I AM NOT DEAD! This is rather relieving because I do not want to be dead, for many reasons, mostly because I still haven't designed the engine for my time machine, and that needs to be done. Also because The House of Hades comes out this year and The Sea of Monsters movie comes out, I can't miss those.
So, I had this chapter written shortly after I posted the last chapter, I swear, I was going to update, so now I'm updating because I moved from my dad's last month and I recovered this on the weekend so now I'm ready to share it with you guys, I hope you like it as much as I did because it was always my ulterior motive for taking them to Oklahoma.
As always, I don't own anything Percy Jackson related. Except a copy of the books.
Riley's Point of View:
"Remind me why we left the guys at home?" Carrie asked as we strolled down another shop-lined street, we'd been shopping for two hours now and I was the only one who hadn't found something I liked, we had gone in a number of shops and I'd seen some lovely things, but they didn't scream at me to buy them.
"I don't know, when you remember, let me know." Sophie wheezed as she paused from walking, we all stopped and caught our breath, shopping was a lot more exhausting than I remembered it being from Christmas. I almost counted myself lucky, I had the least amount of bags but I still helped by carrying some of Brianna's bags, she'd found lots of things we'd insisted she buy, I had no trouble imagining Liam's eyes popping out when he saw her in them.
"I don't care that they're not here, it's almost a relief." Brianna sighed, she actually looked relieved, despite being laden with bags of clothes.
"That relief won't last long." Sadie promised. "It'll be time to go back for dinner soon." She reminded Brianna, who groaned leisurely.
"Don't remind me, I was having such a good day." I linked arms with Brianna and nudged her in an attempt to console her.
"Maybe his mother realised he didn't know anyone in New York yet and called to find out where he is. She could be on her way to pick him up right this minute." I suggested, Brianna shook her head, but a small smile graced her features.
"That only happens in movies, and only after the heroine begins falling in love with him." Charlie cut in, Sadie laughed at Brianna's startled look.
"Looks like he'll be stuck with us until Monday." She teased, I almost laughed but Brianna seemed pensive.
"You guys go ahead, we'll catch up in a few moments." I said, Carrie and Sierra paused to check it was what I wanted before ushering the others into the nearest clothes shop, I turned to Brianna as we began walking again, only slower.
"I have no idea how you do it." Brianna remarked, I looked at her curiously, I had an inkling of what she was talking about but I waited for her to confirm or deny it. "You and Jase work together so well, I'm almost jealous. I see the way he looks at you and I kind of hold on to this hope that someday, someone will look at me the same way." Brianna confessed, I gave her a warm smile.
"Someone already does." I replied slyly, Brianna's expression turned to horror as she grasped at what I was saying.
"Stalker boy!" She cried loudly, then she clapped a hand over her mouth and looked around to see if anyone had heard her. I nodded, she removed her hand from her mouth and facepalmed. "I take it back, I take it back. I'll take never having someone look at me like that, I just don't want stalker boy!" Brianna pleaded, I bit back a laugh and hitched up the handbag Sierra insisted I carry for the day.
"Hello ladies, how are you doing on this fine day?" I turned to look at the stranger as he linked onto my free arm, he had dark brown hair and bright green eyes, he was around our age.
"Who are you?" Brianna asked, the boy feigned surprise and smiled at us charmingly.
"Timmy, Timmy Telson, and you are?" He asked.
"Not interested." I said, Brianna smirked at Timmy.
"She has a boyfriend." She supplied for me, Timmy looked me up and down, making the hairs on the back of my neck prickle.
"Not surprising, and you sweetheart, taken too, I presume." Timmy asked, Brianna raised her eyebrows.
"What's it to you?" She replied, Timmy offered her another charming smile.
"I knew it, two stunning girls like you, I should have never bothered to try my luck. I could tell two knockouts like you would be taken, but I told myself, 'Timmy, you'll never know if you don't try'." Timmy said as he walked us down the street. "Look at me, I'm rambling, I've got to get going, I hope to see you lovely ladies again. If it doesn't work out with your boys give me a holla." With that he dispatched his arm from mine and strolled down the next street and we paused. Timmy turned back to wave at us and I saw a red bag in his hand, I quickly checked my arm and saw my handbag was gone.
"He stole my handbag!" I yelped, our jaws dropped open.
"That sneaky little rat! GET BACK HERE YOU THIEF!" Brianna yelled, she began chasing after him, ducking into the thick crowd.
"Brianna!" I called after her, I joined the throng of people, rushing through. "Excuse me, sorry." I called back to the people I knocked into as I chased after Brianna's black hair.
"Watch where you're going, young lady!" A woman shouted when I knocked into her, her husband stopped her from falling to the ground and grabbed my should to stop me taking a nasty tumble into the road.
"Sorry, my handbag just got stolen." I explained, before I could run after Brianna again the man tightened his hand on my shoulder.
"It's no use chasing after a thief, dear, they tend to know the back streets better than people from out-of-town, you'll just waste your energy trying to chase him down all day. The best thing you can do is call the police and report this incident." The gentleman explained, I sighed and dropped my shoulders, he was right, there wasn't much I could do.
"I couldn't find him, the weasel escaped me. When I get my hands on that little ferret, he is going to pay." Brianna promised as she appeared out of thin air, she patted my shoulder sympathetically. "I'm sorry." She apologised, I shrugged my shoulders and smiled wryly.
"I've lived in New York two years and I've never had anything stolen, one day in Oklahoma and my handbag gets taken by a 'magician'." I laughed somewhat bitterly.
"Well, there's a first time for everything." Brianna smirked, we shared a laugh.
"Lets hope it's the only time I get mugged, I don't plan on making a habit of it." I joked, the man retracted his hand.
"Would you girls like a lift back, you can call whoever you're staying with from my mobile if you'd like." The woman suggested, I thought about Sierra, Charlie, Sadie, Sophie and Carrie all back in the shop and looked at Brianna for her thoughts.
"A lift would be very kind, ma'am. I think we've both had a shock and it would be nice to be with familiar people, I have a phone we can call from." Brianna answered, it took me a second to realise my hands were shaking.
"Where are you staying?" The husband asked as he took his wife's hand and began leading us down the road. Brianna linked her arm with mine again and gave me a reassuring smile.
"North Lincoln Boulevard." I croaked out, the woman looked at us surprised.
"We live there, you must be from that family car that parked outside Noah and Irene's house. Do you know the Shepstone's?" The wife asked, we nodded honestly.
"My boyfriend is Irene's nephew." I said, the wife patted my shoulder as we approached a green BMW.
"Oh, the worst things happen to the people with the best luck. I'm Sofia and this is my husband, Greg." Sofia seemed nice, she had strawberry blonde hair and kind green eyes, her husband couldn't look more different, he had wavy black hair and solemn brown eyes. Greg unlocked the car and Sofia held open the backdoor for us, allowing us to climb into the posh leather interior before shutting the door and taking the passenger seat.
"Seatbelts on." Greg said quietly as he got in the driver's seat, I quickly fastened my seatbelt and Brianna did the same before pulling out her phone and dialling Jase's number.
"Hey Jase, yeah, we're on our way back. Carrie and the other's aren't with us. We sort of got separated." There was a silence. "Yeah, she's here with me, sure you can talk to her." Brianna said, she handed me the phone and gave me a reassuring smile, I took the phone and held it to my ear.
"Hey Jase." I greeted him.
"Are you okay?" Jase asked, I almost smiled at the concern in his voice.
"Perfectly fine, a little shaken up but otherwise fine. We met Carrie's neighbours and they're giving us a lift back." I said, Jase breathed out.
"Okay, as long as you're safe. Promise I'll see you soon and you haven't just stepped into a random stranger's car and they are going to kidnap you and I won't see you for many, many years and when I saw you'll be tormented and won't remember my handsome face." Jase said, in all serious.
"Jase!" I screeched, causing Sofia to look back at us worried, I gave her a reassuring smile and she turned back to watching the road.
"Just kidding, Riley." Jase said bashfully, I could almost hear his smile. "But I bet it cheered you up." I rolled my eyes but Brianna had her eyebrows raised at me.
"Yeah, it did." I admitted grudgingly. "We're nearly there." I assured him before we hung up, I looked out of the car window as we turned onto Carrie's road and slowly drove up to the family van parked by the curb. Greg parked the car just in front of it.
"It was nice meeting you girls." Sofia said before getting out of the car and holding the backdoor open for us to clamber out, we made sure we had all the bags and exited the car.
"Thank you for the lift back, it was very kind of you." Brianna replied, I nodded, Sofia smiled and patted our heads, her hand lingered on mine.
"It was nothing." She assured us, she looked at me for a few moments. "You remind me of my daughter." She mused, her eyes held a note of regret before she smiled and the look was gone.
"Riley!" I quickly ducked out of her reach when I heard Jase's voice, he was standing on the doorstep of Carrie's house, Liam was by his side. I ran over and wrapped my arms around him, holding on tightly. "Are you okay? What happened?" Jase whispered, he was holding onto me as tightly as I was holding onto him, I breathed in.
"Her bag got taken by some weasel, we chased after him but he got away. This time." Brianna answered, I felt Jase's arms tighten around me.
"Are you okay, he didn't get you, did he?" Liam asked Brianna gently, I turned to look at my friend and saw her punch Liam's arm hard.
"Does it look like he got me? No! I'm fine, shouldn't you be more concerned about your cheek?" Brianna fired back, Liam's cheek looked less scarlet but there was still a lingering red on his cheek.
"Are you going to be okay?" I turned in Jase's arms to see that Sofia and Greg had followed us over, Sofia was looking at me the same way she did when we were outside the car, her eyes held the same regret but this time her face held her guilt. "Would any of you like a hot drink?" Greg offered, Jase looked down letting me know this was my call.
"That would be kind, thank you." I answered them, Sofia let out a clear sigh of relief.
"Hot Chocolate or Coffee? We don't have any Tea, I hope that won't be an issue." Sofia added as she and Greg walked with us across to their front door and let us in. The hallway was a clean room with a set of mahogany drawers underneath a mirror on the wall, the walls were cream and filled with pictures of flowers and fruit. We were led straight through to the kitchen, which was modern, with black marble counters, I touched the locket around my neck, content with its familiarity in this strange environment.
"You have a lovely home." Liam complimented as we sat at the glass table in the corner, Sofia gave him a charming smile.
"Thank you. Now, you must be Jase, Irene's youngest nephew." Sofia guessed, tapping Jase on his shoulder, he nodded, taking my hand under the table. "Coffee or Hot Chocolate?" She asked.
"Hot chocolate." We all answered, Greg began taking out the ingredients from the cupboards while Sofia turned the kettle on. We watched as he measured out the chocolate powder into four cups added the boiled water and milk, Sofia busied herself with making cups of coffee for the two of them, neither of them looked at us until all the cups were on the table, a bag of marshmallows had been poured into a ceramic bowl in the centre and we were all sipping our drinks politely.
"How do you all know each other?" Greg asked, I looked up from stirring a marshmallow into my hot chocolate to see his eyes focused on me, they were filled with curiosity and sadness.
"I bumped into Jase on our first day of high school together." I began.
"Quite literally, but I take some credit, I point to give directions." Jase cut in, I smiled at him.
"My cousin announced she had to get me to the office and they were looking for it." I added, Jase squeezed my hand and I smiled. "Brianna here is in a lot of our classes and has been since Freshman year, it seems silly that we wouldn't make friends with her." I explained, Jase and Brianna nodded, it seemed like I'd known them forever.
"What about you?" Sofia asked, directing her question at Liam, who grinned.
"Well, Brianna and I are soul mates." Liam declared, a proud smile on his face as he slung his arm around Brianna, who tore it off her with a glare.
"He's my neighbour." She corrected sternly, throwing a second glare at Liam. "He ended up here because he snuck into my bag while we were inside my house saying goodbye to my mother." Brianna explained, Liam gave a bashful smile.
"I, for one, am glad to hear you're not giving up, son. How long have you two known each other?" Greg asked, Sofia tapped her husband's arm in the universal gesture of 'Behave'.
"I met him yesterday." Brianna answered, dodging as Liam leaned in for another attempt at a kiss. "He even has the slap mark to prove it." Brianna admitted, I smiled.
"May I use your bathroom?" I asked, Sofia met my eyes and nodded.
"Upstairs, third door on your left." She instructed, I politely excused myself from the table and walked up the stairs, there were a lot more pictures up here but I saved looking at them for later as I found the bathroom. After using the bathroom, washing and drying my hands I closed the bathroom door and examined the silver frame hanging on the wall. It was obviously Sofia and Greg at a party, Sofia wore a grey and green cocktail dress, her hand was laced with Greg's as they posed for the camera, Greg was in a dark grey suit and looking like he had won the lottery, the caption on the frame said: Engaged to be Married.
"I'm happy for your both." I whispered, I glanced at another frame as I made my way back to the stairs, this time Sofia and Greg looked closer to how they looked now, they both wore their beaming smiles but there was a girl between them, the girl wore a lilac prom dress that reached the ground, a bouquet of flowers was in one hand as she held Sofia's hand tightly. Her black hair reached just below her shoulders in ringlets, held back by a tiara and silver clips, but it was her face that drew me in, her dark eyes, shining with happiness and her happy smile. "Happy Quincenara." I breathed.
"Riley?" I jumped and spun around to see that Sofia had sneaked up behind me, her green eyes showed concern until she saw the picture over my shoulder. "Come on, I think we should talk." I nodded and followed her down the hall to the end door, she pushed it open and I felt like I had been transported back to a different time. Aside from the view outside the window, the room looked exactly like their room in Mexico, forest green walls, royal blue blanket and pillows, the cover folded back slightly, two side tables placed each side of the bed, wardrobes, the vanity table.
"You wanted to talk, so talk." I said as Sofia closed the door behind us, she crossed to the bed and perched at the end, looking up at me guiltily.
"Riley, you have to understand something." Sofia started, I pulled out the chair from the table and sat down with my arms crossed.
"I thought I understood crystal clearly, you never wanted children, I was an accident, a mistake." I replied crisply, Sofia cringed.
"A poor choice of words, I admit. But I thought it was for the best." I raised my eyebrows, my curiosity was piqued. "I don't know if you remember, but when you were six I was pregnant." Sofia's eyes softened and I loosened my arms, I didn't remember this, it was news to me.
"I was going to have a sibling?" I clarified, she nodded regretfully.
"You'd been asking for a sibling and your father and I, we decided that our original thoughts about having children had changed, we loved having you in our lives, and we loved spoiling you. The idea of spoiling another while giving into another of your rare wishes appealed to us more than anything else, we were over the moon when we caught on the first try." Sofia smiled faintly, as if remembering the joy she'd once felt.
"What happened?" I asked solemnly, Sofia returned to the present and touched her throat gently.
"You were over the moon when we told you, you poured over books searching for names for your baby brother or sister, you asked question after question, gave us millions of suggestions of names, so it seemed right that we brought you to the first sonogram." My throat clenched, a part of me could tell that this was where things went wrong. "It was a school holiday, Julia and Eric had brought Sierra down for the two of you to play together, the three of them waited at home while we went to the hospital." Sofia explained.
"Did Sierra know?" I murmured, Sofia nodded weakly.
"You asked all these questions at the sonogram, asking the doctors what was good for me and what was bad, was it going to hurt me or the baby, could the baby hear you, all these darling questions that made the doctor and I smile. Your father hadn't even been that worried when we were expecting you." Sofia laughed weakly, but it was a hallow sound. "But it was when the sonographer began the examination you fell as quiet as an ant." I took a deep breath and hugged myself.
"There was no heartbeat." I guessed, Sofia nodded.
"Your father and I, we were crushed, but this news, it destroyed you." She said, I could picture myself seeing the image and realising there wasn't a heartbeat or a baby. "You blamed yourself, you shut yourself in your room and refused to talk for a month, you had somehow convinced yourself that the baby hated you and the sound of your voice and that was the reason you wouldn't be a big sister." I stood up and moved to sit next to Sofia on the bed, then slowly I put my arms around her, something I hadn't done since I was thirteen.
"But why did you send me away?" I mumbled into her hair as she returned the gesture and hugged me back.
"You're a wonderful girl, Riley, and we love you, we really do. Your father and I, we'd talked about it many times before, you're our little gift, to show us how precious children could be, and that we should love them." Sofia said, I frowned and pulled away from the hug.
"I'm sensing a 'but'." I remarked.
"I've always felt I was holding you back, that by spoiling you I haven't let you reach your full potential. I'd let you get away with murder, you're my baby girl, but I couldn't keep condoning the missed days, the average grades, you're capable of Uni, you should make something for yourself." Sofia said, I blushed, I knew she'd gone easy on me for skipping school some days and that I barely scraped getting C's.
"If it makes you feel better, I got a B on my last maths test, it isn't my strong point." I shrugged, Sofia patted my head.
"It never was. Shall we get back downstairs, I think our drinks have gone cold." Sofia offered, I smiled and nodded, getting up from the bed.
"So, what do we do about my name, I haven't changed it." I said as I opened the door and Sofia led me into the hallway, I shut the door behind us again.
"You can keep it if you'd like, you'll be changing it in a few years anyway." Sofia replied, I stopped at the top of the stairs in confusion. "Well, you are planning on marrying Jase, aren't you?" Sofia teased, I felt the blush run out of my face and rush back into my cheeks at the speed of sound.
"Mother, I refuse to talk about this subject." I spluttered, it was only after I said it I realised what I said, I'd been referring to her as Sofia in my head since I'd seen her in the street, this was the first time since I had received her letter I'd actually referred to her as my mother.
"You're my only child, aren't I supposed to be protective of you?" Mom taunted cheerfully. "I just want to make sure you're okay and being-" I clapped my hands over my ears and gave her a pointed look. "Fine, I get it, you had enough the first time." I removed my hands from my ears and she smiled at me.
"Lets go downstairs or there won't be any marshmallows left." I suggested, mom grinned at me and raced down the stairs like we used to do when I was younger. I followed her at a much more leisurely pace, taking the time to enjoy the feeling of my old home, it wasn't as warm but it was similar, and that was enough for me. I finally joined Liam, Brianna and Jase back at the table where mom talked to dad in the far corner, they were whispering and I knew it was about me.
"Where'd you go? We were beginning to think you'd gotten kidnapped by aliens." Liam grinned at me, I rolled my eyes and took Jase's hand under the table again and gave him a reassuring smile.
"You. You thought she'd gotten kidnapped by aliens." Brianna corrected him sternly, then she gave me a friendly smile. "You alright?" Brianna asked, I nodded, glancing from Jase to where my parents were talking in the corner.
"I think I'm great." I answered with a smile, Jase tucked my hair behind my ear and leaned in to whisper to me.
"I have to agree with you there." I blushed as Jase kissed my cheek and leaned back, squeezing my hand.
"Jase, may I have a word with you?" Dad asked suddenly, I had never been less relieved to hear a knock at the door as mom went to answer it.
"About what, sir?" Jase asked, he shifted in his seat and I made cutting motions at my throat to dad, who smiled at me.
"That was Noah and Irene, they're looking for you four." Mom said, appearing at the door, dad sighed, disappointed but nodded.
"We will be having that talk, young man." Dad warned, I blew out a sigh of relief.
"Well, it was nice seeing you, but we've really got to go. So, bye." I said quickly, I got up from my seat and practically dragged Jase to the kitchen doorway where I paused to hug mom briefly.
"Don't be a stranger." Mom whispered to me, then she added. "Again." I laughed.
"Lets go stalker boy!" Brianna said, ushering Liam into the hallway, she piled the bags she'd bought into his arms. "Thanks for the hot chocolate." Brianna added to my parents, who waved, I shot a look at dad and took Jase's hand again, we followed Brianna and Liam outside and I waved bye to my parents.
"Wanna tell me what happened in there?" Jase whispered as we walked down the garden path.
"This could take some time. Have about later?" I offered, Jase nodded and swung our hands together.
"Over dinner sound good?" Jase suggested, I made a face.
"I can't go half with you." I reminded him, the main thing that upset me about having my wallet stolen, I preferred going half on the bill.
"Good, because I am treating you." Jase said happily, I rolled my eyes at him.
"I have just the dress you could wear." Brianna mused as she slowed down with Liam, I groaned, this was practically a set-up, next thing you know my wallet will be returned first thing in the morning. I looked at where Brianna and Liam's hands were joined and smirked at my friend. "Say nothing." She muttered as I linked arms with her.
"But if our kids ever ask, I was not holding her so she couldn't run away." Liam clarified, I bit back my laughter as we headed up Carrie's drive.
"Wanna explain that to me?" I whispered to Jase, he flashed me a smile.
"Over dinner." He replied, I rolled my eyes but nodded. I felt Reyna slowly rise to conciousness in my head.
What have I missed?
For the record, I just want it to be known, Riley really isn't getting her bag back, that was really stolen. Just to let you know, there will be one more chapter in Oklahoma, then, back to New York, or two, considering I have ideas, and I like those ideas, and I think I can pull them off fairly easily.
But I digress, I have The Fault in our Stars and I want to read it, and I have chapters to write, so, until next time.
Peace, love, RANDOM SKITTLE ATTACK!
Love Always, Jeyna. X