Annabeth was in a pretty grey and white dress, looking as gorgeous as ever.

The party was in full swing when Tyson and I arrived, stopping at the store to get a gift for the twins. I hope they liked a batman Lego set.

I was worried that Tyson wouldn't be able to make any friends. It was always a....trouble area for him. Mom said he was too shy to talk to anyone.
But surprisingly, Matthew, Bobby and Ty became friends almost immediately. They were currently running around with a few more kids saying some weird chant, with a stick they got from God knows where.

Ah well, what matters is my brother has friends. Even if they became satanists.

I should schedule a play date.

I soon found  Annabeth, who was hidden in the shadows. She seemed to be counting and recounting cupcakes.

"Someone's stress....counting?" I asked, approaching her. She turned to me, seemingly snapping out of a trance.

"Where are Grover and Juniper?" she asked. I informed her that they were coming in a while.

"Is....Mr Chase coming?" Annabeth's father, was in the military. From what I remember, he was rarely home and missed many milestones.

She shook her head, "Nope. But-" she went radio silent, that blank look on her face again.

"But?" I pried, trying to bring her back to the present, slightly shaking her shoulder.

She scowled, stepping away from me,"nothing."

"Then why are you so....." I tried moving my hands for emphasis on the word I couldn't find. Distant? Jumpy?

I looked around the room aswell, trying to understand why her eyes kept nervously darting to the door.

I was pretty sure she was waiting for someone.

But who?

Grover and Juniper already said they were going to be late, there was no reason for her to freak out about that.

That's when it hit me, Malcom! Her older brother! I hadn't seen him in the house.

Id almost forgotten about him!

Annabeth used to idolise him so much! She wanted be him when she grew up. She used to make him a card almost every day in elementary school (that's all she used art class for)

"Where's Malcom? Is he coming?" I asked, feeling pretty proud that I figured it out.

She didn't have to answer, because as if I summoned him, the blond man walked through the front door, two gift wrapped boxes in his hands. She let out a deep exhale.

"MalCAME!!!!" The boys shouted in unison, running up to their older brother, they jumped up, stealing the gift boxes from his hands and bolted, not another word to him.

Helen greeted him with a restrained hug, and then chased after the boys to teach them some manners.

Annabeth was as still as a stone when I turned to her, eyes glued to her older brother.

"Annabeth!" I shook her shoulder gently. She stopped staring at him, and started glaring at me. Lovely.

"You should go say hi," I bobbed my head over to where he stood, "Something tells me it's been a while."

She shook her head, " he doesn't want to see me,"

"I'm sure he does! You're his sister," I protested. Malcom loved Annabeth! He would walk her and me home from school everyday.
Considering he was 4 years older than us.

If he aged properly (in accordance to human age theory) he should be in his early 20's right about now.

I grabbed Annabeth's hand and led her to where Malcom was standing, talking to one of the kids parents. Mom would've come, but she decided to take a nap. Pregnancy does that to you. Or so I'm told.

"Percyy," Annabeth whined, pulling away ever so slightly as we moved closer to Malcom. I was pretty sure she flinched.

What was going on with her? I'd never seen her scared of anything. Except for spiders.

"Come on," I proclaimed.

Malcom turned to us, grinning. He and Annabeth had similar facial features, so i felt like smiling at his smile.

"Percy!" he greeted, legitimately ignoring Annnabeth, "How have you been? It's been years since I've seen you! You've grown up so much!" he chuckled, patting my shoulder.

"I've been good Malcom! I'm back in town, and back in half-blood high. Annabeth and I are even in the swim team!" I answered, pushing her in front of me.

Malcom's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he took her in, "Excuse me," he cleared his throat, "I'll see you later Percy, I have some work to do. Good seeing you again,"

He brushed past Annabeth, his shoulder hitting hers as if she was nothing more than an invisible pillar. He didn't turn back, or bother acknowledging her.

What the fuck just happened?!

I looked over at Annabeth, to see her eyes brimming with tears. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I felt like an asshole again.

"Hey hey hey," I whispered, trying to calm her down. Making sure no one noticed, I led her back upstairs to her room.

Annabeth didn't look at me. Didn't make a sound. Didn't do anything except not blink.

But the second we entered her room, she broke down in a sob, stifling it with her hand.

"I'm so sorry, I had no-" I got down to my knees in front of her, but she wouldn't even look at me.

"Just go," she whispered, pushing me away.

"Annabeth-"

She shook her head, "Leave"

I forced myself to get off the ground and obey, turning to look at her still crumpled up in tears.

Me being here wasn't doing her any good.

My heart contracted into a Lego brick that it constantly jumped on with every heartbeat.

A few more children had joined the party when I went back downstairs, totalling about 7?

Grover and Juniper had arrived too, and I rushed to meet them.

"Where's Annie?" Grover said the minute I got close, "Malcom's here and-"
He seemed to have realised what he said, his eyes widening as he began a bunch of stuttering excuses,"And she ummm wanted to say hi"

I shook my head, "She's crying G-man. In her room. Malcom....ignored her,"

Grover cursed, which I was entirely unused to hearing. Then he sprinted towards her room, Juniper paused for a second with an apologetic smile.

"Annabeth and Malcom have....problems. It hurts her more than she lets on, it's not your fault Percy," and then followed her boyfriend.

But that's just it.
It was my fault.

This entire debacle was my fault.

I....just hated not knowing. Annabeth. I'm entirely unused to the feeling.
And...I keep pushing her to do things to give myself a sense of normalcy.
And that's unfair. To her and me.

She deserves better.

When I was a kid, and things would get bad between mom and a disgusting ass named Gabe, I would run to Annabeth's house and we would go to a creek.

She would drop everything for me.

And then she would tell he all about her day, talking until her throat dried up to distract me from my problems at home.

I knew everything about her. Down to her favourite hand soap.

You could say, she was all that I knew in my life for a while. The only constant, besides my mom.

I....just can't stand not knowing anything about her. Or that I wasn't there when she needed a trip to our creek. Or when she needed her ears talked off.

I knew nothing. And I absolutely hated it.

Because....all I want to do is just...be there for her...like she was always there for me.
And not knowing anything about her....was like not understanding a part of me.

I hate my life.

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Surprise early post!!! Changing-the-World (you happy?)

And yes, new chapter on Sunday too. I just wrote and posted this so I can procrastinate on doing maths.

Anyways! Unfortunate ending ,I know.

But how was the chapter?

Any suggestions?

Anyways!
Stay tuned!! Vote and all that jazz
—S