A Loophole (Percabeth Selection)

Bonus Chapter

Five Years Later

I stared at myself in the mirror. I was impressed by what my team had put me in. I was wearing a long sleeve, woollen grey sweater with jeans and a long navy coat. My hair was down in its natural curls and I pulled down the matching grey beanie on my head. You've done it, Annabeth, a little voice whispered in my head. You're finally here.

After years of planning, I was finally at the very first opening of a public school in the province of Allens.

Justine came over and squeezed my shoulder. "How're you holding up?" Justine hadn't changed much in the past five years. Her hair was still a fiery red and she still wore black rimmed glasses. She was still my maid, but nobody thought of her as that. She was my right-hand woman and close friend.

I sighed and rubbed the stress out of my forehead. "I miss them so much, especially her."

"I know, but just imagine. Tonight you'll be back home with the people you love."

I thought of all the people I would see tonight. My heart clenched at the thought.

Someone came running up to Justine and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and the boy ran off.

"Time to go on in one minute. You ready?"

I nodded. "I've been waiting for this since my coronation."

She led me over to a door and listened patiently for the cue for me to walk on stage. The same boy from before came and gave me my speech on some cards. I smiled my thanks at him.

"It is my honour to announce our next guest," I heard the mayor of Allens talk into the microphone from the other side of the door. "For the past few years, she has been working extremely hard to come up with a plan to change our country for the better. And today, she will finally put that into motion. It is my great pleasure to welcome, Queen Annabeth!"

Justine gave me one last thumbs up and opened the door, polite applause greeting my ears as I walked out.

There was a large crowd of people in the town square of Allens, all wrapped up in scarfs and coats, huddled together to keep warm white snow dusting the concrete at their feet. I walked out onto a wooden stage, a small black podium set up at the front with a microphone, press with their cameras and notepads right below it, already recording and taking pictures of me. My eye caught on the building I was here for toward and I let out a relieved sigh. Allens Public School stood on the opposite side of the square in all its glory. A fence wrapped around the perimeter, and in summer the grounds would be green and full of trees. The building was made out of recycled timber and other materials, parts of it two stories. There were enough classrooms for five hundred students and enough room to expand if we needed it. A big, red ribbon with a bow was tied at the front, ready for me to cut it and open the school to every child in Allens.

The mayor shook my hand and stepped back from the podium, giving me the crowd.

I placed my cards down and moved the microphone a little bit higher to reach my mouth. "Thank you, Mayor Wilson. Hello, everyone." I smiled at the crowd, all of their faces turning red from the cold. "I'll make this quick so we can all get inside and enjoy a hot chocolate," The crowd chuckled, some of them nodding their heads. "Today is a historic and extraordinary day with the opening of Allens Public School, the first in the country aiming to educate all castes. As Mayor Wilson said, I've been working very hard with a team of dedicated people to make this happen, and now that it is, all I can say is wow. With this school, and all the others opening around the country in the next year or two, we can change the country for the better. We can and we will give better education to the lower castes who deserve it, giving them a bright future filled with endless opportunities to chase their dreams. But today could not have happened without the dedicated team that I've been working so closely with,"