Percy~

I lay awake and stare at the ceiling. The dull, plain, beige ceiling.

Gabe's gambling friends are downstairs. Gambling and drinking.

I rub my face and sigh, as my mom walks into the room.

I can't believe I'm back. I can't believe I've never been gone.

My mom sits on the edge of my bed and holds my hand.

"Mom," I say still looking up. "This is all so hard. All so confusing. All so-"

My voice cracks and tears flood my eyes.

My mom puts her hand through my hair and says,"Its okay Percy. Its going to be hard. On you especially, but we can push through it. Your strong enough to."

Nice effort mom, but not really what I needed.

"I don't want to be strong. I want to be a normal kid. Not a demi-" I stop and close my eyes.

"Not," I say covering up my mistake. "A kid who was in a coma for six years."

I sit up and look at her. "Not a kid whose been dreaming his life away."

Mom rubs her eyes, trying not to cry.
"Percy. I know-"

"You don't know." I snap, cutting her off. "You don't know how it is? Did you know I was in love? Did you know that I literally fell into Hell with her? I carried the weight of the sky on my shoulders so she wouldn't have to. Did you know that I defeated so many monsters? That I was a hero? That before I knew who I was. Now all I know is that I'm delusional. So don't you think for one second you know..."

I calm down and look away from my mom. I made her cry.

"Hey, mom. I didn't mean it, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, please don't cry." I whisper gently rubbing her arm.

"Please mom, I'm sorry-"

"Percy.." Mom stops the tears and grabs my hand. "I know this is hard for you. But, haven't you thought of how hard this has been for me?"

I purse my lips and sit up in bed.

I haven't.

I'm so selfish, this must have been extremely hard, to put of with Gabe, pay the bills, her son in a coma, she must have been so alone.

"Mom I'm sorry." I say, guilt lacing my words. "I never, I never realized, thought of what...did he hurt you?" I ask suddenly looking at her for any injuries.

"No Percy." Mom says lightly. "He's gotten better, you know. Gabe. He doesn't drink as much. He's usually sober now. He still gambles...the gambling has gotten much worse. And he smokes a lot. Gabe thinks that he's some young man that will live for-"

"Sally!" Gabe shouts from the other room.

"Coming!" My mom shouts back almost instantly.

"Mom," I get off my bed and stop her from going out. "Don't go. Stay here. Lets talk some more, I want to know more."

Mom sighs and studies her only son. Studies the color of his eyes. How his face sharpened over the years. How he was sickly looking from never exercising in six years.

"Sally?!" Gabe shouts again, as if astounded she's not there already.

Mom kisses me on my forehead, and shakes her head. "I'm still his wife Percy." Then she walks away.

I stand in my room, the room gets 10 times colder when I'm alone.

Alone.

I sigh and sit back on the bed. For some reason I'm angry.

Angry at the world for doing this for me. Angry at Gabe for being Gabe. Angry at my mom for not leaving him. Angry at myself for who knows what reason. And angry with Annabeth.

If she was so smart couldn't she have warned me about this?

My mom quickly knocks on my door and peeks in, something obviously on her mind.

"Percy what was the name of your, ah, girlfriend?"

"Annabeth," I reply looking at the window. "Annabeth Chase."

My mom opens the door wider and looks puzzled. "Annabeth Chase? Your algebra tutor, Annabeth Chase?"

I stare at her for a moment, not comprehending. "Annabeth Chase is real?"

My mom nods and frowns. "Yes, she used to tutor you on algebra. You were failing math class so Professor Blofis thought it would be a good idea for Annabeth Chase to tutor you."

My eyes go wide and I stumble. "Paul Blofis?"

"Yes Paul Blofis your old teacher. I hear he's working at Goode High School now though."

I put my hands on my mom's shoulders and look her in the eyes. "Hold on. I thought you said I made up my dream life. I thought you said everything was an illusion."

My mom searches my eyes, trying to figure out what's going on. "Percy what are you talking ab-"

"Is Grover Underwood real too?!" I shout jumping back. "And Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque and Jason Grace-"

"-And Piper McLean and Leo Valdez, YES. You used to be friends with them. Percy they are all real."

I look out the window, for some reason out of breath. What just happened.

I sit back down and take a deep breath.

What. Just. Happened.

"Where are they? Mom are they okay? I need to see them."

"Yes yes they're fine, I think. Actually I think they all go to Goode High as well. I should have them in my contacts somewhere, I have hundreds of numbers I don't use."

My mom rushes out of the room and I stop her. "Wait mom...have you seen them recently? How are they, I have to know."

"Percy," Her eyes get cloudy and she frowns. "Percy after you went into a coma all they're lives sort of fell apart. I don't know what happened, but all these problems came up. Reports for unstable moms, abusive foster parents, neglected, practices in magic, all of these things happened to these kids when you left.

You might not recognize them when you see them."

I take a step back and clench my hands. "Neglected...abusive.....mom I need to see them please."

"I'll make an appointment Percy, but remember, people change."