We walked outside and into the chilly, rainy air. I welcomed the rain as we looked around for Grover. He was sitting plainly by the fountain, holding a map over his head. It made me mad that Nancy and her posse were still there, Nancy grumbling to them. I stopped and turned to Percy. He gave me a concerned look."You ok?"He asked. I shook my head but asked you could tell that I had been shook his head no and we continued to walk down to the fountain.

"I hope Mrs. Kerr whipped your butts,"Nancy grunted, frowning and looking more like a pig than ever."Who?" Me and Percy asked in unison."Our teacher, duh!" What? We didn't have a teacher named Mrs. Kerr at our school."Who?" Percy asked again. Nancy scoffed, and then her and her group walked away. As much I was pleased to see them leave, I was still confused.I turned to Grover.

"Mrs. Kerr?" I asked. He pauses at first and he averted his gaze from us to his feet. Maybe they were just messing with us."Not funny, man."Percy said."It's serious," as if on cue, thunder roared from the heavens. A few seconds later a big bolt of lightning shot across the sky. I sighed as I watched Percy walk away to Mr. Brunner, but lowered my gaze to my feet."Grover, please tell me that there's a Mrs. Dodds." I pleaded. Grover looked up at me and my grey eyes locked with his brown."There is no Mrs. Dodds."

{~*~}

Even with me and Percy dropping hints about Mrs. Dodds, no one budged. Well, we were still very suspicious about Grover. He hesitated whenever we asked him about it. And another thing? I think I'm going insane. Every night my nightmares came back, Mrs. Dodds haunting my dreams with her leather wings and yellow fangs. And if it wasn't her, then it was another monster from my past. I almost never went to sleep, resulting in a major grade drop. I worked hard enough for Bs and Cs, but I was just about failing everything.

They even called my mother( who was still away in Asia)and told her that if I didn't pull my grades up, then I wouldn't be allowed to come back next year. I was furious that they called her. She was disappointed in me. She yelled at me for about an hour. Threatened to fly me out to Asia. I just listened occasionally, sometimes saying "ok," or "uh-huh.".

I hated that she was disappointed in me. She was basically all I had left. My dad left along time ago, leaving her with me. She had no where to go; her dad had kicked her out for having a bastard basically disowned her on the spot. But she got a job at a museum, then finished her last years of college for a doctorate in telecommunications. She then could afford a nanny, and she went sabbatical and left me with her.

She almost never came home. And if she did, she was on the phone or at some fancy dinner or something else that was more important than me. She would never notice if I just ran away.

-

"Polydictes and Polydeuces?" Percy wondered out loud as we both sat in his and Grover's room, studying for our upcoming exams."Um... Polydeuces... I don't know!" Maybe waiting until the last moment to study wasn't such a good thing.I sighed and chilled out on the bean bag chair, staring at the ceiling.

I heard Percy sigh and I looked up. He was standing near the door, his mythology book firmly in his hand. "I'm gonna go ask Brunner. Wanna come?" As comfortable as I was, we kind of needed the extra help, because we needed to know it. Needed it for what, I don't know, but something told me to study up.

"Maybe I can apologize for the big fat F that I'm about to get ahead of time."Percy muttered.I rolled my eyes."Always so melodramatic," he raised an eyebrow at me."First time that I ever heard you use such a big word."He chuckled. I stuck my tongue out at him."Don't get too used to it."I said as we walked down the halls to the offices that was strictly for the teachers.

Just as we were about to reach Mr. Brunner's door, we heard voices from inside."... Worried about Percy and Daphne, sir." Percy visibly froze. I arched an eyebrow and leaned in a little more."... alone this summer,"Grover said."I mean, a Kindly One in school! Now that we know for sure, they know too-""We would only make matters worse by rushing them."Mr. Brunner said."We need for the boy to mature, and for her to be ready and open."

Wait, what?"But we may not have time. The summer solstice deadline-""Will have to be resolved without them, Grover. Let them enjoy their innocence while they still can."Mr. Brunner said, his voice as wise as always."Sir, they saw her..." Grover said timidly."Their imagination," Mr. Brunner said.

"The Mist over the other students and staff will be enough,""Sir, I... I can't fail in my duties again." Grover's voice croaked with sadness."You know what that would mean.""You haven't failed, Grover."Mr. Brunner said kindly."I should have seen her for what she really was. Now let's just worry about keeping them alive until next fall-"Percy's mythology book hit the floor with a loud thud, making Mr. Brunner silent.

I quickly picked up the book, but my hands trembled. Percy and I slowly backed up into a close room and opened it. A shadow slid across the glass of the classroom's door, and it was huge and oddly shaped. It was holding something thin and arched... Like an archer's bow.

A few seconds later the sound of a horse made its way down to our door, then walked back. I let out a breath that I didn't know that I was holding in."Nothing. My nerves haven't been right since the winter solstice."

"Mine either,"Grover muttered."But I could have sworn ...""Get back to the dorm,"Mr. Brunner told him. "You've got a long day of exams tomorrow."Grover sighed."Don't remind me," the lights then went off in his office. I looked over to Percy, who mouthed," Wait a sec," so we waited for what seemed like forever then made our escapes back to the dorms.

As we got to my door, I sighed. Percy looked down at me."You ok?" He asked curiously." We just overheard strange stuff. Stuff about you and me. Aren't you the least bit worried?" I asked sadly. Why would Grover, one of my best friends, be talking about me and Percy to some adult? Percy shook his head no and leaned against the wall. I mimic his movements, but leaned my head against the wall as well.

"Don't worry too much about this," Percy murmured. He then ran his hand through his coarse hair. I yawned and moved closer to rest my head on his shoulder."They think we're in danger, Percy. Serious danger."Percy brought one of his hands up and rubbed my back slightly."You're just tired. There's nothing to worry about. I'm your protecter, remember."I heard him smile. I remembered his promise from back at the museum and smiled too.

I liked how Percy could make me smile, even in situations like this. I was glad that I had found a friend like him. I was even closer to him than to Grover. Me and Percy had more in common, and I even enjoyed being near the dorky side of Percy. I thought it was cute how he- whoa, cute? Do I think Percy's cute? Well... Yes. Oh God, I don't want to ruin anything! He's closer to me than anyone else has ever been."You ok?" Percy asked suddenly, bringing me out of my stupor.I bit my lip.

"Yeah. Just worried and tired." I leaned back up and stepped back from Percy. His green eyes pierced my grey ones and I then knew; I, Daphne Dawn, had a crush on my best friend, Percy Jackson.

And I hate myself for it.