You're All I Need [Solangelo AU]

XIX

Will's PoV:

What the hell is going on with Nico? First the quote on quote tan he refuses to explain, then not sitting next to me? He always sits next to me! Ever since that day in the cafeteria. . . When he cried. And then he snapped at me. Well, he has 'running' today, so, hopefully, that helps. I cannot stand the look on Nico's face. He looks like he did when I first met him, two months ago. And when I first met him. . . He wasn't as stable as he is now. Now that I think about it, is he really stable now? I resist the urge to pull back his sleeves to see if he has any fresh. . No. He couldn't have. Therapy is helping. What new has happened? What suddenly made him change his mood, his choices?

I think back to the last time we had a fight, which was three days ago. What had happened?

Hades.

-

I pull into the driveway. I get out of my car, lock it, go to the front door, unlock it, step in, and lock it. I go into the kitchen. "Uh. . Mom, dad. . I'm home?"

Immediately footsteps echo in the house. My mom and dad appear.

"Will!" My mom says, and flashes me a smile.

"How was school?" My dad asks.

"Good." I remember about Nico. "Oh, right. . I have to meet my friend at his. .  Practice. ."

My dad arches an eyebrow. "Practice?"

"Yeah! Yeah. Practice. Soccer practice."

My dad goes back to his normal state.
"Okay, well, be safe."

"Yeah, I will. Love-" I falter. "L-love you."

My parents smile sadly.

"Love you too."

-

It's five twenty and Nico hasn't shown up.

He usually shows around this time.

What if he's barely leaving now? He'd be cutting it close. It takes at least ten minutes, not counting traffic. If there was a traffic. . Well, around fifteen then.

5:26.

As I wait for Nico to show up, I start thinking of the possibility that he might not show up at all.

I mean, he has to show up. Unless something happened. Oh, no. Please tell me nothing happened.

W: Neeks?
(5:31 pm)

I put my phone back into my pocket. I knew I shouldn't have let Nico go home. I should've told him I knew something was going on with Hades. Now he could be in danger! Unless. . Unless he isn't hurt, and he just decided not to show. But he wouldn't do that, would he? He seemed fine with coming earlier. What could have changed in six hours?

A lot, appearently.

My mind goes through the many things that could have happened.

What if Hades. . Or if he was in a car crash. . . Or if he. .

I stop thinking about that. Nothing could have happened.

I take my phone out of my pocket and click the home button. 5:47.

W: Where are you?
(5:48 pm)