Secrets | Percabeth AU

27- Wobbly Rehearsal

Annabeth's POV

Heel...toe...heel...toe...heel...crap

My wobbly foot, that's been unnaturally elevated 7 inches higher, twisted on its side. I regained my balance and continued walking down the raised runway.

"You're doing well, Annabeth!" Piper yelled encouragingly. Aphrodite, Piper, and a girl with a headset and clipboard stood at where the audience would be, watching me slowly make my way down the runway.

I was doing horrible. Piper was just trying to get my confidence up, but she can't boost my confidence up when my ankle is resting on top of a plastic stick, 7 inches high, waiting for one wrong move. The other models waited for their turn to walk, but I took so long that it's best if they came back the day after.

"Maybe a shorter pair of heels would make this better?" Aphrodite said, clasping her hands together. The girl with the headset and clipboard whispered something to Aphrodite, whose eyes gleamed. "Okay. Annabeth take off those heels and come down here. We'll find you shorter ones."

I did what she told me and sat down on one of the chairs next to Piper. Aphrodite and the girl went off. I took a sigh of relief. My ankles started to hurt.

I watched the other models strut down the runway, following orders from people with headsets on. They walked so gracefully, like they're royalty. Their long legs shone through. Each time a model would stop at the end of the runway, she would make a pose. Like a flying kiss, or a wink.

What should I do when I get to the end? Should I smize? Put my hands on my hips?

"You could've done worse," Piper shrugged, strapping on her heels.

"I could've... But I looked like a baby trying to learn how to walk for the first time! And I walked slower than an elderly trying to go up a staircase!" I exclaimed, rubbing my ankles with my hand.

Piper gave a small chuckle. Show lights blinked and music boomed. All of this was a big production. Celebrities will come to this. The media will come to this. The entire country will basically come or watch this thing. I wouldn't be surprised if the First Lady is coming to this. It made me more nervous thinking about this.

Aphrodite and the girl came back with the same shoes I wore, but this time, it had a shorter heel. I gave them my current pair and traded them for the shorter ones.

"I figured that since the dress won't show the shoes and that you're pretty tall, you could just wear these shorter ones," she said. I strapped them on, feeling much more comfortable in these ones. I got up and did a small walk back and forth to test it out. At least, I can properly walk in these.

"That would've been helpful an hour ago," I grimaced and sat back down. Piper stood up and walked towards the backstage to the models, leaving me with Aphrodite. Crap.

"A little birdy told me that you and Percy are dating..." Aphrodite said, keeping her voice low so that the girl can't hear. I glance at the girl, and she was too busy saying something in her headset.

"Well, Peter and I are dating. Did Piper tell you this?" I wondered. Aphrodite just grinned, signaling that Piper did tell her. She watched the models do their thing on the runway.

"You know, you two could easily be America's power couple, if you and Percy decide to tell everyone, instead of hiding with an alias at a high-school," Aphrodite suggested, keeping her eyes on the models. I stared at her. "Piper and Percy have been friends for years, and I've seen him grow up with the same people: Jason, Leo, Frank, all of them. And I've never seen him so alive in a long time. He had that sparkle in his eyes when I saw him rose to fame. That same sparkle that I saw in him before, came back whenever you and him are together."

I sat there speechless. For a lady who cares a lot about her own looks, she's very observant and knows how to read people. I've always wondered what could've happened if Percy publicly announced that him and I are dating. Would the media start stalking me and trying to get information out? Would his fangirls start attacking me, if they saw me?

And I've never really took the time to notice how Percy looked at me. I guess I know now.

The girl gave Aphrodite a microphone. Aphrodite accepted it and turned it on.

"That'll be it for today! I'm just reminding all of you that tomorrow will be dress rehearsals, and we'll do a whole run through of the entire show. Celebrity singers will be here tomorrow to practice. I'll see all of you tomorrow afternoon!" Aphrodite announced, and gave the microphone back to the girl.

-

The elevator doors opened as it reached my floor. The lights in the living room were lit. I was hoping that Mom wouldn't be home, but she was. She was sitting on the couch, and watching tv. She had papers on the table in front of her. She must've came home early and brought her work here.

"Hello, Annabeth," she said, without looking at me. "How was your day?"

"Pretty good, yours?" I said, sitting down on another couch from hers.

"Work was not very busy," she said. "Aphrodite called me today, which is odd. I have only talked to her once. Even though I find her conceited, her taste in fashion is impeccable. She told me that you are in her upcoming fashion show, and also invited me. I accepted the invitation."

I didn't know how to react. Her expression was blank. I don't know whether or not she's dissapointed, angry, or happy. I sat silently.

The corners of her lip turned up. "Are you in the lingerie section?"

"Mom! No, of course not!" I could feel my ears and cheeks burn red. The thought of me walking in lingerie, while people took pictures of me sounded ridiculous.

"I'm just making sure. I don't want my daughter flaunting her body around to the world," she laughed.

That made me upset. She's been missing from my life for years, yet she tells me what she wants me not to do. Her words does not influence me anymore. She has no control over me anymore.

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Oh my gods! I met a guy that looks like my imagination of Nico. His face is exactly what I imagined Nico would be. His clothes were also very Nico-ish: black everything. I felt like Nico DiAngelo is going to my school!

Anyways, thank you for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please, stick with this book because there will be a lot more to come!

I love reading your comments! Feel free to leave suggestions, comments, and other things.

I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS! I'M ONLY BORROWING THEM.

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-Brainy_dolphin <3