Annabeth's Mortal Friends

Chapter Seven

Caleb Pierson's POV:

I feel like I've been hit by a truck.  I open my eyes for just a second, but immediately squeeze them shut again.  Bright lights reflecting off of empty white walls are not something easy to wake up to.

Hold on, my room doesn't look like this.  There's that repeated beeping sound, and the hushed voices across the room.  God, what happened to me?

The memories came flooding back as soon as I heard the male voice from the corner.  Jackson's attacked me and had the nerve to come back here?  Where is here, anyway?  I remembered passing out, but everything after that is a headache-filled blur.  After I come to the conclusion that the steady beeping isn't an alarm clock.

Oh my god, I'm in the hospital.  I had no idea Jackson hurt me that bad.  My back stings like crazy, and my head is still throbbing.  Migraines are a bitch.  It's almost impossible for me to make out the conversation around me.

"So you said it was a hellhound?" A female voice whispered secretively.  It was Annabeth. I'd recognize her voice anywhere.

"Yeah, but this guy's nothing but mortal.  I have no idea what the Mist made him see. I told everyone that he was jumped by a dog, because there's not really a better way to explain monsters."  Percy muttered in return.  The Mist?  Hellhound? Monsters?  What the hell are these two talking about?

"Yeah," Annabeth hesitated, "I hope it's nothing that comes back to bite us.  You just got here, I don't want to have to give bullshit excuses to my friends about you this early on."

Excuses?  Had Annabeth been hiding something from us?  I always knew that she was different, but I wonder just how correct I was...

"Hey you two, has Caleb woken up yet?" Asked another female voice.  That wasn't Annabeth.  It was Emma.

"No, not yet.  Percy and I have to get going home though. Let me know when he wakes up.  You ready to go, Perce?"  I silently cursed to myself for letting Annabeth leave before I "woke up," but it'd be suspicious if I snapped awake now.  After hearing the door to my room open and close again, I played it off as though the slamming of the door woke me up.

I groaned, sitting up and rubbing my eyes a bit, adjusting to the light of the room.

"Caleb!" Emma called, smiling at me and bounding over to my bed, wrapping her arms around me. "Are you alright?  We were all worried sick about you!"  I glanced over her shoulder, returning the hug and smiling at my friends gathered by the door.

I let go of Emma, laying back against my pillow and grunting, feeling the fabric of my hospital gown rub up against my messed up back. "Yeah, Em, I'm okay, thanks."

"You know, you're lucky that Percy was taking a walk around the neighborhood and found you. Otherwise, that dog might've ripped you to pieces." Andrew stated, crossing his arms over his chest, "Dude might've saved your life."

I scoff, rolling my eyes and mirroring Andrew's stance. "A dog? That's what he told you?" I questioned, watching the expressions of my friends turn to confusion.

"Yeah, he said he said a dog jumped you on the street," Jordan tilted her head, eyebrows knitted together in uncertainty, "is that not what happened?"

I take a deep breath, sitting back up and turning toward my friends. "All I can say is, that guy is crazy, and I never saw a dog."

Emma pursed her lips, staring at me in disbelief. "Crazy? Seriously, Caleb, what happened?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my bed, trying to find the words. "Right before I left Annabeth's house, I got into a minor argument with Percy. Then a few minutes later, he's standing over me as I pass out on the pavement."

Jordan sucked in a breath, her mouth slightly agape. "Are you saying Percy attacked you? What kind of argument would make him lash out like that?"

I grit my teeth. Come on, that guy just looks scary. He looks like the kind of person to fight anyone; I could tell him his shirt is ripped and I'd be down on the ground in two seconds. Why don't my own friends believe me?

"Yeah man, we just met this guy, there's no way you could've pissed him off that quickly." Andrew declared, leaning against the far wall of the room.

"Exactly!" I exclaimed, exasperated. "We just met this guy! Why do you guys sound like you don't believe me?"

Jordan stepped over to the side of my bed, resting her hand on my arm. "Hey, we never said we didn't believe you. We just...want all the facts, that's all. What was the fight about."

"I, ah, may have accused him of abuse." I stuttered. I didn't realize until weird it sounded until I vocalized it.

"Abuse?! Caleb, what the-why?" Emma sputtered, her green eyes wide in shock.

"Th-there were these bruises all over Annabeth's stomach! I've never seen anything like that until he showed up," I replied, carefully taking note of my friend's expressions, "there has to be some kind of connection there."

"I don't know, man-" Andrew started.

"No, there's no other explanation. You guys can't deny that this guy is shady to say the least. Then, Annabeth is all banged up. Now, I get in one argument with the guy and I end up in the hospital! There's something wrong with that guy!" I insist.

Emma rubs my arm sympathetically and smiles at me. "Caleb, we've known you forever. We believe you, right guys?"

Andrew nodded in response, sending me a sympathetic smile, but Jordan pulled away from me a bit.

"How do we know you aren't making this up to get rid of Percy? We're all well aware of your crush on Annabeth." She commented, avoiding eye contact with me.

"Jordan!" Emma scolded.

"Jor, seriously?" I reply, shrinking into myself a bit. "Does that really seem like something I'd do?"

She sighed, shaking her head and giving me a small smile. "Nevermind, forget I said anything. I just...don't want to see the worst in someone so quickly, that's all."

"Well clearly we need to see the worst in him," Andrew declared, stepping closer to all of us and resting his weight on his hands resting on the foot of my bed.

I nod in agreement, my face stone-solid in seriousness.  "We need to protect Annabeth...the guy lives with her, she's not going to have a safe space anywhere with that jerk around..."

My friends nod, an air of discomfort settling in the room.

Emma's face softens, and she smiles at me reassuringly, lifting her hand and playing with my hair, adjusting it.  "Get some rest, Caleb, they should be letting you out of here soon enough.  We'll figure out what to do once you're discharged, okay?"

I took a deep breath, staring down at my lap.  "Fine, but in the meantime you guys need to make sure Annabeth is never alone with Jackson.  None of us want her to be stuck with him, especially now that we know all of this."

Everyone nods once again, saying their goodbyes to me and heading out of the room.  Don't worry Annabeth, we'll get rid of him soon.

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Do you guys prefer shorter, more frequent chapters, or longer, less frequent ones?  If you're looking for a frame of reference, I'd consider this to be a shorter chapter.  Let me know please, I'm totally interesting in any input you guys might have!  Love you all :)

4/11/20