Hell no!

Chapter 20. The truth from Nico (Will)

I woke up after my dream, and I was shocked. I had dreamed of kissing Nico! Damn, I shouldn't do something like that, we're friends! Stupid brain! But I can't change a dream that has happened, so I decided to try and ignore it.

I checked my Spanish homework and decided it was good enough for me if I had to hand it in, which was quite unlikely. I got dressed and went downstairs to grab some breakfast. Yes, mom had made me fruit salad with yoghurt on the side! I love it! I quickly ate my breakfast and then got my gym bag. Mom has luckily washed my stinky clothes. I stuffed my gym bag in my backpack and went outside to get to the bus.

''Will!'' Percy yelled.

''Hey guys, how was weekend. Wait, don't tell me,'' I joked. ''You had Annabeth over and you went to the mall with Thalia!''

''How did you guess? Are you a mind reader?'' Jason joked, while Percy was laughing. We all laughed.

''Now spill, I know you haven't told us everything about Saturday, Will!'' Percy said.

''Well, we got along great, made jokes and stuff about the characters. It was great to have someone who actually understands this kind of thing. And mom made pizza and then he told us about making pizza with his grandmother when he was younger and lived in Italy.'' I told them. I didn't tell them about me wearing my pyjama's or my one time urge to kiss him, because I don't want them to bring that up all week every time I even talk to him, which they totally would if I told them.

''Wow'' both Percy and Jason said. They were silent, and that's a first, until we got at school. We walked past the lockers of the new kids, and I overheard a conversation between Hazel and Nico.

'' – tell them when I'm ready Haze!''

''But you should tell them now! They're your friends, they'll understand. And Bi –''

''Please Hazel, I'll tell them this week, but not now. Please?''

''Fine, but if you haven't told them before Wednesday, I'll tell them!''

''Ha-zel!''

''And that's final. I get that you want to tell them, not let someone else tell them, but I'm not waiting that much longer. It's getting awkward when people ask about it! I haven't even told Frank!''

''Okay, okay, I get it. I'll try to tell them today or tomorrow, happy?'' Nico gives in, sounding a little angry.

''Thanks, Neeks.'' Hazel said and she hugged him. I don't really know what that's about, but it's not really my place.

Me and the guys went to Spanish and Jason and Percy started talking about what that could be, what Hazel was pressuring Nico to tell people. They came up with the weirdest theories, and it was fun to listen to their whispered guessing. They thought that it could be something about maybe their family, or about the shooting, or maybe about being friends with me. I thought that last one was a little farfetched, seeing as A) we are just friends, and B) why couldn't Hazel tell Frank or any of their friends about something like that? I told them it was probably something about that shooting, seeing as he said that 'he wasn't ready to tell people', which might indicate some kind of trauma. We went to lunch after Spanish, which hadn't really been fun.

I got a couple of sandwiches and a banana out of my bag when I sat down with Nico and his friends. Some people from other tables looked at us, but after a couple of minutes they stopped focussing on our table. I saw Hazel continuedly shooting Nico looks and glares, telling him he should tell something to people. In the meantime Percy was sitting with Annabeth, who was reading in a book. He asked her which book she was reading, and she answered, so they got in a conversation about it. Jason and Piper were flirting again and the Stoll brothers were whispering with Cecil. Well, knowing them, they're probably planning a prank… Katie was talking with Lou and Frank and Hazel sat close together, eating lunch and sharing a cupcake. Nico also had a similar cupcake and tried to avoid Hazel's glares. After about five minutes Hazel had obviously had enough, and she cleared her throat.

''Nico has something to tell you guys!'' she said to us. And we all looked at Nico, who looked at Hazel.

''Hazel!''

''Tell them, Nico! Now, or I will!'' she threatened. None of us understood, but I saw Piper and Annabeth starting to get what this is about.

''Nico, you'd better tell these guys, or she will, I can tell, no promise you that!'' Annabeth said. Nico took a deep breath and shot another angry glare at Hazel.

''Fine,'' he said in a low voice. He took another deep breath and continued in a near whisper. ''The reason we don't like to talk about the shooting at our school is because my big sister Bianca died back then. It's not really a day I like to remember, so I just don't talk about it. Hazel, and also Piper and Annabeth wanted me to tell you guys, because they do want to talk about it with you guys.'' He looked almost desperate. He looked as if he couldn't talk anymore, got up quickly and left the cafeteria.

''I'd better make sure he's okay,'' Hazel said and she ran after him. My head was exploding. What just happened?

''Wait,'' Cecil said, ''So Bianca, died in that shooting? Their big sister?''

''Yes, doofus!'' Katie said. ''Didn't you listen?''

''Wait, you knew?'' Frank asked.

''Yes, I found out by accident.'' Katie said. She gave Piper a look and continued. ''I heard part of the story when we were in art class and had to draw someone we love. He had drawn Bianca, very lifelike, almost scary.''

''What happened?'' Lou asked Piper and Annabeth quietly.

''Well, that shooting isn't a day we like to remember, honestly.'' Annabeth started. Piper took over there.

''The five of us were going to the cafeteria for lunch, when we heard shots. Four of our classmates, the director and two teachers were dead, and that… man was swinging with a gun. Some of the younger kids were really scared and tried to back out of the cafeteria. But the doors were blocked and they couldn't get out. Then Bianca,'' Piper paused, looking almost in tears. She couldn't talk about it anymore.

''Bianca walked up to the man,'' Annabeth continued, ''and asked him if she could do something for him. She talked with him for about two minutes, and then he shot her. She was dead before she was even on the ground. But in nearly the same second we heard another shot and that man was laying there, also shot. Then the police came in and started helping people, started asking questions.'' Tears were streaming over Piper and Annabeth's faces. ''After a while they brought us to Nico and Hazel's home to wait for their parents. They were heartbroken, as are we.'' Percy had put his arm around Annabeth and Jason around Piper. They were trying to comfort them, and it seemed to work. I thought about what they had told us for a moment. Wait, so that girl I, and also the rest of the country, call a hero, was their friend and sister, who'd bravely tried to talk the man down, only to be shot point blank and die? No wonder Nico didn't want to talk about it!

Everyone was silent for a couple of minutes and some people in the cafeteria were staring at Jason with his arm around Piper and at Percy with his around Annabeth, and the girls were silently, but unseen to others, crying. Those other people hadn't heard the story and didn't know they were comforting them, so they must be thinking that Jason and Percy are now taken, and by the looks of some of the girls' faces, they're not happy about it.

''Holy shit!'' Connor and Travis said at almost the same time, still looking very surprised.

''I did not see that coming,'' Cecil mumbled, looking at Piper and Annabeth in shock. Everyone was silent again, until the bell rang and we all had to go to class. I saw Piper getting a text and then walking off to gym. The others all walked to their respective classes.

''I did totally not see that coming!'' Jason said while we were walking towards gym. We quickly changed into our gym clothes and walked into the gym hall. Jason walked over to Piper almost immediately.

''Hey, are you okay?'' he asked her. She nodded and he gave her a hug.

''Where are mr. di Angelo and miss Levesque?'' Coach asked.

''Family emergency. They said they'll be here in a couple of minutes.'' Piper answered. Well, they do have a family emergency, that's for sure!

''Then we'll wait five minutes,'' Coach said. And indeed three minutes later Hazel and Nico walked in.

''Sorry we're late, Coach.'' Hazel said.

''Okay, now everyone is here, we can start our lesson. We are going to do the beep test. You need to get to the other side of the hall and reach the line before you hear the beep.'' Lots of people whispered in disappointment. They had probably hoped that the test wouldn't take place if two people were late.

''Everyone line up!'' Coach yelled. Then he put on the beep test.

The first couple of grades everyone got, but after the fourth the first girls were forced to quit. I started to really feel the running at the seventh grade, when Piper and Hazel were forced to quit as the last girls. Another grade later most of the guys were also on the side. Only a guy I think is named Austin, me, Percy, Jason and, wonder over wonder, Nico, were left. At the ninth grade Austin and Jason quit, they were just too tired. Jason sat down next to Piper and they started talking. Probably about Bianca. Tenth grade. Now only me and Nico were still running. How did he do that, he didn't even look that tired. I on the other hand, was out of breath and couldn't even run anymore and stopped after I'd missed the beep after the eleventh grade. Well, at least I'd gotten to the eleventh grade!

But Nico was still running. Twelfth grade. Thirteenth grade. How did he do that? Fourteenth. Fifteenth. Sixteenth. He still didn't look nearly as tired as any of us. Seventeenth. Eighteenth, and still never missed a single beep. Nineteenth. Twentieth. How the hell does he do that? After the twentieth grade, there were no more beeps but he ran another time before noticing the test was over and the Coach complimented him, that he never had anyone to outlast the test. Coach never compliments anyone on anything! He did sometimes say we were okay, or not half bad, but he never told anyone they were good. Nico didn't even smile at the complement, not even when Hazel ran towards him and hugged him, until she yelled loudly.

''You did great Nico, but you seriously need a shower, you're very sweaty and gross. Sorry big bro!'' she said. A lot of people laughed. I also heard some people muttering, they didn't understand how such a scrawny little kid could run so much. But now I got a good look at him, while he's walking away, towards the changing room, he does have great leg muscles and he breaths slowly, like a real runner. But how he did it, I have no idea!

AN: I first thought about maybe Will finding out about Bianca when he sees her grave as he visits his brother and sisters graves. But I decided against it, this way seemed more natural and less forced. It also seems more like Hazel to want her brother to tell people about Bianca, because she wants to be able to talk about it with her friends.

Thrawn13 I update so fast (normally) because I have some chapters already writen, but I have to check them before updating. I will unfortunately be updating less, because I am having horrible headaches and my diabetes is going bad. Sorry. I will try to update as much as possible, but I can make no promises. :(

And super sorry for not updating for some time, I've had some ginormous (is that even a word?) headaches and some troubles with my health on top of writers block.
Please forgive me?

AN2: Repeated again. I have checked it, corrected every little mistake (I hope) and now I have posted it.