Opposites: The Staff of Light [Book One]

44. Not Anymore

Colton

That day could have been the most outrageous one I've ever had in my life.

Sure, I hadn't gotten over that battle, or the lovely feeling I had when I stabbed a person for the first time (it felt great, but I don't think I'd be doing such again). Annabeth and I had a lot of time to catch up. And there came my mother issues. I never met her. I never saw her. I only had her leather jacket and her scarf (why I only had clothing to feel she's still with me, I have no idea). But when Annabeth said she saw her and met her, I couldn't help but think it was unfair.

I've been waiting years to find love from family. I never wanted a stepmother as cruel as the one I already had. Only pain seared into my heart every time we talked about my family. On the bed, I was glad to have Annabeth as company. She made me feel... different, in a way.

After all, I did jump into some enchanted well for her.

I was back in my room, preparing for an audience with the king. Annabeth wasn't going alone. Where she was, I will be there as well. She was my protector. And in so many different levels, it felt weird. I was being protected by a girl in a world of magic and evil. I felt so vulnerable.

In front of my mirror, I stared at my own eyes as the world plunged deeper into the night. I remembered earlier that evening, when my father came into our room. Oh, how I wished that was only a dream! But no, every single moment was real. The lights of our room went out as Annabeth and I hid inside the closet. Then suddenly a voice from outside was calling my name. He wanted to talk. What I found weird? He had Dad's voice—my stepfather, since according to Annabeth's story I was adopted. I cursed under my breath as I ran a hand through my hair. Now it seemed as if a tornado had come spinning inside my room.

Oh, Mom, I thought to myself. What am I supposed to do?

"Colton?" Annabeth's voice called from the door. "May I come in please?"

"Door's open," I replied. The entrance swung with a creak and I turned. Annabeth was dressed in a blue dress with butterfly sleeves that fell just below her shoulders. The dress worked down to her ankles. Underneath, I could see her boot heels. On her head was a silver circlet that reminded me of transverse waves alternating each other. Around her waist sat a brown leather belt where a silver sword was sheathed. She shut the door behind her and approached me. By the panel of wood sat a folded pile of clothes. "You wanted to talk?"

Annabeth smiled. "Not really, but I wanted to give you something."

I pointed to the clothes on the floor. "You mean those?"

"Yup." She picked them up and handed them over. From the bottom layer she slid off a thick blue object. Annabeth unfolded it and it turned out to be a retractable dressing stall. "I want you to change here. I'll be waiting here by the bed." As she said, she sat on the soft sheets and laid herself down.

"Wait, now?" I clutched the clothes against my chest.

"Yup," she replied, turning her back to me.

I smirked as I made my way inside the stall. "Then why do I have to use the stalls if I can just change right behind you?"

I had enough time to catch a glimpse of her sitting up, facing me, her face red and full of annoyance. "Just change before I slice your head off with my sword!" she yelled.

I closed the flaps of the tent-like stall and began undressing my top. "By the way," I began as I finally got my top off, "where'd you get it?"

"Get, what?"