Annabeth at Goode[EDITING]

Chapter 24

PERCY

"Percy. I need to talk to you."

I whipped around to see Annabeth standing behind me.

"What?" I asked. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"It's Brielle," she said. "I was talking to her just a couple minutes ago. She told me that Miley is practically forcing her to be her friend. And if she tries to unfriend her, then Miley will tell everyone about something that Brielle did."

"Wait... What?" I was confused.

Annabeth sighed. "Brielle isn't actually Miley's friend. She hates her."

"And what's this big secret?" I asked.

"I don't know," Annabeth said. "Brielle wouldn't tell me. But it's something big."

"How big?"

"I don't know! But I feel bad for Brielle. Maybe you could talk to her, get her to tell you the secret and maybe we can find a way to get her away from Miley."

"Are you sure that you're not just doing this so you can find out Brielle's secret?" I asked.

"No!" Annabeth said. "I just feel bad for her. And anyway, she's your sister. You should be doing something to free her from... From that demon."

I laughed. "Alright, alright, I'll talk to her after school."

Annabeth smiled. "Good." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. "I hate how you're so much taller than me," she said.

I smirked. "Well, usually the boyfriend is supposed to be taller than the girlfriend."

Annabeth rolled her eyes and grabbed my hand.

"Anyway... I have some gossip," I said as we started to walk.

"Ooh, please do share."

"I'm pretty sure Connor has a crush on Brielle."

"Connor?" Annabeth said.

"Yup," I said. "I saw the way he looked at her this morning. Maybe he'll finally get a girlfriend."

"Oh, I'll have to slap some sense into Brielle if that ever happens," Annabeth said with a laugh.

"Hey, Connor's not that bad," I told her.

"He kind of is," Annabeth argued. "Remember last year when he and Travis spray painted all the cabins black?"

"Oh yeah... Everyone hated them. You know, except Nico."

A loud ringing filled the halls-school was over. People walked out of classrooms, running around trying to get out of the building. I turned to Annabeth.

"I'm gonna go find Brielle," I said.

"Okay," she said. "Tell me everything after."

"Will do."

I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss, then rushed off in search of my sister.

I had to run around the school twice before I found her. She was sitting on a bench outside at the back of the school.

"Brielle!" I called. "Brielle!"

Her head snapped up when I said her name. She smiled slightly when she saw me.

"Hi," she said quietly as I sat down beside her.

"Hey." I took a breath. "Annabeth told me what you said about Miley this morning."

Brielle looked down and sighed. "Yeah."

"I was wondering... What is that secret? The one that only Miley knows."