Daughter Of Lightning - Book 1(A Percy Jackson x OC Fanfic)

CHAPTER 17

(Percy's POV)

Someone was shaking me. My eyes met with a pair beautiful sapphire ones: Nora. When she saw I was awake, she walked off & sat near a tree.

"Well," She said, "the zombie lives."

I remembered what I'd said to her last night & wanted to apologise but instead I asked.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Long enough for Annie to find breakfast." she tossed me a bag of nacho-flavored corn chips from Aunty Em’s snack bar. "Grover went exploring & he found a friend.”

My eyes had trouble focusing. Grover was sitting cross-legged on a blanket with a fuzzy, a dirty, unnaturally pink stuffed animal. No. It wasn’t a stuffed animal. It was a pink poodle. The poodle yapped suspiciously.

Grover said. "No, he’s not."

I blinked. "Are you...talking to that thing?"

The poodle growled.

"This thing," Grover warned, "is our ticket west. Be nice to him."

"You can talk to animals?"

Grover ignored the question. "Percy, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy."

I stare at Nora & Annabeth, figuring they’d crack up at this practical joke they were playing on me, but they looked deadly serious.

"I’m not saying hello to a pink poodle," I said. "Forget it."

"Percy," Annabeth said. "We said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle." The poodle growled. I said hello to the poodle.

Grover said he’d come across Gladiola in the woods & they’d struck up a conversation. The poodle had run away from a rich family, who’d posted a $200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn’t want to go back to his family, but was willing to if it meant helping Grover.

"How does Gladiola know about the reward?"

"He read the signs," Grover said. "Duh."

"Of course," I said. "Silly me."

"So we turn in Gladiola," Annabeth explained in her best strategy voice, "we get money & we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple."

"Not another bus," I said warily.

"No," Annabeth agreed.

She points downhill, toward train tracks I couldn't see last night in the dark.

"There’s an Amtrak station that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon." Nora spoke up.

We spent two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, past amber waves of grain. We weren’t attacked once, but I didn’t relax. I felt that we were traveling in a display case, being watched from above & maybe below, that something was waiting for the right opportunity.

I had to keep a low profile because my name & picture were splattered over the front pages of several East Coast newspapers.

The picture’s caption read:
'Twelve year old Percy Jackson, wanted for questioning in the Long Island disappearance of his mother two weeks ago, is shown here fleeing from the bus where he accosted several elderly female passengers. The bus exploded on an east New Jersey roadside shortly after Jackson fled the scene. Police believe the boy is traveling with three other teenagers. His stepfather, Gabe Ugliano, offered a cash reward leading to his capture.'

"Don’t worry," Annabeth told me. "Mortal police can't find us." But she wasn't so sure.

The rest of the day I spent pacing the length of the train (because I had a really hard time sitting still) or looking out the windows.

Nora still hadn't spoken to me.

Everytime I tried to she ignored me or walked off to the next train compartment. I felt miserable. I'll admit it: I missed her. I missed hearing her laugh or holding her hand or just seeing her smile & talking to her.

Grover & Annabeth noticed her ignoring me everytime I tried talking to her & came up a plan.

Nora had left her seat, which was next to Grover to get water for herself. She had insisted that she wanted to sit next to Grover. As soon as she left, Annabeth went & sat in her seat. When Nora came back she said.

"Annabeth Chase, what do you think you're doing in 'MY' seat?"

"I just wanna look out the window. This side has a better view."

Nora gave her a glare but sat down next to me. I saw Grover & Annabeth high five each other not-so-discreetly.

They talked about god knows what & soon passed out cold. I looked over at Nora who was looking out the window, the sunset softly highlighted her already beautiful features.

"Nora?" She looked at me. Her eyes held a sad, broken look. A tear rolled down her cheek.

I wiped it before I could stop myself & she flinched but didn't pull away. I sighed & placed my hand on her cheek. I knew it was my fault she was upset.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I'm so sorry, Nora." I felt tears well up in my eyes too.

"It's okay." She said gently holding my hand that was on her cheek.

"No. I-I acted like a jerk. I r-really hurt you by saying those things & I just miss you s-"

I was cut off from my rambling when she placed a finger on my lips.

"I forgive you, Percy. I know you didn't mean to say it. I get it, we're all stressed. Besides, I did snap at you guys in the forest. So we're even & yeah, I missed you too."

She smiled. That one smile did weird things to my insides. She kissed me on the cheek, laid her head on my shoulder & fell asleep.

I was left sitting there for a good 10 minutes wondering what my name was & how I'd gotten on the train. Thank gods Grover & Annabeth were asleep, or they would've never let me live this down...

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Take care my lovely readers.❤
Alice signing off.
XOXO.