Isn't much to do other than do a extending time-skip. But those things are boring, and mainly for writers-block. Thus, I will do this. Please don't hate me! Love me instead.
I am NOT Rick Riordan, thus I own none of his properties (or talent).
I Can't Swim
And I Think I Look Fine
~Nico's P.O.V.~
When I woke up, it was Thursday, and eight. I had slept fourteen hours. Scoffing at myself, I sat up, placing a hand down to steady me. I heard a dull crunch, and realized I was crushing the scroll. I panicked - had Hazel saw it? Would she be jealous he wrote to me, and not her?
I rolled it up and re-tied it, placing it in my chest at the foot of my bed. My heart lighter, I decided to go visit Jason. If I could possibly be this trouble-free, than maybe I'll push it, slightly. Just this once.
I noticed my bruise was gone. Percy mustv'e healed it when he healed my head. I walked out of my cabin, and of course, noboby dared to meet my eyes. Again, I didn't let it bother me. I set toward Cabin One.
When I went up to knock, Piper came out. I stumbled back as she gasped.
"Sorry! I didn't relize. . ." She trailed off. "I wouldn't go in there yet, Nico. He's still cooling down from yesterday."
I stared at her for a second, before nodding. Don't push it. I thought.
"So, what are you doing today?" She asked, trying to strike up small talk.
"Um. . . I don't know. Probably go back to my cabin for the majority of the day. Why?"
"No reason." She sighed. "I just don't know either. Me and the other guys from my cabin are looking for a new project. And I thought, well . . . we could, maybe, see what your plans were?"
"Why?" I asked wearily. "Do you guys wanna mess with my love life? Believe me, I really don't need the help."
"Well, no, we were thinking more of a make-over." She said, loooking at me out of the corner of her eye.
"Am I too ugly for your liking?" I sneered.
She sighed impatiently. "Are you always this negitive?" I shrugged, now defensive. "I think you look fine. It's just, you are so pale, and you don't eat much. It makes you look, well, like a corpse."
"Go figure." I deadpanned.
"I mean, just a one time thing. Just to give us something to work on. We also wanted to do Annabeth, but, she's kinda busy with Percy all the time. They look worried, so I've let them be. So, c'mon, just to say we did. In fact, you've been on Alex's to do list for quite a while."
"Piper . . ." I said, unsure.
"Please? And it might help some people open up to you. Not only will you look approachable, but my crew will see you mean no harm." She gave me a slight smile.
". . . Fine. But only this o-"
"Yay!" She squealed and grabbed unto my arm. I refrained from pulling away, or saying something foul. She practically dragged me to her cabin.
This was going to be a long day.
Piper burst the door open, and all eyes turned to us. I examined the room: all I could see were dressers, closet doors, primped beds, posters, beautiful people, and more posters. So many posters.
"Guys, guess what we're doing today?" Piper said, barely containing her excitement, and shaking my arm slightly.
A few faces dropped; a few looked interested; one squealed; two turned their back; one peaked over her shoulder.
The one who squealed skipped over to me. She had red hair, bright eyes, and distint freckles. "Hi, Nico! My, have we so much in store for you! This will be a day you will never forget." She squealed again, and I strugged not to cover my ears. "I'm Alex, kay? Don't wear it out." She winked at me, then turned to the others. I heard Piper close the door, pushing me in slightly.
"If you're joining us with this one," Piper said. "then line up! If not, we'll try not to bother you."
I watched as five campers, plus Alex, lined against the only wall without anything against it. except a rod meant to hang things, and posters. The rest slowly made their way out. I turned back to the interested, and caught a few details from various campers: two boys, three girls, one boy brunette, one girl blonde, one girl pink-headed, two colored.
Piper stood beside me. She referred to the kids left to right. "That's Daniel," The brunatte nodded. "Alex, Samantha, Julian, Fern, and Ashley." I nodded, the names mixing together.
"Nice, Piper. Picking out the most. . . time-consuming subjects lately, hmm?" Said a girl from behind me. Instead of turning around, I went to retort, but Piper beat me to it.
"Shut your mouth and leave." She said with forceful Charmspeak. The girls mouth snapped shut and she walked out.
Alex giggled. "Don't mind Drew, she's such a stick in the mud."
"It's fine." I said simply.
"Alright, then." Piper said, clapping her hands. I flinched back, but only one noticed. Julian, or something? He stared at me with an interest that made me want to hide. "We'll start with his clothes. To Daniel's closet!" Piper pulled me to a seat near the other side of the room. The brunette boy whined something as they piled into the walked in closet.
"Any preferrations?" Asked the colored girl, turning to me. I have her a squinting look until she took a step back. Then I answered.
"The darker colors. Mainly black."
"Kay." She turned away. "Dark! Mainly black!" She called.
"Crap." Muttered Alex.
"Yes." Whooped Daniel.
"We'll have better luck in Julian's closet." Piper said, opening the door. They all rushed out and piled into another door. I watched as the pink-heared girl lagged behind and walked over to me. I tried to glare her away, but she approached without any hesitation. She stood there for a while, squinting back at me.
She had piercings through her lip and eyebrow, and her hair was spiky and short. She dressed in red and black, and had blue eyes. She was tall, and rather lean. She looked threatening, but still she managed to look pretty good.
Eventually, she leaned forward, about four inches away from my face.
"Wha-"
"Shh." She said, putting her hands on my cheekbones. I tried to jerk back, but she held me steady. Her eyes roamed my face for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she backed away. She shouted to the others.
"Go for punk. Shredded, minimum of studs and chains, some skulls. Julian, you know the works."
"Kay!" Replied everyone all at once. "Got it, Fern!" Said a throaty voice I assumed was Julian. The girl - Fern - went into another door and came out a short while afterward with a few hangers, heavy with leather. Not long after that, the others flooded out, each carrying at least two things.
Piper had them line up the clothing and compliments: Shirts, then jackets, pants, scarfs, shoes. They then handed me one combination, after much debation. I stood there, staring one girl down with blonde hair. Her eyes dropped to the floor, then she left the cabin.
"Okay, Samantha's out." Piper said slowly. "Nico, go change in Julian's closet. Knock when you're done."
I unwillingly went to the cracked door and started undressing. When all was finished, I knocked quietly on the door. It flew open and everyone checked me out.
"Perfect!" Alex squealed. "Does it get much better than that?"
"I think not." Said Ashley, shaking her head, staring.
"Alright, guys, next!" Piper said loudly. They all dispersed, running around. Except Julian. He still looked at me for a short time. I glared at him, but like Fern, he wasn't bothered. Then he hummed at went off. "Nico, go sit back down!" Piper called toward me. I sat, tired already.
Eventually, they all crowded around me, placing all idems gathered in their arms on a nearby table. They all started talking at once.
"Guys! Here's the deal." Piper said, taming the roar of voices. "One person at a time tries one thing, then we move on. Everyone gets a turn, and we'll stop when we're satisfied. Kay?"
"Kay!" They all replied. They took a few steps back.
"Fern, you first." Fern walked forward and touched my ears.
"You willing to try gages?" She asked, eyes shining.
"No." I deadpanned. She opened her mouth to retort, but Piper shouted, "Alex, go ahead."
She rushed past Fern, and grabbed a bottle of almost white liquid, and started smearing a little under my cheekbone.
"Gotta hide these shadows. Mainly this bruise, but whatevs." I waited it out, slightly pissed at all the smearing. She smiled as she backed away.
"Ashley." Piper nodded. The colored girl moved forward with a pink powder.
"You covered up the only color in his face." She tutted, adding additional stuff to my cheeks. I sighed, close to leaving.
"I'll go next." Piper said, and moved forward with a hairbrush. I hissed slightly under my breath as she ran it through. "I hope you're enjoying this, at least a little?"
"Better than nothing, I suppose." I said, not even bothering to hide my annoyance.
"Julian." Piper said, finished.
He boy stalked forward slowly, and I tried not to glare. The boy was dark, with black hair tied back in a bun, high cheekbones, and wide, dark eyes. He dressed himself in black, mainly, with a few bright colors. A blue scarf and bracelets. He was only a little taller than me, but he was definity older.
When he was close enough to work on me, he gave me a curious look. I crossed my legs, trying not to squirm.
"You look good in my shirt." He said quietly, face friendly but unreadable. I felt my face heat as he put his hand in my hair. He moved behind me and pulled my hair back gently. He tugged and twisted, than stook back in front of me. A few of the others gawked, and Alex gasped.
"Oh, yes." She said. "And I thought his hair was hot down."
"What did you do, exactly?" I asked Julian.
"I put your hair up." He shrugged. "Your face looks better when you can see it."
My cheeks heated again. Why was he saying these things?
"You wouldv'e thought that his face was too thin, but damn." Fern said.
"Are you done yet?" I asked harshly. They all exchanged looks.
"Daniel didn't get his turn." Piper said.
"I wouldn't change a thing." Said the boy breathlessly.
"So, yeah, I guess you're done." Said Fern.
"Great. Now take it off." They all gasped.
"No!" Alex whined.
"Time for him to see this new him." Julian said, nodding. Ashley got a full-body mirror, and I stood, daring to look over. I did a double take.
I wore black skinny jeans, with open knees, and a few studs on my theighs; and black t-shirt; a tight black leather jacket. My face, though still the same, looked more lively,and less unhealthy. My hair pulled back was a great touch, but my bangs fell back in my face. Somehow, it looked nice.
I still radiated darkness, but, in a more seductive way.
"Shall we go show you off?" Daniel asked.
"Do I have to?" I asked, still checking myself out.
"Please?" Piper asked, jutting out her bottom lip.
I sighed, irritated. "Fine."
