Lauren got off the elevator and compared room numbers before turning left.
She had scoured her mother's office for her uncle's address before she had left Flag Staff for Manhattan, so she thought she knew where she was going, but now that she was here, she was losing some of her nerve. Maybe she should have at least called during her layover or something.
Either way, she was in what she hoped to be the right apartment building, and was looking for apartment number 2045.
2039, 2041, 2043... 2045.
She resisted the urge to put her ear up against the door. Was this where her uncle and his wife really lived?
Well, there was only one way to find out.
She knocked hard on the door, and held her breath, biting her lip in nervousness.
Seconds later, the door was answered by a boy that seemed to be a little older than her. He had dark brown hair, very green eyes, and must have been smirking about something that had just happened before he had opened the door.
"Hi, can I help you?" He asked, his smile making Lauren less nervous.
'I hope so,' she thought.
"Does Paul Blofis live here?" She asked, her nervousness immediately returning on thinking about how she would be received. She felt her body already drooping in defeat.
"Oh, yeah," the guy said, looking a little confused. "Are you a student of his or something?"
"No," she replied. "I'm his niece, Lauren."
"Oh! I think that makes us cousins, or something. I'm Percy, Paul's stepson."
"Hi," Lauren returned with a smile. "I'm sorry, he isn't expecting me."
"That's alright," Percy said, opening the door wider. "Come on in."
Lauren followed him in, and was shocked at the surroundings of the apartment.
There was food on the island in the kitchen, music in the living room, and a bunch of kids on the couches, chairs and the floor.
Percy walked past her and went to a blond girl with gray eyes.
"This is my girlfriend, Annabeth. I'll go get Paul, and she can introduce you to everyone. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen," he said, and then he was off.
Annabeth got off the couch and put out her hand. "Hi, I'm Annabeth."
"I'm Lauren," Lauren said, sticking out her own hand and shaking Annabeth's.
"Well, this is Grover, Tyson, Hazel, Frank, Nico, Reyna, Jason, and Piper."
Annabeth pointed to each person as they came up, and each gave a nod, wave, or both, some as they took a bite of pizza or a slurp of soda.
Lauren didn't even have a chance to figure out where she would sit when her Uncle Paul came out into the living room.
"Lauren? I've been talking to your mother since this morning, I can't believe you would just leave like that!"
She sighed, thinking something like this might have happened. She didn't have a great excuse, but she thought Uncle Paul would be at least understanding.
She was playing with the strap on her bag, practically wringing it across her chest.
"I'm sorry I didn't call or anything, but please Uncle Paul, don't send me back yet," her voice was hitching, and her face was burning at the thought of all these kids being able to see her cry.
Paul took her hand and brought his niece in to squeeze her against his chest. "You shouldn't have just ran off."
"I'm sorry. I just couldn't stay there anymore. Not since Olivia-"
"I understand Honey, I do," Paul said, hugging Lauren harder. "I'm going to call your mother, and we'll figure out what to do. Sally, can we put her in the guest room?"
"Your New York apartment has a guest room?" Lauren tried to joke, but tears were still running down her face.
Uncle Paul drew back, and Lauren spotted her aunt for the first time. Her parents had been the ones that came to New York when they had got married, but she had seen pictures. Instead of wearing a creamy, ivory, tea length wedding dress, the slender brunette was wearing jeans and a blue t shirt that really enhanced her eyes. She was smiling, her smile reminding Lauren of Percy's.
"We sure do, let me show you," Sally answered, turning on her socked foot, waving Lauren to come with her.
Paul followed after them, stepping into a room as his wife and niece continued down the hallway.
"Here you are," Sally said, opening the last door in the hallway, revealing a typical guest bedroom.
Lauren helped herself, entering and putting her bag on the perfectly made bed. "Thank you so much. I'm sorry I just kind of showed up-"
Sally flipped the light switch on and shook her head. "It's alright, we'll get it all figured out."
Lauren had opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out, as she was startled by a tapping noise behind her.
She turned to find a fire escape on the other side of the window, and a girl standing there. She was dressed like she was going to a party or something, her long brunette hair falling in spiral curls down her back, and the blue sequins on her dress winking in the light that reached them from the bedroom.
It wasn't long before Lauren saw two more girls, dressed identically, except for their dress colors, which were gold and red.
"Lauren, get back. Percy!" Aunt Sally had jumped forward, already pulling Lauren towards the doorway and away from the window by her arm.
She was caught off balance and off guard, and fell to one of her knees when she heard glass shattering behind her. Despite the panic that had overwhelmed her, Lauren had to look back.
The girl in the blue dress had punched the window, but neither her hand or arm were bleeding, and all three of the girls were very rapidly entering the room.
"Percy!" Sally screamed again, which propelled Lauren up, and she and Sally made it out of the guest room and up against the wall of the hallway.