𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐒 | 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇

chapter 3

guys, i'm sorry, but Smelly Gabe is in this fanfic...

Percy's P.O.V.

Geography wasn't the only class I had with Annabeth Chase. We had English together as well.

She came in late, again.

This time though, I noticed a light red line on her wrist.

"What happened?" I asked, motioning to her wrist.

She went pale, and then she started laughing. "My friends and I were playing a game where we had to draw on each other."

That was obviously a fake story. I wasn't stupid and she knew that, but I didn't mention that I could tell that she was lying.

I sighed. "They hardly seem like friend material. I hardly ever see you happy or smiling around them."

"Shut up, nerd. All your friends probably just talk about how fun algebra is."

"Hey, just because I'm really smart and like some subjects that does not qualify me as a nerd."

"Whatever."

The rest of the class was pretty boring. Mrs. Karson just told us about verbs, which was so easy.

The rest of the day was a blur. I was mainly thinking of the line on Annabeth's wrist. Maybe she had cut herself? No, that wasn't possible. She had such a good life. She was popular, her dad made lots of money, she was very pretty, she could have anyone she wanted.

At the end of the day, when I passed by the girl's bathroom, I heard the same crying as I heard last time. I was alone and there wasn't anyone around in the halls, so I decided to walk in.

"This is the second time in a row that I hear you crying," I said. "You're not okay."

"Go away."

"Not this time, I won't leave you," I said, sure of myself. "You're obviously going through something, and I want to help."

"Why? I don't even know who you are. You're just the guy who heard me crying."

"And you're just the girl who keeps crying," I said. Her voice did seem familiar, but with the crying added to it, I just couldn't figure out who's it was.

"If you want," I started, "we could chat out here. We don't have to know who the other person is."

She sniffled and hesitated. "Okay."

"So do you wanna tell me about it?" I asked.

"Yes," she said, much to my surprise. "But I can't. I can't tell anyone."

"Why not?"

"Well... it's complicated. I can't tell anyone, or something bad will happen to me," she said. She sounded scared.

"Are you saying someone threatened you?"

She hesitated again, probably unsure why she's trusting a total stranger.

"Yeah."

"Who? Because if they're in this school, I swear-"

"No! No. It's my step-mom."

Step-parents were the worst. "Oh. Well, I have a step-dad too, you know."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah. They suck, don't they?" I said laughing.

"They really fucking do," she said, laughing along with me. Her laugh was sweet and nice. This girl was awesome. I was starting to wonder who she was. Maybe she was the one for me, who knows?

"So, do you want to tell me about it?" I asked cautiously.

"Only if you promise to not tell anyone about this, and you also have to tell me the situation with your step-dad," she insisted.

Silence.

After about a minute, I carefully said: "Okay."

"Well, my mom makes me work for her. And it's not like chores but actual labour. I'm pretty sure she only married my dad for his money. And my dad is never home, so I never. And she, um, she beats me. And I can't tell anyone or she'll pay someone to come fuck me while I'm tied to the bed and can't do anything about it. And I'm scared because I'm still a virgin."

"That does suck. She's such a bitch," I said honestly.

She laughed. "you couldn't have been more accurate. Okay, your turn."

I sighed. "Um, well, my step-dad is a drunk. He beats me for no legitimate reason, and he has been doing so since I was six. My mom married him because we need the money and he makes enough for us all to survive. He gambles though, and when his friends come over they all have fun beating me and my mom."

I started crying. "I'm sorry," I said through tears.

"No, it's okay," she said. "At least we've got each other, right?"

"Yeah. We should do this more often. Like, just come into the bathroom and chat without knowing who the other is."

"Yeah," she said. "I already feel like you're my closest friend. I don't have many of those."

"Me neither," I said. "How about after a week or so of not knowing who we are, we reveal our identities?"

She giggled. "Okay."

i honestly have no idea wtf i'm gonna do with this story