Breathe (Percabeth AU)

XXXII: The Letter

okay hi! It's been so long and I am so sorry. Thank you all SO MUCH for being so patient, kind and supportive with me - it means the absolute world that you've all stuck around. I know this is a really short chapter, and I'm not really happy with it, but it's something. And my motivation has made a little comeback so maybe things will start to pick up :)). Anyways, I just wanted to say that I hope you enjoy this and I love you !! ❤️

Sunday, February 24th
5:10 pm - Annabeth's living room.
29 weeks and 4 days pregnant

Everyone gathered in the living room, cozying up with blankets and snacks. Although it was a Sunday, Annabeth invited everyone over to watch a movie and hang out, wanting to see her friends. She wanted to hear all about what was going on with school and anything else she was missing before they went back. It wasn't any occasion necessarily special, but she was still excited.

Not being at school meant she was missing a lot. Of course, Drew always had the latest rundown of the hottest drama and was always happy to fill her in. However, it wasn't so much about the actual group. She still saw a number of them almost everyday, but she missed school more than anything at the moment. The amount of times she had considered calling off the whole plan just to go back in was a little scary. Of course, her friends always calmed her down and helped to rationalize.

Not shortly after they began the process of deciding on a movie to watch, Annabeth heard a key jam into the lock of the front door followed by the familiar squeak of it swinging open.

"Anna?" Frederick called into the house. Then she heard her father's footsteps leading into the living room. Then he appeared in the doorway. "Oh great, there's a bunch of children in my house," he mumbled jokingly.

"Hi Mr. Chase!" Everyone yelled in unison at him in greeting, laughing. It was quite funny because he was the decided "dad" of the entire group. Annabeth laughed and stood up to hug her father, Travis standing as well. That boy always had to bother Frederick in one way or another.

"Hi dad," she said, hugging him hello. "I didn't know you were gonna be home toni—"

"Mr. Chase!" Travis interrupted her, clapping her father on the back. "Fred! How are you? You know I've been thinking about you lately," the brown haired boy joked. "You should join me up in the links, I've got a beautiful new set of clubs with your name on 'em." It was almost scary how good Travis was at playing this character of his.

Frederick gave the boy a sarcastic smirk, narrowing his eyes at him. "Okay, Travis," he retorted, although it was all in good fun.

Annabeth rolled her eyes at the boy and shook her head playfully, pushing him back into the living room. Then Frederick walked into the foyer and she followed him. "I didn't know you were gonna be home tonight."

"Yeah I wasn't supposed to be but I got out early," he explained. After pulling off his shoes and hanging his coat on the rack, he walked to the table where the stack of mail sat. He began sifting through rather mindlessly when he suddenly paused.

"What?" Annabeth asked, noticing his blanch.

"There's some mail for you, Pumpkin," he said, holding up a large envelope. Looking at the seal on the front Annabeth realized it was a letter from the one college she hadn't heard from yet; the most important one.

Annabeth froze. She couldn't move. She couldn't say anything, she couldn't take the letter from her father. She was terrified. If it had taken this long for her to get the letter there was no way it was good news. Of all the colleges she had applied to so far—Cornell, Buffalo, Berkeley, and a few others—she had received letters from five out of six, all acceptances. Now, the most precious of all the documents was in her father's hands, and she couldn't open it.