Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1 : The Lightning Thief - MISSING SCENES

It Was Only A Matter Of Time (Mid-Chapter 2)

"Percy, don't be discouraged about leaving" Mr. Brunner said, a kind smile on his face, though there was a hint of hesitation there. He and Grover were clearly hiding something, but Percy wasn't sure what. And, honestly, he wasn't sure he even wanted to know. "It's..." the Latin teacher hesitated. "It's for the best"

"Okay, sir" Percy mumbled, crossing his arms as he heard whispering and snickering amongst his classmates. Part of him wanted to turn around and smack each one of them. They weren't any better! But, he refrained. The last thing he wanted to do was cause a scene during his last week at Yancy in his favorite class.

"I mean..." Mr. Brunner continued, looking more awkward than Percy ever imagined that he could be. "This isn't the right place for you" he finally said, and though he didn't mean it in a malicious way, Percy still felt as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over him, and he fought back tears. "It was only a matter of time"

You can't handle it an all too familiar voice in Percy's head whispered. Even Mr. Brunner can see how awful of a kid you are. You really thought he liked you!? Percy felt shame boiling in his stomach. Mr. Brunner was the one teacher who always believed in him, and yet here he was saying that the kid was destined to fail. "Right" Percy muttered, voice shaky as he willed himself not to cry.

"No, no" Mr. Brunner quickly backtracked upon seeing the young boy's reaction. He had been trying to imply something completely different, but of course Percy didn't know the truth yet. "Oh, confound it all" the teacher muttered, internally kicking himself for this oversight. "What I'm trying to say..." he started again. "You're not normal, Percy. That's nothing to be-"

"Thanks" Percy interrupted, not wanting to hear it. He had been given this spiel enough times over the years, he got the point. His learning issues and quick to anger personality just made him different, and they were nothing to be ashamed of, but he still kept getting kicked out of school. "Thanks a lot, sir, for reminding me"

"Percy..." Mr. Brunner said, trying to fix the situation, but Percy was already out the door.

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It was Grover who followed the young boy out of class. Mr. Brunner didn't mind his sudden leaving. He understood Grover's job there, it only made sense. He eventually found Percy in the dorm room they shared, curled up in a ball in his bed and crying to himself. "Percy" the older boy said gently, sitting next to his classmate and gently resting a hand over his back. He allowed his friend to curl up against him, continuing to cry.

"You know Chi- Mr. Brunner doesn't hate you, right?" Grover asked softly. It was a rhetorical question, but Percy answered anyway. "Y- You heard what he said, Grover!" Percy shouted, though his voice was trembling still. "'It was only a matter of time' That's what he said!" the young boy continued. "The one teacher who I thought believed in me really just saw this as an inevitable outcome"

"Percy, he doesn't hate you, and that's not what he meant" Grover defended. "You don't know that!" Percy responded angrily. "Yes, I do" Grover replied, managing to keep his own anger under the surface. "How!?" Percy asked, scooting out of Grover's hold. "How would you know that, Grover!?"

"Because I..." Grover trailed off. Percy couldn't know the truth, it was too dangerous. He already came too close to the truth with Mrs. Dodds. "Right" Percy said at the older boy's lack of a proper explanation. He was done being angry at this point. He just sounded exhausted and sad. Grover internally kicked himself for allowing the conversation to go so downhill.

"How can I help you feel better?" he finally asked after a moment of failing to come up with a new solution. Percy just shrugged before going back to sit with his friend. "I'm sorry I yelled at you" the young boy said, voice breaking as he began to cry again. "It's okay" Grover reassured, once again wrapping his arm around his friend. "I just wished that someone believed in me" Percy added, his voice shaky. "I believe in you" Grover said with a small smile, and Percy couldn't help but feel some sense of relief at those words.

"Thanks, Grover"