xxPercyxx

I'm pretty sure Saturdays are a gift straight from the gods. I didn't get up until eleven o'clock, which felt wonderful after dragging myself out of bed before school every morning for the past week. When I finally wandered downstairs still dressed in my pajamas and yawning, Poseidon let out a chuckle at the table.

"I was wondering if you had died," he said, already fully dressed and eating lunch. He didn't have work today, and was dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans.

I yawned again, shuffling over to the refrigerator. "I'm training for hibernation," I said, my voice still raspy. "Do we have any orange juice?"

Poseidon rolled his eyes, looking amused. "Behind the egg carton," he said, looking back down at the newspaper spread out in front of him. A half-eaten sandwich lay in front of him on a plate, and he distractedly grabbed for it, invested in whatever article he was reading.

I grabbed the juice and plopped it down on the counter. Grabbing a glass, I poured myself a drink, taking care not to slop any over the edges.

"What are we doing today?" I asked, screwing the lid back on and tossing the carton back into the fridge. I walked over to sit across from Poseidon, running a hand through my already-messy hair and making it stick up in every direction. The wooden chair screeched as I slid in closer to the table, leaning my head on my fist.

Poseidon glanced up at me, marking his spot in the newspaper with a finger. "Well, I was planning on asking you earlier, but apparently you were too busy cocooning in your blankets. So I made plans to go out with some friends in a little bit."

I made a face. "What am I supposed to do?" I asked haughtily, not excited at the prospect of spending an entire day alone. Even if we had just stayed at home, at least I would have had soe company.

Poseidon shrugged. "Read a book," he suggested, obviously referring to my reading session yesterday.

"I did that yesterday."

"Hang out with some friends," he said.

I just stared at him until he sighed.

"Percy, I'm sorry. You're going to have to figure something out, because I'm leaving in about fifteen minutes. I'll be back later. You can feed yourself, right?"

"I'm not a child," I muttered, slouching in my seat dispiritedly

Poseidon gave me a doubtful look. "Mhmm," he said, finishing off his sandwich with a last bite. "Right, I'm going to go get ready. I trust you won't burn down the kitchen while I'm gone, correct?" he asked, shutting the newspaper loudly and pushing it into the center of the table to be thrown away later.

"I'll try to restrain myself," I said dryly as he walked out the door, setting his dirty dishes by the sink as he passed it.

I took another drink of my juice, wincing at the sour taste. I let my eyes slide shut, wondering if I would be able to go back to sleep if I went back upstairs. It was time I get caught up on my sleep while I could, anyways. There wasn't much else to do, since I had broken my skateboard. That had been a poor decision, upon reflection.

I was interrupted from my thoughts by someone shouting outside, their voice high-pitched and squeaky. I jumped slightly, not expecting the noise in the silent kitchen. I glared at the walls, irritated, before raising the glass to my lips again.

I might have let it pass had not another shriek erupted just a few seconds after the first one. I was not known for my patience, and I wasn't in the mood to ignore screaming outside my house. Getting to my feet, I walked quickly down the hall to the front door, still clutching my cup of juice in one hand. Yanking the door open, I stepped outside and squinted in the bright, late-morning light.

"Knock it off!" I called irritably, scanning the street for the source of the noise.

I found it just next door. Bobby and Mathew Chase were staring at me from their front lawn, eyes wide and innocent. Annabeth stood just behind them, looking surprised at my sudden and loud appearance.

"Well, good morning to you too," she said, raising her eyebrows at me.

I wanted to slam my head against the wall. Repeatedly. "Sorry," I said, inwardly wincing. "I'm just... tired."

"I can tell," Annabeth said, taking a good look at me. I was suddenly aware of the fact that I was still dressed in my pajamas and socks, my hair was sticking out everywhere, and the cup of orange juice was growing warm in my hand. I wasn't exactly looking my best at the moment, and that's when I get seen in public, of course.

Annabeth's lips twitched. I lifted my chin defensively, knowing she was amused and not exactly liking that.

"What's all the screaming about?" I said, trying to get her attention off of my outfit. I tried to be as professional as I could holding a glass of half-finished orange juice.

Annabeth sighed, looking weary all of the sudden. She was the one who looked tired at the moment; her blond hair was escaping a hastily made ponytail, and she looked like she had thrown on the first t-shirt and jeans she had come across. From the way her brothers were exchanging mischievous smiles behind her back, I could guess what exactly was stressing her out.

"I'm trying to take these two to the park," she said, shooting her brothers a look, "but they aren't cooperating."

"We were just playing tag," one of them complained, looking grumpy.

"Can't you just play tag when we get to the park?" Annabeth asked, frowning at him.

"Hey, why don't you come?" the other said, completely ignoring his sister. He was pointing at me, his expression completely open.

I raised my eyebrows at him. A moment ago I had been screaming at him, and now he wanted me to come to the park with him? Kids were weird. "Er…" I trailed off, unsure on how to answer.

Annabeth looked slightly alarmed, shaking her head. "Mathew, I'm sure Percy has better things to do than come with us to the park," she said quickly. She looked at me. "Right, Percy?" Her voice sounded forced.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I've got some stuff to do," I said, resisting the urge to shift uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"Nonsense!" a hearty voice said behind me.

I shut my eyes. "Poseidon-" I said through clenched teeth.

"Percy was just looking for something to do today," Poseidon said, coming to stand beside me. He had thrown on a nicer shirt and combed through his hair, and was beaming broadly down at our three neighbors in their yard. "I'm sure he would love to go."

He smiled down at me, looking pleased. I scowled at him. "No, I don't," I said in a hard voice.

"You need to get out of the house," he said under his breath, still smiling amiably.

"No, I don't," I repeated, practically hissing at him.

"Oh," Annabeth said, looking awkward. She looked down at her brothers, who were trying to karate-chop each other. They didn't seem to be bothered at all by the semi-fight going on right in front of them. Then she looked back at Poseidon, who was completely ignoring the glares I was sending him. "If you want to come... I guess that'd be fine," she said hesitantly.

"Just let him get dressed," Poseidon said, nodding. "Come on, Percy."

He turned and marched back into the house. I watched him go, still slightly shocked, before following after him.

"What the heck was that about?" I said as soon as the door had been shut behind me.

Poseidon was digging around the hall table for his keys, sifting through the pile of spare change he kept there. "You needed something to do," he said distractedly, pulling out his key ring. "I found you something. Go hang out with Annabeth."

"I don't want to," I said exasperatedly. Was he even listening to me? It seemed that everything I was saying went in one ear and out the other.

He looked at me, frowning as he stuck his keys in his pocket. "I thought you liked her," he said, sounding genuinely confused.

I felt my cheeks heat up. "She's okay, but I don't want to spend my Saturday with her," I said slowly, trying to get it across to him.

Poseidon sighed, glancing down at his wristwatch. "Sorry, Percy. I was just trying to help. But they're waiting for you, so I suggest you get dressed and out there."

I could tell I was going to lose this battle. Already feeling worn out from just the thought of forcing myself through a visit to the park with Annabeth, I trooped up to my bedroom. After depositing the almost-empty glass of orange juice on my dresser, I grabbed a t-shirt and pair of jeans off my floor. I quickly pulled them on, tossing my pajamas in the direction of my clothes bin. Pressed for time, I jogged to the bathroom and grabbed a comb, facing my reflection in the mirror. I winced when I saw my messy mop of hair, which was completely tied up in knots.

I can't believe Annabeth saw this, I thought to myself, feeling embarrassed. I can't believe anyone saw this, for that matter. I tried to run the comb through it, but it just got snagged on the teeth, threatening to break the comb. Biting my lip, I pressed down on it with my hand, trying to flatten it down, but it was no use. It just kept popping up, mocking me in the mirror. My hair wasn't going to get any neater.

Labeling it a lost cause, I tossed the comb down and practically sprinted down the stairs, my feet pounding heavily. Slipping into a pair of sneakers, I pulled open the door in record time, stepping back outside.

"Bye, Percy!" Poseidon shouted from somewhere in the back of the house.

I rolled my eyes. "Bye," I called back, shutting the door tightly.

The Chase's were still on the front lawn. The boys were running circles around Annabeth, who already looked exasperated. Trying to keep track of the two of them was like trying to follow two fast-moving bees.

"Can you two calm down for two seconds?" she shouted at them- or, at least in their general direction.

Both of the boys froze, completely unmoving. It was like some bizarre game of freeze-tag. One of them said, "One… two!" before they started running again, this time adding in spins.

Annabeth let out an irritated noise. I chuckled, strolling across the lawn to her. "That was two seconds," I pointed out.

Annabeth glared at me. "Oh, don't encourage them." Taking a deep breath, she said loudly, "Move out, troops!" pointing down the street.

The boys immediately stopped running around her and changed directions. Still talking excitedly about something I couldn't quite identify, they moved towards the sidewalk, not waiting for Annabeth or I.

Annabeth started walking after them, looking pleased now that they had finally stopped bothering her. I hurried to catch up to them, trying not to appear too out-of-breath after hurrying around my house to get ready within two minutes.

We walked in silence, our pace the same. The boys were always ahead of us, but Annabeth called them back whenever they got too far. For a while we just walked along, the only sound our footsteps on the sidewalk and the occasional rustle of wind through the trees.

"So where's this park we're going to?" I asked, trying to break the awkward silence. I hadn't known there were any parks in the area; at least not in walking distance.

"There's a local one, just a couple minutes away," Annabeth said, not looking at me as she squinted ahead to keep track of Bobby and Mathew. "I take the boys there all the time."

I watched her out of the corner of my eye. It was early enough that the air was still crisp and fresh despite the sun shining brilliantly overhead. Her hair was golden in the bright light, with loose tendrils hanging down around her face. I allowed myself to look for another few seconds before turning my gaze back to the sidewalk below, not wanting to be creepy.

"It's nice out," I noted, looking up at the clear blue sky. Only a few clouds were drifting lazily towards the sun, but they didn't hinder its light in the slightest.

Annabeth turned her gaze to the sun, shutting her eyes momentarily as the heat touched her face. "Yeah," she said, "I'm surprised. It should be getting cloudy around this time of the year."

"It's almost always cloudy in San Francisco," I remembered, "especially at this time of the year. Right by the water, you know?"

Annabeth nodded slowly, looking lost in thought. Her eyes were open again. "You're from San Francisco, huh?" she asked, looking at me for the first time that day.

I couldn't meet her eyes for some reason. Instead, I contented myself with staring at a point just above her right shoulder. "Yeah. I lived over there with my mom and step-dad."

"Was it nice there?" she asked curiously.

I shrugged. Truthfully, I had hated where I lived. The city itself was fine, but my neighborhood had been littered with trash and gangs slumming around. I didn't want to go bagging on an entire city just because of one street, however. "It was alright," I said carefully.

Annabeth sighed almost wistfully, looking around at the houses on either side of us. "I've always wanted to visit San Francisco," she said. Then she let out a little laugh. "I've always wanted to just go somewhere. My family never goes anywhere, unless it's to the supermarket."

"You want to travel?" I asked, genuinely interested. I had never given much thought to traveling. Sure, I had always dreamed about getting away from San Francisco and stupid Gabe, but the thought of actually having to go somewhere new was slightly foreboding. It had been hard enough coming here. My people skills weren't exactly... up to par, and I would probably get bored very easily. But I could see Annabeth traveling, meeting new people, exploring new places. She'd be perfect for it.

Annabeth smiled. "More than anything," she said, crossing her arms as a particularly chilly gust of wind blew past us. "I've always wanted to go to Greece and see the Parthenon. It's an amazing work of architecture," she said, getting more excited as she spoke. I could practically feel the passion she had for it mounting as she thought more about it.

I gave a slow nod. "Uh... yeah. Real cool," I said, trying to sound up-beat. I didn't know a thing about architecture, let alone the Parthenon. I vaguely remembered learning something about it in history class, but that was about it. I wasn't about to say that to her, though.

Annabeth opened her mouth to say something else- probably a lecture on ancient Greece's plumbing or something- but her brothers had gotten too far ahead. "Boys!" she shouted, making them halt in their tracks and wait for us to catch up.

"We're almost there, Annabeth!" one complained as soon as we were in earshot. "Hurry up!"

"There's no reason to rush, Bobby," Annabeth pointed out. "The park isn't going anywhere."

"Unless aliens attack!" the other one, Mathew, said excitedly. His face dropped slightly. "But that wouldn't be very good," he realized.

"But we could take over and be their leaders," Bobby said, nodding importantly.

Mathew considered it. "I suppose that would be alright."

"Oh, just go on," Annabeth said, gesturing ahead of her. "I'll meet you at the park."

The two ran off again without another word. As it turned out, the park was only another minute away, and we reached it shortly after the twins. They were already swinging around on the jungle gym, shrieking with laughter and earning themselves several annoyed looks.

It was a small park, but good for kids. There were a few other children running around in the sand, and a group of young teenagers were picnicking on the large grassy area, a football lying discarded off to the side. All of the benches were filled with parents sitting next to their strollers, fussing over their babies and making small chat about knitting circles or whatever it is parents talked about in their free time.

"There's no seats," Annabeth said, looking around the crowded park with a frown.

I glanced at the playground. "The swings are open," I suggested, spotting the empty seats.

Annabeth gave me a look that immediately made me feel completely stupid for even thinking of that. "You want to sit on the swings?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"Well, uh, we don't have to," I said quickly, feeling my cheeks getting hot. "It was just an idea."

Annabeth looked over at the swing set, a thoughtful look on her face. "Why not?" she said, almost to herself. Then she looked over at me, a smirk already plastered on her face. "Race you there."

She took off before I even had a chance to comprehend what she had said. Staring after her stupidly for a moment, I got a late start, sprinting across the sand in a fruitless attempt to catch up to her.

Even with her head start, I knew she still would have beaten me. She was already seated on a swing when I skidded to a stop in front of her, out of breath and flushed with embarrassment.

"Beat you," she said simply, both of her hands wrapped around the swing's chain.

"You don't say?" I said sarcastically, flopping down onto the swing next to her with relief.

We sat quietly for a few minutes while I got both my breath and dignity back. Annabeth gently swung herself back and forth next to me, letting her toes drag along the ground. Even when I was able to speak clearly again, I didn't know what to say. I had already used up quite a few generic ice-breakers, pointing out the weather and what-not. Anything that came out of my mouth seemed to sound stupid. What was I supposed to do? What was I supposed to say?

"You're getting on pretty well with Nico now," Annabeth said, unaware of my internal struggle. She looked completely at peace, swinging back and forth next to me.

"Oh," I said, digging my toe forcibly into the sand. "Yeah, I guess we're getting along. Thalia's another story, though," I said, my eyebrows coming together.

Annabeth brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, looking apologetic. "Don't let her get to you. She's as stubborn as a mule, and it'll be quite a while before she even begins to consider that she was wrong about you. Until then, she'll be trying to pick fights with you 24/7." She shot me a sharp look, straightening slightly. "Don't take her bait," she warned.

I held my hands up in surrender. "Don't worry, I won't get us landed in detention again." When Annabeth had relaxed again, I grinned slyly at her. "So you think she was wrong about me, huh?"

Annabeth didn't blush or go red or any of that kind of stuff. She shrugged, her face open and thoughtful. "Yes," she said simply, just stating a fact. "We all were. I thought you were an annoying, dangerous, arrogant jerk."

"Way to sugar-coat it," I muttered, frowning at the ground.

Annabeth grinned at me, as though she was trying to make me feel better. "I was wrong," she said quietly, her voice almost shy.

The temperature seemed to grow warmer. I worked my jaw up and down, trying to think of something to say, when she continued speaking.

"Turns out you're just annoying," she chirped cheerfully, beaming at me.

I glared at her, but she was completely unfazed. "Yeah, well... you're still a know-it-all," I proclaimed.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Please. Is that seriously the best you can do? I've been getting that hurled at me for years."

I wanted to feel irritated, but I was actually quite enjoying the banter. I leaned back on the swing, letting my momentum move me gently back and forth. On the jungle gym, Mathew and Bobby were hanging upside down, shouting at each other with grins on their faces. I was half-afraid that they were going to fall and break themselves, and half amused by their antics.

"They're cute," I said randomly, watching the boys. I didn't care much for kids- they were too loud and squealed too often for my taste- but I had to admit, those two weren't bad. They were even bearable.

If Annabeth was surprised by my opinion, she didn't say anything. She swung herself so her toes just skimmed the ground, staring out across the playground to keep a watch on the twins.

"Yeah," she said, her voice suddenly careful. "They're sweet."

It was obvious that she wasn't telling the whole truth. Frowning slightly, I said, "What is it?"

Annabeth glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "What?" she asked, a defensive tone touching her words.

"You're not telling me something," I accused. "Go on."

Annabeth hesitated again. The corners of her mouth curved down in a frown. "I didn't like them," she said suddenly, apparently deciding to tell me. Before I could completely register what she had said, she hurried on, talking quickly to explain herself. "When they were born, I mean. I was nine, and I was just getting used to my dad getting a new wife. It's hard, especially when you're that young." She stopped and smiled suddenly, as though she had just had a funny thought. "I hid them in the closet once."

I stared at her. "Excuse me?"

She let out a small laugh. "It isn't as bad as it sounds. I made them little beds in the closet and stuck them in there while Sue wasn't looking. Then I tried to convince my dad that they hadn't really existed, and it had just all been a delusion he had been having."

I laughed. "What happened?"

Annabeth grinned at me. "What do you think? They found them when Bobby started crying because he was hungry. Mathew was too busy chewing through my dad's new shoes to care." Her smile died slightly. "Sue wasn't very happy. She barely spoke to me for a week."

I scuffed my toes on the ground, searching for a story to tell and hopefully keep this conversation going. "I tried to throw an armchair out the window once," I offered half-heartedly.

Annabeth gave me a bewildered look. "You what?" she said with a laugh.

I grinned, glad that she seemed interested. "It was my step-dad's," I explained. "When I was ten, and he was out getting drunk or something, I decided I was going to throw his armchair out the window. All he ever does is sit on that thing, so I thought if I got rid of it he would go out and get a job. Wishful thinking," I said, rolling my eyes. "Anyways, I started dragging it over to the window. It took me two hours, but I finally got it across the room and lodged halfway out the window. It didn't fit, but I just kept pushing. Finally my mom got home and totally freaked out. She had the armchair back in place before he came home, and I was sent to my room." I kicked the ground again, swinging harder. "Hey, it was worth a shot."

Annabeth looked at me, an impressed look on her face. "Wow. I wouldn't think someone as scrawny as you could push an armchair all by yourself."

"Hey!" I said indignantly. Annabeth laughed again at my expense, and I pouted grumpily. "If all you're going to do is insult me, I'm going to leave," I announced.

"Annabeth! Percy!"

Bobby and Mathew came running up to us, their faces flushed. "Can we go on the swings?" Bobby asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot excitedly.

Annabeth glanced at me, and I shrugged. "All yours," I said, hopping off.

Bobby pounced on the empty swing, getting himself situated. Annabeth slipped off hers and joined me off to the side, letting Mathew clamber into her seat. He seemed much calmer than his brother, or maybe he was just trying to behave for his sister. Somehow, I doubted that.

The boys started pumping their legs, gearing up for an intense 'who can swing the highest' contest. I could only hope that the rest of the kids in the park stayed well away from them. I didn't want to have to find some poor unconscious kid's parents when Bobby and Mathew accidentally hit them.

"Want to walk?" Annabeth asked, already gravitating towards the cement.

"Sure," I said. Picking our way carefully through the sand, we stepped onto the sidewalk and started walking, following the gentle curve of the path around the park. The group of teenagers was starting to pack up their stuff, jokingly tossing the football back and forth between them as they worked.

Neither of us said anything for a moment. Finally, Annabeth said, "Did your step-father get better?"

"What?" I asked distractedly, not remembering our previous conversation.

"Your step-father," Annabeth said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Your story. You said all he did was sit around and get drunk. Did he get better, get a job?"

I let out an incredulous laugh. "Gabe?" I asked in disbelief. "Please. The apocalypse could happen and he still wouldn't look up from the television. He hasn't kept a job for more than a month, and he depends on my mother for everything. I hate him," I said with satisfaction.

Annabeth was quiet for a moment, frowning at the ground. "He doesn't seem very nice," she commented.

"He's practically the physical manifestation of uselessness. Unless it's insulting me or sharpening his Poker skills, he doesn't do anything."

It felt nice to bag on Gabe so freely. I did so all the time in my head, but to actually say it out loud to someone felt strangely liberating. If I had said that to his face, he would have knocked the stuffing out of me.

Annabeth wrinkled her nose distastefully. "And your mom married him?" she said, sounding disgusted.

"It wasn't her fault," I said immediately, an edge to my voice. "He was nice when they met. He seemed alright for the first few months, and then he just went downhill." I didn't want Annabeth thinking my mother was anything less than the most wonderful woman on the earth. "I'm pretty sure my mom thinks if she tries hard enough, Gabe will change his ways." I kicked at the sidewalk, suddenly feeling angry. "She's wrong, and I think she knows it. He's horrible to her, and to me, and he doesn't care about anyone but himself. She deserves better."

These thoughts had been bouncing around in my mind for a long time, and now that I was finally forming them into coherent sentences, they poured out of my mouth, hardly leaving me time to breathe. I had to tell someone, get it out before it drove me crazy, and Annabeth was the only one who was listening to me.

"He thinks he owns her, and it's absolutely disgusting," I said scathingly. "If I had my way, I would kick him out myself. It was hard enough leaving her on her own with him while I ran off to New York to play the 'good son'," I finished bitterly.

I jumped slightly when someone touched me. I looked down at my shoulder to see Annabeth's hand resting there, barely skimming the fabric of my shirt. When I looked at her, her face was uncertain and hesitant, but determined at the same time. "Your mother," she said softly, as though she was speaking to a wounded animal. "You really love her?"

I relaxed slightly, enough to realize that we had stopped walking. We were standing in the middle of the sidewalk, Annabeth lightly touching my shoulder to steady me. The teenagers were gone.

"Yeah," I said, my voice calmer than before. Annabeth didn't remove her hand; I didn't mind. "She's been there my whole life. The only family I ever had." I twitched my lips up, trying to smile at Annabeth. "She works two jobs to support the three of us, and all I've done is get into trouble," I said, trying to joke around. It didn't help alleviate the guilt I felt, however, as I thought about my mother. It was true. While I was running around San Francisco stirring up trouble and getting myself arrested, she was handling two jobs and dealing with Gabe and I at the same time.

Annabeth let go of my shoulder and grabbed my hand, her touch light and cool. She gave it a quick squeeze, smiling gently at me. "Hey," she said, "don't go so hard on yourself. You're getting better. She would be proud of you."

I stared at her. She took her hand back, looking down at the ground as though she had just realized what she had done and regretted it.

"Um, right," she said, clearing her throat awkwardly. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and quickly glanced at it. "It's noon," she said, looking up to squint at the sun as though checking to make sure the time wasn't lying to her. "The boys have a soccer game at one. We need to start heading over."

"Yeah," I said, nodding quickly. I tried to forget about the feeling of her hand in mine. "I have… homework to do," I said out of the blue.

Annabeth gave me a disbelieving look but didn't bother commenting on the obvious lie. Turning to the park, she shouted, "Bobby, Mathew, it's time to go!"

A few seconds later, the twins came screeching to a halt in front of her. Bobby got there first, beaming widely. "I beat Mathew here!" he announced, as if it wasn't totally obvious.

Mathew came up behind him, his cheeks flushed. He looked exhausted compared to his twin, who was still bouncing around on the balls of his feet as though he had all the energy in the world. Mathew, on the other hand, was breathing heavily, sounding as though he had just run a marathon.

"You got a head start," he complained in a raspy voice.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right," he said, crossing his arms importantly. "I beat you fair and square."

"Mathew," Annabeth said, frowning at her brother, "are you alright?"

I looked at him closer. "You do look kind of pale," I commented.

Mathew shook his head, his breathing slowing down a bit. "I'm fine," he said, "just tired."

"We've barely done anything!" Bobby declared. He grinned at me. "We have a soccer game after this. Want to come?"

I laughed, smiling at him good-naturedly. "Sorry, kiddo. I have other stuff to do. Good luck, though."

Bobby looked kind of disappointed, but he nodded sadly. "Now no one will be there to see me win," he complained, turning and walking in the opposite direction.

Annabeth sighed, shooting me a look. "Someone needs to deflate that kid's head," she decided. "Come on, let's go. I don't want to be late."

The walk home seemed shorter than it had on the way there. Mathew hurried to catch up with his brother, still looking tired, but Annabeth and I strolled along at a leisurely pace. For someone who wanted to get home fast, she sure was walking pretty slowly, making random remarks about the weather or the homes we passed. I mostly listened, feeling as though I had contributed enough to the conversation for one day.

When we finally got back to our street, Bobby and Mathew were just closing the front door behind them, not bothering to say goodbye.

"They don't even know where their uniform is," Annabeth said as I walked her up to her front door. "They'll be needing me to help them."

We stopped on the Chase's welcome mat, facing each other. I looked at Annabeth, not sure what to say. Goodbye? See you later? Have fun at the soccer game? They all seemed too formal somehow, especially after today. Instead, I said, "Thanks."

Annabeth looked surprised. "For what?" she asked, frowning.

"Today," I said. "And, you know, letting me pretty much yell at you for something that has nothing to do with you."

Annabeth smiled. "And thank you for keeping me company today. It was kind of you not to leave me at the mercy of my little brothers."

I shoved my hands in my pockets, smirking at her. "All in a day's work," I said cheekily.

Annabeth laughed. "Good-bye, Percy," she said, opening the door.

I took that as my dismissal. Turning to go, I started down their sidewalk, forcing myself to not look back over my shoulder. For some reason, I didn't want to see her shutting the door behind her.

"Percy?"

I turned around so fast I almost got whip-lash. It was like I had been subconsciously expecting her to call me back. Standing just inside her doorway, she looked out at me, her head cocked slightly to one side, as though I was a particularly hard problem on her math homework.

"About your mother," she called out to me. "Don't sell yourself short. You're a good son."

With one last smile, she shut the door. I stood there silently for a moment more before turning and walking down the walkway to my house, repressing the smile trying to crawl onto my lips.

Yeah. Saturdays are definitely a gift from the gods.

A/N: Guess who got a new computer- again. Mine broke- I don't know what exactly- but I had to go out and buy a new one. Then it got a virus (AFTER HAVING IT FOR TWO DAYS, MIND YOU!), then I finally got Microsoft Word installed.

School's driving me crazy. I've already had one break-down because of friendship problems and work overload and sad.

Sorry for this chapter, it's not my best. I came up with a plan for this story, however, and I'm working a bit on my foreshadowing and other new techniques. And I was thinking of creating a separate Instagram for this account, to notify everyone when a new chapter of my story comes out. Fanfiction doesn't always notify people. What do you guys say?

Again, sorry for the wait. Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!

R&R