memory (hiatus)

Chapter 26: Falling Off A What?

Her dad barely looked up from his newspaper, but the quick glance was full of warmth, and that was enough for Annabeth. "And I promise, it's actually good this time."

Her dad and Helen alternated the cooking, and, well, her dad wasn't the best at cooking, really, but he'd been trying. Thin pancakes and cinnamon waffles covered in a little too much syrup were what he'd come up with today, so Annabeth took a single waffle. 

"Not bad today, Dad," Annabeth said. 

Her dad gave her a small smile before running upstairs. "Have you seen my blue tie, Helen?"

"No. Maybe it's in your room. Have you seen my grey blouse?"

"Yeah, it's on your dresser."

"Mommy, do I have to wear this uniform?"

"Daddy, Bobby's trying to not wear his uniform!"

Annabeth sighed. Chaos in the Chase household, once again. She finished her waffle and pulled on a dark blue blouse, a black blazer, blue jeans, and also packed her track clothes, text books, and phone. 

A minute later, she was out of there, and Grover was driving her to Olympus. 

"Hi Annabeth!" Sally said, welcoming her into a hug. "And, Grover, it's good to see you back. Did you transfer again?"

Grover smiled, tugging on his ginger hair. "With all of the kidnappings, I felt like I had to be here."

Sally pulled him into the hug too. "It's good to see you."

Percy and Jason both hustled out a moment later. Percy carried his blue backpack, eating a breakfast sandwich and sipping a blue smoothie, while Jason was staring at his phone, dark circles under his eyes, looking annoyed. 

"Jason?"

Jason looked up from his phone and immediately paled. Annabeth gritted her teeth as Beryl Grace ran towards them. 

"Let's get into the car, right now," Percy said. His tone was dead serious. 

They smushed into the car fast as they could, Grover driving, Jason in the passenger's seat, and Percy and Annabeth in the back. Grover hit the gas, and they drove off, leaving a screaming Beryl Grace behind. 

Jason let out a breath. "Do you think Hazel, Frank, Nico,  and Leo will be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm sure they can drive together without killing each other.... hopefully," Percy said. 

"Does that often happen?" Annabeth had to ask. 

Jason looked away. "Sometimes, yeah."

"She's crazy," Percy said. 

"Yeah, Thalia told me that she faked a car accident," Grover said. He was probably remembering what Thalia had told them in the good old days, with Luke too, Grover trying to get them to Olympus.

Jason nodded, a small confirmation of the horrors they'd experienced as kids. They pulled up to the school, got ushered in by the guards, past the students- wait those weren't students. Those were journalists and reporters, each trying to take pictures and ask questions. 

"What is the press doing here?" Jason said. 

Annabeth checked her phone and groaned. "Nancy's suicide broke the news and they figured out that this is where Piper and we go to school."

They'd told the police about Piper's kidnappings last week, and while the rest of the Olympian kidnappings had broke the news, they hadn't been able to find Olympus or Goode High School, until now. Also, apparently, Beryl Grace had unfrozen her back accounts and started social media, so there was also all that gossip.