Percabeth: As We Grow

⛺A Decision(Part 1)🏫

Zoë's POV

"Oh yeah! That's elementary school done!" I grinned to my best friend Esperanza, with our families behind us.

Esperanza punched a fist in the air, while my little sister Silena looked on wistfully.

"You guys are so lucky." she groaned, walking next to Leon, Esperanza's little brother. "I still  have 4 and a half years to go!"

Luke, as usual, was too deeply absorbed in his book to hear us.

~🌊💖🦉~

"So, Mom," I asked through a mouthful of spaghetti, "where's our middle school?"

For some reason, Mom and Dad exchanged that "adult look" which has always made me want to scream, "WHAT IS IT WITH YOU GUYS AND YOUR LOOKS?"

"What?" I mumbled instead.

Mom took a deep breath. "Zoë, remember when you were small and found out about your powers? Remember that we told you you were special and not to tell anybody?"

Luke finally looked up from his book. I guess this was an interesting topic to him now.

"Uh-huh." I said. Mom glanced at Silena quickly, as if this was a big secret that only me and Luke could hear.

"Well, I suppose it's time to tell you why you have powers." Mom sighed, rubbing her temple.

I guess you guys would scream at me for being so oblivious to the fact that only me and my friends have powers and not anyone else. But hear me out first. Little me thought I was "special", and I liked it. And I just guess I wanted that all to myself, so I never told anyone, never investigated the source of my water powers unlike Luke, who seemed to be doing research all the time.

"You see, guys, once  upon a time there was---" Mom began, but Dad cut her off, laughing.

"Annabeth, I'll tell 'em the short version." he laughed. "So, kids, Greek gods exist, they have babies with mortals, that is to say, normal humans, blah blah blah. Then because the babies are half god, half human, they are called demigods. And your mom and I are demigods. So then we had you, which also makes you demigods. Got it?"

I stared at him blankly. Luke however, jumped to his feet.

"I knew it!" he shouted. Everyone stared at him in surprise. Thank god---no, the gods---Silena was in bed already or she would've come running to ask about it all.

"I knew it!" he repeated. "From day one I investigated, but no one believed me! They'd just tell me to go away! Zoë, this isn't the only part. Demigods have to fight monsters and stuff! It's all in the old Greek stories. That's why when we were little, Mom and Dad didn't want us to show our powers to anyone! It's because there're monsters, isn't it?" He turned to our parents.

Dad nodded sheepishly. "See Annie, told you he has your brains." he laughed awkwardly.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" I held up,my palms. "So wait. You mean Esperanza and all my other friends are---demigods too? Is that why they also have powers?"

"Uh-huh." Mom nodded solemnly. "And Zoë, Luke, I don't think you are going to middle school."

"What? Why?" To my surprise, my quiet twin jumped up from his seat. "But our education!"

"See, Luke, that's the thing. That's your decision." Mom said. "Demigods---Greek demigods, like us, we usually don't go to normal school. We go to a place called Camp Half-Blood, which means Camp Demigod, to learn how to protect ourselves from monsters."

"But can't we go to middle school and this Camp whatsit thingie too?" I sighed.

"Well, you could go to camp in the summer holidays and return to school after that." Dad shrugged. "But guys, it's your decision."

Oh gods. How can I even choose?