Together

Chapter 31

Percy's POV

I sit with my hands in my head. Even though it's not my fault, I feel terrible about the video. That was probably the video Rachel was trying to show the whole cafeteria.

Sighing, I walk upstairs and knock softly on the guest room door. "Annabeth?" I ask through the door. I don't get an answer, just sniffles that tell me she is inside.

I knock again, "It's just me," I say gently. After a few seconds I hear her open the door. She has a tear streaked face, her eyes are bloodshot, and she is clutching something close to her chest. I don't say anything, I just walk inside the room and wrap my arms around her.

She lets her head rest on my chest as the tears run down her beautiful face. I stroke her long, blonde hair. "It'll be okay," I coo into her ear.

After a minute, she takes a shaky breath and pulls back. "What are you holding?" I ask her, referring to the mysterious item she is still holding against her chest.

She pulls it away from her body and shows me. It's a framed letter with a small wallet sized picture of a middle aged man in the corner, paper clipped to the letter. The letter states:

Dear Anna baby,
I heard about your audition for regionals. That man is crazy, you're an excellent singer. He just made you nervous. I know you are the most shy and self conscious, but please don't let that audition make you stop singing.

Love,
Kevin

I look at Annabeth and smile a little. "He was my old Foster Dad. He was away at Florida for his job for a month during the time for the audition, so my foster Mom took me. But-," she chokes on the next sentence, "they both died in a car crash while they took me to a singing competition a few months later."

I watch as new tears travel down her cheeks. "H-he was the closet thing I e-ever had to a Dad," she cries. I pull her back into my arms and rub her back in soft, small circles.

We stay like this for a while

-stay smart🙋🙋🙋
Written January 23rd
Updated January 24th