CHAPTER 10

VISITING THE PAST

-Percy-

After Annabeth left at the end of our tutoring session, I decided to play some videogames. I plugged in my consul and began to play Mario Cart. I hadn't noticed that I've been playing for a really long time, until the bell rung and I realized it was my mom.

I got up and opened the door, "Hey, mom."

She smiled, "Hey." She walked over to the kitchen counter, placed her purse down on the table and started to read the mail. "How was school?"

I shrugged, "It was alright. You?"

"Fine," mom answered. "Actually, I do have something to tell you."

"What?" I ask nervously.

"Well," she began, "Do you remember our conversation last night?"

I faintly recalled it. It was about him. "Yeah, what about it?"

She sighed, "I got another phone call for the police department; Steven, your father I mean, really wants to speak with us."

I clenched my fists. Steven. How can she even say that without puking her guts out? I didn't want to yell at my mom, so as calmly as I could, I said, "He isn't my father."

Mom rubbed her temples, "Sweetie, I know you think Steven is this terrible man, but it's been 3 years! What if he's changed?"

I snorted in disbelief, "Mom, I know it been 3 years, ok? But a murderer can't change."

"Your father was not a murderer!" Mom almost screamed. I could tell she was getting really frustrated with me, but at that time, I didn't care.

"Tell that to the girl who lost her mom." I spat.

That was it for mom. She stayed silent for a very long time. She sat down on the couch in the living room, and rubbed her head. Finally, she talked, "I can't take this anymore, Percy. Why can't you just visit your father? He just wants to see you, to talk to you."

I crossed my arms, "Mom, do you know why I don't want to see him?" I asked her. "Because I despise that man so much. He lied to us, he'd go out late at nights, and he killed an innocent woman."

Mom looked like she wanted to cry, "I just don't understand why you can't forgive him."

I took a deep breath, "Let me make this clear: I will never forgive that man." And that was it for me. I ran upstairs before mom could even have the chance to answer. I crashed on my bed. The last thing I saw was a face I had only seen in pictures; a face that I thought I could never forgive.

Then I went into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, I woke up remembering why I was in such a bad mood. The moments of last night recalled. I groaned and got up from my bed. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, grabbed a green shirt and jeans, put them on, and then headed downstairs.

I saw my mom making breakfast. She said morning, but nothing else. I guessed she was still kind mad form last night. That was cool for me; I didn't feel like talking either. I sipped my orange juice until I heard a HONK!

Mom turned her head, "Is that Thalia again?"

I shook my head, "No, she's sick today. It's Grover."

Mom nodded, "Alright, have fun in school."

I muttered, "Thanks. Bye." I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door feeling really bad. I hated fighting with my mom. I like seeing her smile and laugh; not angry.

I sighed as I got in the shotgun seat of Grover's red Honda Civic. When he bought this, I tried to talk him out it because this car was totally a girl's car, but he didn't listen.

"Hey, man." I say as I sat down.

"Hey."

I didn't feel like talking much, so it was quiet in the car.

Until, Grover asked, "How was that study date with Annabeth?"

I shrugged, "It actually went pretty well. She's a good tutor; I learned a lot."

"You learned a lot? Well, that doesn't seem right." Grover teased.

I smirked, "It's true. I did."

Grover nodded, "That's good. At least you won't flunk the 10th grade." He said. "So… did you make your move on her?"

I thought about that. "No."

"Really?"

For some reason, I didn't make my move on Annabeth. Why didn't I? I think I did know why, though. I thought that Annabeth wouldn't like me like that. And why would she? Before yesterday, I was always a complete jerk to her, she wouldn't like me.

"Perce," Grover continued, "Look, I'm being serious here. I know you really like Annabeth. Like, a lot. Maybe she likes you too, who knows? I think you should ask."

I didn't answer to that because I wasn't sure how to. Sure I've dated plenty of girls, but Annabeth, she's… different. In a good way.

When we got to school, it felt like the morning couldn't have gone any slower. I swear, the clock was taunting me. I couldn't stand being in a class room. I just wanted to get out. I think time went even slower because I kept thinking about my conversation with mom last night. And Steven.

When lunch finally came, I was so relieved that I ran to the cafeteria, forgetting to wait for Grover. I went to the lunch line and picked up a tray. Today's special were hot dogs. I grabbed a packet of mustard and headed out to find a table. I didn't feel like talking today, so I picked an empty table. I sat down and ate. I didn't feel like talking to anyone. But there was one person who could change my mind.

"Mind if I sit here?" Asked a sweet voice I knew so well. I looked up to see Annabeth smiling in front of me, holding her lunch tray. She was as beautiful as ever wearing a blue shirt and jeans, with her hair out so her blonde curls bounced.

"Of course," I smiled. Then, I realized that it was the first time I smiled today.

"What's up?" Annabeth asked as she took a seat and sat down.

"Nothing." Then I remembered, "Oh yeah, how was that dinner with your dad's girlfriend?"

She shrugged, "Surprisingly well," she answered.

"That's good." We didn't talked for a few minutes and I must've seemed really sad because Annabeth noticed.

"Something wrong?" Annabeth asked. "You look… down."

I shook my head, "It's nothing it just…" I wasn't sure if I should tell her or not. But then I looked deeply in her lovely gray eyes, and I told her everything. "I kind of had a fight with my mom last night. It was about visiting Steven."

Annabeth took a bite out of her hot dog, "And you don't want to visit him?"

"No. I can't forgive him. But my mom thinks he changed."

Annie shrugged, "I think your mom's right."

I raised my eyebrows, not believing what I heard, "No, he hasn't changed. What he did was terrible. It was… bad."

"Well, whatever he did, it's been almost 3 years. You should go talk to him."

I tried really hard not to blow my top because I didn't want to yell at Annabeth, "I will never talk to him."

Annabeth clenched her fists, she looked angry, "No, Percy. I will never talk to my mom. You know why? Because she's dead."

My eyes widen. I didn't know what to say. But she was right.

"Sorry." Annabeth's eyes soften. "But, it's true. Your dad's alive right now. In 20 years, you might regret never talking to him. I don't want you to regret that."

I looked at Annabeth. She seemed like she really cared about me. And that was really nice. It felt good to have someone to care. She's right, too. I can still make amends to dad right now.

"Fine," I say finally. "I'll go visit him."

Annabeth's smile makes it worth wild, "Great."

"Um, but, do you mind coming with me?" I shyly ask.

"Come with you?" She asks, "I thought it could've been a private moment between you and your dad."

"Well, yeah." I admit, "But I, uh, kind of need someone with me."

Annabeth blushed, "Um, sure. Ok, I'll come."

I smiled wide, "Thank you."

"Well, here you are. The New York State Police Department. That'll be $21.50." Said the cab driver. After school, Annabeth and I decided to visit my dad right away. So today was a good idea. I paid the cabbie and we got out and marveled the Police Department.

"Wow." Annabeth said. I thought that pretty much summed it up. This place was huge. It was a gigantic gray-block building that was thousands of feet high.

"Ready to go in?" I ask Annabeth. She nods.

We walked into the front doors and headed to the man at the front desk who was eating a donut, "May I help you?"

"Um, yeah." I say a little nervously. "I'm here to see my dad, Steven Jackson."

"Steven Jackson." The man repeats as he looks through his files. "Ah, here he is. Floor 6, cell B. He's in the visiting section.

"Thanks."

Annabeth and I took the elevator up to floor 6. It was a pretty long ride, so we had some time to talk.

"Are you ready to meet him?" Annabeth asks.

"I honestly don't know." I reply.

"Well, I 'm still proud of you for doing this." She smiles. I smile back.

The elevator rung, and we looked for cell B. As we were walking through all the cells, I couldn't help but thinking how scary this place was. There were dudes everywhere; scary looking dude with tattoos, and half shaved heads. I was really scared. Annabeth looked a little green herself, too.

I grabbed her hand to make sure she knows that I'm here. She looks at me surprised, but smiles a little.

Finally, we found the visiting section. There was only one man in the cell. And he was my dad. As I got closer, I noticed he didn't change much. He looked like he had in my pictures. He had wind-blown black hair, his face was rigid, and his eyes were exactly like mine: sea green.

"Is that him?" Annabeth whispered beside me.

I could only nod because of the shock I was in. I couldn't believe it was him. The man I hadn't seen in almost 3 years. The man I despised so much. I thought I was going to faint right there since I had so much going on in my head. Good memories, bad memories. I didn't know what to think anymore.

"Percy, go talk to him." Annabeth pushed gently.

"Ok." I say quietly.

I walk toward him. He sees me coming too, and when he saw me, he sat up a little straighter and watched me come over. The cell was like the ones you'd see in TV shows; the kind where there is clear glass in the middle of the 2 of us so he could only see him, vice versa.

I carefully sat down on the stool, with Annabeth beside me. I wasn't sure if I was mad or not at Steven. Of course I could never forgive him… right?

Feelings change.

As I sat down in front of him, my dad's eyes were wide. Finally, dad spoke, "Percy?" He sounded just like he had all those years ago. I missed that voice.

I slowly nodded, "Yeah. It's me."

Dad grinned a little. I noticed he was wearing a gray striped jumpsuit, "I haven't seen you in so long."

"I know."

"Well, I missed you, son. A lot." He looked like he really meant it.

Should I say I missed him too? I didn't know. So I just nodded.

Dad gave a slow, pained smile. "You are definitely not the little boy I left, Percy. You look like a man. You even have a girlfriend."

I look at Annabeth, who was blushing red hot. Then I realized that I was still holding her hand and quickly let go. "Uh, sh-she's not my um, girlfriend." I stumbled.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Dad looked embarrassed. Like that time in kindergarten when he was a parent helper for my class and he tripped in front of everyone. "So, what's your name?" he asked Annabeth.

"Annabeth Chase." She answered.

Dad's smile suddenly vanished, "Chase?"

Annabeth nodded.

I was hyperventilating. Dad doesn't know that Annabeth doesn't know he killed her mom. What should I do? What should I do?

Before this could get any further, I said, "Annabeth? Could you give my dad and me a moment please?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure." Annabeth agreed and stepped out in the hallway.

When I was completely sure she was gone, I told him, "Do you remember her?"

Dad sadly nodded, "Yes. Her mother was Julie Chase. She was the one-"

"That you killed?" I finished harshly.

Dad looked like he was about to bawl, "That's her daughter. Oh, god. Does she even know?"

"No. And she will never find out. It would hurt her, and I don't want that to happen." I said.

"You really care about this girl, don't you, Percy?" He asked.

I blushed, but then said, "It's none of your business. Why did you even want to talk to me?"

Dad gave a deep breath, "I haven't seen you or mother in so long, I forgot what you looked like. I missed you so much. I am ashamed for what I did to you and mom. I cry myself to sleep every night thinking of what I did. I could never forgive myself, so I wouldn't expect you to forgive me. But I just wanted to see my son, my beautiful son, and apologize to him."

I looked at my dad and realized he had a lot of courage to apologize. Maybe things will never be the same between me and my dad, but maybe I can move on. When I think about my dad, I always thought of him as the inconsiderate, drunk who killed Annabeth's mother and tore apart our family. But when I saw him, when I talked to him, it was like old times. I missed that. Then I realized how much has changed since then and now. Change could be good.

"Dad," I say out loud. "I forgive you."

Dad smiled, "Thank you, Percy, That really does mean the world to me. I- I love you, son."

Then I said the words I haven't said in god knows how long, words I thought I would never say again, "I love you, dad."

As Annabeth and I walked back together, I thanked her, "Annabeth, thank you so much for making me go visit him."

"No problem. I'm glad you faced your fears." She replied.

"I'm serious, if it weren't for you, I would've probably regret it the rest of my life." I said to her, and I looked at her with a straight face. My eyes glued to her so she knows that I'm not kidding.

Annabeth smiled. "Well, you were sweet to me when I was crying on the beach, and you helped me. So I thought I'd return the favor."

It was then, I came to my senses and figured out I was in love with Annabeth Chase. I was in love with everything about her. Everything.

She was the one who tutored me in math and believed in me that I could actually do this.

She was the one I told all my greatest fears to.

She was the one who made me talk to Steven; the man I despised so much. But now, he was my dad. The man I had forgiven and moved on to.

She was the one who made me realized that change could be good.

HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED THIS CHAPTER! SORRY IF IT WAS KIND OF DRAMATIC AND CHEESY. ANYWAY I HAD TIME TO WRITE TODAY CAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE SCHOOL! SO I LOVED THE REVIEWS AND PMS. YOU GUYS ARE SO SWEET. IT REALLY DOES MEAN A LOT TO ME THAT YOU LIKED THIS. I WOULD SAY THERE IS ABOUT 5 OR 6 MORE CHAPTERS. IM NOT SURE IF I'LL MAKE IT LONGER OR NOT.

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