"Hi." 5-years-old Emily stared up at the tall girl who seemed to tower over her. The feeling soon faded as the girl knelt, her big blue umbrella shielding both of them from the rain. The tall girl smiled kindly at Emily. "Hello, cutie." Her voice, filled with warmth, reminded Emily of her mother. "What are you doing here?"

Emily swallowed, feeling tears about to flow. "I- I'm lost. M-my m-m-mummy. I can't find her!"

The girl cooed softly, patting Emily's dark curls. "Don't cry, cutie. What's your name?"

"E- Emily Jacobs." Emily sniffed.

"Well, Emily Jacobs, let me help you." The girl got to her feet again, extending a hand to Emily who took it. Now that she was standing up, the girl didn't seem too intimidating. Instead, she looked like those heroes Emily's mummy would tell her about. Never letting go of the girl's hand, Emily shivered, going closer to the girl until she was hiding behind her. "My name's Persephone." The girl offered.

"Puh-sef-phone-y." Emily scrunched up her nose. Persephone laughed. "I was like you when I first learned how to pronounce my name. How about you call me Percy instead?"

"Where are you taking me?" Emily asked, her voice soft.

"I'm not exactly sure where your house is, but I know this neighborhood very well. We'll just walk around until you find something familiar, capiche? Oh wow," Persephone giggled, "I always wanted to say that."

"How long will that take?" Emily ducked behind Persephone as they passed by strangers.

"Um, I dunno. How about we play 20 questions to pass the time?"

"What's that?" Emily scratched the back of her neck.

"You ask a question, and we both answer, then I ask a question, and vice versa," Persephone said.

"Ooh, ooh! I'll start. How old are you?" Emily jumped up and down eagerly.

"I'll be 10 after August. Mum says I'm pretty smart and responsible for my age but she's my mother, of course, she has to say nice things." Persephone turned her head away. "Hmm!"

"I'm five!" Emily raised one hand, wiggling her fingers.

"Alright, my turn. Uh, what kind of Disney movie do you like?"

"Disney? Like Robin Hood?" She had heard her mummy say that word before. Persephone nodded. "Exactly!"

It ended up with the two finding some shelter and talking. Emily was laughing hard at one of her jokes when she heard, "Em! Oh, thank god."

"Mummy!" Uncaring about the rain, Emily jumped down from the bus seat, running to her mummy who scooped her up, hugging her tight. They were both drenched as Emily giggled. "Mummy, I have a new friend!"

"Hello, Mrs. Jacobs." Persephone greeted, going up to them. "Oh, thank you so much, child. My daughter and I got lost, and I just couldn't find her. Thank you so much."

"Emily is such a good child." Persephone had this weird look on her face that Emily didn't know how to describe. Her smile wasn't as big as before, it looked fake like she was biting her teeth. Her eyes didn't meet them, and she spoke in a tone that Emily knew enough meant she wanted something. "She told me of her childhood. You are such nice parents, and did such a good job raising her."

"You're too kind. Are your parents nearby? I wish to talk to them." Mummy looked around.

"My father was lost at sea. I live with my mum and stepfather. They don't know I went out. You should go back to your home, Mrs. Jacobs, and shower this little girl." Persephone's smile dropped further like she couldn't even fake it anymore. Emily scratched her neck.

"I'm sorry about your father, child. And you're right, we do need to get going. Steve is going out of his mind with worry. Come on, baby." The last image Emily saw of Persephone before going home was how her smile twisted into something ugly. Like she was about to cry. She turned her back to them and Emily saw a black and blue bruise beneath her shirt, just peeking out. It didn't look like it was from a fall, but it didn't look like Persephone did it.

The two became best friends after that. It was several months before Emily saw Persephone again, but when she did, it was like they never left. Persephone was like the sister Emily always wanted. She played with her, occasionally was there when Emily came back from school, and always made time for Emily. She read bedtime stories for Emily when her mum was too busy, taught her how to do her schoolwork, comforted her when Emily hurt herself. Persephone was Emily's hero. Over the years, Emily began to notice something weird about her best friend. Other than the fact she constantly got expelled from school, Persephone also got in the middle of a suspected crime which blew over. She refused to tell Emily what happened, the true details when Emily demanded to know. All she did was grow sad and distant, and didn't talk to Emily for a whole day. She would go to this summer camp but didn't allow Emily to join too. The number of scars Emily saw began to increase, growing uglier and uglier. Persephone's light grew dimmer until Emily rarely saw her friend smile truly with her eyes. The only good thing was when Emily got to meet Persephone's friends. She never got to meet her friends, Persephone always had an excuse ready. She met Annabeth, Grover and his girlfriend, Juniper. Two very fun brothers, Travis and Conner. The happiness never lasted long. Whenever she had a sleepover with Persephone, she would sometimes wake up at night because Persephone was screaming. She wanted to help, but Persephone had been adamant it was just got worse, when she was 12 and Persephone was 17. She went missing. She was devastated and cried. Sally, Persephone's mother, comforted her. It was amazing when Persephone returned, bruised all over the place. Emily hadn't cared. She had thrown her arms around the older girl's neck, crying out in tears of happiness. She felt Persephone freeze up for a second before returning the hug. "I'm sorry, cutie," She had whispered in Emily's ears. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Why did you leave? You promised you wouldn't leave. Not when Mum is sick." Emily swallowed back tears as Persephone gently grasped her chin, lifting her head so she was looking in Persephone's unique sea-green eyes. "I didn't plan on it." Her voice was haunted, weary, tired. "I was kidnapped. And I had to do other things during the time I was gone. I couldn't come back."

"Will you stay now?" Emily asked anxiously.

"Of course, cutie. But first, I would like you to meet some people." Persephone led her outside, where 5 other people were lounging. Emily only recognised Annabeth, Persephone's girlfriend. "These are my friends, Emily. You know Annabeth. These are Jason and Piper, they're a couple, and Hazel and Frank. Hazel and Frank helped me when I was lost. I helped them become a couple." They waved when their names were said and Emily waved back shyly.

"You must be Emily Jacobs." Hazel said warmly. She had dark skin with even darker curls. She, like Persephone, had unique eyes, as gold as the pictures of gold bars Emily had seen. "Percy has told us many things about you. I'm sorry about your mother."

"She'll get better." Emily said firmly. The 6 shared a look Emily didn't like at all. It was the look adults had when children misbehave. Persephone had perfected the look.

"I'm very sorry, again, cutie. I won't leave, not again." Persephone smiled sadly. "Let's go find your mother, shall we? I wish to talk to her and my friends have to go now."

"Okay!"

Still, Persephone left her for college. She was alone when her mother died, with only her father to comfort her. Sally was busy with Baby Estelle, and couldn't come over. And that was the only time Emily had ever felt resentment towards Persephone. She had a perfect life, nice friends, loving girlfriend, while Emily's family was being ripped to pieces. Now she couldn't even come for her mother's funeral? Some kind of friend she was. Only two days later did she arrive, and Emily could feel her bitterness bubble.

"Emily, gods, I am so sorry." The 18-year-old teenager leaned down to hug her but Emily stepped away, leaving Persephone confused.

"You always say that!" Emily yelled. "You are never here when you say you will be. Just months ago, you promised you would be here, but you left. You said you would come, but you're late! You're going to leave again, and I will be left with the shattered hope. Why can't you just stop giving me this false hope?"

"Cutie-" just hearing that nickname made Emily mad.

"Just go! You're never here anyways. Not anymore." She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears. She heard some shuffling around, Persephone murmuring something in that language she learnt at the summer camp, before there was silence. She tentatively opened her eyes. Persephone was gone. And Emily finally let her tears fall.