𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐗𝐈𝐑, 𝐏𝐉

𝟎𝟏𝟕.𝟒

Juliet grinned, "That's more like it."

Percy leaned down as if to kiss her but the sun shone directly in his eyes making him go blind and retract back with a growl, Juliet looked out towards the sunlight in frustration, "My dad still giving you a hard time?"

"Nah, babe, Getting sunburnt and blind is all fun and chill!" Percy spoke in a fake enthusiastic voice while rubbing his eyes with a sarcastic smile.

Juliet returned the smile with one of her own, "Just remember to put on the sunscreen, honey."

Percy gave her a deadpan look, making her chuckle before she relented, "I'll talk with him, ask him to stop harassing you? Cool?"

"Cool, Thanks." Percy replied pulling her back towards him.

"It's all cool bro, I got your back,"

"When will you stop?"

They lounged on the couch for the afternoon. Later Paul Blofis came over, but that was okay because Chiron had manipulated the Mist to convince everyone at Goode High School that Percy had nothing to do with the band room explosion. Now Paul and the other witnesses were convinced that Kelli had been a crazy, firebomb-throwing cheerleader, while he had simply been an innocent bystander who'd panicked and ran from the scene (Juliet had snorted at that). Percy would still be allowed to start as a freshman at Goode next month. If he wanted to keep his record of getting kicked out of school every year, he'd have to try harder.

Tyson came to the party, too, and Sally baked two extra blue cakes just for him. While Tyson, Juliet and Sally got busy putting streamers around the ceiling, Paul Blofis asked Percy to help him in the kitchen.

As they were pouring punch, he said, "I hear your mom signed you up for driver's ed this fall."

"Yeah. It's cool. I can't wait."

Seriously, he'd been excited about getting his license forever, but he guessed his heart wasn't in it anymore, and Paul could tell. In a weird way he reminded Percy of Chiron sometimes, how he could look at you and actually see your thoughts.

"You've had a rough summer," he said. "I'm guessing you lost someone important."

Percy stared at him. "How do you know that? Did my mom—"

He held up his hands. "Your mom hasn't said a thing. And I won't pry. I just know there's something unusual about you, Percy. You've got a lot going on that I can't figure. But I was also fifteen once, and I'm just guessing from your expression...Well, you've had a rough time."

Percy nodded. He'd promised his mom he would tell Paul the truth about him, but now didn't seem the time. Not yet. "I lost a couple of friends at this camp I go to," he said. "I mean, not close friends, but still—"

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah...."

"Here." Paul handed him some punch. "To your fifteenth birthday. And to a better year to come."

They tapped their paper cups together and drank.

"Your girlfriend seems really nice," Paul spoke as they drank side by side, Percy's eyes flitted over to Juliet outside standing on her tiptoes and laughing with blue streamers stuck in her hair, a smile made way to his own face, "Yeah she's the best."

"I get that," Paul said before sighing and continuing, "Percy, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"Girl stuff."

Percy frowned, last time he checked Juliet was the girl in their relationship. "Hey, I can call Jules here if you need advice?"