Ship in a Bottle

Percy's First Boy-Girl Party

Lowkey forgot about this book, my bad. My cousin agreed to get Wattpad as long as I finished it, so I guess I'll tag her in a later chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Percy couldn't sleep that night, partially due to the fact that he was glowing and buzzing and maybe even having a seizure. He didn't know what it was, but it was nice to feel safe for once in his life. 

Gabe was locked up, but his sister was dead. Percy didn't know what to feel. He knew that deep down, Estelle would be happy for him. She knew Gabe was a monster because of how he treated his so-called family. 

And so he laid awake, his thoughts creating noise in his head. Percy wanted to sleep, he really did. He lay in his sleeping bag with his possessions in a small bag near the door. He so desperately wanted to grab his phone and check in with the hospital to see if Sally was awake. 

He finally rolled his eyes and got out of his sleeping bag. If Percy was not going to sleep, at least he would get some cereal. He was a big fan of nighttime snacks, that's for sure. 

The moon lit through the windows, casting a silhouette of Percy's figure. He crept into the kitchen only to spot Annabeth sitting on top of the dinner table.

She suddenly turned around, her serious demeanor dropping as the two locked eyes. "Oh, it's just you. I felt like I was being watched."

"Sorry," Percy apologized shyly. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Couldn't sleep," She mumbled, turning back around to observe the moon. "You?" 

"Same," He sighed, inching closer to the table. "Can I sit next to you?"

"Of course." 

Percy lumbered towards the table, hopping onto it. It was a strange seat, he had to admit. "Why are you sitting on top of the table?"

Annabeth's lips curled into a small smile. "My mother used to let me do this all the time when my dad wasn't looking. It always made me feel like a rebel, like I finally held some power. It made me happy."

"Been there," Percy chuckled silently. He hadn't heard much about her parents, but from what he did hear, they were serious people. Not exactly strict, but not easygoing either. "You don't talk about your mom much. What's she like?"

"I don't know much about her," Annabeth admitted, her voice growing soft. "She left us years ago, and I hate her for it. She had the prettiest blond hair and always seemed to be happy. My dad used to have drunk episodes and she would keep me safe from him. He hit her, I know that much, but she didn't care. As long as I was safe, everything was fine."

Percy didn't know what to say. He felt horrible for not knowing anything about his friend's family. 

Annabeth began to cry, but frantically attempted to hide her tears. "Everything went to shit when she left. My brother was killed in a car accident, and my father had even more depressive episodes. Eventually, he found someone knew: Helen. She's a horrible, horrible person but he doesn't believe me."

"Why not?" Percy dared to ask. 

"I made up things about her," Annabeth spouted, hugging her knees to her chest. "When I first met her, I hated her. I tried to make my father stop dating her. It didn't work, and they both use those lies against me."

"That's not fair," Percy argued, his voice slightly rising. "You have every right to hate her."

"She hates me more," Annabeth sobbed into her hands. "She hits me all the damn time and nobody cares. I never feel good enough for her, not even a little bit. She punishes me for every little mistake and I can't take it anymore. I hate myself, but I hate her more."

Percy was frozen in time. He could do nothing but watch his friend cry out to him, venting about her difficulties at home. He hadn't expected her to tell him about the abuse, but he was glad that she did. He knew what Estelle wanted: For others to have good families and escape abuse. 

"What about you?" She finally asked after what seemed like a lifetime of crying. "What are your parents like?"

Percy hesitated. "My dad left me long ago, much like your mom. I didn't know him very well, so I can't say I miss him. but I guess I kind of do. My mother is the kindest person on Earth, but she married a heinous man. He hits us all the time and makes threats. I have so many scars that I don't want anyone to find out about. It's so fucking scary."

Annabeth nodded. "I know, Percy."

"When my sister died, I had no reason not to think it was his fault," He continued. "I'm glad he's locked up. I'm glad he got a new job in San Francisco so I could discover my friends. They're the ones that made me realize I needed help."

"You locked him up?" Annabeth partially smiled. "That's amazing, Percy! I'm so happy for you."

"I just wish my mom knew," Percy sighed. "She's in a coma right now, but when she wakes up, we're going straight to the courts."

Annabeth turned her attention back to the moon, which Percy couldn't help looking at as well. "Our friend group isn't just shits and giggles, you know. We're some pretty broken people."

"I know," Percy breathed. "I can live with that."

Once again, my bad for not updating for this long. I shall try my best to make updates regularly. I'm kind of feeling that Kenergy as I write this though.