A/N: Hey guys! Just to let you know that I know this chapter is much shorter than all my other chapters but I really liked the way it ended. Because I have so much planned for the next two chapters, I felt like it was better to cut it off the way it ended. I'm really excited for what is to come and I hope you guys will like it. Because this chapter is so short, I will be updating one more time this week with another short chapter.

Some of you have asked about how often I would update this story and the usual updates will be at the very least, once every week on Mondays. Depending on the week and the chapter length, the updates per week could increase but I also have a full-time job in the summer so my update schedule will most likely be once a week for this story. Thank you all so much for all your kind words and I hope you enjoy this chapter however short it may be.

Percy tapped his foot nervously as he sat on the steps outside of school waiting for Jason. The bell had rung a couple of minutes ago, signalling the end of the school day and he was now waiting for a conversation he was hoping he could have avoided forever. However, Jason had cornered him at lunch demanding to speak to him about what he had seen and Percy could not bring himself to say no. He didn't want to push Jason away by being as rude as he had been before but he didn't exactly want to tell Jason all his secrets only to have him call the cops on Gabe turning Percy's fears into a reality. Jason seemed incredibly noble, like the kind of person who would always want to do the right thing and while Percy admired that in him, it also scared him in terms of coming clean about what he had seen. His thoughts were interrupted by Jason sitting next to him. By now, the parking lot was clearing out, the cheerleaders and the football players staying behind for their respective practices. There were a couple stragglers as well, who were staying for whatever reason they may have but most of the people where already on their way home. Percy caught a glimpse of Annabeth as he looked behind Jason and she gave him a small smile before disappearing into the locker rooms. Percy turned his attention back to Jason, waiting for him to say what he had to say.

Jason looked at Percy questioningly, almost suspiciously before he spoke.

"Why were you covered in bruises?" Jason definitely wasn't beating around the bush with this one. It wasn't because he was trying to be mean or anything like that. It was actually quite the opposite. He was concerned for the guy sitting next to him because he felt like they had somewhat become friends on Saturday and he felt they had the potential to become great friends. There was just something so familiar about Percy that put him at ease a bit and seeing him covered in bruises... Jason would have been concerned if it was a stranger and seeing that happen to someone like Percy was disconcerting to him. Percy looked away from Jason as he asked him the question, trying to figure out what to say to him.

"I get into a lot of fights after school... I don't really live in the best neighbourhood." Percy says not wanting to lie to Jason. In truth, he wasn't lying at all. Yes, he did get into a lot of fights with Gabe after school and yes he did not live in the best neighbourhood. Were the two related? Not necessarily but whatever Jason drew from the statement wasn't on Percy's shoulders. He was just stating facts. Percy looked back up at Jason who seemed to believe him but for some reason was still skeptical.

"Why didn't you just tell me this? Why did you have to push us all away and yell at me in the locker rooms?" Jason asks softly frowning a bit. He had no reason to doubt Percy, and it seemed like he was telling the truth but his behaviour in the recent days just didn't seem to add up to Jason.

"Well when I got home after the party, I got into a particularly bad fights. I just started thinking that if I hadn't been out so late, the fight wouldn't have happened and that kind of led me to blame you guys.. I know you guys are not to blame, it was my fault for staying out so late but... sometimes people do stupid things... The reason I didn't really want to tell you is... you guys, most of you at least, seem to live in really nice parts of town. Annabeths houses is amazing and I would kill to live in a place like yours... I didn't want any of you to think less of me because of that." Percy says honestly. Jason sighs hearing him say that. He wasn't the kind of guy to judge someone based on their financial backgrounds or their differences. He only saw people in the way they presented themselves to him and he only cared about who they were, not where they came from. Hearing Percy say that he was scared something like this would happen made him feel kind of dejected. Was that the kind of attitude he was portraying?

"Percy, that kind of stuff doesn't matter to me... to any of us. When I was a kid, Thalia and I used to live with our mother who was... she was an alcoholic and she was also addicted to narcotics. We never seemed to have any money to spare and it was hard for the longest time until one day my mother died and my father took us in. I know what its like to have it rough, a lot of us do. Travis and Connor live in a foster home filled with a bunch of other kids. Their foster father, Hermes, he's pretty amazing but its still a hard situation to be in. You aren't the only one with hardships, and I'm not saying that to offend you I'm just saying that so you know you are not alone in whatever you are going through. And usually, friends can help get you through those hard times or at least support you when you need them. We don't care about that kind of stuff Percy we just care about who you are.." Jason says in order to show Percy what kind of people they all were. Hearing Jason tell him things like that gave Percy comfort. He obviously wasn't oblivious to the fact that he was not the only person with problems but he had felt alone in his situation until Annabeths discovery yesterday. He felt even less alone hearing Jasons words. Maybe he was right...

"I'm sorry about your mom. That must have been hard." Percy says looking up at Jason who shrugged in response.

"I don't really remember much.. I was really young but it was harder on my sister. She remembers it better and it's hard because I feel like it affected her more. But we are better people because of it I think. Our lives aren't perfect and I doubt they ever will be but the least we can do is to try to make the most of what we have. Right?" Jason offers Percy a smile as he stands up, having to head over to his football practice. He offers his hand out to Percy to help him up but also as a sign of friendship and acceptance. Percy looks at Jason's hand before taking it, a smile forming on his face.