DUN DUN DUN! Thanks for all the reviews I got! YAY!
So this is chapter four...I don't really know what else to say...I started writing this because I was confined to my house because my mum got ill and I've been looking after her. And to be honest, when do you do homework when you have an entire day to do what you like and only one other day of the weekend? The real question is, WHAT IS ANNABETH HIDING!
Annabeth's POV
*dream*
Fire burst out of cracks in the cabins, making campers scream in fright but also ready themselves. We were always up for a fight. This would just have to be one of those times when we won, but barely.
"What's all the smoke?" asks a deep and soothing voice beside me.
"Two more giants attacking. Nothing we can't handle," I say, turning to face a flustered Percy, still in his pajamas. It was eleven in the morning. Of course he wouldn't be up yet. He probably heard screams and thought 'time for a hero moment'.
I roll my eyes at him.
"I was asleep," he complains. "Did you have to get them to scream?"
I smirk at him and he rubs his eyes and heads back to his cabin, either to get dressed or go back to sleep. I turn back to the fight, seeing my siblings advance into the cabin, cloths over their mouths to seek out the creatures holding us in danger. Again.
Just then, the campers run out again to draw the monster out into the open.
My mouth falls open slightly.
A giant. Standing at at least fifty feet tall with huge muscly arms and legs that crippled the ground beneath it. The giants fist came down on the tiny wooden cabin and it was instantly destroyed. I ducked behind my shield as debris from the fallen building went everywhere. I stand up again when certain the rest of my little crew of helpers also shielded themselves. What can I say, they have brains.
"Take stance!" I shout to them.
They point their swords to the monster.
Just then, Clarisse and Chris run onto the scene, each carrying a bucket of water. They throw it over the giant fire-machine and run off to attack it while the Hunters, vowing to help, shoot arrows into the weaker parts of it, while it is distracted. After five minutes, it's face is covered with the deadly darts. I seriously wonder how the Hunters get more arrows. We could use that here.
The monster looks stupidly around at us all and begins to roar and yell. It thrashes about in angry confusion.
"Scatter!" yells Malcolm on my left. We all run in different directions, trying to confuse it. I hope we are all feeling slightly exhilarated by the excitement and adrenaline of the moment in the sun of this near Autumn day, as I do.
I run backwards. Huge thumping steps follow me. Great, so now this thing is following me. How convenient.
I can hear the monster's heavy footsteps trudging behind me. I peer over my shield once more to see the thing closer than I want. And about to set me ablaze. Just what I need.
The fire collects in his hand as I stare him down. I am certain he is about to fire. No pun intended. I hide behind my shield, hoping against hope that this won't be the end of me. I backed away, peering at the giant over my shield, trying to scare him. No chance. This is a giant, Annabeth. And you were, what? Scare him to his death. I stopped moving. Behind me is a wall. Out of time. The giant heaves in a breath and is about to blow when...
A gush of water rushes him to the side and away from me. I wonder who could have done that. Percy. I smile and step out from my shield to see him changed from pajamas and into a pair of dark jeans and a camp t-shirt. Back to the boy I know and love.
"Thanks for saving me," I say.
"Anytime," he smirks. "Wanna help me finish him off and get this idiot out of camp."
I nod and we run off, hand in hand, toward the threat of camp. He stops on the grass toward our destination and pecks me a kiss on the cheek. I blush under his intense gaze. He smiles and we walk the rest of the way to the damp looking giant on the ground. Percy takes a pen from his pocket. He uncaps it and uses the sword, as I use my knife, to turn the monster to dust. Another one bites the dust. Except the ones biting are us, this time.
*end of dream*
My eyelids flutter open to the sound of the alarm. Just a dream, there is no point believing in it.
I yawn and pull back the purple duvet and get out of bed, my body tired by rested after the nights sleep. I would talk about my dream, but I don't really want to remember all that other stuff that happened before this school, so I won't go into it. (A/N: And where's the fun in that?)
I check my watch and look about the little dormitory. It's still around six in the morning. Clarisse is still asleep. Juniper is just resting. I smile at her, but she is barely awake and just grimaces. Clarisse will be lucky in her bed on the corner of the room by the radiator in Winter. So much warmth. But I have the advantage over Summer. I'm by the window on the left side of the room. So far, I haven't unpacked anything from my suitcase. I don't want to, or have to. Taking the extra pair of plain denim jeans and another plain t-shirt, this one pale blue, I move to get dressed. Before remembering that there are others in the room. I guess I'll unpack tomorrow. I don't like unpacking things - it means that things have changed and that's final. Which sucks. (A/N: Me too...)
I go into the bathroom, taking the spare clothes with me and change into them, brushing my teeth as I go. The sun glares in the mirror from the mixed glass window.
I brush out my hair and tie it in a loose ponytail. Stupid curls won't hide away. I glare at them and, deeming the attempt hopeless, exit the bathroom.
Juniper is up and putting a flower in her long amber hair, smiling at the promise of a new day. She is wearing a short, green skater-skirt with a brown vest-top tuned with a darker green elbow length cardigan. She smiles when she sees me, but frowns at my choice of clothes. Clarisse isn't even awake yet. I don't think I want to be the one who wakes her up. But then again, is it fair on Juniper for Clarisse to groan and grumble at her for waking her up, like every other day of the year? Probably not.
I glance sideways at Juniper and walk up to Clarisse's bed. I poke her gently in the shoulder and back away, as if seriously not wanting to be hurt. She doesn't stir. I move a little closer and shove her. Nothing. Wow, this girl can sleep hard. I walk closer again and shove her really hard and yell,
"Clarisse! Get up!"
Oops.
I run backwards and go to my rucksack, pretending I was reviewing my timetable for the day as she snaps her head up and streaks her beady eyes over the room. I don't really need to look at my timetable. It just confirms what I already knew. I have photographic memory, in case I forgot to say. Which I probably did.
Clarisse looks around for the culprit of her waking up. When no apparent person came up, she glared around the room and got out of bed. I smiled mischievously inside. She can get over it pretty soon. The time was still early. Breakfast was soon. Everyone forgets the bad things with a good meal. I know I would anyway.
Clarisse dresses quickly, still glaring at us both and we head down to breakfast in the 'dining hall' near the boarding house reception. She is dressed in a black t-shirt and a pair of black jeans and red boots.
The dining hall is amazing. Seriously.
Along the back row is a table filled with cereal along the back of it and milk, juices and other liquids at the end. Huge loaves of bread are spread out among various jams and butters, melting over the warm rolls and slices of toast. The coffee smell filled my nostrils as I followed Juniper and Clarisse to our table on the left hand side of the room, near the second window.
The dining hall is a really cozy place for a boarding house. Better than any of the other places I've lived in. The floor is a bright blue carpet and the curtains are yellow and reach to the floor. Pine tables line the room in diagonal rows like the ones in the cafeteria. There aren't any others I know in the boarding house and it is quiet as we put down our rucksacks and walk up to the long table at the back. Clarisse picks up a piece of burnt toast and eats it while taking a bowl and filling it with cornflakes. I take a couple of slices of burnt toast and spread them with Nutella, without butter. Juniper takes an apple and a bowl filled with muesli.
I go over to the drinks, still holding my toast and take a glass to fill with blackcurrant squash. Juniper fills a mug with tea and apple juice. A mixture? Of tea and apple juice? I have no idea, so don't ask why.
We sit down again at the table, Clarisse still up at the front. A boy walks up to her and they begin to talk. I think I might have seen him yesterday when Clarisse was trying to pummel me in the corridors. Maybe. Juniper begins to talk but I tune her out easily. I know I shouldn't. She is a great friend and trusts me and stuff, but there are other things on my mind. Like that dream.
I wonder if Percy had the same dream. Maybe we still have that telepathic connection, but I doubt it. This is another place. Another world. Percy wouldn't even consider talking to me if I was in his dreams.
Oh, shut up, Annabeth! Enough talking about Percy! Weren't you supposed to be forgetting him?
But how can I forget him when he is there, everyday now, talking to me. Or he will be. I will have to be his friend to get what he wants. My superior. Eugh. He was my friend once.
Suddenly something touches my hand and I pull it away from the table, stopping chewing on my toast. I look up from my mind and see Juniper, already standing up, ready to leave.
"We need to go," she says. School! I seriously forgot. My mom would be so disappointed.
"Yeah, I'm now coming," I reply, shoving the rest of my toast in my mouth and taking my plate to the wash trolley and slip the crumbs in the bin and put the plate in a slot to be cleaned.
We run back upstairs, not followed by Clarisse, who is still talking to the same guy from yesterday, and grab our rucksacks. Well, Juniper has a messenger bag. Can you guess what color it is?
And the answers is...drum roll...RED! No, it's not green, it's red. So people aren't always as predictable as you'd think. [A/N: Lauren, I'm directing this one straight to you] On with the day!
Clarisse come running up the stairs just as we are about to leave. She looks a little flustered and Juniper grinned at her and says something about a person called 'Chris'. Don't ask me, how would I know? Clarisse growls and blushes a deep red. Clarisse does not blush. I have known her since I was eight...I MEANT YESTERDAY. I've known Clarisse A DAY and she doesn't seem like a person to get embarrassed by a comment about a boy.
Seriously, I have to stop doing that.
Juniper backs away from Clarisse and we rush down the stairs, still three minutes early for the bell to ring.
"What was that about?" I ask as we turn the corner to another flight of stairs to the boarding house reception. She grins at me, as if I should know, being me. Does she know who I am? She can't. She, just...I haven't done anything!
"That was about Chris Rodriguez." Again, she looks at me, as if hinting something. I stare at her blankly. "Oh, you really have no idea. They have this thing for each other, but neither know the other likes them and it's just embarrassing for both of them, but they get confused. It's strange." She smiles.
"That's confusing," I remark. We enter the reception and the bell rings. That is some seriously good timing. Well, I think so. Juniper doesn't say anything.
Already, the brightly colored hallways are filled with students, either eager to learn or even more eager to avoid detention. Probably the latter. Homeroom is the time when everything can go wrong before the day has even started. But Juniper isn't even in my homeroom. I have to brave that thing all on my own. Yay for me.
We reach Junipers homeroom in a matter of about two minutes, a history room on the north site of the school. I have no idea where I am and now have to consult my map. I glance down at the map, look around and walk straight forward to a pair of bright violet double doors. I turn left, right, go straight, left, go straight and stop. Where am I now?
Ugh! This is never going to work. Cannot get the planning right.
"Need a hand, there?" I wave my hand dismissively and try to figure out if my homeroom is in East site or South site. It's all a bit strewn about. "Annabeth, you're lost."
I snap my head up at my name. Ruffled dark hair, sea-green eyes, tired and colorful as ever, and a blue t-shirt and denim jeans. Percy. The same person I dreamed about last night. Tired. Alone. My Percy, back again.
"You want me to show you to homeroom?" Almost.
"Yes, please," I say before he turns around and leads me away from the newly darkened corridor filled with laughter from other rooms. Why can't I just tell him? Because it would destroy him if he knew the truth. Just like last time.
Percy's POV
I found Annabeth! After searching all morning until the bell, I actually found her! I need to ask her something. Nothing about homework or life or favorite whatever. I need to ask her out. I know it's only been a day, but it feels like I know her. I had this weird dream last night, as well.
Something about giants and water. And why was everyone in orange t-shirts? Is this some kind of dream fashion phase. Then again, what do I know about fashion. Piper knows everything about girl-stuff.
I turn back to Annabeth and catch her staring at my hair. I run my hands through it, self-conscious. Is it really that messy? I should tidy it or something. If it's bothering her. No. I like it messy. No one else complains. Well, it's not like Annabeth is complaining. Maybe she likes it. SHUT UP PERCY! SHE IS YOUR FRIEND!
And she is the new girl. New girls don't talk often and don't show feelings. It's still weird calling her the new girl, though. She doesn't seem new.
We finally reach homeroom while Mr Brunner looks to be having a conversation with the class. He is going to be so annoyed at our lateness. Oh well.
I open the door and cringe at the new silence that welcomes us. Not that it's welcoming. Just awkward and a little embarrassing.
"Mr Jackson, Miss Chase, so glad you could both join us today. Take your seats, I was just talking about the upcoming charity events."
"Sorry sir," Annabeth and I mutter before going to sit down at our places.
The entire of my homeroom sits in somewhat silence while Chiron talks to us and I realize I have no idea what he is talking about, but make no effort to try and listen. I just let my thoughts trail to the lessons of today. Nah. I bet you thought I was getting all geeky on you. No way. I am thinking about which lessons I sit near Annabeth in. Almost none. This is going to be harder than I first thought.
Thalia's POV
Okay, so homeroom was boring. Something about a charity event. Chiron was talking about the importance of a stable charity to help us all the entire fifteen minutes [A/N: Okay, so I have no idea how long homeroom lasts so don't shoot me. Please?].
I would like to do something for charity but with Juniper, it's always tree's and with Percy, it's always marine stuff. Nico is just Nico. Piper would go all girl-talk with me. Leo is seriously annoying and would joke that he had a 'date' with me when we did the charity event. I am not letting that one loose. Hazel is always with Frank and not that I don't love both of them, they are so wound up in each other I would not have a conversation if there were only three of us. I wonder what Annabeth is doing? Maybe she could help? She seems like a nice enough person. There is something strange going on with her though.
I look around at her and see she is also not paying attention. Who is? Oh right, me. I glance back at Annabeth before turning to Percy. He is deep in thought. You think a girl can't tell? I wonder what about? Probably some swimming thing he did over the summer break.
The bell rings and I am one of the first to stand up and grab my rucksack before exiting the room, looking for the quickest way to get to Math, our first lesson. Lucky us. I sigh and wait for Annabeth since there is no easy way to get out of the hallways in rush three-minutes-before-class.
Annabeth is followed in close company by Percy. There are in deep conversation once again. I seriously wonder what some one could talk so long about. Well, at least everyone in our group has found somebody now. Except Leo. But he's...Leo. Strange little Leo. Who knows? Maybe, out there, there is some crazy Hispanic girl who is exactly like him in every disturbing and creepy ways. Also, I'm not revealing who I am paired with. That is my business, thank-you very much. Unless you've already guessed. In that case, I won't applaud you, anyway.
I smirk.
"What's so funny, pine-cone face?" asks Nico, walking beside me to Math. I roll my eyes and groan. He is everywhere I seem to go.
"Nothing," I say.
"Don't worry, Nico, it's just her weird little brain talking to herself again. She'll be back to no good soon," Percy calls, momentarily breaking away from his conversation with blondie, back there. My friends are such odd people.
Then again, he is absolutely right.
"Whatcha thinking about, Grace?" Nico asks, coming closer to me so I can feel his breath on my skin. I move away from him. "What's wrong?"
"Not here," I hiss, getting closer so only he can hear. He pulls me off to the side of the corridor into some weird nook away from all the others as they pass our secret spot.
"I thought we agreed to tell them?" he asks, his eyes pleading a little. Woah, Nico does not plead. Annoying little boys plead. I have no idea why he wants this so badly. And it's a secret. Aren't secrets more fun when they are being kept? Especially secrets like this. And if any of this got out, I would be socially crucified.
"Why should we? It's more fun." He sighs. I smirk.
"I just don't see why we have to keep up the pretense like we aren't friends at all." I sigh. I was sometimes tired of being so mean to him. I know it's Nico but you can't be horrible all your life. Even if you manage to for most of it.
"Okay, just not yet. And let me speak to Percy," I say, resigned.
"Thanks, Thals." I glare at him, hating the name for me. He kisses me on the cheek and runs off down the corridor, hoping not to be late to class. What a strangely-emo-teachers-pet.
I decide to go slowly, thinking about what I might say to Percy. He is going to laugh so much I might have to knock him out straight after I tell him. A punch should do it.
I begin to wonder which classes my other friends have when the fire-alarm went off. I guess that means Leo had science. I turn around back the other way to the grounds as the doors along the corridor start opening and students pile out in single file.
After that little episode this morning, the day passes really quickly. Until lunch. Lunch is always the most eventful part of the day. Eat, talk, laugh and make fun of each other. Definitely the best part.
I take out my lunch from my locker and head toward our table at the back of the cafeteria. Nico, Percy, Annabeth and Leo are already there, laughing at something extremely funny.
"Hey, Thals," Nico calls as I walk, gesturing to the seat next to him. I frown and sit next to him anyway. Suddenly, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out and look. A message from Percy.
"Seriously, you are sitting at the same table as me," I say to him, opening the message. Percy smirks.
Percy: Heard you and Nico are finally together. Could have told me sooner, but I already knew ;)
I roll my eyes and throw a glare at Percy and shove Nico. He just laughs.
"Aww, come on, give the guy a break," says Percy. "He was excited after what, a year!" I feel my face go red.
"Two, actually," I say. Everyone laughs and I admit, I smirked a little, my chest feeling lighter. So now the secret is out. After two entire years. Lucky us. Well, I do feel kinda lucky.
EUGH! Snap out of it, Thalia! You're getting mushy.
Seriously, no one wants me to get mushy. Especially none of my friends.
Just then, Annabeth arrives at our table, carrying a cheese sandwich and an apple. Looks like she bought her own lunch today. Percy smiles at her, looking around nervously. What is up with him?
"Hey, uh, Annabeth," he says, the table falling silent around him and her. "Can I talk to you for a second, please? In private."
She looks ridiculous. Her eyes bug out of her head and her mouth opens in a tiny 'o'. But only for a second. I think I am the only one who notices. Then again, my other friends are concentrating on what Percy had actually said to her. Basically,
'I'm free, wanna be ma girlfriend.'
Percy, being Percy, is all mature and nervous like the little boy he is. I smirk and take a sip of water from the bottle in my school-bag.
"Sure," says Annabeth, a little flustered and cramming her sandwich and apple into her rucksack. They both stand and Percy leaves the table first, leading the way to somewhere more private, which happens to be outside the window of the cafeteria. Haha! Now I can watch her reaction as she rejects him, yet another failure.
The pair stop and I watch, eager to see what happens while conversation returns to a math paper next week and my relationship status. But she doesn't reject him. I see Percy ask, the question in his eyes and hold out his hands, as if waiting for a response. Annabeth blushes and responds. Percy grins at her and she smiles weakly back, but not before looking around to see who is watching.
She has to be hiding something. The last time I saw that look was when Percy peed his pants in first grade in front of everyone on the carpet. The rabbit-in-the-headlights look. Stuck and frozen and lost. I bet it's nothing.
Annabeth's POV
"Hey, uh, Annabeth," Percy says, quickly getting my attention. The table falls silent around him and the next words. Shocked. "Can I talk to you for a second. In private."
Uh oh. This cannot be good. For three reasons. One, maybe he found out who I am. Two, maybe he is going to ask me loads of questions again. Three, maybe he is going to kidnap me and take me and kill me. That has happened before. Without the killing. But Percy, being Percy, surprises me, yet again.
I follow him outside, feeling the sound of the death-march in my head. Who will go to my funeral? Probably no one. I suppose, if he kidnaps me, I could just use my skills of corruption or something. Who says I have to actually kill him? Well, my boss, but oh well.
"So, I need to ask you something," he says, taking a huge breath, almost nervous. I sigh, feeling the questions and planning my answers already.
"Okay," I say.
"Willyougooutwithme." I didn't catch a word of that.
"What?" I ask, completely bewildered.
"Are you doing anything this Friday?" he asks.
"No..." I say slowly, still confused.
"Do you want to come to my house to watch a film or something?" YES!
I am ecstatic. He won't mind. It's just a film. Percy's not kidnapping me! I'm not going to die.
I blush and smile and say, "Yeah, sure." He bites back a grin and we walk back to the table, both of us smiling like absolute idiots for two different reasons. Percy, for a new friend, me, for an old one.
The rest of the week flies by in a flurry of bad teachers, embarrassing moments, funny lunchtimes and a massive amount of homework and revision tasks for the ongoing studies. I don't really need to do all of this, having done it before. But, still, it's the experience all over again that really counts. And my time with my friends before everything goes crazy again and this begins over. That might be the end of me. The last time I do this for him.
The only important thing keeping my head straight is Percy. And our film night, but mainly just the man himself. I haven't paid much attention to anything else. And finally, as it always would, the day came.
Percy waits for me outside the bright pair of entrance doors to the school, smiling.
"How was Chem.?" he asks.
"It was fun. I think Leo got a little carried away, though." That is an understatement. Leo got very carried away. It was a mixture of various chemicals. It seemed like he knew what he was doing until we had to evacuate the classroom for the third lesson in a row.
"I heard he made a bomb," says Percy, beginning to walk, leading me to where his house is or wherever.
"Yes, it was a little messy. Poor Rodger the Hamster was stuck inside." Rodger is the class pet. I have no idea either why the Hamster, which is a girl, is called Rodger or why you would even have a pet in a chemistry lab. Then again, our teacher, Professor Biggleton, is a little insane.
We talk all of the while to the little house on the road. Percy's house. I vaguely remember it. I DIDN'T SAY THAT! NO! FORGET WHAT I SAID!
Anyway, we walk into the silent house, finally quiet, having talked about everything to do with school, life and most things in general already. But I'm sure we will find something else to talk about. We always do.
"Do you want anything to eat or drink or something?" asks Percy, already in the kitchen, a few feet away as I look around, memories flooding back to me. I won't recount them since I'm not supposed to have them. Just remember, I never said anything about memories and I won't have to kill you. Or get you killed or anything like that. Got it? Good, now, to continue.
"Do you have any blackcurrant squash?" I ask.
"Yeah, sure," Percy calls back. He brings back two glasses of the purple fluid and I down it. He smirks at me and takes me rucksack to the kitchen to hang it beside his own. I smile.
"Thirsty much?" he asks, still grinning.
"Just a little," I say. He takes the glass and refills it.
"So what do you want to do?" I shrug at his question. "Would you like a grande tour?" I nod and he smirks, leading me to the kitchen and showing me the house I already know like the back of my own hand. I don't really understand that phrase. It's like saying you know the place like you see it every day of your life and almost every second.
We tour the small house and eventually reach Percy's room. The walls are painted blue and sheets of paper is strewn over piles of clothes on the bed and on the small wooden desk in the corner.
"Cool," I breathe, thinking of every moment spent here.
"Do you want to watch a film then?" asks Percy, looking at me, expectant.
"Sure, you pick one," I say, smiling and sitting down next to the mass of clothes on the bed.
"Okay, I've got one," he says. "Down to the sitting room. If you can remember where it is?"
"Sorry," I mutter, guilty at the lie, while we walk back to the couch, Percy putting in the movie and pressing play.
We sit down on the couch and Percy wraps his hand around my shoulder and I retract a little. He slides back to the other side of the couch, embarrassed. I smirk at him and he blushes in the dim light. The film starts and I slide over to him. He smiles at me and wraps his arm around me again. I flinch a bit at his electric touch, but otherwise don't move away. My skin tingles, but who knows why? I am supposed to be avoiding this sort of contact with anyone who might make me remember. He said so. I listen to him.
The film looks to be really funny. It is Percy's choice. It was something about a couple of friends doing a load of weird things and having fun and stuff together. I have no idea of the true meaning of the film, something like a romance but who knows?
The credits begin and this new song starts. I don't recognize it, but Percy hums along to the sweet tune. I listen to him and the music in the background harmonizing. I smile and look into his sea-green eyes.
Just as I am staring into Percy's perfect eyes, my phone buzzes beside me. I pick it up and look at the caller ID. Percy looks to me in question as I hold up my hand gesturing the number three.
Give me three minutes to talk.
He signals for me to go and smiles. I walk through the hallway in Percy's house to the kitchen where I answer the call and press the plastic to my ear.
"Hello?" I ask, timidly, knowing what comes next will be a bad thing.
"Annabeth," says a smooth, yet harsh, voice from the other end of the line.
"What is it this time, Luke?"
hahahahaha! So that is what she is hiding!
Or half of it anyway!
I hope it wasn't too long...but it took a long time...sorry :(
Please review!