"Where in Hades did she go?!" I don't know why I cared so much. Okay, yeah, I actually did know...
I'd just entered the border of Camp Half-Blood. I was tired, hungry, and depressed. I'd not spoken to anyone in the past two months. Well, some girl did ask me if I was goth. Does that count as conversation? I think not. I was in the mood for a little conversation with someone who understood me and my problems. At least, my problems. Like the constant monsters and pain.
Once I reached the cabins, I heard someone telling another person Paris Hale, whoever she was, and Percy Jackson, were having a sword fight in the arena. I hightailed it down to the arena and saw Percy and a girl with curly brown hair that was up in a slightly messy ponytail get into stances. I hid behind a tree. I listened to the whispers from those near me and found out that Paris was exceptionally good. Good enough to beat Clarisse and Annabeth. They were taking bets on who would win. I grinned wickedly as a sudden thought positioned itself in my mind. What if...?
I snuck closer to the arena. I heard Percy trash-talking, and I smirked to myself. He'd need all the help he could get if Paris was as good as the Stoll brothers had described. I could give him that much. This would be fun.
Soon, the two began to fly about, thrusting, blocking, parrying.
I stepped closer to the action and concentrated. I could feel a body in the ground; one of the perks of being a kid of Hades. I took a deep breath, and pulled at the composing body with my mind. I felt it move. The ground cracked slowly, splitting open and revealing the corpse's hand. I heard someone squeal as I willed the hand to the right of the hole, making it caress Paris's shoe. I smiled. This was fun. I stepped from behind the tree while Paris was distracted, and nodded at Percy when he saw me.
Percy jogged forward and pressed Riptide to Paris's throat.
"Thanks, Nico," Percy grinned at me.
"Anytime, man," I stepped forward, out into the open, and raised my right hand. I remember the rings on my fingers glistening brightly in the early summer sunlight as I plunged my hand downward, sealing the fissure and allowing the corpse to rest again in peace.
"What the heck was that?!" Paris glowered so fiercely at me, the saying "If looks could kill" came to mind. I smiled nonchalantly at her; tempting her to begin yelling. People like her always entertained me.
As I watched her face turn beet red, I realized she was actually quite pretty. Beautiful, soft brown curls that framed her perfectly shaped face well even when most of it was put up. Startlingly green eyes like the trees' leaves that surrounded us. Slightly full lips, a flawless shade of rose.
"What do you mean?" I smirked playfully. I could practically hear her grinding her teeth together.
"You just helped him win!" She roared. Someone has a temper, I thought and chuckled to myself.
"That's what a friend is for, right?" I said with a cocky grin.
Her green eyes nearly popped out of her skull. "It's, like, illegal, or something!" Paris ranted.
"No, not really," I contradicted, feeling extremely superior.
"You're a--a--" She struggled to find the right words. "Ugh!" She threw her arms up in the air and stalked off.
Once she was gone, I began to help Percy and Annabeth clear and clean up the sword fighting arena. As Annabeth so uncharacteristically chattered in my ear, I was lost in thought.
