Troubled

56

chapter fifty-six
annabeth

"I guess this is goodbye."

My mother awkwardly patted my arm as she opened her car door, waiting for me to head off into the university.

Even though I was still staying at home while learning, my mother still felt the need to do the whole drop off at college thing with me for my first day of classes.

"I'll have to get you your own car, but until then I'll send someone to pick you up," she said as she entered her car.

I nodded as I timidly waved at her. "Okay, so I guess I'll see you tonight."

"I might be a little late, getting held up at work and all. But just let yourself in if I'm not home, you have the key," Athena said as her car roared. "I'm already risking a lot to drop you off personally, so make sure this day counts. And come straight home when your classes end. Oh, don't forget to meet with the dean, I told her that you'd have a special meeting with her. Don't worry, we go way back, it'll be fine."

She peered at me one last time before gunning her car and speeding out of sight. I rolled my eyes as I gripped onto my backpack, which was filled with brand new textbooks purchased by my mother.

After a long chat with some admissions office woman, where she mentioned several times she knew my parents, I was allowed to start classes.

The classes were long yet interesting. As the day went by I nearly forgot all about Percy, living at home, and anything else troubling me.

The classes were somewhat confusing as I'd missed the first week of class, but I caught up quickly. Every professor I spoke with assured me that I could catch up since they knew how simply brilliant my parents were.

My father had attended Harvard University, but his reputation must've spread across the country. And my own mother, the famous Athena Pallas, had attended Columbia and was offered jobs there constantly, meaning that I already had a reputation to maintain.

I cursed under my breath after leaving yet another professor's office. The hallways were nearly packed and I clung to my backpack out of nerves.

Once all my classes for the day were finished I begrudgingly made my way to the dean's office for my first day of school chat my mother had step up, which made me want to die of embarrassment.

The offices were packed. Several professors stood around chatting, several I recognized and several I didn't.

The receptionist confirmed my appointment with me and showed me a seat before returning to their desk and typing away.

I peered around the room. It was filled with fancy furniture and awards. It was packed with professors and all of them ignored me, allowing me to overhear their conversations.

"It's a girl!" I heard a voice say triumphantly. The other professors all expressed their congratulations. "Seems healthy, is due in April!"

"Congratulations, Paul," one professor said back as I continued to stare at the ground to show I wasn't eavesdropping, even though I certainly was. "Is she going to graduate Columbia one day?"

This man, Paul, sighed. "I hope so! If she inherits her mother's brains."

His colleagues all laughed. "Don't you have a son college age? Where does he go?"

"He's my stepson, and he goes to Stony Brook."

This alerted me. I instantly looked up and I spotted a flash of a familiar face. Paul Blofis, Percy's stepfather, was in this office, surrounded by his fellow professors.

Suddenly every hung came back to me. Percy had told me Paul was a teacher, not a professor at Columbia. He'd also hadn't mentioned a baby sister in his letter to me, leading me to believe that this was recent news.

Before I could jump up and try to contact Paul, he wished his fellow professors goodbye and claimed he had to go home to his wife, Sally Jackson.

"Annabeth Chase?" the receptionist asked, causing me to perk my head up. I nodded in response. "I'm so sorry, but the dean can't see you today. Too busy of a schedule. She sends her regards to you and your mother and hopes to reschedule soon."

I nodded and sighed with relief. "Thanks, I've gotta go!"

Before the receptionist could respond I rushed out of the room, desperate to find Paul. But, alas, he'd been lost in the crowd of college kids.

After sulking for a while on my ride home in private car, I decided it was for the best I hadn't seen Paul. Maybe I just needed to move on from Percy. After all, it's not like even if I found Paul he'd be able to lead me to Percy.

And, to be honest, I was fairly certain Percy had already forgotten about me.