**(Percy's point of view (frist person)**
Wow, it's weird thinking about it now. I've always been the center of attention, with cameras flashing and fans screaming my name, but becoming a step-brother to an eight-year-old girl was never part of my script. Her name's Mila Markeson, and she's got this unruly mane of light brown hair that's always in her face, these big, light snow blue eyes that look like they've seen too much for her age, and a little button nose that scrunches up when she's thinking hard. She's got this light tan that makes her look like she's been playing outside all day, every day, but I know she's more of a bookworm than a beach bum.
The first time I met her, she was so shy, hiding behind her mom, peeking at me with those big eyes. I didn't know what to say or do. What do you say to an eight-year-old kid who's just been thrown into the middle of your chaotic life? "Hi, I'm your new step-brother, Percy, the guy with the Oscar?" That sounded pretty lame, even in my head. But she looked up at me with this mix of curiosity and hope, like I was some kind of superhero she'd read about in her books.
Mom, I mean, Maria, she's always had this way of making everything seem okay. She met Ian, and suddenly there was Mila in our lives. I knew it was important to her, so I tried to play nice. I'd smile and ask about her day, but I couldn't help feeling out of place. What did I know about little kid stuff? My world was red carpets and soundstages, not playdates and bedtime stories.
But Mila, she's... she's different. She's got this energy that's contagious, even when I don't want it to be. She'd follow me around the house, asking questions about everything. "Percy, what's a director?" "Percy, why do you have to go to the gym so much?" "Percy, can you read me a story?" And every time she called me 'Percy', it felt like she was saying it with a little extra something, like she was trying it on for size, seeing if it fit.
I'd sit with her sometimes, when I could spare a moment, and tell her about the world outside of our little bubble. I'd talk about the sets and the people I met, and she'd listen with wide eyes, soaking it all in. But it was never long before I'd get a call about a meeting or a shoot, and I'd have to excuse myself, leaving her with her books and her dolls.
Don't get me wrong, she's annoying, too. Like, really annoying. She's got this knack for knowing exactly when I'm trying to relax and then blasting into the room with a million questions. And she loves to play with my stuff. Once she took my favorite hat and painted it with glitter. Gluitter, everywhere. But she's also kind of... cool. Like, she doesn't get star-struck when I bring home a celebrity friend, and she doesn't care that I'm famous. To her, I'm just the tall guy who's sometimes around to play pretend.
We've had our moments, though. Like the time she saw me crying in my room. It was after a breakup, and I thought I'd locked the door. But she just walked in, sat on my bed, and handed me a tissue without saying a word. Then she climbed up and gave me a hug. It was the smallest thing, but it felt like the biggest deal in the world. And she didn't tell anyone. She kept my secret, like she knew it was important.
Mila's got this way of looking at the world that makes everything seem a little less serious, a little less... heavy. And even though I'm still figuring out how to be a good step-brother, she's teaching me how to be a better person. Sometimes, when I'm stressed about a movie or a song, she'll sit with me and tell me stories she's made up, and for a little while, I forget about the pressure.
We're not like those siblings you see in the movies, always playing pranks and fighting over who gets the last cookie. We're more like... awkward acquaintances who are slowly becoming friends. And maybe, just maybe, we're turning into a family. The kind that doesn't have to be blood to be real.
So, yeah, I'm Percy Sanderson, two-time Oscar winner, heartthrob of the world, and now, step-brother to an eight-year-old force of nature named Mila. And even though I never wanted the role, I'm starting to think it might just be the best part I've ever played.
