Hey everyone! This story is not actually a new story. When I first started fanfiction, many years ago, this was one of my better stories from my first account on Fanfic. I eventually got bored of that account, left fanfiction for a while and chose to rebrand a year or two later. At the time, I also idiotically deleted my old email address for that first account. It was a HOTMAIL! Who uses Hotmail anymore?
Anywho, I no longer have access to that account, but all the stories there have stayed public and intact. This story in particular was one of my favorites and had a ton of potential. So, I've decided it needed to continue with a definite end. I will be re-editing and rewriting the story and plot. The chapters will be similar, but clearly much better written and taken in a different direction. It will be a different story.
If anyone is interested in the unfinished original however, just search for the same title as this story with the account of Leblover, my old pen name. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1:
Percy Jackson was a troubled kid.
He knew this from a very early age and could point to many moments in his sixteen years on earth for evidence. Until recently, Percy had been kicked out of every school he'd attended. It was not for a lack of trying to be good, but over time he'd accepted the fact his life was more of a Lemony Snicket novel than The Breakfast Club. He could not describe his life of strange events in any other way.
For example, in fourth grade his class had almost drowned to death at Marine World. He simply wanted to go for a swim with the fish and pulled the wrong lever. Fortunately, the sharks had been taken out of their tanks the day before. In fifth grade, Percy caused the school's bus to explode at the Saratoga battlefield. He could not for the life of him believe those Civil War-era cannons had been loaded in the first place. To make life more difficult, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD, in his mind unfairly, like most teenage boys in the States. His shining light in life was his wonderful mother, who cooked him his favorite food in artificial blue. Still, for some unexplained reason, Sally Jackson had married a sleaze ball named Gabe. To Percy, he was the lowest of the low, undeserving of his mother in every way, and mooching off them by living in their 400 sq. ft apartment.
That was the state of Percy's everyday life. But lately, Percy's luck started to come around. He had just turned 16 over the summer and received his driver's license easily. It was also his third year in the same school (a personal record). It turned out, if you joined a sports team, stayed in school long enough to make friends, and brought the alcohol at the house parties, you could become a pretty popular guy.
You could even catch the eye of the ladies after that. Preferably the blonde ones. Preferably one blonde in particular…
"Hey, Percy!" said the blonde, as Percy stood outside the front doors of Goode High School. She gave him a hug and brushed her face close to his cheek innocently. She wore blue jeans, an orange Goode t-shirt, and gray converse that day. She also had a pair of silver owl earrings and a bead chain with heavy college ring. He found her stunning, even in casual wear.
"Hey, Annabeth," he said hugging back. He'd been waiting for her arrival to walk her inside, but she was running later than usual. He chose not to comment on it, walking into the school side-by-side.
Goode High School was a large brownstone building on East 81st street. And inside the halls, students were either taking their books out of their lockers or hiding their phones from passing teachers. A few of the more fashionable and vain students constantly checked their appearance in the long corridor of mirrors, fixing their hair or makeup expertly. The two of them walked over to their conveniently-placed, neighboring lockers. Percy happily remembered having to bribe his locker's previous owner to trade places with him. But Annabeth didn't have to know that.
"So, did you do the English homework?" she asked, opening her locker.
Percy raised a brow at her, "Do you even have to ask?" he said smugly, translating the answer into a 'no'. He fetched his Greek book and prepared for first period.
The blonde frowned and rolled her eyes. "Percy, we talked about this. Mr. Blofis might be a cool teacher, but you shouldn't push your luck with him. He likes you, but he expects more from you."
"I didn't say I wasn't gonna do it!" he said, in his defense. "I have free period after Greek. That gives me more than enough time to get through a few pages of Hamlet. How hard could it be?"
She laughed at his nonchalance. "Oh please, it takes you half an hour to finish one page, and you still don't understand a word after it."
"Well, I'm—"
"And don't give me the dyslexia crap. I've seen you tear through gaming manuals faster than a starving cheetah."
"Hey! Those gaming manuals have pictures in them! And it takes me twenty minutes per page, not a half hour." He corrected playfully.
Annabeth sighed and closed her locker. "I guess we'll have to put some extra time on Hamlet into our study date tonight."
"Ou," he winced, closing his as well. "I've got soccer practice around five, I won't be ready till about eight. So…you up for a late-night study session at your place?"
Her posture tensed as he asked, and her eyes widened in surprise. "My place?" she asked unsure.
"Yeah, I mean, if that's okay with you? You said your parents were going to be away today."
If he were honest, she did not look okay with it. She was rather uncomfortable, nervous even. Percy and Annabeth were friends, good friends. But they were not a couple, and this was a departure from their mutual norm. It was much more intimate than their usual meet-up at a Starbucks or student café. Neither had seen the other's home, despite them getting to know each other well over the past two years. Percy had good reason to steer her clear from his home life. He could not trust Smelly Gabe to behave himself around the attractive—and she was undoubtedly attractive—blonde. Nor did he want Annabeth to be anywhere near such a disgusting human being.
Her stormy gray eyes contained another story. But yes, her parents would be away for tonight and the weekend as well, spending it up in Albany with distant relatives for some type of shower. They would have the place to themselves.
As Annabeth opened her mouth to speak, the school bell rang aloud. She sighed in relief, literally saved by the bell. "We better get to class."
She rushed off to her course without a second glance, a nervous skip in her step. Percy could simply stand there and watch her go. He wasn't certain, but he could've sworn her cheeks were bright and flushed as she passed him.
! #$%^&*()
The day sped by, and soon it was time for lunch period.
Hundreds of juniors and seniors started to fill the cafeteria. Mobs of plastic orange food trays zigged and zagged around Percy as he tried not to collide with anyone's lunch. Students were scrambling to get seats next to their friends, like a game of animals playing musical chairs. The last thing he needed was to get spaghetti stains or ice cream splattered all over his shirt.
"Hey, Perce!" a voice shouted over the noise. Percy looked around and saw a tall, scrawny-bearded kid standing on his chair and waving at him from a table farther back. He walked over to him, managing to dodge near collision with a dozen other students. Goode High School was getting to be a little crowded, he thought.
"Hey, G-man," said Percy, taking the empty seat beside Grover Underwood. The round table was seated for seven, five of which were occupied. Nico di Angelo, Thalia Grace, and the Stoll Brothers, Connor and Travis were also seated.
"What's up, guys?" he greeted.
Travis and Connor perked up, the former slipping something discreetly into his pocket, outside of Percy's view. He couldn't see what it was, but he'd seen the act and it piqued his curiosity. The brothers were all white smiles—very inauthentic white smiles. And they were trying too hard to act innocent.
"Nothing dude. How's it going?" asked Connor, an octave too high.
The two were acting weird, or at least, even weirder than was usual. Percy had learned through many years of friendship, it was never a good thing for a Stoll to behave like this. They were always up to something. He had grown to assume that constantly. This was different. This time they were hiding something from him.
Percy sighed. Very few things irritated him more than his friends keeping secrets. But he chose to play it smooth, for now. "What have you got there, Stoll?" he nodded to Travis.
"Oh! What have I got..." said Travis, caught off guard. He couldn't help the instinctive glance towards his pocket. "Just some weed."
Percy nearly laughed. "No you don't."
"Yes I do!" Travis feigned a look of hurt.
"Show me."
"That wouldn't be a good idea, Perce." Connor interjected.
Percy decided to approach Travis, hoping to get a glance of whatever he was hiding. Travis jumped out of his seat to the other side of the table. Percy looked like he wanted to tackle him. It looked like they were playing a game of chase and duck-duck-goose. Grover just held his hands up as if this incident had nothing to do with him.
"Oh, for the love of God…" Thalia finally spoke up, annoyed at the ridiculous game being played. "Just show him already!"
Nico snatched a piece of paper sticking out from Travis' pocket.
"Hey!" he cried, but Nico handed it to Percy.
"Okay, listen Perce," the black-haired teen began. "These two found this in Coach Hedge's office. It's the new match schedule for the team this year. Just…don't freak out, okay?"
"Nico…why would I freak out?" He looked at his group of friends strangely, the paper felt very heavy in his hands all of a sudden.
Why were they being so serious? Percy was the mid-fielder and team Captain of The Spartans, the school soccer team. Travis, Connor, and Nico were also on the team, as the three forwards/strikers. Most of his friends in school were in fact his teammates. He could handle himself easily. Percy had been through a lot in life, and not many things phased him. Why would this be any different?
Thalia smiled at him sheepishly. "We just want you to know, we're here for you."
There was a rare warmth in her voice and concern in her intense, electric blue eyes. They looked so out of place with her Metallica T-shirt, black leather pants, and chain jewelry it was almost scary.
Uncertain, Percy unfolded the heavy laminated paper. There was a chart with many names, times, and locations. With his dyslexia, Percy mostly saw the multitude of letters and words fly off the page. Most of the lined text jumbled into a mess of confused hieroglyphics. Most of the lines, except for one.
1. Match: GHS (Goode High School) vs. WMS (Westover Military School), Friendly: 1:00 PM Saturday, Field of Mars
It took nearly all his will power not to run out of the cafeteria and make a scene.
"Percy, you okay?" Nico asked. He sounded worried. "Dude, your hands are shaking."
"Look, man," Connor said. "It was years ago, I'm sure things have—"
"Things have what!?" The sea green-eyed boy seethed. Connor flinched, as did his brother and most of his friends at his tone. "Are they fucking retarded or something! There is no way in hell I'm playing against that school. Not in a million fucking years."
"Percy," Grover said, reaching out with a steady hand on his shoulder. "I don't think anyone can forget what happened okay? I understand bro, I truly, honestly do. But it's been almost two years. You can't just avoid this forever. Maybe Connor is right; it'll be different this time."
He shook his head and shoved his best friend off him. "You don't know that, Grover. None of you do." Percy stood and took his tray with him. He needed to be alone for a moment. "I'll see you guys later." He dumped his food in the bin and walked out of the cafeteria.
Travis punched his brother in the arm. Connor looked at him with shock.
"What was that for?"
"For being a fucking idiot, that's what. 'Oh, I'm sure things have changed…' Not for Percy, dumbass."
Thalia punched Travis even harder on the same spot. It was his turn to look shocked. "Ow, Thals!"
"Weed? Seriously? You guys are ridiculous. I'm going to get Annabeth and talk to Percy." And with that, she left the four boys alone, feeling like terrible friends.
None of this needed to happen, but none of them could forget. It was all because of a certain, rival team named, The Romans.
Don't forget reviews, commentaries, questions, criticisms are always appreciated.