┌─────── •✧• ───────┐

chapter fifteen ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
015. Frenemies Isn't the Worst

└─────── •✧• ───────┘

IT'S AN INTERESTING THING HOW THE MORTAL MIND WORKS. They had twisted the story completely.

Percy wasn't a criminal. He had just been kidnapped along with Cassie, Annabeth, and Grover. Nothing that happened was Percy's fault.

The kidnapper had made Percy explode the bus, and the St. Louis Arch was his fault. Percy was just trying to escape, leaving him at gunpoint with said kidnapper.

People from the diner were also witnesses to this kidnapper. Especially, the waitress and her photo.

At the beach, the police had saved the day, but the kidnapper still got away. He had also shot a gas tank to cause the explosion of the cars.

Like that was a reasonable explanation. Cassie had no clue how people lived, unaware of the gods who created all these weird situations. She wondered just how many there were.

Now, this was when the daughter of Ares' plan came into motion. While the reporters confirmed their story was what happened, the four just nodded.

They acted tired and helpless, as if they were the victims. Percy made up some sob story about wanting to see his stepfather and how Smelly Gabe would give everyone in California, one free appliance.

The police were so pitying that they collected money to buy four tickets for the next plane to New York.

༻ ─── •✧💢✧• ─── ༺

The whole flight, Percy would not release the armrests. They had tried to soothe his fears many times, but turbulence scared Percy out of his mind.

When the plane landed, he was the first one out and swarmed by the press.

Annabeth got them away by turning invisible using her Yankees cap as she ran around yelling, "They're over by the frozen yogurt! Come on!"

They made it past baggage claim and outside to a taxi stand. Percy told the three to go back to Camp and fill Chiron in on everything.

He didn't want to let them go after the weeks of journeying together, but he had too. He also wanted them to live if things went wrong with the gods.

No matter how much they protested, Cassie, Grover, and Annabeth begrudgingly took a taxi after Percy had left and went back home.

Grover slept the whole drive. That left Cassie and Annabeth in awkward silence.

Their taxi had one of the roll up windows, separating the driver from the passengers, so they knew he wasn't listening.

Cassie had her sword in hand, fiddling with it. Her flannel was all gross, dirty, and messed up now.

Annabeth glanced over to the brunette, debating whether or not to say anything.

"So . . . who was the woman in the ATTENDANT ON DUTY line? The one who got dragged away?" The blonde asked.

Cassie hoped she wouldn't have said anything.

"Why do you care?" She replied.

"Can't we just have one civil conversation Carter? We're stuck in a taxi for an hour. What else are we supposed to do?" Annabeth insisted.

"I-fine . . ." Cassie mumbled.

All the thoughts came rushing back. The disgusting feelings. Everything.

Annabeth saw Cassie face fall. She had never seen the daughter of Ares look so broken, so sad.

"That was . . . my mom." Cassie breathed out.

Annabeth's eyes widened. Cassie always kept her younger years a secret. No one knew anything.

"She-She abandoned me when I was four."

Cassie felt Annabeth grab her hand in comfort. Cassie didn't like being so open and sensitive, but Annabeth was trustworthy enough. After all they had just gone through.

"Like your dad, she didn't want a kid. It ruined her life style. She used to bring random bikers home. Send me to daycare while they 'hung out.' And she would yell all the time. Now I know it's because she drank but I was four. I didn't understand then."

"Carter, that's-"

"Pathetic? I know." Cassie shrugged.

"No. It's horrible. You didn't deserve to go through that." Annabeth corrected. "You don't have to tell me more if you don't want."

"Nah, I might as well just finish."

Annabeth nodded to show she was listening.

"Thankfully she never touched me. Never laid a hand on me. I was half war god after all, so she didn't dare to."

Cassie thought back, making sure she got the whole story.

"Then, when I was four, her and a new boyfriend came to pick me up on his motorcycle. I was oblivious, happy to go home, but some voice spoke to me. It was in my head and it told me to run. To escape before they can get rid of me."

Cassie sighed. "They were talking on the drive about where to leave me. They stopped at some gas station and that's when I ran. I fled away and somehow I made it to camp after four years of hiding."

"I . . ." Annabeth's voice faltered.

"There were some bad things I did during those four year. Maybe a 5 year old with a baseball bat was a warning sign. I got caught by the cops a few times, but somehow I was always let out."

Annabeth stayed silent. She didn't know what to say.

"Then there was the voice that guided me. Maybe it was Ares but I don't care. Not after everything he's put us through. And my mom's dead in the Fields of Punishment, so I guess they got what they deserved."

Cassie didn't need a response from Annabeth. Just the girl's hand in hers told the brunette that she cared. Understood.

"Don't worry. I don't want sympathy and this doesn't make us friends." Cassie warned.

Annabeth laughed. "Never said it did."

"You know, I don't think we got off on the right foot, Chase. Even though that was your fault." Cassie admitted.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have said that when we first met. I'm sorry for that and some of the insults after it."

"That's not something you hear every day." The brunette teased.

"Don't get used to it, Warpath."

"Seems I owe you an apology too, Brainiac. I'm sorry that my amazingness was too much for you to handle when I got claimed."

Annabeth hit her arm.

"Kidding. Kidding. I'm sorry that I never thought you were worth the effort of being friends with." Cassie tried again, earning another whack. "That's the best you're getting."

"I wouldn't expect any more from you."

"Then your right."

"That's . . . that's an unusual phrase for you. Did you just learn it?" Annabeth grinned.

"Oh shove off." Cassie laughed. "I guess, frenemies doesn't sound too bad."

She held her hand out to Annabeth. Annabeth smiled.

"Sounds good. Frenemies."

They shook on it.

"Ah, jeez. What has the world come to?" Cassie joked.

"Who knows." Annabeth agreed.

"One step closer to dating." Grover bleated out.

Both girls jumped. The satyr had heard their entire conversation.

"Ew. Nope. Never happening." Cassie cringed.

Annabeth made a face. "No way, Goat boy."

The rest of the drive back was full of laughter and teasing. Cassie couldn't have wanted anything more.

Except for weapons. You could never have too many of those.

__________________________________________

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ author's note

Cassibeth made up! Don't worry, the enemies part isn't done yet. More bickering to come.

Also, THANKS FOR 1K. I know it's not much to some people but it means a lot to me!!!! You guys are the best!

Next chapter is the last one of the Lightning Thief. Happy Reading!!! ;)

—Just Another Overthinker