Safe With Me

|4|

                                     •Nico•
I opened my eyes and immediately tensed. I didn't know where I was. Or how I got there.

There was a pair of strong arms around me and I heard soft breathing behind me. Slowly, I turned my head. I was met by a pair of blue eyes. Will Solace, the boy I was crushing on, was a foot away from me. My face burned.

"Good morning," he whispered. My heart was beating out of my chest. "Good m-morning," I stuttered, cursing myself.

I scooted myself away from Will and immediately felt cold. "Why are you in here?" I asked quietly. He sat up and scratched the back of his neck. "I, I heard you, you, were having a nightmare, I think, and I, I calmed you down. You fell back asleep and I didn't want to wake you up," he said, smiling slightly.

"Thanks."

I got up from the bed and tried to hide my red face. "Nico?" Will asked. "Yeah," I said. He looked hesitant. "Are, are you okay? You seemed like you had a pretty bad nightmare last night."

"I'm fine," I said flatly, knowing he wouldn't buy it. "I, I just...my sister...Bianca....I....It's..." I trailed off, unable to think of a lie with his blue eyes boring into me. I felt the tears coming. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away from him, blink rapidly in an attempt to push back the river. I heard a whoosh and then Will's arms were around me.

"Hey, uh, Will? Please, please don't tell anyone about last night, especially Hazel, she will just overreact." He nodded and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"It's 6:27, no way in hell anyone's up yet. Want me to go?" He asked. "Yeah. I mean! Not because I don't want you here, but...I uh, I have to get dressed, and you kn-" I was cut off. "Nico, I get it. I'll see you in a little while," Will said understandingly.

(I just had to ask Siri if understandingly was a word.)

He left and I breathed a sigh of relief. Did Will actually care about me? No, he had the mindset of a doctor, he wants to make everyone feel better. He was just comforting me. He would've done the same thing to anyone.

I noticed a jacket on the bed and walked over. It was Will's.

I pulled off my shorts and t-shirt, getting my jeans out of my bag. Right as I buttoned my jeans I heard a knock on the door. I sighed and walked over to the door.

Will Solace, he just couldn't leave me alone. Red spread across my cheeks and neck as I remembered I wasn't wearing a shirt. "Um, I....I left my, my sweatshirt in here...." he trailed off. I nodded and walked over to the bed where the leather jacket was.

Here," I said quietly, handing him the jacket. "Thanks," he said, smiling as he left. I closed the door and leaned against it.

After pulling on a shirt I walked out into the living room where all of the boys were camped out. Leo was on one couch, Frank on the other, Jason was on the floor, and Percy was in a recliner, a little drool leaking out of the corner of his mouth. I rolled my eyes and walked into the kitchen.

I grabbed a bottle of water out of Leo's refrigerator and sat down at the breakfast counter thing. Pulling out my phone and earbuds I shuffled one of my playlists and put the earbuds in.

"And if you save, my life, I'll be the one, who drives, you home tonight, and if I ever let you down, I'll be the one who drives you home tonight."

As I absentmindedly played with my silver skull ring, I didn't notice anyone walking up behind me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned, my fist coming with me. I hit something firm and heard an oof! sound, the person who made it falling to the floor.