A Percy Jackson FanFiction

1. Dounia

I fumble for the keys in the pits of my backpack. After half an eternity I unlock the front door to my apartment. It's a small, but cozy place with furniture that consists of antics my mother has collected over the years.

„Hello?" I holler into space. A few seconds later, my mother yells back, informing me of the cinnamon rolls she's currently removing from the oven. I take a deep breath and sigh, the entire apartment is filled with the smell of sweet, sugary goodness. I cross the living room and step foot into the kitchen.

„So how was you day?" She sets down the batch to take a seat.

„Okay, I guess. Jamie-Lee is going around telling everybody who'll listen she's anorexic. I told the guidance counsellor, though I strongly believe it's another false alarm."

„Oh my, that girl. Wasn't she just hearing voices the other day?"

„And leaving scratch marks on her forearms with a ruler, attempting to convince people she's cut herself? Yeah. It just pisses me off! That sort of shit isn't funny."

„I know, sweetie, but you mustn't get hung up on people like her. How did your math exam go today?"

I consider lying for a brief moment.

„Not so good, I completely flunked it. I should've revised with Alma after all.... I'm sorry, mom. Though I am fairly confident about question 7...?"

Alma is my mom's girlfriend. She's a professor at the local university, always offering to help me study.

„Honey, you've really got to start taking these things more seriously. We can't transfer you again..."

My hearts sinks, why do I always make things so much more difficult?

„I know mom, I'm really sorry. I'll do better next time."

„I just want you to do your best, I'm not expecting anything else. „

„Yeah, I know..."

She offers me a cinnamon roll and I gladly comply.

***

Alma goes over my math homework with me that afternoon, I think I'm starting to understand. Nonetheless the letters and numbers are dancing cha-cha before my eyes. Oh, the struggles of a dyslexic reader.

Alex is a very pretty woman. She has caramel skin and wears the fanciest hijabs. They always compliment her outfits very nicely. One of the more noticeable aspects of her appearance are her makeup skills. They're legendary. Winged eyeliner, smoothly blended eyeshadow, eyelashes that seem to tickle her cheeks when she blinks. Her contour is almost always ‚on point', and her eyebrows are perfect. She and my mom, a sweet and down to earth Indian lady, make one of the coolest couples I know. Even the 6 year age difference ( my mother is older) doesn't bother me.

I'm biracial, myself. You might be expecting a heartbreaking love story at this point, but my origin is really quite simple. My mother got herself drunk and hooked up when she was 17 and now, 15 years later, here I am. I've never met my father, though I can't really say I have any desire to. FRom the minimal description my mom had to offer, he didn't seem very stable. Therefore, I will stick with Alma, thank you very much.

„Um, I can't read the words anymore, I'm sorry."

„Alright, you've deserved a break. I bought some snacks for our movie later, care to join us?."

„I'd love to, but Lea invited me over to her place."

„Oh, do you need me to take you?"

Soon, we're driving down a small street in between fields that reach so far into the distance, they appear to touch the horizon. The sun glistens through their branches, dyeing the road the color of honey. Lea's house is the most magical place in existence. The small cottage she shares with her older brother, Alfy, is the only building in sight giving it this free, natural aura. The massive trees in the background hover over the fields of daisies and grass. At night the stars sparkle at the tips of the pinetree-woods.