𝑨𝒍𝒍'𝒔 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑯𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒚

Castellen

Annabeth's p.o.v.

I slide into my seat just as the bell rings. My teacher looks at me disapprovingly, but doesn't say anything. Usually I'm her star student, always here ten minutes early, always taking notes until the end of class. Granted, it's 100% my favorite class, Greek Mythology. I've always had a knack for that class, easily memorizing all of the gods and goddesses, myths and stories. I can even speak Greek as easily and fluently as English. Today though, I can barely hear her words. How could Percy's dad have known my mom? 

"Annabeth!" A voice calls me out of my own head. 

"Yes?" I say.

"Glad you could join us down here on earth," it's my teacher, Ms. Hodge. "May we all see what you're writing?" shoot! I look down at my notebook to see I've been doodling bead necklaces and writing names. Percy. Athena. Annabeth. Poseidon. Where had I heard that last one? I know it was Percy's dad's name, but I don't know how I know that. 

"Um," I say, "sure." 

"wonderful," my teacher says with a fake smile. I hand it to her. 

"Well," she says, "since we are talking about Perseus, the son of Zeus today, and how he slayed the gorgon Medusa, the Percy, Poseidon, Athena all make sense, but the necklaces? Your name? Annabeth, what is going on?"

"Nothing," I insist. 

"hm," she huffs. "Come see me after class."

"Yes m'am," I say, looking at my feet.

"Very well, " she claps her hands. "On with the lesson!"

She continues for another half an hour, but I don't listen. I take notes like a machine, I hear what she says, write it on the paper, and then it flies away. I fidget with my necklace like I always do. You couldn't tell by looking at me, but I'm actually a bit ADHD. Dyslexic too, so reading is very hard for me. That sucks, because I am a total nerd. Ask me any question and I'll answer it. When was the Declaration of Independence signed? Easy, August second, 1776. What is the most venomous snake on earth? Duh, the Inland Taipen of Australia.

 Just then, my teacher concludes the lesson by saying, "don't forget, your paper on your favorite Greek god is due tomorrow!" I try to sneak out, but Mrs. Hodge catches me. "Annabeth!" she calls.

I walk to Ms. Hodge's desk. She looks up at me, worried.

"Annabeth, dear, what's wrong?" she says. "You don't normally space out on me. In fact, I don't think you ever have! And the bead necklace, what is the significance?"

"Well," I say, "the significance of the bead necklace is actually my problem. I found out I have- well, my mom had- a connection to the father of an acquaintance of mine, and it's kinda freaking me out."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks calmly. This is one of the things I like best about Ms. Hodge. She makes you feel like you can talk to her. She is young, she just graduated college, and this is her first year teaching. She has straight dark red hair that falls all the way to the back of her knees, but she keeps it pinned up in a lose bun at the base of her neck. The first time I saw her take it down I was amazed by the sheer length of it. She has soft brown eyes, the shade of a baby deer's pelt. She is tall and willowy, and always smells like cinnamon.

"Not really?" I mean to say it firmly, but it comes out more like a question. 

She laughs, and the sound melts whatever worries I had. I laugh with her. Why would something that happened to my mother years before I was born matter? 

I thank Ms. Hodge and walk out of the classroom. I get through the rest of my classes with no problems. At the bell, I walk to my locker to grab my bag. I open the locker,only for it to be slammed shut. I look up into the eyes of the person who did the slamming. Luke Castellen.

"Will you move?" I ask, not bothering to be polite. Luke just so happens to be my ex boyfriend. He's super hot, and was always very polite to me, but one day I heard him talking trash about my friends. Let's just say that we broke up. Luke went home with a red hand print on his face, courtesy of yours truly, and I went home with a smile on mine.

"Now why would I do that Annie?" he says in a voice that makes me want to slap him again. 

"Because I said so," I say with a snarl. 

" now, now Annie, no need to get all defensive," he says, taking his hand of my locker and raising both in the air in mock surrender.

"Get away from her," a voice says behind me. 

I turn around. "Percy!" I say. "I don't need your help."

"I know," Percy says, glaring at Luke. "But obviously he doesn't get the memo that you want him to go away, so I came to remind him that when we get to the arena, I'm in charge."

"Awwww," Luke says in a condescending tone. "Is this your replacement boyfriend Annie? I hate to tell you, but, you could do much better. You, Jackson,? Well, you couldn't."

My cheeks are flaming red, but I stone my face, meet Luke's eyes, and say, "if all you two are gonna do is bicker, I don't need to hear it. Please get away from my locker. Now."

"Fine," Luke says, rolling his eyes. "See you later Annie."

"Don't call me Annie," I mutter under my breath.

"See you later?" Percy asks.

"Yeah," I say, opening my locker and grabbing my bag, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry," he says. 

"Why did you have to interfere?" I say. "He's my ex! He's my problem. I don't need your help, and I never will."

1000 words. On the dot. XD

Alright, Ima make you cry now. Zoe was Bobs granddaughter, and Artemis turned Zoe into a constellation when she died. So yeah, makes the phrase, "Bob says hello," much sadder.

Byeeeee..... what am I gonna call you guys? Comment if you have a good name for my readers.

Also quick shout out to my new readers from the Philippines!

- Clarisse