Fish
There was a knock on seven-year-old Annabeth's front door.
"Is that you, Percy?" she called.
She imagined Percy nodding outside her door, then realizing she couldn't see him.
"Yes!" came the reply a few moments later.
Annabeth buttoned up her jacket and raced to the door. She opened it, and Percy came barreling in.
"Be careful," Annabeth warned. "My stepmom has out the good china.
"Oh." Percy looked at the table. "Will we get in trouble if we break it?"
"You won't get in trouble," Annabeth answered. "But I will."
"Why not?" Percy asked curiously.
"She doesn't like yelling at guests," Annabeth said, shrugging.
"But she likes yelling at you?" Percy wondered softly.
"You know what, it's fine. Let's just go to the aquarium." Annabeth laced up her shoes and they walked out the door together.
Percy's mom was waiting in her car. "Hey, kids!"
"Hi, Mrs. Jackson!" Annabeth replied perkily.
"Call me Sally," Sally reminded her.
They got to the aquarium.
"Let's go talk to the fishies!" Percy exclaimed.
"Um...okay?" Annabeth reluctantly followed him.
"Hi fish!" Percy whisper-yelled. He pretended to be listening to them talk back. "The red fish says hi, the blue fish says what's up, and the orange fish says hello."
Annabeth decided to play along. "The silver fish says nice shirt!"
Percy looked at her like she was crazy. "No! It's shy! That fish doesn't like to talk."
Annabeth raised one eyebrow, a skill she was proud to know at age seven. She ignored Percy and watched the fish swim by.
Percy walked over to her after a few seconds. "I'm sorry, Annie!"
"What?" Annabeth thought he was talking about not respecting her opinion before.
"That fish doesn't like you. We should get out of here." Percy looked serious—well, as serious as a seven-year-old could look while informing someone else that a fish doesn't like them.
Sally helped Percy and Annabeth pick out slushie flavors, and aquarium t-shirts, and then they walked around some more.
After a long day at the aquarium, Annabeth was tired. When they went home, she collapsed on her bed without any dinner and fell asleep.
Of course, her stepmom yelled at her for eating too much at the aquarium, but Annabeth didn't mind.
She had a good day with Percy and the fish, and that was all that mattered.