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Percy

I sat there staring at the library windows. I was perplexed why Annabeth Chase was looking at me. Did she see what Luke did? Probably. That was why she was staring. Not because she had interest in me, but she saw what Luke does to me any second he gets. I was happy that Luke might get what was coming to him, but also sad that Annabeth didn't care about me. Why would she? I was a freak. I can't talk. Luke can talk. Everybody can talk besides Percy freaking Jackson.

With a sigh, I got up and grabbed my things. I looked around the main area of the school. It was pretty cool for a public high school. Pillars clung to white, cylinder-shaped walls that went and connected into a golden dome. The area split into five areas: the office hall, cafeteria, library and 9-12th grade hallways. I walked through the 10th grade hallway and made my way to class.

Lunch is my favorite period. I get an escape from both the nagging teachers and Luke. Plus, no Gabe! I sat with Thalia and my other cousin, Nico. Nico is in the grade below us. He is pale, small and dark haired. His clothes say "goth", but his attitude says ten year old. I love Nico the most.

We ate in silence. We usually did because we were so concentrated on eating, that we didn't have time to talk.

"So, Perce," Nico said finally breaking the silence. "How's life?"

I shrugged my shoulders and quickly started eating again. Not so much because I was hungry, but because I knew what conversation was yet to come. Nico and Thalia were more concerned about Gabe than I was. They knew what he was doing, and felt that I needed to do something. Every time I said/wrote "I will never be free from Gabe. Even if he gets taken into custody, he will get out and find me. It's pointless".

"What about Gabe?" he said. "Is he pulling anything?"

Before I could even respond, Thalia answered for me. "Things are bad," she said. "He beats him everyday, and Percy won't do anything about it. Then we have Luke making Percy's life hell at school."

I knew trying to write anything would be pointless, so I didn't.

"I know he beats him everyday, Thalia," Nico said. "But is it getting worse, Perce?"

I shook my head even though they knew I was lying. I like that they cared about me, but I wished they knew it was hopeless. I try to tell them every 30 minutes that telling someone won't help, but they just go at it.

"Percy," Nico said seriously. "I know you think that not telling someone will help, but it will".

I got up abruptly. I knew that everyone in the cafeteria was looking at me, but I left. I heard Thalia and Nico call after me, and for once, I didn't care.

"Look at him," Someone said. "His only friends are his cousins. Freak".

I walked a little faster. Tears started running down my eyes. This was my life. Constantly hearing people mutter and gossip about me. Getting beat up by Gabe and Luke. Maybe it was true. Maybe I am a freak. Maybe that's why I get bullied by everyone I know. Not Thalia and Nico. I walked out of the cafeteria and into the library.

I needed some quiet to think. I looked for the area with the chairs where people sit to read. Once I found it, I sat down and began to think. Why does everyone hate me? I know I'm a mute, but why won't they treat me like a normal person. Because I'm not normal. Sadness began to poison me. Slowly making it's way all over my body. I ached for happiness, but all I felt was sadness, and my heart was the source. I sniffed.

"P-Percy," a soft said.

I jumped. When I turned around I saw Annabeth standing behind me looking concerned. I needed was more pity.

"You alright, Percy?" She said.

I nodded my head. As much as I wanted her gone, I also wanted her to stay. I don't know why, but she had that effect on me.

"I'm sorry about what Luke did," she continued.

Of course you are.

"Are you ignoring me?" she said.

I got confused. She does know about my… situation? Everybody knows about it, but not… her. I mean, she hangs around the one guy that boasts about it to the whole school. Does she have selective hearing or something?

I got out my notebook and began to write:

I can't talk. It's impossible. I got injured as a kid in a car accident and my vocal chords got messed up, and I okay, thanks.

"Oh my god," she said. "I'm so sorry."

It's okay, I wrote.

"No it's not," she said. "When Luke said you're a mute I thought he meant you don't really talk. Luke can be a total prick and will lie about who people are to make him look good."

I scoffed. Luke's girlfriend was talking trash about him. That had to hurt.

"So what's up with you?" she said. When she saw my confused look she continued. "Like what about your parents and what do you do for fun".

My parents were killed in a car crash. My uncle took custody, but he doesn't care for me, I wrote. Also, what I do for fun is football.

"Oh my God," she said. "I'm so sorry about your parents".

I lied about the last part. I don't really have anything fun to do since Gabe doesn't allow for me to have fun, but I didn't want to sound like a total loser and football seemed like the best idea that made me sound the least bit cool. We sat in an awkward silence. I was glad that Annabeth seemed to at least care.

"Why don't you play for the school then," Annabeth said breaking the silence. "You look like you'd be good at it. With your build I mean".

I smirked at the blush that played on her face.

Yeah, maybe I will.

Annabeth really seemed cool. She wasn't a total jerk, and actually cared about me. Before we talked, I felt that only Thalia and Nico cared, but this made me happy in a long time. It gave me a feeling that I thought dead for so long. Hope. Hope that maybe things would be better. Hope that she and I could be good friends.

What do you see in Luke. No offense. I wrote.

"Luke can be a good guy," Annabeth said. I scoffed. How could Luke be a good guy? He hurts people that irritate him. He's a player and is a total idiot. He practically screams bad guy.

"I know what he does to people," Annabeth said. "I know what he does to you, but he does it to protect me. My family treated me like trash, and Luke does everything in his power to make sure I'm safe".

I felt sympathy for her. I know what it felt to have your family hurt you. To be stripped of all happiness and have it be replaced by fear. Maybe Luke wasn't such a jerk. Still a jerk, but not a big one.

Maybe he isn't a jerk after all. I wrote

Annabeth laughed. Her laugh was clear and nice. I liked it. I wished I could hear her laugh more.

"Hey, Percy," Annabeth said. "You should go to the Yankee's game with Luke and I next Friday. We got an extra ticket when we ordered some, and I you should come with us. You want to?"

I thought. I knew that if I did, then Gabe would probably kill me; if Luke didn't first. Then again, I could spend time with Annabeth. My first actual friend. I mean I know Thalia and Nico are my "friends", but they were my cousins and that doesn't really count. After a minute or two I wrote my answer.

Sure.

I heard the bell ring dismissing kids to the next period. My teacher was going to be mad, but I actually didn't care about getting into trouble for once. Annabeth on the other hand looked horrified. I knew that she was a really good student and never "skipped" class.

"Oh my god," she said. "I got to go. See you later!"

I sat there for a couple of minutes sitting there smiling. I was going to go somewhere besides home and school for once! I didn't have to be confined in the prison of my room and school. I could be free. I could do something on my own!

"Excuse me," a voice said.

I turned around and saw the old librarian standing behind me.

"You need to get to class".

I got up and grabbed my notebook. I spent the rest of the day smiling. Even when I got home and met Gabe's fist. Even when I was on the ground with bruises from my daily beating, but it stopped when I realized that I would have to sneak past Gabe to get to the game with Annabeth. I had a week in a half to plan, but tonight I wanted to not worry. Tonight I wanted to be happy, and I was.

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