, I'm being honest. She won't do anything anyways."
Annabeth tried to keep how much her father's words really affected her inside, as she bit the inside of her cheek. It wasn't like she didn't know what her father was saying, but as she looked around the restaurant, with people who had laughing families, who were actually happy together, Annabeth couldn't help but hate how dysfunctional and messed up her family was.
But maybe I'm the reason why.
She hated how she couldn't have a normal family like all the other kids in school did, with their caring fathers, who wouldn't dream of hurting their daughters like Frederick did. She wished she was more than just a slave to her dad, that maybe, he would be proud of her for just one second instead of criticizing her every movement. She didn't want those hundred dollar phones her classmates talked about, she didn't want to live in an enormous mansion, either. All she wanted, craved even, was love from her father.
But then again, you couldn't always get what you wanted.
Still, all she would like to do was to impress her parents. To finally not be "average", and for the first time, be recognized. But Annabeth knew that would never happen. She knew if she was meant to be happy, she would have been.
Her self-esteem was shattering with every little word her dad told her, but she pushed it aside. She couldn't let drama and her feelings ruin her path to success, going to college. The only way she could leave her family and have a future.
"Annabeth?" Athena's voice came from what seemed like miles away, even though it was barely two feet, and Annabeth was jarred back into reality.
"Are you okay?" Athena asked, and looking down, Annabeth realized that her parents' plates had came, meaning she had been zoned out, once again, for a long time.
"Yeah," Annabeth replied, feeling a churning in her stomach, "I'm perfectly fine."
Athena narrowed her grey, calculating eyes at her daughter. "You don't look okay."
Annabeth tried for a smile, but it pained her heart when she did. Besides, trying doesn't mean you'd always succeed, and obviously, by the look of Athena's face, Annabeth didn't succeed.
Annabeth sighed and glanced at her father, who was on his phone, and seemed to be texting somebody. Inwardly rolling her eyes at her father's behavior, Annabeth turned back to her mother, disgust for her father rising inside of her by every passing second.
Athena's grey eyes looked tired, like she hadn't slept in weeks. Annabeth didn't blame her, though. She understood how it felt to live with her father, and felt sympathetic towards her mother.
"Honey," Athena spoke, her voice quieter, "I can tell something's bothering you."
Annabeth shrugged. "A lot of things have been bothering me, but it obviously doesn't matter."
Athena looked puzzled. "Why wouldn't it matter?"
Chuckling sarcastically, Annabeth replied, "When has it mattered?"
Athena opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Frederick, who had put his phone on the table. Annabeth could faintly hear text notifications ringing from it, but tried not to think about it or who it could be.
"Athena," He spoke with a smile Annabeth would have loved to wipe off his face, "Have you told Annabeth the news yet?"
Annabeth saw her mother give Frederick a look of exasperation and annoyance, and she shook her head.
Confused, Annabeth said, "What news?"
"Well-" Athena tried to say, but was cut off by Frederick.
"You told me you would tell her!" Frederick nearly yelled and Annabeth had to restrain herself from attempting to kick him under the table at his overreacting.
"Relax, Frederick," Athena told him, calmly, but there was a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Frederick shook his head, "You're a bitch."
Rage bubbled inside of Annabeth at Frederick's words. Who gave him the right to call Athena a bitch? She couldn't help herself when she said, "How is she a bitch?"
Frederick turned his attention to her, his blue eyes staring at her, making Annabeth want to both cower away and glare back. She did the latter, glaring him down with the same force he had with her.
"Are you talking back to me?" He asked, his voice icy.
"No," Annabeth responded, "I would just like to know how my mother is a bitch, according to you."
Frederick set his jaw into a hard line. "Listen, I own this family. I can say whatever I want and whatever I'd like, and you, have no part in it. Do you understand me?"
Annabeth was about to retort back, but Athena laid a hand on her shoulder, silently telling her to calm down. Annabeth understood the message, and even though she had a million things to say back to her father, she sat back and bit her tongue.
"Yes," Athena answered Frederick, "I'm sure she understands."
Glaring daggers at her father, silently hoping somehow they would pierce him, Annabeth cursed at him under her breath.
"Anyways," Frederick continued, as if nothing had happened, "Athena, I think you would like to tell her the news."
The news? "Let me guess," Annabeth said sarcastically, unable to help herself, "you're finally getting divorced?"
Silence. Annabeth looked up at her parents, in disbelief. Athena was staring at her with her mouth slightly open, and Frederick was smirking.
"No way," Annabeth said, another part of her breaking. "You're getting divorced..?"
Athena cleared her throat and nodded.
Annabeth stared at her parents, incredulous. "Are you serious?"
Again, Athena nodded. "Honey-"
Annabeth suddenly felt something bubbling inside of her. A mix of anger, sadness, disbelief, betrayal, and hurt. "And you're just telling me this?"
Athena pursed her lips. "Annabeth, listen to me-"
Annabeth laughed, hurt spreading throughout her like waves. As if her family wasn't bad enough. "Now what? You're telling me I move all the way to Florida?"
"Actually," Frederick spoke up, "you're moving to New York. With me."
Annabeth sat down onto the patch of grass, the grass tickling her legs as she spread them out and sighed.
She had left the restaurant, telling her parents she could come home herself, not wanting to look at her parents.
Here she was, sitting on a patch of grass as the sky turned darker, staring at the ground, numb. How could they divorce, and act as though Annabeth couldn't be hurt? It was her family, and she wasn't supposed to feel anything as they just completely broke apart? And why hadn't they ever told her? Why was she moving to New York with her father? Leaving her mother?
She felt hot tears welling up in her eyes, but impatiently blinked them away. She couldn't cry.
Although, not even thirty seconds later, Annabeth couldn't prevent the tears that fell down her face, like a mini waterfall. She let herself cry, letting the tears soak her cheeks and the ground beneath them, as she remembered everything that had happened.
A sound above her caught her attention. A burst of color in the sky suddenly came into view, and Annabeth recognized the boom easily.
Fireworks.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Annabeth pulled her legs towards her chin as another burst of light, this time green, colored the sky, followed by a boom echoing throughout the sky.
Annabeth didn't know why, but she felt a sudden burst, as if one of the fireworks were exploding inside of her, and she shook her head as a breeze ran through the air.
Another explosion.
Annabeth decided she'd watch the fireworks, seeing that she had easily found a good place where they were visible, and the fact she didn't want to see her family.
Shaking her head to try to clear off the thoughts, Annabeth watched the fireworks, one by one, as each burst painted the sky.
Percy's P.O.V:
Percy cursed as he came inside through the window of his room, his body being pressed down as he attempted to slip through the small hole once again. He felt a thin prick on his shirt, and an item dug into his skin, and Percy recognized it as the prick of a nail.
He pushed himself farther, grunting as he landed onto the floor, the pressure dizzying him for a moment. Blinking back into focus, Percy slowly got up, and holding onto the wall for support, and ignoring the prick of the nail he had gotten, he almost jumped when he heard yelling coming from the other side of the door.
"Kid! Don't you fucking make me come in there! What the fuck are you doing in there, bastard? Come out here!" Gabe's voice bellowed and once again, Percy muttered a string of curse words as he fixed his shirt and shut the window.
With his heart pounding, Percy opened the door of his room and exhaled as he walked into the living room, where Gabe, and another person, Kronos were sitting, beers in hand.
When Gabe saw him, he set his eyes on him. "What the hell were you doing?"
Percy shrugged, and tried not to have his voice shake as he spoke. "I didn't hear you?"
It came more like a question, and Gabe raised his eyebrows as he stood up.
Coming closer to Percy, Gabe growled at Percy and gripped his left arm, which was still full of cuts.
Percy cried out at the pain, not being able to prevent himself. The pain was unnerving, and Percy could feel the thump of his heart as Gabe looked him down.
"You're seriously that weak?" Gabe taunted and Percy bit his lip.
When Gabe didn't get an answer, his grip on Percy's wrist tightened, and Percy bit his lip harder than before, until he could taste his own blood. Waves of pain ran through his back, and Percy could feel blood once again thumping through his veins.
Kronos spoke up from behind them, and Percy felt disgust bubble inside of him, as he thought about the fact that Kronos and Gabe had children of their own, but had left them.
"Gabe, you need to hit him harder. He should have listened to you." Kronos said, and Percy could feel his smirk through his voice.
With a grin of a maniac only Gabe could have, Gabe nodded. He raised his arm at Percy and swung, hitting his cheek with extreme force. Percy heard a crack, as he did so, and Kronos laughing from behind them.
It took all of Percy's willpower not to blackout.
A/N: Well. There's that. I hope this chapter was just a little longer than the others because I've been feeling really bad about not having long chapters but at the same time I want to finish TWSH and get it over with, but I also want to balance the updates. Which will get slower, sadly, as school once again takes over. Also, I sometimes have chapters already written but can't get to updating them because my brother's in the room or something like that, and I apologize. But before anything, the reviews! :D
808fangirl: Don't worry, it'll be cut off. Soon. And gosh you just gave me an idea (I have way too many) for this story..thanks. I'm glad you felt something for it, honestly. Glad to know you show emotion to this story. Guess they aren't staying for their little one, are they? Thanks for reviewing, I hope you like this chapter! :)
Shattered Owl: Thanks :) I hope you liked this chapter, also (Plus stop ignoring me on Kik, bruh)!
TigerL1ly81: Oh, trust me, love, there's a lot of drama yet to come. I grinned so hard at your review and it just made my day. Thank you so much! The cutting thing hit close to home for me too, but sometimes it's easier to write it, it makes it more relaxing to put it into words, you know? Anyways, I'm glad you liked this chapter, and thank you for reviewing!
CrazyPeopleLikeMe: Haha, I love your user! Thank you so much, love. I really hope you like this chapter, thank you for reviewing!
greekgeekgirlbro: Oh gods the niceness I can't even. I was staring at this for like an hour, like, "Wait..what did I do to deserve this?" and honestly this is so nice. Writing this and listening to FOB is my favorite thing to do! This story is something I can totally and always relate to so, and I'm glad you can see yourself in the story with the descriptions and stuff (not like connecting to Percy or Annabeth with what they're going through). A spell on you? Gods of Olympus let me hug you. I've read a lot, too, and they are all so beautifully written and the fact that this stands out for you from all of those amazing ones, just makes my whole day better. You don't know how much I love your reviews, love. Thank you! I say the same for you, keep smiling :)
theartnerd333: Oh gosh, thank you so much! Honestly this just made my absolute day. You're so nice to me; I have no idea why. I'm really happy you like this story and I hope you like this chapter as well! :)
PercyjacksonRxs; Thank you! Well, from my experience and information, you can't die out until you hit a major vein, and lose a lot of blood. Percy was slashing out at the skin, not the vein, does that make sense? He didn't bleed too much, though, since there would have been another layer of tissue underneath the one he cut. I think. Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter! :)
Jessica Jasso: Yeah..sorry about that. I think this is just a bit longer. I made Annabeth a main point in this since I very little included her in the last chapter, and I hope you like this chapter. Thank you! :)
Guest: This made me grin so hard. Thank you so much! I really hope you like this chapter, love! :)
Okay, so that's that with the reviews. I'm sorry if this is short, by the way. I haven't gotten to the real plot, and the Romans will be included, don't worry. Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter! Stay safe. Keep smiling, xxx.