Thanks for the reviews, bibinharamos, Must-Think-Of-Username ,bluelove22, and Cco :)

This chapter isn't very plot heavy...but it establishes a background, so please bear with me. The next one should have some more action.

I don't own the characters!

Will waited by the library doors at lunch the next day. He casually lounged against them, flashing grins at his classmates and the new students to disguise his nervousness. Would she come?

There! Hazel pushed her way against the crowd, looking mildly uncomfortable. He saw her stop to chat to Frank, but when Frank turned to see where she was going and spotted Will, he glowered at him.

Will held open the door for Hazel, "I have a secret seat," Will winked at her. Hazel opened her mouth, but Will pressed a finger against it. He leaned down seductively for the sake of the students still wandering by. "Wait until we get there."

Hazel pushed his hand away in disgust, also aware of the other students and stomped past him. Will led her to a window in the corner of the library, close to old medical volumes and sheltered by dusty bookshelves that students rarely took from.

Alright, what's the deal, Will?" Hazel snapped, laying the note Will had slipped into her hand yesterday down on the window seat.

Tomorrow library doors at lunch. I'll explain everything. Please play along and don't tell anybody about our history.

"What's this about you breaking girl's hearts and making out with everything with boobs and a face?"

Will winced, "Ouch, that does sound bad."

Hazel crossed her arms over her chest. "What happened to the caring boy, who couldn't even bear to hurt a fly, that I knew?"

Will's face hardened. "He died when Sammy did!" He instantly regretted his outburst when Hazel's anger dissipated and her face crumpled. "I'm sorry. That was mean."

Hazel shook her head, "No, it was just a shock. You miss him too huh?"

Will nodded. He, Hazel and Sammy had grown up together in France. They were misfits, Hazel, because everyone in town was scared of her crazy mom, Sammy because he was too outspoken for his own good and Will, because he was weak and was terrible at sports. But when Hazel was eight, she moved to the United States to live her dad and step-family after her mother had committed suicide. Shortly after, Sammy had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. It nearly killed Will to watch Sammy waste away in the hospital, but it also hardened his resolve to become a doctor, in hopes that one day he could save people. Despite their attempts to stay connected, the time difference took a toll on Will's and Hazel's friendship after Sammy died. It had been eight years since they had last talked to each other.

Will brushed a hand through his neatly spiked blonde hair and began explaining to Hazel.

"With you and Sammy gone, things went from bad to worse for me," Will recounted. "When I turned twelve, a new kid came to our school, his name was Octavian. At first I thought he'd be a good friend, I was so lonely without you guys. I told him everything."

Will's voice turned bitter, "I trusted him. I even told him I was gay." He gave a short laugh, "But he wasn't satisfied with just me as a friend, he wanted popularity and status, and hanging out with an outcast wasn't doing him any favours. He turned on me almost the day after I told him that.

"The bullying got worse, I…I almost even considered ending my life," Will whispered. Hazel gave a little gasp, and moved closer to him, entwining their fingers. He glanced at her gratefully and squeezed her hand.

"It went on for three years," Will closed his eyes, remembering the taunts, the days spent hiding in the library at lunch. He didn't elaborate on the days he'd stumble home with scraped knees and bruised shins, lying to his parents about sport mishaps. "I couldn't even lift a finger to defend myself.

"When I almost broke, dad got a job offer in America. It was a miracle, a brand new slate, no one knew me. I knew what the popular kids were like, so I spent my first summer in America working out, figuring out how to dress, how to talk so people would like me.

"I was terrified that people would figure out that I was gay though, so I started dating girls, but I couldn't keep a relationship going. It just never felt right. Then I got slapped with the label player."

Will laughed without humour, "It actually became easier after that. I was never serious about a girl, so I just flirted and moved on from each one. I've tried to keep flings short so no one is actually seriously hurt."

Hazel studied her old friend. He wasn't the genuine, caring boy who had wrapped up her scrapes and cuts while Sammy yelled at the girls who had pushed her off the swing, but he wasn't the cocky, airheaded player everyone thought he was either. With his barrier down, she saw an exhausted, troubled boy who was barely making it day to day. She chose her words carefully.

"Will, I get that it was tough, but people here a good, and understanding. Those kids were cruel, but we came from an old fashioned town, being gay is widely accepted here, don't you see that?"

Will twisted his face, "Please Hazel, don't blow my cover now," he begged. "One more year, not even, half a year now and I'll be on my way to medical school in California. I need to focus on my studies, not worry about this."

Hazel sighed in frustration, "But I don't want you to hurt anyone else!"

Will flinched, "I haven't hurt anyone," he said doubtfully. Hazel locked eyes with him and he groaned. "I've just gotten so used to flirting, it's second nature."

Hazel's eyes brightened. "Date me!"

"I'm gay," Will muttered seriously, "Did you not listen to anything I just said?"

Hazel giggled and shoved him, "I meant flirt with me, pretend you're interested in me. Then you won't hurt anyone else and you'll still have your disguise intact!"

A blinding smile worked its way across Will's face. "You, Miss Lévesque, are a genius!" He laughed and pulled her into a bone crushing hug. "I've missed you."

Hazel looked into his sky-coloured eyes, seeing some of the kindness she remembered and smiled. "I've missed you too."

Nico followed his friends out of the school, talking about Mythomagic with Frank, when he heard a shout and saw Will wave from beside a bright red convertible. Today he was wearing a black collared T-shirt, showing off his muscled arms and faded jeans. Two other boys who looked like twins were beside him. They loped over to the group and Nico grit his teeth as Will sidled beside Hazel and began chatting with her. Travis and Connor, introduced themselves and joked around with everyone else, instantly bonding with Percy and Leo. Nico was about to go hit Will as he saw him deviously curve his arm around Hazel in a very dramatic way. Luckily Piper beat him to it.

"So Will!" Piper said brightly, "I heard that you used to date Drew, oh two weeks ago? Were those the best three days of your life or what?"

Will recoiled from Hazel, but instead of Hazel glaring in disgust at him, Nico was shocked to see her shoot him a sympathetic glance.

"Definitely, she was great kisser," Will winked. Everyone in the group scowled at this except for Connor and Travis who seemed used to Will's attitude.

"We should probably get going," Travis said, "See you guys tomorrow!" The three boys sauntered off to the red convertible. As Nico and his group continued to the bus, he saw Will leap into the driver's seat without using the door out of the corner of his eye. That was not sexy at all, he told himself.

Thalia sent Will a death glare from the bus window, as the car pulled up beside the bus and Will waved cheekily to them. "I think he's going for you, Hazel," Thalia warned. "Want me to beat him up for you?"

"No, don't worry about it," Hazel smiled. "Love your support though."

Nico couldn't help but feel a strange sense of suspicion overcome him as he watched Will wave once more at the bus before the red convertible sped off in the opposite direction.

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