Freak || Percy Jackson x OC

One Hundred and Fifty-Seven: Idk how to not sound like a dick

PERCY

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The end of the world started when a pegasus landed on the hood of Percy's car.

Up until then, Percy was having a great afternoon. Technically, he wasn't supposed to be driving because he wouldn't turn sixteen for another week, but his mom and stepdad, Paul, took Rachel and Percy to this private stretch of beach on the South Shore, and Paul let them borrow his Prius for a short spin.

Now, most people would be thinking, Wow, that was really irresponsible of him, blah, blah, blah, but Paul knows his stepson pretty well. He's seen Percy slice up demons and leap out of exploding school buildings, so he probably figured taking a car a few hundred yards wasn't exactly the most dangerous thing he'd ever done.

Percy drove along the stretch of beach. It was a muggy August day- enough that he could see heatwaves in front of him. Rachel's red hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a white blouse over her swimsuit. She hummed along to the CD that Percy had in the player.

She grinned and pointed. "Oh, pull up right here!"

Percy parked on a ridge overlooking the Atlantic. The sea was always one of his favorite places, but today it was especially nice- glittery green and smooth as glass, as though his dad was keeping it calm.

"So." Rachel smiled at Percy. "About that invitation."

"Oh.... right." Percy tried to sound excited. Rachel had asked Percy to her family's vacation house on St.Thomas for three days. He didn't get a lot of offers like that. His family's idea of a fancy vacation was a weekend in a rundown cabin on Long Island with some movie rentals and a couple of frozen pizzas, and here Rachel's folks were willing to let Percy tag along to the Caribbean.

Besides, Percy seriously needed a vacation. This summer had been the hardest of his life. The idea of taking a break even for a few days was really tempting.

It was weird. He was also a little skeptical, since the last time he got invited on "vacation", he, Annabeth, and Sen had blown up Caesar's Palace and stolen a bust of Mars. He didn't need something like that happening with a mortal family.

But still, something big was supposed to go down any day now. Percy was "on call" for a mission. Even worse, next week was his birthday. There was this prophecy that said when he turned sixteen, bad things would happen.

"Percy," Rachel said. "I know the timing is bad. But it's always bad for you, right?"

She had a point.

"I really want to go." Percy promised. "It's just-"

"The war."

Percy nodded. He didn't like talking about it, but Rachel knew. Unlike most mortals, she could see through the Mist- the magic veil that distorts human vision. She'd seen monsters. She'd met some of the other demigods who were fighting the Titans and their allies. She'd even been there last summer when the chopped-up Lord Kronos rose out of his coffin in a terrible new form, and she'd earned Percy's permanent respect by nailing him in the eye with a blue plastic hairbrush.

She put her hand on Percy's arm, and he stared at it for a minute. "Just think about it, okay? We don't leave for a couple of days. My dad..." Her voice faltered.