AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! I know I haven't posted for a while, and I appologize. Although, I've had a blast writing this and I really enjoy it. Please read and review to tell me what you think of it! Thanks!

I wouldn't have to be writing this damn check if you didn't forget to pay the bills on time!" I heard my mother's usually so angelic, musical voice, shriek to the top of her lungs, downstairs.

I cringed at her foreign tone, shifting uncomfortably on my bed, trying not to wake my little sister, Katie from across the room...if she wasn't already awake. I watched her little face scrunch up, clutching tightly onto her stuffed panda bear pillow pet I had gotten her for her fifth birthday; this was a clear sign of one of her signature nightmares, something she had often now. Too often. She was so young, so innocent. She didn't deserve this. My parents were so stupid, so clueless of what they could do to Katie. Katie...and me.

"Well, at least I didn't forget my little daughter's ballet recital last night! She really wanted you to be there, Athena!" My dad spat, his voice faltering at the end as he called my mother by her real name. Even I paused for a moment. Father never called her Athena. It had always been 'A'.

Mother's parents were abusive and cruel, always teasing her as if she were never one of their own. Therefore, she was always impulsive, talking back to them right away and could never stop herself. She had such a 'wise mouth' her parents had named her after the wisest and strategic god, Athena.

"How dare you call me by that name?" She sobbed, her throat so thick with the vileness of her words that I was surprised that it didn't choke her on the way out.

I let out a shaky sigh, glancing at the clock. 8:00 pm. It was too early to go to sleep, but I sure as hell didn't need to stay here and hear them scream back and forth at each other. Grabbing my bag, I slung it over my shoulder, grunting as I felt it slap me across the back I strapped on my grey converse, which had a creepy resemblance to my eyes, except mine were always darker, deeper somehow.

I walked out of my room and cascaded down the stairs, not caring if my parents heard me or not. They wouldn't care. They were too selfish to care. And I was right. I unlocked the back door and walked right out, not looking back. I didn't care where I was going, as long as it was away from here.

I stopped at the first place I saw, which was a small bar that had just opened on the side of the street. I walked up to the door, and reached to pull the handle hesitantly. If my parents found out...SHUT UP! THEY WOULDN'T CARE. I fought myself for a while until I slung the door open and paraded in, one side of my brain congratulating me for being brave, and the other side of my brain cursing at myself for being so stupid.

Walking into the bar slowly, I noticed that it was almost barren, a few customers drifting in and out. The security guard looked down at me, a dumb look plastered his face.

"ID?" He asked, his gruff voice very demanding. I looked at his outfit, and the box of pizza that sat next to him. Classic security guard.

I played with my bag, trying to find the fake ID that Thalia, my best friend, and I had made that one day. I made a mental note to thank her for it, and literally pinned it to the back of my brain. I fumbled with my fake card, and shoving it into his face. He looked at my picture suspiciously and I almost stopped breathing. Soon, he gave me back the ID and looked at me for a while.

"You look very young for 21 'mam.

I narrowed my eyes, but gave him an enough convincing smile. "Thank you." I replied, smugly, shoving my card deep into my pockets.

Running away from the *cough* fat security guard, I sat down at the bar, and the bartender came up to me. He was short and chubby, but his fingers were very long. He was almost bald, and his eyes were bloodshot, like he was suffering from an eternity without sleep. "What do you want?" He croaked.

I frowned. "Excuse me?" I asked stupidly.

"For a drink. What do you want." He explained as if I were stupid. The lack of sleep I've had must have been messing with my mind too.

"Oh," I replied lamely, "I'll have a… whiskey?" I think that's what they were called.

He shot me a weird look but scribbled it down on the sheet of paper in front of him, even though it was only one item, and turned around to go fetch it.

I heard a low chuckle, and I realized that I was sitting besides someone. Snapping my head up, I turned to find the most memorizing pair of eyes I'd ever seen in my life. They were as deep as the ocean its self, a lovely sea-green, only brought out by his carelessly tossed midnight black hair that fell over his eyes. His jawline was perfection. UNF.

"Someone is a little young to be at a bar..." he murmured under his breath, which smelled similar to sea salt. Even though I knew that he was right, I flicked my blond curls behind me so that it ran down my slender back, giving him a snotty huff.

"Thank you for noticing, dad. I'll have you know that I am eighteen."

He raised his dark eyebrows, giving me a challenging look. "If you're eighteen, then I'm 72 and still sexy."

I giggled involuntary. You probably will be. I thought before shaking my head.

"Well then," I asked, trying to make a conversation, "how old are you, 72 and still sexy?"

He scoffed, a smile playing on his lips. "You're cute."

I felt myself turn bright red, and I let my hair fall over my face.

He seemed to see my reaction and straightened himself up. "I'm Percy." He told me, reaching out to shake my hand.

"Annabeth." I stated, taking his hand and giving him a polite smile. I tried not to think about how perfectly his hand just molded around my cold one. It was almost intimidating.

"So, Annabeth," he began, eyes smoldering into mine, "what are you planningto go into when you finish twelfth grade?" This was a question I'd heard over and over, everyone expecting different answers.

"An architect." I said shyly, afraid that he was going to object, but he just nodded his head understandingly. I liked this guy already. "What do you do?" I asked, trying to get the subject off of me. I hated talking about myself. It feels like people are just trying to find out my darkest secrets, and then when they get all they need, they stab me in the back.

"I'm a Social Studies teacher." Percy told me, fingering the cup that was in his hands. "I just got a job at a new school this year."

"Oh..." I replied, dumbfounded, my eyebrows furrowing. He was a lot older than I thought he was. The bartender came back with my drink. Percy stared at me as I played around with the cup, not knowing whether I should drink this or not.

"Don't." He advised me, reading my mind. I obeyed obediently, putting the cup down and pushing it away with my hand.

"How old are you exactly?" I questioned, crossing my legs together and turning my body so that it was faced toward his.

Percy gave me a dirty smirk before answering. "23." He whispered close to my ear, sending shivers down my spine. My throat felt so dry that I had to swallow a few times before talking again.

"Wow," I cracked, scooting my body away from his a bit.

He seemed to notice and he smiled for the first time since I saw him, showing off his blinding, dazzling smile. "What, are you afraid of me or something now?"

"No!" I responded quickly. Too quickly. "No, it's just I was surprised. You're awfully young to be a teacher."

He shrugged, taking my drink and chugging it down. I raised my eyebrows, watching him finish the rest of the drink. Percy licked his lips and I felt my whole stomach drop. He took a quick look at his clock and grabbed his coat. Standing up, I felt my eyes widen at how tall he was, about five inches taller than my 5'5. "Well, Annabeth, it was very nice meeting you. Will I see you back here tomorrow?" He asked, hoping.

"Yes." I said without thinking, and I kicked myself for that.

He shot another crooked smile my way before saying, "Okay then; see you tomorrow." And with that he walked out the door, his jaunty walk almost wanted to make me follow him home.

I took a deep breath before taking out my phone and checked the time. 10:34 pm. Shit! I didn't mean for it to be this late! I just wanted to take a break, take some time away from my parents!

Grabbing my things, I paid the bartender, leaving a bigger tip than needed, and hurried out the door.

As I got home, my parents were still hollering to the top of their lungs. This had to be the longest fight they've ever had. I sneaked back up the stairs and climbed into bed, not bothering to change my clothes. I reluctantly looked at the clock. 11:00 pm. I hated how time had a control about everybody's life. I hated how it told you what time to be there, what time to leave. How it told you what time to wake up and what time to sleep. I laid there, tossing and turning, thinking about Percy as I tried blocking out my parent's voices. I checked the clock...again. 11:12 pm. I groaned loudly, putting a pillow on my head to muffle the sound.

This wasn't the first night they've kept me up this late. It's been going on ever since I've moved from San Francisco, a few weeks ago. Now I begin a new school year at Goode High in Manhattan tomorrow, the school that promises to be "the best of the best." They wait until they think Katie and I are asleep and they go off, like a machine gun that won't run out of bullets. I rolled my dull, bloodshot grey eyes, taking out my journal. A journal that I wouldn't ever let anyone read, even Thalia, who was my fierce, crazy best friend. I've known her ever since I've moved here-she was the only one who really opened up to me. Even though I've only known her for a few weeks, I've felt as if I've known her my whole life. She was generally a nice person, but pick with someone she cares about and she goes all diva on you.

Chewing on my pencil lightly, a guilty nervous habit of mine, I flipped through what seemed like a hundred pages of my architectural drawings. While running helps other people relive of stress, drawing these things help mine. I'd love to be a building constructor one day, but Mother wouldn't approve. All she wants me to be is a doctor, someone who is 'well-respected' and 'rich." But to me, being rich and well respected means nothing if I'm unhappy.

Lightly tracing over the paper, I sketched the rest of the sky scraper I was designing. It rises about 500 stories high, and I hoped one day that I could be sitting in that building I designed, working on the next one I would construct. I smiled secretly to myself, drawing the last of the many windows onto the single sheet of paper. Once I was finished, I didn't even notice that the house was silent. Dead silent. I shoved my pencil into my journal, locking it tightly, and put it next to my bed rest. Clicking off the lights, I thought if the green-eyed boy I saw today until I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

I was going to need all the rest I could get for what tomorrow had in store for me.

Hoped you enjoyed! Sorry for all the time lapses. I got lazy. Also, remember to check out my other stories, True Fate and The Person Within! Thanks again! Review!