Sealed Shut

Chapter Nine

Percy walked home after school. He had a mental check list for work and all that he had to do that week. The boy smiled down at his old phone. He and Annabeth were talking over text, he felt a laugh build up in his stomach.

The blonde had somehow wormed her way into his brain after only a day of knowing her.

Hearing her singing was bliss, seeing her with all of the kids (especially Mattie) had melted something inside him. Percy was no fool, he knew what the tangled mess of his insides meant.

He had only really felt them once before, but that had been over three years ago.

However, Percy still knew he had definitely fallen for the spunky nerd. When she had ran at him that morning, hopping on his back and giggling the whole time . . . It had wrecked him.

Taking a deep breath, Percy tried to sooth his pulse rate. It didn't work too well.

Once he was inside he gave out hugs and headed upstairs. The kids knew he couldn't hang out today, he had work after all, so they didn't even put up too much fuss when he pulled away.

In his room, Percy shucked off his hoodie and tossed it onto his bed with his backpack. Next thing to leave was his shirt, back flexing as he pulled he dark material over his shoulders and across his arms. Black hair ruffled with the movement, bouncing a bit before he tossed his shirt into the basket at the foot of his bed.

Percy pulled his uniform shirt out of his drawer, a light blue t-shirt with the store's logo plastered on the front; a sun with surfboards as its rays, hanging over a stickman lounging on a towel on the sand.

He smiled faintly and pulled the soft material over his head. His tanned skin was covered up, along with the thin, almost unnoticeable, lines crisscrossing the smooth surface.

Then he kicked off his sneakers and shimmed out of his skinny jeans. A dark grey pair of cargo shorts later and he was slipping flip-flops on. The store he worked out was part of a chain; Apollo's Sunny Surfing, so he had the regulated outfit just like all the others. He grabbed the nametag out of his shorts' pocket and was about to pin it to his shirt when his phone went off.

He grabbed the old piece of junk, frowning.

But when he saw 'WiseGirl' on the display he smiled again, unlocking the damned thing and opening up their chat.

Opening Chat: Mattie Protection Squad 2k18

WiseGirl:
Percy!
Um, this is going to sound weird.
But, um, I showed my friends the picture and a few of them know you.
You're going to get some texts from a few unknown numbers. Please let them explain.

SwimmerBoy:
Sure thing?

WiseGirl:
Don't worry.
It's not anything bad.

Percy frowned, blinking. How would anyone she knew know him?

But then he got another message.

Added To Group Chat

PercyJackson:
Well, um.
I was warned about this by Annabeth.
So who are you?

Thalia:
Percy

PercyJackson:
Oh
Oh my god

NicoDiAngelo:
Percy it's been years you complete-

HazelLevesque:
Oh my god Percy.

JasonGrace:
Is this for real?

PercyJackson:
So you all know Annabeth?