The sound of water splashing and the smell of chlorine fills my ears and nose as I walk through the doors of the swimming facility. The meet is happening in a few minutes and Piper, Nico, and I made it just in time with Will tagging along as each team is beginning to line up in front of their respective lanes.
We find a spot in the bleachers and I sit on one side of Piper while Nico sits on the other, Will next to him. They start off the meet announcing each team that's attending and then call out the first race which is when one member of each team performs a backstroke from one end of the pool to the other.
They go through each individual race before going to the relay races. Percy, being the best on the team, is anchor every time.
Lastly is the individual freestyle race and this time Percy is representing our school. I can't help but watch his muscular arms tear through the water as he moves and when he's coming out from underwater to get air he still looks hot while others look like fish out of water.
In the end Percy is the first to complete the race, putting our team in second place. We get up from our spots and walk over to him as he gets out of the pool, water dripping down his body in all different places. A drop trails down from his hair and down his abs, rolling down into his swim shorts and into an unseen place.
Piper smacks my arm. "You're drooling." I gape at her and she winks at me before putting on a grin and going to congratulate our friend.
After she pats his shoulder because she refused to hug him and ruin her new sweater, Percy moves over to me, grinning beautifully.
"Good job, man." I comment, trying to sound causal and not as if I was just (according to Piper) drooling over him.
"Thanks, Jase." He reaches out for my hand I take it as he pulls me into a bro hug and I feel my heart pounding as some warmth radiates off of him despite the coldness of the water.
I sigh as he pulls away and then all previous feelings of content are gone when Nico walks over and plants a kiss on Percy's lips. The taller boy's arms wrap around the smaller one's waist and they kiss for a few minutes before pulling away and grinning at each other.
"Good job, babe." I see Percy's face turn red at the pet name and my heart clenches as I realize how much he really likes Nico, maybe even loves.
We all decide to go out to lunch at the In-N-Out Burger down the street so we walk with Percy and Nico hand in hand up ahead, Piper talking with Annabeth (who she invited along) behind them, and me and Will walking quietly in the back.
I try my best not to look at the couple in front and instead look at the sidewalk below.
"So, how long have Nico and Percy been together?" Will speaks up.
I look up in surprise and he just raises an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.
"Since June," I reply.
"Eight months," he mumbles to himself. "So, not long?"
I shrug, wondering why he was asking these questions. "I guess not, but apparently they've liked each other for a while before that."
"That doesn't mean I don't have a chance with Nico." He looks at me with a smirk and a knowing look. "Or that you can't have a chance with Percy."
"Wh-what- I don't- I don't want a chance with Percy!" Will laughs loudly to cover up my exclamation and avoid Nico and Percy hearing.
"Of course you do, it's pretty obvious," He says.
Does everyone know?! First Piper, now Will!
"Yeah well, I don't want to ruin their relationship because of my own selfish desire." Will nods.
"I never said you'd ruin it. They'd do that on their own. We'd just... assist."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"I don't know, is it?" He gives me a challenging look before walking into the food joint. I stand frozen outside.
Would sabotaging Percy's relationship with Nico really end well for me?
