slam dunk | ✔

8.

8.
A-W-K-W-A-R-D
-•-

I rang the doorbell, and tapped my fingers anxiously. The door opened and I found myself looking at a woman with long brown hair and deep grey eyes, ones like mine. She wore a business jumpsuit and held blueprints in her hand. She looked on at me for a bit, her mouth falling open.

"Ann-Annabeth?" She asked.

I clutched the straps of my bag and gripped the leather holds of my luggage even tighter. "That's me alright!" I said, slightly salty.

She immediately stepped forward and gave me a hug, taking me by surprise.
"I missed you so much!" She exclaimed, sounding like she was in tears.

I buried my face into her brown hair, my mind racing with thoughts.
My dad never really showered me with affection and love or anything. Maybe he did..when I was, like, four years old or something. Then, it was always Bobby and Matthew. I'd basically never existed...or he never saw the fact that I was his daughter and I yearned for his attention too. Now my mom? I never knew her personally. I just gave her the title 'mom.' She's never been a mom to me, and I've never spent time with her. Now..?

My..my mom pulled away and looked into my eyes, tears flowing down her cheeks as she kept smiling. "How are you, Annabeth?"

A shot of anger surged through me. "Oh, I'm good! Ya know, basically left the place where I actually blended in and enjoyed life, good friends, a boyfriend, but I was forced to leave from there and what isn't absolutely amazing about that?!" I exclaimed, bitterly.

My mom rubbed my shoulder with sympathy. "I know how you feel, Annabeth. But it's okay! You will fit in here too! The New Yorkers are really sweet! I have a really good friend here..." she began.

"Sally Jackson?"

My mom raised her eyebrow. "How d'you know?"

I recounted everything, from the airplane to the house.
My mom nodded along, with a smile on her face. But for some reason, she frowned when I told her about the Percy Jackson part. (not the falling thing..obviously.)

"Perseus Jackson..." my mom murmured. "Poseidon..."

"Who?"

My mom gave me a grim look. "Me and Poseidon Jackson were rivals. We both vied for some cities, Poseidon wanting to build a grand aquarium while I wanted to build a Greek museum. Most cities agreed to me, which angered Poseidon. You sure you don't remember anything, Annabeth?"

What?!

"What are you talking about mom?"

My mom chuckled softly. "I can't believe you don't remember all those times...I remember it. It was so cute seeing you both play and all..."

Double what?!

"What...what do you mean..?" I spluttered in confusion, unable to comprehend what she was saying.

"Anyways.." my mom said, sighing. "Why talk about the past? Tell me about you, your interests, opinions..?"

It seemed weird. A mother getting to know her daughter for the first time, like it was some sort of interview...I told her everything about me: my favorite color (grey), my friends, becoming a captain, the good moments in my life, Helen the Devil, and other things.