Money Isn't Everything

Meeting Annabeth

Thalia POV

I stare at the girl in front of me and have to remind myself not to punch her. She didn't do anything to you, I remind myself. She didn't but I know her, we used to go to school together before everything in my life went wrong. Annabeth Chase. She was nice but she is rich and will never know that it's like to live the way I do, which is probably why I want to punch her.

"Thalia?" she says in disbelief.

I'm surprised she remembers my name, "Annabeth." I mutter.

"So it is you." she smiles. What the hell is there to smile about, it's like those laughing kids this morning, what is there to laugh about?

"Yeah it's me." I sigh.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm surviving." I say shortly then turn and walk away, leaving her gaping after me.

For the rest of the day I real foul tempered, refiling through bins as though they were the things that made me angry. In truth it's not Annabeth that made me angry it's the way she lives. Without the constant fear I have become accustomed to. The fact that she knows where her next metal's coming from. That if she wants food she doesn't have to put it on the table like I do. Well actually Percy usually gets the food but you get the gist of what I'm saying.

Okay concentrate. What do you need? Hazel has a cough so another blanket would be good and Leo's got a fever which I can't do anything about.

I pull a plastic bottle out of the bin triumphant. What can I use it for you ask? Well lots of things. One of them being filling it with rain water. Another filling it with stones so I can use it to weigh down the sheet of plastic currently shielding us from the wind and other forces of nature.

I shiver and look up. It looks like it's going to rain. I better get home. I look down at my pitiful haul. All I have is two plastic bags, an old pen for Hazel and a scrap of what looks like denim. Oh well, it'll have to do. I start walking home and the first drops of rain start to fall. I start running and am home in a few minutes.

I lean against the wall outside. Not to catch my breath but to stall because I don't want to go in and see Hazel's eyes, so full of hope yet so defeated, to Nico's endless questions, to Jason's bitter attitude, to Leo's constant coughing and to Percy' sad smile masking everything he feels. I don't want to be reminded I couldn't keep my brother safe, that I am a mother, that I have to look after theses kids, I don't want to go back in there but I have to unless I want to catch a cold and add to the left no list of things we have to worry about.

I push myself off the wall with a sigh, take the steps two at a time and push open the door. Nice runs to meet me.

"What did you get?" he asks.

"Nothing special." I tell him, "Will you do me a favour and collect some stones for me?"

"Sure." he runs off, probably to in list Hazel's help.

I walk through to the main room where Jason is kneeling by the fire, he never really seems to leave it despite the fact that he's in charge when Percy and I are out.

"Hello little brother." I joke and he just grunts so I nudge him with the toe of my boot.

"What?" he snaps.

I raise my eyebrows at him, "Grumpy much. I just said hello."

"Oh, hi. Sorry." he sighs.

"It's fine. Where's Leo?" I ask.

"Asleep." Jason answers, looking worried.

I look around, "Not in here."

"No, he went somewhere quieter." Jason explains.

I start to reply but I'm interrupted by the arrival of Percy. Rude.

"Hey guys." he plonks himself down next to us.

"Hi." we answer.

"Where's Leo?" he asks.

"Asleep." I answer.

Percy looks worried, "Is he okay?"

"Dunno." Jason shruggs.

Percy sighs, "You should wake him up, he needs to eat."

"Sure." he gets up.

Well I guess it's time to eat.

You met Annabeth. I decided to have Thalia meet Annabeth first because that's how it is in the book. Review, review, review.