Percy

Annabeth kept sobbing in Percy's arms for about a minute when she finally sat up and wiped her tears. Percy didn't know what was wrong or what had happened but he didn't care. His mother had always taught him that if someone needed a shoulder to cry on, he would be there. She said he would be a hero one day. That people would remember his goodness and kindness. Percy wanted to make her proud, even if he was a screw-up. He really did try to be a good kid and a good son.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth said. "Something just came up and I, well I just needed to let some emotion out."

"Everything alright?" Percy asked. He mentally kicked himself for that idiotic statement. Of course, everything wasn't alright.

"No not really," Annabeth said. She leaned against the tree and looked up at the sky.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Percy asked. "But, no pressure or anything. Do whatever."

"I don't think I can talk about specifics now. I've just been betrayed by a friend," Annabeth said. "Rather majorly in fact. And I'm really angry."

"I would be too," Percy said. "I've had some friends stab me in the back. It really sucks and I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Thank you, Percy," she said. Percy liked the way she said his name. Slowly, as if she was trying to understand the meaning of the word. The way she said a lot of things. Like the word friend. Like the word betrayed.

"Why is your name Percy anyways?" Annabeth asked. "It's a very British name. Is your mother or father from there?"

Percy shook his head. "No. It's short for Perseus."

"The greek hero?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes," Percy said. "My mother always said I would be a hero one day. And she liked the fact that Perseus was one of the few greek heroes who lived. Happy life, happy marriage, happy family. He didn't have something extremely tragic happen to him."

"Besides the entire "go kill Medusa" and "having no father" thing."

"Besides that," Percy agreed. "What about you? Annabeth's a peculiar name. Never heard of it before."

Annabeth thought about it. "You know how I used to be from Virginia?"

"No, actually," Percy said. Had never pegged her as a southerner with her Yankees cap. But when he listened hard, he could hear the slightest accent.

"Well, I am. In the south, a lot of people use their first and middle names. Jean Louise, Mary Lou, and Julia May. My real name is Anna. My middle name is Beth. My father used to call me Anna Beth as a pet name. My stepmother didn't like it and just called me Anna and out of spite, I told everyone to call me Anna Beth. The name sort of stuck and I just dropped Anna altogether. When I'm old enough to change my name legally, I'll change my first name to that and replace my middle name with Minerva. Annabeth Minerva Chase."

Percy smiled. "I like that. Annabeth Minerva Chase. Are you a Potterhead or something?"

"Yes, but I chose that name for a different reason," Annabeth said. "Minerva is the Roman version of Athena. The goddess of wisdom and battle strategy. I didn't do Annabeth Athena because that's kind of a mouthful."

"I see the resemblance," Percy said with a smile. "You're both very smart. And very scary. And a little mean."

Annabeth laughed. "Most girls never win if they're polite."

Percy nodded. "Wow. I have a feeling that when your rich and famous, girls around the world will look up to you."

"Thank you, Perseus," Annabeth said.

"Your welcome, Anna," Percy said.

She stood up and brushed off her shorts. "I need to go. But, really thanks again. And, uh, as a personal favor, can you not tell anyone I was sobbing like a baby earlier?"

Percy smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it." He watched as she ran off, blonde hair swinging behind her. He leaned back against the tree and whispered to himself, "Annabeth Minerva Chase. You are going to change the world someday."

-Break-

Percy walked into the dorm room where Jason was throwing baskets at a mini hoop, Leo tinkered on one of his many inventions, and Frank was reading a book called "The Art of War." They all looked up when he came in.

"Dude, where were you?" Jason asked.

"Sorry, something came up," Percy said. Percy climbed up the bunkbed and lay down. "I got lost in the woods." He hoped Jason wasn't one of those people who could immediately tell when you're lying. His mother was one of them which was really annoying sometimes.

"I'm lost in the woods!" Leo sang. "Frozen 2 anyone?"

"The first one was better," Percy said.

"No clue what you're talking about," Frank said. "Chinese-Canadian in the room!"

"I think Calypso's rubbing off on you, Leo," Jason said. "She sings for like, every scenario."

Percy shrugged. "It's kind of weird, but a good weird. Ya know?"

Leo smiled. "I specialize in good kinds of weird, crazy, and being a wackjob."

"Definitely," Frank agreed.

Percy looked through the little basket hanging off of his bed and took out some blue candy his mother had packed in his suitcase. He sorted through them and took out a small bag of blue jellybeans. He ate them slowly, savoring thoughts of his mom.

"Blue jellybeans," Leo said. "Kind of specific."

"It's an inside joke," Percy explained. A smile flickered on his face as he thought about it. He popped another blue jellybean in his mouth.

"Care to share?" Jason asked.

He shrugged. "If you guys want to hear." Percy sat up in his bed. "So, one time I made a joke about my favorite color being blue and making all of my food the color blue. My stepdad, Gabe, said that there was no such thing as blue food besides blueberries. Well, he and my mom got into an argument about food being blue and since then she's gone out of her way to get me as much blue food as possible."

Frank smiled. "She sounds really cool."

Percy nodded. "Yeah. She's amazing." He was a mama's boy through and through.