Solangelo One Shots

Hello Love, My Invincible Friend(p5)

Sorry this is so late, I had no clue this was going to end up being 11k words(I'm sorry in advance) and it was super hard for me considering this is my last part after working on this book for almost 5(?) years, but I hope you like it:) This has been such a special journey for me, so thanks for coming along for the ride!

Octavian's POV

He marches down the hallway after morning prayer, head held high, and chin tilted up. He can hear whispers behind him; about him, about Will and Nico, about the three of them. The rumors have already started to spread and they run through the school like wildfire, scorching the ground they touch on. As he walks to Father Seymour's office, ready to deliver the news, he has five people stop him in the halls, asking if it's true. When he confirms it, they always burst into giggles and walk away. For the first time at St. Mary's, after his fantastic relationship with his teachers and his amazing grades, it feels like he's done something with his life, to purge the school of evil and purify it. 

He waits a couple of seconds before knocking on Father Seymour's door. He can hear him scratching something out on a piece of paper, and he clears his throat. Octavian almost doesn't go through with it. He can't stop thinking about how broken Will had looked last night, how crushed Nico had looked. He's never seen two people look so destroyed at something he had done. But, Octavian tells himself, it's their fault for sneaking around, their fault for indulging in something they knew was wrong. So Octavian pushes the image of Will and Nico's faces to the side and knocks on the door. 

"So, Octavian, what was it you had to tell me?" Father Seymour says, flipping through a pile of papers. "And please, if it's another suggestion for how to make the morning prayer session "holier," I really am not interested." 

"Well, I do have a couple of suggestions for that," Octavian says. Father Seymour shoots him a glare. "But that isn't what this is about. It's about Will Solace and Nico Di Angelo." It's out now. No going back. Not that Octavian would want to. Of course not. 

Father Seymour raises an eyebrow, and the pen he's been using hits the desk with a quiet clatter. "Continue." 

"They've been breaking curfew," Octavian says. "And sneaking out into the chapel, and- and- making out. I caught them last night. I don't know how long it's been going on for, but it's at least multiple occurrences." His heart pounds and Father Seymour sighs, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. 

"And why were you out past curfew?" Octavian's heart stops in his chest. He can't exactly tell Father Seymour that he's been stalking Will and Nico out of jealously and spite. 

"I saw Nico sneaking out of his dorm on my way back from the bathroom," Octavian says, the lie spilling out of his mouth as easy as if he were saying his morning prayer, or talking to a teacher. "I thought it would be best to break curfew- just that one time- instead of letting them get away with whatever they were up to." 

"And do you have any proof?" 

"Well, uh, no," Octavian says. "But you know I wouldn't lie to you. And you know you can trust me." 

Father Seymour purses his lips, scrubs at his forehead. "You know these are serious accusations, and-" 

"But you know Nico's record," Octavian says. If Father Seymour thinks he's lying, his reputation, his relationship with his teachers, his admittedly sub-par relationship with his classmates, could all go up in flames. "And you know I've helped you out a lot over the past couple of years." 

"Will Solace is one of our best students." 

"So am I," Octavian says, lifting his chin. "And you know how loyal I am to the school."