The next day Will wasn't in art class. Nico sat beside Reyna, his mind only half on his sketch. His thoughts had wandered to wherever Will could possibly be. Was he with Cecil? Had he decided that he'd rather be with Cecil instead?
"Hey, Nico."
Nico looked over at Reyna.
"Stop it," she said, before turning back to her own drawing.
"Stop what?" he questioned.
"You're thinking bad thoughts."
"No I'm—"
"Nico." She raised an eyebrow in his direction. "I can tell."
Nico scowled and attacked his sketch with a flurry of pencil strokes.
"Careful, there, Mr. DiAngelo," said Mr. Brunner from the side of the classroom. He was making his usual rounds around the desks, inspecting his students' work. "You're going to rip a hole through your notebook if you keep it up."
Nico simply redoubled his efforts.
The tip of his pencil punctured a hole through the page he was working on. Nico felt an odd pang of satisfaction.
—
Hey Nico where are you?
Nico glanced at the dim screen of his cell phone before tucking it back into his jacket pocket.
He walked until the early morning light caressed the dismal London skyline.
He tried to ignore the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that wouldn't seem to leave.