Hell no!

Chapter 5 Talking with the guys (Will)

So I wanted to get to know Nico, as I now knew his name. And he intrigued me. That's why I decided to partner with him. But he seemed angry and ignored all my questions. Until I started asking questions about his school. He said he'd answer one question. He started answering one of my previous questions, so I stopped him.

''No, no, I get to pick the question.'' I said.

''Ugh, whatever.''

I knew I had to phrase this carefully. ''Did you know any of the people who died in the shooting? Like know them personally?'' I saw Hazel tense from the corner of my eye, but I acted as if I hadn't seen it.

''Yes, I did.'' he said, after hesitating for a while.

''Who?''

''I said one question, and I've answered it.'' he bit back. Then he ignored me again, while I was surprised. He knew someone personally who'd died in that shooting…

The rest of the lesson consisted of shooting hoops. Then coach said that next week we weren't going to play basketball anymore, but do something else, some people seemed very happy, others, like Percy, Jason and me weren't happy at all. I love basketball!

Nico sped out of the room, and then Hazel stopped me.

''You don't want to go asking questions like that, about the shooting, to people from our school. There were deaths and it was very hard for us so it's a touchy subject. So we'd appreciate it if you wouldn't, okay?'' she said.

I nodded, not knowing what else to do. Of course, why hadn't I thought about that?

I went to change and then Percy, Jason and me went to the pool. Percy had practise and Jason and me would make our homework while waiting. We'd go to Jason's house today after Percy was done.

''Percy, how long is your practise today?'' Jason yelled after an hour.

''We're done in fifteen minutes, Jase!'' Percy yelled back.

Jason and I were now done with our homework, we had almost all of their classes together with Percy and if we made the homework, Percy could just copy it so they had time to do other things.

''So, you do like Nico, right?'' Jason asked, wiggling his eyebrow.

I sighed. ''I guess. He's interesting, but he won't talk about anything. And after I got one answer out of him, he ignored me again.''

''Well, some people are just not as talkative as you are, Will.''

''I guess, but after the lesson his sister came to me and she said that asking about the shooting wasn't sensitive and that it was a touchy subject for nearly everyone who was there. So that suggests they were in the room with the gunman…''

''We could watch that security video again, but please, skip the part that maniac shoots that girl. It's horrible!''

''Fine, but I still think that was pretty brave, to walk up to a shooting maniac to stop him. I wish I'd known that girl.''

Then Percy came towards us, showered and changed. ''Hey guys, what're you talking about?''

''We were talking about that shooting, and why it would be a touchy subject for Hazel, Nico, Piper and Annabeth,'' Jason said. ''We're going to try and figure out why. Wanna help?''

''Sure, let's go.'' Percy said, and they walked to Jason's home.

When we arrived at Jason's home and we went up to his room. There Jason switched on his computer and searched for the video. When he found it, we watched it carefully. We didn't find anything, because the everything was blurred but the shooter so the students wouldn't be recognised. We saw the girl, whose name was never mentioned, walk away from a group and walk towards the shooter. She tried to calm him down, but then he shot her. Moments later he was shot himself.

''I still think it's horrible!'' Jason said, who'd looked away at the shots.

''It is,'' Percy agreed.

''But that girl is a hero.'' I stated, ''She saved all those people there. She made it possible for the police to shoot the man, even though it cost her her life.''

''Must be hard for her family and friends, though,'' Percy said.

''Maybe Annabeth, Hazel, Nico and Piper were friends with her or something?'' Jason said.

''Yeah, seems logical. Nico said he lost someone close during that shooting, and Hazel said the same.'' I said thoughtfully.

''Well, on that happy note, let's go make us some dinner!'' Jason said and we went downstairs. In the kitchen we searched for something to make, and Percy started making Spaghetti Bolognese. Me and Jason just cut some vegetables and grabbed ingredients and stuff. After a while dinner was almost ready and Jason and I started dressing the table ready for when Jason's dad and sister would come home.

''Dad, I cannot believe you!'' a female voice said.

''Well, I just did, so now let's stop talking about it.'' was the answer.

''Hey dad,'' Jason said, ''hey Thalia, me and my friends made Spaghetti Bolognese. Well, Percy made it, because Will and I aren't the best cooks…''

''Hey Perce, hi Will,'' Thalia said, while playfully ruffling Jason's hair. Thalia looks absolutely nothing like Jason. Thalia has black, spiky hair, but they do have the same blue eyes. One could say she's hot. ''Thanks for making dinner.''

''Yes, thank you boys.'' Jason's father said, while everyone sat down. They ate in silence and when Jason's dad had gone upstairs to his study, they started talking.

''So how was school?'' Thalia asked.

''Okay, I guess.'' Jason said.

''The kids from that school from the shooting were at school today for the first time. We talked to four of them, but they don't like talking about it, as one of them said rather harshly to me,'' I said.

''Any cute girls?'' she asked Percy and Jason.

''Well, there was this one girl, Annabeth, blonde, grey eyes, and I think she's incredibly smart, who was nice and I kind of like her, I guess.'' Percy said.

''And one of her friends, Piper, was nice, her hair was messy, but still stylish and good looking on her, and she blushed whenever I complemented her. But at lunch we couldn't really talk with them, because of Will here. I did talk with Piper at gym, though, when we partnered for basketball.'' Jason said quietly.

''What did Will do? And how was that gym class with Piper?''

''I looked at their friend, Hazel, who looked nice, but then her brother got really overprotective and that didn't really end well…'' I said awkwardly.

''But you're not into girls,'' Thalia said. Yeah, she knows, she figured it out when I was about 12, when all the guys in our class were crushing on her when she picked up Jason after school, and I wasn't.

''Yeah, but no one knows that… You three and my parents are the only ones who know…''

''Well, big brothers, and also big sisters, are kind of protective when it comes to their siblings.'' She said, while ruffling Jason's hair again. I thought about that, and realised that was probably true. But that was probably also the reason he didn't like me… ''So how was that basketball?'' Thalia asked Jason.

''I taught her how to throw correctly and how to hold the ball. We shot some hoops and I scored all and Piper said she was impressed.'' Jason said, nonchalantly.

''So you showed off…'' Thalia said. We all laughed.

Then Thalia offered to drive us home and she got into the car with us. First she dropped off Percy and then she drove to my home. ''Will, if you like that boy, maybe you should tell him, or you could just try and be nice and become friends with him.''

''Yeah, that might be a good idea. I'll try being friends with him, but that might take a while… Thanks Thalia!'' I said, and then I got out of the car and went into my house.

In my room I looked at the computer and decided to play a game. But I wasn't really into it and closed it after a couple of minutes. I decided to get to bed and make the last of my homework in the morning.

AN2: Checked and corrected. Hope you guys like it.