A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Please don't kill me! Supposed to be fluffy chapter. Hopefully.

SADIE

As soon as I entered the graveyard, I noticed Nico. He was kind of hard to miss; dressed in all black, his pale face stood out from a mile away.

I stepped through the creaky iron gate and down the small dirt trail lined with the occasional dandelion. The stone rectangles faced toward the brown strip of path that used to be covered with gravel. I could tell from the clumped of small rocks and various scattered spots of gray.

The graveyard hadn't changed at all since I left; even Nico appeared not to have moved a muscle. I suppose that was to be expected, but it still seemed weird.

"Hey."

I called out as a way of greeting as I stopped under the dark tree, naked of leaves in its fall dress. Nico leaned against the trunk.

"Hey." He answered.

"What's up?"

"The sky."

I grinned.

"No, really."

He gave a sigh, but his shining eyes told me he didn't mind.

"Well today, I stayed with my cousin and annoyed the crap out of him."

"No school?"

Not that I really cared, but I was curious.

"Na, I dropped out."

"Me too."

He raised an eyebrow.

"At fourteen?"

I mirrored his expression.

"Family emergency. What's your excuse?"

Sort of, kinda of the truth….

"Same."

I shrugged. I noticed an old wire bench, next to the tree, which must have been the center of the graveyard, because three other paths spiraled out from it in different directions. I strode over and inspected the bench for any life-threatening signs of decay. It only had a couple spots of rust and I deemed it safe enough to sit.

Nico had followed me over to the bench and decided to sit next to me. It seemed he'd had enough standing around.

"So, Sadie,"

He began slowly.

"So, Nico,"

I mimicked.

He smiled before continuing.

"How was your day?"

I blinked and tilted my head in confusion.

"What?"

He shrugged.

"It seemed like a good conversation starter."

I shrugged right back at him.

"I don't know, good? I had to evade my brother to come here. He wasn't happy yesterday when I took off."

Nico nodded like he understood. "My sister used to be really protective of me."

"Not anymore?"

There was just something about the way he said it that seemed so….final.

He looked down at his hands sadly.

"She, um, died."

"Oh."

Insert awkward silence.

"I'm sorry."

"S'not your fault."

I knew that, but I still felt bad for bringing it up.

Nico shifted in his seat.

"Where's your coat? I thought I told you you needed one."

I glanced down at myself and noticed that I had somehow missed that I wasn't wearing my jacket. I shivered in the cold air.

"Forgot it."

Nico didn't say anything. A random thought came to me: This was just like the cheesy movie where the guy offers the girl his coat. I wish Nico would, I was freezing. There was a pause and I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Aren't you going to offer me your coat?"

Nico stared at me like I was crazy, but the corners of his mouth twitched up.

"But then I'd be cold!"

So much for chivalry.

"Then what was all that talk about forgetting your coat for?"

"Because I didn't want you getting pneumonia."

I rolled my eyes, but Nico finally sighed and gave up his jacket, though in truth he didn't seem too sad about it.

"Happy now?"

He said mockingly.

I grinned mischievously.

"Yes."

I said as I wrapped it tighter around my body. The warm fleece on the inside of the heavy jacket heated me up fast and I leaned carefully against the back of the bench.

"So do anything else today besides annoy your cousin?"

Nico shrugged again; it seemed to be his favorite form of communication.

"Not really."

"Sounds boring."

I commented.

Nico raised a thin black eyebrow.

"Well, what did you do today, then?"

I had been doing training for most of today, but I couldn't tell him that.

"Annoying my brother, doing some research for a project."

He looked at me, brown eyes questioning.

"A project? I thought you weren't in school?"

I cursed mentally for his observantness. Observantness? Is that a word? Never mind, getting off topic.

"It's a family thing."

Nico sat back on the bench and nodded like he understood.

We chatted on and on about our day and life in general, though it seemed both Nico and I didn't want to dwell on that topic too much. He was vague, not offering any information on his family other than his annoying cousin (who I learned was named Percy) who he complained good-naturedly about and his dead sister, which he was even more quiet about. But, hey, I probably wasn't any better.

I was having a great time, though and I am pretty sure Nico was too. I really was dreading heading back to the 21st Nome.

Sigh. I really should be heading back now. I told Nico goodbye and promised to meet him tomorrow at the same time, same place.

I strode past the granite head stones, ready to leave before I realized I was still wearing Nico's coat. I shed it and folded it over my arm as I turned around.

"Nico!"

Nico was staring off into space, eyes unfocused. He jumped in his seat as I shouted his name; I was already several yards away.

"Yes?"

He asked and then noticed the aviator's jacket in my arms and stood up and walked over to me. I handed it to him reluctantly; it was warm and comfortable. Nico smirked at my pouting expression. I scowled at his smirk, but it didn't have any real threat to it. I should probably say something.

"Um, thanks for the jacket."

Another smirk.

"You're welcome."

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the dirt path through the overgrown grass and weeds.

"Hey Sadie!"

Nico's accented voice called from behind me.

I spun around just as I had reached the gate, sending a puff of dirt swirling around my feet.

"Yah?"

Nico apparently decided it wasn't worth yelling across the graveyard and simply jogged lightly to where I was standing.

To my great surprise, Nico looked….nervous. What was wrong? He was fine a second ago. He ran his hand through his raven hair almost absentmindedly.

"You ok?" I asked.

His face flushed and replied with his own question.

"Do you like ice cream?"

"What?"

He rolled his chocolate eyes.

"You know, ice cream? Frozen milk and sugar? Tastes awesome?"

"I know what ice cream is! I was just surprised." I defended myself.

He rolled his eyes again.

"Do you like it or not?"

"Who doesn't?"

I was still confused as to why he was asking me this.

"I'll take that as a yes, then?"

I rolled my eyes, but nodded mutely.

"Well, um," Nico shifted his feet again, pale hands now shoved in dark pockets, "I was wondering instead of coming here-" He motioned towards the dark graveyard we were standing in. "-you might want to meet up at The Ice Cream Shoppe? It's a couple blocks over on Marvin Drive."

I blushed a vibrant red. Was he asking me out? I realized that I really hoped he was asking me out and more blood rushed to my cheeks.

"Sure."

I said in a fail attempt at sounding casual.

"Cool."

There was an awkward silence.

"Well, see you tomorrow."

I said and pushed open the screeching gate as I smiled broadly at Nico. He too, gave me an overly large smile and his brown eyes sparkled.

With that, I set off towards home with a strangely hopeful feeling drifting through my wake.

A/N: This is my first ever attempt at romance. Please tell me how I did. Conflict later on. The Ice Cream Shoppe and Marvin Dr. are not actual places. Do not go searching for them.

REVIEW!REVIEW!REVIEW!REVIEW!REVIEW!