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Harmany had woken up and left before anyone else. This was a very consistent thing for her.
The others had no idea why she did this or what she was doing when she left.
Bianca thought she was just walking or something simple. Nico thought she had a secret.
Hazel had laughed when he expressed his theory. "Nico that's ridiculous. She probably just goes on walks. Have more faith in our sister."
"What are you guys talking about?"
The two turned back to see Harmany with an eyebrow raised expectantly.
Hazel shrugged. "Nico wonders why you leave so early."
The shift in Harmany was significant. She went from calm and collected to skittish and a little nervous.
"Nothing! J-j-just walks you know c-c-circulate the brain. Don't worry about it. Why are you in my business! Gotta go!"
Harmany scampered off.
Nico sighed. "If that didn't tip you off nothing will."
"Little suspicious but leave it alone. It's her private business what she does. She doesn't feel comfortable telling us right now so we need to leave it." Hazel said.
Nico rolled his eyes. "We don't know anything about her. She barely speaks to us."
Hazel scoffed. "We know things about her."
"What's her favorite color? Favorite food? Life aspirations?"
Hazel paused. "W-well it's her private choice. She has every right to have walls up right now. We have to let her. Under no circumstances are you to grill her for info."
Nico rolled his eyes. "No grill, got it."
Hazel smiled. "Good. Let's go to breakfast."
Nico nodded.
******
Confession time: Nico totally grilled Harmany. It hadn't quite gone as he had hoped.
He had considered her yelling or not answering, but he hadn't expected tears to come to her eyes as she dropped her fork and left breakfast.
After that Nico decided that if he wanted to find out grilling her wasn't the right way.
Instead he woke up at around three am to see she was still asleep.
He stayed awake until she got up, dressed and snuck out.
Nico wasn't ashamed to say he had quietly followed her outside the cabin.
He wasn't ashamed to recollect on how he had trailed to a dark patch of grass with no light. Nico tipped toed onto a little hidden spot where he stepped on a twig.
Harmany's head whipped over, in terror. "Who's there?"
Nico held his breath and backed behind a wooden frame.
After a few seconds, Harmany sighed. "I really am losing my mind."
To Nico's suprise, Harmany had summoned a ghost. She did it in a completely different way then Nico.
She didn't need a happy meal or anything else. She just placed a hand into the dirt and recited something under her breath.
Eventually a ghost did rise.
It had only been one ghost. It was a girl no older than Harmany's age.
Harmany smiled at the ghost. "Esmeralda! I missed you."
The ghost or Esmeralda floated towards Harmany. "Missed me? We just spoke yesterday?"
"I know but I wish you were with me."
Esmeralda cocked her head to the side. "I am always here."
Harmany laughed. "I mean alive. Things are crazy here. But you already know that."
Esmeralda nodded. "You have told me. I am glad you aren't on the run anymore, sister."
Sister
That one little word made Nico regret his choice to follow her. Hazel was right. He shouldn't have interfered.
Harmany was talking to her dead sister. This was bad.
He had disrespected Harmany and her privacy.
Nico felt immense guilt as he slunk away and back to Hades cabin. Nico had pretended like he knew nothing.
The only person he'd dared to tell was Will. And he'd only told him because Will wouldn't dare call Nico a horrible person.
Will had frowned when he had told him. "That is not good."
Nico shut his mouth when Harmany plopped down beside him.
She looked at him. "Hey."
Nico nodded, erupted with feelings of guilt. "Hey. I missed you this morning. Where were you?"
Harmany glared at him. "Cut the crap. I know you followed me. I heard you leaving."
Nico frowned. "I'm sorry Har. I didn't think I'd walk in on something so personal."
Harmany rolled her eyes. "Well sorry isn't gonna cut it. You disrespected me privacy and followed me. Then you disrespect my boundaries by telling someone. Don't worry Will I'm not mad at you."
Nico sighed. "Har don't be like that."
Harmany raised her eyebrow. "No I think I will be like that. See you around Nico."
And ignoring all of Nico's protests Harmany got up and walked off.
Nico buried his head. "She'll never speak to me again."
Will nodded. "What you did was kinda fucked up. Not gonna lie."
Nico scowled. "I know."
