Beneath the Surface (A PJO Fanfic)

Open Your Eyes!

Sally Jackson is a beautiful woman with light brown hair and deep blue eyes. She owns her own candy shop on the ground floor beneath her lovely two-story apartment, decorated with art from around the world. Everyone loves the gentle woman who seems to have everything she could ever ask for.

Her family came from money and after her parents' deaths, she inherited quite a lot, all of which she was skilled at managing. After her college years, five years of goofing off with a Latin literature degree and dabbling in writing, she spontaneously decided to open a vintage-looking candy store. 

Sally is kind, laid back, and spontaneous when the occasion calls for it, but she doesn't always make the best decisions. 

For example, her choice of husband. Gabe Ugliano was a rash choice she made before she knew she was pregnant with Percy. Her handsome boyfriend had recently left her and she wanted to make him regret his choice. It was one of the worst things she ever did.

However, to this day she continues to make the same decision over and over again, day after day.

She closes her eyes.  

As the yelling and crashing drift from the living room, Sally leans against the sink with her eyes closed. Perhaps if she stays like this she can deny that all of it happens. 

Gabe swears loudly and there is another, louder crash. There goes the coffee table. Again. 

And all is quiet. 

It is only moments before the drunk thirty-eight-year-old saunters into the kitchen. He has a full head of dark, brown hair, and blood-shot brown eyes. He is tall and well built like a football player. (A/N I know this Gabe is vastly different from the books, but then again, so is Sally. The differences are intentional.)

Gabe yanks open the fridge and pulls out another beer. As he is chugging it Sally opens her eyes and turns around to look at him. 

He treats her well enough and when they go out in public he cleans up nicely. That's why what happens in this house stays in this house. It's to keep up the appearance. However, even she cannot entirely ignore what is in front of her, or in the next room in this instance.

Clearing her throat, she asks, "Where's Percy, dear?"

"Little shit's out cold in the table," Gabe says without batting an eye.

Sally shudders mentally. This isn't the first time Percy has been tossed through the glass of the coffee table. Perhaps she should buy a wood one next time or not even get another one at all. Her poor baby. Her Percy. 

But no, she has no right to go to him when she just lets this happen and it happens nearly once every week or so. She'll listen instead for him to wake, to pick himself up, and retreat to the safety of his room, the only place Gabe allows him freedom.

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Jason slams his locker and returns the cocky grin Percy gives him. "Hey. What's up?" 

"Not much," Percy says, shrugging slightly. He is wearing that oversized black hoodie again, the one with ridiculously long sleeves and a questionable bleach stain speckled over the front hem. It makes him look like a troublemaker. 

It really is funny the reputation Percy has as a no-good slacker and rebel. Everyone seems to have him pegged. However, it's based merely on his appearance and easy-going demeanor. The truth is Percy may not be good at school, but he works extremely hard. He is caring and good-natured, if not a bit sarcastic and sometimes annoying.

The hoodie means that Percy and his stepdad, Gabe, got into yet another 'argument ' last night and Percy is determined to hide the results. 

Jason rolls his eyes. "Oh yeah, sure. Because you're not totally plotting to skip English again today."

"Hey I get the assignments done. It's just, you know, I don't like how Mr. Blofis always tries to do me a favor by making things easier for me. I'm dyslexic, not stupid." Percy hates any extra handicaps given to him. He wants to be just the same as everyone else and blend into the mess of high school life.

Jason and Percy start down the hall in the direction of the library. If one friend skips, the other usually does too. They chat about soccer. Jason is captain and Percy wants to go out for the team, but they both know that it won't happen. The uniform is a pair of black shorts and a dark green, short sleeve jersey, too much exposed skin for Percy's liking

They enter the large museum of books that is Goode's library and find Annabeth Chase already in the back. Her eyes find theirs as they come closer. Percy plops down across from her and Jason beside him. He and Annabeth have this little game of flirting going on, though neither one feels comfortable with trying to push it further yet.

Annabeth has this period free, but she know what the boys are doing. She gives them a disapproving look as she sits her book down. "Why are you wearing that horrible hoodie again?"

Percy grins as he leans forward on his elbow. "Would you prefer I came shirtless?"

Annabeth blushes. "As if."

Jason snorts and pulls out his math textbook. He plops the large book onto the table with a resounding thump and opens to somewhere in the middle. Percy and Annabeth watch with amusement until after only a moment he grunts and slams it closed. 

"Math is stupid," he concludes, shooting them both a look.

"Yeah, whatever," Percy says leaning back. 

Suddenly Annabeth's eyes widen. She lunges across the table and grabs Percy's arm. His sleeve had slid up without him realizing and now his bandaged forearm is visible. A gasp of pain escapes his lips as she pushes the black fabric the rest of the way up his arm. The once white bandage is dirty and stained in varying spots with a rusty color.

"What is this? What happened?!" She cries out, not trying to be the least bit gentle. Or quiet.

Percy looks like he's about to be sick, but manages a "It's nothing. I just got into a little fight."

"A little fight? Percy this looks serious. " Her fierce gaze falls on her blonde-haired friend. "Jason tell him!"

Jason shifts uncomfortably. Percy gives him this pleading look, begging him to go along with his fight story. On the other hand, Annabeth is giving a him a look that says 'tell me what really happened or I'll castrate you.' He knows he should side with Percy like he always does, but Annabeth also looks scary. 

What should he do? Annabeth could help.

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The first chapter is out! Tell me what you think. I seriously want to know. Do you think I rushed it or does this kind of introduction work? 

Anyway please vote, comment, follow and check out my other stories. 

Gods, I ask a lot of you lovely readers, don't I?

~Halie <3