The Boy in the Background

by thed4rksavior

Very short but very frequent uploads. Percy has always been in Annabeth's life. But he's only in the background. Showing up here and there for a minute or two. Nothing significant really. She doesn't even really notice him. Until she does.

4. Bullies

She's fourteen now. A bigger girl named Clarisse has her cornered in an alley. Clarisse had seen her leaving the store and then chased her favorite victim, Annabeth, here. "Your mommy didn't leave so she could get a better job! Can't believe you really believe that! She probably just left to get away from her ugly, know-it-all, freak of a daughter!" Clarisse snarls at Annabeth. The words hurt because they are words she has thought to herself thousands of times. That's the terrible magic of bullies, they always seem to know exactly what to say to hurt you. Annabeth flinches visibly making Clarisse smile in satisfaction.

"Hey Clarisse what's up" Annabeth hears. Her attention is drawn away from her tormentor and to the tall black haired boy walking casually down the alley towards the two of them. Annabeth shrinks back against the brick wall of the dead end alley. "Great," she thinks, "another friend of Clarisse come to help her beat me up. Just what I needed!" The boy obviously knew Clarisse and anyone who knew Clarisse but wasn't her friend would be doing the sensible thing and running. But to Annabeth's surprise Clarisse whipps around and steps backwards nervously almost like SHE is scared of HIM!

"Go away Jackson! This isn't any of your business," She yells at the newcomer.

The boy, Jackson walks right past Clarisse and to Annabeth. "Is she bothering you?" he asks her.

Annabeth is not sure how to answer and is, quite frankly, speechless. His smile and the kind look in his eyes morphs into something more wild and dangerous. "I'll take that as a yes," He says and turns around to face Clarisse. "You going to leave her alone or do I have to make you?"

It's clear to Annabeth that Clarisse wants to just leave but she refuses to look weak in front of her audience. "Come on then Jackson! You just got lucky last time."

"The last three times you mean," Jackson says and Clarisse leaps at him. Her feet barely leave the ground before his fist slams into her face rocketing her right to the ground. Her nose is clearly broken. Jackson bends down and taps her cheek mockingly, "Hey maybe next time." Clarisse doesn't even bother to get up as Jackson escorts Annabeth out of the alley. He says something about being late and rushes off before she even has a chance to thank him.