Two weeks later, Nik is still heartbroken and Camp Half-Blood didn't know what to feel. The only ones who knew the reason were those present at the last truth or death wish.

At first it seemed great. No one was getting pranked because Connor, Travis and Cecil were too busy trying to cheer her up to lead toilet raids.

Then it started to affect Capture The Flag. Hermes Cabin were, obviously, the sneakiest and most incognito. Any team who had them had a sixty percent chance of winning. But since Nik became the most depressed thing since crushed chips, they were reluctant to do anything. Not if their leader was like that.

'We need to help her.' Annabeth said in an impromptu meeting. 'I'm sick of losing to Aphrodite. Aphrodite! Of all cabins!'

'Does anyone notice how unnatural this is?' Piper said. 'If you asked me, Nik didn't like Thalia that much.'

'It's Nik.' Percy said. 'She wouldn't show her emotions.'

'Exactly what I mean. She's supposed to suck it up immediately.' Piper said. 'In my opinion, this isn't an ordinary heartbreak.'

'Of course it isn't.' Annabeth said. 'Thalia was the first person she ever liked. If she isn't heartbroken by her not liking her back; then she's definitely made of iron.'

'She is made of iron.' The boys and Piper said. 'Have you been punched by that girl before?'

Annabeth nodded. 'Fine. But what do you mean unnatural?'

'Magic unnatural.' Piper said. 'Nik has a lot of enemies— duh?— but I overheard her and my brother talking in that second game where the gods joined us.'

'Mitchell does have a lot of reasons.' Leo said.

'Not Mitchell.' Annabeth said. 'Piper's way older brother.'

'No one's older than twenty in Aphrodite.' Percy said.

Annabeth sighed. 'Think older. Not in this camp, but a child of Aphrodite.'

'If he's not in this camp, why would he hold a grudge against Nik?' Will asked.

'If it's who I'm thinking, he has all reason to have a grudge against her.' Nico said. 'Cupid, right?'

'Perfect!' Annabeth said.

'She convinced a quarter of the camp to cast last-minute votes for his whipping.' Piper said. 'He must be really mad.'

'He's a god.' Leo said. 'Doesn't he have better things to do like matchmake people or be all handsome and whatever?'

Out of the blue, Nico laughed. 'You surprise me every day of your existence, Valdez.'

'You act as if you know everything about him.' Will said.

'You of all people should know what he can do, daddy's boy.' Nico said. 'Apollo has the most direct involvements with him.'

'Hyacinthus and Daphne.' Annabeth said.

'I rest my case.' Nico said.

'Can we just focus on how to heal her?' Will asked. 'I need someone who can keep this one in line.'

'Don't call me "this one", that one.' Nico said.

And an argument began.

'We need to get Nik.' Percy whispered. 'Fast.'

'You're right.' Leo whispered back. 'Those ones need some talking to.'

'Wanna play Truth Or Death Wish?' The former asked.

'You get the duct tape, I'll get the rope.' Leo said.

Προχωράω

Leo's POV

'Wassup, Nikki?' I called.

As usual, the poor thing was covered in a sulk burrito; the closest to food she'd gotten in the past two weeks.

'Nikki.' Nik sighed. 'Thalia once called me that.'

'Shut up about Thalia for once.' Percy said. 'This isn't you. Snap out of it.'

'If this isn't me, what is?' Nik asked. 'She's taken my peace of mind. I don't know what I am anymore.'

Piper pranced in like the Beauty Queen she was. 'Nik, be honest; how do you feel, exactly?'

'What's it to ya?' Nik asked.

'Tell me.' Piper said.

Nik closed her eyes. 'Like someone stabbed my chest with corroded metal.'

'That makes sense.' Piper muttered. 'Nik, Percy's right. This isn't you. You're being influenced by Cupid's arrow.'

'Cupid's arrow syndrome?' I asked.

'Something like that.' Piper said, making it the first time in forever that she agreed with me on anything. 'Maybe at first, my mom asked him to make you love Thalia; then you caused him pain and he wants to avenge it.'

Nik, for another first time in forever, sat up. 'Pretty Boy's Sister said what, now?'

'She's getting better.' I said.

Suddenly her face contorted. 'Ow.'

Nik rolled back into her blanket. 'Pain.'

'I heard pain.' Will said, also walking in.

'Piper's theory seems right.' Percy said. 'Nik cheered up for a second; and then this.'

'I can literally feel a tsunami of heartbreak and depression from here.' Will said. 'This is more than I felt from Nico a long time ago.'

'Go away.' Nik said.

'No we won't.' Will insisted. 'Someone should drag her out of here. I'm in the mood for Truth or Death wish.'

Percy and I carried Nik out of her bed, still in her blanket.

-:_-

Nico cursed in Italian. 'She looks like me.'

Nik had really lost weight to the extent she looked like a skeleton in her near-black brown PJ's. Like Nico's, her hair was messy and tangled.

All she really needed to do was wear a bomber jacket and a skull ring, and they'd look like fraternal twins.

'Exactly.' Will said. 'Nik; truth or death wish?'

'I don't wanna play.' Nik said.

Percy nudged me. 'Do your thing.'

'What do you— oh.' I said, realizing I was the chief annoyer of the group.

'Why wouldn't you?' I asked. 'Unless you're a princess.'

Nik changed again. 'Who're you calling princess, Ugly Duckling?'

'Princess Nik.' I said. 'The lamest of them all. She can't even play a simple game.'

'That's it, Horatio.' Nik said, breaking out of her blanket straitjacket. 'Dare, Sunny.'

'I dare you to eat two weeks worth of lunches right here.' Will said. 'And right now.'

Cecil and the Stoll brothers came in with five huge plates of hot dogs, steaks, cheeseburgers, and spaghetti.

Nik seemed to be wavering, her expression becoming sullen and dazed.

'Nikki the weakling.' I said quickly. 'Danaë the doofus. Strano the stupid, good for nothing, princess loving idiot. I bet she won't be able to go through half a plate; since she's so weak.'

Nik charged at me and tightly wrapped one hand around my throat. 'Once I'm done eating this, I'll kill you.'

'Shut up, Strange.' I squeaked. 'You haven't even picked up a spoon.'

'Spoons are for the weak.' Nik said. 'I don't need them.'

Nik proceeded to the spaghetti bowl and ate with her bare hands that haven't been washed in two weeks.

'While she's busy, we should get everyone else.' Percy said.

'Remember what I said about taking you to the beach?' I asked.