The Legend of Elodie Grant (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter One

My eyes flitted up to the clock again. I absent-mindedly clicked my pen loudly. My foot was jiggling underneath the desk and every once in awhile it would hit the chair of the poor girl in front of me.

The clock barely seemed to move.

Maybe it was broken.

I clicked my pen again, chewing on the side of my thumb. Mr. Gonzanski had been rambling on in the front for what seems to feel like years. Who actually needed to know Trigonometry?

My foot hit the girl's chair again, and she whirled around to glare at me.

"Will you stop being such a spaz?!" She exclaimed quietly.

I stuck my tongue out, making a face at her. She huffed, whirling around to pout in her chair. I made sure my foot hit her chair again.

This time, she didn't turn around.

I clicked the pen again, and this time more than one person whirled around to glare at me. Realizing I was outnumbered, I smacked the pen down on the desk to stop myself from clicking it.

That's when the bell rang.

I groaned loudly in relief and immediately leaped up, shoving all my belongings into my messenger bag. I was the first one out the classroom door.

I raced down the hall, bursting out of the main doors. I smiled as soon as the rays of the sun met my face. It felt so much better to be outside in the summer air, instead of cramped up in that classroom for one more minute.

I sighed in contentment and started making my way home. I could drive, but some days I just wanted to walk and be in the sun. Dad says it's because I'm meant to work with plants, but he has to say that, considering he's a botanist.

As I continued walking, an uneasy feeling settled over me. I looked over my shoulder and saw someone walking behind me a dozen feet away. I tensed up, picking up my pace as I abruptly rounded a corner.

When the boy continued after me, I knew I was being followed.

I ducked my head down, trying to make myself seem smaller, as if that would make me less noticeable. I told myself that as long as I got to our small apartment, I would be okay.

I hurried as fast as I could without full-on running, and soon arrived at my small apartment. I slid into the alley next to the building. When the boy turned the corner behind me, he paused when he couldn't find me. He tugged his hood down, looking around.

When he was turned in the other direction, I snuck out of the alley and came up behind him. When he noticed my presence, he smiled in relief.

"Elodie!" He exclaimed, "I'm Grover and--"

I punched him before he could finish talking. He reeled back, grabbing his now bloody nose in alarm. When he fell backwards, his shoe popped off his shoe, and I froze.

For a second, I could swear he had a hoof for a foot.

However, when I looked back, it was a normal foot. I frowned, shaking my head and backing away.

"Stop following me." I snarled, whirling around and storming into the apartment building.

I ran up the steps, ignoring the elevator. I was eager to put as much space between me and the creep as possible. Finally I reached my apartment and opened up the door.

It was never locked. Dad usually had his arms full with plants whenever he left or arrived, so he never bothered locking it.

"Dad, I'm home!" I called, kicking the door closed behind me.

Our small apartment was filled to the brim with plants. Some people had piles of books around their house, we had plants. The floor was covered in garden planters, and all our shelves had potted plants. The kitchen was filled with all of Dad's experimental plants. We ate on barstools next to the counter, because our table was buried under tools and fertilizers.

This house was my favorite place in the world.

"Elodie!" My dad finally called back.

I followed his voice to the kitchen where he was elbow deep in soil. I smiled at the dazed look on his face.

"I think I finally figured out how to genetically manipulate the lilacs into growing..." He continued talking, but I tuned him out in order to start dinner.

Dad and I were both vegetarians, so I didn't have much to prepare. I put a pot out to boil and grabbed a bag of frozen ravioli to toss in.

Dad continued rambling about his newest developments in his plants. He worked mostly from home, but he was technically employed by a greenhouse a couple blocks away.

I actually was starting a summer job with them tomorrow.

The ravioli finished up and I poured a cheese sauce over them before dishing them out into some bowls. I sat it on the counter in front of our bar stools and sent Dad out to wash up.

My father had always been a little absent-minded. He was always thinking about the possibilities in his plants instead of the matter at hand. As a consequence, I grew up very independently.

Dad came back into the room and sat down on his stool. I quickly joined him, handing him a fork.

"How was your last day of school?" Dad asked.

His expression seemed more clear, and he sounded completely focused on my answer. I smiled secretly, spearing a ravioli with my fork.

"It was alright." I said, "But, it seemed to go on forever."

I refused to mention the fact that I had earned another lunch detention and I didn't bring up the creepy guy who had followed me home.

I prattled on with the gossip of the day. I knew Dad didn't actually care, but it gave us something to talk about. After dinner was over, I did the dishes as Dad continued his work.

Finally, I started moving towards my room, grabbing my messenger bag on the way. I paused at the doorway to look back at him.

"Don't forget I start my summer job tomorrow, Dad!" I told him, "I won't be here, so you have to make sure you eat, okay?"

He turned to me, rolling his eyes. He had a streak of dirt on his cheek.

"You sound like my mother." He teased, "I'll remember to eat."

I made a mental note to leave him a reminder in the morning before I went to work.