"Annabeth, we need to talk," Thalia said.

Annabeth looked up from her laptop where Google Docs was open. "Talk? About what?"

"You," Thalia said. "You've been acting strangely recently."

Annabeth rolled over into a sitting position and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "How so?"

     "You've been spending the last week hunched over on your laptop," Thalia said. "You're either doing homework or going to class."

     Annabeth shrugged. "That's normal for me."

    "Okay, but you passed up the opportunity to go to a Green Day concert with me yesterday," Thalia said.

      Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "So? You're the Green Day fangirl."

      Thalia raised her hands in exasperation and let them fall to her sides. "So, you also declined to go to the Job Fair with me two days ago, I haven't seen you go to office hours for fun once this past week, and you didn't even notice when I invited my brother, Jason, over."

      Annabeth looked up from her computer. "I've been busy."

       "I can see that," Thalia said.

      She grabbed Annabeth's laptop. Annabeth stood up. "Give it back, Thalia."

     Thalia put in its case and stowed it under her own bed. "Not until you take a break and sit down with your friend."

     "But I'm busy working on my thesis!" Annabeth protested.

"Which you have all the rest of the semester to finish," Thalia said.

"But I'm stuck," Annabeth said. "I'm confused because Milton portrays Satan as both the enemy of God and some tragic, anti-hero, while The Book of Job portrays the Adversary as an evil force who takes commands from God."

Thalia blinked at her. "Why don't you just make that your thesis."

"Because I want something better," Annabeth said as if she was explaining something to a toddler. "I know that I can do better."

Thalia rested one hand on her friend's shoulder. "Perfectionism will eat you alive if you let it."

    "Perfectionism is my best friend," Annabeth said.

     "I thought Luke and I were," Thalia said and then sighed. "Come on, you need a break."

****

      Half an hour later, Annabeth and Thalia were strolling around campus. Annabeth tried to relax and enjoy the outsides, but it was still winter and without snow blanketing the grounds, it looked sparse and dead. The grass was wilted and short and most of the trees were bare.

     Thalia nudged Annabeth. "Come on. Let's go to my pine tree."

     Annabeth smiled. When Thalia had first toured the campus, she had eaten her lunch beside a large pine tree. The tree was located in the middle of Persephone's Park. The park was usually abloom and lush with life, but the cold meant that only the evergreens were the greatest splashes of color against a muted backdrop.

       The two friends sat down on the grass. Thalia pulled out her phone and went to her photo gallery. She showed Annabeth and picture of her winning a Lego competition in first grade. "Remember this?"

     Annabeth chuckled. "Yes, I had so much fun."
 
     "You made a model of the Taj Mahal all by yourself," Thalia said.

    Annabeth elbowed her friend. "Remember the time you entered the talent show?"

    Thalia tipped back her head and laughed. "I sang a Green Day song. I had just started listening to them."

    The two friends laughed and chatted. The day was beautiful and by the end, even Annabeth acknowledged it was nice to take a break from her studies.