Percy Becomes a Runaway... Again (Book 4)

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Character Information:
(Y/N): Your Name
(L/N): Last Name
(H/C): Hair Color
(E/C): Eye Color
(H/L): Hair Length
(S/C): Skin Color
(F/C): Favorite Color
(F/F): Favorite Food
(F/D): Favorite Drink

Percy's POV

The last thing I wanted to do on my summer break was blow up another school. But there I was Monday morning, the first week of June, sitting in my mom's car in front of Goode High School on East 81st.

Goode was this big brownstone building overlooking the East River. A bunch of BMWs and Lincoln Town cars were parked out front. Staring up at the fancy stone archway, I wondered how long it would take me to get kicked out of this place.

"Just relax." My mom didn't sound relaxed. "It's only an orientation tour. And remember, dear, this is Paul's school. So try not to...you know."

"Destroy it?"

"Yes."

Paul Blofis, my mom's boyfriend, was standing out front, greeting future ninth graders as they came up the steps. With his salt-and-pepper hair, denim clothes, and leather jacket, he reminded me of a TV actor, but he was just an English teacher. He'd managed to convince Goode High School to accept me for ninth grade, despite the fact that I'd gotten kicked out of every school I'd ever attended. I'd tried to warn him it wasn't a good idea, but he wouldn't listen.

I looked at my mom. "You haven't told him the truth about me, have you?"

She tapped her fingers nervously on the wheel. She was dressed up for a job interview—her best blue dress and high-heeled shoes.

"I thought we should wait," she admitted.

"So we don't scare him away."

"I'm sure orientation will be fine, Percy. It's only one morning."

"Great," I mumbled. "I can get expelled before I start the school year."

"Think positive. Tomorrow you're off to camp! After orientation, you've got your date—"

"It's not a date!" I protested. "It's just (Y/N), Mom. Jeez!"

"He's coming all the way from camp to meet you."

"Well, yeah."

"You're going to the movies."

"Yeah."

"Just the two of you."

"Mom! It's just as guy friends. Besides, I'm not...not...you know."

Ever since (Y/N) had spent Christmas with us, my mom had been giving me weird looks every time I so much as mentioned his name. Which, admittedly, was a lot.

My mom frowned. "I'm sorry for teasing, Percy, but... Listen, I want you to know that I'll love you unconditionally no matter what. No matter what."

I was grateful for that, but I really didn't want to talk about it. It just made me feel...weird. And it reminded me of an awkward conversation I had had with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, last winter.

"You'd better get inside, dear," my mom told me. "I'll see you tonight."

I was about to get out of the car when I looked over the steps of the school. Paul Blofis was greeting a girl with frizzy red hair. She wore a maroon T-shirt and ratty jeans decorated with marker drawings. When she turned, I caught a glimpse of her face, and the hairs on my arms stood straight up.

"Percy?" my mom asked. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing," I stammered. "Does the school have a side entrance?"

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