A/N: Before I forget, DO NOT OWN (sadly).

The Violin

I wake up to a sore body and wince as I stumble out of bed. I tiptoe out of my room and see a thick arm with a bottle in hand thrown over the back of the couch. I continue to tip toe towards the bathroom. I get in and start getting ready for a shower. I look at myself in the mirror and see bruises littering every my chest, shoulders, arms, and face in random splotches all over. At least it's not bloody this time. I take a quick shower. Once out, I grab bruise paste and rub it over every where I can hide with clothes and get dressed quickly. Then, I open the door softly and check to see that he's still passed out cold. I slip into my Mom's room, to her bathroom and apply foundation to my face to cover the bruises and other marks in all the visible places. Smelly Gabe was really mad last night. Mom is having to work the night shift at Sweet on America to do inventory. She didn't get back until late, and now she's already gone. I'm not upset with her; it's not her fault he's a jerk when she's gone and he's drunk.

I go back to my room quietly and grab my backpack with my homework that never had a chance at being done and head to school. He was already drunk by the time I walked in the door last night, and I managed to crawl away to hide the beating from Mom within two hours of it starting before Mom could come home or I could pass out. Even if I wasn't dyslexic and ADHD, it would still not get done since he's here. Mom's sending me to Yancy Academy when it finishes going through my records (if they accept me). You see, I've gotten kicked out of a lot of schools. Every year, I manage to get kicked out before the end because something weird happens around me. For now, I'm in a public school. I'm excited to go to Yancy Academy to get away from Smelly Gabe, my step-dad, but the only downside is, they don't have a music teacher or even music rooms. I've been taking Violin lessons since about six months after Mom married that loser. So, now it's been about five and half years. She married him when I was six.

I walk into the band room and pick up the violin case with the beautiful violin my Mom managed to scrimp and hide money away for. I take it to one of the small soundproof music rooms off the main hall. I close my eyes and begin to play a slow melody. I haven't told any one about this hobby (not that I have anyone to tell- can't let people get close, they notice things). I play until the door opens, and I see my violin instructor in the dim doorway (I didn't bother to turn on the lights).

"Early again, are we?" he smiles kindly. I nod and lower the bow tip to the ground, "Don't stop! It was good! What was it?" I shrug and begin playing the melody from earlier over again. It's soft, slow, and has a tang of bitter sweet. He leaves the lights off and sits in a chair facing the wall because he knows I'm not comfortable being watched. He listens silently as I play through the whole melody that came into my head. "It… it reminds of the ocean." I look up at him inquisitively. He chuckles and explains, "It reminds of the ocean as it riles and rolls in a sea storm in the deep, turbulent, but silent. Beautiful. Mysterious. It also moves like the tide slowly with the moon and suddenly like a riptide. It's quite unique. Does that make any sense?" I stare for a moment and then nod slowly. "Rough night?" I look away quickly.

"It's fine, sir."

He raises an eyebrow at me, "I can't help you if you don't talk to me. That was a beautiful piece of music. I don't know how you make these. The melody just comes to you?" I nod again too shaken to say anything. "Alright, I know you're leaving soon. I got a call from our Principal, and your new fancy school has accepted you. You start next Monday, since it's already Thursday, I'll just have you play for me." He makes eye contact. "I'll miss you, Percy, being in my music rooms every morning to play the most beautiful music I've ever heard. It's like a siren call to me; it just always draws me closer. You should let someone else here you!" I shake my head vigorously, "I thought not. That's a shame, you feel welcome to come back whenever you come back to the area, on breaks or whenever. Are you taking your instrument?"

"Thanks, yeah… Can I come get it as we leave? Maybe I can find a private place to play." He smiles indulgently but a little sad.

"Sure, kiddo. You really should keep playing; I can tell it makes you feel better. You've never told me what happens at home, but I'm not as blind as you might think I am." He gets up and goes back to the door; then he tosses me concealer. "You obviously want it to stay a secret, and I've kept it this long. Let's not blow it by leaving a handprint on your collar, yeah?" He looks back smiling sadly as I stare dumb-founded. I get up and hug him. He is startled, but eventually, he hugs me back.

"Thank you, Mr. Boynce." I sniffle into his shirt. He pats my back once then lifts his hands.

"Any time, I'm proud of you, being strong enough to live through it. It's for your Mom right? That's why you put up with it, never speaking out a word?" I stare wide-eyed and speechless. "I thought so." He ruffles my hair, "When you go to this new school, you'll be away for awhile at least kiddo. Something to look forward to, and when you come back, you will always have your music." I let go and wipe my nose. He smiles at me again and leaves through the barely open door.

I sit down hard and put my face in my hands. I'm going to miss that guy. I then get up, turn on the lights, and rub concealer over a bruise I apparently missed. Wait… why does he carry concealer? He… He might carry it for me. It sounds like he's known for awhile. I really need to thank him. I close my eyes again and play a softer, sweeter melody. It doesn't take me long, and I pack my instrument back up and leave it in my spot close to his office. I run through the school getting glares from teachers I brush past on my way to homeroom.

At the end of the day, I make my way from the walkers dismissal and go the back way to the music rooms. I grab my instrument and a music stand and make my way back to my music room. I open up my book to a new music book with about five or six songs that he wanted me to learn. I'm playing them through slowly and redoing them trying to get it right. I hear the door open behind me and shoot a smile at him. He smiles back slightly with soft eyes. "Sounds decent. I still like your originals better, but learning these might even better your future originals." We then work through the spots I was struggling with, and I've almost got them. We've been doing them for about a week and a half. It's sad that I won't be able to get them completely before I go, but I'll try to practice on my own.

"See you tomorrow, Percy?" I nod as I pack up. Once done, I walk up to him and give the concealer back.

"Thank you. I-I really don't know what I would've done if anyone else had noticed." He just nods and lays a heavy hand on my shoulder and leans down a little to be eye level with me.

"Even if you can't talk ever about it, know that I know and still care for you. Whoever hurts you is trash, and you will get away from him and be free. You can always find release in your beautiful music." He sighs and rubs his face. "Be safe, Percy, I really do care for you, kiddo. You've been my favorite student since your Mom begged me to teach you five and a half years ago. You realize I don't have anyone else that I have privately tutored? Everyone else I help with music is in the orchestra or band." I blink in surprise. "Haha! I guess you didn't know. Well, your still my favorite no matter what other teachers say or how many schools you get kicked out of." He winks at me.

I smile slowly, "Thanks, I'll see you in the morning, sir." As I turn the far corner, I notice that he's still watching me with a wistful, sad smile on his face as I head home. I hike my backpack up again and take a steadying breath as I walk out of view towards my apartment.

I get home to the smell of taco seasoning, which is good because it means Mom is home. I drop my backpack off in my room and head into the kitchen and hug my Mom at the stove. She hugs me back with a smile. We talk for a bit until she says, "Hey, Percy, honey, don't you have homework?"

"Nope! It's all due Monday, but I won't be at this school anymore!" I say brightly.

She smiles again and laughs. We talk through our days, and I help her finish supper and set the table. When we're done, she takes off her cooking apron and hangs it up, then she straightens her hair in the mirror on the wall. "Supper is ready!" She calls out to Smelly Gabe.

"Is it tacos? Again?" he asks as he waddles into the room. I notice that he's still sober this time, thankfully.

"Yes, honey, we always have tacos on Thursdays." He grumbles some more, but we sit and eat tacos with blue corn hard shells and blue soda. We each make our way to our rooms for the evening. Well, I do. They sit and watch TV, but if I watch TV with them, next time he's drunk without Mom here, I'll hear about it. I sit in my room and read my music. I can't read English well, but I can see the notes and staffs just fine which is great for me. It means I can actually learn music. I then start packing my normal school suitcases with most of my clothes, my extra bedding, and extra stockpiles of toiletries. I also pack all of the concealer except one I put in my back pack from the stash under my floor board that I bought awhile ago. I didn't use it this morning because it's too loud to get to when the house is silent. I'm safe opening it now since the TV is going loud in the distance.

I hear the house go silent and go to sleep. I wake up sore still and creep out of bed. I can hear the snores from Mom's room signaling he's out cold in there. I go to the bathroom, shower, reapply bruise paste, get dressed, and deftly cover up all the marks making sure to get the handprint Mr. Boynce saw yesterday. I grab my back pack and head to school. I again make my way to the band room and get my instrument and head over to a music room. I turn the lights on and play a swift, trickling tune and towards the end, Mr. Boynce comes in and sits facing the wall with his hands tapping to the fast beat.

When I finish, he looks at me and just smiles, saying, "Better evening, huh?"

I nod and genuinely smile back at him, "You bet."

"That's great to hear, kiddo. Can you play the song again? I'd like to hear the beginning." He closes his eyes and settles back into the fluffy chair.

I smile at him even though he can't see me and play again still smiling. I finish and as he opens his eyes start on another sweet tune that in my head communicates how I feel thankful to him. I make eye contact as I play for him to see if he understands, and I get to see the dawning of realization flash over his face and see him break out into a giant smile. When I finish, he says, "Thank you, Percy, that was for me, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, I wanted to say thank you. This tune popped into my head as I thought about how to communicate that to you."

He smiles and says, "But can you write it down?"

"Nope! You know I can't for these random tunes that come up!"

"Well… how is anyone else supposed to play it?"

"They're not! It's all mine. We've talked about this before. Plus, if I wrote it down, someone might see my name on music and ask to hear me play!" I shudder.

"And that's the end of the world why?" he asks with a light chuckle.

I roll my eyes, "Because I'm twelve." he chuckles generously at this and leaves again.

I play a short melody like yesterday and again have to run to get to homeroom on time, ignoring the glaring teachers. I sit through all of my classes with an air of melancholy. I won't miss these teachers or pupils, but, I will miss one set of four walls as I do every time I move schools. I look into my music room with my instrument and a stand. I touch all the walls to try to commit them to memory again. Normally, the new school has music rooms, but this one doesn't for some reason. I sigh and begin the pieces. Mr. Boynce comes in and works with me on the pieces for long past our usual time. "Well, it certainly late. You should go. I'll miss you, Percy. Come back and visit me, yeah?"

I hug him again, "Of course. I could never say goodbye to my favorite teacher forever!" I smile up at him, and he smiles back. He waves at me as I walk home.

He's drunk again when I get home, and Mom is at work again. He's very angry that I was home later than he expected.

I wake up the next morning and can barely move. He's always worse when he knows there's not school the next day. I can't even walk softly at this point, but I make my to the bathroom and take three generic over the counter pain pills to lessen the soreness. I take a shower, trying not to look at my reflection yet. Then I can't avoid it anymore. I look and frown at the mottled bruises all over me. There's some of a lot of different stages of healing: yellow, green, light blue, red, dark blue, purple, and black. Yesterday, most were at light blue to yellow range, but now there are many new ones and so most are purple or black. I sigh and cover my torso in bruise paste. This paste is something I've learned how to make from the internet and ingredients from drug stores, using my meager allowance to keep it stocked. I cover up all the marks on my face with foundation again. I cough into the sink and notice blood. Great. I take a deep breath and wince which also hurts. I sigh to myself and make my way to the kitchen and fill up a sandwich baggie with ice. Thankfully, it seems like no one is home. I got back to my room and use an ace bandage to tie the ice wrapped in a washcloth to my ribs. I lay down to rest.

Through the rest of the weekend, I do my best to not wince around either of them. Mom and I leave Sunday afternoon to head to Yancy with a warning from Smelly Gabe to not ruin his car. We stop and get my instrument. Mr. Boynce is all smiles even if I can tell it's a little bitter sweet. He ruffles my hair as I get back into the car.

We walk into the front office of Yancy Academy that evening, and the adults get me all signed in. My Mom leaves as a teacher shows me to the door of the dorms and stops a male student, "Show him to his room?" and passes him a slip of paper. He looks me over and motions for me to join him. He doesn't talk, so neither do I.

We walk through the halls and eventually come to a stop at one of the doors. The boy knocks and calls, "Grover Underwood! You have a-" the door is opened by a short boy with curly hair, baggy pants, converse, and a rasta cap- "new roommate. His name is Percy Jackson." He nudges me forward and says, "Have fun." he rolls his eyes and walks off.

"He's a piece of work, sorry, he's an eighth grader. He hates helping out new students. You're a new sixth grader?" The Grover boy says in a tinny, high pitched voice.

I nod and say, "Yep." He opens the door wider, and I bring my bags in. I start unpacking; he offers to help, but I shake my head. Definitely not, what if he saw the make up? He'd definitely have questions then! He tries to start a conversation a couple of times, but I just give short, non-descriptive answers trying to push him away like everyone else. He eventually gives up, but he looks very disappointed. I almost feel bad letting him down; he seems a little lonely. I shake myself out of my thoughts, finish unpacking, change in the bathroom, and go to bed. I won't be able to change in the room for awhile until the bruises fade and disappear. For some reasons, any cuts from thrown bottles disappear after a quick shower. I probably just make them more than what they are. I sink into the bed and fall asleep quickly.

The next day, I meet all of the teachers. For some reason, everyone has to take Greek Culture and History here which seems odd. No music but weirdo Greek classes. Yay. Whatever. At the end of the day, I'm sitting outside in a sunny courtyard when I see this large girl with curly hair and freckles walking over to Grover. I watch in silence as she starts yelling at him and makes fun of him for his lame legs. I learned in Gym that he has a muscular disease that excludes him from all running-based PE activities. I get mad and storm over. "Hey! Shut up! Leave Grover alone!" I yell as I make my way over to them. She stares at me in shock for a moment before her face scrunches up so her eyes are tiny and she glares hatefully.

"Whatcha gonna do about it newbie?"

I'm not going to hit a girl, so I'm kind of stuck. I keep walking anyway and stand between her and my roommate. No one touches him. It's not his fault he has the weird disease. He's staring at me in complete shock and a little wonder as I stand up for him. The girl grins and swings at me, so I block it with wrists locked over each other. She gets frustrated that she can't land a hit and just spits in my face instead. I'm a bit disoriented, and she lands a punch in my gut. Then she goes like she's going to go hit Grover instead. I stand back up and get in her path again. She grins maliciously.

"What? Why aren't you fighting back, ya pansy?" I just grit my teeth. No, I won't hit a girl; no matter how annoying and bully-ish she's being. She just smirks at me, "I'm Nancy Bobofit." Then she walks off to go inside to bother other people.

"Why'd you stand up for me?" Grover asks stopping me. I just shrug, shove my hands in my pockets, and walk off. I hear him sigh as I walk away. I begin to explore the campus trying to find a private place. I eventually find a quiet cove by a brook.

The next morning, I wake up early and go play for a few hours before first class, skipping breakfast. Close to the end of breakfast, I go back to the room and put my instrument away and head towards the first class. This habit goes on for about two weeks with little to no variations. I go to classes, defend Grover, brush off Grover, go to bed, get up early, play violin, and repeat. Then, our old history teacher leaves, and when I walk into Greek, there's a wheelchair bound man sitting at the front of the room. When I walk in, he makes eye contact with me for a long time which makes me uncomfortable. When Grover walks in behind me (he's taken to always being right by me), Grover goes up and gives him a hug. Interesting. He introduces himself as Mr. Brunner. He moves me to sit in the front row and keeps expecting me to know the answers; it's pretty annoying. I almost run out of the classroom at the end of the period.

That evening after I defend Grover, another new teacher comes up to me and gets me in trouble for 'fighting' although I'm just defending myself. She introduces herself as Mrs. Dodds, the new math teacher. What is with this school and changing teachers? She gives me detention for tonight. I shrug and accept it. She walks off, and Nancy grins unkindly. At seven, I head to the math class room, and Mrs. Dodds has me beat out blackboard erasers for two hours. I make my way back to my room and quickly change into pajamas. As I stare at the ceiling of our room, I ask, "How do you know Mr. Brunner?"

Grover sits up, "He works at the summer camp I go to."

"That's cool." He smiles and nods. "What camp is it?"

He freezes, "Uh, it's not one that you would have heard of." He stammers, "It's by invitation only." I roll my eyes, "It's in Long Island. We're not supposed to give the address unless it's to a future camper." He's stammering throughout the whole thing like he doesn't know what to say.

"Well, sounds ritsy, hope it's fun. I just thought it was cool that you know him. Say, do you know why he was basically staring at me?" He jumps but shakes his head. "What about that Mrs. Dodds?"

He freezes again and just solemnly says, "I really don't like her." I just stare for a moment and move on. We keep talking through the night, and when my alarm goes off, I accidentally sleep through it. I wake up three hours later to Grover shaking me awake. "Hey, man, you got to get up. Breakfast is over already; you're going to be late to class!"

I scramble up and get ready. I end up running through the halls to try to get to class on time, and I run straight into a teacher, Mrs. Dodds. Just my luck. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, sweetie?" Her voice sounds like it's from deeper South than where Grover said she was from, Georgia.

"I-I'm just running a little late-"

"Detention. For running in the halls. I'll see you at 7 pm again, Mr. Jackson."

"Yes, Mrs. Dodds." The bell rings.

"Now you're late to class, you have detention tomorrow night too." I struggle to hold back a glare.

I grit out, "Yes, Mrs. Dodds." She narrows her eyes at me then marches off haughtily.

I sigh and go to my class. My teacher just glares at me as I walk in. "I'll see you after class, Mr. Jackson." Man, today is sucky. I finally decide to be friends with my roommate and all this happens. Why me? I nod back at him and begin to take notes. After class, I go up to his desk and wait. "You have detention with me tonight, young man."

"I already have detention with Mrs. Dodds tonight, sir."

He glares, "A trouble-maker, eh? Tomorrow night, then"

"She also has me tomorrow night, sir."

"You're practically a delinquent! The night after young man, or I'll have to talk to your parents!"

I do my best to hold back my glare and grind out, "Yes, sir." I hide a sneer as a I turn away. The rest of the day is very long until I get to Greek class.

When I walk in, Mr. Brunner yells out, "What-ho Percy!" and tosses chalk at me. I stop, dumbfounded, and he wheels up to me, "You're going to help me start our tournament today! I'll explain later, just sit for now."

After the class bell rings, he assigns teams with me as my team's leader. "Today, we're having a tournament! Name every Greek character you can remember along with the gods/goddesses they primarily worshiped or were born from!" We get started, and it's basically a relay. You send someone up to name someone and all the information. They come back and send another until the timer buzzes. Then he goes through each list marking out ones that have wrong information and taking off half a point for all the ones with missing information. Whoever has the most points (including partials) wins! He announces that since our team won, we won't have a quiz the next day, but everyone else will. I leave the class with a smile on my face.

Over the next few days, I keep staying up to talk and sleeping through alarms. I don't get any more detentions that week miraculously. It comes to Saturday when I finally realize that I haven't played all week. I sneak out at lunch to get my instrument and stay until dinner. After dinner, I sneak back out to play some more. It takes the tension off.

This routine continues for several weeks. Talk of Thanksgiving break starts up, and I sign up to stay here because I know Mom's work will be busy, and that really isn't worth seeing Smelly Gabe again. I've become friends with Grover and have gotten many, many detentions for defending him. We've talked about a lot of different stuff, and I consider him by best friend. But, I've never talked about my home life with him at all. We're sitting in the room the day after the sign up papers went around when he asks, "So why did you decide to stay here instead of going home to your parents?"

I'm startled out of my thoughts and come up with a quick response, "I don't want to be a bother on my Mom."

"Oh, it is just you and your Mom then?" He looks apologetic, "What happened to your Dad?"

"You know what, I'm really tired. I think I'm just going to go to bed." I turn over away from him and pull the blanket over my head.

I manage to get up early again the next morning and go play. It's a mournful tune again, similar to what I played for Mr. Boynce. I go to classes, and at the end of the day, Grover just sighs and says, "Sorry for being pushy. You didn't have to run away during breakfast to wherever you go again. You don't have to talk about home." He looks downtrodden like I hurt his feelings by leaving, but I refuse to talk about my music.

I sigh and rub my neck awkwardly. Why did I have to make a friend? I say, "It's fine. It's my Mom, step-Father, and I at home. My step-Father is an idiot and stinks. I call him 'Smelly Gabe' in my head."

He nods and smiles, "Okay, thanks bro for talking to me. What's your Mom like?"

"She bakes the best cookies! They are always my favorite color, blue." I smile jovially determinedly not saying why she specifically makes them blue. I don't want to give him any clues into my home life, at all.

"Sounds awesome! Can I come have some?"

I briefly freeze and recover hastily, "Nah, our place is small. You wouldn't want to come over, but I'll ask her to make extra for you, okay?"

"Alright, sounds like a plan. Pound it!" We do our weird fist bump combination that he came up with awhile ago.

When Thanksgiving hits, I finally realize that he stayed too. I had planned on sleeping in and going to play anyway, but he drags me to breakfast. We have a very enjoyable day with delicious food. That evening, we're both staring at the ceiling when I ask, "Why did you stay for Thanksgiving?"

"Oh, home's too far to travel for just a couple days."

"Ah, okay."

Over the next few weeks, we're cramming for semester finals, and I somehow manage to get all passing grades! Woo! Mostly C's too! Only one F and it's in Math with the evil teacher. It's a little weird because one time I told Grover that she was too evil to be human, and he solemnly agreed with me. I'm on the bus home alone because Grover got a ride with Mr. Brunner because apparently he knows his family or something. I get off the bus and head to my old school. I knock on the outside of the music suite to see if Mr. Boynce is there, I don't want to break and enter to drop off my instrument!

"Young Percy! So good to see you, young man! How was the new school?" he asks as he lets me in.

"It was good, just sometimes hard to keep up with practicing every day. Most of the time it ended up only being a few times a week." I cringe away from looking at him in fear of the disappointment on his face.

"Percy, I understand! It's hard when there's not a designated, private music place for you! Look at me, son, I'm not disappointed in you! I'm proud you found time to practice at all!" I walk into my practice room and breathe in deeply, this feels like home. I smile back at Mr Boynce's head as he sits in a chair facing the wall. I play for awhile with all the emotion I feel. It's not a coherent melody, just emotions on the strings to me. Fear, for going home, joy, for seeing my mother, and so on. He just quietly listens as I continue to pour my heart out through music making it almost visible. I stop, and soundlessly, he gets up and just hugs me. "It'll be okay, my boy."

I smile at him while hugging him back. Slowly, I pull away, we say our goodbyes, and I leave sans violin. I get home to the smell of cookies and the sounds of sports playing loudly and a call of "Percy!" I'm suddenly enveloped in a hug from Mom. We have an enjoyable night and even Gabe's complaining can't bring down our joy. I clean the trash that's piled up in my room and go to sleep quickly. Over the next two weeks, all the time with my mother is great, and I escape often to play music. Gabe thinks I'm skating. But, it's not all calm and peaceful. Every time it's just Gabe and I when I don't manage to escape, I get beat for everything under the sun whether he's sober or drunk. When he's sober, he manages to not hit my face or cause me to black out. He tends to stay sober when Mom will be home that evening. But once or twice, I had to pretend to be sick when I woke up to get her questions off of me. I'm sad, but a little excited to head back, I've missed my friend. I take cookies for him. While on the bus, I realize that I left my instrument with Mr. Boynce. I won't be back until next summer! That's a bummer! I sigh heavily and settle in to my seat and prepare for a long semester.

I get back to our room, and Grover's not in yet. I head to the bathroom and am trying to fix myself up, but I didn't lock the door. Grover comes in, "Dude! What happened?" He exclaims.

"Oh, you know, just fell down the stairs on my skateboard." My typical excuse for this stuff. He just nods accepting it. Thankfully, none of my current marks look like hand prints or anything suspicious. We go through the semester, and it seems to fly by. Just after midterms, they announce a field trip to some museum that will happen at the end of term. Grover and I are much closer, and my emotions are much closer to the surface without my music to calm me down. I can't hold the sass back anymore, and I realize this could be bad if any of it slipped out to Gabe. I can't make myself care. We get on the bus for the field trip, and Nancy throws nasty sandwiches at Grover.

The whole trip is just a disaster! My math teacher tried to kill me! She became a bat lady thing! Then, poof, gone with a swipe of a disappearing sword! That's it. I'm going crazy. The next several weeks are really crazy, mind-boggling stuff, but it ends with Gabe being art. It's great. Also, I have a new friend; her name is Annabeth. At the end of the summer, I decide to come home and stay with Mom. She sends me to a new hippie school, Merrywether Prep. The first day, I walk in, and there's a really tall kid who is introduced to me as the school's project. He's apparently homeless. His name is Tyson, and he eats a peanut butter sandwich for lunch. He didn't bring one, but they give him one instead.

"Hi, I'm Percy Jackson. They said your name is Tyson?"

"Y-yeah it is. Are you a meany?"

I shake my head, "No, I'm not a meany. If any of those punks pick on you again, tell me, alright?" He nods enthusiastically. Grover's gone on a search for Pan, and I am picking up another stray apparently. I bring him home with me to eat dinner a couple days later; my Mom just loves him to death. He cries a little when we give him blankets, extra clothes, and food to take with him. We make a plan to meet every day. He is very punctual and a lot stronger than he looks.

I manage to get over to the music rooms every weekend, and Mr. Boynce lets me play for the whole day each time. He never even asks if the newest school has a music program or not. "Have you let your Mom hear you play?"

"No, I haven't, but it's not really her thing, honestly. Plus, she's so busy with her classes and work now that it would be inconsiderate."

"Oh? She went back to school? What for?"

"Yeah, for writing. She has real talent for it."

"That's good; I'm glad she's going after it after the tragedy with your step-father." I unconsciously make a face to which he chuckles, "Not really a tragedy, eh?" I shake my head no. "I wasn't sad to hear of his passing no matter how bad of a person that makes me." He ruffles my hair as we walk down the street together. Mom and I have moved to a nicer apartment in a better part of town. Mr. Boynce gave a good word for us with the landlord because he lives there too. Now, I just go to his door and knock in order to go to the music rooms. It's a great set up by my standards! We walk up the stairs and split towards our separate landings and wave goodbye.

I walk in the door to the smell of chili powder, "Smells good, Mom! Thanks!" She bustles out in a new apron she got herself and wraps me in a hug.

"You're home! Oh yes, you're welcome!" She steps back and guides me to the kitchen by holding my arm, "How was your day? How is Tyson? How was music practice? How is Mr. Boynce?" We sit at the table where the bowls of chili are already set with glasses a blue drink mix.

"Woah! One question at a time!" I answer the questions counting off on my fingers, "One, it was good, a little long like normal but good all around. Two, he's good. Still demolishing all the peanut butter given to him on a daily basis. Three, it was great! It's not quite the same since he's not allowed to give me new music pieces any more, but it's still great fun to play. Four, he's good, and he's happy to hear that you're back in school to follow your dreams."

"That's great to hear honey!" We dig in and chat through the night. The whole semester flies by with Tyson coming often, and I have to keep making sure he doesn't see Mr. Boynce with me ever. He can't know; he'd insist to hear it! We tell social services about Tyson, but apparently, they're blind because they can't see a very tall boy living in a box down a side-alley. No matter, Mom and I keep him fed, clothed, warmed, and loved. Christmas even flies by, and it's a little sad that I don't hear from any camp friends. It's fine though. I have Tyson, Mom, and Mr. Boynce to balance out my days. More and more through the next semester I'm either with Tyson or Mr. Boynce because Mom is working on a new paper or something for class, and I don't want to be a distraction.

Then, we go to camp and eventually have to go rescue Grover. We go through it all and end up saving the Fleece, Grover, and waking up Thalia daughter of Zeus. Annabeth and Thalia decide to go to an all girl's school by me, and Tyson is under the sea in the forges. I miss him because now it's just Mom and Mr. Boynce to make up the time. School is- for once- actually normal; no cannibals, demon math teachers, or over extended bullies! Should be great, right? No. It's boring. I can't even call Annabeth or Thalia since we're demigods. The semester drags by. I play; I go home. I go to school; I go play. Repeat. Over and over. I'm dying of boredom over here!

One weekend when I'm coming back from playing, I walk in the door and am immediately pounced on, "Percy!" Annabeth says into my neck while having me in a death grip; I hug her back. Thalia pats my shoulder as Annabeth lets go while both of our faces are red. "Um, hi."

I grin, "Hi, Annabeth." I turn to Thalia, "Hey, Thalia." She makes a face, rolls her eyes, and marches further into my home. How does she know her way around my place you ask? I don't know, good question! She's Thalia, good at everything, daughter of Zeus.

"It's the start of our Christmas break! We decided to come here to see you!" Annabeth exclaims. I smile broadly.

"That's great!" We talk through dinner when we get an iris-message from Chiron saying that Grover needs our help. We talk through the rest of the evening making plans for that Friday night to go help him.

"Say, Percy, I thought your school day ended at like 2?" Thalia calls from her upside down position on the couch. I freeze.

Annabeth continues, "Yeah, you know she's right! Were you hanging out with someone?"

"Uh, no. Not a big problem. Sometimes I- uh- like to take a scenic route." They both look suspicious, but Mom rescues by escorting them to the guest room for the night. Apparently, they're staying here.

I manage to avoid the conversation all week, but I come straight home from school every day instead of stopping to play like normal. I don't even have time to slide a note under Mr. Boynce's door because they're always watching and waiting. Ugh. I stop Mom one day and ask her to call him and explain. She smiles and says she will. Mom drives up to Westover Hall where Grover is and embarrasses me the whole way while the girls giggle at my expense.

Annabeth falls over the cliff with the Manticore, and I want to jump after her so badly. I stare at the water far below in contemplation. Why did it have to be her? I hate this! Thalia yells at me, and I just want to disappear because she's right. It's all my fault. I don't express that of course. The Nico kid is annoying me, and Bianca irritates me by abandoning her brother. We ride the sun express, and Thalia drives making places both catch on fire and flash freeze with her erratic driving. Over the next few days, it's rough trying to not let how much I worry for Annabeth show to others. I'm irritated that everything is suddenly, 'Thalia this. Thalia that.' Ugh. She's not the one to save camp two summers in a row! In fact, I saved her! I have to simmer down. We get into fights, and the final straw happens. I'm forbade from going on the quest to save Annabeth.

I iris-message my Mom and see that man, Paul. I have doubts about him given my first step-father, but Mom should have good taste now that it isn't just about protection. If he makes her happy... I guess it's okay. We save Annabeth and Artemis. Zoe dies, and Mr. Chase even cries for this girl he's never even met. The rest of the summer, I spend it at camp. I go back to Mom's at the end, and Paul asks for my permission. I give it to him with a bit of hesitancy. They plan a whirlwind wedding. I'm made Best Man and watch my Mom marry a man she's fallen in love with.