Nico Di Angelo
Nico smirked as he watched Jasmine argue with her brother and friends. He didn't hear what they were saying, but he could tell it was about him. He could see a slight blush on her face. It started to fade as Connor Stoll started to get giddy and did a weird little jump, then went all serious and wrapped his arms around Albany Mace, who rolled her eyes. Nico's eyes landed on Jasmine. He felt guilty for what he did to her. Whenever she's around, Nico just can't act like himself around her. He knew she was different from everyone else when she went against the crowd and hung out with him at Maui Waena.
He first saw her at Maui, Hawaii when Percy sent him out to find Katie Gardner who had went missing about a year before. Percy said she would be near the water. Later, Nico found out that Katie was best friends and lived with Jasmine. At Maui Waena Intermediate School, where Nico and Jasmine first met, many students avoided Nico. They thought he was 'emo' and hanging out with him was bad for their image. Jasmine, however, was not like those people. Thou Starlight Master, one of Jasmine's best friends, was completely against it, Jasmine still hung out with Nico.
Nico snapped out of the flashback when he saw tears building in Jasmine's eyes. He saw Jeremy Bays yelling at her and Nico couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Jeremy and Jasmine were very close, anyone could see it, but Nico could see the hurt in her eyes. He saw Jasmine run off and knew what he had to do.
XxX
Jasmine slammed the door to the Hermes cabin and dived into her bunk. She screamed into her pillow. She was on the verge of tears, but she wouldn't let them fall. 'How could he say that to me? She thought. He's never said something as mean as that. He's never even yelled at me before'
She heard the door open. She turned her body so whoever was at the door wouldn't see how red her eyes were.
"I'm not in the mood to talk, Jeremy" she declared, her voice crocking
"Then it's a good thing I'm not Jeremy"
Jasmine whipped around and she was face to face with Nico Di Angelo
XxX
"What are you here for?" snarled Jasmine
Nico shrugged. He was used to Jasmine's comments.
"Saw you run off. Wanted to know if you were okay"
"I'm fine."
"Right because the tears in your eyes make that statement so believable"
"I'm. Fine" she insisted
"No, you're not" protested Nico
"Why do you care?!" she shouted. "You've never cared before"
"Maybe it's because you had your brother for you. But this time, your brother is the problem, right?"
"No, he's not!" denied Jasmine
"Why can't you accept it?" asked Nico
"Because it's not true!"
"It is and you know it. You wouldn't be on the verge of tears if he wasn't the problem"
"And what? You're the solution?" asked Jasmine
"Maybe if you would stop being so stubborn and admit you actually need my help, maybe we would have solve this by now!" he shouted
"Maybe if you stop pretending like you care then maybe you wouldn't be so frustrated!" she retorted
"Who said I was pretending?!"
"Who said you weren't?!" she screamed. "It wouldn't be the first time!"
All the anger flushed out of him. 'She thought I was pretending' he thought. His mind went back to the day she had to leave Maui.
"Something came up and now I have to move back by today. Probably the same thing that made your brother go back as well."
"Probably. Is that what you needed to talk to me about?"
"No. I found this and thought it was yours" He pulled out a chain with a caduceus handing on it. Jasmine's hand went to her neck; feeling for the necklace her mother had given her. It was hers.
"Yes, where did you find it?"
"I saw it come off when you came out of the girl's locker room"
"Can you…"
Nico seemed to know what Jasmine was talking about. He put the necklace on Jasmine. They looked each other in the eye and leaned in. Nico's lips were centimeters away from Jasmine's when…
"Jasmine, if this is about that day… I wasn't pretending"
"Just leave, Nico"
"Fine, but answer me this. Do you think you're the only one that has problems with their sibling? I lost my older sister three years ago. She meant more to me that the world. And now she's gone." He exited the Hermes cabin with that note in her head.
XxX
To say Nico was in a grumpy mood was an understatement. He barged into the Poseidon Cabin as he grumbled to himself.
"You okay Nico?" asked Percy Jackson, the hero of Olympus.
"Fine"
"Right. Because that is so believable" said Annabeth Chase, Percy's Girlfriend. "Come on, Nico. What's wrong?"
"It's just Jasmine"
"Jeremy Bays' sister?" inquired Percy
"Yeah, that's her. They got into a fight and she's hurt. I can tell, but she just won't accept my help. We started arguing and she thought I was pretending to care."
"But you weren't" continued Annabeth.
"Aww" cooed Percy. "Nico has a crush"
"NO!" denied said boy. "I'm just worried about her. I know how hurt I was when Bianca abandoned me. It must feel the same for her"
"That's so sweet" cooed Annabeth. Nico loudly exhaled. "And I would have believed it if she wasn't the same girl you first became friends with in Hawaii"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"The best relationships start out as friends" answered Percy as he wrapped his arms around his blond beauty as Nico rolled her eyes.
"We're not even friends!"
"Then why are you worried about her?" asked Annabeth
"I don't know!" he shouted "I just feel guilty for making her feel bad."
"Guilt" stated Annabeth. "A rare emotion for a son of Hades"
"I know." Sighed Nico
"You've got it bad, man" said Percy
"No, I do not!" said boy denied
Percy and Annabeth shared a look 'surrreeee"
