TW: Mild Violence (Fight Scene)

The day of my departure back to CalTech arrived too soon. I didn't want to leave my family, specifically because of the trouble that awaited me upon my return. Also, playing with Estelle was wayyyyyy better than determining ocean depths for homework.

"You'll be fine," my mom reassured me, laying a hand on my arm. "It's been ten days, and I'm sure Luke and Annabeth have had to cool off."

"From what I've heard about Luke," I said miserably, "he's just going to hold a grudge against me and do everything he can to make my life a living Hell."

All three of them accompanied me to the airport and walked me to security. My mom and Paul group-hugged me tightly.

"Be safe," my mom said. "I love you, Percy."

"Don't kiss any more girls," Paul advised with a wink. "Have a safe flight, Percy. We love you."

Estelle gurgled incoherently and reached out a chubby hand to grab my arm. I picked up from Paul's arms and enveloped her in my embrace.

"Don't go any flights without me, Pilot Estelle," I said softly in her ear. "I'll see you again at Thanksgiving."

I kissed the top of her head and placed her back in Paul's arms. "I'll see y'all at Thanksgiving. I love you."

With one final wave, I turned and proceeded into security. The process was a nightmare; hordes of people were moving through, complaining loudly about the fact that there was only one carousel open. One older man increased the tension by arguing with a TSA Officer on duty about her suitcase.

"You don't have to check it!" he insisted as the officer flagged his suitcase for inspection. "There's nothing in there!"

Turns out, the man was correct, but his quarreling only hindered the process so it was 45 minutes until I arrived at my gate. Then the flight attendant at the gate announced just as I sitting down (read: collapsing) in a chair that the flight was delayed due to mechanical issues.

I cursed louder than I meant to, causing several people to shoot me disgruntled looks. I was quite irritated about the delayed flight since I was already mentally fatigued. To remedy this, I decided to turn on calming music and close my eyes. I pulled out my wireless headphones and connected them to my phone via Bluetooth. As the classical music started, I was pulled away into the twilight state for several blissful minutes until...

"Excuse me."

I jerked from my doze and glanced up. A teenage boy of Japanese heritage with sleek black hair, a slender build, and a black patch over his left eye stood before me.

"This fell off your suitcase." The teenager dropped the CalTech keychain previously attached to my suitcase on my lap.

"Oh, thanks," I said, still faintly surprised by my abrupt return to an awakened state.

I reattached the keychain and placed my headphones back over my ears. The teenager remained standing there.

"Do you need something?" I asked, slightly annoyed that he was interrupting my relaxation time.

"Are you Percy Jackson?" he said suddenly.

All the alarm bells started going off in my head instantly. How did this guy know my name? I slid my hand into my backpack; there was a very heavy textbook in there, and if this guy tried anything, he wouldn't see the light until next April. My other hand slyly activated the video application on my phone, to record this interaction as evidence.

"I also go to CalTech," the guy said, unzipping his sweatshirt to reveal a shirt bearing the words: California Institute of Technology in big red block letters; under that, it said Est. 1891 in the same letters. "I'm majoring in Bioengineering."

"Get away from me," I snarled.

"I understand your skepticism, but I can prove to you that I know you." He removed his phone from his pocket, opened up a specific app, and thrust his phone in my face. "Here, look at that."

"What the fuck...?" I shoved his phone away from my face, but a name on the screen caught my eye: Annabeth. "Let me see that."

I yanked the phone out of his hand and glanced down at the screen. It was a text chain between him and Annabeth. The most recent texts were from the beginning of fall break.

Him: Hey, Annabeth. How's the drive going?

Annabeth: sent with Siri Ethan, you know I can't text while driving. You're gonna make me crash!

Him: Sorry. Lol ;) Text me when you get there

Annabeth: sent with Siri Okay, now stop texting me!

I scrolled up through the screen and discovered that Annabeth had sent him a picture of her and I from the night of our catch-up meeting at Cafe De Mama. I clicked on the arrow that exited me out of the text chain between him and Annabeth. I saw a notification pop up from a textbox labeled "Luke." I clicked on the textbox and the newest text message read: Have you spoken to Percy yet?

Ethan snatched the phone away from me with wide eyes. "That's how I knew what you looked like. Annabeth and I are friends, so she sent me that picture."

"That doesn't prove anything," I growled. "Now, get the fuck out of my face."

"Look," Ethan said impatiently, "I want to help you. I know you like Annabeth, and I know she likes you back; I want to help get you guys together."

"Get the fuck away from me!" I bellowed.

Ethan put his hands up in surrender and stepped back. "Dude, calm down. I'm just trying to help you."

By this time, we had caught the attention of the flight attendant behind the desk. He walked over to us.

"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" His tone heavily hinted at his annoyance.

"This guy" -I waved my hand angrily at Ethan- "is claiming he wants to help me. I don't know him. I've never even seen him before!"

"We have seen each other before," Ethan insisted. "We both go to CalTech!"

"I'm done with this," I snapped. I threw my phone into my backpack and stood up. "Have a nice day, Ethan."

"Young man, stop."

The flight attendant reached out a hand to stop me, aiming to grip my shoulder. My PTSD reacted to this; my brain remembered the number of times Gabe twisted my shoulders (leaving them bruised and scarred) to drag me away from situations. I retaliated instinctively; I ducked under the flight attendant's outstretched arm and kicked him in the balls. The flight attendant doubled down in pain and shouted for help. Adrenaline rushed into my system as my body crossed into the fight-or-flight mode of my childhood, and I struck my fist out and almost connected with his nose but...

"Stop!"

Two pairs of hands seized my arms from behind, and I struggled violently, lifting one leg to kick at my restrainers. Someone's foot kicked my remaining leg out from under me and forced me to my knees as I lost balance. I felt cold metal touch my wrists as they were placed in handcuffs. I immediately ceased my struggle as the horror and realization hit me: I was being arrested.