Annabeth
"Enough is enough." Piper said forcefully,making Penny gulp and put the cookies down.
"Hey,I cook when I stress."
"You do everything when you're stressed."
"Yeah but-" suddenly her phone rang "Sorry,gotta take-" her expression turned stony "It's my dad."
"What?" Percy asked,choking on his cookie "What does he want?"
She shrugged and walked into the kitchen,clearly wanting to be alone. It was a pretty calm afternoon. The boys had gone back to their apartment to catch a siesta,Hazel was taking a nap in Penny's room and me,Piper and Percy were sitting at the table. I took a cookie and nibbled,flavor erupting in my mouth. Where that girl got her cooking skills,I have no idea.
"Percy?" Piper asked in a weird tone.
"Yeah?"
"What really happened to you in jail?"
We all froze. None of us could bring ourselves to ask that one major question to him,mostly due to Leo's constant whooping and Penny's constant nagging. But mostly,I was under the impression that he really didn't want to talk about it. I watched as his eyes traveled to the plate of cookies,his eyes suddenly distant.
"That's a talk for later. No,really Piper," he said,looking at Piper's expression "Later. I promise."
Neither of us decided to push him further,so we ate our cookies in silence. After a while,Piper got up. "I'm going to wake up Hazel,see if she wants any cookies." After she left,Percy put his half eaten cookie down.
"Wherever we go,we're always bombarded by the police." he muttered.
"We'll figure something out." I said,assuring him. He smiled faintly.
"I'm not doubting that." Just then Penny came back in,looking shaken. "What happened?" Percy asked. She shrugged.
"Just asked me about you. Whether you're doing okay." she replied flatly,picking up the plates quickly before Percy could take another. A sad look descended onto his face. It was so cute I almost laughed,but the look on Penny's face stopped me.
"Uh...are you sure sis?" Percy asked slowly. She sighed.
"Yeah. Now do not touch the cookies Perseus. The rest are for Hazel." She ordered,marching into the kitchen.
"Yeah,sure." He said,grinning wickedly.
"Wipe that smile off your face brother," Penny called out from the kitchen "If you even breath on these cookies,you'll have a permanent wedgie for the next two weeks."
oOoOo
Penny
"So what's the plan for today?" Hazel asked me as she ate her cookies. I took off my apron and hung it up on the hook.
"Well,I figured that we could all go out for some ice cream. Or we could stay at home and order a pizza. Your choice." I smiled at her. She hesitated.
"Pizza. Definately pizza. I think Percy would like that too."
"Yeah," I said,my smile fading "I guess he would."
"What is it?" She asked me. I shook my head.
"Nah,nothing." I said,washing my hands. Just then Leo walked in. He had this weird,almost scared look on his face,but when he saw Hazel he smiled. "Mi amor!" He exclaimed,bowing down exquisitely. Hazel giggled.
"Leo,hey. Want something to eat?"
"I will never turn down your food Jackson." He grinned,pulling up a chair next to Hazel and drumming his fingers on the counter. "But that's not really why I came here."
I raised my eyebrows. "Why,what happened?"
"I-" he wet his lips,eyes darting here and there. I frowned. The only time this dude was ever speechless was when he has a mouth full of food. Hazel prodded his arm.
"Leo?"
"I came to tell you..thaaat we should go to TacoBell!" He exclaimed,standing up and giving me jazz hands. I blinked.
"Um..why? I could just make something-"
"Penny cmon,you've been in the kitchen for so long,the only tan you'll ever get is from the stove."
"I'm surprised that you know what a stove is."
"I'm not surprised that you dont know what 'let's-not-cook-and-instead-just-buy-food' means."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Grab the keys and-"
"Let's walk."
"What? Leo,what's gotten into you?" I asked,breaking into a wary smile. This was the dude who was too lazy to even walk from the boy's apartment to ours. Walking to Taco Bell would take us half an hour. He stretched dramatically.
"Yeaaah..my joints are all weak and stuff." To prove his point,he cracked his knuckles. "Cmon Penny,pleaaaaaaaa-"
"Valdez,it'll take-"
"-aaaaaaaaaa-"
"But-"
"-aaaaaaaaaaaa-"
"Alright fine dammit!" I yelled. He cleared his throat and pretended to straighten his non-existant tie.
"Excellent. Mi amor." He bowed to Hazel once again,who giggled before he left. I frowned. A bad feeling engulfed me as I followed him out to the living room,where Percy and Annabeth were sitting.
"Percy,we're going to Taco Bell okay? You two stay here. Annabeth,make sure that he stays safe."
"Penny,I'm not a baby. I'm still allowed outside and stuff-"
"About that..." I wet my lips nervously "Percy,I don't want you going out anymore."
"What?" He asked me,standing up. I tried hard not to back down. Among us,I was the one with the temper. He had one too,but I tried hard to avoid it.
"Penny,I just got out of jail-"
"I know Percy,but I'm sorry. But that's what you're going to do."
He looked like he was about to start yelling,but he looked away instead. His eyes travelled from me,to Annabeth and finally on Leo.
"Fine. Enjoy your nice romantic walk with Valdez-"
"What? Percy look I-"
"Just go Penny. It's fine." He mumbled,sitting down again and staring at his cookie. I locked eyes with Annabeth,and she nodded faintly. Sighing,I looked at Valdez. "Let's go."
He frowned "Hey,if you want we can stay-"
"No,no let's go." I opened the door and looked back at Percy. "I'm sorry Percy. I know you need your freedom and everything,but-"
"Penny. Go. Now." He said through gritted teeth. Sighing,I walked out,Leo behind me. I felt like such a jerk,not letting Percy out after a horrible experience in jail,but I couldn't risk it.
Especially after dad's phone call.
OoOoO
"So are you going to actually tell me what happened?" I asked him. He looked at me so quickly he clutched his neck.
"What do you mean?"
"You've been silent for the past five minutes. You haven't pulled out any weird junk out of your pockets and you wanted to walk. Come on Valdez,I'm not dumb."
He sighed and put his hands in his pockets "It's kind of complicated."
A cold breeze swept past,so I stuffed my hands into my pocket. I waited for him to say something,but he didn't. His dark eyes kept straight ahead,sometimes darting towards the busy streets or to the random pebbles he was kicking. He looked older,almost more serious when he wasn't cracking jokes,and that scared me. I took his arm.
"Yo,dude. You're scaring me."
For a moment,he looked at me. And then he burst out laughing.
"Leo!"
"I'm sorry-sorry!" He laughed as I shoved him. "It's just-your face-"
"Yes,haha very funny. But you scared me!" I exclaimed. Without realizing it,I started laughing too. It's been a long time since we hung out. After the laughter died down,he reached down and picked up a pebble from the side walk.
"Sooo..have you heard from your parents lately?" He asked cooly. I stared at him.
"Um..well I got a call from my dad today."
"Really? What did he say?"
"Well-wait. Since when have you ever cared about my relationship between me and my parents?" I asked accusingly,squinting my eyes. He simply shrugged,avoiding my gaze. I gasped dramatically. "You liar-"
"Cmon Penny I'm trying! You know that I dont talk about my shit!" He whined. I tried hard not to laugh.
"Okay okay! Um,well my dad asked me about Percy..." my smile faded "that's pretty much it."
"What about your mom?"
"Mom..." a wave of guilt crashed upon me. "The last time I saw her...it was years ago. I don't even know.." I didn't complete the sentence. I remembered her warm brown curly hair,kind smile and her brown eyes. They always seemed to be holding some kind of sadness deep inside,a sadness I could never understand.
"We left her in Paris. With dad." I swallowed,trying hard not to cry. Me and Percy hated being near my dad. We said our quick goodbyes and left,leaving them alone.
"It's been a long time since I saw her. Or even spoke to her."
"Why though?"
"Dad..dad never allowed it." I said quietly. He didn't reply,and I didnt want one. For the past few years all I've been thinking of is rent,college,Percy,etc etc. But how many times did my mom cross my mind?
Maybe going back to Paris wasn't such a bad idea.
"Penny!" I heard Leo yell. I had time to blink before I heard an ear splitting car horn. Before I could even open my mouth to scream,I felt someone pull me back. The car sped ahead as my brain processed all of this.
"Yo Jackson,wake up!" Leo snapped his fingers in front of my face. I winced.
"I-I'm sorry,I-" I stopped talking. Leo's arm was wrapped around my waist tightly. For a second I looked at him.
"Maybe someday...we...I'll find you."
He let go of me quickly,his wicked smile returning,but not as strong. I looked away quickly,praying that he didn't feel how strong my heartbeat was.
"So um..let's go?" I asked timidly. He blinked.
"Oh yeah! Hey,let's get extra spice for Jason eh?"
"He'll get explosive diarrhoea Leo,and you know it."
"Exactly." He said in a low,evil voice. I couldn't help but laugh as we continued talking and joking around the rest of the way. It was as if nothing had happened.
OoOoO
"TACOS FOR EVERYONE!" Leo yelled,holding up the bags of takeout cheerfully. Piper grabbed one and sighed with satisfaction.
"Thank the gods,I'm hungry." Piper groaned. I frowned at her,and she laughed. "Oh Penny,lighten up. We all love your food." She grinned. Apollo walked over to me and kissed my cheek.
"Yeah man,but Taco bell." Leo muffled with his mouth full. I felt Apollo's grip aeound my waist tighten a bit. Biting my lip,I scanned the room.
"Where's Percy?" I asked.
"Taking..a shower." Jason answered slowly "back at our place."
"Oh." I nodded. I was hoping to pull him aside and talk,but this was probably not the right moment. "Well,dig in!"
Leo whooped,almost spitting out chunks of his Taco. He reached inside and pulled one out and handed it to everyone. When he reached Jason,he held one out happily "Here man-"
He frowned "No spice?"
"You know it." He shot him a finger gun. I tried hard not to smile and instead turned to Annabeth. Her grey eyes seemed to be focused on something invisible and her eyebrows were scrunched up.
"Hey,you okay?" I asked. She blinked.
"Yeah,I'm good. What about you? It was probably hard to say that to him."
I shrugged "I feel terrible. But it's for the best...I keep getting this horrible feeling.." I shook my head. She tilted her head to the side,her grey eyes analyzing me. I had a weird feeling that she knew what I was thinking about.
"Does it have anything to do with why your dad called?" She asked me quietly. Before I could say something,I was saved by Jason.
"VALDEZ!" He yelled,racing out and clutching his stomach. We all followed him as he raced into his apartment and right through the bathroom,slamming the door behind him.
"Jason? Are you-" Thalia started,but she was interrupted by a high pitched scream.
"GRACE!"
"Oh shit,Percy." Leo slapped his forehead and looked at me. I put my hands up in a 'Not-my-fault' gesture.
"JACKSON!" Jason yelled back. There was a silence.
"So do you know where the soap is?" Percy asked.
"You use soap?" Jason replied,confused. At this point,we all decided it was best to leave them alone.
"Sooo your fault." I whispered to Leo,who stuck his tongue out.
OoOoO
Annabeth
"Alright,good night ladies. Try not to dream about me while I'm gone." He added quirkily to Hazel,who smiled faintly. One by one the boys filed out,finally Apollo,who kissed Penny before leaving. I looked around at Percy,who immediately shuffled to his room.
"Percy-" Penny started,but he slammed the door. She sighed. "Well,it'll get better. Cmon Hazel." She led Hazel into her room and gave us a half hearted wave "Night guys."
"Night." We replied as she closed the door. Piper looked at me.
"What do you think happened between her and her dad?" She asked quietly. I pursed my lips.
"I asked her,but we were interrupted by Jason." I finished with a smirk. She blushed and shoved my arm playfully.
"Haha. Well,night Chase." She said,yawning as she retired into her bedroom. I took one last look at Percy's door before heading into my own.
...
My eyes flung open to the sound of a door closing. If I wasn't a light sleeper I probably wouldn't have heard it. Rubbing my eyes and slipping out of bed,I peeked through the crack of my door. For a moment I couldn't see anything. Then my breath hitched as I noticed someone slip past. I quickly jerked back,thinking furiously. I had my phone,I could call someone. But something told me not to. I waited for a few mintues,until I could hear the front door close. I walked out slowly and looked around in case if anything was stolen,but then I noticed Percy's door open. I sighed.
"Seaweed Brain." I muttered.
I hadn't changed for bed,so I quickly grabbed my shoes and quietly slipped out the front door and down the lobby. The security guard was asleep. Typical. I creeped out without waking him up and looked around. There wasn't that many people walking about,but I saw someone wearing a dark hoodie and a bag slung over their shoulder. I quietly followed them,keeping a distance at the same time. As I got closer,I noticed the person look to the left quickly. Yep,it was Percy.
He ducked into a dark alley and I followed him carefully. I expected it to be a dead end,but there was another narrow alley to the right. Along the walls,graffiti tattooed every inch of brick. Taking a deep breath,I walked into the alley and stopped in my tracks.
Two giant walls on the left and right stretched for a long distance. Most of it was already covered with some pretty cool art and sketches. I stared breathlessly at them before remembering what I had come for. I heard the clang of metal and look to the left to see Percy spray painting on the walls.
A part of me felt uneasy. You could be arrested for unauthorized graffiti,especially in the middle of the night. But I understood why he was doing it,and I wanted to hear it from him.
"Percy?" I asked. He jumped and spun around. Pulling his hood down,he frowned.
"Annabeth? What-what are you doing here?" He tried to hide the spray paint but it was no use. When I didn't reply,he put his hands up.
"Okay,beforw you start-"
I gave him my infamous 'shut up' look. I took a step closer to him. Despite the darkness,I could still see his sea green eyes perfectly. It was as if an ocean was trapped inside of them,moving aimlessly and bringing warmth and relaxation.
I noticed that in the Jackson twins. Penny's eyes held a sea storm,violent and brutal when untamed. It held the images of families torn and lost at sea,oceans killing hundreds at the coasts and bringing madness and destruction when it is pushed to its limits. And also,sadness. The feeling of looking at the waves sloshing about,thinking about lost dreams.
Percy's was different. If the ocean in his eyes were violent,they never showed. It was always bright and sparkling,the type of place you would spend with your family and friends. The storm in him was more quiet,always left unspoken. It held sadness,but seemed to remind you that better days were coming.
I blinked,realizing that I was staring at him for much too long. I reached down and picked up a bright pink spray can. I looked back up st him,and he looked away. Sighing,I shook my head.
"You're on parole Perseus. If you make one wrong move,you will be thrown back in."
His eyes were still locked nowhere in particular. The corners of his mouth tensed. I shook the bottle and sprayed the wall. He turned towards me shocked. Smirking,I turned around to meet his eyes.
"I'm very disappointed in you."
The smile slowly returned to his face. Picking up another can,he shook and and sprayed the wall. "I'm sorry Officer Chase. I meant no harm."
"Silence Perseus. Do you know how much trouble you could be in right now?" I giggled,as I picked up random colours and continued our so called art. He laughed.
"I know,Officer Chase. I'll be on my best behaviour from now on."
This time we both burst out laughing. I'd never felt so rebellious in my entire life. We were making so much noise we could've been caught. But to my own shock,I didn't even care. I was with Percy. I was happy.
We continued joking around and we didn't even know what we were doing u til we stepped back. Hues of pink,blue,yellow and purple made up for a sky that I'd randomly made as Percy had made a sea,beautiful and sparkling with the reflections of the sky. For a moment,we stared.
"Beautiful." Percy whispered. I nodded. I was never really that into art,but even I was impressed.
"I know. Like,the sky-"
"I wasn't talking about the painting." He interrupted looking at me with a smirk. I felt my cheeks go red and I shoved him.
"Shut up Seaweed Brain." I laughed,blushing furiously. He laughed along with me as his hands slid around my waist. We were both covered in spray paint but we didn't care. I felt my heart beat increase by the moment.
"I know why you wanted to come out and do this." I told him quietly. He tilted his head to the side.
"And why's that?"
"Well,number one,rules don't really apply to you. And number two...you want to be free."
He bit his lip and looked back at the wall,pulling me closer. "You really are a Wise Girl."
I smirked "Of course I am."
"It's just...being in that cell,I didn't know what it was like to be free until then. I was always under the weight of my father's decisions. Penny is..complicated. She's hard to understand and especially hard to control. She's my sister and everything,and I love her but...after I got thrown in,and my dad started controlling us again...I just wanted to get away."
I stayed silent,allowing him to continue.
"I'm happy here with you guys. But I'm still not completely free from..you know. The gang,and everything. And prison..." he stopped.
"What was it like Percy? And how did you.."
'Get hurt?'
He sighed,eyes darting here and there. I pulled him into a hug,his face digging into the side of my neck. And then he started shaking. I held him tighter and closer to me.
"They knew me. They know about my father...and about my sister. They provoked me and...I snapped. I held them off but then more came..and then they mentioned my mom and-"
"Percy." I stopped him. We stood in silence for a long time,until I could feel his muscles unclench themselves. He pressed a gentle kiss against the side of my neck.
"We'll get through this,okay? We're a team." I smiled at him.
"I nominate the name,Team Persassy."
"You are a load of crap." I muttered. He started laughing.
"Ohhh Wise Girl's got skills!" He teased. I shoved him again,but this time he grabbed my wrists.
"Percy-"
But he pulled me closer until his lips connected with mine,and I didn't speak after that.
HEY EVERYONE! Yes I disappeared off the face of Earth for some time,and to make up for it I typed up a big chappie for you all! Just a reminder that the COVID shit is getting more and more serious everyday,so everyone PLEASE stay inside and stay safe! LOVE YALL!
Annabeth
"Enough is enough." Piper said forcefully,making Penny gulp and put the cookies down.
"Hey,I cook when I stress."
"You do everything when you're stressed."
"Yeah but-" suddenly her phone rang "Sorry,gotta take-" her expression turned stony "It's my dad."
"What?" Percy asked,choking on his cookie "What does he want?"
She shrugged and walked into the kitchen,clearly wanting to be alone. It was a pretty calm afternoon. The boys had gone back to their apartment to catch a siesta,Hazel was taking a nap in Penny's room and me,Piper and Percy were sitting at the table. I took a cookie and nibbled,flavor erupting in my mouth. Where that girl got her cooking skills,I have no idea.
"Percy?" Piper asked in a weird tone.
"Yeah?"
"What really happened to you in jail?"
We all froze. None of us could bring ourselves to ask that one major question to him,mostly due to Leo's constant whooping and Penny's constant nagging. But mostly,I was under the impression that he really didn't want to talk about it. I watched as his eyes traveled to the plate of cookies,his eyes suddenly distant.
"That's a talk for later. No,really Piper," he said,looking at Piper's expression "Later. I promise."
Neither of us decided to push him further,so we ate our cookies in silence. After a while,Piper got up. "I'm going to wake up Hazel,see if she wants any cookies." After she left,Percy put his half eaten cookie down.
"Wherever we go,we're always bombarded by the police." he muttered.
"We'll figure something out." I said,assuring him. He smiled faintly.
"I'm not doubting that." Just then Penny came back in,looking shaken. "What happened?" Percy asked. She shrugged.
"Just asked me about you. Whether you're doing okay." she replied flatly,picking up the plates quickly before Percy could take another. A sad look descended onto his face. It was so cute I almost laughed,but the look on Penny's face stopped me.
"Uh...are you sure sis?" Percy asked slowly. She sighed.
"Yeah. Now do not touch the cookies Perseus. The rest are for Hazel." She ordered,marching into the kitchen.
"Yeah,sure." He said,grinning wickedly.
"Wipe that smile off your face brother," Penny called out from the kitchen "If you even breath on these cookies,you'll have a permanent wedgie for the next two weeks."
oOoOo
Penny
"So what's the plan for today?" Hazel asked me as she ate her cookies. I took off my apron and hung it up on the hook.
"Well,I figured that we could all go out for some ice cream. Or we could stay at home and order a pizza. Your choice." I smiled at her. She hesitated.
"Pizza. Definately pizza. I think Percy would like that too."
"Yeah," I said,my smile fading "I guess he would."
"What is it?" She asked me. I shook my head.
"Nah,nothing." I said,washing my hands. Just then Leo walked in. He had this weird,almost scared look on his face,but when he saw Hazel he smiled. "Mi amor!" He exclaimed,bowing down exquisitely. Hazel giggled.
"Leo,hey. Want something to eat?"
"I will never turn down your food Jackson." He grinned,pulling up a chair next to Hazel and drumming his fingers on the counter. "But that's not really why I came here."
I raised my eyebrows. "Why,what happened?"
"I-" he wet his lips,eyes darting here and there. I frowned. The only time this dude was ever speechless was when he has a mouth full of food. Hazel prodded his arm.
"Leo?"
"I came to tell you..thaaat we should go to TacoBell!" He exclaimed,standing up and giving me jazz hands. I blinked.
"Um..why? I could just make something-"
"Penny cmon,you've been in the kitchen for so long,the only tan you'll ever get is from the stove."
"I'm surprised that you know what a stove is."
"I'm not surprised that you dont know what 'let's-not-cook-and-instead-just-buy-food' means."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Grab the keys and-"
"Let's walk."
"What? Leo,what's gotten into you?" I asked,breaking into a wary smile. This was the dude who was too lazy to even walk from the boy's apartment to ours. Walking to Taco Bell would take us half an hour. He stretched dramatically.
"Yeaaah..my joints are all weak and stuff." To prove his point,he cracked his knuckles. "Cmon Penny,pleaaaaaaaa-"
"Valdez,it'll take-"
"-aaaaaaaaaa-"
"But-"
"-aaaaaaaaaaaa-"
"Alright fine dammit!" I yelled. He cleared his throat and pretended to straighten his non-existant tie.
"Excellent. Mi amor." He bowed to Hazel once again,who giggled before he left. I frowned. A bad feeling engulfed me as I followed him out to the living room,where Percy and Annabeth were sitting.
"Percy,we're going to Taco Bell okay? You two stay here. Annabeth,make sure that he stays safe."
"Penny,I'm not a baby. I'm still allowed outside and stuff-"
"About that..." I wet my lips nervously "Percy,I don't want you going out anymore."
"What?" He asked me,standing up. I tried hard not to back down. Among us,I was the one with the temper. He had one too,but I tried hard to avoid it.
"Penny,I just got out of jail-"
"I know Percy,but I'm sorry. But that's what you're going to do."
He looked like he was about to start yelling,but he looked away instead. His eyes travelled from me,to Annabeth and finally on Leo.
"Fine. Enjoy your nice romantic walk with Valdez-"
"What? Percy look I-"
"Just go Penny. It's fine." He mumbled,sitting down again and staring at his cookie. I locked eyes with Annabeth,and she nodded faintly. Sighing,I looked at Valdez. "Let's go."
He frowned "Hey,if you want we can stay-"
"No,no let's go." I opened the door and looked back at Percy. "I'm sorry Percy. I know you need your freedom and everything,but-"
"Penny. Go. Now." He said through gritted teeth. Sighing,I walked out,Leo behind me. I felt like such a jerk,not letting Percy out after a horrible experience in jail,but I couldn't risk it.
Especially after dad's phone call.
OoOoO
"So are you going to actually tell me what happened?" I asked him. He looked at me so quickly he clutched his neck.
"What do you mean?"
"You've been silent for the past five minutes. You haven't pulled out any weird junk out of your pockets and you wanted to walk. Come on Valdez,I'm not dumb."
He sighed and put his hands in his pockets "It's kind of complicated."
A cold breeze swept past,so I stuffed my hands into my pocket. I waited for him to say something,but he didn't. His dark eyes kept straight ahead,sometimes darting towards the busy streets or to the random pebbles he was kicking. He looked older,almost more serious when he wasn't cracking jokes,and that scared me. I took his arm.
"Yo,dude. You're scaring me."
For a moment,he looked at me. And then he burst out laughing.
"Leo!"
"I'm sorry-sorry!" He laughed as I shoved him. "It's just-your face-"
"Yes,haha very funny. But you scared me!" I exclaimed. Without realizing it,I started laughing too. It's been a long time since we hung out. After the laughter died down,he reached down and picked up a pebble from the side walk.
"Sooo..have you heard from your parents lately?" He asked cooly. I stared at him.
"Um..well I got a call from my dad today."
"Really? What did he say?"
"Well-wait. Since when have you ever cared about my relationship between me and my parents?" I asked accusingly,squinting my eyes. He simply shrugged,avoiding my gaze. I gasped dramatically. "You liar-"
"Cmon Penny I'm trying! You know that I dont talk about my shit!" He whined. I tried hard not to laugh.
"Okay okay! Um,well my dad asked me about Percy..." my smile faded "that's pretty much it."
"What about your mom?"
"Mom..." a wave of guilt crashed upon me. "The last time I saw her...it was years ago. I don't even know.." I didn't complete the sentence. I remembered her warm brown curly hair,kind smile and her brown eyes. They always seemed to be holding some kind of sadness deep inside,a sadness I could never understand.
"We left her in Paris. With dad." I swallowed,trying hard not to cry. Me and Percy hated being near my dad. We said our quick goodbyes and left,leaving them alone.
"It's been a long time since I saw her. Or even spoke to her."
"Why though?"
"Dad..dad never allowed it." I said quietly. He didn't reply,and I didnt want one. For the past few years all I've been thinking of is rent,college,Percy,etc etc. But how many times did my mom cross my mind?
Maybe going back to Paris wasn't such a bad idea.
"Penny!" I heard Leo yell. I had time to blink before I heard an ear splitting car horn. Before I could even open my mouth to scream,I felt someone pull me back. The car sped ahead as my brain processed all of this.
"Yo Jackson,wake up!" Leo snapped his fingers in front of my face. I winced.
"I-I'm sorry,I-" I stopped talking. Leo's arm was wrapped around my waist tightly. For a second I looked at him.
"Maybe someday...we...I'll find you."
He let go of me quickly,his wicked smile returning,but not as strong. I looked away quickly,praying that he didn't feel how strong my heartbeat was.
"So um..let's go?" I asked timidly. He blinked.
"Oh yeah! Hey,let's get extra spice for Jason eh?"
"He'll get explosive diarrhoea Leo,and you know it."
"Exactly." He said in a low,evil voice. I couldn't help but laugh as we continued talking and joking around the rest of the way. It was as if nothing had happened.
OoOoO
"TACOS FOR EVERYONE!" Leo yelled,holding up the bags of takeout cheerfully. Piper grabbed one and sighed with satisfaction.
"Thank the gods,I'm hungry." Piper groaned. I frowned at her,and she laughed. "Oh Penny,lighten up. We all love your food." She grinned. Apollo walked over to me and kissed my cheek.
"Yeah man,but Taco bell." Leo muffled with his mouth full. I felt Apollo's grip aeound my waist tighten a bit. Biting my lip,I scanned the room.
"Where's Percy?" I asked.
"Taking..a shower." Jason answered slowly "back at our place."
"Oh." I nodded. I was hoping to pull him aside and talk,but this was probably not the right moment. "Well,dig in!"
Leo whooped,almost spitting out chunks of his Taco. He reached inside and pulled one out and handed it to everyone. When he reached Jason,he held one out happily "Here man-"
He frowned "No spice?"
"You know it." He shot him a finger gun. I tried hard not to smile and instead turned to Annabeth. Her grey eyes seemed to be focused on something invisible and her eyebrows were scrunched up.
"Hey,you okay?" I asked. She blinked.
"Yeah,I'm good. What about you? It was probably hard to say that to him."
I shrugged "I feel terrible. But it's for the best...I keep getting this horrible feeling.." I shook my head. She tilted her head to the side,her grey eyes analyzing me. I had a weird feeling that she knew what I was thinking about.
"Does it have anything to do with why your dad called?" She asked me quietly. Before I could say something,I was saved by Jason.
"VALDEZ!" He yelled,racing out and clutching his stomach. We all followed him as he raced into his apartment and right through the bathroom,slamming the door behind him.
"Jason? Are you-" Thalia started,but she was interrupted by a high pitched scream.
"GRACE!"
"Oh shit,Percy." Leo slapped his forehead and looked at me. I put my hands up in a 'Not-my-fault' gesture.
"JACKSON!" Jason yelled back. There was a silence.
"So do you know where the soap is?" Percy asked.
"You use soap?" Jason replied,confused. At this point,we all decided it was best to leave them alone.
"Sooo your fault." I whispered to Leo,who stuck his tongue out.
OoOoO
Annabeth
"Alright,good night ladies. Try not to dream about me while I'm gone." He added quirkily to Hazel,who smiled faintly. One by one the boys filed out,finally Apollo,who kissed Penny before leaving. I looked around at Percy,who immediately shuffled to his room.
"Percy-" Penny started,but he slammed the door. She sighed. "Well,it'll get better. Cmon Hazel." She led Hazel into her room and gave us a half hearted wave "Night guys."
"Night." We replied as she closed the door. Piper looked at me.
"What do you think happened between her and her dad?" She asked quietly. I pursed my lips.
"I asked her,but we were interrupted by Jason." I finished with a smirk. She blushed and shoved my arm playfully.
"Haha. Well,night Chase." She said,yawning as she retired into her bedroom. I took one last look at Percy's door before heading into my own.
...
My eyes flung open to the sound of a door closing. If I wasn't a light sleeper I probably wouldn't have heard it. Rubbing my eyes and slipping out of bed,I peeked through the crack of my door. For a moment I couldn't see anything. Then my breath hitched as I noticed someone slip past. I quickly jerked back,thinking furiously. I had my phone,I could call someone. But something told me not to. I waited for a few mintues,until I could hear the front door close. I walked out slowly and looked around in case if anything was stolen,but then I noticed Percy's door open. I sighed.
"Seaweed Brain." I muttered.
I hadn't changed for bed,so I quickly grabbed my shoes and quietly slipped out the front door and down the lobby. The security guard was asleep. Typical. I creeped out without waking him up and looked around. There wasn't that many people walking about,but I saw someone wearing a dark hoodie and a bag slung over their shoulder. I quietly followed them,keeping a distance at the same time. As I got closer,I noticed the person look to the left quickly. Yep,it was Percy.
He ducked into a dark alley and I followed him carefully. I expected it to be a dead end,but there was another narrow alley to the right. Along the walls,graffiti tattooed every inch of brick. Taking a deep breath,I walked into the alley and stopped in my tracks.
Two giant walls on the left and right stretched for a long distance. Most of it was already covered with some pretty cool art and sketches. I stared breathlessly at them before remembering what I had come for. I heard the clang of metal and look to the left to see Percy spray painting on the walls.
A part of me felt uneasy. You could be arrested for unauthorized graffiti,especially in the middle of the night. But I understood why he was doing it,and I wanted to hear it from him.
"Percy?" I asked. He jumped and spun around. Pulling his hood down,he frowned.
"Annabeth? What-what are you doing here?" He tried to hide the spray paint but it was no use. When I didn't reply,he put his hands up.
"Okay,beforw you start-"
I gave him my infamous 'shut up' look. I took a step closer to him. Despite the darkness,I could still see his sea green eyes perfectly. It was as if an ocean was trapped inside of them,moving aimlessly and bringing warmth and relaxation.
I noticed that in the Jackson twins. Penny's eyes held a sea storm,violent and brutal when untamed. It held the images of families torn and lost at sea,oceans killing hundreds at the coasts and bringing madness and destruction when it is pushed to its limits. And also,sadness. The feeling of looking at the waves sloshing about,thinking about lost dreams.
Percy's was different. If the ocean in his eyes were violent,they never showed. It was always bright and sparkling,the type of place you would spend with your family and friends. The storm in him was more quiet,always left unspoken. It held sadness,but seemed to remind you that better days were coming.
I blinked,realizing that I was staring at him for much too long. I reached down and picked up a bright pink spray can. I looked back up st him,and he looked away. Sighing,I shook my head.
"You're on parole Perseus. If you make one wrong move,you will be thrown back in."
His eyes were still locked nowhere in particular. The corners of his mouth tensed. I shook the bottle and sprayed the wall. He turned towards me shocked. Smirking,I turned around to meet his eyes.
"I'm very disappointed in you."
The smile slowly returned to his face. Picking up another can,he shook and and sprayed the wall. "I'm sorry Officer Chase. I meant no harm."
"Silence Perseus. Do you know how much trouble you could be in right now?" I giggled,as I picked up random colours and continued our so called art. He laughed.
"I know,Officer Chase. I'll be on my best behaviour from now on."
This time we both burst out laughing. I'd never felt so rebellious in my entire life. We were making so much noise we could've been caught. But to my own shock,I didn't even care. I was with Percy. I was happy.
We continued joking around and we didn't even know what we were doing u til we stepped back. Hues of pink,blue,yellow and purple made up for a sky that I'd randomly made as Percy had made a sea,beautiful and sparkling with the reflections of the sky. For a moment,we stared.
"Beautiful." Percy whispered. I nodded. I was never really that into art,but even I was impressed.
"I know. Like,the sky-"
"I wasn't talking about the painting." He interrupted looking at me with a smirk. I felt my cheeks go red and I shoved him.
"Shut up Seaweed Brain." I laughed,blushing furiously. He laughed along with me as his hands slid around my waist. We were both covered in spray paint but we didn't care. I felt my heart beat increase by the moment.
"I know why you wanted to come out and do this." I told him quietly. He tilted his head to the side.
"And why's that?"
"Well,number one,rules don't really apply to you. And number two...you want to be free."
He bit his lip and looked back at the wall,pulling me closer. "You really are a Wise Girl."
I smirked "Of course I am."
"It's just...being in that cell,I didn't know what it was like to be free until then. I was always under the weight of my father's decisions. Penny is..complicated. She's hard to understand and especially hard to control. She's my sister and everything,and I love her but...after I got thrown in,and my dad started controlling us again...I just wanted to get away."
I stayed silent,allowing him to continue.
"I'm happy here with you guys. But I'm still not completely free from..you know. The gang,and everything. And prison..." he stopped.
"What was it like Percy? And how did you.."
'Get hurt?'
He sighed,eyes darting here and there. I pulled him into a hug,his face digging into the side of my neck. And then he started shaking. I held him tighter and closer to me.
"They knew me. They know about my father...and about my sister. They provoked me and...I snapped. I held them off but then more came..and then they mentioned my mom and-"
"Percy." I stopped him. We stood in silence for a long time,until I could feel his muscles unclench themselves. He pressed a gentle kiss against the side of my neck.
"We'll get through this,okay? We're a team." I smiled at him.
"I nominate the name,Team Persassy."
"You are a load of crap." I muttered. He started laughing.
"Ohhh Wise Girl's got skills!" He teased. I shoved him again,but this time he grabbed my wrists.
"Percy-"
But he pulled me closer until his lips connected with mine,and I didn't speak after that.
HEY EVERYONE! Yes I disappeared off the face of Earth for some time,and to make up for it I typed up a big chappie for you all! Just a reminder that the COVID shit is getting more and more serious everyday,so everyone PLEASE stay inside and stay safe! LOVE YALL!
