The Riptides: Percy's Sister (Percy Jackson And The Olympians)

Book One, Chapter Two 1.2

I'm all for weird and everything, but this was an unsettling or unnerving type of weird. Like the whole school was pulling a prank on me and wouldn't drop the act until they got bored. Everyone was convinced that Ms. Johnson (whoever she is) was with us all year long. They started calling me Crazy Head. The few times I take being crazy as an insult.

"So you mean like Ms. Bailey?" I'd ask.

"Seriously Molly," Dean seemed almost annoyed or concerned, "no one knows who Ms. Bailey is."

I was almost convinced there had never been a Ms. Bailey to begin with. Almost. The only person keeping me from thinking I was going insane was Percy talking about Mrs. Dodds.

He was going through the same thing. How no one knew who Mrs. Dodds even was or even existed.

Someone would say they got detention because of some valid reason. Or what they have to do there.

"Oh you think you have it bad? Ms. Bailey would torture me making me sit still for a whole hour or make me write the same thing over and over again."

They'd ask who Ms. Bailey is and how my punishments didn't seem so bad. I'd have to remind them what dyslexia and ADHD means and that I have both.

Percy and I would try to talk about the museum, see if we could try to piece together on what happened. Alas, we were still left dumbfounded.

At night I'd get nightmares about Ms. Bailey and Mrs. Dodds. The unusual weather didn't help either. Dean seemed more and more annoyed every time he had to wake me up.

The sleepless nights made me cranky all the time. My grades slipping from Cs to Fs, or at least my definition of a F.

+ + + + +

We took a field trip to Marine World later in the year and got a behind the scenes tour of their shark pool. Needless to say, while we were on the catwalk, I saw something big and something red and I pressed it. The weird thing about this swim, some of the sharks nuzzled me. I thought I was going to be their food, but no. They were affectionate. That unplanned swim made me feel a little bit better. Like all the sleepless nights never existed, but once I got out of the water, I felt horrible all over again. I also heard a voice in my head saying, Please don't leave!

After our swim with the sharks, word quickly got to the headmaster and sent a letter to my mom. I would not be welcomed back to Eastview Academy next year.

And I was completely, well mostly, fine with that.

I'd love getting away from Robert. I'd love getting away from the people who think I'm crazier than I already think I am making me question my entire existence. Keeping some distance from Ms. Johnson who is a constant reminder of why they call me Crazy Head.

I'd miss the view of the stars at night and the fresh clean air. I'd miss Dean, who since Percy, I ever really called a friend, I worry for him. How is he supposed to survive if he keeps letting people walk all over him? I'd also miss Ms. Johnson, she really is the nicest teacher I've ever had and Hua of course.

Ms. Johnson didn't just try to educate me and give me a grade. She made an effort to help me raise that grade and help me with my mental state of mind. Tuesdays we spent doing tutoring hours, which felt like days. Thursdays were like therapy sessions except it felt like I was talking with an adult friend not a teacher.

I emailed Percy about my expulsion.

You too huh

Well, at least we tried right? How'd you get expelled?