chapter two; isla dune uncovers the truth.

Convincing one child that the teacher who tried to kill them didn't exist is already a difficult task but convincing two? You might as well give up there and then.

After Mrs Dodds disintegrated, Percy passed out and the students surrounded him, leaving Mrs Kerr, who quite literally appeared out of thin air — Marie wasn't sure if she was an innocent civilian manipulated by The Mist into believing she was a teacher or the real pre-algebra teacher Mrs Dodds had stolen her job from — to help Nancy Bobofit out of the fountain and to calm the scene that was gathering attention from passersby.

Before Percy woke with multiple eyes staring down at him and a nasty headache, Isla Dune was at Marie's side stuttering and stumbling over her words. She'd seen everything.

"The truth can be so very hard to determine," Percy and Grover sat side by side in front of the Headmaster's desk. The Headmaster's hands were clasped together upon Percy Jackson's files and statements from students. To his right, sat the assistant head and to his left sat Mr Brunner and Miss Becerra, who'd been called in to relay the scenes that took place outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts the day prior. "But in this case, the truth seems very hard to deny. Mr Jackson, a number of your classmates saw you and Mr Underwood-".

Grover's arms were crossed over his stomach and his gaze never lifted from the floor. He hated confrontation.

"-arguing with Ms Bobofit, yet you have offered no explanation for how she ended up in that fountain, other than, uh..." The Headmaster unclasped his hands. He flicked through the statements to Percy's and read what the boy had written, "'I didn't touch Nancy'. Now, isn't there anything else you'd like to say for yourself?" He asked Percy.

Percy shook his head and Grover glanced at him. Isla had been the only one to defend Percy, stating multiple times in writing and verbally that Percy didn't touch her. Percy only managed a weak smile when she exited the Headmaster's office, wishing him luck before he and Grover entered. The whole school might have been against him but it made Percy feel less crazy to know that at least one person believed him.

"I didn't touch Nancy," Percy said.

The Headmaster sighed and moved his attention to Grover. "Mr Underwood? Do you have anything to add?".

The Satyr felt like he was going to throw up. He was silent for a moment. Percy would hate him but he needed to do what was necessary. It was only a matter of time before Alecto would be back, with reinforcements no doubt.

"Yes," Grover nodded and Percy turned his head to look at him, "I do," The Headmaster encouraged Grover to speak, "Percy had told me earlier in the day that he wanted to get back at Nancy for all she'd done to us".

"Grover?" Percy's voice was quiet with disbelief.

"And he isn't being truthful about what happened at the fountain," Grover continued. Percy said his name more urgently. Of all people, Percy expected Grover to have his back, not some girl he'd only spoken to once when they had a group task for one of Mr Brunner's lessons.

"Excuse me," The Headmaster interrupted, "Are you saying you saw Mr Jackson assault Ms Bobofit?" His hands were clasped together again.

Percy looked from the Headmaster to Grover and Grover met his gaze briefly. It wasn't easy, he could see that Percy didn't understand. His only friend was betraying him. "Yes, I did," Grover answered.

There was nothing more to be said. Percy Jackson was expelled and unable to return in the fall. Yancy Academy was another school added to the list of school's he'd been kicked out of for things he could not yet explain.

His mother was called and later that day, with his bags packed and wearing a red raincoat to battle the sporadic downpour, he was waiting outside the boarding school, without a goodbye to Grover who'd he avoided since they left the Headmaster's office.

Isla Dune spotted him as she was heading to her next Latin class and the smile on her face faded. She'd hoped Percy would have been able to stay.

"Percy?" Isla stood at the end of the bench, her thumbs tucked into her backpack straps. Percy turned to look at her and squinted when the sun caught his eyes.

"It's Isla, right?" Percy asked, Isla nodded. "Thanks for, um," Percy shrugged. Whatever Isla had said had been in vain, he was leaving anyway. She shouldn't have wasted her breath. "They kicked me out," Percy said the obvious.

Isla kept her backpack on and sat on the far end of the bench. "I know you didn't do it-".

"Don't," Percy shook his head.

"But you didn't do anything," Isla spoke in a harsh whisper as if she was afraid someone might overhear and truthfully she was but it wasn't the students she was frightened of. Percy glanced at her, "I saw Mrs Dodds, she- Whatever she was. I saw her attack you".

Percy's brows furrowed and he tilted his head, "You remember Mrs Dodds?" Percy asked.

Isla nodded, "I'm going to have a hard time forgetting her," Isla tucked her hair behind her ear, "Something is seriously wrong with this school," Isla muttered, she glanced over her shoulder, feeling paranoid.

Percy shook his head and blinked hard as if he didn't believe what he was hearing, "You remember Mrs Dodds?" Isla raised her brows but Percy didn't wait for her to respond, "Mr Brunner said that there has never been a Mrs Dodds at the school".

Isla hummed with a nod of her head, "Miss Becerra said the same thing-" Isla didn't mention that Marie had been acting odd since the trip to the museum, nor did she mention to anyone including Miss Becerra that she'd seen her teacher holding a sword in the middle of New York, "-and I've been asking some of the kids from our Pre-Algebra class, no one knows–".

"Ms Dune," Isla flinched at Mr Brunner's voice, "Shouldn't you be heading to class?" Isla stood up and faced Mr Brunner. "You don't want to keep Miss Becerra waiting".

"Yes," Isla nodded, "Sorry, Sir, I was just-" Isla glanced between her teacher and Percy, "Bye, Percy," Isla waved to Percy before hurriedly stepping around Mr Brunner to join a group of students who were heading in the same direction as her.

"Bye, Isla," Percy looked over his shoulder, wishing that Mr Brunner hadn't interrupted.

Miss Becerra was acting strange, very strange. The other students didn't seem to notice but Isla couldn't help it. Miss Becerra was anxious, losing her train of thought and glancing out the window as a storm blew over the city. When class ended, Isla tried to talk to her but Marie insisted that she was busy and told Isla that they'd speak later if it was important.

'Later' never came. Marie was gone before dinner and when Isla asked her Headmaster if he'd seen Miss Becerra, he looked at her like she had an oncoming illness and said "Ms Dune, there has never been a teacher by that name here".

Isla practically ran to her dorm, looking over her shoulders and studying the students she passed. She threw her backpack onto the floor and sat on her bed with her back pressed against the wall.

It didn't make sense. None of it. First Mrs Dodds and now Miss Becerra? Either the teachers were going missing and the school was covering it up or the more unbelievable explanation, that Isla barely believed herself; there was truth to the stories Miss Becerra and Mr Brunner told.

Monsters were real and Miss Becerra was not who she said she was.

Authors note!!
This chapter is shorter but I wanted to focus more on Isla. I feel like I must say, Isla is not a love interest for Percy nor will she be in the future. I love Percabeth so much and if anything, Isla would rather date Annabeth so...