Okay so here's the deal, you've read the books and seen the film but that is so not what really happened. Want to know the truth? Well I'm the REAL Percy Jackson. Oh yeah, and I'm a girl. Did you really think that a guy could do all that stuff and still stay sane? Please, he would have crumbled at the sight of Grover without his pants on let alone being faced with Kronos in his golden sarcophagus. Whilst some of the stuff is true, like me being accused of stealing Zeus stupid lighting bolt, a lot of it is not true, like me dating Annabeth! The books were Zeus idea, he wanted to discredit me for speaking out against him, you all remember right? It was when I was trying to tell everyone that Kronos was back and he didn't want to hear it. Well he had to when Atemis was on my side. That's sort of when all this started, after that winter when Annabeth was kidnapped and Bianca and Zoe died. I think Rick called it 'Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse'.
I don't know if you've read the book but here's a summary of what happened that winter. It started off with us going to help Grover with some demigods he found and ended with us getting our battle on with Luke and Atlas on top of Mt. Tamalpais in San Francisco. In between we fought the Nimeon Lion, some skeleton monsters, a giant pig who gave us a ride and then tried to eat us, some more skeleton monsters, the old man of the sea, the skeleton monsters again and then onto a Titan, his children and their pet dragon. Needless to say it was not a good winter, and that was without even thinking about losing Bianca and Zoe.
I mean, I knew that it was going to happen but I just couldn't accept it. It was the first time I had ever lost someone on a quest. I guess I just sort of didn't realise how dangerous this demigod lifestyle is. I always just assumed that everyone would come back. But now everything's changed. For the worse.
After we got back to camp after the battle on Mt. Tamalpais I had to confront Nico and tell him that his sister, whom I'd sworn to protect, was dead. Not only that, she had died instead of me. I know in my heart that I was supposed to go in that automaton not her. She should not have died. She was only 14 for crying out loud. She'd only just learned what she really was, what she was capable of. It's not fair. It's just not fair. After I told him Nico bailed and no one has seen him since. We've tried looking for him but I've got a feeling that he doesn't want to be found.
So here I am back at home in the city, pretending to be normal. I wish so bad that I was back at camp but I know that it would hurt my mom if I stayed there full time. She thinks that I like this down time, where I can forget what I am and what I have to do and just be a normal girl. Well I don't. Firstly because there is no way that I can ever forget what I am or distance myself from that world there are always these little reminders. Like when I'm walking to school and get set upon by a sphinx cos I've accidentally wandered into their part of town. Another reason I hate this time is because I can see how mom wants me to be, and I know that I can never be that person. Anyway let's get on with the story, I mean that's what you want to hear. I call it 'Percy Jackson and the time Aphrodite really bugged me. ' (hey I know that it sucks but I never said I was Shakespeare, demigod – ADHD remember?)
The story actually starts with my mom and her nightly classes whilst she was getting her degree. She attended a play writing course and you'll never guess who the guest speaker was? The guy who wrote the screenplay for that awful movie they made about my life! Okay so it wasn't awful I mean I would totally love to fight a hydra but that's beside the point. I mean not only did she attend the talk but she managed to get a date with the guy! This could seriously only happen to me. It got worse, when I got back from the quest guess who my mom wanted me to meet? I sometimes wish I could go back in time and warn myself about all the crap that would happen once I walked through the door to our loft apartment after getting back from camp, but I can't.
"Percy? Percy? Is that you?" I can hear my mom calling me from inside the apartment as I open the door.
"Yeah mom, I'm home." I throw my bag down on the floor and wait in anticipation for the back breaking hug I'm about to get from her. This will hurt even more this time since I decided to take on Atlas and his punishment.
"It's so great to have you back sweetie, I missed you so much," she says whilst squeezing all the oxygen out of my lungs.
"You were gone for quite a while, even Christmas. Not that I would ever complain. I mean, I did get used to the quiet." She laughs her nervous laugh that shows she missed me and worried about me every day. I hate putting her through that every time I go but there's nothing I can do about it.
"I made some chilli for dinner, would you like some?"
"Please, the only thing I had to eat on the ride here was one of Grover's nutritional bars."
"Oh dear, better make it a big bowl hadn't I?"
Although I'm glad to be back the conversation seems strained. I think she can tell that there is something wrong. I watch her head into the kitchen to get my dinner then head towards my bedroom. Opening the door I realise that's nothings changed since I left it all those weeks ago, well nothing but me. I dump my things on the bed and let out a loud sigh. I remember the last time I was here; it was when I got the call from Thalia and Annabeth. Back then I thought it would be a simple rescue mission; get in, get them, get out. I foolishly thought we'd be back at camp by morning stuffing our face with contraband that the Hermes cabin had managed to sneak in. I wish I was that Percy again; the one who thought that everything would always work out, that the good guys would always win. Sometimes even I forget that all of it is really real, that there is real danger for me and my friends. I know now that I'll never forget that. Not after what happened to Bianca and Zoe. Thinking about them just brings back all of the pain.
"Percy, it's ready!" Hearing my name snaps me back to reality. On entering the kitchen I see my mom offering me the biggest bowl of chilli I have ever seen in my life. Despite my poor mood I can't help but smile, I'd almost forgotten how she spoils me with food. I often think that it's her way of bribing me into staying .
After wolfing down enough chilli to feed a small third world country I feel a little better. Mom can tell this which is why I think she chose it as an opportunity to bring up Ned (the screen writer guy).
"So Percy, I know you're probably not very happy about it but as you know I have started seeing someone."
"Yeah the douche that wrote that crappy movie."
"Percy, please be reasonable. As I recall you thought the hydra was pretty awesome."
"So?"
"Please Percy, it would mean so much to me if you would just agree to meet him. All I'm suggesting is that we go out to dinner. We could even go to your favourite restaurant, that little Italian place that you like."
"No not Italian, I've gone off the stuff." Damn, just when I think I'm feeling better she throws that at me. I can't help but be reminded of Bianca and Nico.
"Oh okay, well we can go anywhere."
"Yeah sure whatever, listen I'm tired so I think I'll turn in."
I throw my bowl into the dishwasher and try not to run to my room. As I close the door I know it was a mistake but I just couldn't face being in that room with her any longer. My Mom has this ability to read me like no one else ever has. It's weird but this time I feel so ashamed of everything that happened, there's no way I can tell her what went down this winter. I throw myself onto my bed wishing that i wasn't such a coward; that I could go out there and tell her everything and be comforted. But part of me feels that I don't deserve it, that I'll never deserve to feel okay about this. I bury my head in my pillow feeling pathetically sorry for myself and before I know it I'm fast asleep and having one hell of a disturbing dream.