The Children of the big three

Chapter 11

Annabeth POV

"What was it like?" Piper asked. I was still too shell-shocked to ask much.

"Well," Leo replied. "It was fun. We had lessons with Athena everyday. We're about equivalent to college students now. And we had other lessons from to other gods. It was pretty lonely, but we were allowed to leave the house as long as one of the gods came with us. They built us a mansion with wards like Camp's."

Nico snickered. "See that scar on Jason's lip?" He asked. I looked closer and saw a faint scar on it. "He tried to eat a stapler when he was two."

Silence for about a minute, then the floor shook with our laughter.

"He what?" Frank gasped.

"I was two!" Jason yelled. I silently wondered why the men haven't found us yet, but I figured that one of the little big three had made sure of that.

"Let's get some sleep." Hazel announced. "We'll need it."

The other curled up and filled the truck with their snores. Percy and I sat up. We rode in silence for a while, bumping around. The zebra chewed on a turnip. The Lion finished the hamburger meat and looked at us hopefully. Percy snapped his fingers and a plate of meat appeared in front of the lion. The lion tucked in.

"The poppy bead," Percy suddenly said. "Is that your first year?"

I stared at him. "You were rubbing it," he smirked. I didn't know how to answer.

"Yeah," I finally said. "Every August, the counsellors pick the most important event of the year and paint it on the beads."

"I've heard about some of them," Percy interrupted. "There's Flora's poppy plant, a trireme on fire and a centaur in a prom dress - Athena refused to tell us about that one - but what's the college ring?"

I heaved a sigh.

"You don't have to tell me," he said. The fiery specks in his eyes blazed with compassion.

"No, it's fine." I took a deep breath. "Dad sent this to me in a letter about two summers ago. The ring was his main keepsake from Mom. He wouldn't have passed his doctoral Programme at Harvard without her... Long story. Anyway, he said he wanted to make it up to me. He apologised for being a vlacas and said I could keep the ring. He wanted me to come home."

"It didn't work out didn't it," Percy asked sadly. "I heard Athena ranting about it some years ago."

I nodded. "My stepmom was the same as before. Monsters attacked. She yelled at me. I yelled back. Rinse and repeat. I left during winter break."

"Why don't you try again?"

I snorted. "Please. I'm don't want self inflicted pain. There's no hope that Helen will ever warm up to me."

"There's always hope!" He whispered fiercely. "I am Hestia's champion. She told me once," he put his hand over my heart, "that I should always follow my heart, because even though it is on the left, it is always right. And that's where you will find hope."

"Thanks for the advice," I said coldly. "But Dad's decided who he wants to be with."

He sighed. "You will not believe how many families are driven apart by pride. Hestia and I do our best to put families back together, but it doesn't always work. The question is, do you want to be part of a broken family? Do you want your family to be forever separated because of your pride?"

I thought about it. I never admitted it, but I was envious of Piper and Frank. Piper is her mother's Favourite child, simply because she could see that beauty came from within. She had a dad and a step-Mom who loved her. Frank had a Mother who actually loved him and a dad who though he was the best warrior. I know I'm my mom's Favourite, but dad and Helen still hate me.