Oh, hi! Remember me? Yeah, didn't think so. Anyways, enjoy this over due chapter! (btw I changed this chapter from past tense to present tense. For some reason my brain was thinking present tense)
The sun beats down on my tired shoulders as I haul a torn dummy out of the sparring pit. The sky is cloudless –as usual- and there is just enough of a breeze to make the heat bearable. The waves of the lake splash in the distance, birds are singing, and the laughter of demigods drift through camp. The world is moving on as if nothing happened. But I just can't.
As I shove the ruined dummy into the supply closet, my mind flashes back to the day we returned from the quest. I remember it so vividly I wonder if I'll ever forget.
Oliver had been declared dead and there was a moment of silence. Someone coughed. Shoes scuffed dirt. Later in the evening when everyone had gathered around the campfire Connor and Travis brought forward a piece of green cloth and placed it in my hands. It reminded me of Oliver's eyes. On it was a drawing of a laptop.
"He never would let go of that stupid laptop." Connor said with a forced laugh. I nodded and gripped the shroud tighter. I stared at it for a long time, so long that the demigods around me became restless. They murmured amongst themselves about a boy they never took the time to know.
Nico touched my elbow and I looked up at him. He nodded once and I looked back down at the shroud. Now there were a few drops of dark green where I hadn't realized my tears were landing. Holding my chin high I stepped closer to the flames. Orange as his hair.
And then I tossed the fabric into the fire and the whispers went quiet. All around me there was solemn silence for a boy everyone viewed as a traitor. After five minutes people started to leave. Soon it was just me, Nico, and the Hermes cabin. Ten minutes later it was just me, Nico, and the Stolls.
We stood in silence, none of us knowing what to say to make the others feel better. Suddenly Travis turned to Connor and hugged him tightly. Connor gripped him closely for a few seconds and then pulled away. Without a word they both walked away from the fire.
"They've seen too many kids die." Nico said. His voice seemed incredibly loud in the quiet evening. "It's amazing that they still have each other." I wanted to say something, but I couldn't get words past the lump in my throat. Then, so quietly I almost couldn't hear, Nico whispered, "I'm glad I still have you."
I wanted to look at him, but my eyes were glued to the flames that reached up for the sky. I counted to thirty seven before Nico walked away too, leaving me alone at the fire. My face was starting to burn from being so close to the fire, but I couldn't bring myself to walk away. I stood there so long that the fire should have been coals, but magic kept it alive.
The sky was the darkest shade of blue it could be when I finally moved. Reaching into my pocket I pulled out the two train tickets that had been meant for Oliver and Nico. The caramel candy the old woman on the train had given to me was stuck to one of them. Under normal circumstances I would have laughed, but now I only stared blankly at it before peeling it off and putting it back in my pocket. For some reason I wanted to keep it.
"Sorry, Oliver." I murmured, my voice gravelly from unuse. I threw the two tickets into the fire and watched as they fluttered apart before settling in the eternal flames. Immediately they began to curl and blacken around the edges. Now there is nothing to remind me of him, other than the scar on my thigh that his dagger left. I suppose there was a symbolic meaning behind the burning of the train tickets, but I didn't care. It hurt too much to think, so I just watched as the paper was consumed by the flames.
I turned and left the ashes behind.
But that was three weeks ago. I don't cry every night anymore and Mythology class has begun to feel less lonely. Oliver no longer consumes my thoughts or haunts my dreams. I'm doing better and I think I'll be okay.
At least, that's what I tell everyone.
Nico knows they're all lies, but he doesn't pry. I know it hurts him that I don't talk to him about it, but he understands and that is all I need.
That's why Nico knew I would be at the sparring pit while everyone else was eating lunch.
"Not hungry?" He questions as I close the door to the supply closet. He is leaning up against the side of the shack with his arms folded and legs crossed.
"No." I say bluntly. Then Nico stand up straight and reaches into his coat. I raise an eyebrow as he pulls out a white paper bag.
"That's too bad because I brought McDonalds." He smiles hopefully and stands there holding the bag up, waiting for me to respond. I smile a little and Nico beams. It almost seems like our roles have switched; now Nico does anything to make me smile while I'm depressed and hate the world. But somehow Nico makes it easier to be happy.
"What did you get me?" I ask, setting my sword against the wall. It has become my new weapon ever since I lost my mace in Jazzland.
Nico puts a hand on his hip. "A Happy Meal, of course!" I actually laugh a real laugh and Nico grins like a pleased child. "Come on," he takes my hand and pulls me toward the lake. I hesitate and pull back a little.
"Actually, can we go somewhere a little more… private?" I ask. Nico looks at me with a question in his eyes, but nods anyways.
"Where do you have in mind?" I know Nico would do anything for me, but I almost don't want to ask. The place I want to go is like a little part of Nico, it's very personal and even though he showed it to me once doesn't mean he'll want to do it again.
"Um, can we maybe go to the forest? To the place with the Weeping Willow?" Nico doesn't even hesitate.
"Yes! Of course!" He says overly enthusiastic, but I'm relieved that he isn't offended or anything. We turn towards the woods and walk quickly before anyone sees us. The thrill of sneaking off with Nico buzzes through my veins and takes away some of the numbness I have been feeling for the past weeks. Thoughts of Oliver are pushed out of my head and I suddenly feel happier than I have in a long time. I quicken my pace so that I am side by side with Nico.
"Thanks," I say as I push aside a branch. Nico glances at me.
"For what?" he asks quizzically. I shrug because I really don't know, but I am thankful.
"For falling asleep on my porch." I finally reply. Nico laughs and squeezes my hand.
"It was my pleasure." That comments gets another real smile out of me.
By the time we reach the small clearing with the Willow tree we are both smiling and out of breath. The small meadow is less pretty in the afternoon, but it's still the most beautiful place I've seen. Nico and I settle down under the Willow tree and he sets a Happy Meal in front of me. Then he pulls one out for himself. I stare at the red box and shudder.
"These are so creepy!" I exclaim, pointing at the wide eyes and even wider grin on the box. "Seriously, whose idea was this?" Nico shakes his head.
"Whoever it was should be fired." He says very seriously. I laugh shortly.
"Yeah." I pick up the box and examine the grinning face. "He doesn't look like he's saying 'I'm Lovin it'. More like 'demonic possession.'" Nico laughs and opens his box.
"Well, I just get them for the food." I nod and open my box as well. I am immediately hit by the delicious aroma of fries and a burger. The next few minutes are silent except for the sounds of chewing and the few sighs of happiness that only a Happy Meal can give you. When I'm almost done with my junior burger Nico speaks up.
"So, how are you?" He asks me this everyday so I respond with my usual phrase.
"Good. Better." He isn't convinced.
"What about the dummy?" My mind rewinds to the scarred dummy I was putting away when Nico arrived. Stuffing was pouring out of its chest and both arms were missing.
"Not so good." Nico sighs looks me in the eye.
"Juliet, I get that you're upset, but why can't you talk to me instead of hacking it out onto the property of Camp Half-Blood?" He has a point…
"I don't know." I say, dropping his gaze. "It's easier, I guess."
"But does it make you feel better?" Nico presses. I look at him.
"Yes." Nico groans quietly and close his eyes.
"Juliet, you're supposed to say 'no'. Then I would say 'telling me will make you feel better' and then you'll tell me everything that's wrong and I'll be a good boyfriend and let you cry on my shoulder and I'll listen to you, I promise I will, because I think I'm falling in love with you and I want to be here for you but I feel like I'm doing a horrible job and this all so knew to me and oh my gods why can't I stop talking I just want you to be happy again and- " I cut him off with a kiss. It was terribly cliché of me, but it seemed fitting. It definitely shut him up. Even when I pulled away he was speechless.
"I just… I'll talk to you when I'm ready, okay?" I say. Nico looks crestfallen.
"But when will you be ready?" He asks. I sigh and rub my eyes.
"I don't know." I say. "I don't know. I'm just so tired." Nico scoots closer to me and puts his arm around me. I lean into his touch because I don't know what else to do.
"I'll wait." He says softly. After a moment's hesitation he adds. "You know, it's okay to be sad."
"No it's not." I say quietly.
"It's fine with me. I'd say sad is 70% percent of my personality."
"You're not sad." I protest. "You're just… moody." Nico laughs even though I'm not trying to be funny.
"Yeah, okay, whatever you say Ms. Psychiatrist." I smile a little even though I feel empty again. I hate feeling this way and I wish just as much as Nico that I could be happy again. We sit in silence for a long time and I appreciate that Nico isn't pressing for more information. I'm actually starting to fall asleep when Nico removes his arm from around my waist. I groan softly and rub my eyes.
"We should go back to camp." Nico says through a yawn. He stands up and helps me to my feet. I'm reluctant to return to camp and end this moment of solitude with Nico. So I step forward and wrap my arms around his waist, burying my face in the collar of his coat. Nico immediately responds by hugging me tightly. The thing I like about the forest is that it all smells like Nico and in that moment I felt like I was drowning in him. I wish I could just melt into his jacket and forget the world.
"Juliet, we really have to go." Nico murmurs into my hair. His breath tickles my head and I fight the unexpected urge to laugh. One minute I'm unhappy and the next I want to laugh. I'm starting to think I might actually be going crazy. I lift my head from Nico's shoulder and look into his eyes. He looks so incredibly happy and I feel bad for being so depressed all the time.
Nico smiles and cups my cheek with one hand. It feels cold, but nice. When he softly presses his lips onto mine I can't help but feel like everything might turn out okay. I lean further into him and he laughs and pulls away.
"Hey!" I whine, leaning close to Nico's face so he might kiss me again. He laughs and kisses my nose. I blink.
"We have to go!" He insists. I scowl.
"Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time." I grumble, but don't remove my arms from his waist. He stares at me for a couple seconds and I stare back just as hard. Finally Nico rolls his eyes and fake groans.
"Fine. But just this once." I smile cheekily and then purse my lips to make the exaggerated kissy face. Nico does the same thing –which looks so funny I snort- and as soon as our lips touch he pulls away with an exaggerated kissy sound. I glare at him but I don't really mean it. He smiles and shrugs and walks into the trees.
I stare after him for a second, really not wanting to go back to camp, but even more than that I want to be with Nico. So I take a deep breath and follow him. As soon as I step through the bushes that line the mall meadow I see Nico leaning against a tree, waiting for me. He stands up straight when he sees me and holds him arm out like a proper gentleman. I loop my arm through his and we set off through the forest.
Leaning against Nico made it kind of hard to walk through bushes and over logs, but neither of us complained. We were both glad to be alive and in each other's company. We finally made it out of the trees and back into Camp Half-Blood. When I look around I can't see a single person; the volley ball pit is empty, the lake is abandoned, and the sparring pit is vacant.
"Where is everyone?" I ask slowly. Nico shakes his head.
"I don't know." As he says it I hear collective laughter drift down towards us. I turn to look at Nico to see that his quizzical expression matches mine. "The dining pavilion?" he asks.
"But dinner's not for a few hours, right?" I say, looking in the direction of the noise. He shrugs.
"I guess we'll just have to go and see." Arm in arm, Nico and I walk past the sparring pit and up a small hill to the dining pavilion. The closer we get the more laughing and chattering I hear. When we reach the edge of the pavilion I see that a large group of people is gathered around someone and everyone else has split off into small groups and are buzzing excitedly. Nico suddenly stops in his tracks and when I look at his face it is ashen with horror.
"What?" I ask urgently. He doesn't respond. "Nico, I'm serious. What's wro-"
"Nico di Angelo!" A young man's voice interrupts me. I turn towards the noise and see a guy around Will's age walking toward us. I'm surprised I haven't seen him before. A pretty blonde girl (whom I've also never met) is holding his hand and repeatedly glancing at the crowd following them, like she wishes they would go away.
Nico clears his throat and then clears it again. "Percy." He says flatly. My jaw falls open I whip my head around to look at Nico.
"Percy?" I ask incredulously. "Like, the Percy. Percy Jackson?" At that moment Nico probably would have told me to shut up, but he was too paralyzed. Thankfully the blonde girl saves me from an embarrassing moment.
"Yes, he most definitely is the Percy Jackson." She laughs. "But don't say it like that –it fills his head with hot air." Percy rolls his eyes (which, by the way, are super pretty in case you were wondering). "I'm Annabeth by the way. Yes, the Annabeth." She adds when my mouth falls open again. Annabeth's piercing gray eyes (Seriously, what is up with children of the gods having such beautiful eyes?) flick from Nico to our linked arms and back to me. She smiles mischievously and I blush, despite the fact that mine and Nico's relationship was old news to everyone else at camp.
And then I remember that Nico and Percy aren't exactly friends and that this is probably the most uncomfortable either of them have probably been. So instead of getting Nico out of this awkward situation like a good girlfriend, I decide to prolong the unpleasant introductions because my mind doesn't work well under pressure.
"I'm Juliet, by the way. Daughter of Apollo." I say in a rush. Annabeth nods, but Percy's eyes widen a bit.
"Wait, you're Juliet? I've heard about you!" Percy reaches out to shake my hand, which feels oddly formal and slightly uncomfortable. I notice that his palms are cold and sweaty.
I shrug. "Just doing my job, I guess…" Silence consumes us once again. Annabeth nudges Percy and he finally speaks up.
"Uh, Nico? Can we, uh, maybe talk over there for a sec?" He gestures to the sparring pit. Percy is obviously nervous because he keeps tapping his fingers against his leg. Nico nods shortly and slips his arm out of my grasp. He turns to follow Percy down to the sparring pit, but before he even takes a step he turns back around to face me and kisses my cheek. I have I feeling it's more for him than me.
"I'll be right back." He says and I watch him walk away, noticing how he keeps his distance from Percy. When I turn back to Annabeth she is smirking.
"So," she begins humorously. "You're dating the Ghost King?" Ghost King?
"Uh, yeah." I reply. Annabeth purses her lips and crosses her arms. As her eyes scan mine I begin to feel self-conscious and less sure of how much I like her. Finally she speaks.
"I think you're good for him." I exhale in relief, although I'm not sure why. "He needs to feel loved, especially with Hades as his dad." I nod because I don't know what to say. Then Annabeth leans closer to me and whispers, "Can we go somewhere with a little less… admirers?" Then I realize that there is still a crowd of people behind her, listening intently to every word we say.
"Oh, yeah." I say, wishing I could think of something better to say. Annabeth says a brief farewell to her people and then leads me away from the sparring pit –where I can see one black and one orange smudge talking– and towards the cabins. Annabeth strolls slowly and takes in the sight of the blue sky, the distant strawberry field, and the cluster of cabins.
"Gods, I miss this place." She murmurs. Then she laughs. "But it's kind of nice not having the fate of the world on your shoulders, know what I mean." Until three weeks ago, I never would have known what it felt like to have the world depending on you. Now I do, but I wish I didn't. I still haven't responded to Annabeth's question and she knows something is up.
"You know," she begins, still admiring the surroundings. "If Kronos had never tried to take over the world, I never would have gone on a quest with Percy. I never would have become his friend or fallen in love with him." I glance at her and I know where she is going with this. "I mean, I'm not one of those there's-a-silver-lining-on-everything people, but I'm just saying… a lot of good things came out of the most dangerous part of my life."
I breathe out of my nose. "But so many bad things happened, too." Annabeth nods and looks at me. She has a sparkle in her eye that makes me wonder what she is thinking about. I start to feel uncomfortable again and she looks away.
Suddenly she asks, "What was it?"
"What was… what?" I am completely lost. Annabeth has the whisper of a smile on her lips.
"For me it was his guts. He would never back down to a fight, even if it was with a god –and he still won't!" Annabeth laughs. "He's the most sarcastic little twerp I've ever met and I love him." Then she repeats her question: "What was it for you?"
I think about it for a moment before replying, "His eyes. They were so broken I couldn't help but want to fix them. And when he laughed, which was, like, never, they would shine so brightly I couldn't believe he had ever been sad before." Annabeth smiles and punches me softly on the arm.
"Hey, don't go all mushy on me." She laughs and I join in. "We've got to keep our boys on their toes." Just then we walk past the Aphrodite cabin, where Drew and her gang are sitting and looking pretty.
"Oh gods, she still goes here?" Annabeth whispers to me.
"Sadly, yes." We try to walk quickly by with our heads down, but it's too late.
"Oh! Annabeth, honey!" She calls out and saunters over in her seventy inch heels. "Oh how I've missed you, darling, you have no idea." Then she laughs a high pitch laugh like she just told a hilarious joke. I can tell Annabeth is trying not to show her expression of disgust.
"Uh, hey, Drew." She says slowly. "Well, we've really got to g-"
"Oh, no, no, no, honey." Drew interrupts and puts a pink painted finger on Annabeth's lips to shush her. Yes, she actually shushes Annabeth. Annabeth looks on the verge of a volcanic eruption of profanities but Drew doesn't give her time to speak her mind.
"We totally need to hang out. I mean, what have you even been doing? And maybe I can help, uh, tame those frizzy curls you have." Then Drew turns to me as if she suddenly realized I was here and looks at me like I'm a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe.
"Oh, Juliet's here." She curls her glossed lips in disgust. "Sorry, but Annabeth and I need some girl time… alone." I can tell she's not sorry at all.
"Actually," Annabeth speaks up. "Chiron wants to see me and Juliet in the Big House in a few minutes, so I guess I'll have to take a rain check." Drew fake pouts.
"Whatever," she says then turns and stomps back to her Barbie doll siblings. Without turning back around she waves and calls out, "Ciao!"
Annabeth looks like she might blow a gasket, so I grab her arm and pull her past the pink cabin. Her mouth opens and closes; she is so angry he can't even find the words to say.
"Wha…I…" Annabeth tried to grasp the words to express the fullness of her annoyance. "I don't… She is such a…!"
"Charm speaking brat face?" I suggest.
"YES!" Annabeth cries, throwing her hands in the air. "Thank you!"
"No problem." I expect Annabeth to change the conversation, but she seems stuck on the fact that Drew is still a brat.
"You know, I thought I would never have to see her again. And even if I did bump into her she might have, I don't know, grown up and gotten a life!" I glance worriedly at her. I hate Drew just as much as she does, but she doesn't bother me that much.
"You know, one time she put pink hair dye in my shampoo." Annabeth rants. "Magical pink hair dye that didn't come out for weeks. Magical pink hair dye that didn't come out for weeks and was a love potion that attracted every guy in camp."
"Ooh," I murmur. "That's rough." Annabeth grunts in agreement and begins to fume silently. We walk a few more moments in silence as I try to find something to say that will make her feel better. Then her eyes suddenly light up and she grins.
"What?" I ask. Annabeth looks at me and keeps grinning, which makes me smile although I'm still thoroughly confused. "What?" I ask again through a laugh. Annabeth looks away and her walk turns into a confident swagger.
"Oh, nothing." She says nonchalantly, still smiling. "It's just that I may or may not have come up with a way for Drew's life to get a little… complicated."
"Ah," I say slowly, suddenly seeing where she is going with this. "Revenge."
Half an hour, two stolen jars of honey, a bottle of ink, and a pack of gum later, Annabeth and I watch the pack of Aphrodite's children saunter towards the beach volleyball pit, not to play volleyball but to check out the guys who were.
"Okay. Now!" Annabeth says and sprints from behind the Athena cabin, where we had been hiding, to the front door of the Aphrodite cabin. "Hurry! Hurry!" Annabeth whispers urgently while holding the door open. I run past her and she follows me inside.
"Here, take one of these." I say, handing Annabeth a jar of honey. She also takes the pack of gum while I carry the ink. Annabeth nods once and says, "Divide and conquer." Then she salutes me and runs over to Drew's bed (which is obviously Drew's because no one else has a queen sized water bed with a built in back massage). Annabeth begins to pour honey in the seven hundred pairs of heels that Drew owns and I turn towards her pink, glittery vanity.
I open the top drawer and find a dozen bottles of mascara and eyeliner. I pull out a bottle of black eyeliner and open it. Then I carefully fill it to the brim with ink. I do the same thing with the rest of the eye liner and mascara.
Good luck getting this off, Drew. I think to myself.
I look through the other drawers and find more makeup, more makeup, brushes and combs, a hair straightener, a couple curling irons, and more makeup. I pull out all her brushes and lay them on the vanity. I open the jar of honey and drizzle it over the heads of the brushes. I shudder as I watch it glue the bristles together. I toss them back in the drawer.
I don't know what to do next. Revenge isn't really my thing. So I just open a random drawer (which happens to be filled with makeup –big surprise) and dump honey all over it. I turn around to see what Annabeth has done when I spot a walk in closet. I jog into it and flip through all Drew's expensive shirts and dresses. I find a cute sequined top that looks like it's worth a couple hundred bucks and I pull it off its hanger.
"This is just too cute." I say to myself. "What a shame." Then I dump ink on the front of it and watch as it spreads through the fabric. I giggle to myself as I imagine Drew's reaction at seeing her clothes destroyed and it fuels me to ruin a couple more shirts and even some dresses.
By the time I'm done my hands are ink stained and so are several of Drew's clothes. I walk back out to find Annabeth and see her waiting for me near the door.
"How did it go?" I ask her.
She grins deviously. "Great. I filled all her shoes with honey, poured honey under her blankets, stuck gum on her pillow, in her socks, and on her straightener." I laugh and pat Annabeth on the back.
"Nice!"
"Oh," she adds, "and I poked a hole in her water bed, so by the time she comes back and goes to bed it should be leaking everywhere." Annabeth cradles the empty jar of honey in her arm and looks around the room. "I think that's everything…"
I look around at her room, marveling at the fact that we destroyed so much, yet it still looks the same. Suddenly I get a brilliant idea.
"Wait!" I exclaim. "Just one more thing." Annabeth raises and eyebrow as I reach into my pocket. When I pull out the hairy, slightly moldy, caramel candy she smiles mischievously. I walk over to the light switch and flick it off before sticking the gooey candy to it. That way when Drew walks into the cabin and reaches for the light switch, but can't see it, she will be greeted with the fuzzy, sticky feeling of the candy.
"Okay," I say. "Now we can go." Annabeth walks to the door and cracks it open. When she is sure the coast is clear she throws the door open and races back to the Athena cabin. I slam the door shut and follow her. We are running so fast that Annabeth doesn't even have time to open the door and she slams into it. I try to slow down but I can't and I collide into her. Annabeth yelps and fumbles for the door. She gets it open and we tumble inside and fall onto the floor in a fit of giggles and a tangle of limbs.
"Oh, gods…" Annabeth laughs as she squirms out from under me. "I can't believe I ran into the door!" Just thinking about it makes me burst out laughing again. Annabeth and I are in tears when Malcom finds us.
"Uh," he says flatly. Annabeth and I climb to our feet but have to support each other because out sides hurt so much from laughing. We stumble past Malcom and towards the door.
"Hi, Malcom!" Annabeth calls out.
"Bye, Malcom!" I shout as we exit the cabin. Annabeth and I walk forward past the cabins with our arms still around each other's shoulders. Occasionally one of us will burst out laughing, even though nothing is funny. I don't know where we're going, but it doesn't really matter. Nor does it matter that we left all the evidence of empty honey jars and ink bottles in the Athena cabin and all over our hands.
Somehow we end up near the sparring pit and I suddenly remember that Nico is still talking to Percy. Annabeth must have remembered this too because she drops her arm from my shoulder and points.
"Look!" she says. When I look at the spot she is pointing I can see that Percy has held his hand out, waiting for Nico to shake it. I hold my breath as Nico stares at Percy's hand for a long time. Then he grabs it and shakes it firmly. I noticeably exhale and I can see that Percy does too. They both still look kind of edgy and tense, but less so.
I feel a smile creep onto my lips and pride swell in my chest. Nico has come so far from the boy who fell asleep on my porch and for a moment I can't believe that he's all mine. Then Percy sees us and waves. We wave back, but before Nico and Percy can make their way toward us Nico grabs Percy's sleeve and says something that I can't hear. Percy nods and smiles.
Then they are walking towards us and Annabeth and I meet them halfway. Percy and Annabeth lock eyes and I can feel an entire unspoken conversation pass between them. I hope that Nico and I can be like that someday. Nico stands at my side a little bit behind me and touches my elbow. It's a small gesture, but affectionate nonetheless and it makes stomach flip flop. I turn to him and smile, glad to see that he's okay. He returns the grin with a shaky, but genuine, smile.
I take it that the conversation went well because Percy is no longer jittery and Nico isn't frozen stiff from shock.
"So," Percy says as he slings his arm loosely over Annabeth' shoulders. "What have you two lovely ladies been up to?" I glance at my inky hands and then at Annabeth. She gives me a tiny smile.
"Oh, nothing really." I say casually.
"Just walked around, really." Annabeth adds. Annabeth is a good liar, but Percy has known her long enough to know when she's telling the truth.
"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say…" Percy says, pretending to be offended. "But I'll find out eventually."
"Who's the child of Athena?" Annabeth asks. Then she points at herself. "This one. So good luck figuring it out on your own." We all laugh at that, even Nico who has been silent so far.
Percy is about to say something undoubtedly sassy when the dinner bell rings.
"Yes!" Percy cries, throwing his fists in the air. "Food!" Percy takes off running towards the dining hall without a backwards glance. Annabeth rolls her eyes, but smiles.
"Literally all he talked about on the way here was how much he missed the food." She explains as we follow him.
"Percy and his blue food…" Nico adds. I glance from him to Annabeth.
"Blue… food?" I wonder out loud. Nico only shakes his head and Annabeth says, "Don't ask."
When we get to the dining pavilion I see that Percy is seated at the Poseidon table, but a satyr (what's his name? Rover?) is next to him. Connor, Travis, Will, and a couple other demigods who I assume he went to camp with are also seated at the table. Annabeth takes a few steps toward the table.
"We should hang out later." She suggests.
I grin and nod. "Yeah, of course!"
"Okay, great. Well, I'll see you later then." Annabeth waves and sets off toward the Poseidon table.
Nico sighs. "Well, I'm gonna go. Have a nice dinner." Before he can leave I grab his hand and pull him back.
"Why don't you sit with me?" I ask. "Annabeth is sitting with Percy." Nico looks slightly uncomfortable.
"Uh, but Will… he-"
"He's sitting with Percy, too! Come on, my family loves you!" Nico still looks uncertain, but when I lean over and kiss him he suddenly seems to change his mind.
"Well, I guess it can't be that bad…" he reasons.
"Exactly!" I add. "Let's go." Still holding Nico's hand, I lead him towards the Apollo table where Kayla, Victoria, and Austin are already eating. At the last second Nico's courage fumbles and he pulls against my hand, but Austin has already spotted us.
Austin perks up and gives me a sly grin. I roll my eyes and sit down next to him, but leave space so Nico can sit in between Austin and I. I figure this way he won't be completely surrounded by girl but at the same time he'll be in the middle of all the conversation.
"Oh, hi, Nico." Victoria says, just noticing that he sat down across from her.
Kayla leans forward on her elbows. "Why haven't you sat with us before? You're totally welcome." Nico shrugs and folds his hands in his lap. Austin glances at me as if saying, you sure this is a good idea? But then he grins deviously and soon I'm the one thinking was this a good idea?
"Okay, Nico." Austin begins. Victoria leans forward a bit, knowing that something good or bad is about to happen. "I'm just gonna get this out of the way, okay?" Nico shifts nervously and waits for what comes next. "If you hurt my sister," Austin says pleasantly, "I will end you."
Victoria snorts and tries not to laugh. Austin does laugh. Nico is oblivious to the fact that this is a joke and looks around at everyone with wide eyes. I glare at Austin (but I'm also trying not to smile) and take Nico's hand so he knows that he has someone on his side. Kayla just rolls her eyes and gives Nico an apologetic look, almost like she's saying "Sorry, but he's my brother and it's in my job requirement as a sister to love him."
Austin punches Nico softly on the arm. "I'm just kidding, man. I like you." Nico practically deflates with relief, although I'm not sure why he cares so much about Austin's approval. "But you'd better watch out for Will."
"Shut up and eat your food." I tell Austin. I would have smacked him if Nico wasn't sitting between us. Thankfully, before Austin can tease Nico any further, Kayla speaks up.
"You know, the Hephaestus cabin found some fireworks they forgot to launch on the Fourth of July. I've heard some rumors they're gonna launch them tonight at a welcome back party for Percy and Annabeth."
I summon a hamburger onto my plate. "Cool. Are you guys going?"
"Are you kidding?" Austin asks, pretending to be offended. "Ain't no part like an Austin party!" We all laugh at Austin's joke (including Austin himself). I turn to Nico whose plate is still empty.
"What about you?" I ask.
He shrugs. "Yeah, I guess. If all of you are going…" I smile and mentally cheer. Then I squeeze Nico's hand before slipping it out of his grasp and taking a bite of my hamburger. Victoria wipes her mouth on her sleeve and burps.
"Gross!" Austin exclaims. Kayla smiles and then belches even louder. I laugh and burp as well, although it's nowhere near as impressive as Victoria and Kayla's. Austin waves his hand in front of his nose. "Ew, I can't believe I'm related to all of you."
"You aren't related to me." Nico points out. Then he burps just as loud as Kayla. There is a moment of pure silence before the entire table erupts into laughter. Austin claps Nico on the back and I bump his shoulder with mine. For the first time since we sat down Nico actually looks like he belongs.
But I guess the gods hate me, or something, because at that moment I hear a voice behind me. I would have given anything to never hear that voice again.
"Roses are red, violets are blue. Guess what? I'm related to you!" The dining pavilion suddenly falls silent and the Apollo table is tense. Across from me, Victoria and Kayla are staring wide eyed at the man behind me. I wish he would just go away and leave me alone!
I whip around and see Apollo standing behind me. "What do you want?" I demand. He looks slightly taken aback and his smiled falters. I smiled to myself as he takes a step back. That's right, I think to myself. This is my turf so back off! Oh my gods, did I just say 'turf'?
"Uh, I wanted to speak with you." Apollo clears his throat and regains his confidence. He lifts his chin and stands at his full height (which is actually pretty tall and kind of intimidating in the "I-look-like-a-hot-guy-but-I'm-really-a-god-who-can-incinerate-you" kind of way). "And Nico."
I hear Nico groan quietly. He still hasn't turned around to look at my dad, although I don't blame him. Apollo glances around at the other campers who are openly staring at him and he beams at the attention. He even strikes a few poses and kisses his muscles. I groan as well and roll my eyes. I glance at Nico as if saying "Do we have to?" He nods sadly.
Nico and I reluctantly rise. I see Will stand up in a daze and I realize that he has probably never met his dad. I feel a pang of guilt course through me as I realize this is my second time seeing my dad. Will, who has been here way longer than me, deserves to meet (and yell) at Apollo more than I do. I avoid looking at my other siblings as Apollo leads Nico and I away from the table and out towards the lake. I pretend not to notice the way Austin sits up straighter and casually flexes his muscles, hoping his dad might notice. I pretend not to have seen the look of longing in Kayla and Victoria's eyes as they watch their father –who has been absent for their entire lives– pick me over them. I make a mental note to yell at Apollo for them.
I stay close to Nico's side as Apollo swaggers a few feet in front of us. Yes, swaggers. He doesn't even have the decency to get over himself for one second and walk like a normal person. The smallest things he does make me so incredibly angry. The way he walks with nothing but confidence, the square of his shoulders, the rustling of his shorts. All of it makes me want to punch someone. There must be smoke coming out of my ears because Nico is staring at me.
"You okay?" he mouths at me.
"No." I reply, which is the first time in a long time that I've answered honestly. Nico sighs and blows his hair out of his eyes, but it just falls back in place. Despite how infuriated I am, I have to admit that was kind of cute. I suddenly realize how much longer his hair has gotten. Now it lightly brushes his shoulders and is a little less wavy. As attractive as it is, he seriously needs a haircut. I'm starting to question whether or not he has eyebrows.
I'm shaken from my thoughts when Nico grabs my arm and I realize we are at the lake. My initial annoyance with Apollo's appearance has worn off slightly, but I scowl and cross my arms anyways because I really want to be furious.
Apollo is facing us and grinning from ear to ear. He has this weird, golden glow around him that makes him look like a surfer angel. I glare at him and wait for a sappy "I'm sorry I abandoned you but I still love you" speech. Although, I'm not sure what that conversation has to do with Nico. Maybe Apollo's gonna give him "The Talk." Oh gods…
Suddenly Apollo drops the smile and his shining aura fades slightly. I'm so surprised at his sudden change in temperament that I forget to be outraged. He glances around to make sure no one is watching and then he leans in toward Nico and me. His blue eyes are suddenly icy and serious.
"Look," Apollo begins quietly but forcefully. "I get it. You hate me. There isn't really anything I can do about that, but before you start yelling again, which you have the right to, let me say something." He pauses. I'm still shocked at the fact that Apollo has it in him to be more than the self-centered jerk that I know.
"You think I'm some kind of monster, right?" he continues. "Because I don't visit my children? Because I appear to be self-centered? I'm the god of healing and medicine and I've seen my fair share of death. There have been countless heroes I couldn't save, some were even my children." Suddenly Apollo looks older, wearier. His eyes are incredibly ancient. "Century after century I watched over my children as they became expert doctors and healers, but it was never enough. I could never teach them enough and I could never save them." Then Apollo laughs softly and shakes his head. "But you… I saved you." He vaguely gestures towards Nico. "And you. But I couldn't save your friend. No matter how hard I try someone always dies, but I guess I'm used to that."
Oliver. Oh gods, I hadn't thought about him since lunch. How could I have forgotten him? The memory of his betrayal and death is so sudden that it takes my breath away. My fingertips turn cold I struggle for breathe. I mentally promise to never forget Oliver again. He was a hero, no matter what anyone says. He was just fighting for the wrong cause. I've told myself this over and over again. I say it every morning when I wake up, every night when I go to bed. I have to believe he died for something and he wasn't just a pawn in Erebos's sick game of chess.
Then I replay what Apollo just said in my mind. I could never save them. But you… I saved you. "You... saved us?" I manage to say. Apollo attempts a smile. "That's why you were there? You were helping?" I still can't grasp the entirety of the situation. Thankfully Nico jumps in and saves me from looking too awestruck.
"That's why the mace finally started to work." He says, mostly to himself. "You had something to do with that, didn't you?" Apollo nods and I suddenly feel very guilty for screaming at him.
I still can't believe it. This man, this arrogant, selfish, annoying man, who abandoned me at birth, was the reason Nico and I survived our quest. Could he possibly, maybe, still care about me? Suddenly I realize just how much I have wanted him to care; to know that he still loves me, despite giving me up. And here he is, stripped of his pride and godly glory, admitting that he has been watching out for me.
Oh, great. Here come the waterworks.
Blinking away tears, I take a breath and look my dad in the eyes. They're broken, like Nico's, but maybe everyone's are. Maybe mine are.
"Thanks, dad." I say and my voice doesn't sound like mine. Apollo smiles a genuine smile and the setting sun shines a little brighter. Then he pulls his Ray Bans out of his pocket and puts them on, hiding his broken, blue eyes, and assumes his confident stance with his arms folded and chin high. This time it doesn't bother me.
"Okay kids," Apollo says with a half-smile. "I've gotta get back to Olympus. Duty calls." I nod and smile because I finally understand. Apollo steps closer to me and softly says, "You have your mother eyes, you know. I like that." I stare at my reflection in his sunglasses and wish I could still see his eyes. Then Apollo turns to Nico and holds out his hand.
Nico shakes it and I almost laugh at how strange this all is. Nico, dark and soft and beautiful, shaking hands with my dad, who is taller and tanner and shines so brilliantly. They almost look like yin and yang, light and dark. Just like Nico and myself.
"Feel free to call me Dad." Apollo adds as he pulls his hand away. I snort and slap my hand over my mouth while Nico blushes furiously. "Or Daddy, if you prefer. Or perhaps Daddio? Maybe Father if you want to be formal…"
"Dad!" I exclaim, but I'm grinning. Nico shoots me a thankful look.
Apollo raises his eyebrows. "What, too soon?"
"Yeah, just a bit." I reply. For a second we all stand in warm, content silence, like we're all relieved that everything might finally be okay. Then Apollo breathes out heavily.
"I've gotta go," he says, "You know, Sun's to drive, mortals to smite." I start to nod, but then I freeze, remembering the look on Will's face.
I cross my arms. "Actually, you're not returning to Olympus just yet." Apollo looks at me with a mix of curiosity and fear. "There are some children of yours that deserve explanations." Suddenly Apollo realizes what I mean and his smile melts and is replaced with a look of dread and regret. However, he knows what's good for him and he nods, forcing a smile back onto his face.
"Right you are!" he says jovially. "Pardon me." I watch as he makes his way back to the dining pavilion–which is empty other than the Apollo cabin– and to the children he abandoned. I never thought I would see this day, but here I am.
And suddenly I realize how much alike Apollo and I are. Sure, we look alike, but we also have a habit of faking our smiles and putting up facades. But I think Apollo will be alright. I think he'll be able to rebuild the bridges he's burned. But me? I'm not so sure…
"Your dad is awesome." Nico suddenly says in awe. Apollo has just tentatively sat down at the Apollo table with the rest of my siblings. They all look tense, but no one has pulled out any weapons so that's good.
Nico laughs and says, "My dad would never visit me at camp." His voice sounds like nothing more than background music to me as I watch Apollo talk to my brothers and sisters. Austin's lips move and everyone laughs nervously. I smile, knowing that he just cracked a joke and tried to ease the tension. Apparently it worked because Apollo's body relaxes and he claps Austin on the back. Will smiles a little bit and Victoria and Kayla's forced laughs turn into real ones.
"Juliet?" Nico says, tapping my shoulder. "Hello? Anyone in there?" he waves a hand in front of my face and I snap out of it.
"Huh? Oh, sorry." I say and then I smile again. "I just never thought this would happen." Nico glances at Apollo and then back to me.
"You're dad's a nice guy."
I nod. "Yeah, underneath all that arrogance he's actually human." For some reason I can't wipe the smile off my face. I haven't felt this happy since... well, in a long time. Nico notices my suddenly bright mood and he matches my smile. He kisses my forehead and puts his arm around my shoulders.
"I'm proud of you, you know." He says. I wrap my arm around his waist and rest my head on his shoulder.
"For what?" I ask, although I'm pretty sure I know the answer.
"For not killing your dad when he first showed up." Nico begins.
I laugh shortly. "Oh, believe me, I wanted to."
Nico laughs too, a sound that make the butterflies in my stomach flutter. "Also, for caring about your brothers and sisters and for holding yourself together for so long." My eyes suddenly sting and a deep sadness aches in my chest, battling with my cheery mood. "But you don't have to hold on anymore. It's okay to let it go, you know that right?"
I swallow the lump in my throat. "But it's not okay." I whisper. That's all I can say because a sob rises in my throat and cuts off my words. Tears suddenly slide down my cheeks and I squeeze my eyes shut to try and stop them. I hate myself for breaking down and crying, especially in the middle of camp where anyone could see me.
Nico wraps both his arms around my and pulls me toward him. I hug him tightly and try to muffle my cries with his shirt. I haven't cried this hard since the night I burned Oliver's shroud. As I cry like a baby on Nico's shoulder my conscious yells at me. It's your fault! I scream at myself. You could have saved him! I wish I could tell my brain to shut up. Then Nico starts to murmur words into my ear.
"It's okay. You'll be okay." He whispers and I wish I could believe him. I killed him! I mentally yell. "It's not your fault." Yes it is. Yes it is!
"Yes it is!" I cry out loud. "I killed him! I killed him, I killed him…" I keep saying this over and over like a broken record. This is the first time I've admitted this out loud and I want to stop, but I can't.
Nico pulls away and grabs my by the shoulders. "Juliet, stop." He says firmly. But now I'm hysterical; sobbing and screaming. Nico shakes my shoulders. "Stop! You did not kill him!" The tone of his voice makes me freeze. I stop crying and the words die in my throat. "There was nothing you could have done."
I sniff. "But-"
"No. There was nothing either of us could do. You have to believe that." Nico looks deeply into my eyes and a part of me wants to look away and tell myself that it is my fault, but another part of my says that he's right; there was nothing I could do and Oliver was too far gone to be helped. I concentrate on the latter and a spark of hope ignites in my chest.
"I just want to feel okay again." I admit quietly.
Nico smiles gently. "You can. You just have to let yourself."
I breathe out deeply and hold on to the hope that I didn't let Oliver down. I cling to it and pray for it to grow. I know it will take time, but now I feel like I might genuinely be alright. I feel lighter, as if a heavy weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and it's easier to breathe. There is still guilt and self-hatred lurking in my mind, but it is less prominent; less like a screaming voice and more like a whisper. It will take time, but I'm hopeful that I'll be able to extinguish my guilt for good.
I throw myself back into Nico's arms and hang on to him tightly, knowing he is one of the only things anchoring me to the world. All of the kind things he has done for me –like bringing me McDonalds, not pushing me to talk about Oliver, and being there for me– come rushing back to me and I realize how distant I have been from him in these past few weeks. Nico has always been there, but I kept pushing him away.
I pull away from him and look up into his chocolate, brown eyes. They're dark, almost black, in the setting sun. I lean forward and gently kiss him, hoping it conveys everything I want to say. Nico smiles and takes my face in his hands and kisses me for a long time. When he pulls away we're both breathless, but grinning.
Nico wipes the drying tears off my cheeks. Then he says, "I'm not gonna wipe your nose, though." I laugh and wipe my runny nose on my sleeve. "Come on." He says, grabbing my hand. "It looks like your siblings want to talk to you." I look up at the dining pavilion and sure enough Apollo is gone and everyone is sitting in a confused daze.
"Yeah, let's go." I agree. I'm glad that they finally got to meet their father, I just wish they could have sooner. Either way, things are finally falling into place and for the first time in a long time things are looking up.
Hours later, when we are supposed to be in bed, Nico and I make our way down to the lake where the party for Percy and Annabeth is being held. It's well past sunset and the sky is speckled with stars. The air is warm and buzzing with the kind of energy only a summer night has.
As we walk I wonder who convinced Chiron to let the campers stay out after curfew. Or maybe Connor and Travis have him tied up in some closet and he doesn't even know about the party. Honestly, that wouldn't surprise me.
As Nico and I get closer to the party the sound of music fills the night. It's a song I don't recognize, but just listening to it makes me want to dance. It must have the same effect on the other campers because a large portion of them are dancing in a group. The rest are talking in smaller groups or are crowded around the Hephaestus kids who are setting up the fireworks (which look more like nuclear bombs than sparklers). Someone has placed tiki torches in random locations that cast a faint, orange glow on the scene. I've never been much of a partier so I'm not really used to the closeness and the crowd, but I'm excited nonetheless.
Nico and I stand shoulder to shoulder at the edge of the crowd, not really sure where to go.
"Should we find Percy and Annabeth?" I suggest. Nico furrows his eyebrows.
"What did you say?" He yells over the music.
"Should we find Percy and Annabeth!" I repeat loudly. After a moment's hesitation Nico nods.
Now we just have to find them… I think to myself. I scan the dancers, trying to locate Percy or Annabeth, but they're all moving too much and the lighting is too dim to recognize them immediately. They might not be dancing, I tell myself. I tug on Nico's sleeve and pull him towards the area where campers are talking in small groups.
I see Kayla talking to a couple guys from the Ares cabin and some girl from the Aphrodite cabin (what was her name? Lucy? Lacy?). I wave hello as I walk past and she jumps as if she has been waiting for me.
"Juliet!" she exclaims. "You made it!" Then she notices Nico and grins slyly. "And I see you brought a date."
I laugh. "Yeah. By the way, have you seen Percy and Annabeth?"
"Oh, yeah. They're over there closer to the lake." Kayla points out some people at the edge of the lake.
"Thanks. I'll see you later." I tell her. Kayla grins and returns to her previous conversation as Nico and I walk toward the lake. I suddenly notice how quiet Nico has been and now that I think about it, he seems kind of tense too.
"Hey, are you okay?" I ask. Nico looks confused.
"What? Yeah, of course."
"Oh, you just seem uncomfortable, that's all." I explain. Nico smiles and puts his arm around my shoulders.
"Parties aren't really my thing." He confesses. "People in general aren't really my thing." I laugh and give him a side hug.
"Just stick with me and you'll be fine." I say. "Not to brag, or anything, but I've thrown a few wild parties in my day." It's dark, but I can see Nico roll his eyes.
Then he defends himself by saying, "Hey, to be fair I was stuck in a casino for most of my life so I didn't have any friends to invite to parties."
I nod thoughtfully, remembering the conversation we had about Nico being frozen in time. "Touché."
Just then we reach the edge of the lake and spot Percy and Annabeth chatting with some older campers. Behind them were a handful of guys who were screaming and jumping into the lake. My eyes, now adjusted to the dim lighting, spot the Stolls splashing around and trying to drown each other. Then, much to my embarrassment, I see a shirtless Austin standing on a rock shouting "I'm king of the rock!" only to be pulled off by Travis. When he resurfaces he notices me watching from the shore.
"Oh, hi Juliet!" He calls out and waves enthusiastically.
I pretend to look surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do we know each other?" I turn to Nico. "Do you know him?" Nico immediately shakes his head, but is smiling the whole time.
From the rock Travis yells, "Oh, come on, Juliet. We already know you're related to him. There's no saving you from embarrassment!"
I shrug. "It was worth a try." Austin laughs and then returns to his task of overthrowing King Travis and taking over the rock castle.
I shake my head and chuckle softly. Then I remember that Nico and I were supposed to be looking for Percy and Annabeth. We walk towards them and when we arrive we hear Percy telling a story.
"… was surrounded by, like, seven thousand monsters but I managed to fight them all single handedly with my left hand, which made it even harder. But in the end my awesomeness pulled me through."
Annabeth coughs. "And by 'awesomeness' you mean 'your girlfriend', right?" Percy suddenly flushes and his confidence wavers.
"Well, I was, uh, getting to that part…" He turns to the campers. "You see-" but Annabeth cuts him off.
"It was me who saved your scrawny butt, not your awesomeness." Percy scowls at her. "And for the record there were twelve monsters. Not seven thousand."
Percy crosses his arms and pouts. "But Annabeth it sounds cooler my way."
"Yeah, sure, whatever…" she replies. Then she sees Nico and I and her eyes light up. Meanwhile, Percy continues to desperately salvage the rest of his story.
"Juliet! Hey! Hi, Nico." I grin and Nico manages a small smile. "I didn't know you could smile, Nico." Annabeth teases and playfully punches his arm. I half expect Nico to drop the smile and get all defensive, but instead he grins wider.
"Well, I've got a reason to smile." He replies, glancing at me out of the corner of his eyes. Heat spreads through my cheeks and my stomach and I hope it's too dark for Annabeth to see. However, Annabeth grins suspiciously and looks me straight in the eye.
"I see." She says, making me turn even redder. Then she looks behind her at Percy, who is still exaggerating his sword skills, and sighs. "You save the world a few times and suddenly you have a head full of hot air." But then she laughs and leans over to kiss him on the cheek, which makes his ears turn pink and for him stumble over his words. "I'll be back." She tells Percy and then turns back toward Nico and I. "So, do you guys want to see how the fireworks are coming along?"
"Yeah, sure." I say, but my mind is still lingering on what Nico said earlier. Nico takes my hand and pulls me out of my thoughts. We walk alongside Annabeth as she navigates through the crowds. The children of Hephaestus are only on the other side of the group of dancers, but it takes us a while to get there because practically everyone we pass stops to say hello to Annabeth or give her a hug or ask for her autograph. By the time we finally make it to the fireworks it's obvious that they are ready to be lit because the Hephaestus campers are wiping their hands on their already dirty pants and clapping each other on the backs.
Annabeth asks one of them when they plan on launching them. "Any time." He replies. "Probably in a few minutes."
Annabeth does a little happy dance, which seems out of character for her. "I really love fireworks." She explains. "I'm not sure why…"
A daughter of Hephaestus laughs. "Oh, you know why. And so does the rest of the camp! Last Fourth of July you and Percy could hardly keep your hands off each other!"
Annabeth blushes slightly, but doesn't try to defend herself. "Just light them off soon." Is all she says.
Just then the booming bass of the music dims and slower, more acoustic songs pours from the speakers. The previously wild dancers all break into pairs and gently sway to the music.
Annabeth suddenly gasps as she recognizes the song. "Oh my gods! Percy and I danced to this song at the school we found you at, Nico!" She looks at Nico as if he is supposed to remember.
"Um," Nico stares at her blankly. "Yeah."
Annabeth grins and pats him on the shoulder. "Thanks for pretending. Anyways, we got interrupted last time and he still owes me a dance. I'll see you guys later." Then she winks at us and disappears into the crowd of couples.
I look up at Nico. "Well that was a mysterious wink."
Nico shrugs. "Maybe not."
I laugh and furrow my eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?" Nico turns to me and takes my hand; his cheeks are lightly dusted pink.
"Juliet, may I have this dance?" He asks overly formally, but with a slight shakiness to his voice.
I curtsy. "You may, Romeo." He grins like a little boy and pulls me onto the dance floor.
Part of me wants to be all romantic and original and waltz away into the stars and all that jazz, but the other part of me knows I have absolutely no idea how to dance so I just rest my wrists on Nico's shoulders and he holds my waist and we sway along with the rest of the campers. Despite the abundance of dancers and the closeness in which we are all dancing, it feels like it's just me and Nico.
I can feel Nico staring at me, but for some reason I can't meet his eyes. I'm not nervous or anything. I'd been this close to Nico before. Heck I'd been closer! Yet I was perfectly content with staring at the collar of his shirt.
Dancing is kind of stupid, I think to myself. I mean, all you do is almost-hug and waddle back and forth. I decide to try and change the flow of our movement by turning slightly. Soon we are swaying and spinning slowly at the same time, gently going against the flow of the other dancers. The music seems to carry me off my feet and I feel lighter and more at peace than I have for days. I could just close my eyes and quietly float away…
Nico and I bump into someone and my eyes fly open. Annabeth and Percy are swaying next to us, but they haven't even noticed us. Annabeth has her head resting on Percy's shoulder and Percy's lips move along to the words of the song. Both their eyes are closed. My heart warms at the scene and it's reassuring knowing that two people can be so in love.
Fireworks whistle and boom over our heads and sparks shimmer, blending in with the stars. Golden chandeliers of light crackle and smoke and a chorus of cheers erupt from the campers around us. The fireworks continue to dance in the sky as we continue to dance on the earth.
I turn back to Nico and finally look up into his chocolate brown eyes. We look at each other for a few moments and then Nico lowers his head and kisses me on the lips. Suddenly the music becomes louder, the lyrics stronger, and everything makes sense, yet nothing makes sense at all. Nico makes sense, but the world around me does not. I'll never be able to understand why the gods do what they do or why Oliver had to die or why the sun is going to explode billions of years from now. But I know that Nico always takes the toy with his happy meal, just for fun. That he can't eat a meal without a glass of strawberry milk. That he always matches his socks and his favorite color is forest green. And with him my world makes sense, yet doesn't make sense at all. And that's alright.
Huzzah! The official end of this fanfic! Thank you all so much for the awesome reviews they honestly mean a lot to me. And don't forget that I'll write a one shot on any PJO/HOO pairing for the person who writes the 70th review. Thanks for making this story come as far as it did. I probably never would have finished it if it weren't for you guys. Goodbye for now!