Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed last chapter, especially percyjason for reviewing so many times! This story wouldn't be here without you guys! :)))

Who wants to know the story stats? So far, we have 80 Favorites, 133 follows, 134 reviews, and – drum roll, please – 17,448 views! Wooo! I LOVE YOU GUYS! :DDD

Anyways, I decided to change the POV from Percy to someone else, so some of your questions will be answered this chapter. Hope you enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: ME NO OWN PJO. RICK DOES.

Rachel

:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O

I…I have a confession to make.

I saw Luke abuse Percy in the hallway.

!

I had just gotten back from one long day of decorating the gym for the dance. I was voted to be in charge of the Decorating Team by the Dance Committee weeks before, so I spent most of my time supervising the placement of various decorations.

I had just placed an order for a giant Disco ball from Amazon when Katie asked me for a stapler to help put up the garland. I glanced at the wall. The garland that was already there looked fine to me, but Katie claimed that they'd tried to use tape, and it wouldn't stay up. As if to prove her point, a strand of garland fell off of the gym wall. Since I didn't have a stapler on hand, I left the gym and walked down the school hallways to head to the nearest classroom.

All the teachers I asked didn't have staplers. Mr. Brunner did, but it had no staples. None of the other teachers had staples, either, so I grudgingly left the main building and headed over to the girl's dorm.

The air was cold, and there was snow on the ground. The sky was bland and gray. I trudged through the path of sludge that led to the girl's dorm, and opened the front door. I greeted the Dean, Ms. Harlow. She wasn't a very good Dean – she let boys come into the dorm all the time. There were no security cameras, or alarms, or anything else to keep guys out; the only people she didn't let in were adult males. When I first began to notice that guys showed up in the girl's dorm on a regular basis, I freaked out, thinking that someone was going to get raped for sure. After some months, I began to cool down. Nothing ever happened here at Yancy Academy, at least not while I was there.

I strode into the elevator, which was full of other girls freaking out about the dance. I recognized Silena Beauregard, Lacy, Lou Ellen and a few others among them. But I didn't really pay any attention to what they were talking about. They all got out at the Lobby, and I pressed the button for the third floor. The doors slid closed, and the elevator began to move.

I watched the numbers increase: 1, 2…and then finally, the third floor. The doors slid open, and I walked out. I heard a noise from the staircase next to me, and I saw Luke ascend from the stairway. I wasn't surprised. He rushed past me, seemingly in a hurry.

"Hey Luke," I said.

"Shut it – " he replied, and then a not-so-very-nice word. I was appalled. What in the world was wrong with him?

"Hey!" I began. "What did I ever do to you?"

Luke disappeared around a corner and was gone. I shook my head and headed for my dorm room.

I opened the door. A bunch of Thalia's punk-rock tee's and my art stuff were all over the floor, so I stepped over them and made my way over to my dresser. I quickly surveyed the top of the dresser: a seashell from a family vacation to St. Thomas, a necklace, a scarf, my blue plastic hairbrush, and a bunch of other things, and I found the stapler and grabbed it. I was about to leave when I spotted a box full of old decorations and my brain went into hyperdrive. That tinsel would look great in the gym, I thought, my artistic side getting the best of me. Are those wreaths? We could put them on all of the gym doors, and maybe we can hang some of those snowflakes from the roof…

I sat down on my bed and pulled the box over to me, and began to rummage through the merchandise. There were tons of things we could use – more garland, colored film for the spotlights, streamers, ornaments – the whole box was full of decoration gold. I put the stapler in the box along with the other items, and then, just in case we might need them, I headed back to the dresser and got a pack of staples. I threw them in the box.

I smiled down at the box. This dance was going to be the highlight of the year.

My mind continued to race. Maybe I could talk to the Headmaster later about the proceeds. I thought. If we could get at least 10 percent of all the money earned to go to charity, that would be great. If I can just convince -

A noise from out in the hallway interrupted my thoughts. I hadn't been paying much attention before, but I had left the door to the dorm room open. I poked a head into the hallway, and saw Piper lead Jason down the opposite end of the hallway. Percy and Annabeth stood close by, their backs to me.

"What was that?! I almost had her! We were this close!" I heard her say. She held her two fingers a small way apart. She seemed very angry. What was going on?

"What? Leo did text me," said Percy with a shrug. I still didn't understand. What had happened?

Annabeth rubbed a gloved hand on her temples. "I just – never mind. It's cool. Let's just try again tomorrow, okay?"

Percy nodded. Then Annabeth turned in my direction, and I quickly stuck my head back into the room before she could see me. I quietly closed the door, but not all the way. I left a little crack so I could see what happened next.

I saw Percy run down the hallway after Annabeth.

"Annabeth, wait," he said once he caught her. They were standing right in front of the door.

Annabeth turned to face him.

"Yeah?"

"I-I need to tell you something."

The two of them were really close. My eyes widened as Percy leaned down a bit.

What! No! This couldnot be happening. I thought – I thought Percy liked me back. I was sure of it. Deep down, something inside of me knew that Percy liked Annabeth, that it could never happen, that I could never be with him. I tore up a bit as I watched him lean in.

Percy suddenly stopped, like he was waking up from a dream.

"I know who – "

"Percy!" he was interrupted by the sound of a voice, and the thud of heavy footsteps coming down the hallway. The person came into view.

Luke.

Annabeth took a step away from Percy. Luke smiled and walked over to them.

"Hey Annabeth," he said, looking at her. She gave Luke a small smile and looked at the floor. For some reason unknown to me, she looked scared. Luke turned to Percy.

Luke lowered his voice said something I couldn't hear. Percy nodded, and they began to head down the opposite end of the hallway, towards the elevator. I could see them move farther and farther away as they neared the end of the hall.

They passed Annabeth, and Percy waved to her. Annabeth waved back, still oddly silent. Her back was to me again, so I could not see her facial expression as the two males moved down the hall. Then she turned in my direction. At first, I was afraid she had seen me, but I guess she hadn't, because she just glanced past my door and headed down the end of the hallway, opposite to the end where Percy and Luke were. She walked out of sight, probably to her dorm room.

I watched as Percy turned back around to face the elevator, and both of their backs were to me. Luke made a movement, and the numbers above the elevator began to decrease. Luke cleared his throat, and I strained my ears to listen to what he said next.

I didn't hear what he said, but I saw his mouth move. I saw Percy reply, but I didn't hear what he said, either. Luke opened his mouth to speak again, and I heard it this time.

"Then why were you about to tell her?"

Was 'her' Annabeth? Tell her what? What the what were they talking about?

Percy shrugged.

"'Cause I don't think it's fair that you're playing with Annabeth's emotions like that." He replied.

Luke turned to face him, and I saw the side of his face. Then, he did something I didn't expect him to do. He grabbed Percy by his shoulders, and turned him around to face him. Percy winced, and Luke looked him in the eye. I took in a breath.

"You're in this as much as I am, Percy." I heard Luke growl. He violently shook Percy violently by his shoulders.

"There's no turning back now. I read your little letters, kid. I don't want you leaving anymore hints, do you understand me?"

Percy's eyes went wide, and he nodded in response. He lifted Percy up high off the ground. Luke narrowed his eyes up at him.

"Dude," I heard Percy say. "I nodded. You can put me down now." Leave it to Percy to kid around in a life-or-death situation.

Luke's gaze softened as I watched in horrified fascination. He slowly lowered Percy back down onto the ground. Percy grunted and rubbed his shoulders in pain, and then he staggered and fell to his knees.

I wanted to run out to him, to pick him up and tell him that it was going to be okay, but I didn't. Something told me to wait.

Luke glared down at Percy.

"Stay away from my girl." He told him. The elevator doors opened, and Luke stepped in. I watched as Percy looked up. Luke stared at him, his glare unwavering, as the elevator doors closed. I gulped. I heard Percy let out a ragged breath, and he shakily stood to his feet.

I looked at Luke, who continued to glare down at Percy. The elevator doors slowly closed, but right before they did, Luke took his eyes off of Percy, and I watched as they darted around his surroundings. Luke's eyes stopped darting around, and I froze.

He was looking straight at me.

The elevator doors slid closed.

I softly shut the door, and a hand flew to my mouth. My eyes widened in shock.

My mind raced once again. Luke had hurt Percy. The two of them were after Annabeth, and for what reasons, I did not know. My head spun, and, like Percy, I fell to my knees as the weight of the situation came crashing down on me.

Luke had seen me. He knew that I knew what had happened, and I had a feeling that he would get back at any potential witnesses, anyone who knew anything about what he was capable of.

And I had just witnessed the entire thing.

Today, when I got back from the gym, I plopped down on my bed. Thalia was off somewhere, probably with her brother. I thought about Percy not asking me to the dance, and grabbed my pillow and put it over my face. Then I screamed. It felt good to let it out.

Luke's threat hung in the air.

"Tell anyone and die."

I knew that he was talking about the incident in the hallway. If I told anyone about what I had seen, I would be dead, or worse. I knew what Luke could do, and that he wasn't afraid to do it. I couldn't tell a soul. What in the world was I supposed to do?

I rubbed my temples, groaning, and then I spotted something on Thalia's side of the room. The covers on her bed were messed up, so I could see the things under her bed. There were a couple suitcases, and something that got my attention – a shoebox. Thalia pretty much owned two pairs of shoes: her sneakers and her combat boots, so I was naturally curious.

I got up from my bed and onto the floor. Then I reached for the shoebox under her bed, and pulled it out. I began to examine the box. It was a regular old shoebox, with the name of the shoe company and a big logo on it. It was heavy, so I shook it and heard something rattle inside. I opened the box.

I gasped. Inside the box was a huge stack of letters, all gathered together in a rubber band. I took the rubber band off.

I plucked the first one from the pile and began to read.

"Dear Thalia,

I miss you so much. I haven't seen you in weeks, ever since you moved away from California. I know that moving away was your decision, but I sometimes I wish that you were here, with me.

Annabeth misses you. She says that you have to come back for Christmas, no buts. She says she loves you.

I love you. I miss you so much – I don't know what to do without you. Please, come back. I'm lost without you, Thals. I need you by my side. Please.

I honestly think I'm losing my mind. I can't stop thinking about you. The way you laugh, your smile...everything. I think you're beautiful. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. So please, please come back.

My mom says hi. She baked you a batch of burnt chocolate chip cookies. Even she seems to be crazier than usual. You were all of our sanity.

This letter is getting kind of lengthy, isn't it? Again, I love you. I miss you more than you could ever know. It doesn't feel like a family without you.

Love,

Luke"

I teared up a bit. That was one of the sweetest things I have ever read. It seemed odd that someone as horrible as Luke could write something as beautiful as this. Placing the letter back into the envelope, I quickly went through the others.

There were tons more. In each one, Luke would say that he loved her, that he missed her, that he couldn't live without her. A few of them came with pictures. I observed an old picture of Luke, Thalia, and Annabeth much younger than they were now. There was a big "Happy 8th Birthday, Annabeth" sign hanging in the background. Luke was smiling, which is something he rarely does these days. Thalia was smiling, too. Little Annabeth smiled along with them, chocolate cake smered all over her face. I smiled too, at the picture.

There were more letters, and a certain few caught my attention.

Not all of the letters were signed by Luke, and not all of them were so specific. I picked up another one, and began to read once more:

"Dear Thalia Grace,

I did not realize how awesome Green Day was until I found out you were into it.

I listened to the first album. Then the second. I was just getting to the sixth when I realized that most of these songs pretty much summed up how I feel about you.

Here's a little excerpt from Last Night on Earth, my new personal favorite:

Sending all my love to you
You are the moonlight of my life every night
Giving all my love to you
My beating heart belongs to you
I walked for miles 'til I found you
I'm here to honor you
If I lose everything in the fire
I'm sending all my love to you

Seriously. We have to listen to this together sometime. Remind me to take you to a concert.

Love,

Your Secret Admirer

(p.s., if tonight is my Last Night On Earth, I'm spending it thinking about you)."

Attached to the card with a paperclip was a ticket, and I pulled it off, examining it. It was a Green Day concert ticket, for a concert that had happened three years ago at the Rockefeller Center in NYC. The ticket was never used.

I admit, I was confused. In one letter, Luke was confessing his undying love for Thalia. In another, Thalia's secret admirer had confessed his love, too. They were both Luke's, right? If so, why did he go undercover? Did he write the 'Secret Admirer' letter before or after the other one?

I looked at the ticket again, and remembered how the concert dated back to three years. Thalia had moved four years ago, and the letter had been written afterwards. If Luke had written the first letter asking Thalia to come back, then that must've been four years ago, before he moved over here, too. So why had he written the secret admirer letter after?

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me, and I dropped the concert ticket, stunned.

Letters. When Luke was talking to Percy in the hallway, he had said something about reading Percy's letters.

Was Percy writing similar letters to Annabeth? That would explain a lot. More puzzle pieces began to move themselves in my head.

The restaurant, the hallway, the gym – everything made sense now. Percy was writing letters to Annabeth. I knew that both Percy and Luke liked Annabeth, because Luke told Percy not to ask her the dance. The only thing I didn't get was why Thalia broke up with Luke. Was she just jealous of Annabeth? Or maybe…maybe she knew what Luke was capable of! Maybe she knew about him hurting Percy!

Excited, I looked in the shoebox for more clues. There was a small box of old, untouched chocolate, some shriveled-up rose petals, and some postcards. I quickly looked them all over, and found nothing interesting. I turned the box over and dumped the contents on the floor.

A bunch of postcards and pictures fell out. I sorted through the mess. It was just a bunch of lovey-dovey stuff Luke had sent Thalia over the years. I grunted in frustration. I didn't see anything that could prove –

I froze. There was a black-and-white picture stuck under a pile of other ones. I quickly pulled it out from under the pile.

It wasn't a picture, I observed. It was an x-ray. I examined the photo.

It was an x-ray of someone's ribcage. Several ribs were broken and fractured, and at first, I was confused. Who's x-ray was this? What had happened to them?

Realization dawned on me, and I excitedly stood, the x-ray still in my hands.

The x-ray was of Thalia's ribs, not someone else's. Thalia did know what Luke was capable of.

I quickly stuffed the things back into the shoebox, and shoved it under her bed. I turned the new bit of information over and over in my head, then grabbed my coat and headed towards the door.

Screw Luke. I was going to tell somebody.

I was going to tell Thalia Grace.

Rachel: 1

Fates: 0

This…this is my favorite chapter. I am so proud of myself right now for coming up with this entire idea on the spot. Please review, guys. I'm just…I feel so accomplished. :')