My Sunshine -A Solangelo high school AU.

I never talk

I never talk. That's what I'm known for. I can talk. I used to talk, but not anymore. Not since my mother and sister died. My name is Nico Di Angelo. I'm 14. I was born in Italy but I moved to California when I was 6. My mother and my sister Bianca died in a car crash when I was 10.

I used to talk all the time. I was a complete chatterbox. Now I have no reason to speak. That didn't stop my cousins Percy and Jason, and my half-sister Hazel from befriending me. Now I'm 14. Most of the time I pretend I am mute. It's a lot easier than having a teacher try to force you to talk.

Now it was time for me to start the first day of my Sophomore year. I know you're probably thinking 'But Nico you're 14. Aren't you a freshman?' Well I'm not a freshman. I was very smart when I was in kindergarten and halfway through the first month they decided that I was already ready for first grade. I've been in the grade above my age for as long as I can remember. My half-sister Hazel was a few months younger than me and was starting her freshman year.

I was supposed to walk her to the bus stop."Nico! Get ready to leave." Hazel called from downstairs. We live in a two story black victorian and all the bedrooms are upstairs. I groaned and rolled out of my bed. I walked over to my dresser and chose a simple black hoodie and a pair of skinny jeans. I grabbed my hairbrush and attempted to at least calm my crazy bed head, but I only ended up making it look more disheveled.

Sighing, I made my way downstairs, grabbed my bag and an apple, and walked out the door. I started walking the block and a half to get to the bus stop. Hazel had to run to catch up to me. "Couldn't you have waited for me before you started walking?" Hazel asked in an annoyed tone. I merely looked at her with a raised eyebrow and shrugged. This meant 'You're being such a drama queen.' Hazel was able to read my expressions like sentences so she responded sarcastically, "Oh I'm the drama queen?! Look at yourself Mr. Dark and Gloomy. You're literally wearing all black!"

It was true. I wore all black every day. Compared to Hazel's ever colorful outfits I looked like an old photograph. We walked in a comfortable silence the rest of the way to the bus stop. We were a little late and eagerly climbed on to the black and yellow vehicle.

Hazel went to sit down with her boyfriend Frank who only lived a couple blocks away from my house. I however was left with only one option. In the back of the bus was a boy with soft sunshine colored curls. As I walked closer I noticed little details. He had a nice tan and freckles splashed across his cheeks and nose. He was sitting with his eyes closed and had earbuds on. He nodded his head to the music he was listening to. The boy was wearing a white and gold hoodie and navy blue jeans. I walked over to him and lightly tapped his shoulder.

He opened his eyes and looked at me. What was most startling about him was his eyes. They were a light aqua blue with flecks of various other blue colors scattered all over. I almost didn't hear him speaking to me.

"Do you want me to scoot over?" His voice was rich and full but at the same time shy and comforting. He had a slight southern accent hidden behind what seemed to be a more prominent NYC accent. I nodded and took a seat next to him as he slid to the spot up against the window.

"What's your name? I'm Will, Will Solace." Will Solace. That was this boy's name. I pulled out my notebook and a fresh pencil. My name is Nico Di Angleo. I wrote. I showed the notebook to Will. He muttered the words as he read the sentence. "So your name is Nico?" I nodded. "Sorry if this is too personal but are you mute?" he asked timidly. I shook my head no. "Oh," he seemed a bit puzzled. "Then why don't you talk?" I shrugged.

The truth is I don't know why I still don't talk anymore. I just don't talk I guess. Will looked me right in the eyes and smiled like the sun. "Well It's nice to meet you Nico!" Will said all bubbly. I felt the urge to say it was nice to meet him too but I stopped myself just in time. I instead nodded in agreement.

At that moment the bus pulled up to the school. I grabbed my bag and raced off the bus before Will could say anything more. When I found my new locker I also found my cousins Percy and Jason waiting for me. "Neeks! How have you been?" Percy asked excitedly. I nodded a hello to Jason followed by a shrug to Percy.

"Guess what happened Neeks?!" Jason jumped up and down. I raised an eyebrow in question before Percy blurted it out. "Jason got a girlfriend!" Both Jason and Percy were Juniors. Percy had a girlfriend named Annabeth who was deadly smart. They had been together since last year. Jason had yet to get someone for himself.

"Can you join us for lunch? I want to introduce you to her!" Jason exclaimed. I pondered the request for a minute. I never eat with my cousins but one time couldn't hurt. I nodded yes and both boys pumped a fist into the air. "See you then cuz." Jason said as he and Percy ran off.

I opened my locker and shoved my stuff inside. I grabbed my schedule and headed to homeroom. Thankfully there was nobody new. After the teacher said a few things about how the year would be, I tuned her out and let my mind wander.

I found myself thinking about Will from time to time throughout the rest of my classes before lunch. The way his hair fell around his face and how his smile made my heart flutter. 'Was I crushing on a guy I just met? No he was cute and all, but thinking someone is cute isn't the same as crushing on them' I reassured myself.

Finally the bell rang and I headed off to lunch. I spotted Percy and Jason almost immediately. They were sitting with Hazel and Frank too. Their other friend Leo was absent that day. It was a good thing since he was really annoying. Percy had his arm draped around Annabeth and Jason was doing the same to a new girl I had never seen before. I was almost over to the table when I noticed someone else sitting with them. Someone very out of place.