Troubled

87

chapter eighty-seven
percy

"I'm free."

I laughed as I watched Annabeth raise her arms in joy, a smile plastered on her face.

It was the first night of our summer vacation, our freedom from college. We'd both somehow managed to survive one year, which meant celebration. So Annabeth snuck out and met me at some grimy pizza joint in the city by our apartments.

"So, where are you spending the summer?" I asked Annabeth casually as I drummed my fingers against the grimy, chipped table. "Hopefully with me."

Annabeth sighed as she brushed a strand of her blonde curls out of her face. "No, but god I wish. Last summer before everything happened was, like, the best summer of my life. Either that one or the one before, which I spent the entirety of with Thalia."

"Speaking of Thalia," I said and checked my watch. "Where is she? Wasn't she supposed to meet us here, like, half an hour ago?"

"For Thalia, that means she'll be here any second. And—there she is. Right on time," said Annabeth with a grin as she stood up and ushered Thalia over to our table.

Thalia returned Annabeth's smile and rushed over to our table. She was dressed in all black with ripped jeans, a Green Day American Idiot album cover t-shirt, and a leather jacket full of random pins.

She sat next to Annabeth and glared at me from across the table. "Kelp head."

I rolled my eyes, but, deep down, I was terrified of Thalia. "Pine face."

Annabeth ignored us and started talking. "I did it, Thals! One year down, three more to go. And next year will be different, I'll be on campus!"

Thalia laughed. "You're cute when you're all worked up. Anyways, what is this place?"

"Only the best pizza place in New York City," I shot back at Thalia as I ushered around the restaurant, which looked a bit underwhelming.

The place looked like it hadn't been cleaned or updated since the 80's. Squeaky, cherry red stools lined several ancient tables all jammed into a tiny pizza place near my apartment.

My mom had first taken me to this tacky pizza place when I was a child and we've been going ever since, earning it the title of my favorite pizza place. I've been trying to convince her to bring Estelle here, but she won't until she's sure Estelle is all vaccinated.

Thalia rose an eyebrow in doubt and crossed her arms. She leaned back as much as she could in a stool. "Sure it is. Anyways, how is Estelle?"

Thalia had never met Estelle, only seen her though pictures, but had an interest in her because of how cute Estelle was. I mean, who wouldn't love her?

"She's good," I said with a smile. "She smiles all the time now, especially when I'm holding her. And she's trying to lift her head now. She's pretty good for a baby her age."

"I still can't believe someone that cute is related to you," Thalia replied with a smirk. "I'll have to meet her sometime. Maybe when you two dorks babysit her."

Annabeth shrugged. "I dunno, Paul and Sally are pretty protective. But Percy isn't as clumsy as I thought he would be."

I rolled my eyes. "Gee, thanks. You two are ever so kind."