Forgotten Paradise by Average Canadian

Chapter 21: So That's What Happened

Percy scanned the rows of books blandly. He tried to look at least interested while at the library. Why Rachel needed to go to the library? Well a school project. So naturally Percy got dragged along too. It was his job.

He sent a discreet look back at Rachel perched at a table while several books lay open in front of her. She insisted on having her space. The morning after Rachel's drugged out kiss, Rachel had crawled down the stairs sheepishly. She had remembered everything making an awkward between them. That morning had consisted of a lot of quick glances, mumbles and then eventually a vase being chucked at Percy's head. Now Percy couldn't come within a three meter radius without being shot a warning look.

He went back to scanning the cheap wooden shelves looking at book after book. His eyes tired from staying up all night while his arms felt like concrete hanging down from his shoulders. Truthfully he couldn't sleep. The words that he spat at Annabeth haunting his head. He called her nosy. The way he said it made him want to bang his head against a wall and scream. She didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve any of that. Why had he been such an idiot?

All that night Percy had brainstormed on any reason, any reason at all on to tell Annabeth about her past, about him and her. Nothing came though. He threw the notebook against the wall and tried to sleep. But sleep dwindled from him. Almost as if sleep evaded him just to let him be tortured in his reality.

Now he was looking at row after row of books. Trying to forget that he had made a sticky mess that would probably hang over his head for the rest of his life after he left.

After he left.

Such a weird concept to think. After Rachel was safe Percy would be gone. He'd have to leave his friends, and now what he considered a home without an explanation. Why had he let those wonderful idiots into his life?

Science fiction, Fiction, biographies all passed. He scanned again on the next level.

Chase.

Printed neatly on the bottom of a book were the words 'by Athena Chase' in gold lettering.

Chase? Percy pulled out the book and examined the bland blue color. A book about the complexity of cells in the human brain or something. But Chase? Any relation to Annabeth?

Eagerly Percy tore through to the back of the book looking straight at the Author's mini writer's biography. He skipped the paragraph and let his eyes bore into the picture at Athena chase.

Soft brown hair inlaid with curls, a sloped nose, tan skin, Thick full lips. All the features resembling Annabeth's, but the big giveaway was the eyes. Athena Chase's eyes were stormy grey piercing the page but soft and docile at the same time.

This had to be Annabeth's mother. The likeliness was jaw dropping. His pulse quickened and his mind got jittery. Slowly, his sagging shoulders perked up while the sleepiness was replaced with eagerness. He needed to examine this.

As Casually as he could, Percy walked through the library and took a seat at one of the computers.

He opened Google and typed in: Athena Chase.

After a few false leads he found a sparse Wikipedia page.

Athena Chase: Scientist, author and Former Brain Surgeon

Percy ripped through the page with curious eyes. This had to be Annabeth's mom. He read the brief summary of her life hopefully.

Athena Elizabeth Wilson was born and raised in Chicago Illinois. She grew up with her parents who were both doctors. Athena excelled at school and quickly became a Surgeon to fulfill her parents wishes.