Since We Met (Percy Jackson Fanfiction) AU

Ch. 31- Because of You

-Kelly Clarkson

AN: Okay, so my senior year stars Monday. I might get swamped with homework, scholarship applications, and college applications. So I might not update every weekend or every Friday or anything like that. It could be two days or two weeks between updates. I apologize for that, but... SENIOR YEAR. 

Also, if you all want updates often, they'll probably have to be shorter too. Like this one.... I had huge writer's block, just ask my friends, but I hope you enjoy these next two chapters. Okay, enough of me. Enjoy the story. And follow me on IG @SmallWingedOne and @mooncake_the_wise 

Happy Readings! ~xoxo Ally

Saturday August 25, 2012 (Percy, 15 years old, sophomore year)

It was the longest Percy had gone without seeing or talking to Nico. He wasn't sure what to make of it or how to fix it. He didn't think it should be him who fixed it considering he wasn't the one that was being a pride-filled jerk.

It wasn't like Percy never tried to talk to him anymore. He had. Several times. He tried calling again to tell him about Mom's engagement. He tried calling to tell him about Rachel. He tried calling to tell him about the argument he had with Annabeth. He tried calling just to see how he was doing. He had to call Hazel's phone since Nico didn't have one anymore.

Every single time he called, Hazel had an excuse. He's busy. He's tired. He's not here. We're going out right now. He's asleep.

Until one day she didn't.

He could hear faint shouting on the other end and then Hazel sighing. "Percy, Nico wants you to stop calling. He doesn't want to talk."

Percy gripped his phone and shut his eyes. "Yeah, okay," he'd said. "Sorry for bothering you, Hazel." And he hung up. That was the last time he tried to call.

Nico hadn't called him on his birthday. He hadn't called to tell him when they were coming back. At this point Percy feared they weren't even friends.

Besides getting ignored by Nico, summer was also full of wedding plans. Mom and Paul wanted to get married in the summer and had whole year to get everything ready. Tyson was excited too. He kept helping Mom pick things out and wrote down all her decisions. Annabeth helped too. Although she got upset with Percy sometimes, she always came back and pretended nothing had happened. It wasn't in her nature to hold grudges. Not with her friends.

Mom wasn't too fond of Rachel as Percy's girlfriend. She was polite, but Mom wouldn't let her see her plans. She didn't want her help. And Percy didn't want to argue with her over it.

Summer also brought a new bond with his future stepfather. They went out to the movies, to ball games, to the Lotus with the other guys- though Paul usually stayed in a booth rather than horse around with them. Percy learned that Paul was an incredibly good swordfighter in the most bizarre way.

They were at a festival and the actors on stage were calling for volunteers. As Paul waved his hand to gesture Mom over, they'd confused it for a raised hand. He was pulled onto the stage and was supposed to let the actors throw him over the boat and into the water tank underneath. But instead, he took one of the actors' sheathed swords and ended up dueling the other actor until he'd fallen into the water instead.

Percy wouldn't drop it the whole ride home, even though Paul assured it was just a theatre class in college.

One day, Percy managed to catch Paul looking at tuxes and pulled up a chair next to him. "Hey, Paul?"

"Yeah?"

Percy hesitated and bit his cheek. "When you and Mom get married.... I mean I know it's completely you guys' choice, but... are we going to move?"