More Than Just A Little White Lie~ A Percabeth AU

Chapter 2

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, looking over at my sister laying beside me on my bed. She's trying hard not to give anything away but I can see it in her eyes that she's hurting. 

"No." She mumbles. It's been an hour since Luke left. They had a huge fight in the driveway, resulting in Thalia breaking up with him. Hazel runs in and jumps on my bed, jostling all of us and squishing me in the middle. The three of us lie together, not talking. You wouldn't think we are sisters by looking at us. I got my mother's looks, her blonde curls and grey eyes. Thalia looks like our dad, with her dark hair and bright blue eyes. Hazel looks like none of us, since she is adopted. She has dark caramel skin and beautiful golden eyes. She likes to joke that she hit the genetic gold mine in this family since she isn't related to any of us. I secretly agree, but there's no way I would ever tell her that. She's already too sure of herself. 

"Why did you do it? I thought you loved him?" I ask, unable to control myself.

"I did. I do. Mom told me never to go to college with a boyfriend. Especially since I'm going so far away. Long distance never works." Thalia says. My heart aches for her but also for Luke. I know this has to have destroyed him.

"Do you think you guys will ever get back together?" I ask. Despite my feelings about Luke, I would never do anything about it. I could never do that to my sister. And I know that Luke really loves her too.

"No." Thalia replies and she gets up off my bed and leaves the room. She comes back after a few minutes, carrying a large cardboard box. 

"You should really go through all your stuff, throw whatever you don't need anymore into a goodwill box." She says, changing the subject and tossing it on the floor. I know the topic of Luke is off the table for now. 

"But I love all my things!" I protest, looking around at my possessions. It's mostly books, and lord knows I'm not parting with any of them.

"Yes, your many, many, things." Hazel says with a pointed look. Not helping here, sis.

I shoo them both out of my living quarters and go back to the drawer under my desk. I have to make sure these stay hidden, I don't know what would happen if they ever got out. Hazel has a tendency to be a little sneaky but I'm fairly certain she doesn't know about the secret drawer.

****

A week later, we are all piling into my dad's Subaru, squished with all of Thalia's suitcases that are going with her to college. We've already mailed off most of the big items, these are just most of her clothes and personal stuff. She gets on me for having so much stuff..... As we drive down the street, I spot Luke getting out of his car. We lock eyes as I pass and I offer a small smile. He looks miserable. Out of respect for Thalia, I have refrained from texting him this past week but it's killing me. Despite my feelings, he's my oldest friend and I miss talking to him.

JFK airport looms in front of us and the reality that my big sister is actually leaving hits me. We may not see eye to eye on anything but she's the solid reason I don't murder Hazel on a daily basis. Plus she is the only one who can cook. In all seriousness though, it's going to be hard not seeing her everyday. We each take a suitcase and follow her to the international terminal. We have to say our goodbyes here, since no one is allowed beyond security. Dad and Hazel both hug her tightly but they seem to sense that Thalia and I need a moment so they go off to look at kiosks selling junk.

"Are you going to be alright?" Thalia asks, holding my face between her hands. Always the big sister, worrying about me when she's the one leaving home and living in a strange country. By herself.

"I'm not a little girl, I'll be fine." I say, wiggling out of her grip.

"Junior year, maybe try branching out some this year? Make some new friends?" Thalia says with the hint of a smile. She knows my dislike for socializing. I scowl.

"I'm perfectly fine with the friends I have now, thank you very much. You should go, don't want to miss your flight." I say and I wrap her in a big hug. I'm not a very big person, only 5'5 but even I dwarf Thalia. She hugs me back fiercely and dad and Hazel join in, resulting in a group hug in the middle of JFK. She grabs the carry on, and rolls away to the security line. We wave until she's out of sight and a sense of emptiness swallows me.

****

"I miss Luke." Hazel says suddenly, breaking me from my concentration. We're having a Harry Potter marathon and outside of the movie, it had been dead silent. We are just at the point where Harry is getting ready to murder the basilisk and I'm annoyed she interrupted.

"He made movie nights more fun." She says, laying on her stomach with her elbows propping her up. She has a point. Luke had a way of making the whole affair more relaxed, more open. I haven't talked to him much since Thalia left. Brief hellos when we see each other outside.

"Maybe you should get a boyfriend. Then he could come and make movie nights fun again. Because let's be honest, this is a little sad. You're 17 and you're sitting at home on a Friday night watching Harry Potter with your little sister." I snort at her words. If only it were that simple.