Empty Closets

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Shock Value (Nico's POV)

"Gods, I'm really sorry about that," Jason says for the eighth time.

"Hey," I tell him, "it wasn't your fault. I've been shutting him out and I shouldn't be."

It has been two hours and approximately thirteen minutes since Percy left. Since then, Piper an Jason have been talking to me about the most random things, which is great because it takes attention away from why I'm actually here.

"Oh yeah, Nico," Piper says, "wasn't there somthing you wanted to talk to me about?"

I spoke too soon! Again!

Jason's smile from our previous conversation (Leo's bathroom prank) melts into a straight, serious expression.

"I, uh..." I tell her, "I'm not sure if I want to tell you anymore."

"Why not?" Piper asks. "It can't be that bad to tell me."

"Well, it's not like I can tell you this on any regular day."

Jason interrupts as my temper slowly starts to decline. "If you don't want to say anything, Nico, you really don't have to."

Piper takes over. "Then why did you even come here?"

I sigh. "I don't know. I thought I was doing the right thing by asking for help. But I guess I was wrong." I stand to leave. I open the door and lightning strikes. A heavy downpur starts and I rush back inside.

"Are you kidding me?" I ask Jason.

"That wasn't me!" he replies. "Yeah, I'm Zeus's sun, but I didn't start a storm."

"I guess Zeus really wants me to talk," I say.

"I'm sorry if I'm forcing you to say this," Piper says after a few awkward moments of silence.

"You should be," I mutter. Then I raise my voice. "Besides, it was your mom who did this!"

"What does my mom have to do with anything?"

"It's not fully her fault; it's just, well, she's the goddess of..." I can't say the rest.

"Love?" Piper asks. "Oh my gods! You like someone! Who is it? Is it Thalia?"

"NO!" I feel my face redden. "Not her! Anyway, I can't really tell you."

"Why not?"

"It's complicated. Sort of."

"Nico-

"No, it's fine Jason," I tell him. "I can take it from here." I looks back at Piper.

"It's kind of hard to tell you because... I can't. People would think I was a freak. They'd think I'm crazy or confused. But I'm not.

"Ok," Piper slowly respnds. "Well what is it you're afraid of saying?"

I take a deep breath before the words spill out of me.

"I like Percy."

Piper's eyes widen. Everything seems to stay still, like we are inside of a TV screen and the watcher decides to press the pause button on the remote so they could throw the TV out the window or get a snack. Jason looks at me the same way he did last night at the bonfire.

"I never would've guessed," Piper says softly.

"Yeah, well, no one guesses that someone is gay."

"Wait," Jason says. "You said you had a crush on Percy." His expression changes and he simply says, "Oh" as my cheeks slowly redden again.

"I don't care if you crush on a boy," Piper tells me. "Those people are stupid."

"Yeah well they're all dead to me, so..." I smile. Then we all start to laugh.

I'm not sure why we laugh. Maybe it's becuase of my pun. Maybe it's because of my pun. Or maybe it;s because we're getting rid of stress together. Whatever it is, it's not important. So we just sit there during the storm, and we laugh.