Chapter Text
She, Grover, and Percy had hugged and promised to meet on the hill next summer. Beside Thalia's tree. And Grover had to figure out something, some last-minute preparations before he would head out officially with his Searcher's license on the quest for Pan. So he had waved goodbye and run back into camp.
And Annabeth? Annabeth has to go to school. To a theme park, and on a ride that's called splash mountain. She stands next to Percy, gripping onto her backpack strap and breathing. He had told her not to worry, just to be a kid. But in the past, she couldn't do that. Or hadn't been able to.
What will be so different now?
Suddenly there's the sound of clopping hooves, something she has heard before and turns, reaches out and grips Percy's nearest arm. "Whoa!" He says as she pulls him, stepping back in time to get out of the way of Chiron, who stops on the crest of the hill.
"Annabeth! Glad I caught you," his eyes are warm, but one front hoof paws at the grass.
"You ever win any horse races, Chiron?" Percy asks. Annabeth elbows him. "What? That's a compliment, he got up here fast!"
Annabeth sighs. Chiron smiles, a look on his face that tells her that he's yet to fully understand this son of Poseidon.
She kind of feels that way too.
"I've yet to sign up for such things, Percy, but I have heard there are races amongst my fellow centaurs that I might have a better chance of joining than mortal horse racing."
"Nice," Percy says.
Chiron inclines his head before looking at Annabeth. "The reason I'm glad I could catch you was to say this. Your father contacted me, and says he cannot make it here to pick you up today, but that he will be able to meet you in the city." Chiron's eyes drop as Annabeth feels her stomach clench. Of course, nothing is different.
"He has somewhere he has to be," she says quietly. It isn't a question, not really, but Chiron nods.
"Yes, child. He said that he will be stopping by the library to do some research, and wants you to meet him there."
The library, the big deal of one in New York City. For any other reason, she would be excited to go, she could even think of something to research herself, and that way she'd be able to look at the books. But with her dad prioritizing his research, of course, as usual "did he tell me someplace I have to be today before he gets here?"
"Not specifically, my dear. He simply said that you can meet him on the steps of the library tomorrow."
Wow.
Her dad isn't meeting her on Half-blood Hill. She should have figured, he didn't ask her for directions all the way to camp when they had decided she would be coming to Virginia and staying with him. Staying, not living- that is the word Annabeth herself had used, because she won't make that mistake again.
She won't get her hopes up.
She refuses.