Percy Jackson And Sadie Kane: A Forbidden Love

Chapter 9: Smile

Nobody's pov

Percy woke up the next morning with a question. Did all that really happen last night? He checked for the locket, and saw it hanging round his neck along with his CHB necklace. Artemis really had given him a gift. He didn't know what Thalia meant by archery problem

Wow. Athena had forgiven him then. And so had Dionysus. Percy had never seen Mr. D talk so nicely to anyone. Not even his sons. If not completely, then at least the gods were trying to change a little. Even though Percy's chest still felt like it had been stabbed countless times, he couldn't help but grin at that. Just then Nico came in. When he saw Percy grinning, he blinked like he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Percy, are you okay?" Nico asked. Percy looked at Nico, and the hopeful glint in his eyes when he saw Percy grin, and he felt a stab of guilt. He never thought how hard it must be for Nico and the others to be around a zombie like himself.

Right then he decided that he'd at least smile once in a while, for his friend's sake if not for his own. He knew he could never be happy without his...his Annabeth.

He knew he'd be betraying Annabeth if he smiled or laughed, but he had a duty towards his friends. He remembered how Nico had changed from the hyper mythomagic lover to the ghost king after Bianca's death. Percy had not liked that change.

He didn't want to disappoint his friends like Nico. He would not steal the hope and happiness of others. His grin subsided to a friendly smile.

"I've been worse." He replied. Nico smiled. Percy is getting better, he thought.

"So, ready for school?" He asked him. At the mention of school, Percy's smile vanished, replaced by a dark expression. Oops. Wrong question.

"Let's get it over with." Percy said. He pulled up a jacket over his green t-shirt and they both left for school.

Percy tried to stay inconspicuous as they made their way towards the lockers. He sighed as he saw people pointing at him from his peripheral vision. Just fabulous.

Sadie was standing by the lockers when she saw him. Her breath got stuck in her throat, again. No matter how many times she tried to get used to that face, she couldn't. It troubled her to see him so troubled. She knew he didn't like the attention.

He didn't want people to make a gossip out of his life. Sadie respected that. True love was not for showing off. At least, that was her opinion. She couldn't be sure since she never knew true love.

He opened his locker, which was right next to hers. She wanted to say something to him, but Carter beat her to it.

"Hi, Percy." He greeted Percy. Percy looked up at him.

"Oh, hi Carter." Percy said.

"Glad you remember my name." Carter said.

"You remembered mine, right?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, but it's not like I could forget it. Not after...yesterday." Carter frowned at the last bit.

Percy closed his eyes and exhaled. "Right.' He said, and he looked so worried and stressed that Sadie wanted to slap Carter for bringing that up.

"Relax. Nobody's going to say word about it." She said.

"You can't expect that. Not in high school." Percy said. His eyes were still closed. A small part of Sadie's brain was thinking of how hot he looked when he was worried, but the larger part was thinking of how he would look if he smiled. Sadie made up her mind to find out. She would make him smile.

"How about I make them shut up." Sadie said, cracking her knuckles. Percy half-smiled, which made her heart flutter.

"Thanks. Not just for this, but for helping Nico yesterday too." He said.

"Cmon. Let's get to class." Sadie said. Then Nico went to his class, while Carter and Sadie guided Percy to his.