The Lost Truth Chapter 1 © Melanie Sawyer

A Percy Jackson & the Olympians Fan Fiction

I had a normal life, once. But it had to change. I liked my life before I found out everything. My life wasn't so complicated

.

It was a week before my birthday, and I was excited. But that little bit of happiness had to be shattered. Thanks to school.

I was walking down the hall to get to the bus, when my math teacher pulled me into the broom closet. Mrs. Coleen was a weird woman, always wore sweaters that she tied the arms around her neck, and she wore sweaters with cats and dogs embroidered on them, and she always smelled like wet wool.

She stared at me strangely. And I was getting creeped out. "What are you doing, Miss Billings?" She asked me in a hushed voice.

"You pulled me into here, don't ask dumb stuff to me." That made her mad. She pointed to the door, "Out. Now. And don't talk to me like that again, Opal." I blinked angrily at her. How dare she call me that awful name? Opal is my real name that I hate being called. Everyone calls me by my middle name, Leah. See, that sounds way better than Opal.

I trudge down the hall, knowing I just missed the bus. Stupid math teacher. I go into the office and call home. My mother picks up, and I tell her I need a ride home. She says she'll be here in twenty minutes. I don't live with my real parents, I never knew my father, and my mother died when I was seven. I live with my adoptive parents. They are nice, and I have an older brother, that's my adoptive mother's. I wait in the office. I look out the window that has a view of the street. New York is always busy around Christmas. All those people putting up the lights, finding the right tree to put in their home. Buying Christmas presents. And sharing the Christmas cheer. Not. I hate the Christmas season. It's miserable.

Finally Hazel (adoptive mom) pulls into the parking lot, and I walk to the car. She kisses my head when I get into the car. "Did you have a good day of school, sweetie?" she asks as she pulls into the busy street.

"It was okay." Truth was, I hated it. Everyone thought I was dumb because I have dyslexia, and ADHD doesn't help either. Hazel and Bill(adoptive father) thought they were going to get a perfect little angel from above, they were dead wrong. I am a failure. I am smart despite my dyslexia, in math. I also have a social problem. I have a hard time talking to people. I mean I like, don't know what to say. And I have an attitude problem.

When I get home, I notice that my father is gone. His briefcase was sitting on the couch, coat on the hook.

"Mom, where's dad?" I called out.

She came into the room, "What? He's still not here?" I walked into their bed room, and there were like, claw scratches on the floor and door. Mom came up behind me, "Oh my God." She pulled me to my room and locked the door.

"Mom, what's going on?" She pulled my suit case out of my closet, and said, "Pack. You're leaving."

"But, why?" Mom stopped dead, she stared behind me then gasped. I turned to look at what she was looking at. I was a hellhound. Big and huge, and drooling on the floor. "Mom," I said shakily. "What is that, doing here?" She wrapped her arms around me, and pulled me back. "Mrs. O'Leary? Chiron must have sent her. Don't worry, Leah. She's harmless." I approached the hellhound slowly, I pat its large nose, and it licked me. This dog barely fit inside my room. She was as big as a tank. Tucked in her huge collar, was a note. I pat her giant head, then pulled the note out of her collar. I opened it, and in very sloppy writing it read:

Opal, this is Mrs. O'Leary. I Hope she behaves. You need to pack your things and LEAVE! Bad things are coming your way. Get on Mrs. O'Leary, and then tell her to go to 'Camp Half-Blood'. I'll try to explain everything when you get here.

Percy Jackson

P.S. Hurry!

I read the note several times then, showed it to Hazel. Her brows frowned, and she continued to pack my things. "Mom, what does all this mean?"

She finished, and zipped my bag up. "Honey, it's about your real parents. Your mother was normal, but your father wasn't. And now you're in danger. You have to go to this camp, it's the only place you'll be safe." I heard a door slam then a loud yell, "Mom!" It was Christian. And he just saw Mrs. O'Leary. "Honey. Calm down and come in here." Christian slid past Mrs. O'Leary, with her still licking his head. "Mom! What is that thing?" When he said 'thing' Mrs. O'Leary barked at him.

"Chris, that's, an, um, hellhound. She's here to take Leah somewhere."

"Where? She's going away?"

"Yes, smarty. I'm leaving. Aren't you happy? I'm going to camp."

"But mom, it's the middle of the school year. She can't go."

"Honey, she's different. And we'll all be in danger if she doesn't leave. Now tell her bye, she has to leave, NOW." Christian hugged me, and so did Hazel. I put my backpack on and got on Mrs. O'Leary. "Take me to Camp Half- Blood."

Mrs. O'Leary started running, and before she ran into the wall, we disappeared. She kept running in the darkness. Then we were running through a forest.

Mrs. O'Leary stopped, and I got off before she fell asleep. Then I hear a crunch, and there was a boy in front of me. I staggered back, surprised, and tripped over a root. The boy laughed and leaned over me. He had striking green eyes, black hair that was in his face (which wasn't that bad either), and was dressed in all black clothes. His shirt said 'I HANG OUT WITH DEAD PEOPLE'. He put his hand out helped me up. "I'm Nico di Angelo. Son of Hades." Did he just say Hades? I think he did. But my social problem stopped me from asking him. "And you're Opal, right?" I nodded, then shook my head. "No," I said, barely above a whisper. "I mean yes, but call me Leah." He chuckled to himself. "Aw, you're the quite type." That statement offended me, but it was true, in public.

We were walking out of the forest, then Nico said, "Are you freaked out, or are you always this quite?" I messed with my necklace that my real mother gave me. I was nervous, even more so with Nico walking beside me. "In public I'm quite. And I am freaked out." Nico looked at me sideways, and smiled.

"Well, we're not in public, are we?"

"I," I gulped and blushed. "I guess not. B-but I don't know you." Nico laughed again, an odd creepy laugh, "Yet." I gulped.

"Nico, stop hitting on the new girl," I black headed boy appeared on my other side. He was cuter than Nico, in a way. His eyes were blue, not green, and his hair was shorter. He was wearing an orange shirt that said 'CAMP HALF-BLOOD'. "I'm Percy Jackson. Son of Poseidon " Whatever these people drank that made them this cute, I need to drink some of it, too.

"You're the one who sent Mrs. O'Leary." Nico glowered at Percy. "Yeah, she talks to you. Thanks Percy." Percy laughed and messed up Nico's hair. "Yeah, don't worry Nico. I'm already taken. Remember? Annabeth?" Nico laughed. Percy had a girlfriend. She's lucky.

"Who could forget her?"

"Yeah, anyway, yes, I sent Mrs. O'Leary." Percy rested his elbow on my shoulder, and Nico grumbled again. Was Nico really jealous?

"She scared the crap out of my brother." Nico looked confused. "You have a brother?"

"Y-yeah, I-I'm a-a-adopted." Percy laughed, and Nico scowled. "Aw, Nico she can't say a word clearly to you." I pushed Percy's elbow off my shoulder and frowned. "You made her mad, Percy."

"Stop talking like I'm not here. I can hear you!" I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I'm sorry, Leah." Nico said, looking at me again. I smiled and nodded at him. "You're forgiven, Nico."

"Wait, I thought your name was Opal?"

"It is," I said to Percy, then Nico continued for me. "But she likes to be called Leah." I nodded at Nico, "Yes. I hate my first name." Nico smiled at me again. I looked at Percy, "See, I said six words without stuttering."

Finally, we stopped at a large cabin. Percy knocked on the door, and a man in a wheelchair opened the door. "Leah, dear. I'm Chiron."

Nico di Angelo, Percy Jackson, Mrs. O'Leary (C) Rick Rick Riordan

Opal Leah Billings, Hazel Billings, Christian Billings, Mrs. Coleen (C) Me