Thursday wasn't too bad as I went to school and arrived back at home. Gabe was, oddly enough, almost pleasant with his beatings compared to last week. It was almost like he had a period and was done being overly moody and angry.

Today was Friday, and I had started leaving extra early to see Annabeth before classes. We had established the library as our meet up place, so she was waiting when I got there.

"Hey Perce, how're you doing?" I knew she meant it in more ways than one, but I just shrugged

"I'm fine, you?"

"I'm excited for Architecture class today. We're competing to see who can build the most impressive structure out of macaroni pasta." I couldn't think of anyone besides Annabeth that would be excited to build a building out of pasta. On the other hand, I don't really know anyone besides Annabeth, so I guess it's an unfair comparison.

I walked with her to her zero period as she tried explaining what arches and roofs she was thinking of constructing. I tried my best to follow along, but I was lost after she started going on a tangent of which direction she wanted the macaroni to face on the walls.

"Well, this is me, Perce. I'll see you after school, ok?" Then she waved and went to class. I hoped her macaroni building came out how she wanted it to.

Math class was brutal. If you've ever been in one during a test, you know what I'm talking about. You walk in, and you immediately feel like you're swimming through the air. It's so thick with tension.

I was especially wound up. I wanted to do good to stop wasting Annabeth's time, but I also wanted to keep up our tutoring sessions. I was in a dilemma. Thankfully my pessimistic mind cleared up my options for me.

You're terrible at math. You probably won't even get one right even if you tried your best.

So I just decided to try my best on the quiz. I didn't have very high standards, though, and I fully expected a zero on the top of my paper. Soon after I turned my test in, the bell rang, and I ran off to my next classes.

The day had gone by fast after my quiz was over, and it was already lunchtime. It's not like I ate, though, so it was more like keep-to-myself time. I ran and hid in my usual janitor closet in front of my French class and sang a random Linkin Park song to myself.

Repeating the song frequently as time dragged on, I got loud enough where it was just below my average voice level. I finished the song again and started the song over again when the bell rang. Cursing the music's timing and the bell, I tried to run to French quickly, but I stopped when a familiar voice spoke up.

"You sing really well," I froze. I didn't mean for anyone to hear me; I guess I got carried away. I slowly turned and saw Annabeth with Calypso.

Calypso continued to come up and talk with me over the passing periods when I saw her. She would make small talk and then walk away, leaving me uncomfortable and confused.

"Um, thanks, I guess," I quickly said and ran off into French, not sparing another look at the two girls.

After my last three periods ended, I headed towards the library. I was kind of excited because, in a few days, I would see my mom again. But I was also terrified because I had yet to ask Annabeth to come over, and I didn't realize how short notice it had become today. Plus, after my quiz scores came out, I was still sure that she would leave me in the dust.

I took a deep breath as I walked towards the library. Annabeth was leaning up against the wall waiting for me, book in hand.

"Um, hey," my voice came out shaky, and I hated how weak I sounded, but she just looked up at me from her book.

"Hey Perce, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I took a deep breath. This isn't weird. It's for mom. There's no reason to feel nervous, right?

"Um, my mom is having dinner with me on Monday. She wanted to meet you since I haven't had a friend in a while. Wanna come?" I found my shoes extremely interesting as I rubbed the back of my neck. My throat was clenching as the silence dragged on. Shit, now I feel like an idiot. It was too short notice. Shit shit shit.

"Sure, I'll come over. What time do you normally have dinner?" I looked up at her, shocked. "Close your mouth, Percy, you'll catch flies" I snapped my jaw shut as she laughed.

I melted a bit and quickly realized she was waiting for an answer.

"Oh, um, it changes every time she comes over, so I'll text you ten minutes before she gets to the house, ok? Also, I suggest parking your car down the street." I quickly explained. She nodded her understanding, and then we headed into the library.

When we got to our little alcove, Annabeth suddenly brought up music. "So what did you think of my idea for the music competition?"

I looked at her, blinking confusedly. "Remind what the idea was again."

"You enter under a fake name and wear a mask. That way, if the teachers don't like your audition, you won't get picked on, and if they do like your audition, you can remain anonymous."

"But I don't want to enter."

"Come on, Percy, it's your senior year live a little"

"I am living."

"Well, you can live a bit more extravagantly, and I would think your mom would enjoy seeing you on stage."

"My mom has work."

"With how you talk about her, I'm sure she wouldn't miss it for the world. Plus, don't you think she wants you to enjoy school life a bit more?"

"I don't know, Annabeth, I've never liked being on stage or the center of attention, no matter if they don't know who I am or not"

"I'll help you. I can get my friends in on it, and we can act as your audience. You can wear your mask, and you don't have to reveal yourself to them."

"I still don't know. I mean, that could work, but what would I even sing? You have to change songs each round."

"Don't worry about that; I'm the master planner. I'll give you your music. All you have to do is give me your music preferences and do your thing."

I sighed. Annabeth was going to keep pushing until I broke, and it seemed like she really wanted to help me out with this. I crumbled.

"Fine, but don't come up with a stupid fake name and try not to make the mask too showy."

Annabeth grinned. I could tell she was happy; she won the argument.

"Alright, next week is when the Music class starts practicing for auditions, right? I need you to send me the main playlist you listen to. Don't worry, I won't judge."

"Next week is also the sign-up week, so I have to have my fake name, my song, and the instrument I'm playing all sorted out by next Friday."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about the whole instrument thing. Do you know which one you want to play?"

"Um, I don't know, but guitar could be good. I'm much more comfortable with that instrument than a few others."

"Ok, that opens up a lot of song opportunities. Are you going to sing?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, I was shaking my head, "Nope, not singing in front of a crowd."

"Alright, I won't push you. Send me a text of some songs or a playlist you listen to, and I'll try to figure out a song for you."

I nodded, and Annabeth's phone alarm went off. Perfect timing.

"I'll see you Monday, bye Percy," Annabeth took off, waving at me.

"Bye," I whispered as she exited the library. I picked up my phone and stuck it in my hoodie pocket as I walked out of school.

Walking down the road, I took screenshots of my playlist and sent them as texts over to Annabeth. Shutting off my phone, I walked down the street with my house on it, and oddly enough, I didn't feel a sinking feeling of despair.

I almost felt happy as I walked. I wondered what had caused me to feel so upbeat and considered texting my mom. I discarded the idea. She didn't need a text every time I was overly happy about nothing.

My giddy feeling washed out of me, and my smile replaced itself with a scowl as the house I walked up to sucked up all good feelings and left the bad ones. I walked to the front door and unlocked it. Stepping inside, I put my key in my pocket and turned. I expected an angry or drunk Gabe, but I was met with someone I didn't know.

I don't know what washed over me. Maybe it was the leftover giddiness from Annabeth actually agreeing to dinner clouding my judgment but I managed to actually talk to one of the many people I have no business knowing who they are. "Who are you?" I asked, trying to sound confident.

"Shut up, kid, and let him out" Gabe's voice came from the living room and sounded oddly sober.

I let the man in a suit through, and he exited the house. Then as soon as I turned around, Gabe was in front of me. He grabbed my shoulders roughly and slammed me into the nearby wall.

"Why didn't you just keep your mouth shut? You're so stupid! If I have someone over, you don't talk to them! How many times do I have to beat obedience into you? This is why your mother works so hard! Because you can't do anything but be a disappointment! You are just a piece of trash that exists to annoy me and overwork your mother."

He snarled as he continued ramming my head into the wall. It wasn't the worst physical beating, but mentally I knew he was right. If I weren't here, then my mom wouldn't have to work so hard. I bit back a sob as Gabe let me fall to the ground and started kicking me in the ribs.

Wincing in pain, Gabe shouted insults as he beat me, making the mental marks that much more painful as they were physically beaten into me. Using the words he carved into my skin, I felt their truth that much more. I bit my lip as Gabe continued shouting and kicking me.

"Hey, how's your wrist doing? It was kind of a shallow cut last time, so I'm not sure I got the message across. Let's see, shall we?"

My throat clogged up as Gabe ripped the bandages on my right wrist off. I averted my eyes as the word shone against my skin.

"Already healing over, I see, well no matter, we'll just have to make sure it doesn't disappear."

With that, Gabe dragged me by my wrist to the kitchen. I laid there in fear as Gabe grabbed a knife, taking his sweet time as my stomach knotted itself into a baseball. My heart started hammering as he grabbed a serrated steak knife.

He came over and threw me against the cupboards, my head hitting a handle, making my brain go fuzzy. I felt his meaty fingers grab my right forearm and press it against the cabinets. I quickly bit my tongue as Gabe sliced through the healing wound.

I bit down hard, drawing blood as tears sprang to my eyes. I could feel the white-hot searing pain as Gabe retraced the four-letter word he already carved into my skin.

I felt warm blood roll down my arm and come into contact with my bandages. Gabe went over the word repeatedly until I couldn't hold my tongue any longer and started screaming.

Whenever he rewrote to word into my wrist, I felt myself believing it and thinking that I deserved this. My weak existence caused my mom to work so hard, and why I couldn't do anything but accept whatever beatings Gabe gave me.

I didn't feel Gabe let go of my wrist. I didn't hear him throw the knife on the floor. I didn't hear him walk out of the kitchen, and I didn't hear the front door slam. All I knew was the warm liquid flowing out of my wrist. I knew I needed to staunch the blood. But what would be the point?

A little voice in the back of my head whispered," You made plans with Annabeth in a few days. At least make it through long enough to see both of your favorite people before you give up."

I slowly nodded my head even though the voice was my own and stood up, grabbing a nearby towel. Holding it tight against the cuts, I tried to put pressure on it.

I stumbled to the restroom. I needed something to stop the bleeding. I didn't know what to do. I pulled bandages out of my kit and wrapped them so tight I could barely feel my fingers. I saw the blood pouring through, but I kept the bandage tight.

I think I heard somewhere that ice helped slow blood flow. I stumbled back to the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing a handful of ice. I placed it on the wound.

I kept everything tight for a few more minutes. I felt light-headed, but otherwise, I was fine. I cleaned up my bloody mess on the floor and threw the knife in the sink.

Then I walked into my room, resigning myself for a day of starvation before the party on Sunday.