Prologue:
I've tried and tried to do what I know I should be able to do, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get good grades and I can't swim. Why does this matter, you might ask? Well, because I'm the son of the legendary Percy and Annabeth Jackson. Most people here call me Luke. Yeah, they decided to name their kid the same name of the famous Luke Castellon, as if I didn't already have too many expectations to live up to. I go to a mortal High School and live in a dorm there, and the only thing that relates me to the world of monsters and gods is my Mom and Dad… but maybe if I keep waiting, I'll get some awesome ability that no mortal could ever dream of having. That could happen… right?
Most people might not think this is such a big deal. Sure, if you're just a normal mortal with normal parents, it doesn't matter at all. Unfortunately, I am NOT a normal mortal. I am supposed to be some huge success. The first-born son who was supposed to amaze everyone. Instead, I'm an embarrassment.
At least I have a best friend: Matthew Underwood. Matt and I have been friends since I was born, and they found out that I was practically a mortal, minus the Greek family tree. They introduced us and sent us both to private school to try to scout out demi-gods. At least, that's what they told us. I knew that Chiron just didn't want me near his precious Camp Half-Blood; everyone thought I would just get hurt.
I shook my head. Matt would never understand. He had all the goatliness of a satyr, smell included. I'm the only one in this place though who can actually tell what he is; that's the only un-mortally thing I have. So I can see monsters. Great. Not like it's going to get me far in a fight.
And if that wasn't enough, I had to have a younger sister who does have every ability of a demigod. Jade Jackson is an awesome combination of smarts, power… and man can she swing a blade. Of course, she's not AS good at everything as Mom and Dad are, but I'm sure if she trains her skills enough, she'll get there. While she's out there killing monsters and saving the world, I'm struggling to maintain a straight D report card and keep mold off of my laundry.
Real exciting.
So I go to a mortal High School and live in a dorm there, and the only thing that relates me to the world of monsters and gods is my Mom and Dad… but maybe if I keep waiting, I'll get some awesome ability that no mortal could ever dream of having. That could happen… right?
The clock on the wall was the only thing making a sound in my classroom, besides the occasional sigh or cough. The teacher leaned over random desks, looking as menacing as he possibly could as he read our answers, determining whether we were doing well so far or if he should take the paper and throw it away now.
My forehead was beaded with nervous sweat. I knew these answers, but my mind was foggy. The tick of the clock was distracting me, and suddenly all I could focus on were the small movements of the room, like Brandon Foll's leg shaking or Willow Cree chewing on the end of her pencil. The words on the paper looked like a bunch of strange symbols, and I figured that either my teacher was playing a prank on us or I was just having trouble thinking straight. Based on previous experience, I'm guessing it's the latter.
"Time's up!" Mr. Gale announced happily, grinning widely when we all groaned. He really does enjoy our misery.
"Can I finish after school?" Willow asked as she reluctantly gave him her paper.
"Sure, but five o' clock is the deadline. If your tests aren't done by then, they're late. Got it?"
"Yes, sir," we all grumbled.
I grimaced when I looked down and realized I had only filled in one blank, and I don't think that he counts my name as a point. I would usually come in after school, but I can't today, because I have swimming lessons. Like that will go anywhere anyway.
The bell rings and Matt approaches. He sits three desks away. He used to sit right next to me, but then Mr. Gale thought he saw me cheating off of him, so he had to move.
"How do you think you did?" he asked as I collected my things and we both start out the door.
"Well, unless he's giving out free pity points, I'm dropping down to an F in Government," I reply, pushing past the people in the crowded hallway so I can make it to Matt and I's next class: Language and Composition Studies. Gross.
"What happened? You did awesome when you and I quizzed each other last…"
Matt's words faded when he saw a familiar looking brunette walk past us, hip swaying and hair flying behind her: none other than the popular—and-dangerous—Tracy White.
Tracy was elected Homecoming queen, but her crown only signifies her royalty over drama if you ask me. Her cherry-red lips are always spewing rumors and lies about other people, but her low cut shirts and her tiny shorts make it okay for most people. You can't catch her without a cake of makeup on her face and a cell-phone. If you do… well, make sure to tell me, because I'd love a picture of that.
"Hey, Luke," she smiles and flutters her eyelashes as she walks past.
"Don't do that, your eyelash extensions might fall off," I hear a voice next to me shoot at the girl.
I turn and find Dawn Fay Richard giving the cheerleader a mock smile. Dawn is the only mortal in this place that I consider a friend. She's known me for about as long as I've been here, which is a whopping 15 years. Her chocolate brown eyes are always warm and comforting, exempt from the times they are full of tears because of the people here who make fun of her. She loves dying her hair, which I never understood. In all honesty, I don't even know what the natural color is. Today, it was a blood red, with black tips.
"Cool hair," I noted as we continued to walk, all in a group.
"Thanks," she said, her cheeks going the same red.
"Are you ready for Lang?" I asked as we proceeded to class.
"Um, duh! It's my favorite class, remember? I finished that essay that's due today last month, though, so I'm turning in a different assignment."
Another thing about Dawn: I swear she's a daughter of Athena. She excels in every kind of academic activity. She's even scared of spiders, although I've found out that a lot of girls are.
"Oh." Was there anything I could say?
"Why can't she love me…?" Matt finally said something. He was staring in the direction of where Tracy went. Dawn and I traded a look.
"Because she's already in love with hotness over here," she said bluntly, jutting a finger in my direction.
"Excuse me, but I am not 'hotness,'" I complained, feeling my face flush.
"Are you kidding me?" Dawn grumbled. "I can tell you exactly what she's thinking. 'Oh my gosh, it's Luke Jackson, the cutest guy in school. I hope he likes what I'm wearing. I just love his curly blonde hair, and—oh my gosh—someday I'll get lost in those big sea-green eyes and…"
"Okay, I think we get it," Matt huffed, still looking for Tracy. "She'll never love me because she only goes for looks and, to put it delicately; I look like Hephaestus with hooves."
"Huh?" Dawn tilted her head, not catching the reference.
"Nothing," Matt and I quickly said. Sometimes we forget that Dawn is just a mortal. It's a pretty commonly made mistake with us, but we always manage to save ourselves.
We make it to Lang, but only halfway through the class, the loudspeakers crackle, and a woman's voice says "Luke Jackson, please come to the attendance office and sign out. We have a family member waiting for you in the parking lot."
Matt and Dawn give me weird looks, but I just shrug at them and get my things together, laughing inwardly at all the jealous glares I'm getting from my classmates. I leave with a bounce in my step. I don't even care who it is: I just got saved from an hour of syntax lecturing.
I follow instructions and sign out on the paper at the office, and then I walk into the sunlight. A jet black car was waiting for me right near the entrance. There were flames decorating the bottom, and skeletons were painted on the upper areas of the vehicle. I immediately knew who it was. A grin splitting my face, I ran to the passenger side and opened the door.
"Need a ride?" Uncle Nico smirked from the driver's side, tipping his sunglasses down so he could look me in the eye. He wasn't really my uncle, but I grew up calling him that.
"To where?"
Even as I asked, I was getting in. I would go anywhere if it meant skipping school.
"Camp Half-Blood."
This surprised me. I hadn't been there in years and years. Every holiday we had was at Leo's place, where he and Calypso had a massive warehouse that was cleared out and used for having feasts. I wondered if something bad had happened, but if that was true, then Uncle Nico wouldn't be smiling.
I shrugged and buckled my seat belt.
"You do remember what day it is, right?" Uncle Nico said as we drove.
Oh no, it was one of those trick questions. "Um, sure! Of course I remember!"
He gave me a look, his eyes momentarily leaving the road. "Oh really?"
"Yeah it's… Mom and Dad's anniversary?"
Uncle Nico laughed. "No, it's your sister's 16th birthday party! She wanted to have it at Camp so I'm here to take you!"
I groaned. "Why do I have to go? Why can't Jade just enjoy her party without me?"
"Luke, you know that your parents would never allow you to miss such an important day of your sister's life. Stop being so bitter. They sent you here to live a better life, so you wouldn't have to worry about monsters and being compared to the demi-gods with powers."
"I was two years old when they sent me away. I hardly remember a time when we were a family," I said angrily. "Why didn't they keep me?"
Nico didn't answer. He shifted the car and suddenly we were going so fast that my cheeks were flapping back. I wanted to throw up, but I was worried that if I did it would just go right back down.
"Shadow-travel machinery!" he yelled as everything grew dark around us. "Leo helped me design it!"
"Can I have one?" I shouted back as my eyeballs shook around in my skull like marbles.
"Only a child of Hades can operate one, sorry kid," Uncle Nico replied.
The darkness changed to an even deeper black, which didn't even seem possible. I heard strange noises and goosebumps appeared on my skin. Then, with a flash, we were on the beach. Only a couple minute's walk and I would see my parents.
I missed them horribly when I wasn't with them, although I never told anyone. I didn't understand why they had sent me off, although I always figured that it was to "keep my safe" from the…er… different training tactics here that required a more durable type of person. One game of capture the flag and I would be toast: possibly literally if the Hecate kids had learned any more new tricks since I last visited.
"I'm seventeen, I shouldn't have to go to a little girl's party," I whined some more, getting it all out before I see my parents. They don't tolerate complaining.
"She's only one year younger than you," Uncle Nico said knowingly. "Now… race you to your cabin!"
I laughed and started to run, but he had an advantage. He had started jogging ten feet ahead of me, and my run was more like his fast walk. I don't know how, but all the demi-gods I've met seem to have unnatural agilities. Well, not the Hypnos cabin. From what I can tell, they're too busy sleeping to try to exercise.
"Luke!" Mom was ready to great us right away. She pulled me into a huge hug, her blonde hair tickling my ear. "I missed you!"
"She never stops talking about you," Chiron said with a small smile. It looked like something was troubling him, though. All four of his hooves were tapping nervously, and his eyes kept flicking from my face to the ground.
"Where's dad?" I asked, pulling out of Mom's embrace and looking around. Usually we wrestled when I first got here. It was a chance for me to get some quality time with him… or, as he puts it, pummeled by my old man. I use the excuse that he's a legend and I'm a D straight student, then he raises his eyebrows and asks why I'm getting D's. Then Mom comes around and they both give me a talk about the importance of education. If I haven't mentioned this, I've done this a few times.
"He's… busy," Mom said. "threal question you should be asking is about your sister. Aren't you excited for her?"
"Yeah, aren't you excited for me?"
My sister waltzed up, smirking. It was odd, everything I got from Dad, she got from Mom, and vice versa. She had dark hair, gray eyes, and an attitude that could've rivalled Hera's. Sometimes I think that she might as well be goddess with how she acts... Not to mention her confidence.
"Oh yeah, happy birthday!" I say half-heartedly. We hug awkwardly after Mom gives us the stink eye, and then she runs off to go talk to her best friend, Vaz Rickie. She's a daughter of Hecate who put a charm on me once for making fun of Jade for wearing makeup.
I can never look at eyeliner the same again, and I've been a little more careful around Vaz.
"Don't forget to put my present on the present table!" Jade calls back as she leaves.
My stomach sinks. The present! I should've figured that I would need a present the second that Uncle Nico told me it was birthday party. I knew exactly what to do; get a Hermes kid to steal me something nice from the gift shop… maybe I could find a t-shirt that says "I'm with stupid" in her size.
"Luke! Aw, it's great to see my little buddy!" Aunt Thalia came up to squeeze me into a bear hug. That woman is like a python; she just squeezes and squeezes until your ribs collapse.
"Hi, Thalia," I say into her shirt. "Nice to see you."
Tell me if I should continue… :3 I'm not sure about this one so make sure to be completely honest. Thanks guys! Sorry about the abrupt ending, I don't have any more time.