A Single Rose (a Valentine's Story)

Chapter 4

Hint 2: https://youtu.be/WzAGAUCCE04
Reason #2: Your Intelligence

I furrowed my brow, perplexed by the second hint. It was a YouTube link, that much I could tell. But was there a hidden clue inside the letters of the link? Or was the clue the video to which the link pointed?

Stop overthinking it. I scolded myself.

Dismissing my confusion for a moment, I flickered my eyes down to the second reason.
My intelligence?
Whilst I feel incredibly socially stupid, I had to concede that, academically at least, I do quite well.
My kindness and my intelligence? Those certainly didn't seem like a list of reasons why someone would hate me. Maybe, just maybe, it was a list of reasons why someone liked me.
Satisfied with this assumption, for now at least, I turned my attention back to the second hint as I grabbed out my laptop, popped on my headphones, and carefully typed in the YouTube link, all the while keeping my fingers crossed that it wouldn't turn out to be some virus or Rickroll.

So, it was to my utmost surprise when the page loaded and the melody of one of my favourite songs began to softly trickle through the headphones, the gentle music enveloping me in a world of my own as I was caught up all over again in Annabeth's song, 'My Grand Plan', from The Lightning Thief musical - inspired by the first book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, one of my favourites.

I allowed words to surround me, and seep in as they connected deep inside my heart, striking the same chords within as they always did.

"[Spoken]
You know the only gift my mom ever gave me? A hat that makes you invisible. You put it on and no one can see you. Seemed appropriate.

[Sung]
I've always been a smart girl
Always made the grade, always got the gold star
I've always been a smart girl
But "smart girl" only gets a girl so far

You win at every single game
You want a quest they tell you tough
If you don't go you'll never know
If you'll ever be good enough

My grand plan
Is that I will be remembered
My grand plan
Just you wait and see

You better wise up, 'cause I'll rise up
Bring on any challenge
And someday soon someone will notice me

I've always been a tough girl
Always been the one not to run from a fight
Always been a tough girl
'Cause most girls never win if they're polite

So me, I tend to stand my ground
I found I never can give in
It may not be my quest
But maybe it's mine to win

My grand plan
Is that I will be remembered
My grand plan
Just you wait and see

You better wise up, 'cause I'll rise up
Bring on any challenge
And someday soon the world will notice me

And your step-mom treats you like some freak
And your dad won't give you the time of day
And your mom won't trust you with a quest
So the best thing you can do is run away
Run away

But I have a plan
And I will be remembered
I will be great
Just wait and see

You better wise up, cause I'll rise up
Bring on any challenge

And someday soon, I swear
I don't know how or when
But I promise you
I'll never be invisible again
Someone will notice
Me

I've always been a smart girl!"

[CREDIT: 'My Grand Plan' from 'The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical' - performed by Kristin Stokes and composed by Rob Rokicki]