The Runaway Princess

25. Percy's Mine

I was late for work. Fortunately Julie only smirked when I explained why. 'What was that all about?' I wonder as I change into my work uniform and hop behind the counter. People have already started flooding in. Couples and collage students sit around round tables near the front of the store. A mother soothes a screaming toddler. The bell rings as a new costumer enters the store. I feel the blood drain from my face as I see who it is. Emily. I cursed under my breath and watched as she got in line. Reluctantly I served every costumer, until I finally reached her. I took a deep breath, and tried to put a clam expression on my face. "Hello," I said politely. Emily looked up from her phone. When she recognized me her expression darkened. "Seriously?" She asked with a huff. "Um is there something wrong?"
Emily glares at me again. "Yes. First my boyfriend, and now my favourite coffee shop. What's next? My best friends?" Emily whines dramatically. I roll my eyes at her drama. Wow. She and Stephanie must be hanging out quite a bit. I remember when I first meet Emily, she had that sort of goody-two shoes feel to her. Now she's become just another one of Stephanie's pawns. Another doll in a crop top and a pair of too tall heels. "Just let me order my coffee," she says with a scoff and I gesture for her to go right ahead. Glares at my smart ass attitude.

"Oh and Annabeth?," Emily says as I hand her her coffee. "Yes?" I ask. "Percy is mine. He's not yours and he never will be. So you can either back off or I can make you back off." And with that she left the shop, coffee cup in hand. I hadn't realized my fists were clenched until Julie set a hand on my shoulder. "You go work the back now, I can take the cash," she offered and I nodded. I was not about to let Emily push me around.
~
I winced when the door made a small creak. Finally I opened it all the way. "IM GOING TO A FRIENDS HOUSE!" I yell and run like the wind, slamming the door behind me. I will not allow Susan to come up with some stupid reason as to why I can't spend the night at Hazel's. I smile as I jump into the backseat of Piper's car. I sigh and stick my hand out the window. 'Oh freedom is sweet!' I think as the wind blows in between my fingers. Piper looks at me and just shakes her head, a small smile on her face.

When we get to Hazel's the look of gratitude in her eyes is phenomenal. The minute she opened the door, she hugged us so tightly I thought I might suffocate. It was kind of ironic actually, because Piper is like 5'7 and I'm like 5'8, and then you have Hazel whose only about 5'4. And yet she still managed to hug us both so tightly we couldn't breath. "Hey, you okay?" Piper asks, concern filling her voice. Hazel nods, but her eyes tell a different story. "Hazel...is there something wrong?" I ask, putting a hand on her shoulder. "My...my mom's back in the hospital," she says looking down. "Oh Hazel," Piper and I say in unison and hug her. In the beginning of March Hazel's mom was diagnosed with some type of short term cancer. For a little while in April she's gotten better, but now it's the beginning of May and apparently things had gone down hill...again. "It'll be okay Hazel. She'll get better," Piper comforted but I don't think any of us really bought it.

After we stopped crushing Hazel, we all headed into the living room where we'd be sleeping. "I call dibs on the couch!" I shout and leap towards the large sofa. "Like hell you are!" Piper shouts back and leaps at me. Hazel rolls her eyes and laughs as we grapple for the couch. This is pretty typical for our sleepovers. Hazel gets the loves eat since neither Piper nor I fit on it, the couch goes to whoever calls it (or shoves the other person off) first, and the loser gets the floor. I smirk and judo flip Piper onto the floor. "Ow," she mutters as she hits the floor. I smirk triumphantly and throw my bag onto the end of the couch before getting up to go change into my pjs.

When I come back, Hazel and Piper are both changed and are debating on what movie we should watch. Hazel wore long sleeve shirt and purple shorts. Then there was Piper, whom sat cross legged on her sleeping bag in a baby blue unicorn onzie. Silently, I crept up behind her and pulled out my phone to take a picture. SNAP! I jumped at the sound. Piper turned around and looked at me, her eyes wide. I cursed under my breath and bolted for the stairs. I could hear Hazel laughing from downstairs as Piper chased me yelling and demanding that I delete it.

Finally she gave up and we headed back downstairs. I sighed and threw myself on the couch. "Oh guess who visited me at the café today?" I mention to the girls. "Emily?" Both Hazel and Piper guess at the same time. My jaw falls open. "How-"
Piper shrugs. "You get the disgusted look in your eyes whenever you talk about her. As if she punched your grandma," Piper states. Hazel nods, her gaze on her phone screen. I mutter under my breath as they both gesture for me to continue. I explain to them what happen, and they both listen intently until I finish. When I'm done, Hazel goes back to her phone and Piper sits there calling Emily some unfriendly names. How could Percy fall for such a demon? I wonder if he sees how much she's changed.....

Piper snaps her fingers in front of my face, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Finally! I've said your name like 8 times!" Piper complains. "5 actually," Hazel corrects not looking up from her phone. I roll my eyes whilst Piper tells Hazel that no one cares.
"Anyway, who's up for a movie and some popcorn?" Piper asks. "Me!" Hazel and I say in unison.

We never got to watch that movie....because about ten minutes later the first phone rang. Hazel answered it, her eyes filling up with tears as the person on the other end of the line spoke. Finally, she muttered a small goodbye and hung up. Piper and I looked at her, curious as to what had happened. "It's my mom," she whispered, "she's gone..."
And with that the tears that had been building up in her soft gold eyes poured down her cheeks like a waterfall.