Hey guys, I am SO sorry for the long wait. I've had tonnes of exams this month so I've been busy studying! They're all over now so I'm super happy and promised myself I'd write you guys another chapter. Thanks to all of you who reviewed/favourited/followed. I'll try and update much more regularly now, which I think I might be able to do! Enjoy + R&R!

Chapter Three

Annabeth's POV

The darkness came crashing down all around me. I was paralyzed, unable to move or cry for help. In the distance, I could hear people shouting, but couldn't do anything to respond. I was sinking, down and down into an endless cavern of darkness. I was screaming internally, but no one came. I was alone. I would always be alone. I eventually started to give up trying to hold on, and let the darkness overcome me.

I was shaken awake vigorously by two small hands. I snapped my eyes open, but found that I was still unable to control my body. I could see only white, and didn't have a sense of where I was.

"Annabeth?" I felt the shaking again. "Hey are you okay?"

My vision slowly adjusted, allowing me to see the two mousey-brown haired boys before me. I relaxed when I saw them, and permitted myself to have a deep breath. It was okay, I realized, everything had just been a dream.

"Yeah I'm fine Bobby."

"Annabeth, you were screaming."

Screaming? Really? I'm used to bad dreams and restless nights, but I've only really screamed in my sleep a couple of times before. I'm usually good a controlling my fears.

"Don't worry kiddo, it was just a bad dream, that's all. What time is it?"

"Ummm, 7:23" said Matthew. Wait, 7:23? School starts in just over half an hour! I've overslept, and that's something I never, ever do. Stupid dreams. I jumped out of bed, and threw on the first things I found in my wardrobe. I ended up with a pair of denim shorts, an old band t-shirt and sneakers. It would have to do.

"Bobby! Matthew! Are you guys ready for school?" I called as I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

"Yeah, we're dressed but we haven't had breakfast!" Damn. I'd overslept which meant that they hadn't been able to get ready by themselves. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed them both a box of cereal and poured half a carton of milk into it. Maybe not the best idea, but it was the first thing I could think of.

I grabbed them each a spoon, shouldered my bag and ushered them out of the door. The time was now 7:45. Crap.

*.*.*.*

By the time I got to school, it was halfway through first period. My second day of school, and I'm already late? I quickly parked my car and made a mad dash to my locker. My first lesson was Greek. I doubted I'd be missing much; my real mom was from Greece so my dad made sure I could speak it. I'm pretty much fluent, so I didn't think missing half an hour of class was going to do much.

When I walked into Room 17, the first person I saw was an old guy with a shaggy beard, who was in a wheelchair. If he hadn't been wearing a suit, I might have thought that he was homeless.

"Ah Miss Chase, I wondered if you'd be joining us this morning."

Well crap. That's already one teacher that doesn't like me, I thought, just what I need. "Sorry sir." I replied sheepishly.

"You're missing a valuable lesson Miss Chase. With it being the second day of the semester, I am not impressed with your tardiness. Your seat is over there, next to Mr Castellan."

I looked over at a tanned, blond boy who looked like he could have been a movie star, except he had a long white scar running from his left eye down to his jaw. I wonder what could've caused that. He smiled at me, but I hurriedly looked to the floor. I reminded myself that I had made too many acquaintances already; I wanted to keep my profile down.

For the rest of Greek, sat gazing out the window and thought about my real mom. I'd never really known her, but my dad said she'd been really beautiful. Her name was Athena, like the Greek goddess. I'd got my blonde, curly hair and grey eyes from my mom. I hated my eyes. They always seemed to make people afraid of me.

I was interrupted from my daydreams by the voice of Mr Brunner, the teacher.

"Miss Chase, what is the answer to the last question?"

Well that's it. I'm done for.

"Sorry Mr Brunner, could you repeat it please?"

"That's what I thought Miss Chase. May I ask why you're not taking any notes either? Is my class not important to you?"

"Είμαι άπταιστα ελληνικά. Δεν χρειάζεται καν να είναι εδώ. (I'm fluent in Greek. I don't even need to be here)" I muttered.

Mr Brunner looked dumbfounded. I guess he'd heard me then.

"Repeat that again please" he told me. I sighed.

"Είπα ότι είμαι άπταιστα ελληνικά. Συγγνώμη για προσβάλλοντας κύριε διδασκαλία σας. (I said that I'm fluent in Greek. I'm sorry for disrespecting your teaching sir.)"

Wait. Had he asked me that in Greek too? I looked around that class and everyone's expressions were, well, priceless. They all stared at me with open mouths, gawking at me. Oh well, I guess I'm not a straight A student for nothing.

"Thank you Miss Chase. I'd like to speak to you at the end of class, if you don't mind."

*.*.*.*

"Hey Annabeth" I turned to see someone I vaguely recognized leaning on the wall outside the Greek room.

"Oh, um hey." I replied, hoping that this wasn't going to be an awkward conversation about my living arrangements.

"That was some kickass Greek you were speaking in there. Don't worry about Mr Brunner, he's a good guy really."

"Uh, cool. You must think I'm weird for being fluent in a weird language now right?" I said timidly, staring at the floor.

"Hey no way. I think it's totally φοβερός (awesome)"

"Wait, you speak Greek?" I said, dumbfounded. Percy didn't exactly strike me as the study-hard sort of guy.

"Yeah, my dad was Greek, so my mom insisted I learnt it."

Quite similar to my arrangement, I supposed. Although I bet Percy's wasn't quite as complicated.

We ended up walking to the next class in a comfortable silence, neither of us really knowing what to say. I didn't really know what to make of Percy. I mean, he was amazingly gorgeous, with his messy black hair and sea-green eyes. I bet loads of girls in school had a crush on him.

"So how come you were so late today?"

Crap. I had not seen that question coming. I didn't have an answer that wouldn't make me sound like a freak. I mean, a seventeen year old girl acting like a mom and living pretty much alone with two nine year old boys? Nothing about my predicament is normal. I cursed myself silently.

"Um there was just a lot of traffic, that's all"

Jeez Annabeth, way to go. You get a prize for being the world's worst liar ever.

"Really?" Percy replied, "I came from the same place and it didn't take me that long." Oh god, how can I get him to drop the subject? I thought, whilst scanning my brain for a topic that could change the conversation. "I guess you just got caught up in rush hour, huh."

I let out an audible sigh of relief, glad that he'd accepted my alibi. Percy seemed cool, but I'd told myself not to get attached to anyone or make any friends.

"So do you want to hang with us again at lunch?" he offered, and I was touched at how sincerely polite he sounded. He was actually making an effort to be my friend.

I smiled. "Yeah sure, I don't think I'd be much of an asset to your group though." That last part was true. I hadn't even brushed my hair this morning, and I knew I probably had dark bags under my eyes from the bad dreams.

"Nonsense. We'd be happy to have you."

*.*.*.*

Voilà! I know this story is progressing slowly. But Annabeth and Percy need to become closer before anything happens. You guys understand that right?

Question for you: What's the best book you've ever read? I'm interested!

Thank you and reviews are much appreciated!