PERCY'S POV

"Hey, Percy, how about going to my party tonight?" This is the usual questions and conversations thrown at me by my friends. That was Tammy by the way. The one who asked the question, I mean.

"Yeah, how about it Perce? It's going to be one hell of a party!" That was Charles Beckendorf, my closest friend. I guess I'm used to it by now. Parties, girls and surfing are my life here in sunny Los Angeles.

Have I introduced myself? Well, this is me. Percy Jackson, 18 years old, Los Angeles, California. I would say New York but you see, I have a very complicated family tree. You'll probably get bored by my telling you this. I don't even know why I'm telling you this in the first place. Oh, right, it's because my English teacher, Mr. Brunner, asked us to make a diary, a collection of essays of some sort. And I guess I trust him this much to tell this story. Anyway, as I've mentioned, I have a very complicated family. My father, Poseidon Jackson, owner of J Holdings International, remarried when his first wife died. Obviously, the second wife is my mom, Sally Jackson. Well, technically, not wife. They're not married, see. But they live together. And I was registered as the son of my dad's first wife so that I can have some company inheritance from my dad. It sucks. I have a half-brother, though. His name is Triton Jackson and he's the son of my dad's first wife, rightful heir to the company. I adore my brother. I respect him and look up to him. To me, he's my hero. Problem is, he hates me. I don't know why and when he started hating me because as much as I've remembered, he practically raised me. My mom told me that my brother is like that because he's afraid that I would get everything that was rightfully his, the J Holdings for example. I guess that was one of the reasons I'm here in LA. Back in New York, I feel like everyone's sad because of my presence. So I exiled myself here, using the reason of studies as cover. Triton said I would do nothing but play and sleep. He should be proud of me.

"Can't tonight." I replied to my friends' invitation. I like calling them my friends. Back in New York, I had a best friend. I don't know what happened but we're not that anymore. He's name is Luke Castellan. We're practically friends ever since we can talk. But I trusted him so much. And maybe that's the reason why our friendship went down. He's also one of the reasons why I left New York. Los Angeles is easier . . . healthier for me. Back in middle school, Luke and I were the kings. Whoever crossed our paths will find their way transferring to another school by the next week. We were bullies. Or that was what the other kids call us. We like to call ourselves leaders. Bullying others, seeing them flinch and beg for our mercy, was our way of hiding our frustration at our families. Luke's family is also complicated. He's mad at his dad. That's what he says but I think he's just a bit temperamental. He's mom left them because of his dad's womanizing ways. We caught him at it one time. That was probably the last time Luke and I hung out.

"Fine, whatever" Beckendorf muttered. "Come on, let's have some coffee, Perce. We'll see you later, Tammy"

We were seated outside a nearby Starbucks when Beckendorf started blabbering, "Everything you could possibly want is here in California. Will you ever go back to New York? Your brother hates you, your father barely has time for you. It's better here, right?"

I sighed. It is easier here. But what I wanted is in New York. I miss my mom. I miss my brother. I want to see my dad.

"Yeah," was the only reply I gave him. He was about to say something but my phone rang. And I have a pretty good hunch about who's calling. But that doesn't necessarily mean I feel good that she's calling. I didn't answer.

"Aren't you going to pick that up?" Beckendorf raised an eyebrow at me. He probably knows who's calling too.

I brought out my phone and turned out I was right. Rachel Dare is calling. Who is she? My girlfriend. I should say fiancée because our parents, well mostly my dad, arranged it for us. Rachel's parents are the owners of America's top fashion lines. And my dad thought that our marriage is a good business deal. I freaked out. What era do we live in today for arranged marriages? You know it. One of the reasons I'm here in LA.

"It's Rachel." I told Beckendorf like it's enough explanation to just say her name. "Knowing her, she's either about to go on a plane, or could be on the plane or she's already here. It's our anniversary the day after tomorrow."

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," Beckendorf pointed out.

"Try having a fiancée at 18." I shot back.

"Where are you going to celebrate it?"

"Too lazy to celebrate it"

Like I was too lazy to fight for everything I left behind in New York.

Annabeth's POV

"I have your pizza!" I shouted as I made my way inside a motorcycle shop. I'm not hanging out there or anything. I work as a pizza delivery girl. And this motorcycle shop is a regular customer. "That would be $16.10"

"What are you going to do with the 10 cents? But a candy with it?" one of the workers teased.

"Just give me the money" I rolled my eyes, exasperated at them. I'm probably going nowhere by telling you this but I work two part time jobs during the summer. It's to help my mom. I'm not one of the privileged so I have to work hard. After being a pizza delivery girl, I have to go to the Starbucks near the Empire State Building to work . . . yet again. So I don't have time for childish games.

I'm Annabeth Chase, by the way. 18 years old, New York. I have a miserable life. We're poor. My mom and I live in a small studio apartment here in New York. My dad left us when he went with another woman and left for Los Angeles. My mom is a housekeeper for one of the country's richest, the Jacksons. And here I am, working minimum wage part time jobs just to help out. I don't even have time being sociable and being a normal teenager. After school, I have to go to the café to work. My only friend is Nico di Angelo and that's because we practically grew up together. I used to save him when other kids would pick on him back in middle school. That's why now that he's all buff and taller than me, he felt like he owed it to me to protect me for the rest of my life. And that's why he's here at the café every day.

"You're not ordering," I told him teasingly when I got relieved from work.

"Thalia's not here yet," he retorted. Thalia Grace is his girlfriend. She's a bit possessive of Nico and jealous of me. I think it's because Nico's my childhood friend and I know more about him than she does. Nico always tells her that we're just friends, that I've been his friend for more than half his life. But she always shot back that teenage boys and girls can't be friends only. Eventually one of us will fall for the other. Pathetic.

"Seriously, there are so many coffee shops in New York, why'd you have to meet up here? You know she doesn't like me,"

Instead of answering, Nico just handed me an umbrella. I looked at him quizzically, "What's that?"

"This, my dear Annie, is an umbrella." He sassed at me.

I rolled my eyes, "I know what that is, jerk. I'm asking why you're giving it to me"

"It's going to rain on your way home," he answered simply as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. That's Nico. Odd in so many ways but I love him. Not romantically, of course. But as a brother.

I smiled at him and took the umbrella, "What about your girlfriend?"

He showed me his jacket and made a show of putting it over his head, "We can share in this. It's more romantic. Thalia always lives the life of a star in a movie."

"Seriously" I curled my lip at the cheesiness.

"You should hurry and get a boyfriend," he pointed that out as a solution to my bitterness.

"Do you think I have time for a boyfriend?" I shot at him. He sighed and looked at me as if he wants to protect me but he can't.

"How many jobs are you doing right now?" he whispered at me sadly.

"What can I do?" I gave him as an answer. "I have to work"

"I told you to stop seducing my boyfriend," a voice interrupted our melodramatic conversation. Thalia has arrived. It was my cue to leave and go back to making coffee.

"Do you think I'm that pretty?" I asked her sweetly.

"I never said you were pretty" Thalia said.

"Yeah, but you're extremely pretty" I told her sarcastically. "You have Nico. Stop wasting my time. Are you going to order, or leave?"

"The service here is seriously messed up" Thalia rolled her eyes. Nico just laughed at our exchange. We're doing this every time we see each other that he's used to it by now. "Nico, let's go. You're leaving tomorrow, right? Stop wasting your time with her."

I frowned at that remark and saw Nico squirming in his seat uncomfortably.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked him. I was actually scared. Nico is my only friend and I feel safe whenever he's around me. He's actually a relief to my misery. The news of him going away is seriously going to make my life more miserable.

"Just . . . for a little while . . .-"

"No" Thalia butted in. "Don't tell her."She stood up and grabbed her boyfriend's wrist to drag him away.

"I'll call you later!" Nico shouted.

"Don't you dare do that" was Thalia's retort.

I sighed. When will life give me a break?

You want to know a weird thing? My dad called me. I missed the call but the fact that he's calling is weird enough for me. He hadn't called me in such a long time. What could he possibly want now? My thoughts went back to the day he left mom and me. I was so mad at him but after a few days, I missed him. We were so close back then. He used to tuck me in at night and read me stories. Life was better when he was around. I always imagined that I wouldn't be working if my dad didn't leave us. That's why at times, I blamed all of these on him. I was brought back to the present time when I felt a raindrop fall. How the hell can Nico be right about it raining?

I smiled and brought out the umbrella he gave me. But with my luck, of course it wouldn't open. I was starting to get drenched so I decided to take refuge at a nearby waiting shed. Seriously, it was like the fates hate me so much. They even made the umbrella go stuck when I needed it most.

"For you," a voice told me. I turned and saw a toothless old man smiling cheerily at me. He was handing me a dream catcher. As if he knows what I'm thinking he muttered, "For luck"

It was a beautiful dream catcher. It was the kind that makes your nightmares go away just by looking at it. I took it.

"Thank you. But why?" I asked.

"I have a feeling you'll need it soon enough." He told me cryptically.

I just stared at him, my mouth hanging open.

"You might want to try that umbrella again." He smiled at me one last time before walking and disappearing into the rain. I frowned. Odd. I placed the dream catcher in my bag and tried the umbrella again. This time, it opened easily. A lot of weird things are happening tonight. But if I thought that was weird, that's nothing compared to the news that was waiting for me at home.

"Your father called." My mom, Athena Chase, told me. "He wants you to go live with him . . . In Los Angeles"