In The Spotlight - Solangelo

Chapter Nine

"Nico!"

I looked up to see Jason running towards me. Then I looked back down, not wanting to talk to him. Not wanting to talk to anyone.

"Go away," I murmured. He sat down next to me. "I said go away."

He didn't listen to me. Why wasn't he listening? Why was he still here? Did he not understand the words 'go away'? Did he not understand that I wanted to be alone? Was I not clear enough? Maybe I wasn't clear enough. Or maybe...

Maybe he just knew me better than anyone else. Even better than I knew myself. He knew that in a time like this, I needed someone to talk to, even if I didn't want someone to talk to. He wrapped his arms around my shoulder, and pulled me closer to him. Just like how Thalia used too. And, before that, just how Bianca used to. For a while, we just sat in silence, and I was grateful for that. But, eventually, I realised I had to talk.

"L-listen, I'm sorry-"

"No," Jason interrupted. "Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault. Will isn't upset or anything. He knows he shouldn't have said anything."

I shook my head, and looked him in the eye. "No, it was my fault. I should have stayed. I... I don't know what I was thinking."

"Honestly, it's fine," he reassured. "Everything is ok."

"No it isn't!" I retorted, a little too harshly. "Now he thinks I'm a total weirdo! That I'm insecure! That I'm... That I can't..." I looked away. "I..."

There was another silence.

Jason sighed. "He doesn't think any of that, Nico. He thinks you're a really cool, ok? And... he really does like you."

Silence.

"I'm not lying, honest."

"Did you... did you tell him about yesterday?" I asked.

Jason looked confused for a moment. "Yesterday? Oh, right!" He laughed. "No, of course not! I was only joking around yesterday, anyway. I wasn't being serious!"

I rolled my eyes. "You sure sounded serious." I took a deep breath. "Listen, I... I think I might have feelings for Will," I admitted.

"Brilliant!" Jason exclaimed, his eyes glinting with excitement.

"No, not brilliant!" His face immediately darkened. "I don't even know for sure. I just... I admit that I find him hot, no doubts, but... I don't know. I still don't know him that well."

He stared at me for a second, as if he was trying to solve a complex equation. Then he shifted away from me, and stood up. "Well, when you do make up your mind, just know that if you do have feelings for him, he... he does as well. I'm sure of it." He stood up, and began to walk away. Just before he made it to the bottom of the hill, he turned back to me. "Just... don't be afraid, ok?"

He left me alone with my thoughts. Don't be afraid... What did he mean?

I stood up, and, wiping the tears away, I walked back to class.