𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐄

𝐈

Selene never made it home that night.

However, the story began a few weeks earlier...

"Are you sure you can handle your schedule?"

Selene was at one of MS-54's empty classrooms, talking to her supervisor professor. She was a little lady, not older than fifty, who strangely always wore a black leather jacket.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Dodds," Selene reassured, taking the note from her hands. "I could use some extra money."

SALLY JACKSON, (917)308-4030
UPPER EAST SIDE, NEW YORK.

"So..." She read the paper, "Sally Jackson is my student?"

"Oh, no," Mrs. Dodds chuckled. Her voice, low and almost raspy, instilled a hint of unease in Selene. A peculiar elderly lady, yet oddly pleasant. "Sally is the mother. You'll be tutoring Percy, her son. He's new in here."

"Okay. He's in eighth grade? That'll be a breeze," Selene smiled. "I'll be fine, Mrs. Dodds. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at three o'clock. Fifty minutes won't kill me."

Mrs. Dodds closed her suitcase, "Percy Jackson is a little of a challenge. Don't think it'll be so easy, little girl."

"How difficult could an eighth-grader be?" She laughed.

Mrs. Dodds just smiled at her. A smile that could either mean, he's the most annoying person you'll ever encounter, or, Percy is actually a disabled person with learning difficulties. Either way, her facial expression meant she knew something Selene didn't.

"How's dance practice going, White Swan?" Mrs. Dodds pointed at her.

Selene, having just emerged from practice, wore a sleeveless leotard—a snug, body-hugging suit—and pink tights. Her hair was gathered in a bun, and she carried her sports bag over her shoulder.

"It's okay—auditions are starting right after Christmas Break. I've been hitting classes almost every day, thanks to you. I can't thank you enough for sorting out this financial aid, Professor."

"Don't thank me, little girl. Thank your sponsor—" she winked at her, "whoever it may be."

Mrs. Dodds's words lingered in the air as they exited the classroom. The corridors had a few people walking around, talking to each other, going for their own classes.

"You can go talk to the boy, Percy. He's still around. He has more classes than usual, as, you see, he's dyslexic..." She seemed to be suppressing a laugh. "My guess is he's on the third floor right now, in the boy's bathroom..."

Selene nodded. She finds Mrs. Dodds weird as she speaks in a strange manner, almost inhumane. But then again, she's always been like this.

"Thanks, Mrs. Dodds. I'm gonna find him, then. Say hi or something. See you tomorrow."

Selene stepped into the elevator at MS-54, the private school in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She waved goodbye at Mrs. Dodds, who just kept the playful smile on her lips.

The traditional program at MS-54 placed a strong emphasis on honing students into adept learners, focusing on impeccable writing, reading, and reasoning skills. The school was not just about meeting standards; it was about surpassing them.

For students like Selene, who shone in their respective fields, the school offered unparalleled programs. In particular, the Ballet program stood out as the most competitive in the entire United States. She was also a prideful Class President.

As Selene moved through the halls, people couldn't help but smile at her. She wasn't popular—well, she wouldn't describe herself like it,— yet everyone somehow knew her. Whether it'd be by being tutored by her, being classmates, attending dance practices together or simply watching her dace at the annual Ballet exhibition on Broadway.

"Mene, are you coming to Ethan's Halloween party next Saturday?" One girl greeted her as soon as she stepped outside the helevator.

She smiled at her. The third-floor was mostly for eighth-graders. They had a patio outside—impressive enough for New York,—with very obvious synthetic grass and a large pond with a geyser-like fountain that shoots water 20 feet (or so) into the air. They also had two full computer labs, a school-wide computer network, laptop carts, and every classroom is equipped with interactive boards. They even had a full-time Librarian! And, as a New York building, of course it had old brick walls mixed with all-tech furniture.

"Hmmm..." She pondered for a few seconds. "I haven't received a formal invitation, though."

"I'm inviting you!" The girl exclaimed. She was petite with tan skin and curly, dark brown hair. Evernie Chaplin, from Ballet. And yes, the Chaplin. "Bring whoever you want."

"Deal." Selene stopped for a moment, "Do you happen to know someone called Percy Jackson? He's my new tutoring student and he's from your grade."

"Percy, Percy..." Evernie looked back at her group of friends, "Does anyone here know someone named Percy?"

"Isn't the weirdo? The New kid?" One of her friends exclaimed.

"Oh, right!" Evernie turned back at her. "The new kid. But don't listen to Beau, Percy is alright, though I've never talked to him. He's just always in his own little world."

"Sure..." she replied. "I have to find him. Mrs. Dodds said he might be around the bathroom... Any idea where?"

"Maybe around the bathroom."

"How could I not think of it?"

Evernie grabbed her cellphone. "Can I RSVP you?" she asked excitedly. "Ethan's parents rented Avant Gardner in East Williamsburg. It's, like, this Brooklyn warehouse. Super cool." Leaning in closer to Selene, she whispered, "He said he's inviting high schoolers. Seniors!"

"I'll have to ask Sister Natalie for permission, and I'll probably need to tell her it's, like, a school thing or something."

Evernie nodded, "Alright. I'll text you the address for your driv... Oh. Nevermind. But Ethan said it's close to Jefferson St. subway station..."

As they wrapped up their conversation, Evernie and Selene exchanged waves. Selene turned and walked down the hallway, heading towards the bathroom. The end of the corridor was relatively empty with no classrooms around.

Reaching the bathroom, Selene leaned over the wall, glancing at the paper in her hands. However, it provided no information about Percy Jackson other than his mother's name and phone number.

She scanned the area and noticed a boy wandering around. He appeared small, maybe around her height or even shorter. Judging by his size and demeanor, he didn't seem like an eighth-grader—more like a sixth, perhaps?

"Get off of me!" Selene heard someone screaming from inside the boy's bathroom.

Typically, she refrains from meddling in other people's issues—that's something she's learned very early by living with a few dozens of strange kids. Interfering could easily turn you into the next target, so usually she stays in her lane. Selene isn't a hero; saving someone isn't her responsibility.

But amidst the quiet hallway, she caught the distinct sound of... a knife slicing through something. And the sharp noise was soon accompanied by the loud crash of something breaking.

"Shit," she murmured under her breath, opening the bathroom's door.

As Selene stepped into the bathroom, the most insane scene unfolded before her, and she needed a few precious seconds to grasp what the fuck was happening. 

Her eyes blinked rapidly, attempting to reconcile the conflicting images that materialized before her.

A blonde boy, not much older than her but significantly taller, stood with an object in hand. A sword, perhaps? Yet, its form seemed shift, morphing between a gleaming golden blade and an ordinary-looking pen.

There was also something... A monster? A person? The thing was gripping the boy by the turtleneck of his flannel shirt. This "thing" bore a shriveled face, concealed beneath a horrendous blue knit hat, and wore a crumpled velvet dress. Leathery bat wings sprouted from its back, and its feet terminated in sharp talons. In its brass-clawed hands, it brandished a flaming whip. With every blink, the image of this strange being continued to shift from a monster to a human, leaving her completely confused.

On their right, one of the three sinks had been completely shattered to pieces, and water was splashing everywhere.

Selene thought she was turning insane. That's it, straight to the asylum.

"Hey!" She shouted.

Both of them looked at her. The boy's eyes widened, in complete shock, as if her being there was more surprising than being hanged by the neck.

"Let him go, you fuck!" Selene continued, "Bullying means a month without dessert. I'm calling the principal on you!"

The bizarre entity before Selene shifted one last time, and with another blink, it transformed into just another peculiar-looking teenager, looking like your typical middle-school bully. It released the boy from its grasp, sneering at him before exiting the bathroom. Strangely, the odd fellow winked at Selene as he passed, leaving her perplexed by the encounter.

Once he was gone, Selene approached the soaked boy who was struggling to get up from the wet floor.

"Come on, I'll call the faculty and let them know what happened. No stress; I'll make sure to clear up that it wasn't you who trashed the si—"

He cut her off abruptly. "Did you see what happened?" he questioned, brath caught, narrowing his sea-green eyes at her.

Selene paused, considering her words carefully. Relaying to the truth about the monster encounter seemed like a surefire way to be labeled as crazy. She couldn't casually mention witnessing him battling a monster with a ten-feet-long sword—far beyond the accepted level of weirdness, and she was already at the limit for being the only scholarship student around.

She extended her hand towards him. "Saw the guy trying to hit you. It was pretty clear," she said with a reassuring tone. "Don't worry, I won't tell people that you were losing, Lord of the Bathroom. I'll just say it was a fair fight."

As he got up, he was super tall, and he had to look down at her. Their eyes met for the first time. He smelled like the sea, giving off that ocean kind of feel. He looked like he could be a skater and maybe a bit of a troublemaker. Despite being so tall, like a senior in high school, his face still had a touch of childish features, like a mix of grown-up and not-quite-grown-up.

Selene glanced at her hand, still in his grip. "You good?" she inquired.

He seemed to register the situation and released her hand. "I'm fine. Yeah," he responded. "What were you doing here?"

"Just heard a loud noise, and, well, I'm a curious girl. What can I say?" she chuckled. "And a 'thank you for saving my ass' would be more appropriate, though."

"Uh, hate to break it to you, but I had the situation under control before you showed up."

"Sure you had." They looked at the broken sink on the floor. "How about we sneak out before anyone notices and spare ourselves a few hours of interrogation from Principal Harris?"

"I very much agree."

They both slipped out of the bathroom, avoiding any prying eyes, and hurriedly made their way through the dimly lit hallway. The muted sounds of their footsteps echoed against the empty lockers as they darted toward a refuge – one of the vacant classrooms.

With a soft creak, the door swung open, allowing them entry. They stepped into the quiet classroom, its desks neatly arranged in rows, untouched by the day's activities. The door closed behind them with a gentle click.

"Let's hang out here for a bit, at least until we're all dried up. It's gonna be pretty obvious if we start strolling around like this..." She said while closing the door behind her. But as soon as she turned back to him, Selene tilted her head sideways. The boy was completely dried. "Ehm, until I'm dry... You're good to go..."

"It's fine. I can hang out for a while."

Selene stayed by the door, looking through the circular glass window on the door to check if anyone's passing by.

"You want some cookies? My mom made them."

She glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of the boy seated at the professor's table. He casually pulled out a bag of blue cookies with white chocolate chips from his backpack.

"Sure." She nodded, walking over to him and grabbing a cookie. She sat on the table, by his side, but avoided looking directly at him. "Why is it blue, though?"

"It's my favorite color."

They stayed silent for a few minutes, just eating the cookies.

"You don't have to be ashamed, you know," Selene started. "Having your ass beat is practically a rite of passage for all of us. It's like a mandatory experience, right?"

He looked at her with his hand on his chest, as if she'd proffered the biggest insult ever. "I want to set the record straight – no butt-kicking involved. I was about to turn her into chopped salmon for a poke bowl." Wait, did he say 'she'? Wasn't it a boy?

"Of course. And my name is Katy Perry."

"Oh, now it makes sense! I totally remember you from somewhere. Your performance in 'California Girls'—amazing stuff. By the way, how did you manage to stash that much whipped cream in your bra?"

She leaned closer to him, as if she was about to tell him a secret. "It didn't come from the bra," she murmured.

He locked eyes with her, deadpan serious for a beat, causing her to bite her lip. It didn't last long. They both burst into laughter. It got so bad that she leaned forward, and in the middle of it, her gym bag tumbled to the floor.

"Don't worry, I got it," he said. As he knelt down, the note from Mrs. Dodds fluttered in the air, and he rapidly caught it. "Hmm... why do you have my mom's phone...?"

She looked at him, "You're Sally Jackson's kid?"

He raised his eyebrow, "Hm, yeah?"

Selene was doubled over, laughing so hard, to the point where she almost couldn't catch her breath. In between her laughter, she managed to gasp out, "I'm sorry, that's just too hilarious. It's such a crazy coincidence; it's making me laugh even more."

He just continued looking at her, tilting his head quizzically.

"I was walking around there because I was looking for you!" she exclaimed. "I'm afraid I'm your new Math tutor, Lord of the Bathroom."

"First off, ditch the nickname," he declared, cookie in hand, pointing at her like he was issuing the most serious of orders. "Secondly, thanks but no thanks. I'm good. No need for a tutor."

"I saw your grades."

He looked around, "Ok... Maybe I need a tutor."

"See you tomorrow evening, then."

"I am not finished?" he said. "Listen, school isn't my top priority. I just have to endure until summer, when things actually get cool for once. So, please, call my mom and tell her to end this nonsense."

Selene shrugged off. "I can't help it... I've got a soft spot for good cookies and generous paychecks, and Sally Jackson has it all."

"You don't even know her!"

"I know she's got killer cookie skills and opens her wallet wide."

Percy crossed his arms, looking exasperated. "That's not enough!" he exclaimed. "And I don't even know your name."

"That's simple—hello, Percy Jackson, I'm Selene." she extended her hand. "Nice to meet you!"

He just kept looking at her.

"Listen, let's make a deal—you let me be your Math tutor, so I get some extra money, and I promise I'll help you not to fail your finals. I'm also a very cool teacher, I can teach you some songs!" She said, "I need to find the area under a curve. Integrate! Integrate! You can use the integration. Raise exponent by one multiply the reciprocal. Plus a constant. Plus a constant. Add a constant! Add a constant! Add a constant labeled C!"

"What the fuck are you singing?"

"Calculus Rhapsody. It's a classic." she continues, "Mama-Mia, Mama-Mia Mama-Mia let me go. Pre-calculus did not help me to prepare for Calculus, help me..."

Percy interrupted her by grabbing her shoulders, "You honestly believe this will make me agree to your lessons?"

"Wow, tough crowd..." she sighed dramatically. "How about this: you agree to survive my tutoring, and I promise never to sing again."

Percy grinned. "Now that's a tempting offer. No offense, but as a singer, you're a great dancer."

"So it's a deal. Catch you tomorrow evening, Lord of the Bathroom."

☾

Selene checked on her phone a million times before ringing the doorbell. Right by the Queensboro Bridge, on the Upper East Side. E 58th St, Number 404, fourth floor, she read the text. That was probably it.

She hesitantly ringed the bell once. Though she wasn't exactly an introvert, meeting new people and going new places made her instantly nervous.

Selene heard some noises coming from inside—pans clashing, some running,— when suddenly, the door swung open, revealing a woman of striking beauty. Her smile was as warm as a quilt on a winter night, and her eyes sparkled with shades of blue that danced with the changing light. Long, brown hair cascaded down her shoulders with subtle streaks of grey, though she didn't look old at all.

"You must be Selene!" The woman exclaimed, ushering her inside, "Come on in, I'm baking some cookies for you. I'm Sally, Percy's mother, but you probably gathered that from the amount of texts I've been sending you."

Selene stepped into the apartment, immediately catching the comforting scent of chocolate and licorice emanating from Sally. The Jacksons' Upper East Side residence, while not luxurious or extravagant, exuded a warmth and hominess that felt instantly familiar—like a place one recalls when thinking of the concept of home. Of course, Selene didn't have many references for genuine homes.

The corridor she entered had a door on the left, inwhich probably lead to a guest bathroom, and at the end of it was the kitchen and living room. Worn-out flower wallpapers were on the walls, and it also had wooden flooring. The exposed brick on the kitchen wall added a classical New York touch to it. Although the furniture was clean and relatively new, it bore the subtle signs of being well-used over the years.

Sally led the way to the kitchen. From there, she could see two doors on the wall next to where the TV was. "Percy's probably asleep by now, so you can wake him up," she said. "If you need anything, if he's being a pain in the ass, just scream and I'll go right away to you. Deal?"

Selene smiled at her, "Deal, Ms. Jackson."

"Oh, no, no, no," Sally shook her head. "Call me Sally, auntie, anything but Ms... Makes me feel old."

They both chuckled, "Okay, Sally, thank you."

"It's the second-door. By the way, can I offer you anything to drink while the cookies are on the oven?"

"Lemme guess: all drinks you have are blue?"

Sally put both arms on her waist, a mischievous glint in her sparkling blue eyes, "How did you know?"

She grinned, "Well, Sally, I'll have to say yes, then. Though blue coloring turns in my stomach..."

"Don't worry. Use Percy's bathroom!" Sally winked, disappearing on the kitchen.

Selene cautiously opened the second door, revealing Percy Jackson sprawled on his bed. His mouth was slightly open, and a meandering trail of drool marked its path on the mattress. The sight made her stifle a chuckle.

She silently approached Percy, placing her gym bag on the floor, and tiptoing towards him, ensuring not to make any noise.

Once close, she mischievously raised her index finger and stuck it in Percy's ear.

Percy jolted awake with a start, his eyes wide with confusion and a scream escaping his lips, "What the fuck?"

While he was still feeling disoriented, Selene burst into laughter. She examined her finger with a disgusted expression and exclaimed, "Eww... Your earwax is liquid. It's sticky."

"Yeah, what the fuck did you expect?"

Percy's bedroom was pretty much like what you'd await a fourteen-year-old boy's bedroom to be. Except for the fact he looked like someone with a weird hyperfixation on the beach... He had a collection of well-worn books on Greek mythology sat on a shelf, and a trident-shaped pendant dangled from a bedside lamp. There was also a study table with two chairs, yet no sight of a laptop or a cellphone anywhere.

"I thought your mom was kidding when she said you have no cellphone," she said, scanning around, "Did you get caught doing something naughty? Sally doesn't strike me as the type of mom who'd enforce a no-cellphone rule without a good reason. Be real, I can handle it: what's your dark secret?"

"Why are you treating me like I'm a criminal?" Percy asked, getting up from bed and gathering his notebook from the backpack.

"Well, anyone willingly going without a cellphone these days might be up to something sinister..." Selene started looking around his shelf, reading the title of his books. The Illiad, the Story of Perseus, Greek Gods 101, Greek Architecture... "You also don't look like the avid reader type."

"My mom got those for me as a gift. Don't your parents give you a bunch of random books too?"

"I live in an orphanage, so I can't answer to that." Selene deadpanned. "The nuns only allow us to read the Bible."

The room fell silent. Selene glanced over her shoulder, catching Percy with his mouth agape and eyes widened. She burst into laughter, but he remained frozen in place.

"You're joking... Right?"

"Yeah," she replied with a mischievous grin. "They don't actually limit us to reading only the Bible. I even managed to sneak in Fifty Shades of Grey once—told them it was for Lit class."

"...Alright."

"Why are you eyeballing me as if I just landed from Mars?"

"Well, you just tossed that bomb like you were handing out candy on Halloween and then went on like it's just another Tuesday?" Percy raised an eyebrow, struggling to grasp the unexpected revelation. "I need a moment to process this."

Selene grinned. "That's probably what my parents said when I made my grand entrance into the world. Do you think they're still processing it? Is fifteen years enough?"

Percy chuckled, "Stop."

Selene grabbed a thick book from her gym bag and walked over to him, who was already sat on his own chair. Math for Kids and People with Learning Difficulties, read the title.

"Let's start with... Pre-Calculus, yes! Ah, the sweet flavor of polynomials."

Percy raised an eyebrow at the book, "Math for kids and people with learning difficulties?"

She waved it off. "Relax, Perseus. According to the summary, you fall under the kids' section."

They delved into their studies for a solid ten minutes and thirty seconds, and Percy, teetering on the edge of drowsiness, let out a sigh as he closed his notebook.

As he shut the notebook, Selene caught a glimpse of a printed photo tucked inside featuring a brown-skinned girl with blonde braids, smiling brightly.

"Even you, the Lord of the Bathroom, have a girlfriend? I'm doomed, I fear."

Percy shook his head, glancing at the notebook. "No! That's not my girlfriend, that's Annabeth."

"So, you have an Annabeth. Cool," she said. "If you refuse to do your homework, I'll call Annabeth up."

"She wouldn't pick up your calls."

Selene mimicked holding a phone with her right hand, "Hello? Yes, Annabeth. It's me! Percy doesn't want to study polynomials again...! Wait, really? Alright, I'll let him know..." She pretended to turn off the phone and dramatically sighed, She turned off the imaginary phone and let out an exaggerated sigh, "Well, Percy, Annabeth just informed me that she's determined to remind you why you hold the prestigious title of Lord of the Bathroom..."

Percy teased, "If you're going to keep calling me Lord of the Bathroom, might as well give you a fitting nickname too, Professor. What's your last name?"

Selene's expression changed. "I'm not telling you."

"Why not?" He raised an eyebrow. "What are you hiding?"

As they looked at each other, Percy darted towards Selene's gym bag, snatching her student card that hung on top of it. Selene hurried after him, but it was too late. Percy raised his arms, and she refused to embarrass herself by leaping to retrieve it.

"Selene of Nazareth?" Percy laughed after reading it, "Any relation to Jesus the Carpenter?"

Selene's eyes lowered as it was rapidly becoming bloodshot. A sharp breath escaped her lips, "That's what they call all the nameless children in the orphanage." Her lips quivered.

Percy lowered his arm, passing a hand through his hair, "I'm, hm, sorry. I didn't mean to—"

But Selene erupted into laughter, "Oh, Percy Jackson, you're so easy to mess with. No wonder that guy beat your ass for good."

"He did not beat me!" Percy protested.

Just as Percy raised his voice, Sally entered his room, bearing a tray of blue cookies with chocolate chips and a warm smile, "I certainly hope no one is getting their butt kicked during math lessons."

They both flashed smiles at Sally, as if the previous banter had never happened.

"Thanks, Mom," Percy turned to Selene, "Lunch break?"

"I'm afraid you're reading my mind."

They settled on different edges of Percy's bed, and silence fell briefly before Percy broke it.

"So, you're, like, a dancer?" he asked, gesturing toward her.

Selene, with her hair in a bun and still dressed in a leotard with pink tights from ballet practice, responded, "Nope... I'm an actress. Filming Step Up 7. Moose's daughter choosing ballet instead of street dance," she said with a playful tone. "You should check it out in theaters."

"I didn't knew they were doing castings for disabled dancers... So thoughtful of them."

"Said the dyslexic."

Selene retrieved her cellphone and began scrolling through her photos until she found a specific one. It was a portrait from last year's school production of The Nutcracker, where she played the role of Clara. She handed her phone to Percy, who took a moment to inspect the picture.

"That's me last year. Primadonna ballerina, they called me."

"How cute. Which character did you play? The Mouse King?"

With a mischievous smile, she stuffed a cookie into Percy's mouth. "Percy Jackson, you're being too mean for someone who doesn't even know how to calculate Pi."

He grinned. "So, what's the deal? You're invading my place on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday?"

"That's the plan. Full-on cookie invasion."

"You're going to wipe out my mom's cookie stock..."

She widened her eyes. "Wait, there's more?"

After the lunch break, they dived back into their studies, and Selene marveled at her achievement—capturing Percy's attention for a full twenty minutes!

As they wrapped up the lesson, Selene's gaze drifted toward the window. The view from the Borough Bridge showcased trees adorned in the vibrant hues of fall foliage, buildings decked out with oversized pumpkins and skeletons, and glimpses of people already in costume.

Turning to Percy, she teased, "Lord of the Bathroom, any chance you've snagged an invite to MS-54's grand Halloween bash?"

"I overheard someone mentioning it, but partying isn't really my thing, so I'm not sure if I'll attend. How about you?"

"I'm going," she declared, flashing a playful smirk. "And I'm afraid the Lord of the Bathroom will transform into the Lord Batman to match my Robin costume."