Ink and Ashes

#2

Will's Pov

The new boy was cute, and a bit weird. He didn't make eye contact with anyone since stepping into the class and he kept his head down. Will thought he was asleep, at least until the bell rang and he shot up, rushing out of class.

Strange. But I guess I would be too if I was the new kid at school that knew no one.

Will headed to his next class, Biology. He'd always loved science, it was a part of the reason he wants to be a doctor one day.

He walked into the class and checked the name of the teacher just in case it was wrong. Yep, Mr. Terrance.

Will walked in and sat in the back of the class. Even if he enjoyed the class it didn't mean he wanted to sit in the very front row. And if any of his friends were in the class they would probably want to sit in the back too.

After a few minutes more people started filling into the class. Percy, Annabeth, and Piper all came in and sat by Will. At the very last second Nico rushed in.

How'd he leave class first then end up being last to his next class?

But Will wasn't really bothered by that. The real thing on his mind was the fact that the only free seat left in the class was the one right next to Will. Again.

He smiled at the boy as he came and sat down. But Nico immediately put his head down like he was going to sleep through class again.

Will didn't know how you could sleep through all your classes on the very first day of school, but he wasn't about to judge.

He turned and started talking to his friends as class started.

Nico's Pov

Great. Just great.

Not only was Nico almost late to class again because he had to avoid Jason. But in his first academic period not only was there Percy, but Nico was basically sitting right next to him!

Percy and Jason used to be really good friends of his. Their moms had been close, up until the accident that killed Nico's family.

Then they started to grow distant. Nico hadn't wanted to, but he couldn't have Percy's mom, Sally, see how Nico's father was treating him. He couldn't get taken away from them.

It's not like he loved the man. But he was his only family. Their relationship might have been... strained. But Nico knew that it was just grief. Hades had his way of coping and Nico had his.

And he knew he couldn't leave Hazel alone with him.

He had his head on the desk, pretending to be asleep while thinking, when suddenly he felt something tap his shoulder.

He jerked away from the unwanted contact and looked up. Percy was looking at him wide eyed and quickly pulled his hand back.

"Sorry dude. I was just trying to see if you were awake. Long time no see Nico. How've you been?"

"How do you think I've been?" He snapped back, he didn't really want to be rude to him but he couldn't have this boy butting into his personal life.

Percy's expression darkened.

"Sorry dude. My mom told me what day it was. How are you holding up?"

Nico ignored him. He'd completely forgotten that Sally would have remembered his mom's birthday. He just put his head down. He was not about to show weakness in school. And definitely not in front of Percy.

"Nico?"

He heard another voice, Will, say.

He looked up again, he was not in the mood to deal with people butting into his business, "Can you guys just leave me alone?"