The Half-Blood Project

12- Lights Off

Annabeth Chase 

They're real Annabeth, this is a sign

Should have realized it early you stupid blonde

"Okay, everyone back! Go back to your regular schedule, Nyssa, Harley and Leo are on dish duty." Percy shouted as he squeezed out the door to everyone crowding around him, wanting answers. I heard Nyssa, Harley, and Leo groan as they trampled off to the kitchen. 

Hazel ran up to me and looked me right in the eye and I think at that moment, that millisecond she knew that I knew. "You know what's going on, don't you?" Her voice is hard as stone and I wish I wouldn't have to lie to her. I hate this. 

"Yes I know, but Percy's going to explain tonight, I swear." I grip her shoulders and it's not the answer she's hoping for, she shakes me off and tells me she's going to find Nico. 

Percy came up to my side and he looked stressed about this new situation. "You're right. I am going to tell them tonight, I just don't know how." 

The struggle in those green eyes was real, torn between keeping this a secret and never speaking of it again, or telling everyone and chaos ensuing quickly. People would be mad they weren't told right away, they would lose trust and faith in their leader. What else was he hiding from them? 

"We start with the offering, who knows, maybe the gods like the smell of burning beer?" I joke and head off in a different direction, not knowing what I'm doing, but I'm in the death gym, everyone is doing the ropes course and the intricate mazes that Leo built a few days ago. 

My hands grip the ropes as I swing from rope to rope, my feet nearly slipping onto the dangerously low mats below, but I grit my teeth and swing to the next. Doing this over and over keeps my mind off of Percy, and everything really, I get a couple of glares from a few trainee's but I wave it off, I don't care what they think of me, I don't lead them, Percy does. 

Swinging to the last rope I kick-off, but I don't get the momentum I wanted and I find myself falling. Tucking my feet in, as soon as I land I roll, springing into a fighting position. A few people stare at me as I dropped from space, then they break out into applause and beg for me to teach them how to do that. 

"Are you sure? I've snapped my ankle once doing that?" I don't want them to get hurt by me and then have Percy blame me for their injuries. But don't we have to get injured to learn how to fight, make mistakes to learn the lesson as a whole? 

"Tuck your feet in and as soon as you hit the ground, roll." 

Malcolm Pace had feathery blonde and brown hair and the same startling grey eyes, but he has a blue hue to them, not as thunderous and dangerous. He sucks in a deep breath and falls, tucking his legs in and he rolls before he hits the mat, but still manages to spring up, but falling over, dizzy.

"That's fine, just tuck a little later on!" I call and Malcolm gives me a thumbs up, a goofy grin on his face. 

Half of all the trainee's are with me, tucking and rolling, two besides Malcolm get it right away, I think their names are Lou Ellen and Sherman, the brand new kid. 

"Tuck, then rolls, and if you can, spring up quickly and in your best fighting stance." I remind Silena Beauregard, she was pretty, with black hair, tan skin, and these changing eyes, like a kaleidoscope.