𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 - 𝐀𝐧 𝐀𝐔

Percy

My hands hurt.

I looked down, hissing a little at the friction burn across my palms. Blood had already started leaking out of the scratch, but I just clenched them. Pressure always stops the blood flow anyways, and it kind of dissolves the annoying sting.

That's the thing about minor injuries: they don't hurt a lot, but just enough for you to be severely irritated.

Great.

I picked up my skateboard, and tucked it under my arm, as I headed for home. It was a fair bit of a walk, but I didn't mind. The skateboard wasn't even that heavy anyways.

I really didn't know how else to spend the rest of the days until school started. I didn't mind not studying, not that I ever did it when I had to, but I was actually starting to go insane with the sudden...boring freedom.

Somehow, those two words just don't belong together, but it was still the best way to explain it.

I felt a bead of sweat behind my ear, and hastened to rub it off. I always hated afternoons like these, where there wasn't even a single breeze, and the entire atmosphere just reeked of heat. It felt like the sun was burning me alive.

I fished around my pockets for my earphones, stuffing one bud in my ear and leaving the other to dangle around. When I clicked on the playlist I felt I was most in the mood for, I mashed the phone back in my pocket and started walking a little faster, eager to get home as soon as possible. But now I felt a little less like I was just walking around alone like I had nothing else to do.

Plus, no one really minds some good Skillet and Fall Out Boy.

I whistled along to some songs idly, jogging across the street.

***************

I dumped my skateboard on the floor and shoved it under the bed, probably a little harsher than necessary, but I sighed and plopped on my bed.

Now what do I do?

I sat up again immediately, tapping my foot on the floor.

I could go to Jupiter Cafe and annoy Jason.

Or pester Rachel at her art studio. (Or was she at work? Huh, never mind.)

Should I cook? I did feel a bit hungry... but that meant actually getting stuff out and cooking them, and I decided I didn't have energy.

Huh, I need energy to make something that will give me energy.

Maybe there are some drinks in the fridge.

I think I remember some cookies being in the cupboard.

Wait, Thalia had asked for some the other day.

I could annoy Thalia by calling her. And not getting her the cookies she asked for. They're mine. Mom's recipe stays within the four walls of this house.

Mom's at work. She's coming back at 8.

What's at 8? Dinner, probably. And Gabe's not coming back.

I could call Annabeth over.

Annabeth!

I picked up my phone and dialed her number. I grinned when her voice floated over the phone on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you free?"

"Yeah", I heard some shuffling over the phone. "I'm bored."

"Perfect, you want to come over?"

A sigh. "I can't, sorry. My parents went out, and I have to babysit my brothers. And the house."