The Valdez Legacy (A Heroes of Olympus Fanfic)

Chapter 6: The Lady in the Dream

More years had passed, and Sofia was now in middle school. Sixth grade to be exact, and she currently was standing in a mostly empty classroom and was being yelled at by her English teacher, Mrs. Salis, because she struggled with reading. Sofia knew it wasn't her fault, but she just stood and took the yelling, as she normally did. She knew if she stood up for herself, things would get worse. It wasn't even like she was getting that bad of a grade in the class. It was a low B. School, typically was the only thing she could do. But apparently, not today.

So as Mrs. Salis yelled, Sofia blocked her out, thinking of the dream she had been having, of a woman, with dark hair and gray eyes telling her she needed to be prepared. Then the woman vanished in a swift breeze. She didn't know why this dream peaked her curiosity so much, but it had been an ongoing dream.

However, Mrs. Salis broke her thoughts, with the magic words, "I'm calling your father!"

Dammit. It wasn't that her father wasn't understanding, it was just that she hated confronting her father with this kind of stuff....He wouldn't punish her for this, obviously. But she remembered one time she failed a class because she never turned in work...well she always turned in work ever since.

***

After Sofia got yelled at, she walked home. It wasn't a long walk, but she really wasn't in the mood to walk by herself. Then something caught her eye...it was the woman. The woman from her dream. Sitting across the street, on a park bench. But what worried Sofia the most, was the woman seemed to be staring at her, causing Sofia's stomach to go uneasy. Once she quickly got out of the woman's sight, she began to run. What's she hallucinating? Fear kept filling her body, every bone.

She finally reached home, and ran in through the back door, slamming it. She took a seat at the kitchen table, breathing heavily.

"Sofia? Are you home sweetie?" Aunt Nyssa's voice cuts through the home.

Sofia looked up right as her aunt walked in. Nyssa's face was now concerned, "What happened Sofia? Are you okay?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm fine." Sofia lied. "Where's Dad?"

Nyssa frowned, "He's in the shop. He got a call from your teacher, saying that you were joking around while reading?"

This fueled the anger inside Sofia, "I WASN'T joking around! I couldn't read the book! Plus, I still have a B in English. That stupid bi-"

"Calm down, Sofia!" Nyssa scolded. "Your father knows! He tried to explain your dyslexia to your teacher! You aren't in trouble!"

Sofia took a deep breath. She knew she overreacted, but she was still mad at her teacher. She worked so hard in English class, to earn a B, despite her dyslexia. Yet her teacher gave her a hard time. She was almost so upset, she forgot about the lady. Almost.

"Nyssa?" her father's voice echoed, "Is Sofia home?"

"Yes, I'm home!" Sofia called back.

Leo Valdez now stood in the doorway of the kitchen, and smiled at his daughter. Sofia smiled back. Sofia was always told, that the older she grew, the more she looked like her grandmother that died before she was born. The one she inherited her middle name from. Something about this made Sofia happy- just the fact she reminded him of something.

"How was the shop today, Dad?" Sofia asked. She liked to think her and her father had a better relationship than most preteens had with their parents.

"The shop was busy today." Leo sighed. "Oh, and I got a call from Mrs. Salis. I'm going to try to switch your English teacher."

Sofia sighed. She knew it wouldn't work, as the school won't allow students to switch until the end of the semester, and it was only October. She doubt the school would make an exception.

Leo looked at Nyssa, and asked, "Can you go finish up in the shop? I got dinner tonight."

Nyssa nodded. Once Nyssa left, Sofia decided to talk to her father. "Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"Um, I think I need to see a doctor." Sofia announced.

"And why is that?" Leo asked as he got a pot out of the cabinet.

"I've been having hallucinations."

"Hallucinations?" Leo looked at his daughter, worried. "What hallucinations?"

"Well I've been having dreams of a woman, with dark hair and gray eyes." Sofia explained.

"Sweetie, that's just a dream. Not hallucinations." Leo assured her, but he still looked unassured himself. As if he knew something she didn't.

"No, but, Dad, I saw the woman today, by the park. On the bench."

Leo dropped his pans. He stood there shocked. For a second, she thought the shock was because he was ashamed, but then he asked,"Did she say anything?""

"No she just stared." Sofia stared simply. With that, Leo suddenly left the room. And she didn't see him again until he came back.

"Sofia, pack your bags. We're going to visit some of my old friends..."