Goode High School

"Okay fantastic Percy! Another lap and you should be good to go!" Triton said grinning as he held a stopwatch in his hand. Percy broke the surface of the pool and hauled himself up "Percy are you part dolphin or something?! You could be an Olympic swimmer with the kind of times you are pulling!" Triton praised as he threw Percy a towel.

Over the past few weeks Triton kept true to his word and trained with Percy every day after school and even though it had only been a few weeks Percy was starting to gain some muscle. The amount of time he spent outdoors also gave him quite the tan as well, his skin was now sun kissed and Annabeth said it made his eyes even more deep and amazing, simply thinking about it made him blush.

As he and Triton walked out the locker room they ran into two other people; a buff Asian fellow and tall muscled girl with brown hair "Hey Frank! Clarisse! Meet Percy Jackson, he might be on the swim team this year." Triton explained.

Frank shook his hand whereas Clarisse just rolled her eyes and mumbled 'whatever' under her breath. After a few seconds of silence Frank broke it "I'm hungry." he announced loudly and left the trio immediately. Clarisse chuckled before giving Triton a high five and leaving.

Triton turned "Clarisse is head of the wrestling team and Frank is on the football team. All of the teams are friends so if you decide to be on the swim team get used to it." he explained as he and Percy walked out of the school.

When they were about to leave the school and catch a bus home Percy thought of something, "Hey Triton actually I think I'll get a ride home I gotta do something first." he said before running off down the hall. Triton didn't even try to stop him, he learned early on not to question Percy's randomness.

Percy navigated his way through the halls before he came up to the classroom, he hesitated but then he remembered how happy his mom looked and how she begged him to get to know Paul. He sighed and knocked on the door lightly, he heard a loud 'Come in' from the other side and he walked into the empty classroom.

Paul was grading the recent test they took, he knew he didn't do too well on it and his mother had scolded him to get better grades but he couldn't help it, he hated school. Paul looked a little surprised to see him but he smiled widely "How can I help you Percy?" he asked kindly.

Percy scratched his head nervously "Um...My mom said that maybe...we should get to know each other." he was stuttering and blushing because who wouldn't be when your teacher was also your moms boyfriend you had no choice.

Paul nodded in agreement "Sit down Percy let's talk." he said and Percy sat across from him "I have an idea, I ask you a question about yourself and you answer truthfully and then you ask me. Sound fair?" he asked and Percy nodded shyly.

Paul nodded before sitting back "Has it always been just you and your mother?" he asked and Percy shook his head "Would you be comfortable telling me who else was in your life?" he asked but Percy stopped him.

"That's two questions, it's my turn." he said and Paul looked like he wanted to argue but bit his tongue and nodded. Percy was trying to think of a good question but finally decided on "Did you always want to be a teacher?" he asked.

Paul smiled before nodding "I don't know why but I have always truly enjoyed helping others further their education. It inspires me to keep going and maybe eventually become a full time professor at a prestigious college. Of course what I really want is to start a family be a father." he said casually.

Percy nodded and Paul sat forward "So now it's my turn, now I want to ask you something that may be hard to talk about, but I care about you and I want to be better to both you and Sally." he said and Percy was confused before Paul looked Percy in the eye "Percy? You said it wasn't always just you and your mother and seeing some of the ways your mother acts around me...were you and your mother physically abused in the past?" he asked very slowly and cautiously looking for any sign of anger or sadness from Percy.

But Percy had learned to keep those feelings in check, he had to when he was with his stepfather. However, he could feel that Paul was different he could never see this man laying a finger on his mother or himself. He found himself nodding to the question and Paul handed him a tissue, Percy didn't realize that a tear was falling down his cheek.

"Percy if you don't want to talk about this we can talk about something else just say so okay?" he asked and Percy shook his head.

"No, no it's okay...um...my ex-stepfather, Gabe, he was pretty brutal on my mom. I tried to step in a lot but he would just beat me harder and harder and then go back to my mom. Finally my mothers friends found out what was going on and called the police. Gabe was arrested but my mother and I couldn't stay in the city anymore, so we moved here before Gabe got out of jail and have been hoping he never finds us. He said on multiple occasions that if we left he would kill us." Percy said, he did not intend to say so much but he found himself opening up to Paul more and more.

Paul listened intently, never making a face or giving his pity, which was fine with Percy he hated it when people gave him pity, it always sounded so forced and fake.

Eventually Paul lowered his hands and placed one of Percy's shoulder "Percy I want you to listen to me okay...I will NEVER lay a hand on Sally, nor would I ever even think about doing that to her or you. I care for both of you deeply and if this Gabe fellow ever does come back let me know okay? I won't let him hurt you guys ever again. That's a promise Percy." he said with a smile.

Percy smiled and before he could even think he threw his arms around Paul and hugged him "Th-Thank you Paul." he said softly.

Paul chuckled deeply as he hugged the young teenager back "No problem Percy. Now I think we should talk about your grade on this test." he said as he pulled away and grabbed a paper.

Percy gulped as he took the test and saw that he got a sixty seven, not his best but definitely not his worst that was for sure "Paul, er, Mr. Blofis? I'm trying I really am but it's just so hard and I'm dyslexic and it takes so long to read the sentences and..." Paul had held up his hand to cut him off.

"Percy, I know you are trying, Annabeth and Jason have both come up to me and told me how hard you focus and how many notes you take. This isn't your fault at all, we just need to figure out the best way for you to retain the information. That's why I took the liberty of getting you a tutor." he explained.

Percy let out a small sigh "Who is my tutor?" he asked curiously and Paul smiled again as he spread his hands.

"I am Percy, I'll be over at your house tonight around seven alright?" he said.

Percy nodded and found himself smiling back at him before he shook Pauls hand and started leaving "Oh and Percy?" he called causing Percy to turn back.

Paul was holding the test out "Let's just not tell your mom about this score alright? Otherwise I think both of our asses would be on the line. I'll let you retake it next week okay?" he said with a laugh and Percy smiled before nodding again.

Then he left to go find Peter on the Track Field to take him home.

PLEASE REVIEW! LOVE YOU GUYS! BYYYYYYEEEEE!