Troubled

84

chapter eighty-four
annabeth

"Annabeth Diane Chase!"

After a cold and terrifying ride back to my apartment, I paid the cabbie and rushed inside to see Athena standing in the doorway, clearly waiting for me.

Her arms were crossed and she looked angrier than I'd ever seen her before. Her lips were pursed as if she was about to yell at me and her expression somewhat resembled Helen's when she punished me.

"Where in god's name were you?!" she exclaimed as she threw her hands up in anger. She pulled me inside and slammed the door closed.

She whisked me inside and nearly threw me done on the couch, pacing in front of me with her arms crossed, clearly enraged.

"I'm sorry!" I protested, but it didn't seem to do much help. She just shook her head and continued her pacing, occasionally growling curse words. "Athena? M-mom?"

Despite her being my mother, calling her so was hard. It often got caught in my throat and was followed by awkward silence, much like today.

She stopped her pacing and crossed her arms. I couldn't help but now notice what she was wearing; a professional black pantsuit with a white, cotton button up underneath it. She wore no jewelry and her dark, brown hair was pulled into a smooth bun.

She wore a scowl of disapproval and disappointment as she peered down at me. "I'm going to ask you one, final more time, where were you?"

"I've already told you, I was with Thalia!" I protested, hoping my lie wasn't too obvious as I was literally wearing one of Percy's sweatshirts under my coat.

"How can I believe you? You completely lied to me about going home for Christmas. All you do is disrespect and undermine me, constantly!" she screeched. "Annabeth Diane Chase, you should be ashamed! I didn't raise you to act like this!"

After pushing back tears in my eyes, I stood up angrily so I could be at her level. "I know. In fact, you didn't raise me at all! And that's the reason why I don't act like your perfect child, that's the reason I don't like going home for Christmas, if you can even call that place my home. All of Helen's relatives mock me, saying things like, 'where's your mother at?' and, 'is it true you haven't seen her in years?'"

Athena's face went red, which surprised me. "Annabeth, you can't change the past! I just....I can't believe you'd break my rules! You're lucky I'm not grounding you until the end of time right now! And you have the audacity to yell at me?! After all I've done for you?"

"After all you've done for me?" I sputtered as I crossed my arms. "You know what, write up a list of what you've done for me, I'm sure it could fit on a post it!"

Athena flared her nostrils at me. "See? So disrespectful after I take you in after you fuck up your life by hooking up with some hooligan—"

"Don't call him that!" I screamed, interrupting her. Her eyes widened as she watched me rush away from her and up the stairs, my hair whipping behind me.

"You know what, you're grounded!" she yelled after me, but I ignored her and slammed my door, hoping that would keep her out.

The next couple days all went by in a blur. I didn't leave my room unless completely necessary, and I avoided Athena at all times, only seeing her a grand total of four times in the next six days.

Despite her complete, utter anger for me, she didn't yell at me anymore. Or even talk to me. She didn't even take my phone or crappy flip phone, which surprised me the most. Since she hadn't taken my phone, I texted Percy several times daily.

Then New Year's Eve rolled around, and Athena finally made contact with me.

A knock on the door startled me and caused me to drop my phone, sending it flying. After struggling to locate it and properly hide it, I responded.

"What?" I groaned, refusing to leave my bed and answer the door.

Athena, who seemed equally stubborn, didn't open the door and spoke to me through it. "I'm going to my office today for a New Year's Party. You are not to leave or to have anyone over. I have the doorman keeping an eye out for you."

"Great," I replied sarcastically. "Bye, I guess."

I could tell she was rolling her eyes, but she didn't respond. Instead I heard her walking away. I peered down into the street below and watched her enter a private car dressed in some fancy golden dress I'd never seen her wear before.

The second her car disappeared from my sight I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed Percy's number. He picked up at the second ring.

"Hey," I said with a smile.

"God, it sound so good to hear your voice again," Percy said with a laugh. "Is Athena finally chilling out or should I keep my voice down?"

"Better, she's gone," I said with a laugh.

"Did you....kill her?" he asked nervously.

I shook my head. "Nah, she's just at some pretentious work party. Come over, I can't bare being away from you this long again."

Percy laughed. "Okay, I'll be there soon. Only if your snooty doorman doesn't judge me again."

I sucked my teeth and frowned. "Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that you can't come in that way. Athena has him on full alert for people coming to see me."

"So how am I getting in?" Percy asked. "Annabeth, I'm scared of your plans."

I laughed. "Ahh, you probably should be. How good of a climber are you?"