HEY GUYS! Here's a big one today. Not just in size either. It's gonna give you some information that maybe some of you have been wondering about. *cryptic laughter*.
PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW.
Everything Percy Jackson belongs to the oh so wonderful...Rick Riordan *applause*.
"Okay. We'll get our food first and then go over to the table so I can introduce you to everyone." Calypso said as soon and she laid eyes on Annabeth after 4th period.
She had convinced Annabeth to sit with her at her lunch table the day before, and now she was pushing Annabeth through the line and preparing her for meeting 'The Crew'.
(Line break)
Cami, Calypso, and Annabeth had been working on the group assignment given to them in chemistry, when Caly broke the silence and spoke up. "Hey um... Annabeth. Do you think you and your friends would be okay with me stealing you for lunch tomorrow?" She asked almost timidly.
Annabeth nodded, wondering what she was up to. "Sure, where are we going?"
"The cafeteria."
"...Why is going to the cafeteria such a spectacle?"
Calypso sighed and swept a hand through her curls. "I know it's kind of pathetic, but Percy is going to be gone tomorrow for a swim meet until 7th period, Cami won't sit with me, and I don't like being there by myself."
"Why won't Cami sit with you?" She asked, her brow raised.
Cami spoke up from beside them, giggling. "They intimidate me. They're all either really big or really bitchy."
"Um...Who do you sit with?"
Calypso shrugged, "The football team, the soccer team, baseball team, swim team, and the basketball team. Oh and all of their girlfriends."
Annabeth nodded, "So I'll be fine, right...because I'm with Jason?"
"Yeah you'll be fine. He sits with us sometimes. I just don't like being by myself because I have nothing in common with the players or the 'lackies'."
"What are 'lackies'?"
"The bitches that think they're better than everyone else 'cuz they're boyfriends are popular in sports. They think that it makes them cool automatically, when in all actuality they probably have the combined IQ of 12 and no real friends. They enjoy spending their days torturing harmless students, but you're tough Annie, you could take 'em."
Annabeth chuckled and shook her head, "But isn't Percy the captain of the swim team? Doesn't that make you a 'lackie' too?"
"Well no. I'm smart."
Annabeth laughed and nodded. "Okay, I'll eat with you, scaredy cat."
(Line break)
"Annabeth."
"Annabeth."
"Earth to Annie."
Calypso was snapping her fingers in front of Annabeth's face.
She blushed, "Sorry," she mumbled.
"It's fine, we just need to get our food, the line is moving." Calypso said as she grabbed a tray and made her way down the line, taking food from wherever she pleased.
Annabeth followed behind her grabbing a burger, some BBQ chips and the only orange that didn't appear to be completely brown. She paid and stood next to Calypso, who was looking around the cafeteria.
"Okay," she started sternly, "I'm gonna give you a run down on everyone you're about to meet so you won't go into this looking like a fool."
Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"Okay. This is a lot, but if you can remember hundreds of chemical compounds then you should remember some names and appearances."
Annabeth nodded, but Calypso paid her no attention. "I'm sure you already know Frank, Beck, Nico, Percy and Connor, they are sort of the center of our table. "
Annabeth raised her hand to stop her talking, "Um I actually don't. Well I know Nico and Percy, but everyone else... No."
Calypso gaped, "You've been at this school for 4 years and you don't know the captains of...well everything!"
She just shrugged. She had never really been that concerned with being social until this year. Her last year of high school. Something about this year had to be different.
So, she decided to actuality be socially active.
"Fine then. Let's start with Frank: He's the captain of the football team, really sweet, looks like an Asian baby, and his girlfriend is is the cutest little thing ever and the only exception to the "lackie" rule. Hazel.
Beck: He is the captain of the baseball team, big an bulky, his nickname is 'Hot Chocolate' and his girlfriend is the leader of the bimbos. Silena. I do envy her looks though." She added thoughtfully.
"Next is Nico, but you already know him, captain of the soccer team and the emo club. I'm not sure if he has a girlfriend though, but I wouldn't be surprised."
Annabeth laughed out loud making Calypso pause, "What?"
"Nothing nothing, just remembered something funny." She waved for her to go on.
"Last and very much least, Is Connor. He and his twin brother, Travis, are hell on wheels and you should just keep as much distance from them as possible. His slut-bag is Katie and she's the second in command."
"Okay so what about the rest of them?"
"Well, there's Juniper, green eyes and brown hair from which some say they can see her horns peeking out.
Then there's Drew, she's totally irrelevant and has no boyfriend, although she's been trying to get Percy since he moved here."
"I don't see why," Annabeth mumbled, but the look Calypso shot her said that she heard her.
"So there you go. That's all the relevant people, anyone else and they probably aren't interesting."
Annabeth nodded and took a deep breath as they started to make their way of to the half empty table. Annabeth looked around and racked her mind and decided that no one 'important' was there yet.
They were about to sit down at the edge of the table when someone called her name.
She turned around to find Jason jogging towards her from the lunch line.
"Hey babe, are you sitting with us today?" He asked with a dimpled smile as he stopped in front of her.
"Yeah, Calypso asked me. She also gave me a run down about everyone over here so this should be...interesting."
He chuckled, "Yeah it will."
He looked passed them to where their food was. "Why don't you guys come sit over here," he said and pointed to the opposite side of the table. "You can sit in my seat, just save one for me on the other side."
He didn't wait for their responses and picked up both of their trays to move them over.
He walked back to where they were standing, kissed Annabeth's forehead and walked to the lunch line with his parting words. "Don't let any of them give you shit if I'm not back before then."
"Well, that was something."
Calypso muttered as they sat down at their newly assigned seats.
"Yes, he's very sweet. I don't understand why you don't like him."
She shrugged, "I have my reasons," she said cryptically.
Annabeth was about to respond when a tray made an audible clang against the table.
"Sorry," came a sweet voice, she looked up to see a tiny girl holding hands with a giant in a Letterman jacket.
"Frank," there was a sound of a hand meeting skin, "You scared them. You know what I told you about being less heavy handed. Apologize."
"Sorry." The large man muttered.
The girl grinned at him and turned to the two girls and greeted Annabeth.
"Hi, I'm Hazel and this is Frank." She said sticking her hand out.
"Hi Hazel I'm-"
"Annabeth Chase. I know who you are, you're dating Jason right? Did he ever tell you that he, Thalia and I are cousins? Twice removed." She smiled widely.
Annabeth didn't really know how to respond to that, "Well...I didn't know that actually, but that's cool. It's nice to meet you."
A large hand shot put in front of her face. "Hi I'm Frank. Jason's told me a lot about you, nice to meet you." He said with a dopey grin.
Annabeth had to lean back slightly to shake his gargantuan hand, "It's nice to meet you too, I'm Annabeth."
Hazel sat her hands down on the table and looked at them excitedly. "So...Anna. Can I call you Anna? Jace does it. Anyway," She started before
Annabeth could understand what she was talking about. "Tell me about yourself. What classes are you in? Any teachers you don't like? I know I have a few of those, I mean-." Hazel was staring at the space behind Annabeth, her golden eyes narrowed and a scowl on her lips. She opened her mouth, but snapped it shut at the same time someone slid into the seat next to Annabeth.
A pretty girl with long brown hair was next to her with her hand out. A large smirk on her face. "I'm Katie. And you are..?
Annabeth almost chuckled, it seemed like Calypso's previous warnings weren't needed.
Everybody seemed eager to introduce themselves.
Annabeth stared at the offered hand in front of her, hoping to make her feelings clear.
Katie signed and withdrew her hand. "I see Caly over there has gotten in your head already. It's really not fair to make assumptions about me before we've even spoken, but that's fine. I'm going to help you out by giving you some advice." Annabeth almost felt bad about her preconceived judgements...until Katie opened her mouth. "The seat that you're sitting in right now is already taken, it belongs to Jason Grace. I'm not sure if you know him, but he's very particular about this seat. So as a friend," Annabeth grimaced, "I would advise you to move or you might embarrass yourself."
"Oh, believe me I know who sits here, but thanks for the advice."
"Then why are you still here?"
She asked less sweetly.
And there it was. Bitten by the bitch virus.
Annabeth decided to have some fun before the little girl got a taste of her own medicine.
"I'm here because I can be. It's a free country and I'm pretty sure Jace would enjoy my company. "
Katie sniffed, "He has a girlfriend you know. Her name is Annabel, we're great friends and if this is some kind of ploy to get in his pants, it's not going to work."
"I'm very aware of his relationship status. I happen to know Annabeth really well too and she's perfectly fine with me being here." She said in an extra sweet voice.
She heard Calypso snickering beside her.
Katie rolled her eyes, "Who are you anyway? Why are you at this table?"
"The same reason you are. My boyfriend. Well that and Calypso invited me." She said shrugging.
"You have a boyfriend?" She asked incredulously, "What is he, a freshman?" She asked chuckling.
"Nope. Senior. In fact you were just talking about him. Oh look, there he is."
She said and looked up to see Jason walking their way.
Katie's eyes followed Annabeth's and widened when they found their target.
"Wha-what? Jason? Stop lying, who are you?"
Annabeth turned to her and gave her her most genuine looking death stare. "My name is Annabeth. Annabeth Chase. And it was really not nice meeting you."
Katie gaped and Annabeth turned when she heard Hazel's subdued laughter. She noticed that half of the table had joined and they were all looking towards the two girls like it was a tennis match.
"Katie could you please find another seat? You're sitting in mine." A voice said from behind them.
Jason was standing there, tray in hand, with a large smirk on his handsome face.
Katie looked between the two of them before she huffed and got up from her seat to sit by someone who Annabeth could assume was her boyfriend, Connor.
Jason sat down and leaned over to kiss Annabeth. "What did she say to you," he whispered.
"Nothing I couldn't handle." She said shrugging.
"That's my girl," he said smiling and kissed her cheek.
She felt a nudge in her side and she turned to find Calypso looking at her with a proud look on her face.
"I told you you could take them."
"One down three more to go."
"Little Bethel! You made it!" A loud voice practically yelled across the cafeteria. "Thalia told me you'd be here, but I figured you would have chickened out."
Nico said loudly as he walked over to the table, his backpack slung over his shoulder.
"I don't chicken out, Nico."
She said rolling her eyes.
"Sure you don't Bethy," He leaned down and kissed her cheek, "I haven't seen you in a few days, what's been going on?"
Annabeth giggled and pushed him away playfully. "Nothing. Why are you so happy?"
"No reason. It's just a good day." He shrugged.
Annabeth smiled at him, thinking she knew what his reason was. But her smiled was quickly dimmed when a snarky voice spoke up from across the table.
"What, you have Jason and now you need another boy toy? I'm pretty sure Nico is taken already, so you might wanna stop before the name calling starts."
Jason stood straighter, ready to defend Annabeth, but she put a hand on his arm to stop him.
"Damn, Annie. Staring fights already I see." Nico said chuckling.
Annabeth rolled her eyes and turned to Katie. "Nico is one of my best friends."
"I'm sure he is," she said with a cold smile.
Annabeth turned back to Nico, who was looking at them with a grin on his face.
"Earth to Emo." She said snapping her fingers.
"What?"
"Did you ask Thalia about sitting with you?"
"No, she said, and I quote: "No thanks I don't enjoy spending my time with twig bitches and they're brawny air-headed boyfriends."
Annabeth laughed, "That's Thalia."
She spent the rest of lunch period laughing with Calypso, Nico and Hazel, who surprisingly had the best sense of humor. Jason watched their interactions with a grin, but stayed quiet the whole time.
And wicked bitch of the west kept her mouth shut too, but Annabeth sensed that it wouldn't be the last time she would hear from Katie considering she hadn't even met the rest of the Lackies.
No one else talked to Annabeth, but she caught the stares of multiple people looking at her. Sometimes nice. Sometimes not.
She'd just have find out their deal when she sat with them tomorrow.
(Line break)
"Okay first date. Go."
"My first date? Oh I remember it like it was yesterday. The year was 1996, I was 17 years old and it was the first time I had ever been out with a man without my parents being with us. And boy was I so excited, I had the handsomest man the state of Chicago had ever seen. He was 18, dark haired, tan skinned and had the prettiest eyes I had ever seen. I knew I was in love with him before we had even spoken a word to each other and by some miracle...he loved me too. Apparently we had been pining after each other since sophomore year and he finally gathered the guts to ask me out at the beginning of senior year. So you'd imagine how happy I was that we were finally going on a proper date that was 3 years in the making." Sally looked passed Annabeth wistfully, "I was wearing this cute little dress my mom had gotten for me a few days before. It was singlehandedly the best thing I had ever worn, well besides my wedding dress, but we'll get to that later. I was all dressed up and ready to be picked up and have the best time of my life, when a loud honk caught my fathers attention."
Annabeth gasped dramatically, "He didn't."
Sally nodded and laughed, "He did. He didn't mean any harm, he was just being funny. We had had a conversation about idiots that honk to get their dates attention days before and he was under the impression that my parents weren't home. It was our little inside joke, but my father didn't understand that.
He made me go back to my room and told my boyfriend to get off his property."
"You must have been sad."
"Oh I was, but not for long. I had cried myself to sleep like the dramatic teenager that I was and had woken up to the sound of rocks hitting my window. He told me he was sorry and that he was only joking around."
"And you let him off the hook that easily?" Annabeth asked incredulously.
"Oh hell no. I had him beg for a little while, but I couldn't be mad. That was just him. And trust me, that wasn't the last time that his odd sense of humor had landed him in trouble." She took a deep breath, "He convinced me to sneak out with him and go on the date that was meant to take place hours before and I agreed. We went to see a movie, we shared a drink and popcorn, walked down the sidewalks hand and hand, interrupted each other with innocent kisses and had the time of our lives. We arrived back at my house as the sun was coming up. He helped me through my window. He climbed in after me and I'm not sure if it was the deprivation of sleep or his hopeless romantics, but when I turned around, he was on one knee asking me to marry him."
Annabeth gasped loudly, "Seriously? How long had you two known each other?"
Sally grinned, "Two weeks."
"That's some serious love there."
"It really was." Sally said quietly.
"How did your parents react?"
"Oh they weren't very happy. Especially my dad. But we didn't care because it wasn't their decision to make. It was ours.
So a month and a half after that day, I became Sally Jackson. And it was a year after that when I gave birth to the light of my life."
Despite herself, Annabeth smiled, "Percy."
Sally beamed, "Yes. Perseus Orion Jackson. My baby boy." Sally gushed, "He was the most precious little baby. He looked just like his father. Those bright jade eyes and that thick black hair. He got nothing from me he's all his father."
The front door chimed and Sally broke out into an even larger grin. "There you are! My baby, we were just talking about you!"
Annabeth stiffened. She and Sally were having the best time just sitting and talking. And he just had to come and ruin it.
Percy groaned, "Don't listen to anything Annabeth says. They're all lies." He said with a slight chuckle.
Annabeth relaxed a little and snuck a peek at the boy leaning over the counter next to her. He didn't seem to be in a bad mood. He was looking at his mom with a smile on his face.
"Okay let me rephrase." Sally started, "I was the one talking about you."
"Well in that case," he turned to Annabeth with a small barely there grin, "Don't believe anything she says because they're probably embarrassingly true." He said and Annabeth chuckled hesitantly.
Was he being...dare she think it...amicable?
"Hey Mom, I'm gonna stay for an hour, but then I need to go." He said scratching the back of his head.
Sally raised an eyebrow. "Hot date?"
"Something like that. The movies."
"That's nice. And because I'm pretty sure I won't see you until tonight: have fun, be safe, and tell Caly I said hi."
"Will do," he leaned over the desk to kiss Sally's cheek. "Love you."
"Love you too."
Percy walked away towards one of the bookshelves and Annabeth gaped at him as he left.
Sally giggled. "Is he really that bad?"
Annabeth blushed, "Huh?"
"Is he really that bad that you're surprised when he acts normal?"
"Well he hasn't been the warmest person."
Sally took a deep breath.
"Well he's still grieving and sometimes it flares up."
Annabeth jerked back. "Grieving? Grieving what?"
"You don't know," she said and gave Annabeth a weird look.
"Don't know what?" Annabeth said anxiously.
"Percy's father died almost 2 1/2 years ago."
Annabeth gasped and covered her mouth. "What? Y-you were just talking about his dad. You made it sound like..."
"Life he was still alive?" Sally whispered.
Annabeth nodded, not trusting her voice.
"Well sometimes I feel like he's still with me. But no. He's not with us anymore."
Annabeth's eyes were filling with tears. "I'm so sorry."
Sally came across the desk and stood next to her. "Sweetie what's wrong?" She asked, rubbing her back soothingly.
"My uh dad died a few years ago too." She said wiping away her traitor tears.
Sally smiled sadly, "I know."
"How-?"
"I used to know your mother." Annabeth nodded, too distracted to ask more questions.
"That just brought back some memories that's all."
"I get it."
Percy walked over to the desk carrying a large crate full of books. "Mom these are marked 'non-fiction', but they have some rips and tears so I think I'm gonna-"
He stops mid sentence.
"Uh. Is this girl talk time or something? 'Cuz I can go back..."
Annabeth shook her head. She was sure her face was on fire and she really needed to calm down before she had an all out meltdown.
"I'm sorry. I'll be fine. I'm just gonna..." She pointed towards the back room and shuffled over quickly before Sally could stop her.
She threw herself down onto the couch and forced herself to stop crying.
If she was being honest, she hadn't thought much about her father since the first day of school. But that's always how it is. The firsts. The lasts.
She 13 when her mother got the call that had shattered they're world forever.
He had been hit head on by a drunk driver driving on the wrong side of the road. Her dad died on impact.
She was fine for a few days. The news hadn't sunken in yet and she just felt hollow. Life went on.
She figured that was all she was going to feel and she might as well be happy things weren't worse.
She was fine until the funeral.
She was fine until she saw her father's dead body.
Who the hell has an open casket when children are going to be there?
Her heartless mother, that's who.
The mother who knew that Annabeth was closer too her dad than any other person.
The mother that knew what seeing her father in that state would do to her.
The mother that said she was helping Annabeth come to terms with the inevitable.
She had to be forcefully removed from the church and brought to a hospital to be sedated.
While her mother was out having drinks.
That was the day she lost all respect for the woman who had given birth to her.
And the day that had changed her for the worst.
A knock on the office door pulled Annabeth out of her thoughts.
She didn't bother picking her head up from her hands.
"I'm sorry Sally. Just give me a minute and I'll be fine."
"Um. It's me." A deep voice answered.
Annabeth looked up to find Percy leaning against the closed door.
"She sent me. For what reason...I'm not too sure, but she did."
"I think I know why."
And if Sally thought Percy could offer any comfort to her. She was wrong.
"So. What happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"Back there. You were upset, well you still are, but what happened to make you sad?" He said uncomfortably.
Annabeth chuckled halfheartedly, "You aren't very good at this are you?"
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Okay. I'm leaving. I tried and your still being pissy so I'm leaving."
"Wait!" Annabeth stood up.
"I'm sorry I'm not in the best of moods right now."
Percy just stared at her, telling her to continue.
She sighed heavily and plopped back down. "Sally just...told me something sad...and it brought back some old feelings of mine."
"Care to elaborate?"
He said sliding down the door and resting his arms on his knees.
"She told me about your dad." She mumbled.
Percy looked at her for a long time through narrowed eyes.
"I'm sorry if you didn't want me to know. I promise I won't tell anyone it's just-"
"Did she tell you about their first date?"
Annabeth cracked a slow smile. "Yeah she did. Your dad was pretty ballsy."
"Yeah he was. He didn't get any better with old age either, although he always said that was his best decision."
"Because of your mom?"
"Because of my mom." He soft with a soft smile.
Annabeth let out a laugh, "If that happened to me my dad would have gone-." Annabeth's smile immediately dropped.
"Ah. There it is."
"What?"
"The reason you were sad. You brought up your dad and then everything got all dreary again. What happened?"
"My dad was killed by a drunk driver almost 5 years ago. The 5th anniversary is coming up in a few months actually."
Percy let out a sharp breath, "Damn." He whispered quietly.
"Well I guess I know why my mom sent me in here."
Annabeth didn't respond. She just stared at the wall.
She heard shuffling around and was surprised to feel the cushion of the couch sink slightly.
"Tell me about him."
"What?"
"Tell me about your dad."
"Oh um. His name was Luke Chase. He was a professor at Columbia. He taught Aviation Safety and Networking."
"That's for pilots right?"
"Yeah."
"Cool."
Annabeth cleared her throat, "He was from California, but when he met my mom while she was away at the college he was going to. Dad got his PhD and waited a year for mom to finish medical school before they got married and moved to my mom's hometown.
Dad was my favorite. He would do anything for me."
"Isn't that how most parents are with their children?" Percy asked.
"Not my mother." She said coldly. "My Dad was the one that I did everything with. He taught me everything that I needed in life and loved me more than anybody ever will.
And now he's gone and there's nothing left, but my brothers."
"You have your friends."
"Well yeah."
"And along with those friends, you've got yourself a new one."
She looked over at him to see him grinning.
"Calypso. She talks about you all the time. It's pretty annoying."
Annabeth chuckled. "Yeah she's pretty awesome herself."
Percy didn't say anything so Annabeth took the chance to help him.
"What was your dad like, Percy?"
His head snapped her way and he cleared his throat.
He avoided her gaze, "His name was Poseidon Jackson. He was a marine biologist. He had to travel a lot for his job, but he always made time for us. He wasn't one of those parents that traveled and never talked to their family.
He was hilarious. He was always telling jokes and making me laugh.
God. I haven't talked about this in a long time." He said scrubbing his face.
Annabeth reached over tentatively and patted his shoulder. "You don't have to. I just thought it would help if you talked about him."
"It did. It's just-"
Annabeth nodded, "I get it."
They were silent for a few minutes, both of them stuck in their minds.
"You know, you aren't awful."
Annabeth couldn't help the snort that escaped her.
"That just warms the cockles of my heart."
Percy chuckled.
"But honestly. If this is the real you...this is a lot better than assholeish Percy. Unless you're just in a good mood that will be gone tomorrow."
"Nah it's just today," he said and smiled teasingly.
His smile slowly faded and he looked at the ground. "You know...my dad told me something a few years ago when my grandparents died. I never realized that he could have been hinting at what was inevitable.
Him dying.
I wished I could have taken him more seriously when he told me. Maybe I would have understood it a lot more."
"What was it?" Annabeth whispered.
"There are things in life we don't want to happen, but have to accept; things we don't want to know, but have to learn, and people we can't live without, but have to let go."
He took a deep breath. "I'm going to try to start letting go."
Annabeth held his gaze and nodded. "Me too."
How did you guys like it? Please give me some feedback.
There you guys have it!
Percabeth has the same stuggles.
QUESTION: How do you guys think Poseidon died?
Until next time...
~TUTU