Grace Potter di Angelo Jackson: The Demiwizard Story

Grace's Birthday

This might be a bit shorter than usual

Grace's POV

Five months later

Sometimes, when I walk into Goode Elementary, I see the limo. I resist the urge to walk over to them, because I will start crying. I have written letters to everyone, and I read all the letters they send me. It always ends in tears. After five months, the letters and the limo still make me cry. I have become accustomed to living here though. Right now, I held a drachma in my hand. I was about to start the ritual.
Sally called, "Grace, dear, that's your fifth message today. Come and eat please."
"Sorry, Mom," I responded. I didn't catch it at first. When I did, I clamped my hand over my mouth. Dam. Sally didn't scold me for it. The foreign word danced timidly on my tongue after that. I whispered it quietly to myself, until the nervous sensation of the word died down. When the burning red of my cheeks extinguished, I walked to the table. I had no crutches anymore, so my arms weren't nearly as sore. I sat down and began eating blue pancakes Sally had made for my birthday.
This question popped out of nowhere.
"When can I see Percy and the others?" I asked.
Sally smiles, like when a secret is bottled up inside you and is about to escape. "Soon," she said.

The only good news about today was that it was my birthday. But we still had school.
During lunch, Ella, Gianna (She came back for the rest of the year) and I sat together. I found a blue cookie in my lunchbox, and a note from Sally:

Dear Grace,

I hope you like the blue cookie (you usually do). Paul is picking you up,  just in case you forgot. I have a surprise for you when you get home. Happy birthday, dear.

With love,
Mom

I smile for a second, but then frown. I was hoping I could ride home in the limo today with Percy because it's my birthday. I guess not.
Gianna notices my sad face first. "Grace, what's wrong?"
I stuff the letter back in my lunchbox. "I can't go home with my brothers today."
Gianna's lip puckers in confusion. "Don't you go home with them every day?"
I shake my head. "Not anymore. After you went to camp, Chiron said I was too young to live with them. I moved in with my mom."
Gianna nods. "But today's your birthday. Shouldn't Chiron just say yes this once?"
"He didn't. But I have a surprise at home from my mom," I said, trying to convince myself more than Gianna.
Ella finally joins the conversation. "Who's Chiron?"
I mouth mortal to Gianna, and she changes her answer.
Gianna says, " He's our camp activities director."
"Then why does he say who Grace gets to live with?"
"He's, a lawyer?" Gianna answers, her voice raising. Whenever she lies, her voice raises an octave.
"Just forget it, Ella," I say, and she obliges.
Ella points to my cupcake. "You gonna eat that?"
I nod, indulging into its greatness, as my thoughts floated from the table.

When I arrived home, Sally stood up from the couch.
"Hi, dear," she says.
"Hey, Mom," I greet, the tingly foreign feeling of the word still lingering.
Sally smiles at that, and glanced at the clock. "Your surprise shouldn't be here for a few hours. Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Yes please. Can we watch Finding Nemo?"
Sally grabs the remote. "Sure, sweetheart. Happy birthday."
I smile snd clap my hands as the movie starts. I wonder what my surprise will be.

Percy's POV

Making cakes is hard. Especially when you are trying to impress your girlfriend with all of your skills. Especially when your girlfriend is Annabeth, and she knows that you're doing everything wrong.
Annabeth laughed. "Seaweed Brain, that's salt."
Insert facepalm here. I had just poured half a cup of salt into my sister's birthday cake.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"It says salt in huge letters on the box," Annabeth pointed out.
Of course it does.