The Library Book

#43 - Miles Away

Chapter 43 - Miles Away
published: Wednesday, 26 August 2020

It took all her energy not to tap her foot on the ground.

Classical music flowed from the speakers in the hallway outside the office, where a panel of teachers would decide whether Annabeth was fit to join Harvard University.

Annabeth was the last interview of the day — she had spent the last three hours while waiting wracking her brain trying to figure out how they ordered the candidates being interviewed and still failed to produce a viable solution — which could be both a good thing and a bad thing.

But she was too hopped up on nerves to think straight, especially because she couldn't exactly pull out her phone, could she? Her father had trained her in this — he had attended both Harvard and Yale, after all — and first impressions were extremely important.

Unfortunately, Annabeth had been so agitated when leaving their hotel room that she'd forgotten to pack the book she'd specifically picked out to make her seem a whole lot smarter than she actually was.

Her father had been taking her all over the country for college interviews. Leo's interview with MIT had fallen on the same day as Annabeth's with Harvard, so he'd joined them on their trip to Massachusetts.

They'd spent the entire car ride here testing each other on their various subjects. It was weird to followed up the question "Explain the functions of theory in political inquiry." with "What are the parameters used for synchronisation?", but Annabeth and Leo had pulled it off.

Annabeth checked her watch for what had to be the thousandth time in the last hour. 4.24pm. Leo had to be done with his interview by now. He was probably waiting outside the school with Frederick, rambling on about nonsense to her father. Annabeth was glad that her dad knew Leo well enough that whatever nonsense he was spouting wouldn't confuse him.

Annabeth gripped the edge of her seat as the glass door opened, making the bells overhead jingle.

A blonde European boy exited, looking ready to collapse and shaking like a leaf as he blankly walked away.

A tall, slender woman stepped out from the office, her eyes trained on the clipboard in her hands. "Carmen Patel," she announced. The British-Indian girl sitting across from Annabeth got to her feet and toddled inside, her face pale with terror.

Annabeth's own fear skyrocketed as the door closed, leaving her the only one outside. She was next. In about 30 minutes, her first college interview would take place, and probably determine the rest of her life.

These were decisions that she couldn't take back.

Annabeth closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall behind her, trying to train her breathing to regain a slow rhythm.

She tried to think of the one thing that never failed to calm her down; Percy. Green eyes, dark hair, and his goofy grin.

Except that all that did was remind Annabeth that, if this and the subsequent interviews went well, she would have to leave him.

Percy would have to stay in New York, while Annabeth pursued her own dreams, and she hated the thought of leaving him behind.

Even if they spoke everyday, it wouldn't be the same. Their relationship wouldn't consist of hushed conversations in AP Biology or passed notes in Maths. She wouldn't slide in beside him during lunch like the missing piece of his puzzle. He wouldn't beam up at her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

Their entire dynamic would be different. Annabeth finally understood why so few relationships survived past high school. Simply thinking about the mileage between Percy and herself made her want to sink into a foetal position on the ground.