Scars - A PJO/HOO Soulmates AU

3.

Hi guys! I was going to update next weekend, but since you guys are so inspirational, I updated today!!! YAY! I don't wanna keep you waiting:

Chapter 2 - The Chase is Almost Over

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Annabeth groaned and rolled over in her bed, clamping her hands over her ears to try and drown out the noise. In hindsight, she realized that probably wasn't the most effective thing to do in this situation.

Her alarm clock didn't seem to understand that it was the Wednesday before school starts, and tomorrow would be the first day of her junior year in high school, almost out of this place that seemed to hate her.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Annabeth stuck her hand out from under the covers and felt around her nightstand until she found the top of the alarm clock and clicked the off button (or where she thought the off button was).

She sighed, too late, she was already too conscious now to go back to sleep. Might as well get ready for Piper's brunch.

Annabeth pushed herself up in her twin bed with a completely unnecessary melodramatic sigh, and got up and walked to the bathroom.

Maybe I can be in the theatre, she thought with a fair amount of sarcasm in her thoughts, I sure have a knack for drama.

After doing her daily essential morning routine which felt like a choreographed dance in the many tedious, repetitive days of her summer. When she walked into the kitchen, the beautiful aroma of a full breakfast hit Annabeth's nose. Eggs, bacon, toast, oatmeal, and so many more tasty breakfast foods.

But none of them were for her. And as sure as day, only four plates were set out on the dining table. One for her father, one for her stepmonster- oops, sorry, stepmother, and two for her stepbrothers.

Her family, if Annabeth could even call them that, ignored her as always when she entered the kitchen. They were talking and laughing and Bobby and Matthew were making corny jokes that made Annabeth wince.

She tried to open the fridge discreetly and grab something, an apple or a carrot, anything to satisfy her hunger before her stepmother saw her.

"Hey, you!"

Annabeth exhaled sharply and straightened her spine to stare at the people seated at the dining table. Helen, her stepmother, looked angry while her father, Bobby, and Matthew looked at her disappointedly like they were sure she was better than stealing their food.

"No food for today for that, and go get the groceries while your out doing your volunteering work," Helen said, her attention already back on her phone.

Annabeth nodded and masked her emotions with what she hoped her stepmother would see as shame and not defiance.

The thing was, she wasn't going to do any volunteering work like Helen thought, because there was no way in Hades Helen would let Annabeth go to Piper's house for brunch for fun. Annabeth's stomach grumbled again, and she left the house as fast as she could just so she could get some food in her system. She hadn't been able to eat for almost four days, and it was making her feel weak-headed.

~~~~~~~~~~

Annabeth was kind of glad that school was starting again. Like any other sane person, she didn't like the homework part of school, no matter how smart she was or how good her grades were.

No, Annabeth liked school because there were more reasons to make excuses for not coming home.

Her home life was difficult. Ever since her mother died and her father introduced Helen into their small life, Annabeth's life had been turned upside down. Helen already had two sons of her own, Bobby and Matthew, but she was not happy when she found out Frederick had a daughter.

Helen turned Annabeth's own father against her and soon, she was given the choice of "helping out" in the household or get out of the house. Annabeth was way too young to be on her own at 7, but she left anyway. 

She ran and ran and ran, but somehow, she found herself back at the doorstep of their house with a tear-stained face and her brain formulating an apology for whatever she did wrong.

When they let her back in, however, Annabeth was overjoyed to think that they had forgiven her. Boy, was she wrong.

The next morning, Helen thrust a mop and bucket into Annabeth's hands, which were awaiting food but were unpleasantly disappointed. After that day, her life was like a scene out of a Cinderella story. Clean, cook, do what the family wanted, and repeat.

They never abused her, no. Helen would lecture Bobby and Matthew about the importance of being non-violent and using their heads to solve problems. Annabeth was grateful for that, but she shouldn't have been hoping they weren't abusive in the first place. For 10 years, she had to run around and do whatever they wished of her, and she was not to complain.

Although, she hoped the Cinderella story would come through the way it should. With her personal prince charming coming to sweep her off her feet.

When she found her soulmate, she was going to love him (or her) with all her heart, like her family never did to her. And she was sure that they were going to love her back. Once she graduated from high school, she would leave this awful household, forget about her family, and live the rest of her life with her soulmate. Whoever he was.

~~~~~~~~~~

Annabeth shrugged on her coat and hightailed it out of that unhealthy house and started down the street, with money in her pocket from the job she had at the bookstore in their section of Manhattan.

Annabeth would find her soulmate soon, sooner than she thought. But it would not turn out the way she expected it to. 

This one was substantially shorter than the last one, but its an update nevertheless. Thank you, thank you very much *Elvis Presley*

-OneAppleBlossom ;)