CHAPTER 1 – A FRESH START

The 9th of September: the first day of school was a Wednesday. No idea why we start school in the middle of the week, but I couldn't exactly complain as it gave me three more days of lying in my bed till noon. At least that's what I did the past three days. What can I say? I like sleeping.

I was having these thoughts when I was stepping off the bus with my black sport bag in one hand and my white and black Eastpack in the other starring at my soon-to-be school. There were a few steps made of stones to the entrance with grass and trees on either side. I could read the bold letters over the entrance to the school: Half Blood High School. The front was Greek style with columns holding the triangle roof.

Sorry, I better introduce myself: My name's Percy Jackson, I'm seventeen and I'm running away from my father. Why you may ask? Well, long story short, he was rich and wants me to be his heir and for that you must be tough as you will be a potential target to those who'd seek to hurt my father through me. And for that, I needed to know how to defend myself.

After a few years of training, that was supposed to be just basic defense, but got way more complex, and also learning school stuff by different private professors all paid by my father of course, I decided to get away from all that and have a normal teenage life and go to a normal school.

So here I was, standing in front of the school in a pair of slim denim jeans, vintage leather converses and a navy blue hoodie.

I threw my light backpack over my shoulder on my back and marched to the front entrance of the school with my sport bag in my hand.

I quickly climbed the front steps and entered the building. Inside it was filled with students, so I decided to go to my room. I stole the blue prints of this building from my father and studied everything during the holidays so I knew exactly where I was going.

I walked down a few corridors before I found the steps to the bedrooms and climbed to the second level where there was a corridor lined with doors on either side. I opened the door with the number 003 on it.

Inside there were two beds with two desks and two cupboards. Looked like it's a bedroom for two and it seems like the other guy hasn't arrived yet. I threw my sports bag on the bed next to the window and exited the bedroom as I had to get my schedule.

I jumped down the steps and walked down the crowded corridors. I walked through another few corridors before I reached the door to the secretary of the principal.

After deciding or not to knock I just turned the handle and entered the silent room. Inside there was a desk with a woman sitting behind it typing on a computer. On my left was a door with the words written in bold on it: Principal Mr. D

I heard someone clearing her throat and turned to look at the secretary who was staring at me. "Hello dear," she said sweetly showing her white teeth. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Percy Jackson," I said as I came to stand in front of her desk. "I-"

"Ah yes! Our new student." she smiled. "But if I'm not mistaken, you were supposed to come at the same time as school year started."

"Uh… what?" I asked feeling dumb. This was the first day of school, right?

"The school year started Monday and we're Wednesday," she explained. I wanted to hit my head against the wall multiple times. Of course school started on Monday. To think I was spending the last two days in my bed.

I rubbed my neck with my hand as I smiled sheepishly "Ah.. yeah, sorry"

"It's alright Percy, I understand," she smiled reassuringly. "Now…" she started ruffling through a few papers on her desk. "Here's your schedule and your locker number and code…" she handed me all the papers.

"If you need any help or anything, I'll be right here," she said "Your books are in your locker. Have a wonderful day here at Half-Blood!" she beamed.

"Yeah, thanks." I nodded as I walked to the exit and opened the door before I posed and looked back at the secretary. "Um… see ya."

"Have a nice day Percy!" she said as I left the office.

I eyed my schedule hoping to have a good one. After I memorized the classes I was supposed to go to, I made my way to my locker as the bell hadn't rung yet. My locker was the number 003. Ironic, right?

I walked down a rather busy corridor, stocked with lockers on either side and I read all their numbers until I found mine. I quickly inserted the code in my locker with the help of the paper the woman gave me earlier.

When I finally opened it, as it took me a couple of tries, I found a pile of books on the upper shelf. I unzipped my backpack and put in all the books I needed for the day.

I zipped my schoolbag and threw it over my shoulders on my back as I closed my locker. I suddenly heard a loud BANG! And I turned my head to the origin of the sound.

A tall Asian guy, maybe sixteen or seventeen with glossy black hair and a stocky build, was standing over a kid that looked like he was a sophomore. I already knew what was happening and it made my blood boil. If there's one thing I hate, its bullies and I knew the Asian guy was just that.

Students were starting to encircle them, anticipating a fight most likely. I rolled my eyes at their eagerness to see what was happening as some of them were tripping over their own feet to get there.

I sighed as I knew that no teachers were going to make it in time before the kid got really hurt so I decided to enter the commotion. I walked towards the crowd and made my way through till I was at the font and could see what was happening.

Now that I was close enough I could see the mischievous smirk on the Asian's face as he towered over his victim. I didn't really know what girls fancied these days, however, I could tell that the guy was handsome, but the worst part was that he knew and used it as an advantage. He also had a black eye patch over his left eye making him look like a pirate. He was wearing blue jeans with black converse and a brown button shirt. Was he cosplaying?

"What you going to do punk?!" he asked the kid on the floor.

I turned my attention to the kid. He had long shaggy black hair that framed his face, olive skin and his eyes were so dark, they were black. He wore black skinny jeans with black shoes and a black t-shirt with skulls on it under his aviator's jacket. He had a chain belt and what looked like a skull ring on his right hand.

"Leave me alone!" the kid yelled.

He glared at the bully with pure hatred as he shot to his feet and charged the Asian bully who easily sidestepped him and threw him against the lockers behind him before throwing him back where the boy came from. The kid hit the lockers with a loud bang! before he tumbled to the floor.

I went on my tippy toes and looked around over the heads of the crowed for a teacher but found none. Where the hell were they when we needed them the most? Seriously? I tuned my attention back to the fight.

The bully was lifting the kid by the color of his black t-shirt with one hand as he prepared his right hand in a fist, ready to punch the kid. Everyone cheered excitedly and I knew I had to interfere.

Before he could hit the boy I shoved by backpack on the floor and I held his fist back with my hand. Everyone went silent as the bully tuned his one good eye on me.

"Let him go," I said glaring at him.

"Who do you-" he winced in pain as I twisted his wrist slightly, but he still held the boy by the collar.

"I said." I twisted it even more. "Let him go."

He let go just as I was about to break it and the boy fell on the floor and I let go of the guy's wrist. I turned my attention towards the boy on the floor, but my reflexes kicked in when I felt the guy swing a punch at me from behind. I ducked and twisted around before I grabbed his wrist with my left hand and with my right hand, I gave him un upper cut in his chin.

I still held on to his wrist as I pulled him back towards me and I elbowed him in the face with a crak! breaking his nose. I let go of his wrist and he immediately covered his nose with both hands. I quickly grabbed the back of his head and shoved it hard against the locker sending him back dazed. I then used the lockers to vault myself in the air and connected my fist with the guy's jaw, knocking him out cold on the floor.

I stood over him panting slightly as I watched the crowed back away slightly. They all held shocked expressions as their eyes were as wide as saucers and their mouths hit the floor. There was an awkward silence.

The bell decided to ring just then and the crowed disappeared one by one, a few guys took the unconscious guy somewhere, probably the infirmary. I was surprised there still was no teacher, to my luck as I would have been in big trouble, so I turned to the kid on the floor and gave him my hand. He took it gratefully and I pulled him up to his feet. He looked at me in awe as his mouth made an O shape.

I smiled at his reaction and pulled out my hand for him to shake. "The name's Percy."

"Nico di Anglo," he replied as he shook my hand.

I let go of his hand and walked to my bag on the floor and threw it over my shoulders on my back.

"Thanks for… you know, helping me." I heard him say and turned to face him.

"No problem," I said, giving him my signature grin.

"So… where did you learn how to fight like that?" he asked curiously as he took his bag off the floor.

"Um…. My father was a karate coach." I lied.

"That's cool," he said as we walked down the corridor to our classes. "I wish I could fight like you," he said looking down. I felt pity for the poor guy.

"Well, I could… you know… show you a few moves if you like?" I proposed as I rubbed my neck nervously. What the hell was I thinking?

"Are you kidding? I'd love to!" he beamed with a huge smile on his face. I couldn't resist giving him a smile at his childish antics.

"Well I'm staying here at the dorm for the week except on weekends, so if you want you can come to my room?" I said.

"Yeah that would be awesome!" he said as we turned a corridor. "Wait, did you say you are staying here?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I stay here too!" he said with a huge grin. "What room do you stay in?"

"Room 003." I answered and his smile grew even wider, if that was possible.

"Me too!" he said nearly jumping up and down. "We're going to have so much fun!" I chuckled at the thought of me sharing the same room as him.

"You're a sophomore right?" I asked changing the subject.

"Yeah, and you're a Junior, right?" he said. "I have a few friends the same age as you, they might be in the same class as you," he said as I stopped in front of the door of my class. Nico looked confused for a moment, but understood when he saw the door.

"Well, I better go," he said giving me a nod before he jogged down the hallway. "See ya Percy!"

"See ya…" I muttered as he rounded a corner out of sight.

I knocked on the door and entered the class room. About two dozen heads turned in my direction as I closed the door behind me. Some of them I recognized from the crowd and it looked like they remembered me too as they looked scared.

I heard someone clear their throat and turned my attention to the teacher standing in front of the board.

"Ah, you must be Percy Jackson," he said "Two days late I see," he remarked and I heard a few sinkers from the students in the room. Oh yeah is that how he's going to play it? Humiliate me in front of the whole class? I didn't like this teacher one bit and it was just my first day.

"Sorry sir," I said not sorry at all. "If you want I can make it three?" I shrugged and a few students laughed and I smiled as the teacher turned red with anger or embarrassment, I didn't know. Probably both.

"Sit down!" he ordered as the class died down in laughter.

"Where?" I asked skeptically earning a few more snickers from the class.

"In the front where I can keep an eye on you for the rest of the year," he hissed and I raised my eyebrows at his tone. "Go sit next to Ms. Chase!" he barked.

"How am I supposed to know who that is?" I asked

"Third row!" he shouted in my left ear.

I winced in pain as I rubbed my hair and made my way to the first table of the third row that was occupied by Ms. Chase I presumed. I dropped my bag on the floor and sat down on her right.

She was taking notes so I could only see her curly golden blonde hair that reminded me of princess curls. She was wearing dark blue skinny jeans, an orange t-shirt under a denim jacket. Her hair was held up in a high ponytail.

"Anyway, as I was saying," the teacher said after recomposing himself. "Wait what was I saying?"

"Shakespeare," the class muttered.

"Oh right," he nodded. "Of course I knew, I was just checking if you were paying attention or not."

Paying attention, my ass. Soon the teacher resumed his class and started going on about Shakespeare and I just zoned out of boredom. Instead I decided to have some conversation with Ms. Chase.

I cleared my throat to get her attention, keeping my voice low so the teacher wouldn't notice. "So, what's your name?"

She looked up to face me. She had a few loose strands that framed her face and stormy gray eyes that burned with annoyance and impatience. Was she glaring at me?

Then she buried herself back in her notes. I raised an eyebrow at her. I checked if the teacher was looking at them or not before he tapped her shoulder. "What's your name?"

She said something, but I couldn't understand. "What was that?"

She looked up at him with a glare. "I said shut up."

I raised both eyebrows at her hostility. What's up with her?

"Well, that was rude."

"Then stop disturbing me."

"I just want to know your name is all."

"Yeah well, what if I don't want to?"

"Fine I'll just call you Miss Blondie then," I said.

She glared at me. "Don't call me that."

"Then tell me your name," I said looking at her.

She seemed like she was thinking of a million things as she contemplated whether to tell me her name or not. Was it really that difficult of a decision?

With a huff she returned to her notes.

"Okay," I said leaning back in my chair. "Blondie it is then."

As time passed and I thought it was hours when it was in fact a few minutes, my ADHD started to kick in and my foot started tapping of its own free will shaking the desk.

"Could you stop tapping your foot? I'm trying to work here," she said annoyed.

"Sorry it's my AD- wait, did you say working?" I asked suddenly changing the topic. "You consider taking notes being work?"

"Well, unless you consider what you are doing now as being work," she said. "Oh wait, you aren't."

I shook my head at her. I found her more and more irritating. "Why the hell are you so worked up? You got to loosen up, girl."

Before she could reply with another snarky comment or something, the teacher cleared his throat to get our attention.

"Miss Chase, what did I say?" the teacher asked, stopping in his lesson.

"You were saying how Shakespeare's plays managed to fascinate and catch the interest of all England," she answered and I stared at her.

She was actually listening to the guy? Or was that one of her notes? Did she write everything he said in her notebook? The last thought sounded too ridiculous.

"I'm glad you were paying attention," he said. His voice seemed different for some reason. Softer. "But please stop chit-chatting."

With that, the teacher returned to his lesson about Shakespeare. Wait, he was still talking about Shakespeare?

"Chit-chatting…" I muttered.

"A thank you would be appreciated," Miss Blondie suddenly said. I stared at her, confused, but she was looking at the board.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She turned her head to look at me. "He thought I was talking with Jane." She motioned her head to the girl that sat at a desk next to us.

"Why the hell would he think you were talking with 'Jane'?" I asked dumbly.

"Because last time I was."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Ooh. Is Miss Blondie a naughty girl?"

Then I thought about what I just said. "Whoops, that came out wrong. But seriously, I didn't take you for a rebel type of girl."

She didn't say anything as she stared at the blackboard or the teacher who looked to be still talking about Shakespeare. If this is what he's going to talk about every lesson, I won't be attending his classes ever again.

After a few more minutes of total boredom, which consisted of starring outside, I looked at the board as the teacher was writing something on it, and even at this distance, which was just three meters, my dyslexia didn't enable me to read what he wrote.

I nudged Miss Blondie as I pointed my pen at the board. "What is written on the board?"

"Why don't you use your eyes and just read?" she said like I was an idiot.

"Well, I can't, that's why I'm asking."

"Yeah, right."

"God what's your problem?"

"Isn't it damn obvious?"

"Well no, it isn't."

"God, you're such an idiot."

"Excuse me if we're not all Wise Girls like you," I said rolling my eyes.

"Was that supposed to be an insult?"

"Alright that's it." I glared daggers at her. "What the hell did I do to you? Why are you so… so-"

"So?"

I paused. "Acting like a total bitch."

It was her turn to glare at me. "Oh excuse me princess! I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

"Shut up."

"Oh I really did hurt your feelings, didn't I? Who's rude now?"

I tightened my hands into fist as I glared daggers at her and she did the same. "Bi-"

"Chase! Jackson!" the teacher yelled silencing the whole class. "If you want to continue arguing, you can do it later in detention!"

Miss Blondie's mouth hit the desk. "What?!"

"Chase, you want more detention?"

"No, sir." She looked down at her notebook.

"Good, now both of you stop bickering!"

Before I could think, my mouth opened. "Well it's your fault to put me in this seat in the first place," I retorted. "So if anyone has to go in detention, it's you, I think."

The class was completely silent. I felt all eyes on me, including Miss Blondie. The teacher was turning even redder than before.

"PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE!" he roared. "NOW!"