The Girl in Water~ A Percy Jackson Fanfiction set in the Hunger Games

~Chapter 2~

A/N~ So I'm rereading the HG as I'm writing this, and the book is written in present tense. So when I started writing this chapter I felt like it had to be present tense. If it's too weird, I'll change it, but just a heads up. (I think I've only written in past tense before, so this may be bad). This is going to be a long chapter, so get ready! It does get really good though, so its worth it! Enjoy! Peace!

 ~Annabeth Chase~

I wake up to the sun pouring into my bedroom. Yawning, I throw off my blankets and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. Today was the day of the Reaping.

Standing up, I begin heading downstairs. It's bright out already, and I realize I had slept in later than usual.

"Ah, you're awake," My stepmother, Helen, says, not bothering to look up from whatever she's doing. "It's about time. Breakfast is in the fridge."

I nod and walk into the kitchen, where Malcolm is pouring himself some water.

"Morning," He says, walking past me and giving me a quick kiss on the head. Sometimes Malcolm acted less like my brother, and more like my dad than my actual dad did.

I open the fridge and pull out a plate with a piece of toast and some eggs. I decide against complaining that it's cold, as Helen would most likely yell at me. As I take a fork from the drawer, I sit down at the kitchen table and begin to eat.

"We only have a few hours," Helen says, to both Malcolm and I. Then she looks at me. "I expect you to be ready 30 minutes before it begins. Immediately after the drawing, we will come back here, change, and then go to Bobby and Matthews school presentations."

I take a final bite of my eggs and stand up. Once I walk past Helen, I roll my eyes and put my plate in the sink.

"I hopefully am mistaken, but I thought I saw you roll your eyes at me," Helen asks me, eyebrows raised.

I take a deep breath. "No."

"Excuse me?"

"No, Ma'am," I reply, my eyes closed. "I did not roll my eyes."

I start walking towards the stairs, but Helen places a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it, hard. "You best not be lying."

I see Malcolm standing up in the corner of my eye. "She's not."

Helen turns to him. After pausing for a second, she lets go of my shoulder and walks away. Turning to Malcolm, he gives me a small smile. I walk up the stairs.

~~~

"Ugh," I mutter to myself, zipping up my gray Reaping dress. I don't like wearing dresses, they're too uncomfortable and it's practically impossible to do anything in them. I feel bad for Thalia, though. She'd rather get drawn at the Reaping than be caught wearing a dress.

I slip on my gray flats and pull my curly hair into a ponytail. I play with my beaded, leather necklace as I stare at myself in the mirror.

When a demigod turns twelve, they are put into their first drawing at the Reaping. Every year, they receive a new bead to be put on their necklace, representing different events that occurred that year. I have 4 beads, for the four years I have been entered into Reaping.

Sighing, I head downstairs.

"Annabe- Oh, there you are. Let's go." My dad says; he had been let off work early for this.

We file out the door and begin walking to the square. It is a silent walk, nothing unlike the previous years. As we walk, I try to read Malcolm's expression. I can't tell if he is scared of how many times his name is in, or if he is excited as it is his last year. Maybe it's a mix of both.