Annabeth's Flashback

SATURDAY, 7th January

The whole dining table was staring at her in shock.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Her father kept watching her, but it still made her laugh that his first instinct at hearing that she wanted to start kickboxing classes was to worriedly glance at her brothers.

I mean, if you are going to waste part of my time with something, at least it can be something to make my brothers think twice before messing with me.

"But what about your studies? Soon you'll start the applications."

"That's still a year away and I'm ahead of pretty much everyone."

"Still, don't you think that maybe you won't have enough time..."

Is he doubting me? You. Us.

"Dad, don't you know me? Do you really think I would've decided to change my routine if I wasn't sure I'm capable of managing it?"

"She does have a point, dear."

Yes! See, mom agrees.

"I'm still not sure..."

Oh, for the love of God...

MONDAY, 9th January

"Annie, your father forgot to do the groceries. Again. Would you mind accompanying me?"

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Why, are you busy?"

I just rather use my time... differently.

Please? Can you try to be nice to her? I know you don't have a good relationship with Helen, but...

Helga always treated you like a daughter, got it.

"No, I'm free, just let me put my shoes. Hey, do you think we could go to a couple of places more? I've started a list of places that teach kickboxing."

"I guess we can make time if you can be quick."

***

"And I get this one... no, Annie, it's too heavy for you."

Annabeth leaned back to avoid falling forward with her fifth bag.

Wow, we do need to give you some muscles.

It would be nice to do that BEFORE you pulled a muscle by overworking it!

"I'm good. This way we make only one trip."

"Ok, go ahead and put it in the kitchen."

"On it."

Annabeth did a light juggle to open the door without putting the bags down. The first thing she noticed was the silence and stepping further into the house she could see why. The TV was on the opposite side where it should be, with a spiderweb crack covering all the screen and her brothers were standing, but not moving.

Oh. My. God.

She looked between their faces, frozen in shock and fear, and the destruction that took most of the space.

"Do I want to know?"

Slowly, they shook their heads. She nodded and entered the kitchen.

"Good enough for me. I'm out."

Three.

Two.

One.

Helga's shrill was so high and loud even the god Pan would have been proud.

Someone is toasted! Another someone is toasted!

Are you singing?

Yeah, why? I'm their sister, I have every right to sing when they screw up that much.

You haven't got over the blue hair episode, right?

Have you?

...Not really...

Someone is toasted! Another someone is toasted!

Flashback over, back to the present

WEDNESDAY, 11th January

P: Hey, do you think you could come to my house?

A: Why?

P: Something happened and I could really use your help.

A: Did you forget you had an assignment for tomorrow?

P: That's probable, even if it wasn't why I was inviting you.

What do you say?

Well, we might as well take advantage of being the only ones with permission to leave the house.

Really, we can go?

I can't really stop you, can I? But I would reeeeally appreciate it if you both kept the funny business from minimum to zero. I'm already thinking if claiming temporary insanity might explain why I was dating Peter.

I'm sure he's not as bad as you think he is.

I'll believe it when I see it.

A: Sure, we'll go.

***

Percy opened the door and his eyes were from her face to the carrier at her hand.

"You brought your cat?"

"Yes."

He frowned at her, still not moving to let her pass.

"Why?"

"Helga is still not very fond of him, nor is he of her. Wait, is Mrs. O'Leary here?"

"No, she was getting antsy so I let her outside a couple days ago."

"Is she going to be okay?"

"We gave her a collar and a tag, I'm sure she'll be fine. But there's probably her smell around the apartment, are you sure your cat won't go crazy?"

"I can keep him under control."

Wouldn't it be nice if things were actually like you make it sound?

"Peter, are you going to keep the poor girl outside for how long? Didn't I teach you anything?"

Even if the voice was somewhat familiar, Annabeth froze.

I'm afraid of the answer, but WHO EXACTLY just spoke?

Annabeth leaned forward and lowered her voice to a hiss.

"Your MOTHER is here?"

Percy's expression was enough to let her know he kept that detail a secret on purpose.

"So... Grover might have let it slip that I have a girlfriend and now she wanted to meet said girlfriend?"

She could feel her blood boiling.

"THAT'S what happened that you needed my help with!?"

"In a way?"

"I cannot believe you!"

"Am I in trouble?"

"Take a guess."

"No?"

She gave him a glare usually reserved to monsters that insisted on not dying.

"Guess again."

I. Am. LIVID! Annabeth, don't even try to defend him! Them!

I wasn't going to. I hate it when he holds information from me.

Oh God, I'm not even dating properly, or with a guy I like and I already need to meet a mother-in-law. How did my life got so messed up?

"Just... just let me pass, let's get this over. That DOESN'T mean you're on the clear, got it?"

He took a step back and opened the door for her, answering meekly.

"Yes, ma'am."

A slightly less-tired version of Sally was smiling from the kitchen.

"You must be Annie, it's very nice to meet you. Do you want some cupcakes? They're still warm."

"Hello, Mrs. Johnson. I apologize for not bringing anything, but Peter failed to mention I was supposed to meet you today."

His mother turned a steel glare at her son.

"Peter, if you mess a relationship with a girl as nice as Annie because you cannot be honest like I always taught you, you and I are going to have problems."

He gave her a military salute.

"Yes, ma'am."

Peter's mom turned to Annabeth with a sincere smile, gesturing to the kitchen as an invitation.

"Now dear, call me Sarah. Come, before the cupcakes get cold."

***

Annabeth was the only one really paying attention to the episode of Criminal Minds, constantly discussing with Annie who could've been the killer and the motivation. Percy and his mother mostly distracted watching her gray-striped kitten trying to explore his surroundings, hissing in annoyance every time Annabeth pulled him back to stay next to her.

"Why does your cat have a leash?"

Annabeth glanced at Sarah before glaring at her cat.

"Because I don't trust him."

Percy had removed his shoelaces and was offering a tip to her kitten, provoking it.

"Don't trust him to do... what? Be a cat?"

"When my family came back from Christmas, Helga opened his carrier so he could stretch his paws. That little devil sprinted and when I came back the next day, it took me ten hours to find him hiding behind the fridge. So now, he wears a collar and a leash if he wants to be out of his carrier."

The little devil pounced at the shoelaces, claws out and a hiss between his teeth.

"I thought cats hated leashes."

"Oh, he does. But he's young, he has time to get used to it."

Sarah laughed at her son playing with the cat.

"Are you sure? It looks to me like he's a bit on the wild side."

I got it! Oscar!

What Oscar?

The little devil's name, Oscar!

Really, Oscar?

Yes, Oscar WILD.

Are you... naming your cat based on a pun?

I am, one-hundred percent. But if anyone asks, is because I love Oscar Wilde quotes. I really do, so it's not a complete lie.

Except it's not the reason behind the name.

Details.

***

When it was time for Annabeth to go home, Percy went to his room to get another jacket. Not having anything to do, she followed him there, watching around the messy room.

Wait, go back.

Where?

That poster.

Annabeth took a couple of steps inside the room to better observe the poster glued to the wall, not in its best state.

Do you recognize it?

Yeah, it was a very popular online game some years ago. They had different worlds, with different settings and characters. You could play in a war zone, in an aerial city, or during a zombie apocalypse.

Did you play it?

For a while.

Did you play with your friends?

None of my friends played in the same world as I. The worlds weren't really connected, they were like an independent game.

Which world did you play in?

Arcane. They had any kind of magic you can imagine.

What was your character?

A warlock. Wow. It has been years since I last played or heard someone mention this game. I almost feel nostalgic.

Annabeth pointed to the poster.

"You play this game?"

Percy pulled a jacket from the pile inside his wardrobe, glancing at what she's pointing.

"Peter did, years ago, before he moved here."

"Which world did he play in?"

"Arcane."

"Really? Which username?"

"Gam254trouble."

WHAT? Is he SURE?

Do you want me to ask for confirmation?

No. I want to LEAVE.

Why are you being like this? Didn't you just say that you never met someone who played in the same world as you did?

I don't want to talk about it.

"Why, did Annie play it?"

"Yeah, but years ago."

"Peter did say something about the server crashing some time ago."

Annie?

I told you I don't want to talk about it.

Why, because you now have something in common with Peter?

Please stop.

You seemed interested before, what changed?

Annabeth.

I mean, it's just a game you both played, why... oh.

Annabeth, don't.

Oh gods. His username, you recognized. You knew him in the game.

Please, just... stop.

I will. For now. You know I won't let it slip for long.

THURSDAY 12th January

Annabeth was waiting outside with Barbara.

"So, why today out of the blue?"

"You asked me about Jodi."

"Yeah, do you know something?"

"I asked Jay, but he just said it would be nice if I spent some time with her. I figured this was a code or something."

"So, about Jay..."

Annabeth was interrupted by a car stopping next to them, Jodi exiting it while waving at the driver. Seeing her father, the other girls gave him a quick wave. After he left, Jodi turned to her friends.

Wow. She doesn't look well.

Barbara smiled innocently and gestured to the door behind her.

"Well, now that you're here, why don't we go inside? I'm freezing!"

Once inside, Jodi removed her coat and handed it to the receptionist.

"Not that I'm complaining about girl time, but I'm still wondering, why a pottery class?"

Barbara handed her purse and coat, keeping a sheet of paper with her.

"Because I got a free pass as a Christmas gift."

"Do you have a burning passion for pottery that I didn't know about?"

Barbara's flat look would've been enough of an answer for Annabeth's question.

"Do I look like someone who has an affinity for mud?"

The girls followed the receptionist to the room they could use, letting them know an instructor would be with them in a short time to teach them the basics.

"Then why...?"

"How should I know? My uncle Abel clearly doesn't think straight. And since he gave me three..."

"You've decided to drag us."

Barbara looked offended at Annabeth, choosing a seat where she could face her friends at the same time.

"I'm GIFTING you two hours of a free pottery class; can't you at least try to sound a little bit grateful?"

***

The instructor came and explained a bit about wheel-throwing, giving Barbara a dirty-look when she asked about the mud, correcting it to clay. After she helped the girls get started and moved to the other people in the class, Barbara gave her friends a look, keeping her voice barely above a whisper.

"Wow, did you guys see that? I was only asking, no need to look like I just broke her clay masterpiece."

"I don't think you were the problem; I can only imagine how many people made jokes about clay being mud. I would be mad as well in her place."

For a while, they concentrated on their wheel-throwing, careful to not let it dry or put too much water like Jodi had done at first, splashing all three girls with clay until they looked like dalmatians and the instructor came running to correct them.

How is it?

How is what?

Pottery.

Not bad. Not good either. Just not really my thing.

I'm not sure if I'd like, I hate to get dirt under my fingernails.

I think it's cute you think like that.

What? Why?

I'm usually more concerned about not getting dirt under my wounds that would give me a nasty infection. The fact that you can concern yourself with your nails, or even choose to keep them long and clean is cute. Mine usually get broken and dirty pretty fast. Demigod life and all.

... you just made me feel very superficial.

Oh, no, did I?

Your sarcasm is not appreciated.

Annabeth added some more clay, molding it up.

What are you trying to do?

I still have no idea. Are you still pretending it never happened?

What never happened?

You finding out Peter was your online friend.

I never said anything about Peter being my online friend.

Fine, you're still pretending.

Just because we played the same game...

In the same world, and that you recognized his username.

I DIDN'T recognize his username.

Sure, keep telling yourself that.

And Jodi interrupted you earlier.

When?

When you were about to ask Barbara about her date with Jay.

Annabeth sent a smirk to a progressively annoyed Barbara.

"So, Barbara, you and Jay?"

Jodi raised her head from her vase in curiosity.

"Who's Jay?"

"Jay, you know him."

Jodi kept looking like she didn't understand.

"I don't think I know any Jay, apart from... WAIT! Are talking about Jay, like, MY Jay? Not really mine, just like, Jay, Jordan and Peter? Like, we're talking about that Jay, specifically?"

Barbara shot a glare at Annabeth, but answered either way.

"Yes."

"What about him?"

"Oh, nothing much, he asked Barbara on a date."

"WHAT? WHEN?"

"Before Christmas."

Jodi's expression morphed from incredulity to anger.

"WHY am I only hearing about this now? Wait, Annie, how did you know?"

Barbara sighed, her eyes focusing again at her clay.

"I called her when he invited me."

"What!? But you didn't call me? I feel betrayed."

"Well, it would've been a little awkward to call you."

"Why? Wait, what did you answer, yes or no?"

They waited for four heartbeats before Barbara glanced at Jodi and answered in a timid voice.

"... Yes?"

Realization dawned on Jodi's face.

"Oh. My. God. He told me he had a date, but I thought it was a virtual one at most. I mean, I knew he had a crush on you, I just never thought he would get the courage to act upon it."

Barbara startled so hard she toppled over her sculpture.

"What!? Jay has a crush on me? Are you serious right now?"

Jodi and Annabeth exchanged a look.

I'm confused. Did that conversation back on Christmas ever happen?

Jodi unknowingly voiced Annie's confusion.

"... Didn't you say he asked you on a date?"

Barbara started to wave around with her arms.

"Yes, but we didn't do anything, we just talked, on both dates, so I thought-"

Jodi and Annabeth interrupted her at the same time.

"Wait!"

"There was more than one?"

Barbara ignored both.

"I thought he only wanted friendship, and now you're saying he has a crush on me? Like, an honest to God CRUSH?"

"When was this second date? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm still feeling betrayed you didn't tell me about the first one."

How dare she keep such important information from me? We're supposed to be best friends!

"Do you have a crush on him? I'm trying to remember our conversation from before, and it seemed like you did?"

"So, if Annie hadn't mentioned, you would never tell me about these dates? I was supposed to learn from Jay!? But he's a guy!"

"You mean that those dates and late-night Facetimes were because he has a CRUSH?"

"Woah, Facetime? Since when?"

"Why did you expect me to learn you have a boyfriend from the guy in the relationship? I thought we'd bonded!"

When would she tell me? Seven years from now with a wedding invitation? Has friendship lost its value?

***

Once their free class ended, each with a clay sculpture that could resemble a vase using a lot of imagination, they moved to the bathroom to try and wash at least the clay on their arms and faces. It was Annabeth the first to speak.

"So, why did you go MIA this last week? I was starting to worry."

She and Barbara kept waiting for Jodi's response, even if the girl wouldn't meet their eyes.

"Yeah, I... wasn't feeling like going to school."

Barbara scrunched her eyebrows for a second but sighed and send a tiny smile to her friend.

"Anyway, let us know if you need help with anything."

"My mom has cancer."

If it was possible, Annabeth could have sworn Annie took a deep breath and held it in. She and Barbara exchanged a look before turning to Jodi, who was awfully focused on the running water, too lost in her own mind to keep trying to clean herself. Barbara wetted her own hand and used it to clean a stain on Jodi's arm.

"Has it gone through metathesis yet?"

"No."

Annabeth moved to stand on the other side of Jodi, mimicking Barbara's actions.

"Are you already consulting with a doctor?"

"Yes."

Annabeth moved Jodi's hair away from her ashen face, and she could see their friend trembling, about to crumble at any moment.

"It doesn't matter how it ends, I know things always work out. You'll be there for your mother."

Barbara moved her hand to Jodi's face, doing more of a caress than cleaning.

"And we'll be here for you."

"Life is full of surprises, both good and bad."

"And we're always a little stronger than we think we are."

At this point, Jodi's knees gave out, Annabeth and Barbara quickly reacting to hug the crying girl between them. Annabeth took the brunt of Jodi's weight, while Barbara kept caressing her hair, while also tightening the hug.

"That's it, just let it all out."

***

Annabeth was lying in her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Wow, I can't imagine what Jodi must be going through.

Yeah, it's terrible.

You sound almost... empty.

I already lost friends to death. Siblings. Those that I considered family. Being a demigod is living with a death sentence over your head every day, looking at your friends and knowing it could be the last time you see them. I know that's true for everyone, but for a demigod is... heavier, almost... touchable.

How do you keep going?

One step after the other. You mourn, you cry, and then you accept that that's how the world works. People live, and people die; that's the truth for everyone, and the only thing you can do is make the most of your days. Jodi might lose her mother. Somewhere in the world, a mother is crying her heart out because she just learned that her son died in a car accident. In another place, someone is giving birth to triplets. Someone was just told they will never walk again. Someone got a transplant and can finally see. A toddler is getting heart surgery. Someone is proposing to their partner. Someone is standing on the top of a building, thinking about jumping. Someone is watching their child die of hunger. Time passes. Lives start, lives end, lives change. The only thing they can do, the only we can do, is take a deep breath and decide to make the most of it. To live until we can, to love, to laugh, to cry, to help, to learn, to feel alive.

Your pep talk was a weird mix of "we're all gonna die, so let's feel alive."

Don't they say death gives life meaning?

Things are valuable because they end?

Things are valuable to you if you want them to be.

"Annie, come down, dinner is ready!"

You constantly put my world into perspective.

And sometimes you make me feel old.

Well, sorry about that. If it helps, from where I'm standing, you can definitely be called Wisdom's daughter.

Please, don't even remind me of that prophecy.

Did you think you were going to die?

I was certain of it, but I also knew I had to do it.

Make the most of it?

"ANNIE!"

Let's go, dinner is ready.