The Violin That Started it Again

Part 4) Chapter Twenty-Eight

So, I'm trying a thing where I update once a week. One week for this book and the next for Ignorance, and so on. Hopefully I won't break this schedule or something. I don't know; I'm terrible at keeping schedules.

Sorry for the short chapter by the way.

...

Percy Jackson

My feet hurt.

It felt super sore and constricted inside of my sneakers. It felt as if my feet were pounding and throbbing. It felt as if the only way my feet would not lose its ability to withstand my weight and keep me walking is to rip off my shoes at the speed of light so they could breathe again.

How exactly did girls carry ten million bags, wear high heels, and walk around a huge mall in hours?

The word shopping definitely did not apply to me.

And apparently, it applied to my little brother.

Yeah, sure I was happy that he was his enthusiastic, happy self again after what went down in Wetzel's Pretzels--I know, the ideal place for a dramatic confession is a pretzel store. If any one of you what to confess to your son's boyfriend that you brutally murdered his father, go to Wetzel's Pretzels!

Anyway, as I was saying, how did Tyson even deal with all of this walking? I was pretty positive we experienced the whole entire mall at least three times now. Nico even appeared absolutely exhausted beside me, but he still looked as if he were having fun. Hopefully he was, because the whole point of this was to cheer him up anyway.

I was tempted to bring up whatever was going on between Nico and I, but I was too afraid to sadden Nico again. I figured now wasn't the time to bring up the fact that Nico agreed to forgive me.

Or did he really forgive me? What if it was just a spur of the moment and he didn't think it through very much?

What if all he wanted to be was my friend and nothing more?

"Percy?"

I blinked momentarily, flickering my gaze toward the source of the voice.

Nico stared at me with a concerned expression etched across his face. "Are you okay? You look... Worried about something."

I was taken aback. Did I really appear that way?

I shook my head, forcing a half-hearted smile. "No, really, I'm fine Nico." I didn't want to worry him with my over-thinking problems just yet.

Nico obviously didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure? Do you want to talk about it?"

"I fine, Nico, really," I repeated. "Thanks for caring so much though."

Nico nodded, eyeing me warily. "If you want to talk about it though..."

I nodded, chuckling. "I got it. Seriously, Nico, stop worrying for once. We're trying to cheer you up right now."

Nico raised his hands up with a smile across his face. "Sorry, sorry."

It was dark now in the outdoor mall. The lights from through the stores' windows illuminated the pathways that weaved through the mall. The fountains appeared more heavenly now with the lights from the fountains making it look as if they were glowing. The people that were shopping here were now beginning to leave, but I already had a feeling that Silena was just getting started.

She was already carrying tons of bags from the various stores that we've visited, and I was pretty sure now that Silena was so healthy because the exercising that she should be doing is actually her carrying heavy bags of clothes from shopping sprees and walking around this huge place.

Seriously, Silena, how did you do it?

"Guys!" Silena exclaimed excitedly, stopping in her tracks. "Do you want to go eat dinner now? I'll pay!"

Annabeth rolled her eyes, shifting the bags of clothes that she offered to carry for Silena's sake. "After everything that you bought and the dinner, you're going to be out of money. Why don't we just split the bill or something?"

Silena shrugged. "I guess... But Tyson isn't paying and neither is Nico!"

Nico sighed exasperatedly. "Why am I not paying again?"

"Because," Silena began as if it were an obvious concept that Nicos across the world could not pay for their own meal. "We're all doing this to cheer you up. So you can't pay for your own happiness! Money is the root of all evil, you know."

"Says the one carrying all those shopping bags full of expensive clothing," Annabeth remarked with a disbelieving gaze directed toward Silena, gesturing toward the shopping bags that they were both holding.

"Oh, shush." Silena giggled. "What do you say? Do you guys want to eat now? Percy, do you want to pay with Annabeth and me?"

I shrugged. "Why not? I'll feel bad if you guys are paying for what I'm eating anyway."

Silena nodded approvingly. "Okay then." She spun on her heels and pointed toward a nearby restaurant. "Let's eat there!"

I was pretty sure the only reason why she tried to get everyone to eat dinner was because she wanted the dessert from that place. It was a typical thing of Silena anyway. I mean, it was the Cheesecake Factory. No one can resist that place and their addicting desserts--and food. Because their food is also amazing; let's not forget the delicious food, shall we?

Silena marched toward the restaurant, dragging Annabeth by the wrist. Tyson laughed at the sight before turning towards Nico and me to see if we were coming.

Nico whipped out his phone from his pocket to check the time. The brightly screen contrasted my dim surroundings, but I was able to read 8:31 PM.

Nico rolled his eyes, pocketing the phone. "Why do I get the feeling that all Silena wants to eat from there is the dessert?"

I laughed. "That's exactly the same thing I thought."

Nico smirked. "It's definitely something that Silena would do."

"Guys!" Silena's voice called from the entrance of The Cheesecake Factory. "Come on! We already got a table, you slowpokes!"

"Isn't that a Pokémon?" Tyson furrowed his eyebrows.

Nico chuckled. "Yes, yes it is, Tyson."

Tyson shrugged, bounding happily over to the restaurant, and Nico and I followed behind.