Chapter 4:

Percy

I hate my life. Yup that's my golden thought for the day. Exiting the airport, the only thing my mind could think of was why did life have to be so cruel to me. Yeah yeah, go on you can call me 'drama queen' or whatever but you won't understand my pain unless you have been practically living your whole damn life in New York and then you are asked to live or in my case forced to live in Florida for reasons that are totally unreasonable. You see I could use big words like these once in a while but nooo anna-, nevermind, I mean not only am I being forced to live in Florida, I have to live in that old hag's house. Quick introduction - when I say old hag I mean my 6th grade algebra teacher, monster in flesh, none other than Mrs. Dodds.

Now you have heard it all, tell me what did I do to deserve such horrible things. And before you recount how I hit Mrs. Dodds in the face with my baseball bat in 6th grade, let me tell you that was a total accident I mean it's not my fault, that while swinging the bat, it slipped out of my hands and hit the only person in the playground who hates me.

While I was thinking all of these the hot weather of Florida kept assaulting me. Wait a minute I haven't even introduced myself, my name is Perseus Poseidon Jackson. But just call me Percy and no don't ask me about my name because I still haven't figured out my family's obsession with Greek names to this day.

Getting tired of standing at airport and thinking about my oh so difficult life I checked the time to find that it's still 3:00 pm, huh, figures since my flight got scheduled one hour early.

"Why don't I just find that old hag's house first and then I can just go get lunch afterwards." I said to myself and took off with my backpack and suitcase.

After taking taxi to Campbell and then searching for next fifteen minutes for the right house (why do all houses in the suburbs have to look so same.) I finally arrived at the right house to find that there was nobody home, hmm perhaps my roommate must've gone to work. That monster did say that she works in a hospital. Yup you heard it right I was going to live with a girl. No I was not excited, why you may ask, because anyone on good terms with that monster couldn't be normal or sane or preferably human.

So seeing that there is nobody home I finally decided to use my own keys. But like always I was graced with bad luck meaning I couldn't find the keys.

After searching for 10 more minutes, I finally gave up and headed to the restaurant that was near park which I saw on my way here.

I wanted to hate this place, I really wanted to but I just couldn't, why you may ask because I ate the specialty of Granny's Restaurant where I am currently stuffing my mouth with, which is drumrolls 'banana cream pie' drumrolls. It had just the right amount of sweetness, I would've loved to tell you how specifically tasty it was but like the barbarian I am I just inhaled the whole thing in 5 minutes flat.

Whoever this granny is, she sure hasn't met that old hag because you just can't produce something so sweet and good after meeting that monster.

After consuming one more serving of banana cream pie I got so full that I felt a bit sleepy. I would've just loved to take a good afternoon nap there though I doubt that no matter how sweet this granny might be she wouldn't like customers taking a nap in her restaurant.

After paying the bill I headed to the park seeing that it's still 3:45 pm and I really can't seem to find the keys. Upon entering the park rather than enjoying nature or playing with kids I did the only thing a slob like me could think of doing, did you guessed it? If not then don't worry the answer is drumrolls I took a nap drumrolls. Since all the benches were taken I found a tree to lie against in the corner of the park so nobody will be able to disturb me and set my bags aside.

Did I say that life is totally unfair to me if not let me make it clear 'LIFE IS TOTALLY UNFAIR TO ME'. Because I dreamed of the day I learned that I was going to leave New York.

Dreams

"No no no no no please you can't do this to me pleasssee." I begged my mother and father.

"You have left us with no other option, honey." My mother chided.

I couldn't believe that my own mother was saying this.

"Oh stop giving me that look percy, you are acting like we have betrayed your trust, stop being such a drama queen, you are not going to be gone for that long." My mother scolded me.

"Yeah right, not long my as.." I stopped my sentence seeing the pointed look my mother was giving me. "But mom you said that Mrs. Dodds and Nereus is going to decide how long am I going to stay there, and you know that they both hate me." I said.

"Now now son isn't hate a bit too much, why Mrs. Dodds agreed just to help you mature and grow responsible after your uncle Hades personally requested her to and I know that Nereus can sometimes be a pain in the ass, but like your mother said you have left us with no other option." My father said.

"LANGUAGE POSEIDON" my mother scolded my father at which he just rolled his eyes.

"But please not this punishment I promise I will change my ways, pleasseee" I said finishing it with my best puppy dog eyes I could manage.

"Percy dear, how many times have you said that and just think dear perhaps a new scenery is all you need is to move on from Annabeth."

"I don't love her anymore how many times do I have to say that." I shouted seeing this is all they could say nowadays.

"Now Percy there is no need to use such tone with us, and I did warned you about that daughter of Athena didn't I? so just face it and move on." My father scolded me.

At that I couldn't say anything more, why, because I may not love her anymore but every time I hear her name it just causes me to hate her even more.

"Poseidon can you give me a ride to Paul's?"

"Uh yeah sure Sally but don't you think this might be more important.." But before he could say anything more my mother interrupted him.

"Don't worry just get the car ready, I'll come just give us few minutes alone."

"Fiiine" saying that my dad left us.

After my father was gone, my mother took both of my hands in hers and looked at me pleadingly.

"Honey, just try it out for me please, you have to agree with us, that staying here you will not be able to move on as fast as you think you can than staying away will help you to." My mother said.

"So are you suggesting I run away?" I asked her.

"I am saying that you need a break and living in Florida will give you that and I heard that you will be living with a very beautiful girl." My mother said the last part with a wink.

"Yeah suuure."

"Percy ... "

But before she could say anything more I interrupted her.

"I'll go mom, happy" I said sourly even though I know that my mom is sad about sending me away.

But it seems my mom did not catch my bitter tone or perhaps she just thought it was better to ignore it because she just hugged me tight and kissed my cheek saying how happy she is I'm ready to make progress.

When she finally released me she asked "Do you want to come home with me, I'll cook you your favorite chocolate-chip blue cookies."

I'd like to say that I was so angry at her that I straight out refused her offer, but sadly that's not what I said.

"What really? Yeah!" I celebrated like a child.

My mother just laughed at my antics.

Dream Ends

When I woke up, it had gotten dark, huh perhaps I slept till late evening. One more thing to hate about Florida how the hell people see what's going on if it's this dark in the evening not to mention what it would be at night. I checked my phone to find out what time it is and wait a minute this couldn't be right right? My phone must not be working properly but it makes sense now why it is so dark, argghh not to mention that there are missed calls from my mom, dad, paul and worst of all one from Mrs. Dodds. Arghhh how am I going to explain this and I doubt anyone would believe that I slept for 9 hours straight , nevermind first I better message them all.

"Phone got hanged up, sorry, I'm alright don't worry. :-)" I sent to mom, dad, paul and Mrs. Dodds.

Although I can hardly picture Mrs. Dodds worrying about my well being. I can't believe it's 1:20 am should I just go to that old hag's house right now or should I wait for few hours till it's morning, yeah going in the morning sounds a good idea I'll just go at, wait a minute I don't even know at what time my roommate leaves and I can't find those damn keys so I will have to go there when my roommate is present. Great just great, my relationship with my roommate is going to be so good when I wake her up in the middle of night.

But it's not like l have any choice, yeah that's right what will I even do when I go there later and find out that she already left for work, no no no I can't stay another whole day at park.

This is all that Granny's fault, I swear I will fire a lawsuit on her, who the hell makes their pie so goddamn tasty, it must be illegal right?

Arghh my stupid ADHD I'm getting off topic, just do things one at a time 1) pick up all your stuff and go to that old hag's place. 2)apologize to your roommate and note to self: don't make any sarcastic remarks. Yeah that's right just apologize and don't say anything.

Alright so first, get all your stuff? What the, didn't I set it aside me when I went to sleep? It couldn't have could it, no just no how can all of this happen to me. After that I searched the whole park for 10 minutes in vain hope before facing the harsh reality that yes I'd been mugged my first day no no my first night here. Yipppeeee.

Now what was next, yeah right it was apologizing, but nooooo like all the other things I've managed to mess up in my life I just had to use that disgusting public restroom on my way out.

I'm not even going to elaborate, but let's just say I got a free bath which I TOTALLY DID NOT WANT. I'd love to say that I got so angry that I shouted at top of my voice, that I made a dent in the wall by punching it and that while I was at it I also broke the door but no I did not do any of those things instead I just cried pathetically cursing my bad luck.

After I was done crying I quietly headed to my new place. (Yeah I did not said old hag's because I was just too tired at this point to even curse her.) After I got there it took me another 15 minutes to wake up my roommate from her beauty sleep before I was being interrogated by a soft beautiful voice from the other side since she wouldn't open the door. What the hell is wrong with me, I did not come here to find love, yeah that's right I was just too delirious at this point to actually recognize how horrible the voice really was.

So where was I? Yeah right I was being crosschecked, after explaining to my roommate that I was not a serial killer and I'm not a fake the door finally opened. Even though I have already said it countless times that I did not come to Florida to fall in love I couldn't help but stare in those beautiful almond-shaped dark eyes , I would've probably just stayed like that if not for the horrible stench I was giving out which did not go unnoticed by my roommate.

"What the, what is that horrible smell and why do you smell so bad?" she shouted at me.

"Uh about that, you see I was using a public restroom but perhaps it didn't like me because the second I flush the toilet, it just spilled out all it's content on me giving me a thorough bathing with it in the process." I confessed.

I can't even tell you how embarrassed I was after relating it to her, not to mention she still doesn't know about other things.

"Wait a minute here and don't you dare come inside unless I say it's okay to and keep your eyes closed in the meantime." After saying that she left to go who knows where but I did not question her seeing how hard I was making this for her. So I just did what she asked me to do, I kept my eyes closed but when you are ADHD you just can't stay still while keeping your eyes closed and not knowing what will happen.

"Would you please mind standing still." She said after what I thought to be a really long time, but only just few minutes at best.

"Uh okay but can I ask why did I have to close my .."

I wasn't even able to complete my sentence before I got drenched from head to toe for the 2nd time that night.

"Arghhh what the hell what are .."

I started shouting at her but again I was interrupted as she splashed me with more water. I did not expect to get drenched with water for the 2nd time much less for the 3rd time in the same night, so when she splashed me I was so surprised that I wasn't even able to balance myself before I fell on my butt.

Saying I was mad would be an understatement since I didn't even noticed the growl that escaped me.

"Why you .." but I was not able to say anything more than that , when I finally looked upon the girl who stood before me. Now that I was not being questioned or getting drenched I finally had a good look at the girl standing before me.

Words couldn't describe how great she looked with moonlight falling on her caramel-colored hair which was braided to one side giving it a slight tinge of silver. Her almond-shaped eyes which were so dark that they captivated me completely, but that was not the only thing that was great about her, no her face was timeless, yeah I know not a great compliment but when I say timeless I meant she would've looked beautiful no matter what age or day. I was so lost in her beauty that I didn't even notice that I was staring until she started waving her hand in front of my face. Arghhh what is wrong with me, I must have creeped her out, after making sure I closed my mouth which no doubt must've been open I stood up and did the only thing what any normal person like me could've thinked of doing when found themselves in this situation.

"Are you crazy or what, why did you do that?" I asked her.

"Are you serious, because, mister you were smelling horrible, what did you expect me to do? welcome you in my house and clean after your mess." She retorted.

Damnit she's got a point, but being the mature person I am I just retorted with.

"Anyway now are you going to let me in or are you now what going to blowtorch me? Huh.

"Fine you can come but first just go in the bathroom and dry yourself, it's in right from the living room."

Ahhh time to confess about my other blunder.

"What's the matter just come in." she said perhaps not noticing my lack of luggage.

"About that do you have extra clothing, you see my luggage got stolen so I don't have anything to wear other than the things I'm already wearing which you can see are pretty wet." I finished while rubbing the back of my neck. Yeah I do that when I get nervous or when I am embarrassed.

"Fiine, just go in the bathroom I will search for something large enough for you to fit in." she said, perhaps not in the mood to question me any further. Hah I couldn't have been more wrong.

But before I could answer, my stomach made a growling noise so loud it might've woken up the neighbors. Saying I was embarrassed doesn't even cover it because I just wanted to dig a hole and bury myself in it than facing the beautiful girl standing before me who was witnessing all of my antics.

"Don't worry I already have some food prepared, so just go take a bath before I serve you." She said.

I just nodded my head at that and sprinted towards the bathroom not trusting myself to not make a fool of myself in front of her anymore than I already have.