I drum my fingers on the breakfast table. I glance over at my older sister, Annabeth and then to Percy. Let me explain something. I live with my sister and her boyfriend cuz' our dad moves a lot for his job and we wanted to settle down in one place for once. Percy offered and we accepted. The only bad thing. Goode. You see, I used to got to their middle school. I was bullied a lot by this girl named Drew. I had one friend. Nico. Wonder whatever happened to him. So, anyways at orientation for Goode my tour guide was Drew. As annoyed a person can be.

It'll be fine I tell myself. She didn't recognize you. It'll be fine. Just fine. All the words come hurtling back at me. I close my eyes and I'm back there. My hands start shaking and I open my eyes when Annabeth takes my hand. I smile at her and she smiles back.

"It'll be fine." She tells me. I nod.

Freshman year. Annabeth and Percy are juniors, so they won't be around to help me. I walk into the admissions office to get my schedule. Homeroom, math, English, free period, Latin, lunch, and P.E. I groan. Words cannot explain my hate for physical education. I rush off to Mr. Parker's home room. Drew's home room. She's twirling her hair with a pencil. The only seat left is right behind her. I sit down. Mr. Parker starts talking but I zone out. I jump when the guy behind me taps my shoulder.

"Sorry." He says. I just nod. "Can I borrow a pencil? And uh, um a pen?"

"Did you forget you were coming to school today?" I say as I look through my pencil case.

"Something like that." He replies smirking. I turn around and pass him the stuff. I look at him and my heart skips a beat. It's not that he's really handsome (which he is). I just feel like I know those black eyes. He's wearing a Green Day T-shirt and black jeans with holes. His hair is spiked and he was wearing earrings and a skull ring. The only thing I recognize are those eyes.

"I didn't catch your name." I say, my mind working away with my deductions.

"Nico. Nico di Angelo." He replies. My heart stops. "And your name?"

"July Chase." His eyes sparkle for a moment, then fade. He cocks his head to one side and his brow furrows.

"Do I know you?" Nico asks. Yes, I think.

"No." I reply shaking my head. The bell rings for math.

"Hey baby." Drew says to Nico. She puts her arms around his neck from behind him and rests her chin on his shoulder. I put my hands to my mouth to keep myself from gagging.

"Nice meeting you." I say and wave a little and storm out.

I catch up with my friend Bianca. She moved to Manhattan (we live there, by the way) last year and we've been close ever since.

"Do you remember Nico?" I ask her.

"The one you told me about? Of course." She replies, half paying attention, half organizing her locker.

"He's in my homeroom." I say. Bianca slams her locker shut.

"No kidding." She stares down the hallway and I follow her gaze. Nico's running down the hallway towards me. He catches up to me and pushes a piece of hair out if his face.

"Hey." I say.

"Hey, um. I'm having a first day of school party at my place. Wanna come?" Nico asks. He hardly knows me and he's inviting to his party? Aw, he's so sweet. What? No. He's a jerk. Say you're busy. Say you have. I open my mouth to say something, but Bianca beats me to it.

"We'll be there!" She says and smiles. Nico smiles back and waves. My heart gets stuck in my throat and I don't know why I feel this way. I turn back to Bianca, a blank look on my face. I quickly grab my books and walk away.

Math sucks as always. The numbers and letters float around because of my dyslexia and I feel like I'm going to explode in English because of my ADHD. I walk into the lounge (full with a coffee machine and a juice bar) and flop down on th couch. I put my face in my hands and try to figure this day out. My feeling with Nico is still lingering. I try to avoid him and Bianca, but I keep bumping into him. Why was it so much easier to talk to him earlier? Was it because I didn't recognize him? I don't know anymore. I feel someone sit down beside me and I look over. It's just Annabeth and I sigh.

"You do not know how glad I am to see you." I say and she smiles.

"So how's your day been?" She asks.

"Nico's in my homeroom." I start with.

"No way." Annabeth says and indicates for me to go on.

"And he's dating Drew." Annabeth gasps.

"And he doesn't remember me."

"And I feel so dumbstruck and speechless. And he's gotten a lot hotter. Like a lot."

"Oh my god!" Annabeth says.

"What?" I ask.

"Your first crush." She replies. I take a look at her.

"Shit."

I sit in the library and munch on a poptart and a sandwich. I hold The Land Of Stories and pay no attention to my surroundings. I know I'm sitting in the back of the library in a corner so no one will see me. That's probably why I screamed when someone tapped on my shoulder.

"Sorry." The person says. I turned to see Nico standing there.

"Hi," I say. He sits down beside me and my heart skips a beat. He has the cutest puppy dog eyes.

"Shouldn't be sitting with Drew something." I say.

"I broke up with her." Nico says. "Last week." I gape at him.

"No way!" I say.

"She will not go away from me. It's so annoying." I laugh a little and he smiles. My heart floats down to my chest and my breathing evens.

"Excited for the party tonight?"

"Of course!"

"See you there, I guess." He walks away and I smile. A dirty little smirk.

"Beat breaking them up." I say to myself. I smile again and return to my book

"Nothing looks good!" I screamed in agony. Annabeth sits on my bed.

"How bout' this." She runs to her room and I follow. Deep in the closet she pulls out a sun dress. It's designed like Vincent van Gogh Starry night. I put my hands to my mouth and my eyes widen

"It's perfect." I whisper. Annabeth smiles.

"It was Mom's." she says and sends me to get changed.

"Where did Mom get this dress?" I ask as I slip the belt on. It's so beautiful. I stare in the mirror and just feel so...pretty?

"Our aunt made it. That's all mom ever told me." Annabeth replies. I nod. Annabeth doesn't usually talk about our family.

"See you later." I say. I walk out the door of our apartment and text Bianca to come.

"You okay?" Bianca asks.

"Mm." Is all I say. Bianca looks at me funny.

"What?" I say. She goes back to looking ahead. She turns right and drives a bit more before saying anything.

"There's this look in your eyes. A look that scares me. You look troubled and lost and...scared."

"I'm fine." I say. "Just a lot on my mind." I smile for good measure even though inside I feel like screaming she's right. There is a lot on my mind. More than wanted. I keep a smile on my face to convince myself everything will be fine. I rest my head on the window and close my eyes. My mind drifts off and suddenly I'm dreaming.

Absolutely terrifying, I think, are the right words to explain my dream. There's blood everywhere. Bianca lies lifeless on floor at my feet. Bodies. Everywhere. I see Nice coming towards me. Covered in blood. He smiles for a moment when he see's his face loses color as a sword runs through him and comes out. He falls to the floor lifeless. I scream. The person is caped and in a hood. Suddenly the person is at my side. He whispers softly into my ear.

"Do exactly as we say. If you don't, well..." He gestures to the bodies. Tears roll down my cheeks.

"Oh, dont cry." He fingers my cheek.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask.

"Well, my dear. It's a necessary evil. Just to, balance out the good... and the bad." A sharp pain rises in my stomach and I look down to see a sword plunged in me.

I wake up with a jolt. A sweat appears on my brow. I look over to Bianca. Living. Breathing. I sigh. I look out the open window. A huge mansion is in front of my eyes.

"Ready?" Bianca asks. I swallow.

"Ready."