Finally she married Gabe Ugliano, who was nice the first thirty seconds we knew him, then showed his true colors as a world-class jerk. –The Lightning Thief p. 30


I groaned as my new stepdad, Gabriel Ugliano, moved in. "Why, Mom? Why him? Anyone else would've been fine."

The newly cleaned apartment immediately started to smell like moldy pizza as my stepdad came in the door. I wanted to barf. I was only seven, and I was going to enter 2nd grade soon in about a month. It just happened that they got married at this particular time. Gabe, in the least sense, was ugly. He barely had any hair, and the hair he did have was combed over his oily head. He looked so bad, his last name, Ugliano, seemed like a cruel joke.

"It was the only way, honey," my mom said shaking her head.

"Hello, Sally," Gabe said coming in the kitchen. It was already amazing that he walked here. He looked like the type to sit down on the couch and watch TV all day. "This must be your son?"

"Yes," she said not meeting his eyes. "Percy, meet Gabe."

As he came closer, the stench coming off from his body was unbearable. I held my breath and said, "Nice to meet you."

He just patted me on the shoulder, which was more like a big slap. "Sally, unload my things in my room. And some pizza would be good."

"But the only other room besides Mom's is mine," I protested. It probably wasn't smart, but I didn't care. I didn't want this smelly old man living with us.

His tiny pig-like eyes bore into me. "Mind your mouth runt," he snarled. "Or I'll—"

My mom quickly stepped in. "Percy, you're going to a boarding school. Gabe can have your room when you leave. I'm sure he can wait a while."

Gabe grunted and slouched on the couch and passed gas which caused it to squeak. I didn't blame it. I would've felt the same way. Just maybe a bit worse.

My mom steered me away. "Come on. Let's order your stepdad some pizza."

Luckily our phone was not in the living room, and as my mom finished ordering the pizza, she knelt down to my eye level.

"I know this is hard for you," she said, "but this is for your own good."

"Sure, living with Smelly Gabe is going to be my destiny," I grumbled.

There was a slight trace of a smile on my mom's face. "No, you're destiny will be greater," she promised. "Better than living with a tuskless walrus."

"Guess we have the same thoughts."

My mom laughed and kissed me. "I'll tell you everything when you're older. Promise. And Percy, you'll be the greatest hero of all."

I had no idea what that meant, but I followed her out. When we got back out to the living room, we saw that Gabe had already invited some other people, one who I recognized as Eddie, our building super, and were playing poker.

"Hey, Sally, get me some chips and some guacamole. And where's the pizza?" Gabe said.

"It's on the way, dear," she said and poured out some chips into a bowl.

"Hey, kid," Gabe said. "Get us some plates and some sodas."

I rolled my eyes. Why don't you get your huge butt off the sofa and get them yourself when they're right next to you in the kitchen? I wanted to say, but I just got some paper plates and grabbed a six-pack of Coke. They were originally for me, but it seemed like I would be getting it rid of it in a day.

"Hey, Mom," I said as I tried to balance the Cokes on the paper plates.

"Yeah?" she said holding two bowls of chips and guacamole.

"I think we're going to need a lot of food in this house," I said.

She smiled and ruffled my hair. "Yes, I think so too."


Another super short chapter. Anyway, I'm just assuming that he was seven. I don't know what his age was since he never elaborated on that. And I think he's in second grade if he's seven since his birthday is in August... is what I want to say. I was too lazy to figure it out. XP So yeah.

R&R!