Recorded Dreams (A Percabeth AU)

1

Percy POV-

I walked down the streets of Manhattan. My family was struggling for money, like they had been for a while now, and I was going to surprise them by getting a job. I was now sixteen, old enough to work and do stuff for myself. I'd never had a job before, but it's about time I got one. Anyone willing to hire. Hopefully something higher paying, because we needed lots of money.

"Move it!" Some rude New Yorker yelled, shoving me aside as they walked. I took a deep breath to keep from killing him. I could hear car horns honking, sirens going off, people yelling, tires screeching, the usual sounds of the big city. I loved the city, but there were days that I wished I lived out in the rural area or at my family's old beach house in Montauk.

I found my way infront of Apollo Records. I sighed as through the window, I watched the famous and rich people walk around, yelling or chatting. They were lucky and didn't even realize it. They were loaded, they didn't worry about payment rentals on their apartment in the slums of New York, or getting groceries as cheap as possible without getting bad food. I had bad experiences with a few rich kids at my old school, before I got kicked out. We're not going to elaborate on what I did...

I continued walking, but I saw something out of the corner of my eye that made me want to dance with joy. If only I knew how to dance.

Job Posting
Sound Recorder-Paid Intern
Must be 16+
No experience required
For more details, call 672-9960
(No clue on phone number, just pushed a few random numbers)

I grabbed the sign off of the outer window and called the number. I had every qualification! I needed money, so thankfully this was a payed internship, I had no experience, and I was 16! I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed the number. It rung a few times before someone picked up.

"Hello, this is Apollo Records, how may I help you?" a male's voice asked. It sounded happy and inviting. Good choice for a front desk person.

"I saw the job posting outside, I was curious about that."

"If you come in to the front desk, we can get you a form."

I swung open the door to the building. The celebrities were too wrapped up in their own conversations to pay me any attention. I saw a desk with a boy a bit younger than me with blonde hair and bright blue eyes, just sitting there waiting. He was smiling cheerfully and I saw him eyeing another boy dressed in all black from head to toe. I wondered if this boy was his "special someone".

"Hi! Over here!" He called happily, waving me over. I walked to the desk. I noted a health book sitting open in front of him, it looked as if he had been reading it. I wondered what that was about, because it seemed he had a pretty steady job here.

"Hi, I'm the one who called about the job."

"Oh, okay." He reached for a paper. "You're at least sixteen, right?"

"Yep." He handed the form to me.

"I'll take your word for it. Here's the form then, you can fill it out and return it whenever." I grabbed the paper from his hands and scanned it over. It was the standard size for a letter paper, words filled the page, it was bright yellow and very hard to miss. As I turned away, he propped his feet on the desk and went back to reading his medical book.

"Thanks," I called as I left the building, he waved, not adverting his eyes from the pages. I headed back to my apartment, anxious to tell my family about my new possible job.

I opened the door to see my busy family. My mom was cooking dinner, Paul was grading papers for school, and my six-year-old sister Estelle was singing and dancing to Annabeth Chase's new album in her pajamas. She told me all about it this morning at breakfast. It was released late last night apparently. It seems that my mom downloaded the playlist on her iPod, so Estelle could listen and sing along.

I watched as she happily jumped around, twirled, and sang. Her salt and pepper hair bounced up and down as she moved. I smiled at her, she was adorable.

"Percy!" She exclaimed when she saw me. Her sea-green eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Hi Estelle!" She hugged me happily.

"Where have you been?" My mom asked.

"I was looking for a job."

Paul looked up from his computer at me. "Why were you doing that, Percy?" He asked. They had never officially told me about our money problem, I figured it out though. It was obvious to me, and I have a reputation of being oblivious.

I sat down, my mom waved Estelle off to return to her karaoke. "I know about the money problem-"

"Percy, we don't have money problems, we're fine," my mom fibbed.

"You don't have to lie to me, mom. I went out to find somewhere offering a job, so I can help get more money."

My mom smiled at me. "Percy, you don't have to do that, your still young. I don't need you working at a McDonald's or a Dairy Queen to get us money!"

"Don't worry, I'm not working at a restaurant, unless Apollo's Records won't take me."

"Wait?! Apollo's Records?!" Paul asked in shock.

"Yep!" I showed them the form. They stared at me in shock.

"Oh my goodness, Percy!" My mom exclaimed, a smile appeared on her face.

"Apollo's Records?" Estelle asked, walking into the room.

"I might get a job there," I told her. She gasped.

"That's where Annabeth works! You have to get me a poster with her name!"

"If I get the job, I will, don't worry."

She ran towards me and hugged me. "You're the bestest brother ever!" She squealed. I smiled and hugged her back. I prayed that I'd at least run into Annabeth Chase, Estelle would be upset if I didn't get that autograph. I couldn't upset Estelle.

I quickly filled out the form before dinner. I would take it back to Apollo's Records tomorrow, hopefully the sooner I get it in, the sooner I get the job.