Elysium(second book in Ambrosia)

(Percy POV) Memories

Our eyes met and we stared at each other, uncertain.

"I should go." She was the first to speak, her voice hollow and afraid.

Her eyes shone with pain and I briefly remembered the harsh words I had said.

"Amb..."

"I'll be late for class," she whispered, clutching the books to her chest.

"That doesn't matter," I replied, flinching as her eyes refused to meet mine.

"It does," she whispered.

"It never bothered you before. You always used to bunk with me," I said, desperate.

"That was before."

I watched her sadly, looking at how fragile she was.

"What changed?" I asked, scared of the answer.

"You spoke your mind," she said quietly, finally meeting my eyes.

I gasped silently at the pain that turned her usually light violet eyes a dark purple, a color so dark it was almost black.

She pushed past me and for once I did nothing to stop her.

I groaned, the memory unpleasant and - along with a major pounding headache- caused me to feel even worse than usual.

I stumbled to the bath room, catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

The hair that Ambrosia used to run her hands through was disheveled, the lips hers had touched were going a blue color and the cheeks she had kissed were sunken and purple.

"God I'm a mess," I muttered.

Then I burst out laughing, some of the alcohol obviously still in my system.

"Wouldn't she just love to see me like this! A disgrace!" I cried, falling to the bathroom floor.

I laughed as another memory surfaced.

"Are you ok?" A girl asked, looking down at me.

Her eyes were a kind violet and shone with concern. She was young, only thirteen. A year younger than me.

"Yeah I'm fine," I replied, trying to stand up.

But I stumbled and she caught me.

"You shouldn't go too far. You've obviously had one too many drinks," she smiled, slipping my arm over her shoulder as she supported me.

"I'll- I'll be fine," I relied, already feeling the hangover setting in.

"I'll call you a cab. That way you can get to where ever you want to go and I'll be satisfied knowing you got there without hurting yourself. A win win for both of us,"she said quietly, dialing a number on her phone.

I stared at her, speechless at her beauty. Her skin was pale, making her violet eyes stand out. Her lips were full and a pale red.

I squinted at her, her face vaguely familiar.

"So mind telling me why you're completely drunk and lying on the front lawn of my house?" She asked, putting the phone,"And still going somewhere?"

"I made a mistake. I-I hurt my ex and now I need to get her back," I replied.

The cab stopped in front of us and she helped me over, opening the door.

"Well it was nice to meet you. I hope you get to your girlfriends and fix things," she smiled, leaning before the door.

"I do too," I said, still dumbstruck by her beauty.

She giggled softly, then spoke. "You may want to fix things but remember this stranger: there's something eerily beautiful about scars. And sometimes they should just stay scars."

She stepped back, walking away.

But I grabbed her hand and she looked back at me in surprise.

"What's your name?" I asked, staring into her eyes.

She smiled softly and laughed. "Nothing important."

And with that she stepped away, shutting the door.

My eyes widened at her words, at my phrase.

I opened the door, standing half in the cab and half out. She was halfway to her house and studded easily.

"Wait! I know you don't I?" I yelled.

She turned around in surprise, a mischievous smile on her lips.

She giggled and winked, then turned away, disappearing into her house.

I stared at the spot she had stood, forgotten memories suddenly swirling through my head.

A violet eyed girl.

A proposal.

A promise.

"Sir? Sir are you getting in?"

I blinked and it all disappeared. I sat back down in the cab, closing the door.

"Yeah sorry... 21 Crescent Close please."

"Right sir."

The cab slowly started moving and I stared out the window, the girls face already fading from my mind as her name came to my mind.

Ambrosia.