Pain is just fear escaping the body.

Gabe almost killed me.

. . .

I don't remember the ride there. Memories were flashing through my mind, and I was seeing colors. Blues, reds. There seemed to be two roads instead of one. I didn't get into a car accident amazingly. I turned the wheel and turned into Montauk beach, sprinting towards the water as soon as I got there. The water was freezing, coated in ice. My eyes glazed up into the grey clouds that had appeared in the last hour. I felt an intense pang of pain as I made the connection between the stormy grey color to Annabeth's eyes.

I didn't cry. I stood there, listening to the waves gently lapping onto the shoreline, tugging pieces of half melted ice with it. The cold stung me to the bone, but I managed to ignore it. I watched the water for a few minutes, though it seemed like eternity.

A chilling thought struck me. An unpleasant one, but it somehow made me feel peaceful. What if I just drifted into the water and never came back? I could just embed myself into it and let myself cease to exist. I could mold into nothingness. I didn't have to go back. I didn't have to go back to the twisted, fucked up life that I had to live through every day. I took a few steps towards the water, and nearly shuddered when the water splashed against my feet. I tore off my shoes, my socks, tossing them aside. I ripped off my shirt, wincing when I caught sight of the variety of scars and bruises that were scattered along my body.

I took a few more steps so I was wading into it. My body was shivering vigorously, and it felt as though a thousand needles were stabbing into my legs, arms, everything.

"Pain is just fear escaping the body," I whispered hoarsely. The wind picked up again, splashing more waves over me. I was numb. Completely numb. I let myself fall, smashing into the water.

Goosebumps slithered up my arms and legs like a snake as I lay on my back floating, with not a care in the world...

I shut my eyes, the picture of Annabeth's face permanently there. If I was going to die, I wanted her to be the last thing that I remember.

I felt someone haul me upward, and I snapped my eyes open. A second later I was coughing and spluttering water from my mouth. My body was shuddering violently, and my flesh had turned a deathly shade of white. A warm hand patted my back firmly, struggling to pull me upward out of the water. I fell limp on the snow-coated sand, and the women next to me gasped for breath. Her arms were still wrapped around my chest, and her skin felt like it was on fire compared to my hypothermic body temperature.

I squinted, only to be met with a pair of concerned, grey eyes. Annabeth.

Shit. No, this wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening.

" H-hi Annabeth, you falling for me yet?"I fake smirked.

She rolled her eyes, the concern still very evident in them. " Oh cut the bullshit Percy, you..." Her voice lowered, " You tried to k-kill yourself."

" And why would Percy Jackson want to kill himself hmm? I could get any girl I want, I have the p-perfect life." A couple tears escaped my eye. Shit.

Annabeth took a deep breath and her grey eyes were even more calculating than before.

" Percy, does this have do with why you pushed us away ?" And I immdiatley knew she was talking about her and Thalia.

But as much as I wanted to lie to her, I couldn't, not even a second longer. I broke, I couldn't take it anymore,
I sobbed profusely.

Pain is just fear escaping the body I tried to tell myself but I couldn't, I couldn't deal with anymore pain.

Upon seeing me cry, Annabeth wrapped her comforting arms around me and whispered sweet nothings in my ear.

"I'm sorry Annabeth." I sobbed, " I didn't want to leave you but it hurt so much and I just couldn't take it." I cried.

" My parents divorced, and my mom remarried, he abuses me Annie, oh god he hurts me, I'm so weak but it hurts so much! And my mom died and he hits me even more now!" I couldn't take it anymore, I was at my breaking point. I clawed at my arms, my hands going up to my ears.

"He hits me everyday, that's why I skip school, that's why I play girls, that's why I always have bruises, that's why I pushed you guys away, that's why...I want to die!" I sobbed and sobbed until I felt like I couldn't cry anymore.

Annabeth finally opened her mouth,biting her lip before speaking.
" I hated you, ever since you pushed me away.... I'm such an idiot! I thought you    were a jerk! Oh god Percy why didn't you tell me ?!? We could have helped you." She said, her voice cracking towards the end.

She pulled me up and threw me in her car. " Where are we going?" I asked, the cold feeling was turning into pain and I winced.

She gave me a concerned glance and spoke quietly, " To tell Thalia."