I couldn't sleep. I kept tossing and turning,until I heard the sound of tin hitting the floor. My eyes shot open and I sat upright. My eyes darted towards the clock;five in the morning. I rolled out of bed and slowly made my way into the kitchen. Percy was sitting at the table,his face in his hands. I was torn between going back and talking to him. "Percy?"
His head shot up. He had changed into a clean blue shirt and jeans,his hair more tidier than last night. His face was clean too,except for the bruise on his eye. His lip twitched upwards "Oh,hi."
"Are you...feeling better?" I asked. He shrugged.
"Well,I was vomiting in the toilet all night and thinking of excuses to give Penny before she kills me,but other than that,feeling better." he chuckled. When I didn't say anything,his fingers drummed the table nervously.
"And..um..thanks for helping me last night. I can be a mess when drunk." He said slowly. I half smiled at that.
"Yeah,I noticed." I bit my lip,then sat next to him at the table. He didn't object. "Do you..remember last night?"
He put his forehead in his palm "Well,bits of it. I remember you talking to me...some of it's fuzzy...but the first thing that jabbed me when I woke up was you telling me about my sister."
"She was really scared,you know." I told seriously "she kept trying to say that she isn't worrying at all."
Percy chuckled dryly "Well,that's my sister. She can hide anything,no matter how obvious the truth is. Anything."
"What would she have to hide?"
Percy's smile faded a bit. He looked uncomfortable "Nothing. I mean,we all have some skeletons in our closets,don't we?"
"Percy," I leaned forward "Where were you all week? Penny told me that you usually get drunk for a few days,then come home."
"Well..that sums it up."
"But a week? And that bruised eye? You mentioning about some guy..and something about me looking like his girl." I said cautiously,poking into the dangerous waters. His green eyes analyzed me for a few seconds.
"I let some of it spill last night,didn't I?"
"A bit. And I'm glad you did. You mentioned about how...horrible your dad was."
He sighed,ruffling his black hair "Well,of all three girls I could've stumbled on last night,it had to be Wise Girl."
"Exactly. Why did you get into a fight Percy? You even mentioned about protected your sister and.."
"And?" he asked expectingly. I swallowed.
"Something about your dad's gang. Your mom in a coma and,something that your dad's gang did with your sister."
He looked pained and turned away for a few moments. I felt that I had stumbled across the danger zone. I was questioning him too much,which was not like me. As much as I wanted answers,I stood up "I-I'm sorry Percy. I shouldn't be asking you all of this. You better get some rest."
He moistened your lips "You better do too. Your night wasn't exactly good either."
I nodded and turned,but he said,"Annabeth?"
I turned around. He had a firm look on his face "Whatever you do,don't tell Penny anything you heard last night,or that you even saw me. Please"
oOoOo
Penny was mad. She wasn't talking to Percy,even when he put a freshly-made omlet with orange juice under her nose. Piper gave Percy the,'You-are-so-dead' look,and he winced."So uh..want some toast or something with that?" Percy asked. Penny looked on the verge of choked her brother to death with her bear hands. Her arms were strongly wrapped around herself,her body almost trembling with range.
"No thank you. But I'd like to have your head on a plate topped with mustard please." she said cooly. Percy gulped,looking more frightened than I'd ever seen him. Piper was trying to conceal her smile.
"Um...we're all out?" He squeaked. Slowly,very slowly,she looked up at him. Then finally,grabbed a fork and stood up,poking it at him.
"WHERE THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU?!" Penny shrieked,her eyes cackling with power and electricity. Percy stumbled back,looking white. I didn't blame him. It looked as though Penny had grown fangs.
"I-uh..you see.."
"I'VE CALLED,I TEXTED,BUT WHAT DID YOU DO? GOT YOURSELF WASTED,THAT'S WHAT YOU DID!"
"Penny,I-"
"ONE WEEK PERSEUS JACKSON. ONE-FUCKING-WEEK!"
"Alright sis,language. I can explain-"
"Oh,you better explain. You better explain WHY THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU GET A BRUISED EYE AND COME BACK HERE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS?! I ACTUALLY THOUGHT OF CALLING THE POLICE!"
"I know! I know sis,and I'm sorry. I really am." He managed to say,his chest rapidly rising and contracting. It was Penny who looked like she had run through a marathon.
"SO MANY TIMES YOU'VE RUN OFF LIKE THIS,BUT YOU DON'T EVEN CARE OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU,OR TO ME!"
"I do! Penny,I seriously do care."
"If you ever,leave me like that again,I swear to all the gods I will-I will-oh,I'm just glad you're safe!" she dropped the fork and hugged him tightly. For a moment,Percy blinked,then hugged her back calmly.
"I am sis. We both are." He muttered,looking momentarily relieved. I had to strain my ears to hear this,and I'm not proud of doing so. I knew that there was more to why Percy left for a week.
"Um..bad timing?" A voice at the door asked. Apollo was standing there,looking abashed. Penny burst into the one true grin I'd seen this entire week,wiping her eyes.
"Just get in Solace." she sniffed. Then she turned back towards Percy sharply,who winced.
"If you ever,do this again Perseus...I'LL KICK YOU SO HARD YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO HELP A GIRL REPRODUCE!" She shrieked suddenly,making us all jump. Percy looked like he wanted to cry and run. With a final 'Humph!',she turned and walked into the kitchen. Apollo chuckled and slapping Percy on the back.
"Got the flodgings from her huh?"
"I'm never gunna be able to sleep tonight." Percy muttered. Apollo looked at the kitchen with a gleam in the eye.
"Well,she's really something."
"Solace,I can hear you." Penny called out from the kitchen. Apollo grinned.
"I know you can Sweetheart."
"Don't call me sweetheart!"
"Whatever you say,Sunshine."
"Or sunshine!"
"Okay princess."
"Kill me now."
oOoOo
Penny's bad mood didn't go away in a flurry. She was extremely stiff all day,and Apollo even had to hold her back while Percy ran to his room,triple bolting the door while Penny cursed and threw saucepans everywhere. Other than that,it was a good day. The other boys even came around and we all had a good lunch. Even Penny was starting to unravel and enjoy. Everything was going okay,until the phone call I had accidently heard while I was clearing up the table.
"I know man,I do. But I can't leave my sister here."
I stopped,frozen. Percy was talking on the phone in the kitchen.
"Dude,you know she's all I have...I know that,but she'll never let me go if I tell her...okay,when-a week? Again? Not cool dude...Yeah,yeah,he could come and target my friends and sister next,I know. You've told me a hundred times...and I've been telling you the only way to survive this is by murdering! Sure,I might be put behind bars...my dad might bail me out...I'll see what I can do. I'll try on..Wednesday."
I rattled the plates a little to create noise just as he walked out,holding his phone. "Hey."
I looked up and gave him an expression as though I just noticed him "Oh..hi."
"You need help with those?" He asked. I shook my head.
"Nah,I'm fi-"
"Your welcome." he said cheerfully,taking the stack of plates away from my hands. Rolling my eyes,I grabbed the other plates and followed him to the dishwasher. After putting all the dishes in,I shut it close and stood up. For a moment,both of us just stared at each other.
"I'm pretty sure that you still want answers."
I blinked "How did you know?"
"Your expression. Your lips go all straight and your eyebrows knit together-"
"Alright I get it. But it doesn't matter. I don't need answers." I told him shortly,washing my hands.
"Well,that's something you don't hear everyday." he mused. He was right,that really was something anyone really says. I sighed.
"Well,it's not really my business,and last I checked,it's not right asking about someone's private issues." I said,drying my hands with a towel. I had the feeling that he wanted to give me the answers..in exchange for something else. Or maybe he simply wanted to give me the answers. But for Penny's sake,I couldn't.
"Well you're loyal."
I smirked "When you finally have friends,you'll understand how it is to keep them."
"Nice words,Wise Girl."
"Oh shut up. Ugh,I need coffee." I groaned,putting my hand on my forehead. He tilted his head to the side.
"But we just had lunch!"
"I can't function with coffee. If I ever go missing,look in the coffee shop. Well,see ya."
"Are you seeing Luke?"
"What?" I turned towards him,feeling flustered "No,we-we're just friends."
"It doesn't look like that." he said with a grin,though it seemed forced. I rolled my eyes.
"Oh,Shut up. Patched up with Rachel yet?"
"No,and I don't think I will." he said,putting his hands in his pockets "didn't you say that you don't ask about someone's private issues?"
"Well,judging by the way you two thrashed around like a pair or eels,I wouldn't call you and Rachel private." I said savagely. He frowned.
"Well,that's kind of true."
With a final savage smile,I turned around and walked out of the house.
Well,Percabeth is kinda getting along now..*wink wink* P.S I don't know if you guys noticed,but I updated Forbidden and Forgotten Sparks...And I recently got two more news ideas for Penollo stories but for all of our sake's I'm holding it in...REVIEW!