Olympus Drive Book 2: Nothing to See Here

Chapter 1

Dean

"What's being in high school like?"

"Slightly more miserable than being in middle school, yet not as miserable as elementary school; though I doubt you'll have a problem," I say, staring at my phone and rubbing my head. I only came here to seek council with the holy deity of hangovers. My head has been pounding all day. When does it stop? Excedrin hasn't helped. And I don't want to tell my mom she'd worry. My dad, who isn't actually my dad but despite having an absurd number of kids of his own has acted as my dad, won't freak out or anything if I admit I'm hung over. So long as I assure him it was just a dumb party and that I am fine he'll be fine. Except I'm not fine. I don't know what's wrong with me. But I also don't want it to change.

"Why don't you think I'll have a problem?" Elena asks, sitting on top of the washing machine.

"Because you've already been suspended from elementary school you'll probably be in prison by then," I say, reasonably. 

"Are there lots of people in prison full of fear?"

"Uhuh, you're gonna really love it. It'll be a really great place for you. You're gonna do well there."

"I don't want to go to prison," Isa says, he's sitting on the floor with a book.

"You won't have to I'll break you out," Dara says, helpfully, she's sitting on the dryer doing a crossword puzzle.

"Promise?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay let's go back to being quiet," I sigh, my brain is throbbing.

"Why do you have a headache anyway? Were you drinking like dad?" Dara asks.

"No, now shh, where is your dad?" I need to ask him for hang over cure he must have one he drinks all the time.

"He's picking up Juno, who knows how long he'll be," Elena says.

"Great," I just love hanging out with the little ones. Not really they're fine I just feel like crap right now and I don't want to do anything.

"Hey, where's your dad? Why are you all in the laundry room?" Mr. Rhea asks, opening the door.

"Get in!!" we all hiss, tugging him in.

"Which question did you want answered?" Dara asks.

"Now, I just want to know why you're all in here?" he says, folding his arms.

"Mommy doesn't come in here," Isa says, shifting a little so Mr. Rhea can fit. Poor Isa has a crippled foot, feet rather. He has to wear these huge leg braces which don't seem to help. Our dad and I tend to just carry him places. Right now he's crouched on the floor hugging the dog.

"I calculated that the laundry room is the place she's statistically least likely to go; therefore it makes it the perfect hiding place," Dara says.

"And you didn't think to share this knowledge with the rest of us who also want to avoid their mum?" Mr. Rhea asks, annoyed. Dara is the product of an extra marital affair of our dad's. She lives here though with our dad instead of with her mom. It makes her sad sometimes and since I'm a love-child myself I try to be nice to her even if she is a know it all.

"I told them," Dara says.

"Brilliant thanks anyway where's your dad?" Mr. Rhea asks, "He's not answering his phone."

"Picking up Juno after his lecture," I say, "So he should be here soon."

"Nah this is time sensitive---all right, I have—twenty dollars here. I need someone to take the fall," Mr. Rhea says.

"What?" me and Isa.

"For what?" Elena asks.

"There are about fifteen ugly smelly damn dogs in the garage pissing everywhere and being messy ugly damn dogs and your mum is on the war path. She needs someone to blame and in a few minutes it's going to be me and considering she's already said we're not eating them despite how meaty they look, I no longer have a vested interest in being tortured over something I didn't do and won't benefit from. Now considering one of you people probably did it to begin with--------twenty dollars, go confess to your mum and get a tongue lashing," Mr. Rhea says.

"Who would put dogs in the garage? What type of dog---never mind I don't care, no," I say. Their mother has tried to kill my mother more than once. Not my favorite person.

"Dad will be back soon," Elena says.

"No he won't, it's been over thirty minutes since school let out he probably went to visit his secret family we're not supposed to talk about," Dara says, still working on her crossword.

"Shhh keep your little voice down damn it do you want all of us to be violently murdered?" Mr. Rhea hisses.

"She's probably right though; she usually is," I point out.

"Twenty dollars?" Isa asks.

"Yeah, twenty whole dollars come on, take one for the team."

"Can I have it pennies?"

"Weird request, but sure."

"Deal," Isa says, using the big fluffy dog to help him stand up.

"Fantastic you're such a good kid," Mr. Rhea says, just picking him up by the scruff of his grey sweatshirt, "HERE I FOUND HIM!! IT'S THE LITTLE ONE THAT CAN'T WALK PROPERLY YOU'LL WANT TO GO EASY ON IT."

The laundry room door slams.

"He'll be all right she goes easier on him," Dara says.

"She goes easiest on you she pretends you don't exist," Elana points out.

"That's true," Dara says.

"Do you guys just want to go and find Dad?" I ask them.

"No I'm tired," Elena says, watching her sister do a crossword puzzle, "I'm also grounded."

"Well, my mom has class until nine," I'd really like to be less hung over by then.

The door to the yard opens and we all three jump in panic.

"Don't do that Detective," I sigh. I was thinking it was their mother.

"What? Walk into rooms?" Detective Stamos asks, tiredly, "One of these days I'm going to care why all of you people are in the laundry room all the time really but for now---is your dad around?"

"No we think he's with his secret family we're not supposed to talk about," I say, "What is it?"

"Nothing in particular I just needed a talk—you look like hell," Stamos says, inspecting me.

"I was studying all night; Dad is supposed to look over a paper for me," I say.

"I'll do it!!" Dara says, eagerly. 

"Sure," I say. The paper does not exist, so she's gonna be disappointed.

"You sure?" Stamos asks.

"Yeah I'm good really just---chilling. In the laundry room," I say.

"There was a pretty big party the other weekend, you hear anything about that at school?" Stamos asks.

"I guess--- kids usually talk about meeting up—why?" I ask, sweat running down my spine. What the fuck? Why does he care about some stupid high school party?

"Some parents were complaining. That's all. Let me know if you hear anything weird, though, all right?" Stamos asks.

"Sure," I say, knowing fully well I'm what's weird.

"Can I come help you with work?" Dara asks.

"Not tonight, I'm almost off. Do you want me to send your dad this way when I find him?"

"If you find him," I say.

"Oh I'm pretty damn good at finding him."