Outcome of a Broken Vow - on hold?

Not Comfortable With Company: Chapter Five

Nico was the one to wake me up the next morning, my eyes still extremely puffy from the night before. I woke up countless times to cry with nightmares about my dad's death, and I vividly remembered Piper coming into my cabin after hearing me scream my dad's name in my sleep. Nico stared at my eyes until I looked at him, catching his gaze.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his eyebrows frowning. I shook my head and stood up, slipping into a grey pullover hoodie and a pair of black skinny jeans from my suitcase.

"I'm not feeling up for anything right now." I said, and pulled my hair into a bun. I really didn't care how I looked. I felt like shit and I would openly express it. I heard Nico sigh and I glanced back at him. He was holding the picture of my dad and I in his hands, and when he looked at me I was taking in tears and I probably looked like I was going to kill someone because Nico quickly set the frame down and stood up.

"Sorry." he apologized, and I shook my head.

"No no it's fine." I looked down at the floor as I laced my combat boots up to the three quarter mark of my shin. "I just don't- nevermind. Forget about it."

I really hated talking how I felt about my dad's death. The horribly ironic thing was that came to mind while I was crying myself to sleep last night was that my dad was killed by a sniper, the thing killing him instantly coming from one, single shot to the heart. I felt a tear drop to the floor and the sound it made echoed through the whole cabin. I quickly stood up and walked out of my cabin without a word, heading to the mess hall. I heard Nico try to keep up with my fast pace, but I didn't slow down. I didn't want to talk to anyone because I felt like I was going to cry with any and every word spoken.

"Good morning, Rowan." I heard Frank say behind me as I sat down, and he sat down next to me as Leo stuffed his face with food in front of me.

"Morning." I managed to say, and picked at the food I dished up for myself, resting my head in my hand.

"Not hungry?" he asked, and I shook my head. Nico sat down next to Leo and Hazel sat by Frank, all four soon staing at me as I pushed my eggs away from me with my fork. Nico sighed and took a bite from his cereal, and I looked up at him. I stood up and excused myself, throwing my food into the trashcan and setting my plate on the dish cart. I walked to my cabin and snatched my bow and quiver, walking out to the pegasus stables. I forgot where I was going about halfway through, my mind on everything but my destination. I wandered into the woods to collect my thoughts. I would do this quite often; walk into the forest and think for a while. I found it peaceful.

I climbed up a tree near the river, listening to the water wash over the rocks. I took a deep breath and let out a few tears, my sadness and fear spilling out because I knew I was alone. My mind filled with thoughts and I let them linger, my eyes blinking away the fresh tears that built up in my eyes as every few seconds passed. I liked being alone but I hated being alone at the same time. I felt lonely but I felt loved. I felt a mix of emotions when I was alone and being confused about how I felt inside was my favorite emotion next to being happy because it made me think. It made me forget about everything and just think. Except I wasn't confused today. Inside, I was purely sad, depressed, and most of all broken.

"When I met you I thought you were going to be that person who preferred being alone, and I guess I was right." a familiar voice said behind me on the branch opposite of the one I was sitting on. I turned back and saw Percy, his eyes dodging from the ground to me every few seconds. When we met gazes, he inched closer to me and his blue/green eyes practically stared into my soul. "Why are you crying?" he asked, and I sighed.

"It's a long story." I said, and dismissively waved my hand.

"I have the time." Percy looked at me, his eyes pleading for an explanation.