Annabeth sunk down in a chair at the kitchen table. She put her head in her hands, sighing deeply. Thalia, noting that something was up, walked over to her and sat down beside her, rubbing her back comfortingly.
"What happened, honey?" She asked.
"I slept with him." Annabeth blurted out matter-of-factly.
"What in Hades, Annabeth?" Thalia asked, taken aback.
"It was…I don't know, it just happened! We were talking, and…he admitted that he still loved me, and I said I did too, and—and…" Annabeth cried.
"Did you use a—" Thalia began to ask.
"Of course! And I'm on a pill…unlike my eighteen year old 'I'm so naïve, I didn't think that we'd do it 'til college' self."
Thalia gave her a withering look, and nodded for her to continue her story.
"Then, Bruce just shows up out of the blue, and—and he's drunk and forcing himself on me, and…Percy beat him up. Bruce and I broke up! He…he followed me from Boston, for crying out loud! Percy scared him off, though, I think. Broke his nose. I think I'm gonna call the police tomorrow." She rambled on.
"So why was he so pissed when he left?"
"Who, Bruce? I told you, Percy beat the crap out of him!"
"No, Percy!" Thalia answered back impatiently.
"Well, he started calling me all these names, and he got all huffy…he said that I must've been a whore since I was dating a guy like Bruce. I mean, I said that I had left Bruce! And…and I was only with him in the first place to protect Casper from monsters! I—I just don't understand where this verbal attack came from!"
"Annabeth," Thalia said carefully, "Do you think he could've been jealous?"
"Oh, gods…yeah, that does make sense…. But he didn't have to be so rude about it! I mean, seriously! He was acting like a total—"
"Yeah, Annabeth, I get it." Thalia said, cutting her off. "So he called you names and then left all sulky?"
"No…he—he asked if I even knew who Casper's father was."
"And you said?"
"I…I was so caught up in the moment! You have to understand that…he was being such an ass!"
"Annabeth, what did you say?" Thalia demanded.
"I told him that he was Casper's father, and well, he was upset with me."
"Clearly." Thalia remarked.
"So, now he knows…and he said he needs time to think about it, so I guess…I guess I'll just give him time."
"It sounds like the right thing to do." Thalia said, smiling faintly. "You know, a lot of people didn't like what you decided to do, when you found out, but you should know that I'm sticking by you, no matter what, and I don't doubt that you made a solid decision."
"Thanks." Annabeth smiled back faintly.
After they sat and talked about decorating the apartment, which Thalia clearly hated, but put up with for Annabeth's sake, Thalia ordered a pizza for the three of them, and they all sat at the table, eating and laughing about the fun Thalia and Casper had had that afternoon. After dinner, Annabeth got up to run a bath for Casper, but, wanting Annabeth to relax, Thalia got up and did it herself. When Casper was bathed and in his pajamas, Annabeth rose from her recliner and tucked Casper into his bed, turning on his projector of the constellations. The two of them had always loved to look at his ceiling, pretending that they were outdoors in a place where you could actually see the stars, and Annabeth would tell him all the Greek stories of the constellations.
"G'night Mom." Casper said sleepily.
"Night, Casper, my little friendly ghost." Annabeth said back. "How do you like the new place?"
"I like it." Casper murmured, closing his eyes. "Especially Mr. Jackson from upstairs. He's really nice, and he's got a doggy!" He said, smiling as he drifted off to sleep. Annabeth smiled, swallowing a lump in her chest, and, kissing him on the cheek, she smoothed the blankets around him. Each said, "I love you" to each other, and Annabeth slipped from the room, closing the door gently behind her.
Annabeth padded back to the kitchen, plopping back down at the kitchen table next to Thalia.
"Don't you think you oughta be heading back to Brooklyn?" She asked.
"Yeah, but I don't like the idea of leaving you alone at a time like this…" Thalia answered.
"No, it's fine, Thals! I have all seven of my locks and deadbolts tightly shut. Besides… I think the worst of it is over, and now, the only thing to do is wait and see what happens." Annabeth answered. "Besides, I don't want you to get mixed up with those crazy people who ride the subway late at night!" She said, giggling.
And so, Thalia left and said goodnight to Annabeth, leaving the young woman alone at last. Annabeth rose from the table and headed to her bedroom. The bed was already a mess, on the first night there. It had already been slept in. And not just slept, but slept. Her stomach turned.
She gathered all her strength to strip the bed of its new, canary-yellow sheets, which, to her, signified happiness and good times, replacing them with a set of crisp, Avocado-green ones, to signify new beginnings. Something she had learned in psychology, how different colors had different meanings to the psyche.
She smoothed the cream-colored comforter carefully, and stripped herself of her sweatshirt and jeans. Walking over to her dresser, she grabbed a pair of boy-shorts for sleeping, and an old Red Sox shirt from her time in Boston. Comforted by the light cotton of her clothes, she curled back the covers of her newly made bed and climbed in, surrounded by the airy, jersey sheets. She still felt anxious, though.
Annabeth remembered another trick she had learned in psychology class, this one a home remedy for anxiety. She breathed in, clenching her toes, and exhaled, unclenching them. Little by little, she worked her way up her body, tightening each individual muscle with an inhale and loosening them with an exhale. By the time she reached her head, and she scrunched her face, she was relaxed, exhausted, really, and lay back, ready for sleep.
As she drifted off into a deep slumber, she heard the sounds of the city: the distant traffic, the wails of some distant siren, and the television that someone had on upstairs. Probably the old woman that lived at the top floor. She had spent years in Boston, or rather in an apartment in Brookline. The noises were, compared to this, minimal, and the views were great, especially the Chestnut Hill reservoir, where she would take Casper for walks around the large body of water. Alas, Brookline couldn't compare to Brooklyn, and, since she had spent a large chunk of time here with Percy, this city gave her good feelings. So, as she fell asleep, she thought to herself.
She had made mistakes, no doubt about it. She had had sex without using birth control, which she still beat herself up for, despite her love for Casper. She had wronged the one she loved, sure. And, most importantly, she had robbed her son of a father. That last one hurt the most. But, Annabeth Chase didn't shy away from a challenge. Annabeth Chase was here to stay, and would make her amends, whatever it took.
She swore it on the River Styx.
A/N: I just added a small change to chapter six that hopefully clears up Percy's emotions after the break up. It's small, but hopefully answers some questions and adds a little flare! Sorry!
