Falling for You (A Percabeth AU)

Chapter One

Annabeth's POV

"ANNABETH!"

My step mother's screech wakes me before my alarm can.  I roll over, groaning.

"Coming..." I say, dragging myself out of bed.

I cross my room to my closet, picking out a sweatshirt and some leggings to pull on before going into the kitchen for breakfast.  When I walk in, Helen, my stepmother, is already at the table, accompanied by my two evil little step-brothers, Bobby and Matthew.

"Annabeth, breakfast!"

I trudge over to the counter.  Helen has never respected me, at least not since she married my dad.  She always treats me well enough when he's around, but that's not very often since he's constantly abroad for work.  Her sons are just as bad.  The stuck up little brats treat me as subhuman.  You'd think they'd treat me at least somewhat decently today of all days, since it's my first day of high school as a Junior transfer, which is bound to suck.

My family just moved from Brooklyn to Manhatten.  Now, from an outside perspective, that may seem like no biggie.  Like, same city, right?

Wrong.

All of my friends are still in Brooklyn, along with the private school I've gone to for my entire life.  Now I'll be at some huge public school in the middle of the city, where most of the kids have known each other for years.  Not to mention, Junior year's s'posed to be notorious when it comes to workload, and I haven't been too easy on myself schedule-wise.  Of course, it's entirely possible that the classes here will be easier than those at my previous school.  And from what I've heard, the kids are nicer, too.  In any case, I'm currently bracing myself for the worst as I start preparing eggs for Helen and the boys.

"Mommy, why isn't it ready yet?" Bobby asks.

"I don't know.  Maybe your sad excuse for a sister is just helpless in the kitchen.  Annabeth, we're not getting any younger over here!" she snarls.

I bite back a remark and dish up the eggs.  I lay three of the plates on the table for Helen, Bobby, and Matthew before grabbing my backpack and a breakfast bar and dashing out the door of our apartment.  I check my watch.  8:15.  Not bad.  I still have close to half an hour to get to school, which is easily within a walking distance.  

As a jog down the stairs and out the door of our building, I take a deep breath of the fresh morning air.  Well, maybe "fresh" isn't the right word.  I live in New York City, so it smells more like car exhaust and rain from the storm last night.

But I'll take what I can get.

I've always loved morning walks.  They help calm me, even when Helen seems to be getting on my last nerve.  As I stroll past the usual buildings, I take in my surroundings.  The hustle and grind of the city have begun, with traffic picking up already and the crowd of pedestrians thickening around me.  All these people with their own places to go, and days ahead of them.  I wish I could switch places with one of them, any of them.  Rather that than go to this school, go home to Helen, anything would be better.  But here I am.

Sooner than I would've liked, I reach my destination: Goode High School.

The school itself isn't too bad, with tall brick walls, an abundance of windows, sidewalks freshly decorated with chalk by the passerby.  It would be a great place if I knew anybody who went here, but unfortunately for me, I'm new.  My family just moved from Brooklyn to Manhatten, and none of my old friends will be going here.

Great.

I walk in amidst several other students, all with more important things to do, more important people to talk to. I take my schedule from my backpack and briefly look over it.  I find my way to locker number 471, dropping my backpack and books inside of it.  The warning bell sounds, and the other students gathered in the hallway start to make the way to their first period classes.  I scan my schedule for my first class of the day: AP Bio, Room 202.  

I enter just as the bell rings, and take the last open seat in the room, in the middle section next to a tall kid with tan skin and black hair.  He seems too caught up in a side conversation to notice me, but I don't care.  I open my books and get ready to begin my first day at Goode High School.

Thanks for reading!  I know this story is starting off a little slow, but I promise it'll get better as I go along.  Sorry this chapter was so short lol.  Feel free to leave any comments and suggestions on how I can improve, and I hope you're enjoying it so far!

Love y'all,

L (Author)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Rick Riordan.