Prologue

Percy

Truth. Honesty.

The mere thought of those words used to scare me. I couldn't handle the rawness that the truth implies. It strips you down, leaves you bare and exposed until you can't even tell who you are anymore. When you think one thing about yourself but portray another, how can you even tell what the truth is anymore? It all becomes one big blurry mess. So I just avoided it. I avoided the truth until I reached a point where my lie became my reality and the truth was merely nonexistent. That was how I lived the majority of my life. But then he came along. Him with his assholish nature. Someone who didn't give a fuck about my feelings-because when it comes down to it, the truth is real whether you like it or not.

I didn't like it. I was afraid of it. Hell, I was downright terrified.

But he showed me how not to be.

Chapter 1

Percy

I wake up to the insistent blaring of my alarm, its piercing beeps signaling that my day has begun. After silencing it, I allow myself to relish in a brief moment of stillness, the last calm and quiet I will have for the rest of the day. I sigh and regretfully pull the covers off, knowing that I don't really have much of a choice. The biting air greets my exposed body and I run to the bathroom, entering the shower and turn the water on as hot as it can go. The steam embraces my body, its hot moisture making everything feel damp. The hot water wakens me, revitalizes me, giving me a reason to be awake.

The hot water soon runs out, leaving me with frigid droplets seeping into my pores. Getting out, I wipe off the mirror and watch the condensation run in hectic streams. I stare into my familiar features-eyes so similar to the sea, hair so dark it's almost black, a prominent jawline and high cheekbones. My tan complexion is flushed from the heat.

I rake my fingers through my wet hair, shaking the water out and feeling it run down my neck. I suddenly feel exhausted. I wish I could stay under the hot stream of water all day long, that I could stay there in the safety and comfort it provides. I never want to go to school, never want to leave my house so I can finally be the person I really am without fearing judgement. I'm sick and tired of being someone that I'm not in attempt to save face. But, at the same time, I'm terrified of what would happen if I broke through my façade. So, I smile and act like the person everyone expects me to be.

Maybe some day, things will be different. But not anytime soon.

I gaze into my green eyes, trying to figure myself out. Am I wrong? I know people would think that if they knew. Hell, I think I'm wrong every single day, feeling like I'm an awful human being for having different desires. Yet, the more I pretend I don't have those desires, the more awful I feel for lying to the people close to me. It's a vicious, never ending cycle.

I don't want to do this anymore. I'm not sure if I even can.

/Line Break/

"What're you doing home?" I ask when I see my mom in the kitchen.

"I don't have to go in until eight thirty today," she responds, stopping to stare at my face.

My mom and I, we used to be really close. It kills me that we're like this now. I know it's wrong of me, but I was the one who pulled away in the beginning. I always rationalized my distance with her in the most senseless, petty ways. Our closeness-her closeness to my true self-was destroying me, so it seemed sensible for me to pull away. But now, our distance is destroying her-I see it in her worn face, her tired eyes, her frustrated expression. I don't know how much I longer I will be able to put my well-being before hers. It makes me feel like a terrible person. And maybe I am.

"That's nice," I respond, reaching over the table to grab a box of cereal. Acting abruptly, she catches my arm in its path, forcing me to look at her.

"Percy… are you okay? I know...I know I haven't always been there for you-and I truly am sorry for that. But I want-I need you to know that whatever is wrong, you can tell me." Her voice quivers but her eyes are as solid and resilient as ever.

I give her a small, tight lipped smile and nod jerkily. My face burns bright red and I manage to mumble an "okay." Lips locked, no secrets coming out.

I can't talk to my mom about this-hell, I can't talk to anyone. But I won't let her know that. I'll play nice and engage in small talk so she feels fulfilled in her motherly responsibilities and Ieaves me alone.

She smiles back at me, and in realizing that I'm not saying anything else, we recommence to our thick, heavy silence. All that could be heard was the crunching of my cereal and my her soft whistles as she cooled off her tea.

"You should probably get going if you don't want to be late," she says, taking a quick glance at the clock. I nod and shove the rest of my breakfast down my throat. After some contemplation, I kiss her on the cheek and feel a small swell of joy when I see her beam with happiness.

/Line Break/

I walk slowly, taking my time. I listen to the life happening around me as I walk by in my own pace, in my own little world. I don't particularly like school-but then again, what teenager does? I'm not smart. Never have been, probably never will be. I've just always had something else to occupy my mind other than grades, mainly athletics. My above average status in swimming is what brought me my popularity, popularity in the sense that the whopping fifty people in my grade looked up to me.

Swimming brought me other things as well. Over the years, it became my solace. I enjoy pushing myself to the brink of exhaustion, feeling the ache in my muscles all the down to my bones. I love everything there is about it. I swam every chance I could when I was younger, swimming the anger and frustration out of my body until I was suddenly the fastest one. Swimming is probably the only way I can ever make it out of this tiny town-not saying that it's something I'd necessarily want to do, but this town is all I've ever known. I know the way things work; the politics, the people, what they accept and what they don't. And while those are the reasons I wanted to stay, they're also the reasons I desperately want to leave.

Yeah, I'm confused, but I'm also only sixteen; I have time to figure things out. Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself. Now that I'm starting junior year, I can sense time slipping away from me, and my time as a child is coming to a close. I should start thinking about my future, about what I want to do with myself, about college; but telling myself that the future doesn't exist is just so much easier. And then, it just becomes another one of the lies I tell myself every day.

/Line Break/

"Hey, Perce!" I look up to see Jason walking over.

"Hey, Jace," I respond as he falls into step with me.

Jason has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. He was always the extroverted, more poised one, while I was more of the silent rebel. I got him to loosen up more, break a few rules, and he got me to actually study and keep my grades decent. He's a good friend, one of the truest friends I've ever had. Because of this, I feel guilty for not being as true with him as he is with me.

"How was your summer, bro? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages," he says with a smile on his face, his sky blue eyes dancing with a certain happiness I can't comprehend.

"Good...good," I mumble.

Was my summer good? It's not like I did anything all that exciting. A trip to Montauk (as per usual), and then…nothing really. A lot of sitting at home alone thrusting myself deeper into my own thoughts. Sure, I could've invited my friends over, acted like a normal teenager, but the solidarity wasn't so bad.

"That's great," he nods.

"So, tell me all about your summer. We both know you're dying to," I say with a laugh. At that, Jason falls into a monologue about the wonders of his summer, spending time with his girlfriend, going to the beach...

I smile fondly at his eagerness and allow him to go on. I like it better like this-I'm not much of a conversationalist anyway. He talks all the way to homeroom, and if it weren't for the ringing of the first bell, he would've kept talking. Instead, he stops what he was saying abruptly and turns to face the front of the classroom. I watch in amusement as he quickly composes himself in to listen to our teacher's instructions like the pretty-little good boy he is. I quickly follow suit.

"Class," my teacher, Mr. Brunner, starts, "it's my pleasure to announce that we are going to have a new student this year."

Excited murmurs erupt throughout the classroom. In a small town like this, getting someone new is next to monumental.

Mr. Brunner claps a few times to regain our attention. "His name is Nico di Angelo and should be arriving within the week. I hope you all do your best to make him feel welcome. Now, open your textbooks to page 26…." He proceeds to tell us our assignment for the day, but everyone is too excited to actually listen. Jason turns around to face me.

"Why do you think he's coming sometime this week?" he asks in a low tone. "I mean, wouldn't it be easier to just come in on the first day instead of a few days in?"

"Maybe he needs a few days to settle," I respond with a shrug, not really knowing the answer either.

Jason nods and turns back around, curiosity still evident on his face. I feel the same, my mind swirling with thoughts of this new kid. I keep thinking about what his personality might be like, how different he might be. It's been way too long since we've gotten something new in this town. I smile, excitement fluttering in my chest.

Nico di Angelo. What a pretty name.