"𝚟𝚒𝚡𝚎𝚗" | 𝚙. 𝚓𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚜𝚘𝚗

𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎, 𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚎

Grover Unexpectantly Loses His Pants, Scaring The Shit Out Of Them

or

Things Go Wrong Very, Very Fast

third person omniscient

-

PERCY COULD ADMIT that leaving Grover behind was really rude, but could you blame him? The guy was acting like a total weirdo, griping on about some 'last time' and 'cutting the yarn'.

He would like to say that he had qualms about leaving his other best friend in the dust, but no. Percy had nothing more to say to Grover. He was outta there faster than Usain Bolt on the race track.

Estella wrinkled her nose at him when he whisked her away and into a taxi. "You're terrible."

Whenever he got upset, Grover's bladder acted up, so Percy wasn't surprised when, as soon as they got off the bus, he made them promise to wait for him, then made a beeline for the restroom. Percy took advantage of that.

Instead of waiting, they got their suitcases, slipped outside, and caught the first taxi uptown, much to Stelle's exasperation. 

"We're the worst friends ever." She pointed out on the trip to Percy's apartment. He didn't regret it one bit.

Percy grumbled, slumping in his seat and dropping his head into Stelle's shoulder. "At least I'll see my mom."

Estella brightened. She adored Sally Jackson. She was beautiful and kind, in addition to just being the best person ever.

Percy had told her about her past, and theorized that the best people had the worst luck. Her own parents died in a plane crash when she was five, and she was raised by an uncle who didn't care much about her. 

She wanted to be a novelist, so she spent high school working to save enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program. Then her uncle got cancer, and she had to quit school her senior year to take care of him. After he died, she was left with no money, no family, and no diploma. 

The least Stelle could do was keep her son company after hearing a story like that.

Now, Smelly Gabe on the other hand...

Percy's step-father was a complete and total jackass. He had examined her up and down, grinned, and promptly said, "That's a good-looking friend you got there. Sally, bring me another beer."

She cussed him out right there and then, for both Percy's and Sally's benefit. Sally had warned her to stop, but Stelle had seen her mouth twitch, while Percy laughed blatantly.

As they arrived, she and Percy agreed that they would hang out in his room before she left to walk to her own apartment, which was two blocks away.

As they walked into Percy's little apartment, hoping his mom would be home from work. Instead, Smelly Gabe was in the living room, playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN. Chips and beer cans were strewn all over the carpet. 

"Ugh." Stelle wrinkled her nose at the sight and the sheer smell. Percy couldn't blame her.

Hardly looking up, he said around his cigar, "So, you're home. And you brought the damned vixen with you." 

"Where's my mom?" Percy said, ignoring the insult coolly, though his temper flared with just a few words from his step-father.

"Working." Gabe grunted, "Got any cash?"