The Violin That Started it All

Part 1) Chapter Sixteen

            When he pulled back, I was still in shock. Not real shock, but, you know. Percy chuckled and poked me in the forehead, which snapped me out of my daze. I blinked blankly at him with wide eyes, still waiting for an explanation.

            He only continued to smile at me. “I’ll do something about it, okay? This won’t be the last time.”

            Before I could ask him what he even meant, he left the room.

            I didn’t really want to face everyone after my break-down the previous day. It wasn’t as big as a break-down from when I talked about what happened five years ago with Percy, but I still cried from it. To be honest, I didn’t feel embarrassed by it. I just didn’t want to face the questions that would follow. I wanted to avoid questions from them as best as possible. So, I went to the one place at lunch where I would be able to sit alone.

            Well, I thought I would be able to sit alone. 

            I was sitting against the tree that I used to sit at before I acquainted Percy and everyone else. My right leg was bent and my elbow rested upon it as I stared off at nothing in particular. It was freezing outside, so most of the students attending the school were inside, so I didn’t think anyone would actually find me. I was just glad I brought my black Aviator jacket today, so I wouldn’t end up freezing to death.

            But the most unexpected person came up to me.

            She wore a black winter jacket with fur lining the hood of it. She wore dark blue jean shorts—despite the cold—that ended just above her knees. She had black boots on that matched her jacket, and I could tell that underneath her jacket, she had an orange T-shirt on. What was imprinted onto the T-shirt, I couldn’t tell. Her blond hair was tied up in a ponytail, and her hands were shoved deep into her jacket pockets. Her gray eyes held mild relief as she looked down at me instead of an unnerving gaze.

            “There you are.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “I guessed that you would be here. Can I sit down?”

            I nodded quietly as she slid down to the empty spot next to me by the tree. She turned to me and gave me a smile—surprisingly.

            “You know, Silena’s freaking out that you’re not there so I offered to go find you and bring you back. But, I’m guessing you don’t want to go back, do you?” Annabeth surmised.

            “Yeah, I kind of don’t,” I finally replied verbally.

            Annabeth shrugged. “Makes sense. How’s your day been going? I don’t really remember my freshman year that well, other than the fact that I met Percy and everyone else that year.”

            I shrugged. “Same as always, I guess.”

            “Boring?” Annabeth suggested with a small laugh.

            I managed to crack a small smile. “Yeah, pretty much.”

            “So, I heard you’re smart, isn’t that right?” Annabeth asked. “Maybe you could be my new study partner. I haven’t managed to find anyone of my caliber.”

            My smile fell—as always—but I managed to hide my look of forlorn. But, I was pretty sure she saw right through it. “I’m not even in the same grade as you.”

            She shrugged in response. “At least you get a head start on what you’ll learn in junior year, right?”

            “I guess,” I agreed. Why wasn’t she asking me anything from yesterday? Wasn’t she curious?