Chapter 13- Reconciliation

Percy was drowning. He made another stroke with precision and power. Left stroke. Right Stroke. Breathe. His thought drifted off to his conversation with Jason.

"We'll figure it out," he said before.

Percy quickened his pace. Before he knew it, he already finished his practice. He was winded and tired, but his mind was still racing. He got out of the pool, showered, and dressed. Percy was drowning. But it wasn't water that was overwhelming him.

Percy walked out of the gym with his school backpack and his gym duffle bag slung over his shoulder. Outside the entrance, he saw a pretty girl with cinnamon hair. His heart jumped when he saw her. He took a deep breath.

"Hey."

She turned around towards the source of the voice. She was slightly taken back when she saw who it was but immediately recollected herself to respond to him. "Hey," she said softly.

"It's… good to see you." Percy said with uncertainty.

She gave him a smile. "Outside the gym is a horrible place to catch up, don't you think?"

He smiled back. Beautiful as always, he mused. "Of course. I think I might know a good place then."

Here they were at a café together. With so much to feel, with so much to think, and yet, unable to say anything.

"So…" Calypso tried to start the conversation as she took a sip of her drink. "How have- gods, this drink is amazing."

"Oh yeah," Percy said as he took a bite out of his chocolate chipped cookie. "They like to call it 'nectar'. Pretty good stuff."

She smiled and looked around the café. "Isis Café? Pretty generic name, but the design and drinks here are amazing."

Percy laughed. "Yeah, Isis is pretty cool. But be careful, she'll try to sell you a gluten-free muffin for no apparent reason. She's an amazing baker, but even she can't pull that off. Heck, no one can."

"I take it that you didn't enjoy it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Percy said sarcastically. He picked up his chocolate cookie and showed it to her. "I loved it. That's exactly why I eat it so often."

She laughed at his joke. She has a cute laugh, Percy thought. Then again, she always had. The joke did its job of lightening the tension between them. They neither hated, nor loved each other. They were stuck in a limbo, caught between the land of relationship, friendship, and exes. Who they were to each other in the past was definitely more than friends, but at the same time, it wasn't quite a relationship. And yet, to say that they were 'friends' was a bit… Percy didn't know the word, but he felt it. Whatever the word was, Percy knew that they weren't 'just friends' in the past.

"Where do we start?" Percy asked.

"Let's start with that hair of yours, Jackson," Calypso smiled. It was a bit sad and a bit pained, but that seemed to be the underlying motif for the two. "You've never seemed to be able to keep it in check." She reached out and brushed a part of it off his head.

He remembered the first time she did it and flinching. This time, he knew better. Her warm, slender fingers brushed over his face. He remembered the last time they met, involving some tears, a kiss on the forehead, and a flower pot that Percy tried to keep alive through all this time.

"You know," Percy said. "I still have it. Your flower."

"Cause you wanted to?" Calypso asked. "Or cause you felt obligated to?"

"A little bit of both," Percy admitted. "But the flower was the only thing I had of you. It was a reminder. I couldn't possibly let it die."

"I'm glad." She said. It was a genuine smile and full of appreciation.

"Yeah," Percy simply said. "I'm glad it's still alive."

"I'm guessing your mother is the primary reason why it's still alive?"

"Probably," Percy mumbled.

"…."

"Okay, fine. Yes, it was mainly because of my mother. Oh, and Katie."

"I thought so," Calypso said as she laughed. "But still, it's nice to see you try."

Percy shrugged. "It's a nice flower. All my friends seemed to like it."

"They are beautiful," Calypso agreed. "Do you remember the garden?"

Percy's mouth ran dry. "Of course I do."

Calypso put her cup down and stared at him.

"Calypso…" Percy said. "You're finally… here."

Here. It was a good choice word. He didn't say independent, happy, or free. He said 'here'. After all troubles of the past, they were able to face each other again. And perhaps, despite the tragical fate between them, they were content with that.

"Yes," Calypso gently said. "I'm.. here. Just like you've promised."

"I'm sorry," Percy winced. "I'm sorry for not keeping it sooner. Mr. Grace was just being a jerk."

"You have nothing to feel sorry for," Calypso said. " My lawyer, Eunomia, was amazing at her job."

Percy sighed. "No one complained?"

Calypso shrugged. "There are always going to be some people unhappy about it."

"Well, screw them. I'm going to show you around the city sometime. Just like I promised."

Calypso smiled. "I remembered that. Strange to think it would come true one day."

"Life is all about living long enough to see your dreams come true."

Calypso rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say Disney."

Percy smiled. "Hey, hey, Disney is great. Especially Little Mermaid."

Calypso laughed. "You and your ocean fetish. Seriously, it's weird."

Percy put his hands up and shrugged to admit it. She wasn't technically wrong about it.

Calypso smiled when she saw him laugh. He was different now. She wondered if it was still there. Calypso stared at Percy and saw a subtle scar that ran across his neck. Subtle, but deep and big. So it finally healed. She dropped her smile and reached for him, tracing her finger through his scars.

"Please tell me," Calypso said. She sounded weary, but angry. "Tell me that the monster is gone."

Percy winced. The scars around his body seemed to burn at the moment. "Yeah," he said. "He's gone. We have Blowfis now."

Calypso raised her eyebrows, waiting for a further answer.

"He's a great guy. He's nice and understanding. Heck, he's the reason why I'm at this high school. We owe a lot to him."

"Good," Calypso said. "Then where is he?"

Percy seemed to stare off into space, thinking about what happened. "I don't know," Percy decided to say, which, was true. "I don't know where he is, nor do I want to know."

Calypso nodded her head, understanding what it feels to have a someone in your life that ruined you. As she took her hand away from his scars, she noticed just how attractive Percy has gotten over the years. Sure, he was always cute when they were young, but now, he looked powerful with that wind-swept hair of his and sea-green eyes that could draw anyone in.

He seemed so different now. She would remember his eyes in the past: scared, confused and sad. "You've changed," Calypso said.

Percy examined his body. As if he tried to see himself evolve over the years. He was tall, muscular, and tanned. Years of swimming probably helped.

"You seemed so… helpless when we were young." Calypso continued. "As if you had no control over your own life."

"It took me a while," Percy said. "To know that I'm like, the captain of my own ship."

Calypso smiled. "I'm proud of you. And for me… I've got a long ways ahead of me."

"Hey," Percy said. "It's a journey. So don't rush it. Besides, you have friends now you can count on."

He seemed so insecure before. But now? He was full of confidence. He was still Percy in everyway possible. He was sarcastic, oblivious, and clueless, but he was compassionate, loyal, and smart (surprisingly).

Calypso smiled. The path that they took separated, but they have come to intertwine. Perhaps not connected with romance, but they were there. Connected. The feeling of watching someone you care about grow, it brings warmth and pride to her chest. Now, it was her turn to grow.

"Hey, Percy," she said. "You've become something great, you know that?"

Percy stared at her, expecting her to go on.

"A hero."

"Sound cheesy, but…thanks"

"Also, Annabeth is pretty hot if you ask me."

"It's time to stop."

You know. My writing lately has gotten really angtsy and metaphorical. I kinda hate it. But oh well, I'm trying my best to write right now. So tell me how ya'll think about it and review. Thanks.