PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS X READER

II

I begin to take the ring to claim my victory, when a knife slashes my side. I look over to see who threw it, just to realize its one of Clarisse's minions.

"Damnit!" I say observing the cut on my side.

"Distracted?" Clarisse says catching me off guard as she kicks me off the platform and takes the ring.

The fall is very, very far down, so I am probably gonna die or break all my bones. As I am falling, and screaming internally, Percy grabs my hand, preventing me from hitting the ground.

"Look who needs my help." He says with a grin.

"Ohh, shut up! She cheated." I say pointing to the blood on my shirt.

"Stella, you have to go to the infirmary." He says, making things serious.

"I'll be fine." I probably won't, at least I haven't been, but maybe I deserve this.

I know it sounds wrong and, quite frankly, self-harmful, but this is the least I deserve. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth always complain that I push myself too much, but its the only way I don't think. Getting hurt helps me not think about hi-....

All of a sudden, Percy loses his grip on one of the poles and we both fall down. We were only about ten feet off the ground, but still, ow.

"Good one." I say as I struggle to get on my feet and help him up.

"Sorry." He says as he starts to examine my cut. "Thats deep."

"Percy, Stella!" I hear Annabeth call.

"I saw that knife get thrown, totally unfair." Says Grover trying to make me feel better.

"Whatever. Its not like Chiron or Mr. D saw it. Hell, they don't see anything these days." I say.

They all look at me concerned, but know its true. They choose Clarisse to lead on most quests when I am way more qualified to do it. I swear he does it on purpose to test my patience.

"Don't let it get to you. But, seriously, lets get you patched up." Says Percy gesturing towards my cut.

I agree, despite my stubbornness, and Annabeth offers to take me.

"Clarisse is such a bitch." She admits.

"Agreed." I say and we both let out a laugh.

"You know, the whole camp has been talking about you recently." She says and I look at her concerned. "All good things, though!" She assures me.

"Really? They aren't scared of me?" I ask confused.

"Well, they are, but they all admire you and agree that you should be leading the quests, not Clarisse. The children of Ares always have an ego bigger than Mt. Olympus." She says and I smile at her.

"You have a gift for making people feel better, Annie. This is why your my best friend." I say sincerely.

"As are you." She says and leads me into the infirmary and onto a cot. "I'm gonna grab some bandages, don't move." She orders.

"Aye, aye." I say whilst saluting her.

I sit on the bed and try to keep myself from thinking too much. Thinking isn't good for me, cause when I get in my own head, I think about him and I can't deal with this right now. I haven't dealt with any of it, but its easier that way.

"Got the goods." Says Annabeth waving bandages.

She sticks them on my side and I wince in pain a little.

"Sorry." She says.

"Your good."

She starts to notice something on my stomach and lifts up my shirt inches more to reveal something.

"Woah!" I say as I move away.

"Stella!" She says standing up. "Let me take a look at those."

"Its nothing, Annabeth." I say as I pull down my shirt and start to leave.

"It doesn't look like nothing! Those are bruises all over your rib cage!" She yells out.

"Keep it down." I say checking our surroundings making sure no one heard her.

"Why didn't you say anything? You could be seriously hurt. Are you in pain?" She says with a worried look on her face.

I just look at her and try not to think about the pain.

"I have been training a lot recently and when you train, you can get hurt. You know that!" I defend myself.

"It looks like you broke some ribs." She says with a cold expression on her face.

"Its fine, really! Doesn't even hurt." I lie.

All of a sudden, she slaps my stomach where the bruises were. I let out a scream in pain.

"Ow! Why would you do that?"

"Doesn't even hurt, huh?" She mocks me.