All credits for the story line go to ChasingFreedoms.
She looks like she is a nerd with a prefect life at home, but no one knows the truth. Annabeth Chase has been beaten for as long as she can remember. Her father became a drunk after her mother le...
It had been two years since the trial, and Percy and I are celebrating our two year anniversary tomorrow. We are eighteen now. Today is graduation, and as valedictorian, I'm required to speak. Cornell university accepted me into their architecture program, and Percy is going to SUNY in Throggs Neck for Marine Biology.
That put us at about four hours apart, but we'd scheduled classes so that we both had the same days off. It'd been kind of difficult at first, but after a little reworking, we'd gotten it worked out so we both had classes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, which left us open for spending Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and even Sunday together if we didn't have too much homework to do. It wasn't a perfect system, but we'd at least be able to spend most of our week together.
I finished pulling on my gown, and donned my cap as I stood next Piper and Hazel in the gym. I took a deep breath as we walked onto stage and sat down. The ceremony droned on until the principal said, "And now, Annabeth Chase, valedictorian of the graduating class."
I had decided to make my speech only a few minutes, with the hope that, much like Lincoln's Gettysburg address, it would be the most impact full thing said on this stage today. I step up to the mic, and begin without hesitation. "We have worked for four years for this day. It has been hard fought through hours of monotonous classes, piles of essays, extensive testing, and the sacrifice of our freedom for eight hours everyday." This earns a chuckle.
I continue, "However, while it may have seemed like a terrible trial, we have proven ourselves. We have proven we can work hard enough to make the grade. We have come out strong conquerors, unafraid of the world because it can't be any worse than what we endured in those halls. This moment, and those experiences, are well worth it even if we don't want to relive them. They have made the future ours. When you walk across this stage today, whether with the record of a straight a student, or whether you barely scraped by, it doesn't matter, because these diplomas have no differentiation. Those diplomas are the great equalizers of us all. Today, we stand proud of our accomplishment, of our survival, because we did it. We persevered and we tried and we succeeded, and in receiving these diplomas, we receive our freedom and our future. We are free from these halls, and the world is ours for the taking. This is our world, these are our lives and we, we are epic tales yet to be told. We have the power to make the future ours, to make our stories sonnets and epics and songs. That is what we are. We are stories waiting to be told. We are 'greats' in waiting. We are legends as of now. Thank you."
I sit down, and the ceremony finishes, Percy suddenly stands up and kneels in front of me on the stage. "Annabeth Chase, we've been through a lot together. A lot of blood, anger, and pain. I wasn't sure either of us would make it to this stage. But here we are. You've been through so much in you're life, and you're the bravest person I've ever met. Please do me the honor of putting up with my kelp headedness for the rest of our lives. Marry me, Wise Girl."
I realize I'm crying, and all I can do is not through my sobs. Percy slips the silver band around my finger, and I realize the small stone set in the center is not a diamond, but an actual pearl. It's perfect.
As we walk off stage, I see smiles from my friends and Percy's parents, but a few people seem to be judging us because we're young. I didn't think anything of it until someone came up to Percy and I, who are holding hands. "You two aren't going to last in the slightest. You are two young to understand love."
Before I can say anything, Sally and Paul stand between Percy, me, and the woman. "Firstly, my child is perfectly capable of understanding love, he's an adult, not a three year old. Secondly, Annabeth has endured and conquered more than anyone I've ever met. She was abused and as such is much more mature and kind than someone who walks up to two new college students who have their whole lives ahead of them that they are doomed idiots." The woman opens and closes her mouth in a fish like manner.
Then Paul says, "Now, listen to my wife and take your bigotry elsewhere."
We all laugh and hook arms and walk off. Percy and I hold hands, and I'm not planning on letting him go anytime soon.
~25 Years Later~
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(This isn't the real photo used in the real one (written by ChasingFreedoms) but it's kinda similar)
I walked into our large but cozy house from designing NYC's latest museum, wishing Percy were here. He'd be home soon, but I wasn't sure if I could wait ten more weeks. Apollo and Artemis' birthday was soon. The twins would be devastated if their dad wasn't here for their 13th birthdays. A few silent tears slipped out of her eyes as she realized her husband had been studying marine life in the Atlantic for 2 months. She hadn't seen him for two months.
"What are crying about, wise girl?"
I whirled to see Percy standing there, framed by the golden dusk light. He had that stupid smirk on his face, and I ran towards him. We kissed for a moment, and then I pulled back, and flipped him to the ground.
"Don't you ever come in here with that stupid smirk of yours, Jackson. Don't you dare."
Percy just laughed, and then the twins came in the door from school. Both of them squeal and attack their already grounded father. I laugh as Percy groans and mutters something about not being young anymore.
I smile contentedly at the scene before me and fling myself on top of my kids and Percy. I laugh as he protests and Artemis and Apollo try to push me off. Finally we all stand, and I look sternly at my family and say, "Let that be a lesson to you. I always win."
And she, Annabeth Jackson, did always win. She had the greatest friends, the most amazing husband, the kindest kid, and most importantly, she had herself. Her strength. And that was all that mattered.
She was broken, and she'd fixed herself. Her life had been dark, but she'd lived to the dawn. And even when the day faded to night, she'd still be strong.
Even when the noon changed to dusk, she would stand with those she loved and those to love her.
When the world faded to black, it would always be them against the darkness. And they always won because they knew something the blackness didn't.
