{ outfit up top }
The scene then shifts to Kaimana’s bedroom, where she is wide awake, staring at the ceiling. “Seven fifteen, monkeys,” Fiona announced as Kaimana got up.
“Kaimana’s bedroom is an absolute dream,” Aphrodite gushed, with Piper nodding in agreement.
“I never expected her room to look so nice, especially given their environmental conditions,” Athena added, sounding mildly impressed.
Kymopoleia looked annoyed. It seemed they would always gush over Percy and Kaimana, but never her.
“Good morning, Kaimana!” Fiona greeted. “Morning,” Kaimana responded. “First shower!” Ian shouted as she jumped out of bed and started running, almost tripping. “You had it yesterday!” Lip yelled. Kaimana reached the bathroom, and she and Lip started banging on the door.
Kaimana sighed and went back into her room when her phone buzzed with a notification. She looked at it and smiled, then took out the outfit she planned to wear for the day.
“Growing up in the wrong place,” Zeus muttered.
“Oh, don’t we all know?” Poseidon grumbled, still bitter about what he and Apollo had been forced to do.
But then Poseidon’s eyes shifted to the screen, narrowing as he noticed Kaimana’s outfit. “She is not wearing that, is she?”
“I think she looks cute in it,” Carmelina chimed in, with Aphrodite and Piper nodding in agreement.
“Come on, Dad. She looks like she’s growing up. You can’t keep her little forever,” Kymopoleia added, though irritation crept into her voice.
As she left her room, she bumped into Carl. Already knowing what he wanted, she bent down, and he climbed onto her back.
“Coming through,” Kaimana said as she made her way to the kitchen with Carl on her back. Once there, she bent down, allowing Carl to climb off.
They started putting in money for the electric bill, but no one noticed yet that Carl hadn’t contributed yet.
Poseidon glared at Zeus and Apollo, seething. His daughter had to live with them, and they couldn’t even afford basic electricity.
“They’re just kids…” Annabeth murmured, sadness washing over her. It hurt to think they had to work so young just to afford electricity and other necessities.
“No, you’ve got a Happy Meal on the front of that shirt,” Fiona said sarcastically, eyeing Carl’s messy shirt. He glanced down in confusion.
“Oh, uh, field trip. I need Dad’s signature,” Ian said, pulling a crumpled paper from his backpack and handing it to Debbie. “Okay,” Debbie said, taking the paper from him.
“A smart girl already recognizes her father’s handwriting. She could be a strong ally and a good friend to my Annabeth,” Athena said proudly.
Annabeth looked down, conflicted. She had always followed her mother’s expectations, always striving to meet Athena’s high standards. But now, she longed to make decisions for herself, even if it risked offending her mother.
Because of that pressure, she had lost friends—especially the one she had always loved but never had a chance with. Percy.
It hurt to see him happy with Nico and Will. When would she ever feel that kind of happiness?
“What’s McDonald’s?” Nico asked, breaking her thoughts.
“I’ll tell you once this is over,” Percy replied with a small smile.
Fiona walked over to Carl. “Arms up,” she instructed, and Carl obediently raised his arms. She peeled off his shirt, flipping it right-side out before tossing it aside.
“Deb, that’s getting really good,” Lip complimented as Debbie handled the bill money.
“I learned from someone who’s good,” Debbie replied, casting a quick look at Kaimana.
“Oh…” Athena muttered, her expression faltering. She never expected Kaimana would be the one to teach Debbie.
“What’s wrong? Did you think my daughter was stupid?” Poseidon asked with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
Kymopoleia shot a glare at her father. When Athena had called her stupid, dumb, and worse, he hadn’t defended her. He had just stood by and let Athena hurl insults without saying a word.
The bitterness simmered inside her as she watched him now, all too proud when it came to Kaimana.
Lip glanced over at Kaimana and her outfit, his expression shifting. “You aren’t wearing that,” he stated bluntly.
“Yes, I am,” Kaimana shot back, standing her ground.
“Is this about your boyfriend?” Debbie asked innocently, her tone curious. Kaimana stayed silent, avoiding eye contact.
“BOYFRIEND?!” Poseidon and Percy yelled in unison, their faces contorting in exaggerated shock, drawing laughter from the room.
“Oh, come on, brother. She’s pretty—of course, she’ll get a boyfriend,” Zeus said with a grin, only to be met by a sharp glare from Hera, who promptly slapped the back of his head.
“I stand with Lip—she’s not going out in that outfit, and she’s definitely not having a boyfriend until she’s 35!” Poseidon declared firmly.
“You said the same thing about Percy, and look where he’s at,” Kymopoleia said, her eyes locking onto Percy, Will, and Nico as she finished her sentence.
A tense silence followed, as everyone turned to look at her, their expressions ranging from warning glances to judgmental stares, before slowly shifting their attention back to the screen.
Lip scoffed. “Of course it is. She’s always trying to please him when he doesn’t even care about her,” he muttered under his breath, loud enough for Kaimana to hear.
Kaimana shot him a glare. “You don’t know anything about my relationship,” she snapped defensively.
“Right,” Lip said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “I just hope you realize he’s not worth it before it’s too late.”
“He doesn’t care for her? He better care for her!” Aphrodite exclaimed, offended on Kaimana’s behalf.
“Does she even know she’s trying to please him, but he’s not giving anything back? Does she realize if it’s even worth it?” Percy asked, his tone logical and concerned.
That was the real question. Did Kaimana know she was pouring her efforts into someone who didn’t truly care? Did she even understand if he was worthy of her love?
“I don’t even know the guy, and I already want to kill him,” Poseidon growled, his protective instincts flaring.
“She probably doesn’t realize why she’s trying so hard to please him—only that she’s in love with him,” Aphrodite mused, her voice softening.
The gods and goddesses exchanged glances. It felt oddly familiar, like the echoes of an old story—one that involved Zeus and Hera.
“Who’s got the phone?” Fiona interrupted, cutting through the tension.
“I got it,” Lip said, pulling the phone out of his pocket.
“Any minutes left?” Fiona asked.
“Uh, fourteen,” Lip replied, tossing the phone to Fiona, who caught it easily.
“Fiona’s a good catch. She could be useful for Annabeth,” Athena remarked, not noticing the annoyed glances Annabeth was shooting her way.
To Athena, it seemed like anyone who showed promise or talent was automatically a tool—something valuable for Annabeth to use. But to Annabeth, it felt like her mother saw people only as resources, not as individuals.
“Hey, I need something for show-and-tell,” Debbie said, shifting the conversation.
“How much are we short?” Fiona asked, turning her attention back to the bills.
“Eighteen dollars, thirty cents,” Debbie responded.
“Damn, that’s quite a bit of money,” Apollo said, breaking the silence.
Kymopoleia quickly nodded in agreement. It wasn’t just because she had a bit of a crush on him, but also because she wanted to be noticed—in a good way—especially after her last remark hadn’t gone over well.
“I’m tutoring after school. Should be able to kick in 10 more,” Lip said, counting out some money. “Wait, did Carl put in any?” he asked, looking over at him.
“You’re almost 9, Carl. You’re gonna have to start pulling your weight,” Debbie said, giving him a pointed look.
“And get a real job, not just dipping into the collection plate at St. Tim’s,” Lip added, finishing Debbie’s thought.
“That’s the sad part. He’s only about to turn 9, and he already has to work to get a real job,” Will remarked.
“I can’t help but wonder when they all started working and how they manage it with school,” Nico added thoughtfully.
“I’m filling in for Candi. I can cover the rest,” Fiona said, trying to juggle feeding Liam.
“Extra kraut on mine,” Lip said casually.
“Cheese on mine,” Ian chimed in.
“Are we going to eat after all this is done? Watching them eat is making me hungry,” Percy said, rubbing his stomach.
“Of course it does,” Athena remarked with a hint of disdain.
“Athena, you really don’t want to go there with me,” Poseidon warned, his tone sharp.
“Yes, after this, or maybe during a break, you’ll get to eat,” I said, trying to diffuse the tension as things continued.
“Somebody’s gotta take Liam,” Fiona said, sounding exasperated as she glanced around the table.
“I’ve got a calculus test,” Lip quickly responded, looking down at his notes as if already preparing for it.
“I’m working after school,” Ian said, standing up to leave.
“She’s got a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, and not one of you is willing to help her out!?” Athena exclaimed, her frustration clear.
“Because they have their own lives,” Piper retorted, defending Fiona’s siblings. “And what would they look like showing up at school with a baby?”
Fiona’s eyes shifted from Carl to Kaimana, then finally to Debbie. “Show-and-tell?” Debbie asked with a hopeful smile.
“Show them the birthmark on his back. It looks like Latvia,” Fiona said, handing Liam to Debbie.
Kaimana, who had been quiet until now, sighed and spoke up. “I can take him after school for a bit if you need me to, Fiona,” she offered. “But don’t expect me to change any diapers.”
“I kinda want to know what Latvia is, but at the same time, I don’t,” Percy said, looking uncertain.
“Kaimana is willing to help, which is sweet of her,” Aphrodite chimed in. “But I have to agree, diaper changing is a different story.”
Kymopoleia rolled her eyes. Kaimana wasn’t even with them, and after just a few minutes of watching her life, they already adored her?
How could Kaimana so easily capture everyone’s attention, while every time she tried, people saw her as a bitch or just attention-seeking?
Fiona gave her a relieved smile. “Thanks, Kai, but I think Debbie’s got it handled today.”
“Yeah, no problem,” Kaimana said with a shrug, though there was a hint of relief in her voice. She wasn’t exactly thrilled about babysitting, but she knew she’d help out if it really came down to it.
Everyone cooed at the screen—except for Kymopoleia, who sighed in annoyance. Kaimana wasn’t even in the room with them, and they barely knew her, yet she was still getting all the attention.
The scene shifts to the kids heading out the door, making their way to school. Carl spots a bike lying near the sidewalk, grabs it without hesitation, and starts pedaling away with a grin.
“Hey, that’s my fucking bike!” a kid shouted, running a few steps after Carl in frustration.
Carl turned his head back briefly, laughing as he sped off, leaving the kid behind.
“If it were me, I would’ve put the bike in front of my house instead of just leaving it out,” Annabeth said, her tone careful, as if she was trying to win her mother’s approval.
Athena nodded in agreement. “Exactly. It’s foolish of that child to think it wouldn’t be stolen. There’s no excuse for carelessness.”
“How would the kid know his bike was going to get stolen?” Percy asked, his brows furrowing. He crossed his arms, clearly not agreeing with their judgment.
Athena gave him a look. “It’s common sense, Percy. If it was on their property, sure, it’s theft. But if they left it somewhere else, it’s just careless. People should know better.”
Percy’s jaw clenched. “I know that already. I’m not as dumb as you or your daughter seem to think I am.”
Annabeth shifted uncomfortably at his words, not wanting to get dragged into the growing tension.
Kymopoleia, off to the side, rolled her eyes. ‘He really thinks he’s smarter than he is. Dumber than anyone in this world’ she thought.
“I was just saying,” Percy continued, his tone rising slightly, “what if the kid didn’t know? What if it wasn’t about carelessness? Not everyone’s asking for a damn lecture on how to take care of a bike or property laws or whatever.”
Annabeth tried to soften the situation, feeling the awkward tension rise in the room. “Percy, no one’s saying you’re dumb. We just—”
“You know what? Forget it,” Percy interrupted, throwing his hands up. “I’m tired of this. Just because I don’t always follow your logic doesn’t mean I’m an idiot.”
Kymopoleia glanced between them, then muttered under her breath, “If the shoe fits…” But no one heard her.
Aphrodite, sensing the thick tension, leaned forward in an attempt to change the subject. “Well, I think we can all agree—no one wants their bike stolen, right?” She gave a weak smile, hoping to defuse the situation.
Percy, still irritated, just shrugged. “Whatever.”
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Y’all I’m sorry for the non updates I just have a lot going on. Just give me sometime and I will go back to updating. If you have any questions on this story (I forgot what I wanted to say about this chapter and story) or any other one. Ask me my comment section is always open and my conversation post a message page whatever that’s called.
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