=Chapter Twenty-Nine=
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Wittle pwoblem
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Thursday, 26th of September

"Congratulations May! I'm really happy for you."  I said into the phone.

May had left abruptly, and luckily made it to Tennessee just in time to be there for her granddaughters birth. That's right, it's a girl! According to May, Jessica and her husband hasn't made up their mind about a name quite yet.

"Well I'll talk to you later, May. Enjoy your stay. Bye."

I pressed the end call button and sighed.

"Alright. Back to work.."

Bella sat perched on the counter, her legs crossed and swinging back and fourth as she scrolled on her phone.

She had gotten here around 10, which is fine since technically we aren't open so normal schedules can fluctuate with no issues, and there would still be plenty of time to work.

If she would actually help.

"Bella, would you maybe unload a box into the shelves? We're gonna organize them correctly this time, according to author alphabetically." I asked, moving towards a stack of boxes and picking one up, huffing slightly as I felt a twinge of pain in my wound.

"You're so dramatic." Bella rolled her eyes after seeing me wince. "But sure.. although I have an idea."

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay.."

"You bring me boxes and I'll put the books away, easy right?." She crossed her arms.

"Bella, as much as I appreciate your input, I don't think it will be much faster..."

"Look my legs are killing me today. It's reasonable request, and something will get done. I'll stock, you bring me more boxes." She shrugged.

"Bella.." I groaned.

"What? You're capable. Or does your wittle wound still hurt." She mocked.

"Bella!" She had never been this straight forward before.

"Oh come on, Percy, just try it."

"it would be faster if we both worked separately.." I sighed.

"So you're not open to new ideas? Hmph. Come on, for my legs?" She smiled sweetly, the same smile that I feel most uncomfortable about.

"Okay.. start in that row, I'll bring the boxes." I relented. I didn't want to cause drama today, especially when May was trusting us to get her store running.

Bella stopped in the isle and pulled over a stool, sitting on it. I set the box beside her and she opened it, putting the books in the shelves.

"so.. you want me to just.. get you more boxes?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Mhm." She smiled sweetly. "See how easy it is?"

"But you will do most of the work." I raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" She said while shelving books.

"I wasn't asking you to do most of the work. I was only asking for you to help." I explained with a sigh.

"This is fine, you keep bringing me boxes." She chuckled quietly as I went to go get another box, making sure it was the next letter in the alphabet.

Is this a subtle form of torture?

It's fine. I can take it.

"Slow down would you?" Bella groaned after I put another box on top of the stack piling up beside her.

It was clear I was overwhelming her, but that's karma.

"Would you like to switch places?" I smile back sweetly, making sure to imitate her innocent grin.

Her eye twitches as she tries to remain calm. "..sure. You stock while I bring boxes.." she said coldly.

She got up and walked towards the back where more boxes were, and I didn't think twice of it.

She didn't come back, so I assumed she decided to take a break, which sounded exactly like Bella.

She's so helpful.

I continue shelving the books, the time passing as I got lost in thought, repeatedly doing the same action over and over again.

Eventually my hand found nothing in the last box, and I realized I had finished the stack.

And Bella was nowhere to be seen.

"Bella?" I called, standing up.

I picked up the boxes and set them aside in a corner, and started walking towards the back room where Bella hopefully is.

"Bella? I need more boxes?" I called as I stepped in, not finding Bella by the boxes, so i went to mays office.

"Bella?" I lifted the privacy curtain to find her on her phone. She looks up at me with an annoyed scowl. "What."

"I needed more boxes?" I said, stepping in and crossing my arms.

"You have two hands. Do it yourself." She mocked.

"Why you lazy little leech!" I exclaimed.

"Who are you calling a lazy leech!" She stood up angrily.

"You! Get your act together Bella, or go home." I said seriously.

Bella stared at me in disbelief.

"You don't have that kind of authority over me."

"Bella, I'm serious."

She glared. "Fine. But you're bringing boxes again."

I raised an eyebrow. "We're not switching spots after this, okay?"

"Fine with me." She huffed, getting to her feet, slipping her phone into her left back pocket.

She gestured for me to leave first, and I complied, although I didn't trust Bella to not be glaring at my back the whole way back to the front of the store.

"Okay, I finished stocking A-D, so I'll go get the E boxes and bring them out." I informed.

Bella had went back to the stool and scooted it along to the next section. She started reaching for her phone in her right back pocket, but then froze and changed course to her left back pocket, which actually contained her phone.

I shrugged it off, thinking nothing of it. I went back to go get more boxes, each one feeling heavier than the last.

By the third box, Bella had put away her phone and begun shelving the books again, and I sighed in relief.

As much of a pain Bella was, I definitely couldn't do this all alone. And once you get her working.. well she isn't so bad at it.

But some days I really want to drop her in the ocean and let her spend a day with sharks.

Of course I would never use my powers for that purpose.

I am strong enough to carry her there myself though.

I grin to myself, my thoughts amusingly entertaining.

I took a look at the clock on the wall, the time reading that it was almost 11:30, and any second now Bella would up and quit for lunch.

I set the box with a giant letter 'F' and a list of the authors contained inside on the floor, and sighed.

Bella ignored me, thankfully. Any distraction would completely break her work flow.

Yeesh she's a toddler. I'm treating her like a toddler.

"Jersey." Bella said, looking up.

"Im not a shirt, but yes?" I raised an eyebrow.

"It's almost lunch. I think I will go out." She shrugged, shelving a book as she spoke.

"Okay.. cool. I love that for you."

"Oh, and you're bleeding. You might want to look at that." She grinned smugly as she stood up and headed for the door.

I look down at my wound- hard to do as it was on my side, but now that I thought about it, it was hurting a bit. "Schist." I muttered.

I reached a hand back and touched it, and yup, my shirt had blood on it, which means I accidentally broke my stitches.

"Schist.." I repeated again as I rushed to the nearest bathroom to go inspect the damage. No doubt all those boxes stretched the wound too far.

I pulled up my shirt and groaned. "Seriously.." it looked like a couple stitches had come out. And id probably have to get them re-stitched. Or.. maybe not. Hopefully not. Regardless, I can't do this myself, and that's the issue.

May is out of state.. Bella is gone, although she probably wouldn't help.

And.. well Jason might. He's not here right now.

I place a dry towel against the wound, hoping to keep it dry. I have a feeling that I shouldn't attempt healing it with water.. and keeping my body from getting touched by water is proving really difficult.

But for now, I put a large bandage over it, and wrap it in gauze so it will stay.

As soon as I can get someone to help.. be that Jason or just walking to the hospital, I don't have much of a choice, I just have to deal with this.

As soon as I finish bandaging myself, I look for my phone. It wasn't in my pocket, so I must have left it somewhere. I don't remember using it recently.. I forget I own a phone half the time.

I'd feel bad to call Jason but.. I'm not going to be stupid.

I could also IM will and see if he and Nico could come help.. but I don't think im in that big of a situation.. and will would shove ambrosia down my throat without caring for my reasons.

So.. we call Jason. If I can find my phone.

So far I'm in Mays office, and my phone isn't in there.. and my phone wasn't in the stack of book boxes in the back.. and it's not in the main shop.. and it's not on the counter..

Could it be upstairs?

The stairs hurt a lot more than they had previously. But I pushed past the sting and climbed them anyways.

It wasn't anywhere. I looked in my bed, beneath my bed.. everywhere! In the couch too.

It was.. gone.

Before I knew it, I had been searching for my phone for an hour. Bella hadn't come back yet.. and I was at a loss for words. Without May's phone, which was the company phone we used for whatever people wanted to call our store for, I was stranded here.

I scrambled to figure out what to do.

Once again, I could IM someone.. but I'm trying not to rely on outside help.

And I don't want to worry mom either.

I went back down stairs and I went outside.

The thought of borrowing someone else's phone crossed my mind but.. I don't remember anyone's phone numbers.

"Schist."

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Hi all!!

Hope you guys are having a good weekend!

Love you all and have a *phonetastic* day!

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