Heyooo so my finals are ALMOST over (finishes on March 18) and since I have 7 days to concentrate on math,I figured that I could type up a few more chappies. Now honestly I didn't expect this story to have a sequel,or blow up and become so liked (uwuwu) but apparently it has! And since I didn't really put that much effort into the story I didn't focus on many details (like how old each of them are,what day it is,month,etc etc.) so here it is;
Percy and Penny: 18
Annabeth: 18
Nico: 16
Thalia: 22
Jason: 18
Leo: 17
Hazel: 14
Annabeth moved in: May
Present month: June (16th)
Yeah it's kinda messy and unplanned and in my previous chapters it might be different bu I promise after my finals I will go back and change them. Okayyyy into the story!
Annabeth
The scene back in the apartment looked so normal that it didn't feel as though one of us was lingering in jail. Nico had returned,looking just as ghostly and dark as before. Penny,up and running again,was trying to make him eat third and forth helpings.
"Penny,really. I'm not that hungry-"
"But-"
"Mother,I'm fine. Really." he said,giving her a faint smile. Penny grunted,but she seemed to like the whole 'mother' thing. Apollo,Jason and Leo were sitting with Nico at the table,calmly sipping out of their mugs. Well,not Leo. He kept drumming his fingers on the table. As soon as me and Piper walked in,everyone turned and smiled.
"Nico,hey!" Piper smiled,ruffling his hair. Nico groaned. "I have too many mothers."
"Did you talk to Percy?" Penny asked immediately,concern flashing in her eyes. As I opened my mouth to answer,I sudden horrible feeling swooped inside of me. Everyone was so calm,so perfectly normal while Percy's locked up. He could be in trouble and here we are,just calmly siting around and chatting. Thalia might have information and Jason won't talk to her. Penny spent the entire day in bed. Now everyone is celebrating Nico's return. What is going on?
"Annabeth?" Piper asked,touching my arm. Penny moistened her lips,looking scared. I didn't realize that I'd been glaring at her. Out of the corner of my eye,I saw Jason slightly back his chair. Even Leo had stopped in his tracks. I blinked.
"Uh,yeah. Yeah we did," I replied casually, feeling embarrassed "He seems to be okay. Asked about you. All of you." I said pointedly. I don't know what came over me. The air grew a bit colder. Or was that my imagination? I saw the boys look down at their cups,almost in shame. Penny looked at the empty chair on the other side of the table longingly.
"Right. Well...I'll go see him tomorrow." Penny piped up,averting my gaze. I almost felt a little guilty. Nico cleared his throat.
"So..has there been any news on that?"
Penny put her hands on the table and started tapping her nails in some weird pattern,just like Leo. "I got a call from the station. While you were away," she added,looking at me. I had the feeling that Penny had understood my anger. "Percy's only 18,about to turn 19. Not really a minor,but not an adult either. At least,that's what the guy on the phone said."
"And?" Piper asked.
"We don't really have a lawyer,so they've gotten the common one for us. His name is Ronald Garvin. He's the guy who was talking to me,trying to explain our options. If Percy had just run off with less than three hundred dollars, he would've been labelled under Juvenile petit theft." Penny explained. I noticed that when she said 'petit' she said it in a different accent,probably french.
"'He said that if you're labelled under that, you'll be punished with one year in jail or a fine of one thousand dollars."
"But Percy took ten thousand." Jason said,tracing imaginary blue prints on the table "And for that..?"
Penny bit her lip "He said that they're still working on that. For a robbery,ten thousand really isn't that much,especially from a casino-"
"What?" Leo yelped,but Penny put her hand up.
"I know,I know. But that's the truth. Nobody ever steals just ten thousand from a bank,do they? It's always millions. Also they'll soon be questioning him about why exactly he took ten thousand dollars."
Without waiting for our reply,Penny sat down in the empty seat,her eyes fixed at nowhere in particular. "If you ask me,he should probably plead guilty. Play the innocent guy who's just trying to support himself and his sister because our dad doesn't support us and our mom..well I don't know."
I saw Leo squirm a little in his seat as she said that. Penny had a point though. Percy's 18,true. But that's the age of an adult which means it's a crucial time for money. He could always say that he needs tuition fees for himself and his sister. But then again,tuition fees is so much more than ten thousand. But at least he didn't steal more than that. I tried to calm myself down. There was still hope.
"When did you get into law?" Leo asked her,taking an apple from the basket and playing with it. Penny shrugged.
"It's kind of interesting."
"Well now at least we have something to do. Try and find a loophole. We can still get Percy out. Besides,we're a bunch of young adults about to go to college. Well,almost all of us." she added,nodding at Nico. "But yeah,all we have to do is talk to this Ronald chap and sort this out."
I felt the tension in the air reduce a bit. For some reason,Piper made it sound so easy and simple. Jason frowned.
"There's still one problem. Mostly,they'll ask for a fine. If stealing below three hundred costs one thousand dollars...then stealing ten thousand.."
"Gee,you are a real ray of sunshine aren't you?" Leo snorted "First things first. Talk to the Ronald chap,like Piper said."
"Wow Leo,you almost sounded smart." Nico teased,wearing a faint smile. Leo puffed up his chest in pride. I started feeling better. It's going to be alright. We're going to get Percy out. But there was still one more thing nagging me. And just then,that one thing walked through the door.
Thalia
As soon as I walked in,everyone's heads turned. They were all seated around the dining table as if in deep conversation. My nerves shot upright at once.
"Hey..what's going on?" I asked. I noticed Annabeth studying me. Jason was giving me this weird look.
"What?" I asked,heart pounding.
"Just,discussing the problem. You know,Percy in jail and stuff." Leo said,fake yawning. "Sup with you hottie?"
"About to kill the elf who called me 'hottie'" I grumbled. Leo seemed unfazed. Penny stood up slowly.
"Thalia..where had you been?"
"Central Park. Now that I'm more in the open,I find that place relaxing." I said casually. My mind was racing. Did they know?
"But..you're legit never around here." Jason said slowly. I felt guilt surge up inside of me. I remember how close we'd been. He was only 2 years old and I was 7. And he was the best thing in my entire life. Every time I saw him,I didn't know how to explain that.
"I-Jason Ii'm sorry,but-"
"Where are you going? What's going on Thals?" he urged,standing up. I could see the others tense up a bit.
"Jason." Piper said calmly,ordering some restraint in her voice. It was stiff,yet gentle. He turned to meet her eyes,having some sort of silent conversation. For some reason,that hurt. I missed him,more than he knew. Bu he doesn't trust me.
I don't blame him. I felt my eyes sting a bit but I tried to relax by running my fingers through my hair. No use in hiding it.
"Okay..okay fine. You guys win. There's something that I've been hiding from you."
Okay fine,I left it on a really bad (yet deliciously good) cliffhanger. I'm sorry the chapter was short,I'm just really tired and sleepy since I've legit stopped sleeping. Buuut I'll be updating tomorrow! Anyways,REVIEW!
