The Nightmare

Chapter 2

Percy~

"Okay," Mom to me as I get out of the car. "Remember they only remember that old Percy. They haven't heard your voice in six years. Keep that in mind."

I nod. "Okay mom." She starts to drive away but I stop her.

"Mom wait! How much..have they changed?"

She sighs and thinks. "Sadly a lot Percy, but it's okay. I'm sure they'll eventually return back to normal with you back."

I smile and she drive away.

Turning around I spot two people. One sitting one leaning against a tree. People I recognize.

I quickly run up to them. Piper McLean notices me first.

She stares at me for a long while before telling the other person, Leo Valdez, about my presence.

They look at me, seeming to study me. As if to see if I'm real.

Soon I'm standing, panting from running across the park, and looking at them.

"Piper," I say pointing to them as I say their name. "And Leo. You guys are real."

Leo snorted. "Of course we're real. I'm surprised that your up and about. How'd you sleep last night? Did you have sweet dreams?"

"Shut up." Piper tells him fiercely and Leo rolls his eyes, and leans the tree. His eyes searching the park.

I'm confused. "Aren't you guys like best friends?" I ask Leo. "You and Piper?"

He laughs which only makes me more confused. "Best friends? Do such things even exist? No we're not best friends. She's a brat and a bully."

"I said shut up Leo. Didn't you hear me?" Piper glares at Leo and looks to me apologetically.

"I'm sorry for Leo, he can be a jerk at times. Hello Percy, I'm surprised you remembered us. Leo and I used to be best friends, but ever since you, ah, went to sleep he became distant. We haven't talked in years."

"I became distant?" He said sounding astounded. "I. Became. Distant?!"

Piper pursed her lips. "Hard of hearing, hun?"

Leo came at her pointing his finger. "Don't you even start with me! After he," He pointed at me. "Left us, you left me. I tried to reach you and you ignored my calls and when I came to your freaking mansion, you had the butler tell me off!"

Piper shot back at him. "Yeah and when I tried to call you? Did you return my calls when I was saying sorry? Hmm?"

"That's when I threw my phone at someone and they broke it! It's not my fault they threw the phone on the ground and stepped on it!"

Piper threw her hands in the air. "And how was I suppose to know that? Did you ever come to me? Did you ever tell me that?"

"I tried to but the police were looking for me and it was too risky to go to your million dollar mansion! That's when I ran away, its kinda hard to call from the sewers!"

"Guys!" I shout stepping in between them. "Guys stop fighting, calm down."

"Percy?"

I turn around and see Hazel Levesque looking at me.

I'm at a lost for words. "Your real. Your actually real."

She laughs and I find myself smiling. "Yeah I'm real. And you are too. I can't believe your here Percy. It's been so long."

Frank walks up behind her and I can't help but tackle him in a hug. "Wha-Oh yeah hi." He awkwardly taps my back and I pull away. "Nice to see you too."

"Hey Perce, long time so see."

I turn around and see Jason smiling at me with that same smile he always had. He gives me a one arm hug and I fist pump him.

"Percy?"

I turn around carefully and see Annabeth standing there holding a small purse.

Annabeth Chase.

I rush up to her but stop. I take her in. "You look beautiful." I say remembering the demigod Annabeth Chase, I hope she hasn't changed.

She blushes a but and smiles. "You don't look too bad yourself. You look in need of some sleep, but otherwise good."

My smile gets wider and my heart melts.

I sigh and take a step back, all eyes are on me.

"Oh gods, guys...its been a while." I say getting a little choked up.

Leo snorts again, not even looking at me but over his shoulder. "Its been a little more than 'a while' I practically forgot what you all looked like."

"You see us at school, Leo." Frank says, sighing.

"No." He corrects them. "You seem me walking away from school during the middle of the day. I'm never looking for you guys."

Hazel takes a step toward him. "Leo we tried to reach out to you but you didn't listen. You didn't answer our calls-"

"How many times do I have to say it!" He shouts. "My stupid phone broke by some stupid kid at school. The remains are still probably behind the school. How in the world would I be able to answer your calls-"

"And when I tried to talk to you in person, you just ran away from me." Jason says now mad as well.

Leo sighs and puts his hands in his sweat shirt. "I was pissed off and I had somewhere to go."

"Where?" Jason shouts bewildered. "Where did you have to go?"

Piper stands up and gets in Jason's face. "Oh don't you even. When I reached out to you? Where you you huh, Jason? Was your phone broken too? Did you have somewhere to go too?"

Hazel steps in and clears her throat. "Guys please stop. We're here to see Percy. Not to argue." She gives me a sad smile.

"Sorry Percy. We aren't really fond of each other. Most of us went our separate ways. I went with Frank, Jason used to be with Piper for a short while, Annabeth continued tutoring students, and Leo-"

Jason interrupted her, and continued her sentence. "And Leo just avoided everyone. All his friends he just left."

"I don't have friends!" He said pushing Jason back. "You're not my friend Jason. You never wanted to be my friend, you just wanted to take Piper and leave."

Jason pushes Leo back and Leo clenches his fists. "Yeah well you used to have friends. People used to want to be around you. Before you became bitter. Before you shut everyone out of your stupid little life because, what was your reason? Your mom died. Oh wait, you killed her."

"Shut up!" Leo shoved Jason back and punched him in the jaw, which Jason responded with a punch to Leos nose.

"What are you doing?" I pull them apart and hold Leo back, which wasn't hard at all considering he's half my weight. I've been working out.

Frank holds Jason back, but Jason isn't flailing around like Leo. Leo is acting like a cat who almost drowned.

"That's it!" Leo yells. "I'm done here."

He shoves me away and takes a few steps back.

"When are you going back to school Percy?" He asks rubbing his nose.

"Monday." I reply automatically; terribly confused.

"Well, see you tomorrow Percy." Leo turns and jogs out of the park, muttering curse words about Jason.

"Tomorrow." I repeat, flabbergasted. I turn back to Jason and he nods.

"Tomorrow."