Sorry I keep taking ages to post, it's just BT cut my phone line in half so I have no WIFI and I have to walk half an hour to get it, but they should be fixing it soon, but thanks anyway guys.

The bell rang for first period, so I made my way to biology. The halls were mostly deserted, save for a few members of staff, so I was obviously late. When I opened the door, everyone looked at me. Percy, Annabeth, even that one really quiet friendless guy at the back with some god awful name I couldn't remember. It sounded foreign, so I just presumed he was Mexican or something.

"Miss Grace?" the teacher said. He wasn't our usual one, so I automatically assumed he was a wanker.

"Miss?" I sat down at my desk, looking over at him. The class laughed, and I saw the clear irritation on his face when they did.

"I'm sure this was an accident, not an insult, am I correct Miss Grace?"

"Of course miss, I would never insult you,"

The class laughed again.

"See me after class," he demanded.

"Sure Miss, anything for a supply teacher with no dick,"

"Detention!"

"Why of course, it'd be my pleasure,"

"Principal's office, now!" he shouted.

"Bye mom," I called back, standing up and walking out of class. Shit, I was probably still high.

"That is one hundred and three behaviour points and seven suspensions this year!" The principal yelled at me.

"Mmm, no, I'm pretty sure it was eight suspensions," I leaned over the desk, eyeing the paper with my behaviour records on. There was actually three pieces, but they had a total on each.

"Are you trying to get yourself expelled?" he slammed his hands down on the desk.

"No, I'm just trying to stop myself from dying of boredom in this shit hole,"

"That's three detentions then!"

"Great math sir, you should become a mathematician!"

"Do you know how much trouble you're in?"

"Yes, I have a two day suspension, a three hour detention after school and a letter going home to my mother telling her about my behaviour problems, I know exactly how much trouble I'm in, and that's proof I do pay attention in class,"

"And whilst we're here, may I comment on your outfit and excessive makeup, not to mention your piercings,"

"Oh, sure, you can comment as much as you like, it's not going to change anything,"

"Okay, Thalia, get out now. Go home right now, you are in isolation!"

"Great, see you tonight Principal Johnny," I snickered, sanding up and slamming the door.

I don't know how long I'd been in there for, but it was recess, so I guess about two hours in total. I was about to open the doors to leave, when Jason stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, folding his arms.

"Home, why, you have a problem with that?"

"And why are you going home?"

"Because I got a two day suspension, a three hour detention after school and I'm isolated for a week,"

"What the hell have you done now?" he leaned forward.

"I gave 'attitude' to the supply teacher and the principal and he decided to add in the fact that I wear the clothes that I do and that I have 'excessive' makeup and way top many piercings, so for breaking the dress code too,"

"Why can't you just be a normal person with good grades and normal behaviour records?"

"Because that's boring and I'd never have any fun," I said, pushing the door open and walking out.

I decided to go to Starbucks instead, since my mom would likely beat me again if she found out. Damn, thinking about it now, I really shouldn't have taken those pills before school. Now I was going to be high in Starbucks and someone was bound to notice and call the cops. Then they'd find the rest of them and then I'd have nothing to stop me from breaking down every hour or so because of the warehouse thing and then people would start to find out about that and all the other stuff that I did and they'd reload the pictures and videos on my phone and see how fucking horny and kinky I get and god my life would be one massive piece of shit.

I sat down with my coffee and took out my phone.

Hey Annie, just wanted to let you know I won't be at school the next couple of days cuz I got suspended and shit, so, text me when you get this.

I drank it slowly, enjoying the warmth it brought me in this post-winter, pre-spring state in the year.

Someone sat opposite me, setting down their coffee and leaning back in their chair. I looked up. Luke.

"I thought you would have been at school," he said.

"I was," I said, raising my eyebrows. "But I got a two day suspension and a three hour detention,"

"Badass," he smiled.

"Yeah, but my mom's gonna hit me and ground me and take away my phone and shit,"

"Yeah, but then you can take her alcohol,"

"And then she'll hit me without giving my phone back and I'll end up in the hospital paying for whatever damage has been done myself, still with no phone,"

"And then you can sue her,"

"But then I'll be put in a foster home or an orphanage and I won't be able to see you,"

"But, you see, there's this thing called sneaking out,"

"And there's also this thing called getting caught," I sighed. "Help me,"

We'd left Starbucks and gone to sit on a bench in some field no one ever went in. It was cold and windy, and Luke had wrapped his arms around me, letting me rest my head on his chest. I couldn't bring myself to move. I had so much going on and I was taking it out on everyone; Jason, Nico, the school. I was becoming too reckless. I had to reign it in a bit, or someone was going to get suspicious. They were going to think something was up. And hell, if that person was Jason, he wouldn't just let it go. He basically acts as my parental figure. My mother, well, she doesn't really count as a suitable parent. She's constantly wasted, and only cares about getting the money to get that way. Sure, she sobers up for work, but sooner or later, she's going to be at the hospital choking up her insides. Maybe there'd even be some blood in there.

I shuddered at the thought. I knew I should care, be worried, scared even, for her, but as soon as I tried to force in the somewhat good memories of her (little as there was), all the countless times she'd hit me, the numerous times she's promised to do things for me as a kid (sign forms for school, drive me to my friend's house, take me to the mall so I could get more clothes) but gotten drunk instead, the many times she forgot to cook us dinner, forcing Jason to try and mix up something quick so we didn't starve. It was always Jason who covered. Always Jason who took care of me as a kid. I remember when I was really little, I used to call him dad. At least she had the decency to hold down a well-paid job. It was times like this that I wondered how she got that job though. She would never tell me what it was, but I remember hacking into her banking website once and seeing just how much money she got a year from working. I was eleven at the time, and I was convinced we were rich.

My fingers were starting to sting from being so long in the cold, and I was convinced my cheeks were flushed. My eyes felt dry and cold from staring for so long. Luke's arm was like an iron bar around me, his chest like a metal plate. No one had come into view for hours.

I had skipped lunch, and kept to staring with Luke, the only thing keeping me from falling asleep being the jarring wind and eventually, the first few drops of rain on my face. I heard my phone vibrate and my ringtone go off, causing me to draw in a sharp breath. I closed my eyes, briefly, before taking it out of my bag and picking up.

"Jason," I sighed.

"Are you with Nico?" he asked.

"Nope," I could feel Luke's eyes on me.

"Do you have his number?"

"Nope,"

"Seriously Thals, do you know where he is?"

"Nope,"

"Do you even care where he is?"

"Nope,"

"Where are you?"

I hung up, dropping my phone back in my bag.

"You sure you don't want to stay at mine?"

"Yeah, I'm sure, I gotta go find Nico anyway, Jason's worried about him and no one has his number,"

"See you Thursday," he smiled, walking the opposite direction to me.

"Oh, she cares!" Jason said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up Jason," I dumped my bag on the couch.