CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH

                                    

                                          
 Chapter Soundtrack - Chapter 3: "Uninvited" by Alanis Morissette
                          
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            As I carefully moved around the contents of what my mother claimed was chicken casserole from one end of my plate to the other, I tried to stay focused on the conversation at the dinner table and not the conversation I had had the day before with Gabriel.
                          
            "So, Athena, what are your plans for tonight?" my mother asked. 
                          
            I tried to suppress a small groan as I looked up at her.  She already knew what my answer most likely was going to be and I already knew what her reaction would definitely be.  My nights were usually spent reading, working or hanging out with Gretchen.  To my mother's chagrin, my usual destinations of choice were either the library or the World Wide Web and tonight I had a date with both.  "I'll probably spend a few hours at the library, catch up on some research I've been meaning to do."  I stole a glance at my father, silently pleading for some support at what was about to come next. 
                          
            "Athena," my mother said quietly, "another night at the library?  I'm sure there are at least a dozen other things you could be doing with your friends tonight.  What's Gretchen up to?"
                          
            "She's cheering tonight at the Vikings basketball game," I replied sullenly, as if my mother didn't already know.  She was always hoping Gretchen's outgoing personality would eventually rub off on me.  I had accepted that my mother's expectations would always be met with disappointment when it came to my social life, but living according to someone else's definition of normal just wasn't in my DNA. 
                          
            "You see, now Gretchen has the right idea.  She's involved in school activities and socializes with her peers.  She dates," she added at the end with emphasis. 
                          
            "Diane, leave the girl alone.  It's not like she's running off with delinquents doing who knows what.  In this day and age, you should be proud that you have a daughter who cares more about her future than her popularity," my father cut in, winking at me with an understanding look in his eyes. 
                          
            James Thorpe was a computer engineer.  He had been born and raised in Sparrow, met my mom in college and married her a few years after they graduated.  They had me two years later with my brother Nathan following a year after that.  Yes, we were the all-American family, white picket fence and all.  But my father was a great man and at this moment, he was my king.
                          
            "James, of course I'm proud of Athena.  I just think it would be good for her to spend a little more time enjoying her youth."  She looked at me as she continued.  "Honey, I know I've said this before, but you're only young once.  You have five months left of high school.  Do you really want to spend the bulk of that time at the library reading?" 
                          
            I rolled my eyes.  My mother, and pretty much everyone else, would never understand how the worlds I read about in books could possibly be more fascinating than what was taking place around me.  It was time for this conversation to end, for this week anyway.  "I'm done," I grunted as I picked up my plate and glass, walking over to the sink and dropping them in. 
                          
            "But you barely touched your dinner," my mother protested.  "The library isn't going anywhere, Athena.  You have time to finish a meal."
                          
            "I'm suddenly not hungry."  That was a lie.  I was starving, which meant I'd be making a stop at Calhoun's before the library.
                          
            "Oh, Athena, stop being so sensitive.  I'm just trying to make sure you don't miss out on something you'll have regrets about later.  Just remember, you can't go back.  You can never go back."