Hell no!

Chapter 24. Art class (Will)

I woke up thinking about my conversation with Nico yesterday. Yesterday had been crazy, to say at the very least. Nico had stormed off at lunch and Hazel had run after him. We were all trying to wrap our minds around the fact that the hero girl in the video of the shooting was in fact their sister. Then at gym, Nico had acted really strange, not even noticing that the beep test was already finished. Hazel had acted a little strange too, but nothing to major in comparison with Nico. She just looked sadder than before and was with Piper nearly all of the gym lesson. Then in the afternoon, Nico had replied to my text and we talked for a long time. I still don't really know what to make of it. Was I just being a good friend and comforting him? Or was there something more? I honestly have no idea. For now, knowing that I could do something for him is enough.

I got up nonetheless, as I have History first period. Mr. Brunner is nice, but strict, so I need to be there on time with all my homework done. So I finished my last couple of exercises and planned to do my homework from yesterday in my free period. I quickly showered and got some breakfast. Then I got my backpack.

In the bus to school, Jason and Percy were still talking about what had happened yesterday at lunch. I only added that maybe they shouldn't be so loud about it, that they didn't tell everyone for a reason and they started talking less loudly. I was still thinking about my conversation, or chat, with Nico from yesterday.

History isn't really one of the classes I like, but I am interested in the Greek area, so I tried to listen to Mr. Brunner talking about all those dead guys, but it was very difficult. My head was just not in the game and most certainly not in that room, but miles away. After History I luckily had a free period, with Percy and Jason. We went to the library and made our History homework together, so we were finished quickly. The rest of the free period, we were just talking about what had happened yesterday.

''How do you think it was for them, to see that guy with the gun? Must have been terrifying, I'd say!'' Percy said.

''Yeah. Yesterday Piper told me it had been hard for them to work on, it was hard to get over, to understand.'' Jason answered.

''You guys should definitely not start asking them questions about it. It's hard enough for them as it is, and they might come to terms with what happened eventually, but it will always be hard for them, you know.'' I said, not thinking about what I was saying.

''How do you know about that, Will? Talked with Nico?'' Jason asked teasingly.

''Yes and no. I did talk with Nico, but not about that shooting. I gave him some advice, as I know how he's feeling.'' Stupid Will, you didn't even think! They don't know about Michael and Kayla!

''Will?'' Jason asked, concerned. ''Are you okay?'' I took a deep breath. Maybe it is time to tell them, to explain.

''I went through something similar. And with similar I don't mean a shooting, I mean losing a sibling. It is hard, you will never truly understand and it will forever stay with you, you can never forget about it.'' I said finally.

''You… you lost a sibling?'' Percy asked.

''It was before I knew you guys.'' I took a deep breath. ''When I was five, me, my parents and my little brother, who was three, were in a car accident. It killed my little brother and nearly killed my mother, who had been eight months pregnant. My little sister, who wasn't even born yet, died too. I know what I am talking about when they talk about losing a sibling, because it is in fact unforgettable. I don't have much memories about that day, or about my little brother for that matter.'' I said, still a little unsure.

''Will…'' Percy started.

''Why didn't you ever tell us?'' Jason said.

''I don't know. I just never wanted to talk about Michael or Kayla, it was still too painful. It is still hard for me and for my parents, but it is… useful, I was able to help Nico yesterday.''

''So, you and Nico…?'' Percy said, wiggling an eyebrow.

''Percy, you are so not sensitive right now!'' Jason scolded, slapping him on the arm.

''Sorry…'' Percy said. He didn't sound very sorry though.

I got out my phone and showed them my conversation with Nico. They wanted to scroll all the way up, to our earlier talks, but I stopped them, quickly snatching my phone out of their hands. They can only read our conversation from yesterday. Not the other things we talked about…

''You seem to have really helped him, Will. I didn't know you could be so helpful. But he seems unsure about what it means to have friends, though.'' Jason said.

''Yeah, I think that is because his only friends for a long time were Annabeth, Piper and his sisters. It is, I guess, hard for him to understand that people want to be friends with him, even though he already made new friends.'' I said.

''Yeah,'' Percy answered after thinking about it. He's so slow sometimes.

''But please don't bring this up with him, or he'll never trust me again, okay? We're just getting to become friends.'' They both nodded, promising not to tell. Then the bell rang and we went to lunch.

''So you won't come watch swim practise, because you are going to work on English with Nico this afternoon?'' Jason asked while we walked to sit with Nico and his friends. I nodded.

''You'll have to do without me, Jase!'' I laughed. Then my phone buzzed. I had a text from my mother.

Mom: Hey sweety, can you get two bouquets of flowers tomorrow? We're going to the graves after school tomorrow, and I think they'd love for you to have picked flowers.

Me: Sure, I'll get two bouquets. A purple and a yellow one like always?

Mom: Thanks Will, a yellow and a purple are great!

I put my phone away and sat down next to Nico. Then I saw Hazel trying to talk with Nico, who was ignoring her.

''Nico, please, would you just talk with me?''

''Hey Hazel,'' I said, while sitting down. ''What's wrong?''

''Nico hasn't talked to me since yesterday after he got home.'' Hazel whispered to me, ''He wouldn't tell us where he'd been, until he sent me a text. He still won't talk to me, and breakfast this morning was very silent and awkward. Can you please at least say something so I know you haven't lost the ability to talk?'' I looked at her. She looked desperate.

''Hey Nico. You coming to mine after school?'' I asked. He nodded, still not talking.

''So where do we meet? And are you riding with us with the bus?''

''Don't we have arts together? And I'll get with you lot on the bus.'' he said. Hazel looked relieved and mouthed me a 'thank you', before getting back to Frank.

''Great,'' I said. The rest of the lunch we all talked about a lot of things, and when lunch was over, they all told us what class they had.

''Geography with Hazel and the Stolls,'' Annabeth said.

''The two of us have study hall,'' Jason said, pointing towards himself and Percy.

''Economics and then social studies,'' Frank said.

''Same,'' Cecil and Lou said.

''And the three of us have art. Oh, and Solace too,'' Katie said.

''Thanks for including me!'' I said, half sarcastic, half joking.

''Sorry'' Katie muttered.

''Don't fret!'' I said, while we were walking towards the art class, while swinging my backpack over my shoulder. ''Hey, can I sit with you guy in arts, much more interesting than those girls I sat with last week, who were mostly just talking about themselves and girl stuff.''

''Sure!'' Piper answered. Then she seemed to remember something. ''But weren't you sitting with Calypso? She's not that bad, she's quite nice. I once talked with her for half an hour and all she wanted to talk about was plants and how you could use plants to heal people.'' This got Katie interested.

''Really?'' she asked. ''Calypso? She doesn't strike me as the girl who likes to garden. But looks don't say everything…''

''Yeah, look at Pipes, you'd never say she –'' Nico started.

''Shut up, Nico!'' Piper said elbowing him in his side. Then the three of them laughed. I don't get it, what was that about?

In art class I sat down with them in the back. When Miss A. walked in, she told us she'd given one 9 and a lot of 8's and 7's. (Our school gives grades in out of 10.) She also said some people had a comment with their drawing and then started handing them back and I saw I had a 8. I was quite happy with it, seeing as I'm rather bad, in my own opinion of course, at drawing people. I saw Piper had a 8 as well, a black and white drawing of a smiling girl with a cap on her head, I think that's Bianca. Katie had a drawing of a girl holding a flower that looked a lot like her, and she had a 8 too.

Nico stared at his drawing, and I didn't really understand. Piper elbowed Nico and tried to look at his drawing. When she saw and read it, as I saw some red text on the top on the grade paper, she looked stunned. When Katie grabbed the drawing so we could see too, we saw that he'd gotten the 9, and then we read the comment. This is a beautiful drawing, with very much emotion. You can draw really realistic, Nico, and I'm sorry to hear about your sister. Wow. It was very realistic, almost as if I was looking at a photo instead of a drawing. The colours matched and everything looked so lifelike.

''Wow, Nico, you… you can draw really well!'' Katie said. Duh, I thought. I just looked at it in stunned silence.

''So you can now start with this exercise, class!'' Miss A. said. Oops, none of us had heard what she'd said. So I raised my hand.

''Miss, could you tell us again what the exercise is, we weren't paying attention, sorry.'' I said.

''What were you doing then?'' she asked us, while the entire class was watching the four of us.

AN: Sorry for not updating lately. I have a masive headache and a bruised chest, so I have trouble breathing. Also I have a lack of inspiration to write, in other words, I'm stuck. Halfway in a chapter. And I have some ideas for it, but can't seem to write about it anymore... :(

On a different note, I have something to tell about my writing. I have like this little notebook where I write all my ideas for this fic in, because sometimes I get ideas that i can't put in the fic yet. It really helps me clear my ADHD head.

If anyone has an idea for me for this fic, let me know. I might use it, because I am really stuck. Also thanks for the reviews everyone! :)

AN2: Still listening FOB while correcting everything. I love FOB 3