The Library Book

#6 - Monday Blues

Chapter 6 - Monday Blues
published: Wednesday, 5 February 2020

Two weeks had passed since Annabeth befriended Percy Jackson.

She'd decided that tentative friendship was whatever they were doing. There was a certain ease that came along with his presence, and there was never a dull moment with him.

Despite the rushed manner of their relationship, Annabeth found herself in the position of confidante whenever she spent time with Percy at the coffee shop.

Because he didn't run in her circle, Annabeth didn't care about telling him secrets. It wasn't like he could tell anyone. He was like a personal, talking diary.  

They had also evolved from reluctant conversations to secret smirks across the classroom when no one was looking.

It was painful to ignore him in public, but Annabeth knew it was essential if they were to keep this up.

Percy's grades picked up; he even got a B in the most recent Maths test. It was a culmination of her efforts and tutoring, but the end result was because of Percy's determination.

As much as she would have never admitted it, Annabeth was proud of him. Percy was smarter than he, or anyone else, realised.

All of that made what happened on Monday so much worse.

They'd made it two weeks, but it seemed that that was all the time the universe was allowing.

Annabeth shoved her sports bag into her locker, struggling to fit her shoes and clothes inside the skinny compartment. Amidst her inward frustration, Annabeth absently noticed how silent her surroundings had become.

Her gaze flickered left and right to see that the students milling about the corridor had practically fallen silent when she walked in.

Giving up her fight with her bag, Annabeth stepped back and slammed the door to her locker shut. The loud noise echoed through the hallway, making a few students wince.

Quit staring, she wanted to retort. Shouldering her backpack, Annabeth turned on her heel and edged her way out of the hallway.

Red flag number two was the same thing happening in homeroom.

None of her friends had arrived yet — strange, since Annabeth was usually the least punctual — which left her sitting in a lonely seat amongst stares and whispers.

Mentally reeling through the events of the last few days, Annabeth wracked her brain for any gossip that might've resulted in this. She couldn't think of anything.

Last thing she'd heard was some sophomore having herpes.

A soft 'ding' sounded from someone's phone.

Their homeroom teacher — Mrs Lorenson — was an elderly, half-deaf woman who could barely hear the bell, much less a phone.

Annabeth watched surreptitiously as the owner of the mobile phone flicked it open, cast an astonished glance up at her before turning back to his friends.

Her heart picked up speed, and Annabeth suppressed the feeling of butterflies in her stomach. What was going on?

Caged in by judgemental stares of her fifteen classmates, Annabeth slumped further into her seat. She swiped her phone open and nervously texted Piper, where are you???

The bell for first period sent relief coursing through her, and Annabeth zipped out of there before anyone could even react.

Puzzlement coursed through her mind as Annabeth sat down in the Physics classroom. There it was again; everyone giving her weird looks.