Percy POV
Poseidon's pool...
I woke up feeling surprisingly better than I did the last night. I checked my injuries which were quickly healing and didn't look that horrendous anymore. Once I was ready for school I went downstairs to find mom preparing blue pancakes while humming to a song. I don't know why it happened it just did. Gabe was nowhere in sight today too and I hoped that wherever he had disappeared to that he would stay there and out of our lives.
Mom would be working late today but I didn't have a problem with that since I felt like going out to the community pool today. There was nothing I loved more than swimming although the pool was always crowded with little kids splashing around everywhere. It wasn't where someone who wanted to have quiet time doing their favorite hobby would normally go but its not like I had a choice. It was either that or come back home to an abusive stepfather waiting to beat the shit out of you.
School wasn't bad today. I blended in the background of all my classes and we didn't have as much homework as the other days. I guess the teachers were feeling nice today. Lunch was nice. I sat with grover and a girl named juniper who was as obsessed with the wild as grover was. I was so sure that grover had a crush on her so did juniper on him but both were too oblivious to notice it. It was finally dismissal and I could get out of this hell hole.
I strode happily through the streets towards the pool eager to finally get into the water. I couldn't shake this awkward feeling that I was being followed yet when I looked behind me no one was there. It was scary since I've had some of Gabe's friends follow me around once in a while for reasons that I would rather not say.
I almost cried in joy when I arrived at my destination. The place was somehow crowded which wasn't surprising since it was unbearably hot today. Nonetheless I changed removed my jeans and shirt to reveal the swimsuit I wore underneath. I didn't get into the water. There were way too many people in it despite the large size of the pool and swimming in a crowded poll was just disgusting. Instead I sat at the edge of the deep end with my feet in the water watching people waiting for it to be less crowded.
I felt someone probably male sit next to me but didn't bother to look up. That's probably why when the person spoke saying I was surprised would be an understatement.
"So do you come here a lot?" I yelped and almost fell into the pool but he grabbed my upper arm and steadied my still stiff body.
"Whoa! Are you okay?"
I was too much in shock to speak and stared at officer Poseidon with what I could only imagine was a shocked expression. The only thought running through my mind was:
How the hell did he find me?
"I...um...uh...h-how did y-you find me?" I stuttered my eyes still wide in shock.
"What? I can't come to a pool to enjoy myself once in a while?" He said with a mischievous smirk playing at his lips. Judging by the size of his house he didn't look like the person to come to a crowded pool to 'enjoy himself'. In fact I would bet my life that there was a pool somewhere on that property and that's exactly what I said.
"You really don't look like the type to come to community pools. I would bet that you have a pool somewhere in that palace of yours." He laughed at that.
"Its not exactly a palace. Its not even that big but I do have an indoor pool."
"Then why are you here?"
"I wanted to see what public pools look like." He said 'public pools' like it was an alien word. I rolled my eyes at that.
"And you just happened to come at the same time I was here. What a coincidence." My voice was practically dripping with sarcasm. He laughed.
"Okay okay you got me. I just wanted to apologise for last time when you were at my 'palace' as you put it. I'm sorry if I did something to scare you. I didn't mean any harm." He said now completely serious. I was hoping this conversation wouldn't come up but I guess luck was never on my side. I had no idea what I was going to say. He practically picked me up from the street and brought me into his home, and I repaid him by freaking out and running.
"I'm sorry. You didn't do anything wrong I just remembered that my mom would be worried and I had to get home." He looked at me for a minute before he nodded. I knew he didn't buy it but I was happy he didn't push it.
"So do you wanna go l back to my palace and take a dip in my pool." He thankfully changed the subject. I looked at him like he was crazy. Did he seriously think I was going to go just anywhere with him. He could be a serial killer for all I know. I went to give him a sarcastic remark when something past him by the gate caught my attention. I noticed it was one of Gabe's friends. Eddie. He was looking right at me and when my eyes caught his he winked. A shiver went down my spine. He didn't look like he was going anywhere anytime soon and there was no way I would get past that gate without him grabbing me. Unless...
"Fine I'll go. But I can leave whenever I want to and you have to buy me ice cream." He laughed and get up from the side of the pool. He held a hand to help me up but I ignored it and got up myself. I put my shirt and jeans on and we made our way to the exit. I moved closer to Poseidon's side as we walked towards his car. Thankfully, Eddie got the hint and didn't make a move on me. We got into his dark blue Bugatti and drove to his place.
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"Wow its huge!" I exclaimed in excitement as I stood over the deep end of the pool. This was easily my favorite part of his house so far since I had only seen the bedroom and movie room. I dived in and moved to sit at the bottom looking at the various fish that were painted on the tiled floor. I saw a blurred figure lookin at me from the edge and swam up to get my blue ice cream.
He had looked at me weirdly when I told him my ice cream had to be blue and when he asked why I tod him hat blue food tasted better than everything. He still looked somehow confused but didn't question me nonetheless. I practically inhaled the ice cream and he chuckled telling me to slow down.
We spent the afternoon talking and racing each other and I managed to beat him a few times which really annoyed me. No on had ever managed to beat me in swimming and it was irritating to meet someone who could actually beat me. I ended up going home around seven after I swore to him that I would eventually beat him again another day.
Gabe was still nowhere to be found and neither mom nor I seemed to care. We acted as of everything was normal at dinner like any other self respecting family would do. In our opinion, the less you know the better.
The last thought on my mind when I went to bed that night was: Poseidon was so going down the next time I saw him.
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