Beyond My Mask

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Annabeth

   ANNABETH has never been that worried for Percy before — well,exept in Tartarus,but this was something else —.The thing was,he did not answer her call,nor did he decline it.Now,you think he probably did not have a cell phone,but with the help of
Leo Valdez,the son of Hephaestus,she succesfully made two cell phones for herself and Percy's.

    It was rare for Percy Jackson to not immediatly answer his girlfriend's call,or,if he was busy with whatever thing he was doing — mostly slaying monster — to decline it.Yet,today,the Son of Poseidon did not answer.

    And that  is what made Annabeth worried.Not that her boyfriend could not handle himself,but he was a total Seaweed Brain.

“For the Gods’ sake Percy.Answer the damn call.” the daughter of Athena thought.

     The third time,he finally answered.
He seemed to have been asleep,because his first word,‘hey’ was streched into a yawn.
“Percy” Annabeth sighed “Why did you not answer–?”
“Chill Wise Girl.” Annabeth could feel Percy ‘smile’ throught the screen.“I was asleep”
“Hmmm” Her answer was neutral,but she didn't believe her boyfriend.Percy was a very bad liar.But the young woman decided to go with his made-up story.
“Anyway…I wanted to tell you that–…”started Percy.
      Annabeth cut him off,frustrated.
“That you couldn't come to CHB tomorow?” she said. “Again?”
    Percy sighed.
“Yeah.”he mumbled“I'm sorry Annabeth.I–....I'll–...I'll come next week”
“Sure,you'll do.”

       And just like that she hang up.

                   And sighed.

Percy Jackson was avoiding CHB.That wasn't a question.It was a statement.Annabeth had talked to his mother.Sally Jackson,now Sally Jackson-Blofis.And she admitted that she didn't see Percy much either.He was always in hurry to leave his home in the morning and mostly came back late.For a while,Sally thought Percy was going to Camp.But he wasn't.Apparently,he spend most of his after-school time near the beach.Normal thing,for a son of Poseidon.But not that frequently.
    When she tried to talk about it,Percy just shrugged,brushed it off and moved on.

     That was the real problem.
And now,she couldn't see Percy for another month.Only if…
   Annabeth shot up from her seat and ran to the Hermes cabin.She opened the door wide.
“Do y'all have a car?"

oOo

PERCY

(BEFORE ANNABETH'S P.O.V)

     PERCY JACKSON slowly opened the door of his house,checking if his mother was in there.Apparently,she was cooking in the kitchen,guessed the son of Poseidon,by the odor.
     Quickly but quietly,the young man sprinted to the bathroom,throwing a rapid “Hey Mom” while passing by the kitchen.He locked the bathroom door and slide down to the floor.
    Only now,he allowed himself to look at his bloody red sweat-shirt sleeves.He removed his sweat,revealing a CHB t-shirt with a greek writting underneath.Bandages were wrapped clumsily around his arms,soaking red.

      The sea was no longer healing him.

     The son of Poseidon spend days at the beach trying to heal his cursed,unhealed scars.But the water was only aggraving them.The more water fell on them,the more they bleeded.

   "What was helping you will no longer heal you.You shall fall apart slowly in the dark.You came from water,you'll go back to water"

     Tartarus...

  "What was helping you will no longer heal you—"

   Water didn't heal Percy anymore.

"—You shall fall apart slowly in the dark."

   A metaphor.Nobody knew what the son of Poseidon was going through.

"—You came from water,you'll go back to water"

   Blood.Water and blood are pratically the same thing.

    Tartarus cursed Percy,and no one even knew.