p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Percy kept his head down all the way to school. Cursing the rain as it poured down across the streets of Manhattan. The streets were full of people trying to get to their work space, but by the look of the traffic gam no one was very successful. Honks and beeps kept Percy from dozing off as he walked, along with the shouts of citizens as they pushed and shoved their way across the crowded pavement. Percy was just beginning to realize how tired he was, but since he woke up around three o'clock that morning it was expected. He wished he had gotten more sleep, though, because there was only a slim chance he would be able to stay awake the whole day./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"He quickly crossed the street to the shorter four story building that other teens, who would most likely torment him, were pushing their way into. He looked up at the sign 'Goode High' but regretted it as rain drops flew in against his face. Grumbling he wiped them away and walked up the concrete steps, tapping his hand against the red railing. Why can't it be blue? He had no clue but shook the thought away as he stepped into the crowd of high schoolers./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Percy put his head back down as he stepped into the building out of the cold rain. An instant warmth concealed him, it was almost to warm. He sped walked to his locker which was on the other side of the building, near the cafeteria. Conversation buzzed around him as students ran through the halls trying to get to their respected classes on time, which was hard since it was a four story high school with only one set of stair that were in the middle of the building. If you asked him, it was very inconvenient. He tried to avoid the group of jocks who were eyeing him suspiciously by the rusty old water fountain that no longer worked. He got to his locker and groaned, of course the Stoll brothers had to prank him. They may be his friends when he was at camp, but at school they would torment him, along we the rest of their jock buddies. His locker was covered in permanent marker stains with the words, Stupid, Idiot, Outcast, Weird, Dumb, Worthless. He sighed, this wasn't something new, he would call himself these thing all the time, but hearing them from someone else who wasn't Smelly Gabe or him hurt./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"He put his pin number '9812' into the locker and yanked the door open. He was already done with today, so much for thinking it would be good. Thankfully, the inside was just how he had left it the day before. Push pins held up pictures of him and his friends at camp. One was of him and Beckendorf that they took the year before at the Dining Pavilion eating breakfast. Another was of Grove, Thalia, Nico, Jason, and him when they were in seventh grade, they were down by the lake's bank with fishing rods and towels. His friends and him were all laughing, expect for Nico, but he had a small smile on his face, and that counts by his standards. Percy looked at one picture, all of his friends were at the camp fire. It was his first night at camp and he was nervous, but Jason and Thalia had pulled him out of his shell. They had marshmallows on metal sticks and they all were freaking out, especially Frank, because Jason's marshmallow was on fire and they couldn't put it out. Percy let out a chuckle, hanging his blue and black backpack up on the silver hook. He grabbed his homework for all seven periods and his textbooks. It was an achievement to get all of the homework done in such little time because of his ADHD and dyslexia. He closed his locker and took off down the hall towards the stairway, his first class was English with Mr. Blofis, also known as Percy's mom's boyfriend./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"He was shocked when his mom told him she was dating one of his teachers, and the one who taught the worse class possible. He had every right to be, it was shocking that his mom would want to be in an relationship not long after her divorce. He didn't want his mom to get hurt again anyways. Nonetheless, Mr. Blofis made his mom happy and, he couldn't ruin it that for her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"Percy stopped in his tracks when he heard Connor Stoll's voice cut through the loud hallways and he groaned./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Yo, Jackson, did ya like our surprise?" Percy could tolerate Travis at school, he pulled some of the worse pranks imaginable, but never tried to hurt people with them like Connor does. He mostly just follows Connor and the jocks around. Percy we don't want to be kicked out of another school, just take what he says. Percy turned around with a smirk on his face, but his fists were clenched to the his sides,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Yeah, Connor I loved the surprise, almost as much as you love your imaginary girlfriend." Connor's face went pink telling Percy that he had succeeded. He turned back around and began to walk back towards the stairs, but Percy felt a hand pull against his shoulder and he was knocked back against the off-white colored brick wall, his school books and homework scattered to the ground. Percy felt a fist collide against his nose, then whoever stood on top of him hit his nose again, effectively breaking it. When he gained his bearings, he distinguished that it was John, a freshman jock, who had hit him. John tried to punch Percy again, but he kicked the guys leg from out from under him, making the guy fall to the ground. Percy just started to realize that a crowd of high schoolers surrounded them, but he shook it off and stood from his spot on the ground. He wiped the blood off of his face. A glare on his face, but he wasn't expecting someone to hit the back of his head. He flew face first across the hardwood floor. John had now stood up and kicked Percy in the stomach, making him groan. He kicks him another time. He got punched in the face yet another time and he let out a forced laugh,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""This is really all you've got, that's sad."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Internally he was comforting himself, Percy it'll be fine, as long as you don't get kicked out of another school. Remember, you don't want to be more of a disappointment than you already are. Suddenly, the blows stopped and he heard the sound of locker doors rattling, later the sound of someone falling to the floor, whoever flew let out a yell. Percy pulled himself onto his knees and wiped his face once again. He breaths were shallow, but took sound of footfall as a good sign. He was pulled up off the floor by Clarisse, who had a nasty bruise on her cheek, but had a chaotic smile on her face nonetheless. Chris was picking up Percy books and papers./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Toilet Boy, your dumb, I want you to realize, m'kay," Clarisse and Chris were probably his only friends in this school, but he has quite a few neutral people who owned him. "M'kay."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Clarisse pushed the books that Chris had handed her into Percy's arms, making it hard for him to rearrange them. They lead him to the boy bathrooms as the hall bell rang."We're going to miss first period," Chris sighed, but Clarisse shrugged her shoulders,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Prissy here needs to just fixed up and I hate first period." Chris rolled his eyes and walked into one of the stalls. Percy walked up to the sink and grimaced slightly at his reflection in the mirror. His nose was most defiantly broken, blood oozed down the lower half of his face. His cheek has an almost identical bruise to Clarisse's. His bottom lip's busted, too. He pulled up his shirt to reveal a large green bruise on his ribs. Clarisse whistled with her hand on her hips,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""You need to be more careful, dummy." Percy roll his eyes as he pulled the scratchy, brown paper towel out of their holder. Wetting them down under cold water he pressed the towels against his ribs. His eyes squint shut and he let out a repressed sigh./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Clarisse wetted down more brown paper towel and handed them to him. Percy nodded in thanks and wiped the blood off of his face, then threw them in the trashcan that sat by the door. One of the toilets flushed and Chris came up behind Clarisse and him. In the mirror he gave Clarisse a questioning look before asking,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Should you even be in here, this is a boy's bathroom."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Probably not, but I am so who cares." Percy looked over at Chris and shrugged, he didn't know. Chris took a step back after he saw Percy's face,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""Whoa man, it's worse than I thought, you good?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"Percy rolled his eyes and turned back to the mirror, "Just peachy."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"He grabbed more wipes out of Clarisse's hand. Hopefully this will help. Chris's reflection was leaning against the wall by the door. Clarisse started to look around the bathroom and her face held disgust,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Do you guys even clean up after yourselves, these bathroom are disgusting. I would literally rather listen to the drama talks in the girls bathroom than this." Both Percy and Chris looked around the bathroom," I don't know, it seems pretty clean to me," Chris frowned./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Yeah, you should see the bathroom on the third floor," Percy smiled, but both of the boys shivered at the thought. "I don't even want to know."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""You really don't."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"They were silent for the remaining time in the boy bathroom while Percy finished patching himself up the best he could with wet paper towels. Chris pulled his phone out of his back pocket and started tossing it up into the air./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""If you keep doing that your going to drop it." Clarisse eyed the phone as it was tossed up and down. Then rolled her eyes, why should she care if her boyfriend's phone broke? Percy stepped back from the sink, his face still looked grim, but it would have to do until the school day ended. Which wouldn't end for another five hours. He looked over his shoulder at the pair,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Ok, I'm ready to leave when ever you lot are." He looked back over at the mirror, what was his mom going to say once she saw him? What about Nico?/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"Clarisse focused on Percy for a minute before sighing,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Better stay in here until class lets out." Chris shrugged his shoulder, turning back to his phone, barely catching it before it could crash onto the hard tiled floor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""So we don't get caught," she added more as an afterthought. Silence past through the group as they had nothing to talk about, before Percy let out a breath,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Thanks for saving my skin back there, Rissie. You too, Chris." Clarisse sent him a glare,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""What did I tell you about calling me that," Percy shrugged his shoulders, a cheeky grin on his face which made Chris chuckle,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""So, you guys ready for camp, or am I going by myself?" Clarisse croaked and side eyed Chris. Then smacked him on the back of the head, "Do you really think I would let you go by yourself, you numbskull, honestly, even if I could, I wouldn't."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Percy let out a chuckle as Chris rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Sorry. Forgot that you guys have to go to camp CHB." Clarisse rolled her eyes yet again, trying to cross her arms, but not before Chris could grab her hand. Her face went pink, and she looked away, glaring at the wall as if it killed a newborn puppy. Chris was the only person Percy had even known to make Clarisse blush. Percy grinned ear to ear,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""So, tell me again, when how long have you to- ahh- lovebirds been dating again?" Before Clarisse could pound him, Chris spoke up with a rather large smile on his face, like he had been waiting for someone to ask this question,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Glad you ask, exactly nine hundred twelve days and fifty-three minutes, thanks for asking," Percy let out a halfhearted chuckle, grabbing both of their arms and smashing them together,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Awwww, emyoung love/em."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Shut up, dumbhead," Clarisse grumbled, throwing his arm off of her before a small smile settled on his face. One that made Percy feel uncomfortable,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""When are you 'goin to find yourself a pretty lovebird." Percy's face felt hot as he scratched the back of his neck nervously,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""You know, when I find someone, I-I don't know."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Both Chris and Clarisse burst into laughter, leaving Percy with an annoyed look on his face. He didn't think his love life was very funny. "Shut up."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Clarisse leaned up against the wall, trying to regain her breath but glanced at Percy, sending her into another fit of laughter. Percy shared a fake look of disgust with Chris, who was holding his side,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Also, that nickname sounded like a kindergartener's." Percy joined Clarisse, falling to the floor in laughter. The bruise John had gifted him began to throb as it make contact with the floor, making Percy hiss in pain, grabbing his side in the process./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Percy, I think your sides hurting," Clarisse pointed out the obvious as she caught her breath. Percy rolled his eyes, positioning himself on his knees. Chris walked over to the bathroom door and slightly opened it, just as the bell began to ring, signaling second period./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Guys, we better get going-" he quietly shut the bathroom door turning back to them "- we have classes all the way up on third floor. I do not want to climb all those stairs." Clarisse let out a whine, "Why do we even need school? I can learn everything I need to know at camp, or on the run. Or even at my mom's house." Clarisse had to live with her mom during school months, but on breaks and long weekends she would go to camp. It was more of a home to her than what she had at her mom's apartment./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Percy had been to their apartment a few times for group projects and just to hang out, but he could feel the heavy tense in the room. Clarisse said it wasn't all the great at home because she reminded her mom, Sharon, of Clarisse's father, who ditched her mom fourteen years ago. When Clarisse was two years old./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Percy shook his head, standing up from his spot on the dirty bathroom floor, grabbing his textbooks and homework with one hand, the other clenched to his side,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""Yeah, let's just get to class."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"The group walked out of the boy's restroom and walked down the hall towards the stairway. Head down, focusing on the dozens of pairs of shoes, Percy picked up his pace as they walked past Mr. Blofis's classroom, hoping he wouldn't notice Percy. Sadly, Percy never had the best luck./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Percy, can I see you in my classroom, please," Mr. Blofis's voice was followed by several whispers,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""What did that guy do this time?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""Probably something illegal,"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""He so weird and creepy, just like the other people in his group."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""Well, duh, there outcasts, Sarah."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""Did you hear that he kidnapped his own mom a few years back!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"The last one made Percy's jaw clench, along with his fists as he turned around, walking back towards the waiting Mr. Blofis, who stood by the doorway of the English classroom. Chris and Clarisse both started to follow him in suit. Percy side eyed them before whispering through gritted teeth,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""Guys, just get to class. I'll see you at lunch."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"They both reluctantly turned away from Percy and walked away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Percy walked past Mr. Blofis, into his classroom. Paul Blofis shut the door behind them and motioned for him to sit on one of the frontrunner seats. Percy plastered a troublesome smirk on his face; not wanting to show how worried he was, before turning to face Mr. Blofis. Percy leaned against one of the desks as Mr. Blofis made himself comfortable at the teacher's desk, not looking at Percy yet. He faced Percy and worry flashed onto his face,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Percy, what happened to you? Why did you miss my class? Who did this to you?" His voice, like his face, was filled with worry, but Percy just let out a bitter chuckle, crossing his arms./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""You know, same old same old people. Don't worry, this isn't the worse I've been through." He ignored Paul Blofis's third question. Percy's face lit up a bit,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Oh, yeah, Mr. Blofis, I got my homework done. On time, too!" He pulled out the five-page homework assignment Mr. Blofis had assigned to do over the week and passed it onto the teacher's desk. Mr. Blofis's looked stunned, and still noticed how Percy had ignored his questions, but said nothing. He picked up his paper and glanced through it, sighing he said nothing, but motioning for Percy to grab a tarty sheet, then to leave his class. Percy did so and left the classroom. The halls were back empty, and his footsteps pounded on the floors. He ran up three flights of stairs before making it to the right floor. He walked through the hall before making it to the right classroom, History with Mrs. Saylor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"He quietly opened the door and stepped into the classroom. Most of the students looked up at the front of the classroom, where Percy stood. Mrs. Saylor looked up from her novel, pushing her golden rimmed glasses onto the bridge of her nose, not noticing Percy's broken face or limp,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;""Mr. Jackson, your late."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Percy silently nodded his head and passed Mrs. Marley Saylor the tarty sheet Mr. Blofis had gave him. She scanned over it before looking back up to face him,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Take a seat, Mr. Jackson."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"Percy walked to the back of the class, turning his head slightly to give John a quick glare. Most of the class had turned back to their textbooks, reading in silence. He took his seat as Mrs. Saylor reminded the classroom full of students,/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;""Remember to read pages 128 to 139 class." Percy silently groaned as he opened his textbook, turning to the correct pages. He began to read about the history of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. So much for a good day, he thought, all you get is the hardships, Jackson./p