The Library Book

#1 - Nice Uppercut, By the Way

Chapter 1 - Nice Uppercut, By the Way
published: Wednesday, 29 January 2020

"Okay, this is preposterous," Annabeth declared furiously. She threw her book bag onto the ground and slumped into her seat.

Piper and Leo exchanged furtive looks as they stifled giggles. Jason gave them each a pointed look. "Mind catching us up, Annie?" he hinted.

Annabeth crossed her arms and scowled. "Don't call me Annie when I'm ready to decapitate somebody," she muttered under her breath.

"Annabeth," Jason corrected himself. "Okay, what happened this time?"

"Were you too quick for the AP math class?" Leo piped up.

Piper snickered. "Too smart for the teachers?"

Annabeth opened her mouth to say that both were actually right, but she closed it and thought better of the situation. "Shut up. No, I'm talking about how I've been on the wait list for this damn book for five months!"

"It's a book," Leo repeated.

"Yes!"

"Just leave it!"

"I can't," Annabeth said exasperatedly. "It's supposed to be one of the foremost leading understandings in anthropology."

Piper stared at her. "I understood exactly seven words in that sentence."

Annabeth pointedly ignored her, directing most of her frustration towards Jason. "And I've chased after this dumb book for so long, I can't give up now!"

Jason held up a hand in a 'pause' sign as he turned to Piper and Leo. "We'll meet you by the tree."

Piper winked at her boyfriend. "Thank you," she said in relief, pulling Leo to his feet.

Annabeth rolled her eyes as they staggered away, chattering and joking about. When they were gone, Jason turned back to her. "Continue."

She launched right back into it. "I tried to ask Fanny who's had the book all this time, and apparently, it's been overdue since September!" Annabeth leaned back in her seat and set her chin stubbornly. "She wouldn't tell me the person's name because privacy issues - whatever."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe she didn't want you to go to jail for murder?"

"I wouldn't kill them," Annabeth protested. She shrugged. "Just...maim them a little."

"Maim them?" Jason repeated. "A little? Wow, you're so nice."

"Shut up," Annabeth said playfully as she shoved him in the side, making him laugh. Jason had been her best friend all through middle school. He was long used to her meaningless rants.

Two years year, when they'd first come to high school, Jason had quickly developed a crush on the 'pretty girl' of the school - Piper McLean. Of course, Annabeth had assumed she was the queen bee who would never pay attention to either of them.

By spring break, the two of them were head over heels for each other and Piper turned out to be the sweetest human being of all time.