Come Back to Me[Sequel to YME and Crossing Paths]

Chapter One: Without Her

Percy
(Age Twenty Nine, Eight months after Annabeth left)

"Annie? Ready to go?" I asked quietly, peeking my head through the door. It was her first day of third grade, and I wasn't sure how she'd handle it without Rosalie. She looked up from her book, startled.

"Oh...yeah. I'm ready." she picked up her backpack and strung it over her left shoulder, then looked down at her shoes, sniffling. I pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back.

"Rosalie and I always had a first-day-of-school tradition..." she said into my shoulder.

"I know, Annie. But we can't bring her back and...we just need to accept that, okay?" taking a deep breath, Annie nodded, and we went downstairs and got in my car. The ride to school was quiet–not even the radio was on. 

When we got there, I hugged her goodbye and she walked slowly into the school. I drove away after one final look, and drove to work.

 •••

"Percy?" I looked up from my computer to see my father, Poseidon.

"Yeah, Dad?" 

"I just wanted to tell you about the annual Olympian meeting tomorrow. You must attend, as you are assistant CEO." I nodded stiffly.

"What time?"

"Noon to eight." he said before walking out. I sighed typing in a few words for the report I was supposed to write. Lately, he'd been acting extremely cold, like he was mad at me for something, but didn't know what.

Not knowing what to write next, I switched tabs, so I was on Annabeth's facebook page. I hadn't seen her in-person since she was here in May when Piper gave birth to her and Jason's son, Jonas. Even then, she'd only stayed for two weeks. Now it was September, four months later. We did talk about twice a week, but it didn't make up for the miles in between us.

 •••

Annie

I walked into the school, met by the cheery smiles of Nathan and Gloria. I glared at them, not wanting to talk.

"Woah, Annie, what's wrong?" Nathan asked.

"My best friend is dead, that's what's wrong. We promised that we'd be in it together, and she's dead." I said angrily.

"You think we don't know that?!" Gloria snapped. "She was our friend too. Her death hit us all." Before I started crying, I walked away to my class, which none of them were it. It was official; I was alone.

"Welcome to your first day of third grade!" said our teacher, walking to the front of the class. "I am Mrs. Smith. Throughout this year, I expect you all to become strong men and women in this class. There will be no crying. There will be no whining. You will remain silent unless called on, and if you don't, you will be sent to Ms. Ferguson's office. I expect the best from everyone in here, and no less. In the mornings when you enter, you shall place your backpack on your assigned hook, remove your coat, and take a seat at your assigned desk. The only things you will keep in your desk are your binder, textbooks, notebooks, and pencils. No going to the bathroom during a lesson, you are expected to go before school starts and during lunch. If you don't complete your assigned work, then you have two extra pages of homework, as well as staying in during recess until it is finished. Am I understood?" everyone nodded, a terrified look on their faces.

"Now, roll call. Who do we have first...Rosalie Chase?" no one said a thing. Everyone knew what had happened to her, even if they didn't know her directly. Mrs. Smith cleared her throat. "I said, Rosalie Chase?" again, everyone was silent. I timidly raised my hand.

"What? You, in the back." she gestured at me. 

"R-Rosalie d-died last y-year..." I said. She pursed her lips.

"No such thing. She's on my list."

"You weren't here last year. Ask anyone else and they will tell you the same thing!" Mrs. Smith walked slowly down the aisle until she reached my desk.

"Listen, honey. I know what I'm talking about. So unless you tell me where Rosalie Chase is, you are going to the principal's office." 

"I am telling the truth. She. Died. Last. Christmas." she clicked her tongue.

"Naughty girls who lie get sent to the principal's office." I remained seated. "Go. Right. Now."

 •••

Percy

I pulled up in line to pick Annie up, excited to see how her first day went. The back door opened, and she got in, throwing her bag on the ground, slamming the door.

"What's wrong, Annie?" I asked, pulling out of the driveway.

"Everything! My teacher hates me, she wouldn't believe me when I told her that Rosalie had died last Christmas, and I got sent to Ms. Ferguson's office because she thought I was lying!" I sighed.

"There are two other third-grade classes, right?"

"Yeah..."

"I'll see if we can get you transfered into one of them. I'm not going to let you put up with a teacher like that all year long."

"Wait–what? You'd do that?"

"Of course, Annie-Bear. Trust me, teachers like that are horrible, and you shouldn't have to put up with them."

"Okay. How long will it take?"

"I'll get to it sometime in the next week, I hope. Tomorrow is the Olympian's annual meeting, and that's going to take forever." Annie gave a weak laugh.

"Does that mean Annabeth's coming back?!" she asked hopefully.

"Maybe." I said sadly. "If she does come back and you see her, be careful, got it?"

"I know, Dad."

 •••

*Takes deep breath* 

New book. Greif. I love it. 

So as y'all know, this IS the last book in the...now trilogy...holy shit already?! 

Again, lots of sad music. At least it's good...UNLIKE WAP. I'm sorry if you like that song, but seriously, who names their song an acronym for 'Wet Ass Pussy'?

~Kenzie