Heroes of Olympus- Soulmate, you say? (HoO AU)

Annabeth

Annabeth:

Honestly, back on February 18th, I was having a pretty bad day- so what better than getting my soulmark to cheer me up- right? Wrong! It was absolutely unaccommodating! And I was only sixteen! Well, now I'm nineteen and headed out for college just tomorrow morning, but let me tell you the story of how my life officially got worse, for the better. (I know that sounds ridiculous, but if you listen you'll comprehend it!)

FLASHBACK

My step-mother Helen and I were walking down the busy streets of California, me whistling an old toon my mother used to sing to me and Helen slowly nodding along to the rhythm.

"Helen?" I asked, tilting my head to look up at her.

"What is it, darling?" she responded, staring back. You see, Helen and I didn't always have such a nice relationship. When my biological mother had me, my dad had seen her as his soulmate. His soulmark used to be an owl on his left shoulder blade, but one day when he was coming back from the market with me and I was six, we had run across Athena (that's my biological mother's name) making out with some random dude we had never met. To say it was heart-breaking would be a MAJOR understatement. Especially, with how she didn't come home that night and left just a note on the doorstep saying how she would/had 'always loved us', YEAH RIGHT! If she loved us, WHY THE HELL DID SHE CHEAT?!

Anyway, about a year later my dad met Helen in a dojo, where he was gonna sign me up for lessons, and she was the teacher. They started dating and my dads soulmark shifted from an owl to a tube of lipstick, and Helen had had a bullet soulmark (it's what Athena had) from the start. When Helen got pregnant (after their marriage, of course) and had Bobby and Matthew (that's his name- right?), I had gotten mad and called her a replacement mother. Nowadays, we were fine, but it still saddened me to think back to my birth mom.

"Annabeth?" Helen asked, snapping me from my thoughts, "what did you want to ask?"

"O-oh, I was just wondering about the whole, umm, soulmarks thing..." I mutter shyly, blushing at the topic I loved to avoid.

"Seeing as you'll be getting yours soon?" she had a kind and encouraging smile resting on her face, so I nodded my head.

"It was nice, dear. Nothing to worry about."

"But- well, how did it feel? Did it hurt?"

"No"

"Did it shock you?"

"I was expecting it, it came the same day my grandmother, mother, and brother got theirs."

"Really? Is that normal?"

"Not... entirely." she paused and then looked at me, "but that's just the way fate sets on our family."

"Well," I paused before asking her, not sure if it was a smart move or not but settling on asking anyway. "Do you think I'll get mine the same day you got yours?"

"Well, no."

"Why not?"

"Then you would have gotten it three days ago on my grandfathers half birthday."

"Wow- it was his half birthday?"

"It is for most people, and who knows, maybe your soul mate will get theirs on sept... Feb... uh..."

"January-"

"Yes! On January 12th they might get it!"

"Helen, I really don't see that happening," me? Honestly, I even doubted that I would get a soulmate, or if I did, they would probably hate me because of my nerdy antics and looks. (My friends say I'm pretty, but I know they're just lying to make me feel better)

"Just give it time, hun." she smiled at me and gasped, eyes locked on my neck.

"What?" I said, looking down to see a glimmer of red. I whipped my head up. "What it it?!"

"It.. its a belt. Weird."

"A belt? This dudes favorite thing is a belt?"

Helen looked off into the distance, sadness and pain crossing her eyes.

"O-or it could be his least favorite thing. You never know," she told me, still not looking me in the eye.

"Why would- oh." well dang. This boy could have been beaten. I really hope he's ok.

'Strong, Knowledgeable, recovered, unbelieving. Don't worry, dearie, we found you the perfect match...'

What. is. Happening?

FLASHBACK OVER

I'd say I'm over it, 'cause it was four years ago, but really, the lady's voice still haunts my nightmares. The belt too, it still wrapped around my neck, always covered by a thick choker or turtle neck.

But I hope it leaves me in peace when Katie, Travis, Conner, Will, Thalia, Clarisse, Nico, and I all get to college.

Can't wait!

sorry its short