Lockets

III Annabeth

CHAPTER THREE
Annabeth POV: (age 13 - grade 12th [Senior])
I look out at the vast sea of people. All happy and cheerful. I see mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, all come up and swarm the stage to congratulate their son, daughter, or sibling. I sigh and take one last look at what most families look like.
I step off the stage with my gown dragging along behind me and my cap in my hand, getting crushed by my fingers. I escaped the crowd and walked into the high school one last time. I lean against the cool metal of the lockers and unroll my certificate, saying I graduated from high school as valedictorian.
I let a single tear escape my eye. I don't bother wiping it away. It's only the first of many.
Most people are happy and excited that they finished high school. Parents shower them with praise on doing so well, grandparents come to fly out and see their grandchild, siblings run around and beg you to let them look at your certificate and awards you won.
I wish that was my life. More tears come. I wished that someone would notice me and love me for who I am, not what I can do.
My teachers praise me on doing so well. The principals and deans, smile and shake my hand. Some classmates say, "congratulations" and "good job". Some others look at me in disgust, with being so much younger and smarter than them.
The one person I would do anything for that could be here today with me at my side, smiling down at me and telling how well I did. To hug me. To love me. My mother, Athena.
I sometimes dream and imagine Athena telling me bedtime stories, tucking me in, holding my hand on the first day of school. But that is just the figure of the imagination. It never happened and never will.
Frederick and Susan are too busy with my three year old brothers to come to my graduation. It's "Show Day" at their preschool. Where the kids show all their work at their parents at the end of the year. It's like their own mini graduation.
I hear the thumping of my only two friends' combat boots hitting the floor. Thalia and Luke. They also graduated alongside me. Both 18 and a cute couple. Just don't tell them I said they were 'cute'.
I see their shadows before I see them. The spike of Thalia's hair and Luke's height. They rounded the corner and see me sitting on the ground, with my back to the lockers.

"Well, I guess this is it. No more track meets," Luke comments.
"No more girls throwing themselves at your feet," says a very pleased Thalia.
"No more high school," a forlorn voice came from Luke.
After a quiet pause to let everything soak in.
"Longest four fucking years of my life," Thalia exclaimed.
"You can say that again," Luke says as he wholeheartedly agrees.
"It might have been four years for you, but it was the fullest two years of my life," I pipe-in.
"O yeah. I forgot. You being a genius and all, only took two years to complete high school," Thalia recalls.

More silents.

We're all waiting for someone to make the first move to say goodbye, well, goodbye to me. Thalia and Luke are staying together and taking online business classes so that they can keep teaching at the "Outcast" combat training center and later in the years run it. That, and they are each other's soul mate. Their locket is made out of rose gold, with a single pine tree cut in half, one half on both sides.
Mine. I still wear it, every day along with my mothers too. I guess you could say that it was my unofficial graduation present from Fredrick for my graduation. I don't think that Susan knows I have it now. I keep it under my shirt with mine. I don't want anything happening to Athena's and I just don't want mine seen by prying eyes.
Thalia and Luke stood up and both stretched their hand out to help me up.

"Well, it's time to leave this hell hole."
"It is not a 'hell hole', Thalia. It's school," I criticize her.
"Whatever. Let's just get out of here."

Line Breaker

I look in the mirror and see my reflection. I see my blonde princess curls fall down my back, grey eye that I inherited from my mother, high cheekbones, a tan body, one of the two dresses I own.
Maybe this is why some girls didn't like me in high school. I have natural blond hair that takes zero time to style, the body of an athlete's, the tan, the face, the different eyes that you could never forget. Yet again, I'm only 13.
One thing I do know, that they were not jealous of my clothes. When all the girls, except Thalia, wore crop tops, mini skirts, booty shorts, and high heels. Then you look at me, the girl who would only wear jeans, shorts (okay okay, I sometimes wore short shorts), t-shirts, hoodies, and converse.
Thalia and I would stand out in the crowd of girls, and we were okay with that.

"Annabeth! Let's go! We're leaving!" yelled my father from down stairs.
"Coming!"

I take one last look in the mirror and make sure my dress is on right. It's an off the shoulder grey dress, that hugs my torso from the top to the belt, but the sheer layer gets flowy with the rest of the dress that stops at mid thigh.
I know, I know. It seems too old and too mature for a 13 year old little girl. Well, the dress defines me. A mature girl for a mature dress. That and my red converse to match my red headband that keeps the curls out of my face.
I rush down stairs, slam the front door, and hop into the car.

"Annabeth, please stop slamming the doors," Susan criticized.
"Yes, Susan."
Frederick slides into the driver's seat. "Okay everyone. Let's go to the Cheesecake Factory."

Line Breaker - After Dinner at Home

"Annabeth, after you get ready for bed can you please come into my office?"
"Sure dad."

I slip out of my clothes and shoes into some comfy pajamas. I walk my way down my way to Dad's office. I lightly knock on the door and hear a quiet 'Come in.'
I slowly creep the door open and stick my head in. I see my father still in his dinner clothes and is looking down at something.

"Please. Sit down."
I curl up across from him in one of his uncomfortable leather sets.
"Okay. I have made my final decision. You may attend college."
I feel a smile on my face before I even recognize it. "Thank you so much."
"Well, I talked to some college professors and counselors. They said, it would be a good idea to let you go. There only concern was that there would be no one to look after you."
"I don't need anyone to babysit me."
"I know you don't need a babysitter. It would just give me a peace of mind that I knew you have someone to make sure you get home every night. Now, all you have to do is choose college and I will take care of everything from there."
"Okay. Well, we would have to take into consideration my combat training. I don't want to stop."
"And we will. Just go to bed for the night. Sleep on it and we will go from there."
"Okay. Good night father."
"Good night Annabeth."