A/N: Hey! This update didn't take two months! Yay! However, this chapter is shorter than others, it's just spaced out a lot. This is in Jason's POV, just to let everyone know. Without further ado, here is chapter 21.

What have I done?

My head was buried in my hands as images flickered through my mind over and over.

Thalia laughed with Ashton, looking at him with a look I had only seen in photographs. I guess she does take after Mum in some ways.

Tears had been streaking down my face for hours but I couldn't be bothered wiping them away or trying to stop.

Piper smiled brightly at me and took my hand as I pulled a chair over. Again. Only to look away, immediately drawn into a conversation with Annabeth.

I couldn't care less if anybody walked in. I had, after all, lost the only person worth caring about.

"I heard a rumour that one Percy Jackson is going to try out for some sporting teams."

"You're joking!"

Laughter.

The phone lay beside me, the redial button becoming more and more faded as the night wore on.

"Imagine him on the football team! He would be out in less than a week."

Thalia grinned. Ashton preened. Annabeth laughed. Piper snorted. Leo smiled. Grover frowned.

My chest felt heavy, like everything in there suddenly weighed twice what it was supposed to.

"So, Jason," Annabeth fixed her eyes on me. "I hear that you're not doing so well in class?"

Eyes. Everyone's eyes.

Why are they on me?

Breathing took effort. For a while I debated whether it was worth it.

"I'm doing fine, Annabeth."

Weak. My voice was weak.

Thalia frowned.

She cares?

It is worth it. Not breathing hurts. I dont want more pain.

"You should be focusing more on your studies, Jason. Don't think I haven't noticed you slacking off." She snorted.

No. She doesn't.

Sobs had been escaping me for a while. I hadn't noticed.

"For your information, I'm not slacking off." I snapped.

Thalia just quirked her eyebrow at me.

Shook her head.

Fixed me with her infamous look of disapproval.

"And you wonder why they kicked you off the football team." She muttered.

My head hurt and there were no more tears escaping. However the sobs continued.

Why? Why was she being cruel?

She's my sister.

My best friend.

She used to be all I had.

I used to be all she had.

What happened?

Oh.

Right.

School.

A glass of water. It's what I needed. But that took effort. Breathing was the only thing I was going to make an effort for.

Lunch was over.

Class had begun.

"You still haven't completed that work."

Work.

Work I remember doing at camp.

Why is it so unfair?

"I have done that, ma'am."

"Don't. Lie. To. Me." Snarling.

Like a dog.

If only I could laugh.

Food, as well. That's something you need to survive. But effort though….

Percy was sitting in front of me.

Like always.

He didn't look at me.

But that was to help me, yes?

Or maybe he doesn't care either.

Nobody else seems to.

I'm sure I looked like shit. I felt like shit. More reason not to leave my room.

For some reason it was pissing me off.

Why wouldn't he look at me?

You are the only person I have at the moment, Percy. Please help me.

Why does my head hurt so much? Surely I couldn't be that dehydrated… Maybe I am. I don't know anymore.

Mrs. Dodds was saying something in front of the class.

I couldn't tell what it was.

Maybe it was important.

Maybe it wasn't.

I couldn't bring myself to care.

She doesn't care.

Thalia doesn't care.

Piper doesn't care.

Annabeth doesn't care.

Dad doesn't care.

Percy doesn't care.

My sheets were up around my face, my hands holding them to my face. Maybe if anyone walked in they would see I was asleep.

Though I doubt anyone would walk in.

No. Percy cares.

I know that Percy cares.

But does he really?

My head hurts. My stomach hurts. My eyes hurt.

My heart hurts.

I was at my locker.

I was angry.

No one cares.

Ashton appeared.

"Hey, loser. Your sister and I are going on a date tonight. After that I want a romantic night with her. Your house would be best. So make yourself scarce, you little shit. After all, this is about your sister's happiness."

His hand hit my shoulder.

My shoulder hit the locker.

So did my head.

Maybe that's why my head hurts. Whatever the reason, I don't care.

Suddenly Percy was there.

Why?

Everything hurts. My phone is suddenly in my hand again, my finger hovering over the redial button.

"Hey Jason."

I pretended to start, looking over to him in fake surprise.

"Percy? Do you need something?" I frowned.

Why is he here?

"We need to talk."

That doesn't sound good.

I was right.

He doesn't care.

I'm angry again.

"About what?" There is no emotion in my voice. If I let emotion in, that would end badly.

"About how you are not yourself. You don't smile anymore, you don't talk to anyone. Jason, I want you to talk to me about what is wrong."

Everything is wrong.

Nobody cares.

Why does nobody care?

"We talk every night."

"I don't want to hear the complaints, Jay. I want to hear what is actually bothering you. I want to hear why you don't smile, why you don't talk. Please, just talk to me. I want to help you."

Help me?

Nobody wants to help me.

Suddenly my anger got the best of me.

I slammed the locker door. I turned to face him

He doesn't care…

"And how are you going to help Percy? Nothing you can do will help anything, so please don't start this. I would much rather we go back to you listening to me over the phone or at your house than for you to start meddling in something you can't fix."

I showed no emotion. Emotion would be bad.

"I don't want you to end up like me, Jason."

Well, there goes that plan.

Emotion bubbled up in me.

Anger.

Hurt.

Pain.

He doesn't care. Nobody cares. If anybody cared, my life wouldn't be like it is now. I would still be on the football team. My sister wouldn't be cold towards me. My dad wouldn't be awkward around me. My girlfriend wouldn't be becoming more and more unattractive to me. My grades would still be perfect. If anybody cared, I would still be able to smile. I would still be able to laugh. My friends would be here for me. My family would be here for me.

But where are they?

They.

Don't.

Care.

"End up like you? You mean a pathetic, little boy who can't let go of the past, so he lets it rule over him for the rest of his life? You mean just some stupid guy who can't read or write and is still somehow hoping to pass through high school? Someone who doesn't have anything planned for his future and is most likely going to end up homeless by the time he is 25? Believe me, I don't strive to become like you, Percy."

I snapped.

I'm angry.

I'm hurt.

Why does this hurt so much?!

I looked over to Percy and that all faded.

There were tears in his eyes.

His face showed his emotions.

Hurt.

Pain.

Betrayal.

Everything I was feeling.

But it was put there by me.

"You promised."

A knife.

That's what it felt like.

A knife, ripping my insides apart.

Before I could reach out for him he was gone.

I was wrong.

He does care.

What have I done?

I pressed the redial button.

I put the phone to my ear.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

Beep.

"Sorry, your call had failed."

I pulled it away.

Somehow the tears started again.

"Percy…"

Redial.

Fail.

Redial.

Fail.

Redial.

Fail.

"I'm so sorry."

Sobs reverberated through my head for the rest of the night.