I was struggling with Math. 4 years of fighting monsters, only to get stumped by an algebra equation. The words seemed to swim around the page, helped along by my dyslexia. I was reminded of how good it felt to swim, to feel the ocean breeze, to -

"Percy!" my mom shouted from the living room.

"What?" I shouted back.

"Annabeth's on the - " then she mumbled something I didn't quite get. I didn't know if it was a plot to get me out of my room, but the thought of Annabeth made me leap out of my bed and I scurried over to the living room, just in time to see my mom put down the phone.

Mom saw me and smiled. "You weren't fast enough." she teased. "Mom." I groaned, blushing slightly. "What did you mean Annabeth?"

"Oh, just that her flight got grounded and she was looking for a place to stay in NYC." she said nonchalantly.

"And..."

"She's coming over to stay for atleast a week, or more, depending on this blizzard." My heart started racing. Just the thought of a week with Annabeth - just Annabeth - seemed too good to be true. But then I remembered how she had left me last summer on Half-Blood Hill. I was going to tell her something important, and she just ran off without listening, leaving me standing there like an idiot.

I forced the smile off my face. "Why can't she stay at camp?"

"Because, apparently, Chiron has been invited to Olympus for a meeting, and I guess your camp director, I think she said it was Mr. D, said that since she had already declared that she'll be leaving for the winter, he won't let her stay because it'll be too much paperwork." she said, confused.

As angry I was at Annabeth, I couldn't stop myself from getting angry at Mr. D. Camp director, I scoffed. He didn't even care about his own children as much as he did for his strawberry fields.

I nodded. "Typical Mr. D." I told my mom. "Long story." I added, because she looked even more confused.

"Shes getting here from the airport, so she'll be here in an hour." Mom added.

"Okay." My heart was beating quickly, but I made nothing show up on my face.

"I think I'll bake something special for her, like a welcome gift. Do you want to help?"

"No." She gave me a look. "I mean, you don't need to." I said, a little louder than necessary. My anger was bubbling up from inside.

My mom noticed. "Is there something wrong between you two?" she asked gently.

I know she was trying to help, but I just didn't want to go into our history right now, and I didn't want to hurt Mom as well.

"It's nothing. I have homework." I spun around and started marching back to my room.

"But you never do Math- "

"Mom. Please." I looked back at her. She seemed worried, but she nodded understandingly.

I closed my door and jumped on my bed, hoping that algebra would be a good distraction.