The Jacksons (completed): Book 2 - Percy Jackson Fanfiction

~ Chapter Two: ESME

Chapter Two

ESME

The hands let go of me, but I was told - gruffly - to stay against the fence.

"You can't see us yet," the guy ordered. "Wait for the lady's commands."

So I waited. Eventually, I heard a lot of shouting from my side of the fence, then some from opposite. Nero came into view opposite me, his face bloodied, his fists caked with mud and his nose squashed in.

"Broken nose, injured eye, fractured right hand," said that female voice. "Take him to Will and bring him back in twenty minutes, and call Chiron."

The rough guy grumbled something, but I heard him stomping heavily away. A warm, gentle hand squeezed my shoulder.

"It's all right, Esme," the lady said. "You can turn around."

I did. A tall, beautiful woman looked back at me. She had long raven-black curls cascading down her back, with fierce sky-blue eyes and a firm smile. Her lip was pierced, as was the entire lobe of her left ear. She grinned, and sparkly white teeth shone through her black lips. She wore a black leather jacket, with black skinny jeans and a top that read: Huntress of the Hunt. A silver circlet rested on the top of her shiny hair. I noticed that her fingernails were long and black, with little silver skulls on them. Her eyes were stroked with grey. She smirked at me.

"What, never seen a goth before?" she asked. "I'm Thalia. Thalia Grace."

The name rang a bell. "Do you know my parents?"

Thalia nodded. "How could I forget? Your mother, Annabeth, is my best friend. We don't see each other much, nowadays, unfortunately. I still see your meathead of a dad, though. Wish I didn't have to see his ugly mug twenty-four seven, believe me."

"Oh yeah! Dad's always going on about the Grace siblings. Mum always said you had short scruffy hair, though."

"Like I said... it's been a while since I've seen her. Time flies when you're having fun. In Annabeth's case, she got you kids with Percy, whilst I got eternal service to a maiden."

I ignored that and gazed over her shoulder. There was a big white tent set up by the bins, and I could hear Nero shouting and cursing.

"What are you doing with my brother?" I said, looking up at Thalia.

She grimaced. "Nero was in... a little accident, involving some stupid reckless young lads. They seemed to have cornered him after telling him to meet them at twenty past eight this morning. We got there just as some blondie laid a punch into Nero. Think the other lads called him Ethan, or something like that. Know him?"

Ethan? Ethan was beating up Nero? Ethan wouldn't do that! I liked Ethan, a lot. He was hot and popular and cool and hot and clever and hot and hot and... well, hot! Ethan Parker, tenth grade, captain of our school basketball team the Eastside Enders, going to a sports academy in the fall. Ethan wouldn't hit Nero, or lead a gang that would.

I gulped. "Nope. Never heard of him."

Thalia sighed. "Well, we got there in time. The lads backed away when they saw Drake. Oh, here he comes now."

A muscular guy - who I assumed was the one who pinned me against the fence - was walking towards us. His face was handsome and lean, with a permanent scowl and narrowed eyes.

"Hello, Drake," Thalia said politely. "How's Nero?"

Drake displayed no reaction at Thalia's friendliness, for his own manner was rude and offstandish as he replied, "He'll be okay. That wrist might well be broken. Will's running an x-ray now, and he's got the kid on ambrosia."