Please Don't Take My Sunshine Away [Solangelo]

Without You// Chapter 9

Nico

As I stared out the window, I couldn't help but frown. Well, frown even more than usual. The frown seemed to be plastered on my face. I took a sip from the mug of hot chocolate before letting out a long, deep breath.

Just a day after I found myself at Camp Jupiter, I receive news from Reyna that Hazel had gone to Camp Half-Blood to surprise me, only to get the news that I was missing and possibly dead. When I chatted with her through an Iris message, she was pretty upset. Yeah, well that makes two of us.

"Nico!" Hazel's face lit up when she saw me, even if it was through Iris message. "You're alive!"

"Of course I'm alive. I'm at Camp Jupiter. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were visiting me. I tried to Iris message you earlier-"

"Oh yeah, sorry about that. The whole camp is on a search. Apparently, some other camper went missing three days after you did."

My eyes widened at that. "Oh wow... What's the name?"

Hazel tapped her finger on her chin as she thought. "I think it was Will something. I'm not sure."

My heart skipped a beat and sank at the same time. Will was missing. Had he gone to find me? No, of course not. He probably got kidnapped by a monster.

"The whole camp is worried that they'll all start to go missing one by one. Anyway, I missed you so much. Where have you been? You look pale! Have you been eating? Because I know how you are and-" Hazel babbled on but I wasn't listening.

I know I shouldn't care, but Will was missing. He could be hurt.

I bit my lip anxiously as I thought about Will. What if he's dead by now? 'He hurt you,' a voice reminded me. 'He broke up with you. Why should it matter what happens to him?' I took a deep, shaky breath and slowly nodded. It was right. I shouldn't care. He probably was relieved when he found out I was missing. But I know that Will isn't that kind of guy. Is there a chance he was actually worried?

I stirred the chocolate with my finger as a sigh escaped my lip. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to play with your food?"

I looked up and forced a smile onto my face as Reyna walked over to me. "Feeling any better?" She asked softly. I shook my head. I didn't see any reason to lie. I was dumped. I was betrayed. I was hurt and stepped on. I was not okay. I was beyond repair.

"You look like you could use some sleep." She didn't need to say anything. I knew she was talking about the heavy bags under my eyes. They appeared after countless nights of sleep loss. Especially since I shadow-traveled here and practically passed out.

No one had to tell me that I looked like death.

I slowly nodded. "Yeah, maybe I just need some sleep." Sleep was the only time when my heart wasn't breaking itself apart as it yearned for Will. The voices in my head didn't bother me when I slept. It was a whole other universe. My own little paradise.

I slowly closed my eyes tiredly. Before I completely fell asleep, I softly whispered, "Thanks, Reyna."

***

Will

I bit my lip to stop myself from cursing as I tried to look past the never ending raindrops on my windshield. The rain pounded onto my car rhythmically like a song. A song that annoyed you, but you couldn't exactly hate it either.

I couldn't see where I was going very clearly, but then again, I didn't care. I only had one priority.

I was far away from Camp Half-Blood. I knew that. I didn't know what state I was in, though. I didn't really care. All I saw it as was one step closer to finding him.