Life had become routine for Annabeth. Breakfast, classes, lunch, talking to Tom, studying with Tom, going outside and working at the bookstore for an hour, sneaking back throught Tom's window and sharing half of her chocolate with him, dinner, studying with him some more, and then going to sleep. She seemed to learn more with Tom than she would with her parents and teachers back home. She supposed that that was because Tom was the first really smart kid she had met, so she kind of wanted to be as smart as he was. She realized that she was competitive. Also, she had lots of time on her hands, and the orphanage was pretty boring, so it was easier to learn a lot from the books. The books were the only good things about the orphanage. From the books, she learned basic fundamentals of geology, chemistry, physics, and learned about animals. She also learned algebra and more advanced arithmetic than she would as a first-grader. She and Tom had gotten to be great friends. She was happy. She had a lot of friends back home, but here she finally had a smart friend who was her equal, who understood her. Because the orphanage didn't really have good toys or clothes, in time her girlyness disappeared. She didn't dress-up, she didn't braid dolls' hair, but pink was still her favorite color. But her girlyness disappearing made it easier for her to talk to Tom. She never had to worry about boring him, at least that way. Of couse, Tom and Annabeth had arguments. Like:
"Tom, did you know that there are three types of rocks? Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic! And did you know that they can turn into each other. How does that happen? I mean, pressing on a rock changes it into another rock? That sounds impossible, and -"
"Annabeth, can't you ever just shut up? Do you always have to talk? You can be so annoying, you know? And you're really loud! Just learn to be quiet for once!" Annabeth reeled back in shock, and then left. For the next couple of days, they didn't talk to each other. Is what Tom said true? Am I loud and obnoxious? Maybe he has a point. But he could have said it in a nicer way. And besides, that's just me. But maybe I shouldn't always voice my thoughts. Annabeth sighed ruefully. She sat there, absorbed in her own thoughts. That's when she noticed something. She remembered her classes in first grade back in America. She had memories of classes that she had never had. She had a memory of a math test in that classroom that she had never taken. She had a memory of nearly getting a detention for talking to one of her classmates when she had never done that. What's happening to me? I'm probably just making stuff up. But it feels like part of my mind is sitting through class at my old school. Surely my mind wouldn't make up every boring detail of every minute of class. My mind kind of feels like it's sitting there and here, but my body's not. Why? What's going on? She got up to talk to Tom, but remembered their fight. He won't want to talk to me now. And I'm not desperate to talk to him. He was mean, and he'll apologize. At dinner, Annabeth caught Tom's eye, but they didn't talk to each other. This continued for five days. In the meanwhile, Annabeth started noticing more of her "memories" in America. Hanging out with Tom must've made me oblivious to... to this, but now that I'm alone, I've noticed it more. Finally, one day at dinner, Annabeth couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't good at being mad at people. She walked toward Tom, who seemed to be surprised to see Annabeth.
"Look Tom, I -" Tom interrupted her though.
"I'm sorry, Annabeth. I'll be honest, I did mean it at the time, but these past couple of days, I've realized that, all in all, I like your talkativeness. It's you, and that makes you interesting. I was just annoyed that way, and when people annoy me, it's usually on purpose, so I lash out like that. I realized that you were just being you. I was just in the mood for a little bit of quiet at the time. But -" Tom broke off. He seemed nervous. I guess he's never apologized to anyone before, but they don't care about him, so it makes sense. He continued.
"- are you mad at me?"
"No Tom, I'm not. You kind of have a point, and friends don't get mad at friends for something like this. And you're my best friend here, maybe ever, so it's okay." Annabeth had a memory of getting the math test back at her old school and getting a 100%. "Tom, I have to tell you something. You may not believe it, but it's as real as your... talent," Annabeth finished. She told Tom everything she had noticed.
"You could be making these 'memories' up," Tom replied.
"But I wouldn't make up living through every single minute of my classes at one o'clock each day, you know." Annabeth saw Tom thinking.
"Well, something strange had definitely happened to you. You came here with no memory of what happened to you, you may be from the future -"
"I AM from the future!" Annabeth exclaimed.
"That's yet to be proven. And you seem to have memories of being at your old home. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were existing in two places at once as a 6-year-old. How that would happen I don't know, but that seems like something."
"Oh Tom!" Annabeth burst, suddenly remembering something. "Here's five days worth of chocolate. I...well... kind of missed you, and saved your half of the chocolate for when we would be friends again." Tom was delighted, which made Annabeth happy that she managed to control herself with great difficulty.
"Thank you." Tom replied.
Also, in December, Annabeth told the bookstore manager that instead of chocolate for two weeks, she'd like a book.
"It's for a birthday present for my friend, sir," Annabeth said. The bookstore manager looked at her, and out of the holiday spirit, agreed. She told Tom that she couldn't control herself anymore and ate all of her chocolate. She saw a little disappointment in his eyes, but she knew it would disappear when he saw his book. She asked him what is one book he'd have if he could have any book in the world.
"I think I'd like an encyclopedia," Tom replied. Annabeth realized that she'd have to rebargain with the storekeeper.
"If I work a month, can you give me an A - Z encyclopedia?" The manager thought long and hard about this, but decided that the little girl deserved this much.
"Alright, I'll give you an encyclopedia of one letter each day. If you get sick, make up the days in January. If you don't though, I'll hunt you down and take your encyclopedias back."
"Ok mister," Annabeth replied. So each day, she lugged home one book each day and crept through her own window instead of Tom's. Thankfully, even though her clothes weren't warm, she didn't catch more than a cold and cough. On December 31st, she crept into Tom's room and approached his bed, where Tom was sleeping peacefully.
"Wake up Tom! I have a surprise for you. And happy birthday, by the way," Annabeth whispered.
"You're lying." Tom mumbled in his sleep. "I can't have a birthday surprise. I never get presents." Annabeth felt sorry for Tom. She had always gotten presents. Last year, she had gotten a brand-new bicycle! She shook Tom until he woke up.
"Annabeth! What are you doing here?" Tom asked in sleepy wonder.
"Come with me! Happy birthday, and I've got you a surprise." They crept together back to Annabeth's room. She took out the encyclopedias from her temporary hiding place, which was under her bed, stacked them up, and pushed the stack toward Tom.
"Happy birthday, Tom." Annabeth said, and smirked when she saw Tom's mouth open in wonder. "That's why I hadn't been bringing chocolate home for the past month. It wasn't because I was selfish." Then, she whisper-sang 'Happy Birthday'. "But hide them among your old books. I'll hide some with me. But don't worry, they're still yours. And sorry I couldn't get you a Christmas gift," Annabeth said sadly, but Tom seemed too delighted with his present to care. The look on his face was priceless, and made the whole thing worth it. That night, Annabeth suggested that they both sneak out of their rooms, go to their classroom since it had a clock, and countdown till the New Year.
"Why would you do that?" Tom asked.
"It's fun. Well, I think it's fun. You might think it's pointless, but it kind of feels cool to be awake when the new year officially starts. In America, we'd watch the ball drop in New York City on T.V. 'The ball' looks like a huge disco ball, and it starts dropping 15 min. before the New Year. It's part of the countdown. We can't do that here, but we can count down." Tom reluctantly agreed. When everyone seemed to be asleep, Annabeth snuck out and went to their classroom. Tom joined her about 10 min. later.
"I just realized something. You can read a clock, can't you?" Tom asked.
"I can understand what an analog clock says, yes, but it's been harder to see out of my glasses lately, so I can't really read it well right now. Is it 12:00 already?" Annabeth asked.
"No, it's 11:55."
"Did you enjoy your encyclopedias?" Annabeth asked.
"Yes, I did. It...they...whatever... was the best present ever."
"I'm glad."
"It's 11:59, you know."
"Why didn't you tell me before? 60... 59... 58... come on Tom, count down with me. This is the fun part. We'll be awake and conscious during the first second of the new year." They counted down in quiet voices. "3...2...1...Happy New Year Tom!" Annabeth whispered which as much intensity as she could. "I've lived the first second of 1934 consciously. It's 1934, and you're 7 years old Tom." She saw Tom smile.
