Lockets

VII Annabeth

CHAPTER SEVEN
Annabeth POV
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Reaching over to the nightstand to pressing the orange 'Stop' button on my phone. Signing, I flip my grey and white queen comforter off my warm and rested body. Shuffling my feet over the dark, cold wooden floors, finally making my way over to where the plush navy rug was in place in my bedroom. Switching the lights on, I squint at the sudden brightness. Blinking a couple times as I make my way over to the walk in closet, turning those lights on as well, to see not half the closet full.
Picking out some dark purple running shorts, a black racer-back shirt, and my grey, sliver, and teal running shoes. Placing the cloths on the grey bench at the end of the bed, I manover myself around the bed to make it. Changing out of my pjs after the bed is put back together, I go to the kitchen to grab a banana.
Tossing the peel away, finishing my morning routine of brushing my teeth, strapping my phone to my arm and plugging in my earbuds, tying my hair into a high pony, and lacing up my shoes. Making my way to the elevator, I grab my key card and place it in the little back pocket of my shorts.
Waving to Samatha, the lobby person, I headed out of the doors to start my daily run.

Line Breaker - After Run

Walking back into my apartment, making a beeline for the kitchen to rehydrate myself and to make a vegetable smoothie. Blending 2 cups of spinach, 1 cup of kale, 1 ½ frozen cup of mango or pineapple, 1 ½ cup water, and a scoop of protein powder. Pouring the two servings of vegetables in a tall plastic cup, drinking it as I walk back to my room to take a shower.
Washing my hair with my lemon shampoo and conditioner, washing my face, and shaving with my strawberry body wash.
Stepping out and wrapping a navy towel around my body, I am able to comb my hair into a French braid while it's wet. Moisturizing my face with some face lotion and then my body with the same scent as my body wash. Now it's time to pick out an outfit suitable for a day exploring New York with Percy.
Picking out a back sports bra, a dark green muscle shirt, light denim shorts, and black high-top converse. Dropping my towel on the closet floor, slipping the clothes on and then hanging the towel where it belongs, I move to collect the items I need for today.
My grey bag was a going away present from Fredrick, saying that I should, "...have a new backpack when starting a new school". The bag is able to be carried as a briefcase, a cross body bag, and as a regular backpack. Thinking that I would want to have two straps on today, I changed it to a backpack from my usual cross strap.
The bag's main compartment had a space for a computer and an iPad, and then some room to place books/folders/papers/notebooks. Then on the outside of the bag there are two more areas to store stuff. The bigger square had two things to put a writing utensil, two places to put a credit card/ID/gift card, and another pocket for something else. The smaller rectangle had two zippers. In the top zipper that zipped along the top and one side is able to fit a pencil pouch, my TI-84 Graphing Calculator, and my Aviators. The second zipper was on the face of the rectangle where you could store an iPhone with earbuds.
Taking out my pencil pouch, calculator, stylus, books, and notebooks. I replaced and checked if I had my stone color hydro flask, backup charger, lanyard, granola bar, sun screen, NY hat, hand sanitizer, lip balm, sun glasses, and phone. Thinking I had everything, I checked the time to see it is 8:50. Having 10 minutes left before Sally told me to meet Percy at their apartment, I walked into the office to charge my computer, iPad, reMarkable2, earbuds, and Bluetooth speaker.
I only got these things last week, actually I was shopping for these things when Sally called me to check if this Saturday was a good day for me to have Percy show me around a little.

Flashback

It was Saturday, nine days after I saw Sally last week Thursday, that I decided I should get some technology for school. I'm not in high school anymore, where teachers want you to hand write your essay or to type and print them in the computer lab. No, professors want you to turn your essays and assignments in online. At least that's what my counselor said after we agree I would stop by her office every Friday to check in.
After my run I decided to create my To-Do List for today. 1) look for a new dance studio, 2) sign up for a tumbling class, 3) buy musical instruments, 4) buy technology
I used to do a little dance before high school, before I got too busy, when there was a time Fredrick would take me to the ballet class that every 3 year old girl went to. It was one of two things he did with me or made me have his full attention.
The second thing was when I had piano lessons. He would sit and watch me learn the piano with the teacher. And on days he couldn't sit in and watch, he would want to see what I learned after the class. I picked up on it pretty quick, you know, with being able to memorize what keys made what notes and how to read music.
But then he became distracted or have other things to attend to, which would later become Susan. I thought that if I got better at ballet and the piano, he would give me his time and attention.
He didn't.
So I learned the guitar. I learned contemporary dance. Thinking that he would come watch me practice or come to my recitals.
He didn't.
So I learned the ukulele and violin. I learned hip hop. Trying to impress him or to think that I was enough to be paid attention too.
He didn't.
I was leaning that no matter what I did, no matter how well I did it. I wouldn't have my father's attention. I understand that now.
In high school, you could borrow the instruments over the weekend, so I did. Knowing that Fredrick wouldn't buy me my own because it was too expensive or he just didn't have the time to go shopping for it with me. I stopped going to dance classes during the week when my days would be full with school work. To keep up on my dancing, I danced in my room. It was the one thing that showed me that I didn't have to be in control all the time. That I could just flow with the music, without being concerned on what grade I got or what my teachers thought.
It just was.
I still did ballet classes on the weekend because it was the one style that you needed to keep learning and practicing on pointe shoes. Where the other styles are more of self exploring and expression.