The girls came into the room with large hoodies on. Then they dropped three paper bags on the nightstand and pulled four drinks seemingly out of nowhere. I thanked them as they handed out food. Everyone got a quarter pounder, besides Rachel, who had chicken nuggets.

"Alright, spill," Rachel started. With my mouth full, I gestured with a confused gesture. I tried to convey my thought of "Where do you want me to start?" but they were all confused. I swallowed and then gave words to my gesture.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"Well, the beginning would be nice," Rachel spoke up. I nodded.

"Um, well, as I'm sure the police have told you, I was, um, being abused by Gabe." I heard my mom suck in a breath as she cried out shakily, "Why didn't you tell me?"

I quickly tried to amend whatever pain and heartbreak I just caused. "Uh, you see, he told me that if I told you that you wouldn't leave the house. I didn't want to know what that meant." I looked at the blankets as Mom's hand squeezed mine.

It was quiet for a while, no one saying anything. Honestly, I was glad. If they didn't ask questions and just assumed that was everything, I could be on my merry way. But that was obviously too much to ask.

"So is that why you pushed me away?" Annabeth said softly.

I hesitated. Immediately my mouth almost formed the words that spoke the truth. Sure it was partly because of Gabe, but the more dangerous part was the debt collectors. I took a breath. I knew I was still being watched, either that or they would come for me soon.

"Yeah, that's why" I kept my eyes trained on the bed. I couldn't afford to spill any more information. It would just put the three in danger. I bit my lip. I couldn't, no matter how much it killed me to lie to them.

"If you've been enduring the abuse for so long, why kill yourself?" Mom asked quietly. I could hear the hurt and guilt in her voice, and it killed me. I caused this—all this pain. If I hadn't existed, none of this would've happened. I bit my lip harder, drawing blood.

"Um, it's actually because I put you guys through so much that I felt if, if I were gone, then you would be free. Before I met Annabeth, mom was the only chain that grounded me. I lived solely for the Monday nights we spent together. But then I met Annabeth, and she accepted my issues and even helped me a few times when I couldn't patch myself up. She became the second chain that grounded me." I smiled weakly as I messed with the blanket with my left hand. "Then, I met Rachel, and you became one of my only friends. But then something happened. I knew that it would put the two people I cared for most in this world in danger. It would be my fault if you got hurt and I couldn't stand it. I knew that over my own happiness, I would take Annabeth's safety. So I pushed you away. It killed me. When you walked out, everything hit me, it was my fault, and I knew it. I did all this to myself. It's all my fault. But then I thought of mom and her pain when she realized all the pain that I had endured, and I knew that she would feel heartbroken" I looked at mom," I didn't want to hurt you anymore. So when the police left my room, I decided to get out of your hair. I felt all the pain and guilt crushing me. The heartache wouldn't allow me to exist in peace, so when I came across a solution, I took it." I looked back at my blanket, not meeting any of their eyes.

It was quiet, too quiet. My mind started going into overdrive. Sure, spill your guts. That sounds like a grand idea! Now I'm sure they are repulsed to be around such weakness. You who couldn't continue living decided to off yourself and couldn't even finish the job. I bet they wished that you managed to do it correctly.

I took a shuddery breath and felt warm arms around me. My breath hitched, and my eyes widened. Why? I looked and saw my mom hugging me. Why was she showing such warmth to me? It's probably pity. I felt her shake, and a sledgehammer hit my gut; I made her like this. Gods, why couldn't I just keep something to myself for once!

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," my mom whispered to me. I shook my head.

"I'm sorry you had to see it. Don't worry, though. I'm ok," Liar.

She quickly pulled away and studied my face. "No. No, you're not Blue. Don't hide. It's ok to cry, to show how you feel," she embraced me again. I felt blood in my mouth with how hard I was biting my lip. No, I won't show weakness. I won't. My eyes flickered to my right arm, and I felt the words burn my skin. Mocking me.

"Listen to me, Percy," mom grabbed my chin softly and made me look at her. "We only feel this pain because we want to carry this burden with you and wished that you had let us in sooner. None of this is your fault. Do you hear me? Not your fault," she looked sternly at me, daring me to challenge her.

"Alright, I'm going to go talk with the doctors, Rachel come with me?" Mom stood, and fear gripped me. Not the kind with Gabe, no this was a more nervous and guilty fear. I didn't want to be alone with Annabeth. I didn't want to face her.

"Sure thing, Sally" Rachel stood up and collected her McDonald's trash heading out of the hospital room with my mom. The door clicked shut.

The silence and tension were almost enough to make me choke. I kept my eyes on the blanket, not daring to look at Annabeth. With her stormy gray eyes and beautiful blonde curls. I knew I couldn't keep anything away from her for long and I was scared of what she would ask. I was feeling guilty for pushing her away when all she tried to do was help me. I hated that I did that. I hated myself for always feeling scared. I hated it. The dip of the bed knocked me out of my thoughts.

My head whipped up as I saw Annabeth sit down next to me on the bed. I scooted over to give her more room, and she nodded in thanks.

We didn't talk, but I felt the suffocating atmosphere, and I couldn't stand it.

"Look, I'm sor-"

"Don't apologize. Just.... promise not to push me away again, ok? It killed me to walk away. I don't ever want to do that again, so please. Promise never to push me away" her voice was barely above a whisper. I felt my breath choke me. I swallowed it down and took a breath.

"I promise," I managed to choke out and hoped I wasn't setting myself up for a breakdown.

"Percy, did you do this?" she carefully grabbed my right arm and pointed at my wrist, right where the word was. My breath hitched; everyone knew about it.

"Was this what you didn't want me to see?" she asked slowly as she lowered my arm, setting it across her lap, playing with my fingers. It was oddly relaxing, and I felt at peace as I closed my eyes.

I felt comfortable as I told her, "Yea, I didn't want you to see it. But I didn't write it in. I just acknowledged the truth of it. I always kept it hidden. Just feeling it, and the image seared into my brain was enough." I felt a considerable weight come off my shoulders, speaking those words. Though I still felt the weight, some of it had lifted. It felt good to talk to someone.

"Why would you ever believe this?" her voice was like a vise, and it scared me. I flinched a bit at her tone. She rubbed the spot where the word was as she spoke.

"You may be clumsy with both your words and your two left feet but Perce. With all of this going on, you're the strongest person I know. I'm positive I would have crumbled under the stress and pain years ago if I was in your position. So believe me when I tell you this, you are not weak. I just hope that you understand that Rusticitas." she played with my hand and traced the lines in my palm as she spoke. Leaning against my shoulder, my heart imploded in my chest when she said my nickname. I felt a little better, especially now that she was forgiving me.

"Hey Annabeth?" she hummed in response as she curled my fingers.

"Does this mean that you'll still come to my competition?" she grabbed my hand, holding it.

"Of course, Rusticitas! You're insane if you think I'll miss it! Though I would give your arms time to rest." I turned to look at her, and she was beaming. Her gray eyes were lit up with happiness, and a huge smile was covering her face. My face flushed a bit at our proximity and our hands clasped. She then turned her face away and laid her head on my shoulder again.

"So Caesitas, want to tell me what song you're playing?" she stopped holding my hand and began playing with my hand again. Drawing doodles with her finger.

"Nope! It's a secret," I grinned goofily at her, and she sighed exasperatedly.

We talked for a while. Annabeth asked me random questions that I tried my best to answer. Things like what my favorite song was or how many instruments I can play. But then we got into the focus of dream careers. I asked her about her Architecture class, and my stomach did flips when her face lit up.

She let go of my hand and shifted, so she was sitting facing me. Then she started talking excitedly, gesturing with her hands, and explaining new information. She told me that her assignment got an A and thanked me. While she made me promise not to laugh, she said that they made a building out of toothpicks. I admit I had to bite my lip not to laugh as she complained about the difficulty of making a building out of 'shitty feeble materials.'

I was genuinely happy. With Annabeth right here, everything was perfect. My heart was soaring, and I couldn't find the will to pull it down. I didn't realize how long my mom and Rachel had been gone until they walked in with dinner. Annabeth got off the bed and sat down in the seat nearest to me as we ate drive-thru Jack In The Box.

Soon, they had to leave. I had an awkward beginning to the day, but it ended on a happy note. For that, I was grateful. Annabeth and I made up, mom was staying the week, and Rachel wasn't too angry at me. Everything was right with the world. I fell asleep with a soft smile as the lights shut off.