"So Ella…was a friend?" Hazel paused and I shook my head, not liking this at all. It felt wrong to tell her about it, an acquaintance and here I was telling her one of my most guarded secrets.
"An older sister" I sighed and her eyes go wide and her mouth parts a little, I watched her whilst she took this in.
"So that's why you're always so harsh to Annabeth…because she's replacing Ella, and when you went unconscious you called Annabeth Ella…because in that moment you mixed the two up…that's pretty sweet" She said and my jaw dropped. Sweet? Did she just call me sweet out of all things? I tried to be the arrogant jerk, I thought I succeeded and then she called my situation sweet.
She smirked and stood up to leave but when she went to the door she said "Really sweet, poor William, drowned by guilt and for years he was tormented by inner demons and now has to face them all at once whilst the ghost of Ella haunts him" She says in a sing song voice and I darted up and she skipped out of the room and I followed her.
"I am not sweet! I am an arrogant bastard that does not deserve to be called sweet" As we enter the kitchen and Jason whistles.
"He actually admitted that he is one, where's a recording device when you need one" he says sarcastically and Hazel grinned whilst the others gazed at us in obvious shock.
"How is he sweet?" Leo asked Hazel and she grinned at him and I gave her a look but she ignored me, and she began to sit down on the chair but I slid onto it and she was forced to move to another seat.
"Hmmm secret" Hazel said and I smiled to myself and stabbed a piece of chicken and placed it on my plate and began to cut it up into little squares and then placing each one into my mouth and the others watched me.
"You have like a specific way of eating don't you?" Percy asked me and I looked up at him blinking, Percy watched my food having barely touched his own food, though I didn't know why, he usually loves his food.
"Of course, there is nothing wrong with having order!" I said automatically and they blinked and I knew I sounded more Roman then and there, I don't know where I got it from but…no I do, that's what my father taught me, he taught me a Roman moral.
"Are you Roman or something?" Leo asked bluntly and I rolled my eyes at him, it was obvious I wasn't, so what if I have roman traits it's not like I am Roman. Annabeth rolled her eyes at this, also seeing the obvious in the question.
"No. I am perfectly Greek thank you very much." I snorted chewing on a piece of chicken and they rolled their eyes.
Afterwards I was lying in my room staring at the ceiling, thinking of what I could have done to save Imogene. How I couldn't just stared at her carcass but killed Fred before they got there or instead of letting my anger out I could have been more emotional then. My father would have been disappointed if he saw me now.
"It wasn't your fault, by the way" I heard Piper's voice and I glanced up to see her standing at the doorway and I sat up instantly my black hair falling over my eyes and I brushed it away impatiently and she watched me not saying a word and I finally thought of what to say.
"What wasn't my fault?" I asked her emotionlessly, the piano scene coming to mind and a pang of guilt hit my stomach but I pushed it away, there was no use feeling guilty about it now. Piper stared at me her braid coming loose so it fell into her face and like me she pushed straight back behind her ears.
"Imogene and Fred…I can tell you're blaming yourself, it's written all over your expression, which is strange because I usually can't really read you when it comes to what you feel. As many people have said, you always have a mask on, which makes it impossible for anyone to read you." She paused after that and I looked at her my hands clasping my pants. "William, take it from any of us, burdens aren't good to bear alone. And you've been holding this one for nearly eight years. It can't be good for you."
I paused at this, thinking it through and then brought my knee's to my chest and said "My burden is my past and my past is what defines who I am. If I were to let go of my past, there would be nothing left of me. My burden cannot be shared. It was designed to be shared." I looked up at her then turned away holding my legs to my chest thinking about the burden that I discuss. And suddenly something flashed before my eyes and it made me gasp, but it was gone before I could grab hold onto it.
"Are you ok?" Piper asked, sounding concerned but I simply nodded my head turning away to not look at her trying to end this conversation. A conversation I never wanted to have with anyone. Whether it is my mother or George Darkwood, I will not have this conversation again.