skinny love | solangelo

Fake

~Will

When a wide-eyed Hazel dragged an unconscious Nico on her shoulder into the lobby of the infirmary, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

Shit, Nico. Shit, shit, shit.

Looking over at Austin, we locked eyes and he nodded, understanding.

"Let's take him into a back room. I'll give you a hand." He said, taking Nico from Hazel's arms. A strange pang of unwanted jealousy emanated in my chest at seeing someone else hold Nico.

Walking off with Austin down the hall, she explained what happened to him, her voice on the edge of hysteria.

I tapped my fingers on my sides. Thinking. I bit down on my bottom lip and walk out of the infirmary, yelling at Kayla that I'll be back in a bit. I don't wait long enough to hear her answer.

I just need space.

Walking through the maze of forest and buildings, I eventually find my way to Zeus's Fist. While it may be a warm and sunny day, I shiver, the atmosphere around cold and uninviting.

Deciding to sit down on one of upper rocks, I get ready to climb the "poop pile".

***

Wiping off my forehead with my orange camp shirt, and licking my chapped lips, I turn to inspect the camp below me.

I look over at the strawberry fields and the Demeter kids and satyrs, working in harmony. Over to the Pegasus stables, where some campers were having a hard time getting one particular flying horse to calm down. Blackjack, most likely. It all used to fill me with such joy, but without Michael or Lee here, nothing is the same.

I really miss them.

"What is wrong with me?" I asked the air. "Honestly Will, you're a goddamn train wreck." I clenched and unclenched my fists, open, close, open, close. I held back from saying, "whenever Nico's around".

Drawing in a deep breath, I let it go as I sit down on the rocky terrain.

"Enjoying the view, sunny boy?"

Turning my head in the direction at which the voice came, I see the Aphrodite boy, Mason, sitting a little ways away on one of the higher rocks. Complexion dark against the light pink button-up which matched his pink eyeliner (which framed his dark eyes quite well, if I may), brown bangs hanging in front of his eyes.

"What are you doing up here?" I ask.

"I could ask you the same thing." He stood up, and hopped off the boulder down to my level.

Without saying a word, Mason stalked over to me and plopped himself right in my lap like he belonged there.

"You're warm." He remarked, not a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

"What do you want, Mason?" I scowled, sighing and pushing him off of me onto the ground.

Standing up, he swiped off invisible dust and flipped his bangs out of his eyes. "The thing is, I need to break someone's heart as is the Aphrodite cabin rite of passage. And you want to get over doom-and-gloom. It's a win-win situation. Besides," Mason said, raking his eyes down my body, "You're hot. Not my type, but hot."

I shivered, trying not to let the "doom-and-gloom" comment peeve me.

"You mean-"

"Fake boyfriends, yes, that is what I'm hinting at," Mason interrupted, looking at his nail beds.

"But-"

"Of course, we'll wait a couple of days to announce it, don't want to seem insensitive to Nico."

"Wait-"

"It'll be tough, but don't fall for me, Sunshine." Mason winked, and turned, walking away from the scene.

Sunshine. Only Nico called me that.

I don't think I even agreed to this plan, but there looks to be no getting out of it. Fake boyfriends with Mason, son of Aphrodite.

"..don't fall for me, Sunshine.."