Percy
Please don't be late, please don't be late, please don't be late...
I repeated in my mind, racing through the hallway of my school.
"Percy, wait up!" My best friends soft voice rose up above the talking of the students all heading in the same direction. Home.
I could laugh at that. Home? I haven't had one since my step father Gabe came into my life.
"Sorry Annie, can't! See you tomorrow!" I called back, dodging through the scores of teenagers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another friend, Leo Valdez. He was leaning against his locker, Calypso standing next to him. They were both laughing.
"Oh, Repair Boy. You're such an idiot." She said, rolling her eyes. Leo just grinned. Everyone but themselves knew that they both had crushes on each other. But both were too scared to make the first move.
"See ya Perce!" Leo waved, seeing me run by.
"See you tomorrow!" I called back. Thalia was slouched against her locker, drinking not so discreetly, from a flask. As I raced by, I snatched it from her hand.
"Thanks Thals!" I laughed while she shot me a glare.
"Hey!" She yelled after me. I dropped it into a rubbish bin, continuing past people. A small, dark skinned girl, Hazel Levesque, sat on the stairs, her head in her hands. Her body was wracked with sobs. My cousin, Nico Di' Angelo sat next to her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. On the other side of her was her boyfriend, Frank Zhang. He looked awkward, like he didn't know how to comfort her. His eyes held mixed emotions. Sadness, anger and shock. Next to Nico was Will, the apprentice nurse of the school, and Nico's boyfriend. Nico looked up as I came past. He gave me a sad smile, which I returned. I didn't know why Hazel was crying, but whoever made her cry must be heartless. The young girl was nice and kind to everyone, never talking back or fighting with anyone. Reyna stood behind all of them, not talking or even looking at everyone. I had heard what had happened with her. Her boyfriend, the jock of the school Jason Grace, had cheated on her with the school slut, Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Reyna had broken up with him immediately and less than a week after that, Jason had started going out with Piper McLean. Ever since, Reyna had been cold and secretive. I looked forward again, just in time to crash into someone. We both tumbled to the ground. I winced as I hit an old bruise on my ribs.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't see you-" I started, getting to my feet again, then freezing when I saw who it was. Jason stood up, sending me a murderous glare.
"You didn't see me? What are you, blind?" He spat. Rachel and Octavian were standing next to each other, his arm around her waist. They were both smiling cruelly.
"Fight him, Jason!" Bianca Di' Angelo said, standing next to Piper. They both laughed.
"Look, I'm in a hurry. I need to go." I tried to push past him, but Jason grabbed the hood of my jacket, pulling me back.
"Oh no you don't! You're not going anywhere." Jason growled. I choked, then twisted around so that I was facing Jason.
"Jason, leave him alone." Annabeth's voice ordered, standing behind me now. Leo and Calypso were there too.
"Or what Blondie?" Octavian laughed at his own stupid joke, Rachel laughing too.
"Let go." I said through gritted teeth. Jason glanced at his group of friends, smiling cockily.
"Or what?" He laughed. Jason never even saw the punch coming. One moment he was holding my hood, the next he was lying on the ground, clutching his nose, blood pouring down.
"Jason!" Piper shrieked. I just shook my hand and turned around again.
"I told you to let go." I said, about to walk away, when someone yelled,
"Percy, duck!" I instinctively ducked, Jason's punch flying right over my head and into the locker nearest to them, denting it. He shouted in pain, clutching his hand.
"You broke my hand!" He yelled.
"What? I didn't do anything!" I protested.
"Guys, cut it out! You're gonna get into trouble." Frank said, coming up to them. Will followed, hearing Jason's agonised cry. A teary eyed Hazel, Nico and Reyna appeared behind them.
"Out of my way. I need to check on him." Will said, coming through the small crowd that surrounded them, a medical aid kit in his hand.
"Go away!" Jason growled and pushed Will away, lunging at me. He tackled me to the ground, throwing a punch at my stomach. I grunted in pain and kicked the blonde boy away.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Conner and Travis Stoll started up the chant. Soon everyone in the crowd had taken it up and were chanting with them. Jason and I stood opposite each other.
"That's enough!" Chiron Brunner, the wheelchair bound principle of the school's voice shouted. Everyone froze, all becoming silent. "What is going on?" He demanded. Jason wiped the blood from his nose, turning to him.
"Percy attacked me sir." He lied. I glared at him but said nothing.
"Is this true?" He asked me. I shook my head.
"No sir. It isn't."
"Then what happened?" He asked. Both of us stayed silent.
"Fine. Then every single one of you, detention tomorrow night."
"Wait, what?" Piper demanded, her jaw slack with shock. "We didn't have anything to do with this!"
"But I have a football game!" Jason protested.
"Me too." Franks timid voice called up.
"I have a physics test I need to study for!" Annabeth also protested.
"I wasn't part of this! I only came to see who was hurt. Besides, I have work tomorrow!" Will objected.
Shit. Gabe will kill me when he finds out.
I didn't bother protesting. I knew it wouldn't change Mr Brunner's decision.
"Well too bad. You arrive at 9 pm. You may leave at 7 am. Hopefully ten hours will be enough for you to learn to get along." Mr Brunner said, rolling back to his office. Everyone groaned and the crowd dispersed. With an annoyed sigh, I picked up my backpack again and started walking out of the school.
"Percy! Hey!" Annabeth had to jog to catch up.
"I'm sorry, I really need to go. I'm already way too late." I said without thinking.
"Late? Late for what?" She asked. I mentally slapped myself.
"Um... nothing. I just uh, need to go... buy something for dinner." I lied. She raised an eyebrow, her beautiful stormy eyes studying me.
Wait, beautiful? Where did that thought come from?
"You know you can tell me anything, right?" She asked. I smiled.
I can't tell you this.
"Thanks Wise girl. See you tomorrow. Sorry about giving us detention." I said as I started jogging away from the school. I glanced at my watch.
Shit. Seven minutes late.
I ran faster. Thankfully my house was close so I got there in only two more minutes. The once beautiful house was in bad shape, as Gabe didn't bother fixing anything that broke. Empty beer cans and bottles littered the lawn. The only thing growing in it besides weeds and overgrown grass was the beautiful Moonlace flowers mom had planted before she had... disappeared. No one knew where she had gone. It had been one year since she had disappeared.
Please don't be home...
I begged in my mind as I slowly opened the creaky front door. Rubbish was strewn across the floor, dried blood staining some areas of the walls and floor. My blood, from all the beatings. I silently crept inside, but Gabe didn't seem to be there. I let out a relieved sigh, when my my blood ran cold, a drunken slur coming from behind me.
"You're late, you little brat!"