Percy's PoV
I wake up to the sound of my alarm which made it's normal loud noise that got me up, just one of the many thing I have to do now, wake up early willingly. You see going to class and participating isn't forced if we want we can just sit around in our dorms for days and days but that goes on our progression sheet meaning it takes longer to get out of here.
It's been two months since I moved here. School is out for summer holidays but no such luck for us, the best I got was less classes but Maths and English were still up and running to do everyday, which I guess wasn't so bad but im getting texts from Annabeth and Grover.
Grover just sends 'I'm sorry' everyday which is kind of a running joke by now. While Annie just keeps moaning about having to go around Historical American locations instead of going to an architecture camp, I don't understand that girl.
But they keep sending me pictures of their summers, beaches, new cities, festivals and a bunch of new things. Grover is in Miami! So you know that's he sending pictures every hour. I sent them pictures as well but the good view is normally ruined by the reason I'm here.
But I've made friends, that group of kids that came up here on my first day, they helped me get through the rough patches and we help each other. They have their issues I have mine they help me calm down I help them how ever I can.
Jason, the kid with the blond hair and purple and orange jacket with bright blue eyes. He has a sort of amnesia that comes and goes, not short term memory loss but they'll be times where he's fine and times where he forgets who he is completely, but that only lasts for a few hours and happens every few weeks.
His sister Thalia, the reason I can't sleep at night, she is a mystery the only person in our group who knows what's wrong with her is Jason, its not physical like Jasons memory or my anger you can't see it so it's Mental, we have our theories. Leo thinks she's faking it so she can be with Jason, I don't think that's true.
Speaking of Leo he was the elfish guy who looked crazy and that's because he is. I mean he's diagnosed crazy he has very very bad ADHD not like mine it makes mine look non existent. This kid is fast and always fiddles with something, he's hyper, he's smart and he really funny. But he is most certainly crazy.
His Girlfriend Calypso who's also here but doesn't hang out with us has a case of agoraphobia. It took Leo ages to get close to her, but when they told each other they liked one another they tried to make it work, they've been dating for weeks now and he still hasn't got within a foot have her before she freaks, he tries really hard and that's a reason I tolerate his craziness at the end of the day he's a really good guy.
But his mortal enemy is also one of his closets friends. Frank Zhang. He suffers from insecurity issues that leaves him depressed for a very long times. He doesn't like his father much and after his mum died he got worse, his old friends used to make him feel like shit and when he tried to kill himself and failed his father had him sent here. Now we try to make him feel like the most valuable member of the group.
His girlfriend Hazel is kind of in the same boat as me, she has mood swings she can go between anger to depression in seconds, which in my opinion would make dating her a nightmare, but she is a really nice person and normally after she snaps at someone she'll cry and apologise profusely.
Piper Jason's girlfriend is a kleptomaniac she steals everything but she's also sensitive to how she looks well kind of the opposite, im saying this as a warm blooded male but Piper is hot most men and even women know this but she tried her hardest to hide that, she cuts her hair choppy and tries to hide her face and she wears the baggiest clothes to try and hide her body.
We work out our issues with each other and with group counselling which was ran by this really nice woman named Hestia, she like a therapist but takes in groups. So the eight of us depending on Jason and Calypso so sometimes it could be six of us. But we work together to learn more about each other and learn how we can keep helping each other.
I 've been going to it for two months now and I haven't spoken much, I opened up about having to get angry to defend myself but that's about it. I haven't spoken about Gabe or anything.
Thalia's the same. She hasn't said a word to Hestia at all, I don't think Hestia has ever heard her speak before.
Thalia quickly became a close friend of mine and I hope I became one for her to and I think that started happening about three weeks ago, I'll tell you what happened.
—
Three weeks ago...
So myself and the group went camping with our local fitness trainer Artemis. We were hiking for hours before we decided to prop up a small camping post with tables and tents the whole lot, people shared tents, people got to chooses who they're sleeping with cause you know make them as comfortable as possible rule the adults follow.
So it was Piper and Jason in one tent.
Frank and Hazel in another
Thalia and myself in one which was quite awkward.
Calypso got a tent all to her self
And Leo was all by himself.
"Just remember they're not sound proof" was Artemis's only response towards the sleeping arrangements. The couples all looked slightly embarrassed Leo looked like he wanted to be part of the embarrassed group of couples and Calypso looked guilty. I knew nothing would happen with me and Thalia cause at this point I think she hated me.
She was always so closed off and said the least things possible to me and she always tried to stay away from me as much as possible she looked shocked that she was stuck with me as a sleeping buddy, but I noticed the tiniest amount of colour on her face when this was announced.
Before I could tell weather or not she was blushing I was spoken to my Artemis.
"Percy, Jason! Can you get some fire wood for tonight!" Artemis asked while looking at me.
"Sure Artemis!" Jason responded and grabbed a bag and marched into the woods, I quickly followed after nodding. While we were walking I saw. Jason digging around the bag he brought.
"Whats in the bag?" I ask while we walk. He pulls out a bright blue marker. And writes an L on a tree then turns left then writes R on the other side.
"What are you doing?" I ask looking at him. He points to the L.
"That means turn Left from camp." He then point at the other side of the tree at the R. "That means turn Right to get back to camp." He says.
"Oh so they're markers then." I say stupidly.
"Yeah it helps us get back and them to get to us if we hurt ourself they can find us!" He says as we walk, every twenty or so steps he draws an arrow pointing in the direction we're going and another pointing back towards the camp.
We walk on for about twenty more minutes. Collecting sticks and stuff to burn like moss. By now Jason has left quite a bit of markers leading to us. He was half way making an R marker when he suddenly stopped. I notice this.
"Jay you ok?" I ask. He ignores me and puts the marker in his Jacket pocket.
"Jason?" I say fearing what was about to happen in the middle of know where. He looks at me with wide eyes. I notice he has the bag of sticks on him some bigger then most.
His eyes are wide and he reaches for the stick. I knew what happened before he utters his first words.
"Who are you!? Where am I!? What do you want!?" He yelled. This has happened before and Jason doesn't normally get aggressive but when he does it's dangerous to get close.
"Jason, my name is Percy. I'm your friend, we're in the woods of hospital of sorts that's here to help you." i say as calmly as I can holding my hand out showing I mean him no harm.
"Thalia and Piper are the only ones who have been alone with him when this happens, normally there's the group incase he gets aggressive we have to hold him back till a sedative can be given to him when he wakes up again he's fine but when he's like this, he's dangerous.
Last time this happened Piper ran out of their room and got a guard to help sedate him. When this happened with Thalia she knocked him out herself. But I can't do that he has weapons of sorts with those sticks and there are no guards around the area. And if he hits me even on the off chance I don't catch the hit, I can't risk losing my cool if he attacks, I've recently learned that's a trigger for me.
"Ok Jason, why don't you put down the stick and I'll help you get to your sister Thalia ok?" I ask trying to take a step forward. He freaks a little.
"No no stay there!" He says swinging a stick he just pulled from the bag. I take a step back hands still up just above my heart.
"Jason, you're having a moment where you lose your memories, I can get you to people who will explain everything to you." I say trying to calm him down.
"No fuck off!" He yells throwing a stick at me, I barely dodge the attack and I could feel myself get a ticked off he tried attacking me.
"Jason! I'm trying to help you!" I say trying to sound calm.
"Don't call me that, that's not my name! Or is it!? I don't know I don't know anything!" He screams holding his head hitting it a bit.
"Ok that's ok, I'll take you back to Thalia! And she can show you everything, she'll tell who you are and what you mean to you friends, she'll tell you about parents, your dad and your mum-" I tried saying but I was interrupted.
"No, No not mum! No!" He says throwing another stick at me this one hitting me in the face. and running Into the woods.
I took a breath to stop myself from lashing out at Jason, he was just scared, he was scared of me just like I was scared of Gabe, if I lashed out at him he would see me the exact same way I saw Gabe, I refuse to ever bare a resemblance to that pig! But I fucked up and spooked him.
I drop my head.
"Fuck!" I mutter. Mom card was a bad card I'll remember that. I was left with two choices, follow the markers back to camp and get help but risk losing Jason all together or run into the woods after him while I can still keep up with him and help him get some memory of me back which I wasn't even close to qualified to do.
Of course I chose the dumb thing and chased after him.
It was easy to catch up to him sense he had no idea where he was going and kept stopping to try and look for a way out. He also wasn't that fast.
When I caught up he pulled out another stick and threw it at me. I caught this one and held behind me.
"Jason, it's ok. I know your scared and I know I would be as well! But you need to calm down. I can't help you, Thalia, Piper hell even Leo can you help better then I can. So let me take you to them." I say calmly. He takes a breath and nods I smile and turn around. Trying to lead him back up the hill we just ran down. I heard the motion the heavy breathing sound I got used to while Gabe was in the house, most humans make these sounds as the swing something mainly when they swing it am offensive way. I quickly used the stick I had to block his swing.
Our stick collided, he took a breath and tried to do it again, I quickly stopped his attack by blocking again. I knew this wasn't going to help but I couldn't just let him hit me with sticks. So I kept blocking his attacks.
By now I could hear foot steps of people running, no doubt the heard Jason screaming and copped on to what had happened.
When they got to the area where he threw the sticks at me they stopped. I was forced to look back at Jason when he swung again this time at my feet though I jumped over the stick.
"Down there!" I hear Frank yell. I couldn't think about them right now Jason was surprisingly good at this. He swung for my head but I quickly blocked. What very little people know besides swimming my interests also involve sword fighting or martial arts with some sword lessons. My father took me to my first lesson at sixteen I was pretty good at it and sticks wasn't that different.
I decided to stay on the defensive so I put a hand behind my back and using my right hand blocked his attack, he swung again and I parried his attack pushing him back, this would normally be a good time finish him but im still trying to look like the good guy no matter how unlikely that looked right now.
He swung again after he regained his composure I quickly ducked his swing and decided to end this sense the others clearly were doing something else. While I was ducking I pushed the end of my stick not badly but light enough to hurt but not bruise, into his stomach winding him. While he was holding his stomach I pushed him down and kicked the stick out of his hand. He was uninjured but I managed to get a pretty bad cut on the side of my face just next to my eye, from when he threw the stick at me and hit me. By Now Thalia was holding Jasons arms while Frank held his legs while Artemis gave him a small sedative that would last about an hour.
After he was out Frank picked him up bridal style, Frank was undoubtedly the strongest one in the group. I was fit and had a slight build but Frank was bloody Dwayne Johnson compared to me. I was more Tom Holland built.
While Frank hauled Jason off Thalia and Piper came up to me.
"You ok?" Piper asked. I nodded slightly touching my cut.
"He has a mean swing when he wants to, we got that from dad." Thalia says looking at me, her face lacked that old frown that was normally there but now held a small light smile.
"Actually he threw it at me, I blocked his swings pretty well." I say slightly bragging. Piper rolled her eyes. Thalia smirked a bit.
"We noticed, who knew you could stick fight!" Thalia said in slight mock.
"Sword fighting isn't that different, my father use to take me to lessons behind my mothers back, Fencing and martial arts, sometimes we get given sticks in martial arts and combine that with fencing and im pretty good at sword fighting!" I explain. Thalia nods.
"Good job Kelp head!" Thalia replied and walked off following Frank.
"Kelp head? Don't tell me that's my nickname!" I mutter. Piper looks at me and sighs.
"Better then Beauty Queen!" She says and walks next to me.
"Least yours isn't an insult!" I reply. Walking up the hill.
"In my opinion having a nickname that signals out the one thing I want people to ignore me for is an insult!" Piper says.
"That's why Leo calls you that! Slightly to find humor in your insecurities and to piss you off!" I say. Making Piper laughed hard.
"He's a dick but he also always manages to make you laugh no matter what!" She says. "You know Thalia's basically calling you an idiot. Right?" Piper adds.
"That's how I know it's an insult. I'm just glad she's talking to me!" I say. Looking ahead at her she was next to Frank looking at Jason with worry.
"I'd like to say she hates everyone at first but you and me are the only one's who own the titles. She loved Frank and Hazel when they first came, then me and Leo arrived she liked Leo instantly but me, that took longer then I'd care to admit!" She says. I look at her truthfully that surprised me a lot, Thalia and Piper looked to really get along with each other.
"Do you know why? I mean why she disliked you?" I ask. She nods.
"The same reason a mother doesn't like her son knowing girls. She was protective of Jason it was obvious to her he liked me and vice versa. Not everyone can deal with Jasons memory loss, she thought as soon as he became to much to deal with I'd up and leave breaking his heart. I never would, I love Jason I could never leave him even if it comes to the point I have to remind him who I am everyday I'll never leave his side!" She says. I smiled seeing just how much she cared about Jason.
Not everyone could deal with Jason I knew that even now part of me wants to stay away from him for a while, but he's a good friend I know he has no control of it.
"You know I hope one day I'd find someone like that. Someone who wouldn't jump ship first chance she got, because I would never jump ship no matter what!" I say. She smiles lightly.
"You know Thalia doesn't hate you, when she hated me she told me as such, you she's just ignored, while I have my theorys I don't really know why" Piper mutterd.
"What's the theory?" I ask. She smiles devilishly.
"If I told you, you'd ruin the little bet I'm having with Jason!" She says.
"What bet?" I ask, she giggles a bit.
"Same answer as before, Kelp Head!" She says before walking closer to Jason.
I sigh, women are fucking confusing, especially the ones here. As I think this I look at Thalia who quickly glanced at me. Her lightning blue eyes met my sea green eyes, then she looked away again. I decide to walk by myself while I deal with the weird thoughts in my head.
When we got back to camp we rested for the night, Jason had already woke up and after being a Grover and apologising profusely no matter how many times I say it wasn't his fault, he went to sleep, Piper going with him. Same for Frank and Hazel, Leo and calypso waved at each other before retreating into their own tents. After that me and Thalia went to bed as well. We spoke a little and she apologised for being a bitch. We talked a bit more then slept. When I woke up Thalia was gone already helping Artemis pack up.
—
Present day
And that's what happened this month. It was a head ache and my injury healed quickly, Jason got a splinter and cried like a little girl while Thalia removed it so now we're even.
I go to open my dorm door to leave but when I opened my door I was surprised to Thalia standing right infront of the door getting ready to knock.
"Oh! Hey!" I say happily looking at her, she wore her normal leather jacket and skinny jeans. She was holding two cups of coffee in each hand.
"Hey! I thought you might need some coffee for the day, I know you have a test in maths!" She says. I smile and take the coffee she was offering me.
"Thanks, your a life saver!" I say taking a sip of the warm cup and instantly feel more refreshed.
We walk together her maths classs being a few doors down from mine.
"Truthfully I think im really close to getting a prescription to this coffee to keep my stress levels down." I joke, Thalia smiles a little at my bad joke.
"Ok ok, your here because of a lack of sense of humour!" I guess.
"Nope keep guessing Kelp Head!" She says. Recently I made her a bet that I'll guess her issue, normal people would find this insensitive but not Thalia she welcomed the challenge. Truthfully im not trying to guess, I just comment on her lack of personality and say that's the reason why, I haven't said any of the serious ones, which from how Jason treats her sometimes I feel like she has.
We talk a bit more as we walk making fun of each other and laughing our asses of when Thalia 'accidentally' pushed this girl called Clarrisse into the fountain, Clarrisse had the same issues I have. Anger except she's a bitch about it and decided it would be funny to try and dunk my head in the toilet though Thalia did one better and pushed her head first into the fountain, then we ran.
We laughed for ages, but sadly we arrived at my class. We got there in time to hear Chiron tell the class that our teacher has fallen ill so can't teach the class so the test was postponed. And through Chiron's deep voice about how sick our teacher was I swear I could hear Leo yell.
"Fuck yes!" At the top of his lungs. Chiron raised an eyebrow, and he apologised and remained silent.
"No test! Sub for a teacher! Easy day from the look of it!" I say happy.
"You have English?" Thalia asked.
"Nope, free day!" I say. She smiled and grabbed my hand, and pulled me away.
"Good, I know what we can do for the day." She says as she drags me away from my class. I know for a fact Chiron saw us because he made eye contact with me but he ignored Thalia dragging me away. So did Jason who frowned slightly. And Leo made a joke that I didn't hear that got him slapped in the back of the head by Hazel.
After a few minutes of Thalia dragging me around Camp we arrived at the Border of the woods. This is the same woods where we camped and Jason tried to kill me.
"Ahh good memories!" I mutter sarcastically. Thalia rolls her eyes.
"Surely they weren't all bad!" She says smiling.
"I can think of one or two moments!" I say remembering spending the night next to Thalia. She walks into the woods, I quickly follow her.
"Don't we need a permission slip to walk in here?" I ask. She looked at me and raised her eyebrows.
"You scared to break the rules Kelpy" she says.
"And now it's evolved into Kelpy!" I mutter. She laughs, her smile was perfect. Her white teeth and raven black hair just perfectly fit with her beautiful lighting blue eyes.
"So, what's the plan here?" I ask pushing past her question.
"I want to show you something!" She says.
We walk for another ten minutes, before she stopped. She stopped at this gigantic pine tree. I looked up and it seemed endless.
"Wow!" I say looking at it. She smiles and pulls out a blanket from her bag and lays it down on the floor.
"You were never going to maths were you?" I ask.
"Nah maths sucks! I'll go tomorrow and catch up." She say sitting down in the blanket.
And pulling out a sandwich and a flask of coffee.
"Sit down Jackson!" She says before taking out another sandwich. And tossing it to me.
"You were never going to let me go to class either?" I say more of a statement then a question.
"Debated it, it's why I got you Coffee, so I could see if your worthy of the tree!" She says while eating her sandwich.
I roll my eyes and sit down taking the sandwich offer. They were very well made, just the right amount of butter and cheese. They were perfect actually.
We spent much of the day just talking and eating. It was actually really fun. Somehow we ended up really close to each other.
"You know, I- I'm glad you brought me out here." I say stuttering a bit.
"Am I making you nervous Jackson?" She asked while looking at me.
"N-no n-not at all!" I say slightly defensive. She frowns a little.
"To bad." She says softly. We were really close now, I started leaning in a little and so did she, we were centimetres apart, I leaned furth-
RIIIING! RIIIIING! RIIIIIING! RIIIIING.
We were interrupted by my phone ringing. I closed my eyes and sighed. Then checked the contact. It was Grover I frowned and silently cursed the surprisingly good phone reception. I picked up the phone after giving the one minute signal to Thalia who sighed and looked embarrassed.
"Grover now is a really really bad time, no wait scratch that it an even worse time then really really, like times it by a hundred!" I say.
"Percy, it's Ikaros, he was in an accident. He didn't make it." Grover says. He said those words in seconds but it took me a lot longer to realise what he meant.
"Ikaros, is dead?" I ask pausing after saying his name. I hear soft sobs coming from the other end.
"Yeah Perce, His funeral's in a week. I thought you might want to be there." He says.
"Of course I would yeah, I'll talk to Chiron about getting out for a few days." I say.
"O-ok, sorry for bothering you. I'll see you then!" He says.
"Your poor timed but never a bother Grover." I say trying to laugh and failing. Grover chuckled a little.
"Bye Perce. See you there." And with that he hung up. I just stand there, Thalia didn't hear us as I walked out of ear shot.
"So what was his issue?" she asked as she walks up to me placing her hand on my shoulder.
"A friend of mine was in an accident, he didn't make it." I say. The meaning of those words just sinking in now.
"Oh Percy I'm sorry!" She says hugging me. I hug her back, not really sure what was reality anymore.
"Thalia, can I ask you for a huge favour, that you can totally say no to?" I say into the hug.
"Yeah totally!" She replies.
"Can you come with? I just don't think I can handle going alone!" I say. She waits a few seconds obviously thinking about my request.
"Sure Percy, if Chiron allows it I'll go with you." She says tightening the hug.
"Thank you."