CHAPTER 6

BREAK-UP

-Percy-

I hate myself for making Annabeth hate me.

Why? Why did I grab her arm? Could I get any more stupid? Unfortunately, the answer to that, was yes.

After the whole lunch incident, the principle actually saw the whole thing and sent me to his office. When I got there, I noticed his office was very tacky. There was red-ish brown carpeting and posters of 80s bands. There was even a disco ball hung up on the ceiling. If I weren't in so much trouble right now, I would laugh my butt off.

"Alright, Peter Johnson." Principle D. said.

I coughed, "Um, it's Percy Jackson…sir."

"Yeah, whatever." He waved off, his breath sort of smelled like wine. I wonder what they have in the refrigerator in the teacher's lounge. "Now, it looks like to me, that you seem to enjoy dumping lunch onto girls?"

"What? No! It was an accident."

"Stop trying to defend yourself, Peter. I was there and I saw it." Mr. D said.

"I was just trying to get her attention!" I defended.

"Her attention?" Mr. D raised his eyebrow, "I know I'm not exactly young, but I'm pretty sure dumping food on a girl won't make her fall in love with you."

I quickly said, "Fall in love? No it's not like that, I just meant-" I started.

Mr. D interrupted, "I know what you meant." He suddenly smiled, "You know, back in my day, I was known as the womanizer. The seducer."

I tried to cover my disgusted face, "Um, that's…nice."

"Yep," Mr. D had a smirk, like he was wallowing in his successful past of seducing. "I could not keep the ladies away from me. I was popular back then, you know. Girls looked at me up and down. Oh, how they drooled. The guys would always say how jealous they were, how they wish they were me. I was amazing."

Yeah, and you're modest, too. I thought.

"Anyway, Peter, if you want to get this girls' attention, then you should probably be like me." Mr. D finished with a nod.

"Uh, ok, I'll do that." I said, "Can I go now?"

Just then, I saw Annabeth and Thalia walk past the office. I saw Annabeth look at me, but I couldn't determine her eyes. She quickly looked away.

"Hmm…" Mr. D said, "I'll tell you what, I like you, Peter. You remind me of, well, me. Except I was more handsome and smart and muscled and toned and…"

I rolled my eyes as he kept listing out the things he was. I finally couldn't take it, "Could you get to the point?"

Mr. D narrowed his eyes, "Fine, you are free to go. Just don't let it happen again, got it?"

I nodded and sighed with relief. I gave a quick, "Thanks." And headed out of that office as fast as I possibly could.

The rest of the day was a complete bore. I don't really remember anything, I just remember feeling guilt. But I did think about Annabeth. If I really want Annie to like me, I'm going to have to end it with Rachel. And trust me, I'm not upset about that.

I decided that would break up with her after school. She shouldn't care too much, we've only been 'going out' for about 2 days. It's not like she's going to freak, right?

Man, was I wrong.

At 3, when school ended, I immediately rushed to Rachel's locker. She was standing there, checking her makeup on the mirror that was hanging on her locker door. I rolled my eyes; why does she need even more lipstick? Her lips already look like a cartoon Barbie doll.

I took a deep breath and walked toward Rachel, "Hey."

When she saw me, she smiled, "Hey, babe." Then she grabbed me by the neck, and crashed her lips on mine. Hard.

I pried her off of me, "Rachel! Stop."

"What's wrong?" She pouted.

"Look, we need to talk." I said sternly. This should be easy. I'm not proud of it, but I've broken up with many girls over the years.

"What?" Rachel repeated.

"I don't think we should be together." I start. "It's not you, it's me. I'm just not feeling it, you know?"

Apparently, Rachel isn't too bright, she tilted her head, "Huh?"

I sighed, "Rachel," I say slowly. "I think we should break-up."

Finally, the gears in her brain must've worked, "WHAT!?" She squealed so loud, a few kids stared at us for a while. "Break-up? Break-up! Why?"

"I'm just not into you." I confess.

"Not into me? But we've only been going out, like, for a day! You can't just break-up with me!" Rachel exclaimed.

I rub my temples with my fingers; this is going to be harder than I thought. "Look, Rachel, it isn't a big deal, ok? I just don't like you like that." Or at all.

Rachel was silent for a moment. I thought I'd made my message, so I turned around to go, but then she said, "It's because of that freak, isn't it?"

I slowly turn around and face Rachel, "What?"

"That blonde freak and her little sidekick, the goth girl."

I could feel my ears fuming, "If you're talking about Annabeth and my cousin, I suggest you stop."

Rachel laughed, humorously, "Wait. You don't like her, do you?"

I didn't answer.

She smirked, "So the famous Percy Jackson likes the loser? That's rich."

I clench my fists, "Shut up."

Rachel snorted, "Whatever. You could do so much better, though."

And with that, Rachel slammed her locker and left me standing there. I don't think I've ever been that angry with anyone. And then I thought of my dad, which made me angrier. I took deep breaths and counted to 10 slowly.

As I was done, I went to find Thalia at the parking lot. At lunch, I asked her if I could get a ride from her since I didn't want one from Rachel. Thalia hesitated, but agreed.

When I got outside, it was pouring rain. Great, that would help my mood. When I finally found Thalia's old '87 Ford, I opened the door to the backseat and got in. My clothes were completely soaked.

"Hey." I said to Thalia, but then I noticed that Annabeth was sitting in the shotgun seat. "Hey, Annie." I smiled, maybe if I can put on a lighter atmosphere, she'll forgive me. Instead, she ignores me.

I sighed, "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened at lunch, ok? I just wanted to tell you-"

"Do you hear something, Thalia?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia just rolled her eyes.

I smirked, "Really, Annie? Come on, I just wanted to-"

"Seriously, what's that noise?" Annabeth asks, "'Cause it sounds like a pest or a rat. Did you get your car checked lately?"

I grinned, at least she was kind of talking to me, "A pest? You could do better than that, Chase."

Annie crossed her arms and pouted the cute way she did.

I chuckled, "Aw, I knew it! You couldn't stay mad at me!"

"Who said I wasn't mad?" Annabeth muttered.

I laughed and finally said my apology. Annie didn't come out and said it, but I was pretty sure she forgave me, and I was happy about that. It put me in a better mood.

When Thalia pulled up to Annabeth's house, just before she reached her door, I yelled out, "Bye, Annie!"

I couldn't see her face, but I was pretty sure she was rolling her eyes.

As Thalia was making her way to my house, we rode in silence. Until, Thalia spoke, "Why are you smiling?"

"Huh?" Then I realized she was right. I was smiling.

"Is it because Annabeth forgave you?" Thalia guessed.

I tensed, "What are you talking about?"

Thalia snorted, "I'm not an idiot, Percy. I know you like her." Thalia kept her voice even as she kept her eyes on the road.

I gulped, "I don't like Annie." I lied.

She smirked, "Yeah, whatever you say, Percy."

"I don't like her." I insisted.

Thalia came to a red light and stopped, she craned her neck to where was sitting in the back, "Oh, yeah? Then why do you always pick on her? Why do you get jealous when she talks to other guys? Why are you dating Rachel?"

I stayed quiet as Thalia shook her head and continued driving.

Finally, I say quietly, "I broke up with Rachel."

Thalia sounded surprised, "Really?"

I nodded, "That's why I took so long getting outside after school."

"Huh," was all Thalia said after a long time.

When we finally got to my house, Thalia came to halt. I got out of the car and grabbed my backpack, "Thanks, for the ride."

"No problem." Thalia drove away, leaving me standing in the rain. I finally had the sense to go inside.

I searched for my keys in my backpack, until I finally found them. I opened front door.

Usually, my mom works from 8 in the morning till 7 at night. I was used to being alone in the house, or just me and mom. It's lonely sometimes, but I got used to it.

That's why I was surprised to see my mom sitting on the couch in the living room. She heard the door slam and looked toward me and smiled, "Hey, honey."

"Hey, mom." I answer as I placed my backpack on the kitchen counter. "Why are you back home so early?"

Mom hesitated, "Come sit down, sweetie." She said as she patted the seat next to her.

I sat down and asked, "What wrong?"

Mom waited a moment, "I got a call when I was at work."

"From who?" I ask.

"The New York State Police Department." She answers.

I was completely lost, "Huh?"

Mom put her hand on my knee, "Honey," she started. "The call I got was for your…father."

Dead silence. Everything in the world was quiet. All of the old memories came flooding back to me. I could feel my face getting hot from anger and furiousness from all those times. My father. I can't even say that word without throwing up.

Finally, I said in a low voice, "He's not my father. What does he want?"

Mom sighed, her eyes looked sad and full of regret, "The police was saying that Steven, your father, would like to speak with us."

I balled my fists, "Why?" I spat.

She shrugged, "The cop just said he would like to see and apologize to us."

"Apologize? For what? Lying to us? Going out to bars at night? Killing an innocent woman?" I couldn't help myself but to just spill all this out. Dad was a forbidden subject, we never talked about him. Ever.

Mom looked like she was about to cry. "I know." She said quietly. "I will never be able to forgive him for that, but I think we should go."

"What?" I said incredibly.

She nodded slowly, "I think we should hear what he has to say."

I shook my head, "No." I stated, "If you want to go, fine. Go. I don't care. But I'm not going. That man doesn't deserve to see anyone."

Mom patted my back, the way she used to when I was little, "Sweetie, I know this hard, but don't you think everyone deserves a second chance?"

I got up and glared at my mother, "Not him."

I stormed upstairs to my room. I sat down on my bed and stared at the ceiling. Why? Why would my father want to see us? Why would my mother agree? How can mom even stand saying his name? Steven. I get shivers hearing that damned name. I know one thing though: I will never, ever forgive that man. He's done too many things, bad things. Just because it's been 3 years, doesn't mean that he changed. Nobody can change. Especially not him.

I took a deep breath. After about 2 hours, I decided to be alone. I decided to go to the place I always go when I'm feeling down, or mad; the special place my dad and I used to go. The beach by the coast.

I headed downstairs. My mom was in the kitchen, washing the dishes. She saw me, "Hi, honey." She said softly. It looked like she'd been crying; her eyes were red and puffy.

I tried not to look at her, "I'm going out."

"What? Percy, it's raining. You'll get a cold." She spoke worriedly.

"Then I'll wear a jacket. Bye." I grabbed the handle of the door and left before my mom could answer.

I always go to this beach because it's the only place where I can really think peacefully. It's a beautiful view, too. The ocean is a wonderful deep blue. The sand was very wet from the rain that was still falling really hard. I didn't care, though. I barely noticed the rain.

The sun was just setting to the horizon.

I remember the time when my dad taught me how to swim right here. It was a beautiful day and he would lift me up and drop me in the water. I would laugh, mom would laugh, dad would laugh. We don't do that much anymore.

For a split second, I was thinking about my dad, and I wasn't getting mad.

I sat on small hill and stared into the horizon view. I looked to my left and noticed something.

I wasn't alone.

HOPEFULLY, YOU GUYS NOTICE THAT EACH CHAPTER IS IN EITHER PERCY OR ANNABETH'S POV. THEY ARE BOTH VERY SIMILAR.

I THOUGHT THIS CHAPTER REALLY EXPLAINED PERCY'S PAST AND THOUGHTS/FEELINGS. I HOPED YOU GUYS LIKE IT! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PM ME!

PLEASE REVIEW!

NEXT CHAPTER COMING UP!