Nico di Angelo had a folded sheet of paper in his hands and a very important mission to accomplish: make it end in Will Solace's possession. The issue is how to do so.
His objective was six desks in front and three to the side. In classroom measures, it's a really long distance. Thirty-eight minutes had elapsed since the beginning of the class and he still hadn't moved a finger. Partly for copying what Mr. Smith wrote on the board and partly for thinking how to make the damn paper reach Will.
He couldn't just stand up and do it himself. How suspicious could that be? What would the teacher say? He couldn't trust his classmates to hand it over to Will without reading it.
Ugh. Nico wasn't used to thinking that much.
Will, just like every Tuesday, answered, smiling and excited, as many questions as the teacher would ask. He was the only one to do so. Conveniently, he gives life to the class of the science that studies life.
In one past occasion, Mr. Smith had grown «tired» of hearing «just his voice» and told him to stop answering. It was the first and only time Nico noticed Will. He remembered that he had a pretty bad fight with Persephone the previous night and was in a «look at me and you're dead» mood. But during Biology class he was pretty relaxed and almost curving the edges of his lips to a smile. He found it funny to see that brainy guy in a different position. To see his cheeks go bright red and filling his lungs with air, to stop himself from giving the answer. At the end of the day, Mr. Smith understood that Will was the only one interested in the subject and without him answering questions the wouldn't be the same. He never asked him to be quiet again.
Nico sighed, exhausted. He was out of ideas and time to think of something. He decided to do the emergency plan by touching a classmate's shoulder, Johnny, who sat in front of him.
"Hey. Can you do me a favor?"
"Since when do you talk to me?"
"Since the time I wanted you to do me a favor"
"And I guess I really have to do it. It doesn't seem fair to me. What do I get in exchange?"
Nico rolled his eyes.
"I'll stop ignoring your conversations"
"Great!" Johnny turned around and smiled. "What are your wishes, my gay friend?"
Johnny was the first and only person at school that had discovered Nico's sexuality.
Hi did because, in gym class, Nico had an accident while watching Harold Pane, the quarterback with a perfect body, train shirtless. It turned out that Johnny is bisexual and pro LGBTQ+. He knew exactly what to do, and from that moment on he took care of Nico. The problem is that Johnny is a really talkative person and likes to be listened to when he talks. Nico is a person that eventually gets tired of people, specifically people who talk too much.
Nico groaned and gave him the paper.
"Give this to Will Solace. And make sure it's him." He kicked Johnny's side. "Don't you dare to read it."
"Auch" Johnny made a face and touched his side "how did you know? Anyways, what is it? A school crush love letter?"
"A conspiracy to rape you after school. Stop fucking up and do it."
Johnny sighed. He broke the end of the pencil and stood up, and walked towards the trash can at the front of the room, with a sharpener in his hand.
The teacher didn't say a word. When the paper reaches Will's hands, he turned around scared and puzzled.
«Don't read it 'till you get home.» mouthed Nico. Then showed a discreet smile to assure him everything was fine.
Will Solace returned the smile and stashed the paper in his pocket. He pointed out the clock, and then the hall.
Nico understood immediately. The class would be over in about ten minutes. Will wanted to talk outside. Nico had a weird feeling in his stomach and his palms were sweaty.
Johnny, who was already back in his seat, coughed, put his fist in front of his mouth a spoke quietly; without pretending to be paying attention.
"That in teen language is an indecent proposal."
Nico covers his face with his notebook to hide his burning cheeks.
"And that, my dear friend" Johnny pointed out "means that you like him and that you're interested."
"Shut up Johnny" Nico growled, "shut the fuck up for once in your life."
YOU ARE READING
It's curious the way destiny plays. Two peculiar people among others and related to each other can live in the same space for an hour each week and not know of the existence of the other. Until there is a break in the routine of one of them and the...
