Indigo Eyes

Chapter 109

(A/N: Thanks for 1000 votes guys! Hope you enjoy. XxD)

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With Cressida and Chiron's help, they saved Percy yet again. They'd manipulated the Mist and altered the memories of witnesses to think that Kelli had been a crazy, firebomb-throwing cheerleader, while Percy had simply been an innocent bystander who'd panicked and run from the scene. Cressida may have embellished Percy's panic just a little but hey, at least she was having fun. He was starting at Goode High School next month and Cressida and Sally had grilled into Percy to try harder to not get kicked out because they wouldn't be saving his ass again.

That was the only reason why Paul was able to come to Percy's little party that his mother was throwing at their house. Tyson came too and Sally baked two extra blue cakes just for him.

And while they blew up balloons, Paul asked Percy for help in the kitchen.

"I hear your mom signed you up for driver's ed this fall," Paul said as they poured punch.

"Yeah. It's cool. I can't wait."

Percy had been excited about getting his licence forever but after everything, his heart wasn't in it anymore and Paul could tell.

"You've had a rough summer," he said. "I'm guessing you lost someone important. And... girl trouble?"

Percy stared at him, completely in shock. "How do you know that? Did my mom –"

He held up his hands. "Your mom hasn't said a thing. And I won't pry. I just know there's something unusual about you, Percy. You've got a lot going on that I can't figure out. But I was also fifteen once, and I'm just guessing from your expression... Well, you've had a rough time."

He nodded. "I, uh, lost a couple of friends at this camp I go to. Not close friends but still-"

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, and the girl stuff..." Percy sighed. He needed to tell someone, and he guessed Paul was the person for the job. "The girl I like, you'll meet her today actually, one of the people we lost was her brother. They were really close."

Paul's face was extremely sympathetic.

"And we kinda talked about it. We want to be together, but she has to deal with his passing, and I get that, it's just the waiting sucks. It really sucks."

"But it's something she has to do. If she doesn't, it's not going to last."

"I know," Percy sighed again, trying to ignore the pain part of it and make himself excited about seeing Cressida again.

"You really like her," Paul said with a small smile and Percy really hoped his cheeks weren't red but as usual, they were. "What's her name?"

"Cressida. Her name is Cressida Lynn."

Paul beamed. "Oh, I met Cress a couple of weeks ago. Sweet girl. Your mother really likes her. Sorry to hear that her brother is gone."

Percy was confused about a lot of things after that, but most of that stuff, specifically the nickname portion, he had to take up with Cressida. So instead, he said, "Yeah, uh, she also doesn't like being treated like glass yet, she's still fragile. So please don't bring up her brother."

"You have my word," he swore with a hand on his heart. "Anything I should bring up? I didn't really get a chance to speak to her properly last time."

"Uh, dancing. She likes dancing. And reading."

"Got it," Paul said as he handed Percy some punch. "To your fifteenth birthday. And to a better year to come."

They tapped their paper cups together and drank.

"Percy, I kind of feel bad, giving you one more thing to think about," Paul said. "But I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"It's more girl stuff."

Percy frowned - that meant it concerned his mother. "What do you mean?"

"Your mom," Paul said. "I'm thinking about proposing to her."

Percy almost dropped his cup. "You mean... marrying her? You and her?"

"Well, that was the general idea. Would that be okay with you?"

"You're asking my permission?"

Paul scratched his beard. "I don't know if it's permission, so much, but she's your mother. And I know you're going through a lot. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't talk to you about it first, man to man."

"Man to man," Percy repeated, the words sounding strange in his mouth and some piece of his brain liked to imagine what Cressida would have to say about that. And then he thought about how Cressida had never smiled more since she met Percy and how his mother was the same with Paul and how Paul had gone out of his way to get him into high school. So he said, "I think that's a great idea, Paul. Go for it."

He smiled really wide then. "Cheers, Percy. Let's join the party."

But first, the doorbell rang and Percy couldn't help his smile because he knew who had just arrived, the same person whose melodious voice rang through the apartment as his mother answered the door and Tyson exclaimed, "Pretty Girl!"

"I've got this," Paul said as he took the punch from Percy. "Go say hi to your girl."

"Thanks," Percy muttered as he disappeared down the hall.

Her smile was tired as if the action exhausted her but at least the smile was there.

"Happy birthday, Fish Face," she said before he was wrapping his arms around her in a warm hug.

"Thanks for coming, Wine Vine," he said, and she laughed into his shoulder.

"You all but threw me over your shoulder and forced me to come," she said as she pulled away and handed him a small bag. "As promised."

He furrowed his brows at first until he actually opened the bag and he grinned. "An I-Heart-New-York T-shirt. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Hungry?"

"Always."

And Percy took her hand as he led her into his apartment.