A/N: Hey guys! I am very happy, sad, and mad because I received my first flame and it kind of upset me what the person said. But hey, it's a flame. Thanks to my buddy Jayne Mays who stuck up for me! Also, I have 98 reviews, so could we pretty please make it to 100? Please? One hundredth reviewer gets a cookie! Also, I just realized that I haven't been putting any disclaimers. Oops… Thanks to PandaFellOffTheSlide for beta-ing this!
Disclaimer: I do not own PJO, sadly…
Chapter 10: The Beauty
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" someone screams in my ear, waking me up from my deep sleep.
"Ugh. Let me sleep," I grumble and put my pillow over my head, but it, along with my warm comforter, is yanked off of me.
"Wake up sleepy head! We have a lot to get done for the ball tonight," Silena yells in my ear.
"But it's my birthday! Let me sleep some more," I protest.
"Exactly! We have to make you absolutely gorgeous!" she squeals with delight.
"Fine," I say and reluctantly rise from my bed.
"Happy birthday! You're finally eighteen!" Cass says as she pulls me in for a tight hug.
"Thanks. I'm glad to finally be an adult," I laugh.
"Hey! We need to give her hugs too!" Thalia says and she, Piper, Katie, Vicky, and Juniper come to engulf me in a hug.
"Guys…need…to breathe," I say and they quickly let me go.
"Aright girls! Time to- Oh, I see you're already up," Aphrodite walks in and Mrs. Back walks behind her.
"Now why are you girls already up?" Mrs. Back asks.
"We decided to get up early and wish Annabeth a happy 18th birthday!" Juniper says and they both look shocked.
"It's July 23rd? I completely forgot! Come here," Aphrodite says and she gives me a hug. Like I haven't had enough of those already.
"It's okay. I almost forgot myself," I chuckle.
"Well congratulations," Mrs. Back and she gives a small hug.
"Since we have officially wished Annabeth a happy birthday, it's now time to prepare for the ball!" she says and everyone runs to the closet to get the dresses that they chose while I follow closely. For some reason, I have a strong feeling that Percy is going to choose me tonight, but there's a small voice in the back of my mind saying he isn't.
We walk in the large closet and I go to my section. I study my reflection in the mirror and notice how much my appearance has changed ever since I came to the palace. My golden curls are under control more, my stormy eyes seem to pop, and my figure looks slimmer.
"Hey Annabeth, did you decide on a dress yet?" Katie asks me. I'm debating over a silver mermaid dress and a midnight blue strapless gown.
"Yeah. I choose the blue one. I think it suits me best. The silver one is too tight and I feel like I can't breathe," I say.
"It's so gorgeous! I can't believe it was the only one and in your size," she says.
"Me neither," I say with a small smile.
"All right girls. Mrs. Back here is going to help me prepare you for the ball. She will do your makeup and I will do your hair. This will take a good portion of the day so please be patient until it's your turn," Aphrodite says.
"I will begin with Silena. I have a feeling she will take the longest," Mrs. Back says and we all laugh while Silena scowls. She sits in her chair in front of her mirror and Mrs. Back starts applying makeup to her face while we all hang out throughout our quarters. I read some Architecture books to try and keep myself occupied, but I can't help imagining what the ball will be like. Aphrodite told us that the King and Queen named the ball the Unknown Love Ball. I think it's a clever name. When Silena is finished with her hair and makeup, she looks even more beautiful than she usually does.
Her hair is pulled halfway up and halfway down, but the ends of her hair are curled. Instead of being tied with a rubber band or clip, it's in an elegant twist. (A/N: All of the pictures for the girls' hairstyles are on my profile, so I'm not going to go into much detail.) I can't even tell she's wearing any makeup because it looks so natural. We all gape in silence.
"Silena, you-you look-"Juniper says, but Silena cuts her off.
"Does it look horrible? Oh, gosh. I KNEW that natural look wasn't for me!" she exclaims.
"Are you kidding? You look gorgeous!" Piper responds and we all nod silently in agreement,
"Really? Aw, thanks you guys!" she says with a huge grin.
"Alright, Katie! You're next!" Mrs. Back says as her head pops out from behind the wardrobe door.
"Oh boy," Katie mumbles under her breath and we laugh. She walks in. An hour later she comes out cautiously, but, like Silena, she looks breathtaking. Part of her chocolate brown hair is pulled up on top of her head and the rest is let down. Her makeup looks completely natural, but she has a hint of green eye shadow, which makes her green eyes pop.
Piper goes next and when she comes out, her choppy brown hair is in elegant curls and pulled halfway up and halfway down with three simple white flowers in the back. Her color changing eyes look bluer today and she looks beautiful.
Thalia groans because she goes next, but I can tell that she is partly excited. When she comes out, her face is glowing. Her spiky black hair is pulled up in a messy, but somehow neat bun with little ringlets hanging on the side. The makeup that she has on makes her electric blue eyes pop and her cheeks have a rosy tint to them. She looks strikingly gorgeous.
Cass is very quiet when she goes in, but when she comes out, she's bubbling with excitement. Her shoulder length, chestnut brown, curly hair is shining and it seems to have grown past her shoulders over the past six months. Her leaf green eyes seem to be a much deeper green with the makeup that she has on and, like all of my other friends so far, she looks remarkable.
Vicky walks into the closet and comes out quicker than the others, but she still looks stunning. Her straight, red-brown hair is simply let down from her usual ponytail and her dark brown eyes with flecks of red popped with the small amount of deep red eye shadow. Other than her eye shadow, she appeared to have no other makeup on.
Juniper goes in worried, but comes out with a grin on her face. Her auburn hair is curled and up in a bun with curls hanging freely, but a piece of her hair is swept to the side on the front. There are two silver clips on the left side of her hair in the shape of fig branches. Her makeup looks environmental, if that makes sense, and she definitely looks like the nature girl she is.
Aphrodite calls me in with a giddy grin and I prepare myself for the longest makeover of my life. I close my eyes and sit there for two hours. Who knew it takes so long just to do hair and makeup?
"Alright Annabeth, we're done," Mrs. Back says and I slowly open my eyes. What I see in the mirror shocks me. My golden blonde princess curls are swept onto my left shoulder and there are two, thin, midnight blue headbands that are holding my hair and they seem to shimmer. I see my stormy grey eyes staring back at me and they pop with the simple makeup that Mrs. Back applied.
"Wow…" I whisper.
"You look absolutely beautiful," Aphrodite says and I smile in return.
"Thank you," I say.
"Oh it was no problem," Mrs. Back with a wave of her hands.
"Now it's time for the dresses. My favorite part!" Aphrodite squeals and I think how Silena might be her long lost daughter, considering how alike they are.
"Girls! It's time to put on your dresses!" Mrs. Back calls to them and they come running into the closet, but when they see me, they stop.
"Annabeth, you look amazing," Thalia says and I blush in response.
"Yes, you all look absolutely gorgeous. Now, go put on your dresses because the ball is in exactly thirty minutes and Mrs. Back and I still have to get ready!" Aphrodite says and we all scurry off to put on our dresses. (A/N: Again, all of the dresses and shoes are in my profile so I won't go into much detail.)
I walk over to my closet section and take out the midnight blue ball gown from the Formal section. The dress is strapless and tight until the waist. There is a little diamond design on the bodice and the bottom of the gown is in large ruffles. I slide on the gown, thinking about how glad I am that the dress is comfortable and look at myself in the mirror. My hair seems to look perfect for once, the dress compliments my body build, and I feel beautiful. Before I put on my strappy silver heels, I walk over to where all of the girls are standing in a group with their dresses on while Aphrodite and Mrs. Back are putting the finishing touches on their makeup.
Thalia is wearing a black and white print strapless ball gown, Silena a pink strapless flowing gown, Cass a Caribbean blue, strapless, flowing gown, Vicky a strapless, silver mermaid gown, Katie a strapless yellow ball gown, Juniper a strapless, blue-green flowing gown, and Piper a one-shoulder light blue flowing gown. They all look absolutely breathtaking.
Aphrodite is wearing an elegant, red, flowing dress with straps not at her shoulders, but right at her neck. Her hair is pulled up into a simple bun with a small piece of hair hanging freely on her right. Mrs. Back is wearing a strapless, white flowing gown with a gorgeous black design on the upper part and throughout her dress. Her wavy, chocolate brown hair is let loose and is billowing down her shoulders. They look even more stunning than when I first saw them.
"Okay, if Prince Percy chooses one of us, we all stay friends after this no matter what," Vicky says and we all smile and nod.
"Girls, it's time to go," Mrs. Back says and we all slide on our strappy heels. We walk out of the closet and I look back inside before the door closes thinking that this might be the last time we ever see this wonderful closet.
"Thalia, I have a confession," I say nervously as I catch up with her.
"What?" she says.
"You know how on the first day I was late for dinner, all of those phone calls I got saying from my dad, and how that one time you caught me sneaking out?" I said.
"Yes," she says suspiciously.
"Well, the reason I was late on the first day to dinner was because I met Prince Percy in the library and we talked for hours and I lost track of time. All of those phone calls were from him wanting to talk. The reason I snuck out that one time was to go watch a movie with Percy in the castle rec room," I say looking at my feet as they click on the marble floor on the way to the ballroom.
"WHAT?" she yells and all of the girls look back at us, even some from other groups, except Aphrodite because she is so far ahead of us. I don't notice Mrs. Back also turning her head as Thalia yelled.
"Keep it down!" I say.
"I can't believe that you were hanging out with Prince Percy! What happened to you hating him?" she scream-whispers.
"I did hate him when I first met him, but when I got to know him, he was really funny and nice," I say.
"I-I don't know what to say," she shakes her head as the other girls start to walk with us.
"What's going on?" Piper asks.
"Can I explain?" Thalia and I nod my head. She explains everything I told her and their eyes widen in shock.
"No way… You're so lucky… So that's where you went off to… That's so romantic," everybody's comments stop at Silena's comment.
"How is it romantic?" I ask her.
"Because. You sneaking off to be with him, him calling you just to talk with you, it's all… romantic!" she says.
"No, it's not romantic. Were just really close friends, and that's it," I say, but inside, I'm doubting my words.
"Whatever you say, but now he will most likely choose you," she says and all the girls mutter in agreement.
"She's right Annabeth," Mrs. Back and I turn my head towards her, not realizing she heard our conversation.
"Um, I still don't think he would choose me. Like I said, were just friends," I say.
"Girls! Come and line up!" Aphrodite says and I inwardly sigh in relief, glad to stop talking about Percy.
"Unfortunately, you girls are the last to be introduced, so you will have to wait a little while every other girl is introduced. Remember how we practiced walking up and down the stairs gracefully, but swiftly," she says hurriedly. "I'm so proud of you! You have all blossomed into wonderful young ladies," she says with tears in her eyes.
"Yes you have. It has been a pleasure being your advisor and I wish you good luck," Mrs. Back says as Aphrodite walks to the entrance of the ballroom to be ready for her introduction.
"Ladies and gentleman! It is time for the introduction of the Unknown Love candidates," a guard faintly says down at the entrance to the ballroom. He sounds so far away because there is about 300 other girls in front our group. We line up with Cass at the front and I end up at the back.
"Lady Aphrodite, the advisor who has cared for and tutored the young ladies for the past six months," the guard says.
"Lady Michelle Skye, the advisor assigned to group one," he says and the line moves forward.
"Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Duke Ares," he says, and the line moves.
"Drew Hartley (A/N: I didn't know what her last name was), daughter of advisor Elizabeth Hartley," he says and the line moves. Slowly, the line moves fairly quickly, but my feet start to ache after the first hundred girls. Eventually, after what seems like a lifetime, Mrs. Back is introduced.
"Lady Brianna Back, the advisor of group 38," he says and Mrs. Back walks gracefully in.
"Cassandra Louise Jenson, daughter of duke Logan Jenson," he says and I see Cass take a deep before she walks in.
"Victoria Sparks, daughter of Duke Matthew Sparks," he says and she confidently walks in.
"Piper McLean, daughter of advisor Aphrodite," he says and Piper walks in with a grace I've never seen before.
"Juniper Woods, daughter of Lynette Woods," he says and small Juniper walks in.
"Katie Gardner, daughter of advisor Demeter," he says and firm Katie walks in with a rare, easygoing smile.
"Silena Beauregard, daughter of Duke Pierce Beauregard," he says and Silena walks in with a graceful strut.
"Thalia Grace, daughter of Duke Zeus," he says and Thalia walks in with a grin.
"Annabeth Chase, daughter of advisor Helen Chase," he says and I take a deep breath, put on a smile, and walk in.
A/N: Cliffy! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I might or might not go to Cali tomorrow, and if I do, I will be there for 2 weeks and I will try my best to update while I'm there. If I don't, then I'm going to be too busy. Also, the polls are working again, so if you PMed me your answer, please go vote because I forgot to write down all of your answers. Thanks guys! REVIEW and VOTE!
~Skywriter5