Nico
I'm sorry, but I was getting tired of everyone's shit. And it's not like anyone cares about me there anymore.
Hazel and I got into an argument, she hates me. Dad could care less. Percy just doesn't... He tries to act like he cares, but he doesn't.
The only person I talk to anymore is Jason, and he just lets me know what happens and keeps me sane. He isn't supportive of me leaving Camp. And everything. But he just stays in contact.
We typically meet up at the same place on a weekly basis, but we decided to change it up a little bit. Go to a nice cafe that somebody showed me a long time ago. I don't remember who. But it was nice. It was a cafe with a candy shop. I thought it was a nice place.
When I saw Sally Jackson working at the candy section I almost had a heart attack.
I ordered my food and sat down as Jason ordered his. It was the middle of summer. Sports are going on, you know?
Just keep that in mind. It's important later.
"How's camp?" I asked the son of Jupiter as he sat down across from me. "Now that summers started and all."
"Oh, yeah," he started and thought about it. "You know, we have new campers. Training them. Hanging with everyone else. Nothing too out of the norm. You haven't missed much."
"Percy and Annabeth?" I questioned, figuring they'd be engaged by now. If you look at Percy, it's like Annabeth will kill you or something.
She's threatened me before. And she doesn't even know I'm gay.
Nobody does. Aside Jason. I chickened out of telling Percy at the end of last summer. I thought about it. But after telling him to just leave me alone until death, I figured it wouldn't be a good idea.
"I... That's what changed!" Jason realized in response to my question. "Percy isn't at camp, either. Piper asked about their relationship and she got really pissy. I don't know. I don't think they'll last. Annabeth is fighting it, but..."
"Really?" I asked, sounding shocked anyone would say that. "Because they act like they'll last forever. They always have. Even when they weren't together."
My luck, let me tell you how amazing it was today. Were talking about this, and Sally walks over. As our waiter.
Giving us our food, she starts talking to us, having recognized me. She didn't recognize Jason, knew the name. But she sure as hell seemed to know me. And she did. But I just... Knowing Percy wasn't at camp made me feel a little better. But I felt bad. This is his mom.
I felt weird.
"Nico di Angelo, my gods I haven't seen you in years," Sally remarked to me as I gave her a small smile.
"Hi, Sally." I responded as Jason sat there, confused. "It's been a while. It gets busy, you know?"
"You can say that again," she remarked. "With another kid in the house, we don't get any sleep."
I went into another state of shock.
"You gave birth already?" I asked, amazed that it already happened. It was June. I thought the baby was due in July.
"Yeah!" She told me. "It's my first day back here. You didn't know?"
"No," I informed her. "I'm going to kill your son for not telling me."
Sally just laughed as she refilled both of our drinks.
"I suppose he hasn't told most of you guys yet." Percys mom assured me. "He's been busy. He chose to stay home this summer. Between having a little sister now, helping more around the place and what not, and doing swimming. He's busy. Applying to... To colleges. Paul brought up the military once and Percy made sure Paul knew he wasn't having anything to do with the military. Respect and all but... He's done enough."
"Wait," Jason cut in. "Percy?"
"Oh! Sorry, Jason." I just realized that Jason has never met Sally before. "This is Sally, Percy's mom. Sally, this is Jason. Thalia's little brother."
Sally introduced herself to Jason and he asked about Percy and Annabeth. Just one of those things that it's nice to know what's going on. Sally probably knew more than we did.
"Percy and Annabeth?" Sally asked and rolled her eyes. "I wish I could tell you. Percy was never one to go on and on about someone like that. But it was maybe a week ago, I heard them talking and from what I could tell, they started to argue. Percy didn't say anything, I assumed they figured it out between themselves."
The bell on the door rang, meaning that someone had opened it.
"Speak of the devil," Sally remarked, giving it away that Percy had arrived. "You boys enjoy yourself, I'll be back in a little back."
At first, I really didn't care. Sally walked away, Jason had made a comment that she was really nice. And of course, I agreed. Sally's a sweetheart.
But Jason motioned for me to look at Percy.
Percy Jackson, wearing sweatpants and nothing as of a shirt. Exposing his six pack, that nobody at Camp has ever seen before.
I'm not joking. He never goes shirtless. He'd rather die.
But here he was, seeming confident in his appearance. Which is more than what I can say in public. With people I know I'm fine. It's just in places like this, I could never do that.
Percy walked behind the candy stand, having a bag back there. And Sally started talking to him as he got his shirt on. A swim team shirt, it fit him just tight enough so you knew he was fit.
I was starting to not be able to control the blood flow as it went to my face and I felt myself turning red.
"Nico and Jason are here if you want to say hi." Sally told her son after finishing selling some chocolate to somebody. "They did ask about you and Annabeth. I didn't ask why. It's the least you could do if you're not going to camp."
"Nico and Jason?" Percy questioned, sounding like it wasn't normal that we would hang out. When Jason is the only person I'll hang out with. Aside Grover or Thalia. They're pretty chill. "That's a weird pairing. Summer session started last week, too."
Sally shrugged and said to ask us.
And that's why I'm trying to look at anything but him now.
