Percy Jackson, Life In Goode High

Story 1, Chapter 17: College Part 2

Clarisse's POV:

I walked down the hall, looking for people who bullied other kids. I saw a nerd talking with a nerd, a jock, talking to a jock, a girl talking to a nerd, then I saw a nerd's head being shoved into a locker. 

"Nerd! I thought you'd be stronger than this." That annoying jock sneered.

I growled. This was the worst of them. His name was Nate. I pulled him off of the nerd, who was Fred.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Teaching that nerd to never stick their noses in a book, because that is the consequence."

All the teachers were looking at him now.

"Why do you bully people for being different?"

"Because they are nothing. It's a symbol of power."

"Like this?" I asked, grabbing him, about to shove him into a locker, but then I stopped, not wanting to get in trouble.

"No, you actually do it."

"But what is the use if you just get in trouble in the end?" I asked, pretending to be confused.

"It shows them that you are feared."

"If I beat you up, would you be scared, or if I talk to you like a real person would, which would freak you out more?"

"Beat me up, duh."

"Or do you think that big mouth of yours can't handle the control of the speech?" I sneered.

"I don't have that big of a mouth."

"Then why do you talk so much? Or is your mouth just a garbage can that didn't want to be in the mess hall anymore?"

"I...uh,"

"You don't wanna mess with me, Nate. If you go to them, you'll have to get through me first."

"Fine." He growled and punched me in the face. 

It didn't hurt, but I was mad. I rolled my eyes and kicked him where the sun don't shine. He doubled over in pain.

"You still wanna mess with them?"

"N-no."

"Good. Off to the infirmary." I said and I guided him over to get an ice pack.

The nerds were cheering and the jocks looked afraid. Teachers didn't know what to think. I flashed them a smile before walking down the halls. A girl with blonde curls bumped into me.

Annabeth.

"Chase, what are you doing here?"

"Uh, the library in my school was too crowded, so I decided to go to your school library instead."

"Oh, okay."

"Do you wanna come with me?"

"Sure, I'll keep you company." I grumbled, but smiled on the inside.

When we reached the library, I sat down in a sofa chair and talked with her as she read a textbook.

"So, how's Jackson?"

"He's good. He graduated this year and he's achieved a lot of goals as an Olympic swimmer."

"How are you?"

"I...I'm okay." She whispered.

I knew something was wrong.

"Chase, something's up with you."

"Of course you would know." She mumbled.

"What? What happened?"

"Girls." she whispered before staying silent, tears pooling in her eyes as she read the textbook.

"Hey, you wanna come with Chris and I to go get some ice cream today?"

"That'd be nice, Clarisse. Can we bring Percy?"

"Yes. I'm pretty sure his bodyguards will come, too."

I walked to Clarisse's car and we sped away with Chris, listening to the music that we bobbed out heads to in high school. When we reached Baskin Robins, I saw a limo pull up and I saw Percy walk out, flanked by two bodyguards.

"Hey, guys!" He waved in our direction.

"Why not take off the shades?"

"If I show my eye color, they know who I am." Percy said.

I nodded my head. We munched on the sweet treats and talked. Percy had grown much more mature. The scrawny kid I knew as a twelve year old is gone. He is replaced by a man who I admire, who is my friend. I smiled at him and he smiled back. A man hopped out of a car, running to Percy.

"Yo, Jackson! Micheal wants to see you! Something about training?" The man asked.

"Okay, thanks for letting me know."

"Who's Micheal?" Annabeth asked.

"Micheal Phelps."

"The Micheal Phelps?"

"Yup."

"Hold on, Wise Girl, what was the sobbing about last night?"

"Uh, I...Girls..." She said. 

I laid a hand on Percy's shoulder, telling him to not talk about it.

"Jackson!" I saw another man.

"I gotta go. I'll see you around, Clarisse. Good seeing you, Chris! Wise Girl, I don't care what it takes, but I am finding out what's wrong with you."

With that, he hopped into the limo and sped away. Jackson sure was a hard worker.

Percy's POV:

I burst out of the water, smiling.

"AND THAT'S A NEW WORLD RECORD! PERCY JACKSON HAS WON THE OLYMPICS FOR THE THIRD TIME IN A ROW!"

I shook hands with the TV reporter, who was live-streaming.

"So, how do you manage to do so much training? How do you even relax?"

"Well, I just graduated from college early,"

"Wait, you're 20?!"

"Yes. I am. I was going to continue learning at the university, but I was apparently 'too smart' to continue. That's unusual for a seaweed brain like me."

The crowd burst out laughing.

"Mr. Jackson, do you have any questions for me?"

"Yes, I do. Do you like swimming?"

"I don't love it, but I don't hate it."

"Hey, that means I'm Nemo!" I exclaimed dumbly.

The crowd roared with laughter at my stupidity.

"So much for 'too smart'." I said jokingly.

"Mr. Jackson, how was life like before the Olympics?"

"Well, I was abused as a young child by a man named Gabe. He was my mother's husband, and he loved beating me up. I was bullied at school and pushed around because I wasn't always 'hot' or as the girls call me. When I was twelve, I found out who my real father is. I went to a summer camp for children who have ADHD and Dyslexia, and I began to train hard. I began to build up when I was 16, and after that point, I was the 'hottie' in my school. The jocks wouldn't bully me anymore, they were all wanting to be my friend because I was 'cool'. I hated it."

"Wow, Mr. Jackson, you sure have been through a lot."

"Yeah, but it pushes me to work harder."

"Well, that's it for tonight folks. Thank you for watching!"