Chapter One: Loathing

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(Arianna's P.O.V.)

"This is your room, Miss di Angelo. I hope it is to your liking." The teacher that had been sent to show me what room I was in this year at Shiz Academy was a new one. I'd never seen him before. He was tall, with pale skin, long black hair and startling crimson eyes. I'd never caught his name. But I'd learn it later.

I nodded and he walked away. I took the opportunity to mutter under my breath, "That's not likely."

This was my second year at Shiz, a new record for me. This was the only school I'd ever been in for more than one year, but I didn't want to push the little luck I sometimes had.

I looked at the brass doorknob and saw a small disfigured reflection of myself: shoulder length black hair that hung in my face, dark brown eyes and pale skin. Same old Arianna.

I took a deep breath, gripped the brass doorknob and pushed the door open.

I bit back a scream.

"You!"

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(Annabeth's P.O.V.)

I hummed softly as I unloaded my suitcases and put my clothes into the drawers. This was my second year at Shiz, and I was determined to make it the best. After all, being the most popular girl at school, I had to be the best.

As I unpacked, I heard voices out in the hall. The deep one sounded like Mr. Michaelis, our new Greek Mythology teacher. He was a really good looking guy, only in his mid-twenties. And those eyes...

Another voice, one that sounded vaguely familiar though I wasn't sure why, muttered something I couldn't comprehend, and I heard the door begin to open. I fluffed my blond hair a bit and winked a grey eye for good measure before I turned around with a big smile on my face. Time to greet the roommate. She stepped through the door.

And I screamed at the same time she gasped.

"You!"

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(3rd Person P.O.V.)

Arianna's brown eyes were narrowed into a menacing glare while Annabeth's grey eyes were wide with shock. How could this have possibly happened? How could they share a room together?

'No way am I sharing a room with this thing! It's social suicide!' Annabeth thought.

'You have got to be kidding me. This stupid brat is my roommate!' Arianna internally screamed.

There was no need for words then, none at all. The girls simply turned their backs to one another, and one entered the room and one left it.

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(Annabeth's P.O.V.)

I immediately went to write a letter to my step-mother and father. Though she had married into the family, and I wasn't sure what my real mom was up to, they were the best I'd ever had. I sat in one of the chairs by the fireplace in the common room, grabbed a pen and paper, and began to write.

"Dearest, darlingest Momsie and Popsicle..."

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(Arianna's P.O.V.)

Now that she was out of my sight, I plopped my bag onto my bed and pushed it to the wall farthest from hers. After that, I sat on my bed and leaned back against the wall with my knees up. I pulled out a pen and paper and began to write my letter.

"My dear brother..."

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[A/N: Play "What Is This Feeling?" by the original Broadway cast of Wicked]

There letters went something like this.

[Both]

THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION OVER ROOMING HERE AT SHIZ...

[Arianna]

BUT OF COURSE I'LL CARE FOR NESSA.

[Annabeth]

BUT OF COURSE I'LL RISE ABOVE IT.

[Both]

FOR I KNOW THAT'S HOW YOU'D WANT ME TO RESPOND. YES, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION FOR YOU SEE MY ROOMMATE IS....

[Annabeth]

UNUSUALLY AND EXCEEDINGLY PECULIAR AND ALL TOGETHER QUITE IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE...

[Arianna]

BLONDE!

[Annabeth]

WHAT IS THIS FEELING, SO SUDDEN AND NEW?

[Arianna]

I FELT THE MOMENT I LAID EYES ON YOU.

[Annabeth]

MY PULSE IS RUSHING ...

[Arianna]

MY HEAD IS REELING ...

[Annabeth]

MY FACE IS FLUSHING ...

[Both]

WHAT IS THIS FEELING?

FERVID AS A FLAME

DOES IT HAVE A NAME?

YES!...

LOATHING

UNADULTERATED LOATHING ...

[Annabeth]

FOR YOUR FACE...

[Arianna]

YOUR VOICE ...

[Annabeth]

YOUR CLOTHING ...

[Both]

LET'S JUST SAY -- I LOATHE IT ALL!

EV'RY LITTLE TRAIT, HOWEVER SMALL

MAKES MY VERY FLESH BEGIN TO CRAWL

WITH SIMPLE UTTER LOATHING

THERE'S A STRANGE EXHILARATION

IN SUCH TOTAL DETESTATION

IT'S SO PURE! SO STRONG!

THOUGH I DO ADMIT IT CAME ON FAST

STILL I DO BELIEVE THAT IT CAN LAST

AND I WILL BE LOATHING

LOATHING YOU

MY WHOLE LIFE LONG!

All of Annabeth's friends (aka the entire student body minus Arianna) must have heard about her situation because about fifty of them surrounded her.

[Students]

DEAR ANNABETH, YOU ARE JUST TOO GOOD!

HOW DO YOU STAND IT? I DON'T THINK I COULD!

SHE'S A TERROR! SHE'S A TARTAR!

WE DON'T MEAN TO SHOW A BIAS

BUT ANNABETH YOU'RE A MARTYR!

[Annabeth]

WELL ... THESE THINGS ARE SENT TO TRY US!

[Students]

POOR ANNABETH, FORCED TO RESIDE

WITH SOMEONE SO DISGUSTICIFIED

WE JUST WANT TO TELL YOU ...

WE'RE ALL ON YOUR SIDE!

WE SHARE YOUR ...

[ANNABETH AND ARIANNA sing simultaneously with students (see their part below)]

WHAT IS THIS FEELING

SO SUDDEN AND NEW?

I FELT THE MOMENT

I LAID EYES ON YOU

MY PULSE IS RUSHING

MY HEAD IS REELING

OH, WHAT IS THIS FEELING?

DOES IT HAVE A NAME?

YES...

[Students]

LOATHING

UNADULTERATED LOATHING

FOR HER FACE, HER VOICE

HER CLOTHING

LET'S JUST SAY:

WE LOATHE IT ALL!

EV'RY LITTLE TRAIT

HOWEVER SMALL

MAKES OUR VERY FLESH

BEGIN TO CRAWL..

[All:]

AHHH...

LOATHING!

[ANNABETH AND ARIANNA]

[Here students sing "Loathing" in counter point a number of times]

THERE'S A STRANGE EXHILARATION

IN SUCH TOTAL DETESTATION

SO PURE, SO STRONG!

[STUDENTS]

SO STRONG!

[ANNABETH AND ARIANNA]

[Students sing back-up "loathing"]

THOUGH I DO ADMIT IT CAME ON FAST

STILL I DO BELIEVE THAT IT CAN LAST ALL

AND I WILL BE LOATHING

FOR FOREVER LOATHING

TRULY, DEEPLY LOATHING YOU LOATHING YOU

FOR MY WHOLE LIFE LONG!

[Students:]

UNADULTERATED LOATHING

Arianna took her chance. She snuck up behind Annabeth after the students dispersed.

[ARIANNA]

BOO!

[Annabeth]

AH!

~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~♧~