Troubled

16

chapter sixteen
annabeth

Oh, how I hated Thanksgiving break.

All people all my age loved Thanksgiving break. They loved the food, seeing their family, and, most importantly, getting days off of school.

I usually stayed at school on days that we had off, but this was a holiday, so I was forced back to my house.

All of my Thanksgiving break was spent at my family's house with relatives I barely knew and, worst of all, Helen.

Helen was my stepmother. She was never out loud rude to me, but her pestering of me, snide remarks, and perfectness made me hate her.

"Annabeth, come down here! It's almost time for dinner!" my father called from the bottom of the stairs. "And turn your music down!"

I rolled my eyes as I reluctantly turned my blaring music off and stood up off my bed. Before I left my room I shot a quick text to Thalia and Percy, who had given me his number for 'tutoring reasons.'

My stepbrothers sat at the table, hungrily glaring at all of the food. My father sat at the head of the table and Helen zoomed into the room, a giant turkey in her hands.

This year Helen's relatives, who were usually the ones that came to our Thanksgiving, had opted out of coming, blaming the weather or something.

I was glad they hadn't come. Every year they'd dote over Bobby and Matthew, ask how my boarding school was, and them blame my behavioral issues on my apparently mentally insane mother, who I hadn't seen since I was nine (they loved bringing that up, too.)

My mother was a strange woman. Of course I hated her, but I hated practically everyone I was related to. She left me very young and never bothered to really call or show up.

The last time I saw her I was nine, and I firmly believe Helen scared her off. She would visit at least once a year, especially around the holidays, until I was seven.

She always was cold towards Helen (that's why my father blamed why I was cold to Helen as well), and my twin half brothers being born probably pushed her off the edge since she didn't see me for two years after they were born.

Then, out of the blue, she showed up at our house one day, demanded a day with me, and took me to New York. I don't remember it all as I was nine, but she showed me her office, where she was a successful business woman or something, I don't remember.

Then she dropped me off back at home and I never saw her again. She called occasionally, never texted. And all her calls were brief, usually under a minute. But I hadn't even received one of those since my thirteen birthday.

I was certain the woman hated me. My father, too. We only held her back. I was a reminder of failure, most likely.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Helen announced in her overly peppy voice, snapping me back to reality. She quickly started placing all the food on the table and started passing it out.

After rolling my eyes all through prayer, Helen finally allowed us all to eat. Bobby and Matthew instantly started shoveling down their food as Helen smiled at them.

My phone buzzed and I slowly peered at it from under the table. There was a strict no phones at the dinner table rule.

I smiled as I slowly texted Percy back, careful not to be caught.

"Annabeth?"

I looked up from my phone and saw my whole family staring at me. I nodded awkwardly. "Uh, yes?"

"Could you get off your phone? We all want to talk to you," my father said weakly.

"Oh, sure," I replied as I placed my phone in my pocket and stared straight ahead, bored out of my mind.

"Can I have your phone?"

I frowned. "Why? I'm not on it or anything! I put it away like you asked!"

My father shrugged. "It's Thanksgiving, Annabeth. I really wished you'd spend some time with us. And besides, you know the no phones at the table rule."

"She's probably texting her booooyfriend!" Matthew teased as he and Bobby stuck their tongues out at me. My face instantly turned red.

Helen shook her head. "Bobby, Matthew, be quiet. It's not kind to bring up ex-boyfriends at the dinner table."

I stared at Helen, clearly dumbfounded. "What do you mean ex-boyfriends?"

"Well, you and Luke broke up, right?" she asked me as she started cleaning off a squirming Bobby's face with a napkin. "Bobby, stay still!"

"How do you know?!" I asked. I hadn't told anyone in my family about the breakup, especially not Helen.

Helen shrugged as she continued to ignore looking me in the eyes. "I guess I just heard it from another parent or something. I didn't hear you two exactly broke up, but I'm friends with Drew's mom. Oh, what a lovely girl! She's a cheerleader, you know? And gets straight A's!"

"I don't care. Drew's mom told you this?" I asked.

"Well, not exactly," she responded. "She told me Drew's got a new boyfriend, and said it was that Luke Castellan. And since Drew is such a nice girl, I assumed she wouldn't date anyone already taken, so I assumed Luke must've dumped you."

My eyes widened. "Luke dumped me?! Helen, stay out of my personal life!"

"I wasn't in it!" Helen admitted, raising her hands in surrender. "I just thought you might want some support. Getting broken up with is harsh—"

"Annabeth got dumped! Annabeth got dumped!" my brothers said in unison between laughs.

"Annabeth, sit down and spend time with your family!" my father yelled as I stormed out of the room.

I closed my eyes and balled my fists as I reluctantly came to a stop. "Don't even pretend I'm apart of this family. Family doesn't gossip about each other. Family isn't like this. Just admit I don't fit into this perfect little family of yours, and that's why you sent me away."

"Annabeth, stop!"

"Oh, and Helen, Luke didn't dump me. I don't know what bitchy Drew's mom is telling you, but Luke cheated on me with nice little Drew!" I shouted as I ran out of the room, leaving Helen red in the face.

Oh, how I couldn't wait to go back to school.