No Strings Attached

CHAPTER NINE

He set his mug of coffee down on one of the tea tables, the clang echoing through the otherwise silent house. He stared at me thoughtfully, a period of silence now engulfing us, before finally speaking in a soft tone.

"Of course," he said, as if he was bracing himself for something that was going to hurt. "Let's do this in the living room."

He led me to the gently illuminated living room. It was three times the size of my bedroom, maybe more. The walls were a pristine white, and they boasted several large paintings of flowers, baskets of fruit and food platters. The sofa was made of black leather, so sleek I was sure it had been sat on for years. A coffee table of timber sat in the middle, collecting dust, and a TV that was half the size of a walls was pushed far back.

I sat down on the sofa, the furniture creaking slightly. My dad did the same, leaning back. He reached to grab his newspaper but dropped it at the last second and looked at me instead.

"You go first, Nico." He said, a shadow of a smile on his lips. "I'm listening."

I inhaled deeply, my heart pounding as I did so. My father wasn't scary, but being so raw, so vulnerable in the moment was. "I feel lied to. I didn't do anything to prove I wasn't mature enough to know about what happened with mama. I just want to know why you didn't tell me."

Hades took a breath himself. His eyes shifted around the room as he collected his thoughts. He wrung his wrists together. "We didn't know what to tell you. We wanted to but you were so young." His voice hitched, and for the first time, I saw him fight back tears. "I never thought I'd find anyone after Maria, let alone my soulmate. I just didn't plan on anything that happened. But I should've known."

I bit my lip and stared at it. Bathed in the light of the lamp next to him, and the small rays of sun from a half-opened window, he looked more human than he ever had. "I understand. I still feel lied to, and a bit betrayed, but I understand."

He looked at me, tears pooling in his pitch-black eyes. A small smile crossed his thin lips, and he looked as if he were gazing at a memory from long ago. "I'm sorry, Nico. I won't hide things like this again."

I smiled. If there was anything about my father worthy of praise, it was that he was receptive to any criticism. "Thank you." I paused for a second and added, "I forgive you."

He held my stare for a moment, before standing up, signalling our conversation had come to a close. I did the same, leaving for my room. I quietly made my way up the wooden stairs unto the second floor. When I reached my room, I realised I was smiling.

I lay on my bed with my phone blocking my view of the ceiling. Hades pottered downstairs but didn't come up to say anything. I mindlessly scrolled on social media before deciding to call Will.

It was only after I hit call, I realised I was nervous. For what, I didn't know. He was my friend. And a kind one, at that. He never judged anyone. I didn't understand why I could get like this.

"Hello?" He said, his face popping up on my screen. He was grinning ear to ear, and the sun shone on half of his face, his blue eyes flashing at me. His freckles seemed even more prominent, now seeing his face up close. I smiled.

"Hey, Will," I smiled softly. "I talked to my dad and things went well, I think. It's just all better now. No tension and I feel so much better. Thank you." I hoped he could feel my gratitude pouring out of my voice.

He lit up even more and giggled. "I'm glad to be of help. You look so much happier than earlier. Man, if anaesthesia doesn't work out, maybe I could go for psychology, huh?"

"I think so," I said. I leaned back on my bed, my pillows in frame. "How's your day going? Got a start on the homework yet?"

"Not yet." He groaned. "I finished a portion of Macbeth, but I can't get myself to do the maths and science worksheets."

"I forgot about English." I sighed. "I better get a start on that then."

"Wait, Nico," he said, before I could close our conversation. His voice was a bit higher than normal, and his eyes were darting everyone but his phone camera. "I'm free on the weekend, mostly Saturday, and if you're free too, then maybe we can meet at one of our houses?" He spoke the last words slowly and carefully, rubbing his neck as he spoke. He made eye contact with me only after the sentence was spoken. My eyes softened as I looked at him.

"I'm free too. For a few hours, at least. Jason wants me to accompany him for something at four." I said, recalling the online date he had set up with the girl. "Maybe you can come over to my place? I really doubt my dad would mind."

He grinned so widely I was sure he was going to rip his face apart. "I'll see you then."

"See you," I said, and cut the call a few seconds after, Will's bright smile disappearing from my phone, a pang of sadness hitting me. I never understood why I felt like this. Will Solace was my friend, and sure, I felt a wave of sadness when Percy left the room, but what I felt for Percy could not rival the immense sadness I felt when Will Solace disappeared from my sights. It was as if someone was trying to cut my special string attached to my soulmate.

I spread my curtains fully, suddenly self-conscious of my room. Clothes thrown on the chairs and beds, it was messy, the light constantly dimmed, and paintings and ornaments of skulls, my room was nowhere fit for Will Solace.

And then it hit me. Will Solace was coming here on Saturday.