Her parents were never home. Reyna was in college. Nico and Hazel were at school all day everyday. All of her friends were in college. Although she was painting a lot and had booked top surgery since she'd turned eighteen, she was still lonely. Happy, but lonely. Sometimes lonely people found other lonely people.
"Hellooo-" Rachel said in a sing-song voice, walking into the house. "I picked up a few groceries on my way! Oh my gosh, I also saw this gorgeous dress and couldn't help but buy it. Wait, I'll get it out of the car in a few minutes-"
"Oh, hi Rachel," Beryl smiled. "I didn't think you'd be around this early."
"Surprise," she grinned. "Yeah, I finished up with a painting early. Didn't have anything else to do, really."
"Hm. Well, it's good to see you. I am going to need to see that dress, though."
Rachel's mother had never paid attention to her. Especially not after she came out as trans. Rachel was a problem. An inconvenience. Her mother was never home- she was always on holidays or away spending her husband's money. Rachel assumed that's why she married him.
She didn't see Beryl as a mother figure, exactly. More so as someone to talk to. Sure, Reyna texted her as often as possible and she'd see Hazel and Nico almost everyday, but she'd get lonely. She also knew that Beryl wasn't well. Especially not after Jason. Thalia had went back to Georgia. There was no one else to look after her, so Rachel took it upon herself to do so.
"Oh! I almost forgot," Rachel said. "Is it okay if we go to the beach to collect rubbish tomorrow instead of Saturday? I know it's short notice, but Reyna is coming home this weekend."
"You know I'm free everyday. Tomorrow works."
"Okay, great! And talking about collecting rubbish, I think it's time to clean up this house a little bit."
"I- I don't expect you to help me with that," Beryl sighed. "I know it's a mess. I'll get around to it eventually-"
"I want to help," Rachel insisted. "As long as I can play music, that is."
"Thank you, Rachel. You're a really, really kind girl."
"I try my best."
While cleaning, Rachel found Jason's phone on the table.
Beryl instantly looked upset when she saw it. "Can you- could you give that to Leo? I think there'd be photos of Jason and all of you- his friends. I don't want to look."
"Yeah. I'll give it to Leo next time I see him."
• • •
When she got home, she was happy to see a lot of messages in the groupchat.
Fzhang: GUYS GUYS GUYS
Wisegirl: GUYS ANSWER
Seaweedbrain: ANSWER TF
Levesque~Hazel: bro, I'm in geography. Istg if the teacher catches me on my phone. This better be important
Nicodia: what Hazel said.
Seashel: what's going on?
Seaweedbrain: heaven rejoice!
Rachel laughed, typing a reply.
Redare: can you just tell us what's happened? What's going on in NYU
Gmanunderwood: AAAAH
Fzhang: Grover PRACTICALLY has a girlfriend
Gmanunderwood: NO I DO NOT
Reynaavila: WHAT?!
Supersizedmcshizzle: I KNEW HE COULD DO IT
Redare: WHAT?! WHAT DETAILS? WHAT WHAT WHAT GROVER ANSWER
Gmanunderwood: they're lying! It's not like that!
Wisegirl: not YET
Gmanunderwood: there's just this girl called juniper. I've barely even talked to her. It's nothing
Nicodia: the teacher just caught Hazel with her phone lol. I am not acting as her reply. She says "juniper is a pretty name"
Gmanunderwood: I KNOW RIGHT?
Queenmclean: Grover has a lil crush 🥺🥰
Seashel: I'm so proud of my little cousin 🥲
Gmanunderwood: I'm older than you. Anyway. She like shouted at the teacher about the environment. Otherwise she's super quiet. And she's vegan!! She has like auburn hair and she always wears green eyeshadow
Fzhang: and Grover is already in love
Gmanunderwood: I'm not.
Seaweedbrain: ayo I found her instagram. Her favourite animal is goats. Grover she's your SOULMATE
Gmanunderwood: PFJSOZHAOAUSNSIAA
Willsol: you all have class to be attending to stop looking at your phones. Anyway Percy drop her insta user. Should we add her to this groupchat
Nicodia: "yes" - Hazel
Gmanunderwood: NO NO NO N O J O N O NO NO DONT YOU DARE
Gmanunderwood: well not yet anyway
Redare: AWWW
She reminded herself to FaceTime Grover later, before setting up a new canvas and beginning to paint.
———
Word Count: 730
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I yet again vanished, I have almost all the chapters written now other than the last one so I can wrap this fic up and work on the rewrite:) thank you for being here
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Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)
Fanfiction12 students, with dark twisted paths, find each other when they need it most. But could these teenagers truly get along? Would they form friendships? More? Or would all hell break loose. Characters from PJO, HoO & ToA (possible TKC&MCGA, too) as mo...
