No More Mist

Nico DiAngelo

I hate school. The only reason I'm going is to escape my dad, Hades.

Lately Persephone and I have been getting along quite well. But Hades has been... well to put it frankly he's been being rude and obnoxious. Even more than usual. So I had Persephone enrol me in high school.

It's now the first day of second term. I spent the holidays with Persephone, and seeing Hades at times.

But close to the end of the holidays Hades had come bursting in on Persephone and I. He walked straight over too her and had yelled at her about stealing his son and how he never got to spend time with me because I was always with her. He then slapped her, and she's been sick ever since.

She won't even let me talk to her. I don't know what I did wrong. I got past the dead soldiers one time and she turned me into a daisy. She then picked me up in her hand. Her words stung sharper than a slap to the face.

"I will never be your mother. She died, and we got left with you. Now your father hates me and its all because of you. It's always your fault. Every time. That's why your mother died. Because you were born. That's why Bianca is dead. Because you didn't have the guts to make her come back."

They still rung in my head two days later as I walked into school. I guess it showed on my face as my group of friends came over to me.

"What the matter Nick? What happened?" Sally asked.

I shook my head. "I thought we were getting along." I muttered.

"You thought who was getting along?" Trixie asked.

"My stepmother and I had an... well she pretty much completely disowned me. We've been getting along so well recently and then my father yelled at her because he thought she was taking me away from him. Long story short she yelled at me. Said some pretty horrible things. I haven't been able to get into contact with my cousins. And I want it to be summer again."

"Poor you. It's ok. I'm sure you'll work things out with her." Sally said kindly.

"I'm fine. I don't need sympathy." I said, then winced. "Sorry that came out harsher than what I meant it to."

"Why summer?" John asked.

"Because that's when summer camp is." I replied in a 'duh' voice.

"If your summer camp is as good as you say it is I want to come this summer." Dana said.

"Maybe." I winked at her. "I don't know though. I might not be able to put up with you all summer." I teased earning me a smack over the back of the head. "Ow." I muttered.

"So what did your stepmother say to you. I've never seen you this upset before." Mark said.

"Mark!" All the girls yelled.

"It's ok. She pretty much said shed never be my mother. My father hates me. She hates me. My mothers dead because of me. My sisters dead because of me. And that it's because I'm alive."

"Ok. That ain't cool." Trixie said.

"So? She doesn't give a crap about me anymore. She used to. She used to be really nice. Recently at least. Now we're back to base one. Lets go to class." As I said just as the bell rang.

"It still creeps me out dude." John said grabbing Trixies hand and dragging her to form class.

"They're such a cute couple." Dana said. If she was a demigod she'd defiantly be an Aphrodite girl.

"Come on. Or we're going to be late." Sally said grabbing Mark and I dragging us off to class with Dana trailing behind.

I heard a scream. "Holy Hera what was that?" I asked.