how to fall in love - jercy

16 - family

j.g.

"you played football?" percy exclaimed, holding up a jersey he had found in my closet. it was red and had "grace" plastered on the back and the number 15 on the front.

"in highschool, yeah," i answered, smiling.

percy looked at the jersey, starry eyed. "i have a football boyfriend," he said in awe. "like in all of the teen movies. i've always dreamed of this."

"you can keep the jersey," i said, laughing.

"too late, it's already mine." percy said as he took off the shirt i gave him, slipping on the jersey. i wrapped my arms around his waist from behind and nipped at his neck which already was covered with hickeys. seeing them on his neck and collarbone, knowing they were mine made my heart soar.

knock knock knock

"someone's at the door, hold on." i let percy go to answer the door.

i swung the door open to see a familiar face.

"thalia? what're you doing here?" i asked, raising an eyebrow.

thalia looked the same as i remembered her. she had short, black hair and black piercings on her ears. freckles speckled her pale cheeks and nose. she was the same punk lesbian in a leather jacket i've always known.

she laughed. "to see my little brother, obviously. and i brought someone i want you to meet."

a head stuck out from behind her. my stomach dropped.

"hi, uh, jason," said reyna. my ex.

"i think you two know each other." thalia said cheerfully. "can we come in now?"

i snapped out of my daze and closed my mouth. "oh, of course, yes,"

i wondered what percy was doing in my room. he must have heard thalia. probably panicking and trying to figure out what to say to his boyfriend's sister. i could imagine him pacing around my bedroom in my jersey, rehearsing lines. i wish i could join him. i wish the ground would swallow me up. i pinched myself, hoping that i was just living some strangely realistic nightmare.

no such luck. this has to be my punishment.

the two of them sat next to each other on the couch and i sat in front of them. we awkwardly sat quietly and tried not to look at each other.

while thalia remained the same, reyna looks much different. she's taller than before and now keeps her long hair in a braid. she seemed more assured, strong and physically fit.

thalia cleared her throat. "jason, i know this is awkward for you but it's about to get much more awkward so you need to get used to it. reyna is my girlfriend. we're dating."

my eyes widened as i stared at the carpet. i internally started panicking. what if the two of them got married? i'd have to see reyna at every family event and we'd awkwardly smile at each other and talk about the weather! what if reyna hates my guts and will give me the evil eye and every family event? what if-

"jason, please," thalia said, rolling her eyes, successfully breaking my train of thought. "it doesn't have to be weird."

"all of it is in the past," reyna assured. hearing her voice again only made my stomach sink more.

"she was teaching a self defense class i enrolled in. that's how we met!" thalia chirped, looking at reyna lovingly.

"i'm sorry," i blurted.

thalia immediately face palmed and reyna smiled ruefully.

"there's no need to apologise." she said.

"sorry," mumbled. "i just wasn't expecting this visit. from either of you. i'm really happy for both of you,"

thalia smiled. "that's better," she grinned at reyna. "see? it wasn't so bad."

"uhmmm actually, i want to introduce someone to you too. percy? can you come here?" all of our eyes shifted to the entrance of the hallway where percy shuffled out, looking flustered. thalia's eyes fixated on the hickeys up and down percy's neck and the football jersey on his body. she raised an eyebrow at me. i felt my face getting hot. "this is my boyfriend, percy."

"well, looks like everyone gets a surprise today!" thalia said, grinning.

"nice to meet you," percy said, looking at thalia and then at me and then at thalia and then at me. he looked confused.

"yeah we don't look much alike," i said to him, smiling.

"that's because he's the one who got the dork gene." thalia said jokingly.

"percy, this is my sister thalia and her girlfriend, reyna." i said after clearing my throat.

percy's mouth turned into an o as he put two and two together. he looked at me and i read his "your ex girlfriend is now your sister's new girlfriend that's really weird and possibly awkward" face perfectly. i cringe smile back at him.

"uh- nice to, um, meet you,"

reyna smiled warmly and i wondered if she was faking it. surely this is as uncomfortable for her as it is for me. "likewise."

i looked at reyna who clutched thalia's hand like thalia was her rock. i looked at thalia who was looking at reyna the way i look at percy.

thalia is my sister, whom i love very much. she pretty much raised me when my mom suffered overdose and my dad became remarried to work. she held my hand at the funeral and had to look at my round, four year old face and explain what an overdose was. she yelled at the kids who picked on me at school. she bought my clothes and made me breakfast in the mornings. she went to every football game even though she hated them just to see me play. she took me to school every day when she got her car. she made me forget we even had a disappointing father or a drug addict mother. i could almost believe it was just the two of us- a small, but functional family.

i guess it's not too bad she's dating my ex.

they're not too bad for each other, if she makes her happy.

i looked over at percy who was already joking sarcastically with thalia. thalia and reyna begin telling stories about me. reyna is joining in and laughing at thalia's jokes the same way she'd laugh at mine years ago.

i don't even know why i was worried about awkward family events. this one is going great. it's been so long since i felt at home like this.