Hey, hey, hey! Guess who's back from the dead? Sorry that I haven't posted in, like, a month. Well, I'm back now. I do have my reasons, but you probably want to read the long, overdue chapter. So, here it is.
Disclaimer: Don't own characters, only plot.
Chapter 5 – Underwater
~oOo~
Friday, March 2nd
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Scratch. Scratch-scratch.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Click-clack.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
I let out a big sigh.
3:56.
That's what the clock read, 3:56 pm.
I had 4 minutes left of this class. We had to take a pop quiz in my Architecture Around the World class. It was on the different types and where they are from. It was easy and I had already been done for 15 minutes.
I looked around the room. Students were frantically scribbling answers on their paper, trying to finish before class ended. I tapped my foot impatiently and let out another sigh.
I forced my gaze back to the unwavering time the clock showed.
Only 4 minutes left, I reminded myself, Only 4 min- oh! 3 minutes left.
I looked at my teacher in the front of the room while playing absently with my hoodie strings. She was writing something on the board, 'Read pages 79-165 in the Architecture of Greece book'. I rolled my eyes. I already knew the architecture of Greece like the back of my hand. I had started reading about this stuff in 6th grade, when I was 12. Greece was especially interesting to me, so I learned as much as I could about it. I glared at the board, not wanting to read over 50 pages this weekend.
I turned my glare back on the clock. Another minute had passed, thankfully. I quickly looked over the packet of paper in front of me. Of course, though, I had already done this about a million times. My converse was tapping out an unfamiliar rhythm in the quiet room. My ADHD seemed to be getting the better of me right now. I guess the boredom and excitement was making it worse than normal.
I looked to my left to see the person next to me glaring at me. I smiled sheepishly but didn't stop the tapping of my foot. My gaze flittered back to the clock, unharmed by the glare, which now read 3:59. I stared at it and the moment it turned I jumped up from my seat. I quickly grabbed my backpack and quiz. I hurried down the few steps to the front of the room. I tossed my paper onto the teacher's desk and all but ran out of the room.
I continued like this – walking hurriedly and trying to avoid people – for about 5 blocks, down to Olympus Café. I'd been coming here every day for the past 2 weeks, ever since Galentine's Day. I didn't want to go home with everyone, especially with what's coming up tomorrow. Plus, a little part of me, and I mean tiny, wanted, hoped, to see that man again. So far I had no avail.
These past few 2 weeks have been weird. I've been getting really tired lately. I've also been doing the same thing for 17 days – get up, go to school, go to the café, go home, sleep, repeat. It's like I've been in a trance – things keep happening around me, but I don't move. It seems like I'm underwater sometimes. Voices get muffled and I get absorb in my head. I've been thinking about many things – the play, my bucket list and what to do next, tomorrow, the green-eyed man. A lot more than I care to admit, I find myself thinking about the mystery man. It's hard to explain but I feel almost drawn to him.
As I opened the door to the familiar café, a little bell tinker above me, announcing my arrival. I was hit with the amazing and familiar smell – books and coffee with homemade pastries. I walked over to a little booth by the window, my booth. I looked out the window at the busy street of New York City. People walked hurriedly, trying to get to where they needed to on time. Cars sped down the street, taxis ignoring almost every basic rule of driving. Hestia soon came over with my usual, hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin. I smiled in thanks to her. I took a sip of my drink and got out my homework for the next week since I was going to be gone. I pulled out my phone and earbuds. I turned on music and put them in my ears. Soon Maroon 5 was drowning out the sounds around me.
Only an hour later, I had to take a break. I stretched and took out my sketchbook. I opened to a new clean page and started drawing. I wasn't even sure what I was drawing, just that I was. Suddenly my pencil came to a stop and my eyes widened. I looked around me quickly to see if anyone was watching. I slammed my book shut and stuffed it into my bag. I shook my head and went back to work trying to get the image out of my head. You see, I had drawn something, someone.
It was the mystery man's face and head, and this sure wasn't the first time I had drawn him it.
Over the next 2 hours I worked. I had finished 3½ of my classes. But, it was getting harder and harder for me to concentrate. My thoughts kept drifting to tomorrow. I didn't want to think about it, but it was inevitable.
I have cancer and I'm going to have surgery tomorrow.
~oOo~
When I got home latter that night, everyone was watching a movie. I had finished most of my homework and I wasn't in the mood for a movie, so I went up to my room. I dropped my backpack on the floor by my bed. Then I fell, face first, onto my bed. I didn't have the energy to move, so I didn't. I stayed like that for who knows how long.
I felt the left side of me be move down, telling me someone was there. I grunted but didn't move. Someone laughed softly, Piper – I knew her laugh because it is so pretty and familiar. I finally turned over to look at her. She gave me a sad smile. When she opened her arms for me, I whimpered quietly. I scramble to sit up. I leaned on her and she just wrapped her arms around me.
"Shh," She soothed me. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere, shh."
I rested my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes. It was comforting to me.
"Piper?"
"Yes?"
"You'll come with me, right? Tomorrow I mean."
"Of course, Annabeth. I wasn't planning on doing anything else. Now close your eyes and go to sleep!" She scolded me softly.
I let myself relax in relief when I hear that I wasn't going to be alone tomorrow.
"You're going to need your energy for tomorrow."
~oOo~
When I woke up light was streaming through the window. I glanced at the clock and my eyes all but bulged out of my face. It was already 10:30 and I had overslept. Piper must have thought that I needed my rest though. I quickly scrambled out of bed. I grabbed some leggings and an old high school track sweatshirt. I changed out of my pajamas. I ran into the bathroom and quickly did my morning routine – brush teeth, wash face, and throw my long, curly hair into either a bun or pony tail. I didn't wear make-up because a) I didn't have time, b) what's the point? and c) I'd probably end up poking my eye out trying to put on mascara and couldn't tell the difference between foundation and concealer.
I slipped on my white converse and headed down stairs. I grabbed a granola bar and cup of milk for a quick breakfast. I checked the time again which was now 10:42.
"Piper?" I called out.
She was supposed to come with me to the doctors and I haven't seen her yet.
"Yes?" She seemed to materialize on the stairs looking as pretty as ever.
In her choppy, brown hair were a few braids and a feather. She was wearing her usual snowboard jacket. Under it was a army green shirt. She had on a few necklaces that hung down onto her chest. She was wearing dark jeans with brown combat boots.
"Let's go. The appointments at 11:15 and we need to be there 15 minutes early," I informed her. With that she grabbed her car keys and we headed out the door.
The drive didn't last too long, considering it was midmorning, but it was a good 20ish minutes. We had to drive around the hospital parking lot 3 times before we found a place to park.
As we walked into the building, my carefully controlled nerves came undone. I was super nervous for the surgery. I tried not to think of all of the things that could go wrong. I just had to tell myself that these were professionals and knew what they were doing. Even so, it was hard to calm down. As we walked through the hospital it was like I wasn't there. Everything seemed to be muffled and slow, like I was underwater again. It was like I wasn't in the hospital but at the bottom of a pool.
Piper lead the way to the elevator. We went up to the 8th floor, the cancer floor. I went over to the receptionists' desk to check in. Then Piper and I went to sit and wait.
Silently Piper reached her hand over and squeezed mine. I turned and smiled gratefully at her.
"Annabeth Chase?"
I looked up to see a nurse with short brown hair waiting for us in the door way.
"You are going to have to do a quick prep for the surgery. Follow me into the room please." She told us and started walking down a long, white hall.
Everything in the hospital seemed to be white - the walls, floor, desks, chairs. It was unnerving.
We turned into a room. In there was Dr. Jones. I went in and Piper followed close behind me. The doctor told us what would be happening, but I was only partly listening. Then I was led into another room to change into some hospital clothes. It was an ugly white dress with grey dots and had an open back. I changed quickly and left the room. Then I was told to follow Dr. Jones into the surgery room.
Before I went in I looked back at Piper. She tried to give me a reassuring smile, but it looked sad. This couldn't be easy for her either. Watching one of her closest friends go in for a difficult brain surgery to get her cancer removed.
I turned back around and went into the white room. There was a blue hospital table in the middle. Above it was big, adjustable lights. On the right was a wall of cabinets and tools. There were also a lot of computers. To the left was big machine pieces. One was a place for the doctor to go behind and use tools. Next to it was a TV with a close up image of the bed. This was to see what was going on inside of the patient, inside of me. There was the surgeon and 3 other nurses in the room to help her.
I've got to admit that seeing it all here was scary. I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath and counted to 10. When I opened my eyes, I walked over to the table. I got onto it and laid down. I heard some voices, probably talking to me, but I wasn't listening. The last thing I remember was seeing a hand placing a plastic mask over my face and I was soon tasting and smelling a horrible scent.
Then it went black.
~oOo~
A/N
Sorry that this chapter was uploaded so late. It's been just about a month. I've just been super busy lately. I'm going to write as much as I can when I can. Then I'll try to update twice, hopefully more, a month. Soccer started and I have that every day. We are going to be starting 2 huge projects in school – a big map, the monster map, for my Global Studies class and a PBL that includes all of my classes. I have normal homework on top of that. I also have music stuff. So yeah, I'm pretty busy.
Anyways, what did you think about the chapter? You got a little bit into the past "2 weeks" of Annabeth's life and what she thinks of the mystery man – which, I'm guessing, isn't a mystery to you. You got a little bit of the Piper/Annabeth friendship again. Sorry that the preparation for the surgery was so small and short. I didn't really have time to research much about it. I had a surgery once – I was 3 though so... I did search surgery rooms so the description should, hopefully, be accurate. Also, the hospital Annabeth is going to NYC doesn't exist, at least to my knowledge. I don't know if there is a hospital on 37th street and has an 8th floor for cancer and a Dr. Jones working there.
So, I was trying to write for the next chapter and it turned out to be one of the climax scenes that won't happen for a long time. I don't know how it happened it just sorta did. I trying something new to write and I guess I got carried away. Seriously though, I spent all of Saturday afternoon from like 3-7 writing that part. It's 12 pages too. I'm actually proud of it but will probably have to change things as I go on.
Please review and tell me what you think!
-Anne :)