Friends With Mental Issues (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Friends With Mental Issues

   "Honey," Sally Jackson, mother of Percy Jackson, called out from the kitchen.

   "Yeah, mom?" Percy called back, tromping through the apartment to the kitchen to where his mother was making his favorite; blue pancakes. She had the home phone resting between her ear and shoulder and was stirring the blue batter with a spoon, blowing occasional strands of wavy brown hair away from her face.

   "Uncle Chiron is on the phone, he says he needs your help." Sally shifted the bowl in her arms so she could hand the phone to Percy. He stood there for a second, trying to recall ever hearing of an 'Uncle Chiron.' Nope, he hadn't. Was this some kind of joke?

   Nevertheless, he took the phone from his mother's hand, ready to defend his family like the strong man he was... Or run and hide in the nearest bathtub; whichever came first. "Hello?" There was a scratching noise on the other end, followed by some muffled words. "Hello?" Percy asked again, growing impatient.

   "Ah, sorry my dear boy, I was unaware my assistant already had you on the phone," the man said at the other end, his tone accusatory to whoever was in the room with him. "So, I assume your mother has explained what is going to be happening for the summer?" he asked from the other end.

   "Um. No?"

   "Oh. Well, Mr. Jackson, I would like you to assist me as a part time job throughout the summer at my facility." The guy's words were kind and all, but the word 'facility' didn't actually make Percy think of a sunshine and rainbow filled summer, in his opinion.

   "Facility?" Percy asked, already fearing the worst. Maybe his mother took that counsler's advice and had him admitted to a 'special' place.

   "Oh, it's nothing to fear, Mr. Jackson." There was a muffled scoff that didn't exactly put Percy's fears to rest. "It's just that some of my patients are around your age and are, well, rather stubborn. Before you think anything rash, these patients aren't anything to fear. They are normal teenagers. Sometimes." Uh, what? At this point, Percy was more afraid than he had been at the word 'facility.' Obviously, the guy knew what Percy was thinking and went silent, knowing that he had only made it worse.

   After a couple seconds of an awkward silence, the guy cleared his throat. "So what do you say?" What did he say? Well, Percy said heck to the no, but seeing as his summers were usually quite boring without any friends to hang out with, he really had no choice.

   "Uh, sure. So when do I have to... Go over there?" He had been about to say 'so when do I have to be admitted,' but he wasn't entirely sure that was the case. Yet.

   "If you would please, the day after school ends. And, as long as your mother is okay with it, I would like you to stay throughout the whole summer. Like a summer camp." A summer camp full of crazy people. What joy. 

   "Yeah. I guess I could ask."

   "Great. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Jackson. Good day." And with that, the man hung up. Percy retracted the phone from his ear, staring at it in his hands before returning it to its original place. He looked over at his mom, who was humming while buttering the newly made blue pancakes.

   "Well, Mom, it looks like I have a summer job."

   "That's great, sweetheart."

   "Oh, and, Mom?"

   "Hm?"

   "Who's Chiron?"

~~~~~~

   So apparently Chiron was his uncle on his birth father's side. Well, alright.