16: Scars in Heaven

Percy POV (in Annabeth's body)

"WHO WAS THAT BOY?" Helen shouted as soon as I walked in.

I sighed as I took my jacket off. It was chillier today, so I made Annabeth wear a jacket. After all, she was more susceptible to the cold than my own body was.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Helen," I said calmly.

"Don't play dumb with me, girl. I saw that boy outside of our house when you both arrived in his very unfashionable car. You went out with him on Tuesday as well," Helen said sharply.

Technically, she was correct. I was with a boy (who was actually Annabeth) today and a few days. We had gone to the museum together on Tuesday, and today, Annabeth and I went to the studio. She wanted to hear the talent show song that I was preparing on her behalf.

"That car is a freaking blue honda civic. By no means is that a bad car," I blurted out.

Of course, I had missed the point of what Helen was saying. I walked away from the front door and walked to the kitchen.

Annabeth's home wasn't like mine. She had a proper home with a lower level (for the kitchen, living room, dining room, and study) and an upper level (with the bedrooms).

Even though I didn't know much about her dad, he must make decent money.

"So, there was a boy," she said with a satisfied smirk. "You tell me who that was right now." Helen walked closer to me in the kitchen.

I ignored her as I grabbed a drink.

I had gone through this with Gabe. There was a reason why I kept to myself when I was younger. I (Percy) was a lot more open and sociable now than before.

"ANSWER ME," she shouted.

Helen had an alcoholic drink that she grabbed from the counter. She must've been enjoying herself some wine before I had interrupted.

"Where are the boys?" I asked.

It wasn't that responsible to be drinking with the boys here, especially during the day. Plus, I was trying to divert the situation.

"At a friend's. Now, answer me," she snapped. Helen was only getting angrier, which was not good.

"Why do you care?" I asked sharply.

"I don't want a step-daughter that goes hanging out and sleeping around with random guys."

That sentence made me angry. Since when did Helen even treat Annabeth like a daughter, let alone step-daughter.

"I'm not even like that," I snapped. "Also, why do you care who I hang out with? You're not my mother, and you never act like one."

"How dare you? I do so much for you," she growled as she got closer.

However, I couldn't back away because I was already leaning against the kitchen counter. The stove was behind me. I gulped my nerves and remained confident.

I wasn't going to let Annabeth's body or face show weakness.

"You do nothing for"

The slap came hard across my cheek. I could feel the stinging against my skin as my eyes bristled with tears, but I didn't let them fall.

"I am your stepmother, and I take care of you and let you live in my home. You will speak respectfully to me," Helen slurred.

We were only a few inches apart, and she was emotional causing her body to shake. Her hand went to something behind me before pulling back.

A knife was in her hand.

My eyes widened as I stared at it. She backed up a few feet as she stared at me. I could see the conflict in her eyes as she took another sip of alcohol.

"Helen, that's enough," I said firmly.

"Whoever that boy is, I don't want you anywhere near him," she growled. Her eyes looked wild and inhuman as the knife shook in her hand. It was pointed at me.

"His name is Percy, and he's good," I expressed. "Now, put the knife down."

"Shut up. Don't tell me what to do, Annabeth," she snapped.

"Why don't you want me to hang out with Percy?" I asked calmly, trying to diffuse the situation.

"I don't want to see you with someone else. I live every day without the love of my life, and now, you think that you can come and flaunt your relationship. I will not have that for myself. We are stuck in this together," she explained.

Her voice was low. Her hand shook as she advanced closer to me. A part of me sympathized with her. This whole situation was due to missing her love. Honestly, I couldn't imagine having a loved one choose something else (like work) over me.

My dad died but not without showing that he loved us.

I wanted to run from this situation, but if I ran, then Helen would be lost.

She was on the border right now, and I couldn't just leave her. That would wholeheartedly make Annabeth's life a living hell.

I could see the pain and conflict in her eyes. Those emotions told me that she was not like Gabe. Gabe never felt those feelings every time he came at me.

"Helen, a scar is permanent. Everything you've done so far to me, while horrible, isn't physically permanent. There is still room for reconciliation," I started.

Her eyes were glued to my face, and her pupils were shaking. Sweat beaded her face as the emotions broke over her face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"A scar will cross a line that you can't erase."

When Gabe scarred my back, it became the destruction of hope. It was the moment that I realized that Gabe didn't care at all about me or my mom.

That scar almost killed me.

Helen's hand shook before she let go of the knife. It clanged on the ground loudly as she cried. I simply stared at her as she fell to her knees.

"What have I become? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she repeated between sobs.

My dad died when I was young, and I barely remembered him. Technically, no one that I loved and remembered has died or left me.

"Helen, I miss dad too," I said softly.

She continued to cry and mutter to herself. I simply touched her shoulder before picking up the knife. I threw it in the garbage before leading Helen to the couch.

She passed out soon after, and I retired to Annabeth's room.

I stared at Annabeth's beautiful face in the mirror. However, I saw myself. I saw all the pain and turmoil that I felt in the past.

I took a deep breath, but it didn't help. As I remembered Gabe's scar on my back, I let myself go.

As Percy, I believed that I couldn't break down. Falling apart would let people down and hinder the expectations that they had of me.

However, I was in Annabeth's body right now, so it was okay.

***

Somehow, falling apart made me feel better.

It was a strange feeling. When I woke up the next morning, I felt almost satisfied and content. I was still in Annabeth's body, yet my mind felt clear.

Sometimes, I half-heartedly complained to my friends about my life. However, I never blew up and destressed in this way.

I realized that (maybe) this was necessary for life.

As I walked downstairs, the sound of cartoons vibrated around the house. Matthew and Bobby were watching Disney's 'Hercules' on tv.

"Hi, Annabeth, do you want to watch with us?" they asked sweetly.

"I'd love to, boys. Where's your mom?" I asked.

After my breakdown yesterday in Annabeth's room, I simply fell asleep and didn't wake up. I didn't check up on Helen or the boys last night. Luckily, it was Saturday today, so I didn't have to worry about school.

"She went to pick up dad from the airport," they said simultaneously.

"Freder-, err, dad is coming home?" I asked in surprise.

I remembered what Helen said yesterday. She missed her husband, and that caused her to drink, which made her violent or abusive at times. All of a sudden, I felt myself growing angrier at Annabeth's dad.

While he was probably a kind man, I hated that he wasn't realizing what his absence was doing to his family. Frederick Chase was the real root of the problem, not Helen.

'Your dad is coming home today,' I texted my own phone (ie Annabeth).

The response was immediate.

'I didn't know. It must be an unexpected visit.'

'Do I need to know anything?' I asked. I waited for Annabeth's response while watching the movie with the boys.

'No, he'll probably leave tomorrow. It's not a big deal,' she texted back. 'Honestly, that's the norm, Percy.'

I simply blinked at her message and read it several times. I could tell that her dad's presence was important to Annabeth. However, according to her, he was barely around. Even when he visited, he didn't stay that long.

'Wise Girl, what do you talk about? Does he know?'

'Stop, Seaweed Brain. Don't bring anything up. My dad is busy, but I still care about him.'

I sighed as I read her message before another ding came.

'It'll hurt him if he knows about all of this. I don't want that. We don't need that right now,' she texted.

'All right,' I texted back.

However, my mind was racing. Annabeth and Helen were in so much pain and turmoil, but they didn't want to do anything about it. The boys were practically growing up without a dad.

Suddenly, the front door opened and footsteps came in.

"Dad," the boys shouted.

They immediately ran towards the door. I followed behind them. Frederick Chase was kind and warm just like Annabeth described. He was a good and passionate man.

I could see why the boys and Annabeth love him so much. Even Helen was much happier that day as we enjoyed lunch, played board games, and hung out at the park.

The boys were at the playground when Frederick came and sat next to me on the bench. The sun was bright today, and the breeze was rustling the trees around us.

"Wow, those boys get more energetic every time I visit," he said chuckling. "So, how are you doing, Annabeth?"

I looked at Annabeth's dad. I liked him a lot, and I hated that he wasn't around. His work in archeology was important, but it wasn't everything.

"Everything's fine with me," I said quietly as Annabeth instructed.

"Any boyfriend or relationship?" he asked slyly. "Dad, really?" I counted.

Frederick laughed as he patted my thigh. "What? Annabeth, I'm your father, and I should know about these things."

I simply shook my head, still smiling.

Helen walked past us as she took a seat on the next bench. She was giving us space so that Annabeth could spend time with her dad. That was kind of her.

I sighed as I turned back to Frederick.

"Dad, how's everything going with you?" I asked.

"It's going amazingly, Annabeth," he smiled as he spoke. "You know that I'm a part of the dig in Mexico studying an ancient civilization, and the progress is monumental."

"That's really good to hear," I said in a neutral tone.

Frederick and Annabeth were similar in a few ways. Both of them sounded the same when they talked about something passionately. It was a pleasant sight, and I had grown fond of watching Annabeth as she spoke about architecture and other topics.

"Yeah, my life is great. I'll be returning to work tomorrow morning," Frederick said with a happy smile.

The smile slipped off of my face. I couldn't stop my emotional outburst. Frederick just got here, and he was leaving already. He barely spent any time here to really understand his family members' lives.

"What is wrong with you?" I snapped as I stood.

His smile melted off of his face. He stood up as well; Helen also was watching us, but I didn't care. "Annabeth, what's wrong?" he asked.

"What's wrong? You're what's wrong, and I can't just pretend anymore like everything is okay. My life is not okay," I expressed.

Mr. Chase simply stared at me as I glared back at him.

We were at a standstill for now, but I could feel the dam breaking inside.