Troubled

81

chapter eighty-one
percy

There it is.

Standing in front of me was Annabeth's new apartment building. The building was tall and sleek with many windows. Many people, who I assumed were her neighbors, jutted in and out of the building in a hurry.

The building wasn't too far from mine, maybe a five minute car ride in my mother's old Prius I had inherited.

But I recognized the building. I'd passed it many times on the way to my new apartment building, thinking it was nothing special. Well, except for the fact it looked as if some of New York's wealthiest lived there.

After double checking the address on my phone, which Annabeth had texted to me at least twice, I finally worked up the courage to enter the building.

The lobby was nearly deserted except for a doorman and a few other people passing by who I assumed lived in the building.

"Uh, hi," I said awkwardly to the doorman as I've never lived in an apartment with one.

He was tall with sleek brown hair and a bored expression on his face. He peered me up and down and smirked as if my clothes, plain jeans and a sweatshirt, were rags.

"Did someone order a pizza?" he asked snootily from behind his desk.

I shook my head and narrowed my eyes, trying to keep my cool. "No, I'm here to see someone who lives in the building."

"To deliver something?" he asked again. I shook my head. "To fix something?"

"No!" I exclaimed. "I'm here to see the people who live on, uhhh, floors four and five."

I stumbled with my words as I had to pull out my phone and double check what floor Annabeth lived on.

The man's eyes widened and he immediately started ushering towards the elevators. "Oh, yes, of course. Go up, go up. I'm so sorry for doubting you, any guest of Athena Pallas's is welcomed here."

Weird, I thought as I nodded at the guy and headed into the elevators. Total tone switch when I mentioned floor four....

I pushed the thoughts out of my mind as the elevator stopped and opened to a small, well furnished hallway. There was only one door and a fake plant, so I approached the door and knocked.

The door instantly swung open and I was engulfed in a hug by Annabeth.

"You made it!" she exclaimed with a wide grin. "What took you so long? You said you'd be here at noon, it's been nearly a half an hour!"

I sighed as Annabeth led me inside, closing the door after us. Her apartment was huge, if it even qualified as being called an apartment.

The entryway was decorated lavishly with a huge chandelier, many gorgeous paintings and sculptures, but looked somewhat bare.

As she led me through the apartment I couldn't help but gawk. It wasn't as lavish as Rachel's house, but it was a close second.

The kitchen, where Annabeth ushered for me to sit in a stool, was huge. It had all marble, pristine counter tops and all brand new, high-tech technology.

"Sorry I was late," I admitted as Annabeth rushed around the kitchen, her golden hair whipping behind her. "I woke up late, traffic, the normal stuff. Oh, and your doorman is a prick."

She snorted and nodded. "God, tell me about it! He hates me, but I think he's in love with my mother. Or just a huge admirer. He's such a suck-up when she's around, but he doesn't seem to like me."

"Me neither," I responded with a light laugh. "But this place is....huge, to say the least."

Annabeth nodded and bent down on the counter to be eye level with me. "I know, I'm still not used to it. It makes my old house look like a dump."

I shrugged. "I've never seen your old house, but for such a nice place this apartment is, it's so bare."

"Empty," she commented in agreement. "Do you want anything? Athena can't cook, and the private chef is gone for the holidays, but I can make some coffee or something."

I raised an eyebrow. "Private chef? Damn, Chase, I've gotta come over more. Especially when the private chef is here. I wonder if they can make blue food...."

Annabeth rolled her eyes and laughed. "Don't worry, they are nowhere near Sally's cooking. So is that a no on the coffee then?"

"Maybe later, but I wanna see the rest of your apartment," I admitted with a slight grin. "For a famous architect, Athena sure could spice up her interior decorating."

"Architecture is designing the outside of buildings, seaweed brain," Annabeth replied with a wink. "And sure, I could give you a tour if you wanted. I mean, this place isn't that great."

"I'll be the judge of that," I responded as we linked arms. "Now, be my tour guide!"

She rolled her eyes as she led me out of the kitchen and into a huge living room with floor to ceiling windows that were covered with huge, gray curtains. The furniture was hard as a rock and looked never used.

After I finished staring at the huge television in astonishment, she led me to the dining room, which was as expensive looking as excepted.

Then I got led to several guest bedrooms which were all furnished nearly exactly, but we wisely avoided Athena's.

"And this is my room," Annabeth said as she swung open the door, revealing a room similar to the other guests rooms.

Her bed was, unsurprisingly, made, and her room was nearer than mine's ever been. She had a small window with a view of the city, which made me certain she picked the room for the view, not the size.

The room was identical to the other's except for Annabeth's personal belongings like a computer and clothes, a poster for Columbia University, and a couple pictures of her and Thalia on the wall.

"So, are you packed?" I asked her as I peered around her room.

She frowned. "For what?"

"Christmas," I replied with a grin. "My mom is dying to have you over again. She asks about you all the time now."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes at me. "Really? Well, I was under the impression that I would just be spending Christmas Eve with you. Does Sally...does Sally really want me over at her house for that long?"

I laughed and nodded. "Annabeth, as I said, both her and Paul adore you. Now get packed, you're spending Christmas with us again."

A grin appeared on her face. Then she pulled me into a hug. "God, I love you."

"I love you, too, wise girl."