Troubled

37

chapter thirty-seven
percy

The days quickly slipped past, and the end of the school year was approaching.

Nearly every free moment I had was spent studying, usually with Annabeth at my side. Although we didn't have much time together, I felt closer to her than ever.

She would help me study for tests, with homework, and even help me pick a career and possible colleges for me attend.

"Do you wanna stay in New York?" Annabeth asked me one day during one of these study sessions in my dorm room.

She sat at my desk, several textbooks and notecards taking up the space. She had masterfully balanced a laptop on the mess and was searching for potential colleges for the both of us.

Even though I was supposed to be studying, I was laying on my bed and flipping through some boring Spanish textbook.

"Of course," I replied. "Why? Do you wanna leave New York?"

She shook her head. "No way. I'm going to the city right away. The first chance that I get. So if you wanna stay in New York, that limits your options."

I shrugged as I read the textbook, the words floating off the page. "I'm gonna fail this Spanish final. Why are accents on words a thing? And is it me gusta or yo gusta?"

"Me gusta," Annabeth responded as she continued to type on her computer. "It means 'I like.'"

"Then why isn't it yo gusta? Yo means I, right?" I asked as I wrinkled my nose at all the work I had ahead of me.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I dunno, I didn't invent the Spanish language. And you'll do fine, you just have to memorize the conjugations. And the test isn't until next week, you'll improve."

"If you say so."

After a few more dedicated minutes of Annabeth clicking and typing on her computer and me casually reading through the Spanish textbook, she turned to me, her eyes lit up.

"Stony Brook!" she exclaimed.

"And that is?!" I asked, matching her enthusiasm.

She rolled her eyes. "It's a college in New York that has a marine biology program. You said that was what you wanted to study, right?"

I shrugged as I snapped close the textbook. "I dunno. I guess that seems alright. How expensive is it?"

"Uhhh....looks to be 15k a year, but I'm sure you'll get scholarships. And it has a decent acceptance rate, and a fairly high graduation rate," she said triumphantly with a grin.

"What about their architecture program?" I asked.

"You wanna go into architecture now?" Annabeth replied with a frown.

I shook my head. "Nah, but you do. And I don't want you to be far from me. Now I know it's stupid to make your lifelong plans based on your high school girlfriend, but we both wanna go to the city, why not do so together?"

She blushed. "Well, I wanna go to Columbia University, which also happens to be in New York City."

"You're smart enough to get into Columbia?!" I exclaimed. She frowned.

I always knew Annabeth was smart. That was just a given. But Columbia smart?

"Well, based on the assessment of all the teachers and college people my family has hired for me, I'm on the track of being accepted," she said with a very proud grin.

"Wow, wise girl, I'm impressed," I sputtered. "So, while I'm off at, uh, Story Book you'll be at Columbia changing the world."

She rolled her eyes. "It's Stony Brook, and I wouldn't say that I'll change the world. Maybe the architecture field as a whole, but the whole world?"

"How are you paying for a school like Columbia? I mean, it can't be cheap," I admitted.

"It's not," she replied honestly. "But I'll get scholarships. And my family will help me out, I hope. My father always told me he'd pay for my whole tuition if I went to Harvard, that's where he went. But I think he just meant college in general. Anyways, how are you gonna pay for college?"

I sighed. Ever since I was young my mom would assure me that she would have enough money by the time that I meant off to college. Of course she didn't, but I really didn't want to accept my father's offer, but I needed the money.

Even though I had kept the contents of the letter from everyone, including my mom, I knew that it was time to share them.