Cafe Olympus

chapter 6

Chapter 6: Annabeth

Annabeth said her goodbye's to Percy and Jason's friends as they left, promising to keep in touch and wishing them a safe trip back home as she held the door open for them. She kept waving and kept a smile on her face despite the fact that she could feel her body deflating with fatigue. It had been a while since she'd hung out with this many people before, and all at once, it was a lot.

As her friends settled on the couch and she saw Percy disappear with Calypso Annabeth took a moment to breathe in the kitchen. Her friends exploded in loud shouts of excitement as their game hit the finals. She quickly darted past them and out onto the balcony, she glanced back briefly, but they were all preoccupied with something to notice her. As if feeling her gaze Thalia glanced up from her phone and tilted her head at her. Annabeth smiled back in response, hoping that it translated to I'm okay, Thalia nodded back as if to say she understood.

Annabeth turned out to look at the skyline and found herself walking to her favourite part of her apartment.

The hidden staircase was a white flag sent by her mother when she was looking at places in the city to live. Though she'd grown up with her father, she knew she took after her mother in mindset and in looks. She could picture her mother's stern face, with storming grey eyes to match watching over her as she leaned on the railing, watching cars stop and go on her street, their headlights illuminating the night. It had been many, many months, if not years since she'd seen her mother since she was always travelling for work, their relationship had been shaped through staticky Facetimes and broken phone calls, always ending sooner than Annabeth wished. Despite the weak foundations of their relationship, Annabeth treasured it, even if it sometimes caused her more pain than love.

Lightly Annabeth brought her hand to her throat where she had her father's college ring attached to a chain. Her relationship with her father wasn't any better.

Annabeth's sigh was caught and lost in the wind, and she closed her eyes, letting the comforting sounds of New York ground her in a way that other things couldn't. This was nice. This type of quiet.

The sound of rubble skidding against the concrete and startled footsteps ripped Annabeth out of her calm and her eyes flew open. She turned and came face-to-face with Percy who looked like he was ready to backtrack.

"Sorry- I just- You want to be alone don't you? Sorry."

Unable to help herself, Annabeth smiled.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to, I just wanted a bit of quiet."

Percy hesitated again, shuffling his feet.

Annabeth looked at him, waiting to see what he would choose. When he didn't move she beckoned him closer.

"You can stay."

"Are you sure?"

"We can be alone, together." His face broke out into a grin and she found herself mirroring him. He finally moved closer and leaned against the railing next to her, bracing his arms against it and looking up at the sky.

"No stars," he murmured. Annabeth followed his train of sight and where the velvet night sky usually was, dark clouds stirred like a brewing storm. There was probably gonna be a final storm before summer ends, washing away the heat and humidity to make way for a crisp Fall.

"Can you feel that?" He whispered. Annabeth tilted her head at him before shaking her head.

"A storm is coming. I can feel it."

"Clouds kind of give that away," Annabeth pointed out. But he shook her head at her.

"It's more than that, look," he held up his arm, and the hairs were standing up as if he had been electrocuted, "It's like lightning is about to strike," he continued and kept his eyes up to the sky like he was having a conversation with someone up there.