Lost

35

My day went pretty average. It was normal, at least my new version of normal.

It was now early January, but school had resumed without me attending. I could Chiron wanted to make me go, but he didn't.

I filled my days planning with everyone and researching anything that could help. In my spare time I would even help train young campers who were year rounders, and I think that was the only thing that kept Chiron from sending me back to school.

"Percy?" Grover asked as he walked over to the fighting arena where I was working with several new campers from the Demeter cabin on how to hold a sword.

I nodded as I wiped the sweat off of my face and turned. "What's up, man?"

Grover rubbed his arm nervously as he avoided my gaze. I could tell something was wrong as his nose was twitching—something he only did when he was nervous. "Chiron needs to see you in the Big House."

There it is, I thought bitterly as I placed a cap on Riptide and put the sword back in my pocket. He's finally sending me back. But I'm not leaving without a fight.

I dismissed the little Demeter campers who looked immensely relieved as most of them could barely hold up their swords.

Teaching the younger campers made me feel nostalgic. I'd once been them; a scrawny little preteen who was still weary about the world of mythology. Now I knew far too much.

"What's he wanna talk about?" I asked Grover causally as if I didn't already know. A few satyrs were playing volleyball near the Big House as the weather border allowed us to have nice weather year round.

"I d-dunno," Grover lied quite obviously with a stutter. He led me to the porch of the Big House before suddenly stopping in his tracks. "It looks l-like those s-satyrs need a-another player. B-bye..."

I grabbed Grover by his shirt collar as he started to desperately rush off towards the volleyball game.

"You hate volleyball," I said as I released my grasp on Grover's shirt. He rubbed his throat wearily.

"I j-just thought I w-would try it," he murmured guiltily. "Good l-luck in there..."

My eyes widened as Grover rushed off, leaving me all alone on the porch of the Big House. I cursed him under my breathe as I walked inside.

I shivered as I shut the door behind me, and it was certainly not because of the weather.

I assumed Chiron was in the kitchen so I pushed open the door and my suspicions were right. He sat in his wheelchair, a landline telephone pressed to his ear.

He ushered me over to him as he continued to listen to the landline telephone. "Yes, well, here he is now."

He pushed the phone in my direction and wheeled off, leaving me all alone with the phone pressed to my ear.

"Percy, is that you?" my mother asked, her voice high pitched.

I sighed as I pushed some of my hair out of my face. "Yeah, mom, I'm sorry. I should've called you."

"Yes, you should've!" she cried. "I know finding Annabeth is important to you and I know your friends are always your number one priority, but I've been worried sick about you!"

Guilt made me feel like there was a thousand pound weight stuck on my chest, only growing heavier by the second. It was almost like holding up the sky.

"I'm sorry," I replied. "Really, mom. You're right, I've been a jerk lately, but we're getting close. I can tell it. Nico, he escaped. And if he can, maybe Annabeth can, too! And we know where she is, mom!"

My mom laughed weakly. "Please just stay safe and remember to call me, alright? And your principal won't stop calling me nonstop to ask about you. I just said we extended our Christmas vacation, but I can't keep stalling forever. And now she thinks Paul and I are separated."

My eyes widened as I nearly dropped the phone. "Why does she think that?!"

"Well, Paul is still going to work and teaching, so when I said we were on a vacation without him, she assumed we were separated," she said. "I just told her not to worry, but she's clearly confused."

"Yeah, well, just tell her I transferred schools," I said.

She gasped. "Percy, no, you can't quit school. Not now, it's your senior year! You're almost done, too!"

I shook my head as I felt tears welling in my eyes. "Mom, I can't. Maybe someday I'll earn my GED or something, but right now I need to focus on finding Annabeth—"

"Annabeth would've wanted you to finish school!" my mother snapped fiercely. "And I do, too! You can't spend all your time at camp, Percy! That's what summer is for, that's what we agreed on!"

"You don't understand," I whispered. "I'm sorry for disappointing you, but right now there's only one thing I can focus on. It's not like I was going to graduate anyways with the course I was on."

I could tell my mother was growing frantic. "That's what tutors are for, and you can spend weekends at camp—"

"I'll call you twice a week," I assured her, "but I can't go back to school. Not when we're so close, mom. I wish you'd understand."

My mom sighed. "I love you, Percy."

"I-I love you, t-too, mom," I replied, my voice breaking as I hung up the phone. "And I'm sorry."