Chapter One: Percy Jackson Hates Bullies
Percy glared down at his blue sneakers, still tracking sand everywhere from when he last went to the beach. He loved the beach, it was one of the few places where he knew he belonged, where he felt comfortable. It was safe to say that school was not one of those places.
"Mr Jackson would you please pay attention!" The shrill squark made Percy snap out of his wandering thoughts, he belatedly looked up to see his teacher glaring down at him. Sniggers erupted from the class as Percy sunk lower in his seat, his tan cheeks growing a little darker as his blood rushed into them.
"Sorry Miss."
"Honestly Percy, this is the fifth time in the last hour, I know you have your... disability, but this is unacceptable." She carried on, oblivious to the way Percy's hands balled into fists at the word disability. He didn't have a 'disability' as she so nicely put it, Percy had ADHD.
No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't focus on anything if he was made to sit there and listen as a teacher droned on and on about Pythagoras or atom structure. He'd much rather be outside, the salty sting of sea spray in his face as he rode the waves. Or better yet, in the training yard, at Camp Olympus, sparring with his best friend Jason. Even listening to Annabeth waffle on about architecture or Greek mythology sounded better to him than school.
Tapping his pen distractingly against his desk, Percy thought about Jay. He wondered what he'd been up to since the last time they'd talked, Jason always seemed so busy, what with being on his school council, basketball captain, state champion sword fighter (although Percy reckoned he could still kick his ass anytime) he was even learning to become a pilot. It must be nice being rich, Percy thought a little envious. Sure his Dad, Poseidon, wasn't exactly poor but he wasn't exactly around much either, Percy would spend maybe one weekend with him a month and most of the time he just hung out with his baby brother Tyson anyway.
Sighing, Percy tried to tune back into the lesson, judging from his teacher's expression, she hadn't of been as oblivious of Percy's mental absence as he would have liked. Luckily, the bell decided to make itself apparent right before the teacher was about to scold Percy again. With a relieved sigh, Percy leapt from his seat, hastily jamming his books back into his blue school bag. Only three more hours Percy, he told himself, only three hours then you get to leave for summer.
•••
Percy trudged out onto the muddy strip of land that his fellow students ironically dubbed 'The Meadow', along with everyone else, for lunch. He was looking forward to some blue chocolate chip cookies and blue egg sandwiches his Mom had specifically made for him on the last day. It had become a running joke between him and his Mom to make the most ridiculous food in the color blue, and eating it almost always managed to cheer him up.
As it turned out, he wouldn't get to sit quietly on his own and eat his lunch like he thought because just then he caught the sound of someone crying out in pain. Without a second thought, Percy abandoned his path towards The Meadow, instead he crept around the side of the Arts block, blue sneakers making barely a sound. Peeking around the corner, Percy's green eyes widened in shock at the scene that be called him.
On the ground lay a bruised boy with wildly curly hair, his arms clutching tightly to his chest as two others mercilessly kicked at him. Standing over him but not joining in stood a kid Percy knew all too well. Octavian. He was one of the kids that joined him in the summer at Camp Olympus.
