64

                                    

                                          
annabeth
chapter sixty-four
                          
"Thank you!" 
                          
"Yeah, whatever," the woman responded as she closed the door to her apartment and, presumably, returned back to her show. 
                          
A smile appeared on my face as I looked down at the piece of paper the woman had handed me. It had a new address, not far from here. 
                          
Since I was close enough to their new apartment, I decided against wasting more money for a cab. Even though it was freezing outside, I was used to the cold and my determination cancelled it out. 
                          
The sidewalks were icy and packed with people. I'd been living in the city for nearly five months now and I still hadn't gotten used to how packed New York was. 
                          
As I neared the address my heart start pounding. What if he forgot about me? What if he's moved on? 
                          
Then my phone started ringing. Athena had given me a very basic flip phone that only had her number in it, and, of course, I hadn't memorized any numbers, not even Percy's. 
                          
I cursed under my breathe as I picked up the phone. "Hey mom." 
                          
"Hello, Annabeth, has Fredrick come to pick you up yet?" she asked in a very causal voice. 
                          
I sighed with relief. "Yeah, mom. I'm home already." 
                          
She paused, which made my heart skip a beat. "Are you sure? What's with all that background noise, are you still in the city?" 
                          
"No!" I said suddenly. Then I laughed awkwardly. "I mean, no, I'm not. All of my relatives are here, they're all super loud. You know, normal Thanksgiving stuff."
                          
Normal Thanksgiving stuff?! Do I want to be caught? 
                          
"Hmm, okay," she said. "Well, if you want to head back to the apartment just ask Fredrick to drive you. I'd hate for you to be alone there, but I can't come back. Not now, anyways. I've just landed in California." 
                          
"How exciting," I lied, clearly uninterested. "Well, good luck, I guess."
                          
"I won't need it." 
                          
I rolled my eyes as I hung up the phone. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I held onto the phone tight, desperately trying to remember phone numbers. 
                          
All of a sudden a number came back to me. When Thalia had first gotten a phone I'd been forced to memorize her number since I only had a landline at home. 
                          
My eyes widened as I desperately called her number several times before she answered. 
                          
"What do you fucking want?!" she practically yelled at the phone. 
                          
"Thalia, it's me!" I replied. 
                          
"Oh, really? Annabeth?" she asked. "Thank god it's you. Although I'm a bit surprised you're not contacting me through email. Or even carrier pigeon." 
                          
"Haha, very funny," I responded. "I managed to convince Athena to go on a work trip for Thanksgiving, I'm alone this week. She left me this awful flip phone to contact her." 
                          
Thalia gasped. "No way. You're not going home to Helen?" 
                          
I rolled my eyes as I leaned against the side of a building, people glaring at me as I walked past. "Nope. I lied to Athena, that's where she thinks I am."
                          
"Sweet. I love this side of you," said Thalia with an evil cackle. "Does that mean I get to come over?" 
                          
I nodded. "Yes, of course. Not...not today, though. If everything goes to plan, I won't be alone tonight."
                          
"Wait, you're at Percy's place?" Thalia whispered as if my parents could hear her through the phone. "And you didn't tell me first?" 
                          
"No time and I didn't have a phone," I shot back. "Turns out he moved, but I got his new address and I'm heading there right now. Thalia...I'm really nervous." 
                          
Thalia laughed. "Shut up. You can't be nervous. You're Annabeth Chase! And this Percy....he's nothing to be nervous over. I still don't get why you're so into him." 
                          
I sighed. "Me neither. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" 
                          
After saying our goodbyes I placed the awful phone in my pocket and thought about Percy. I do get why I'm into him. Maybe it's his sea green eyes, messy hair, or goofball personality. 
                          
Whatever it is, I can't deny it. 
                          
After giving myself a mini pep talk, I continued my strides towards Percy's new address. After a few agonizing minutes, I had arrived. 
                          
"So, this is it..." I whispered as I peered at the paper and then back up at the building. "I guess I should go in...." 
                          
Then I spotted something. Percy walked out of his apartment dressed in a disheveled button up and dress pants. 
                          
Before I could call for him he rushed over to a girl I hadn't noticed before who was lingering by his building. She had fierce wavy red hair and bright green eyes. 
                          
The second they saw each other they started laughing and smiling at each other. Percy laughed the exact same way he used to laugh with me....
                          
They're just friends, I tried my best to assure myself. Percy wouldn't date her, right? I mean, we're not officially together anymore, but we never had a break up? 
                          
Before I could work up enough nerve to go by the two, the red headed girl pulled Percy into a kiss.
                          
And then I ran.