The Violin That Started it All

Part 1) Chapter Three

I woke up in a really soft bed. Nothing compared to my real bed at home. My real bed was really rough and uncomfortable. I hated it, but it was better than sleeping on the floor. And trust me, I’ve tried it before. I woke up really sore on that day, so from that day forward, I slept on my really uncomfortable bed. I hated it, but I had no other choice, right?

I got up and I was aching all over body. I groaned and lied back down on the bed. Great, just what I needed. How long would I be in here anyway? My father was most likely picking me up, which was another bonus to my “Bad Luck Things That Were Happening” list. So far, I have many on that list, and zero on the “Good Luck Things That Were Happening” list. You know, I sometimes wonder why I even have a good luck list if nothing good was ever going to happen.

Well, at that time, that was what I thought.

The door was opened and but someone different stepped inside. He looked as if he were seventeen or eighteen, and he had sandy hair. He had an athletic and muscular build, and a bright cocky smile. He also had blue eyes, and I would be lying if he wasn’t good-looking. And, in other words, he looked like he could pass as Luke’s brother, but taller.

“Hello?” I asked, still tremendously aching.

The guy smiled. “Hello. My mother works here as the school nurse, but she’s sick so I’m filling in her place.” The guy closed the door and leaned on the table next to the door. “I’m Apollo. Jason Grace and Silena Beauregard carried you here. They’re waiting outside with the rest of their friends. You’re Nico, right?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “How…did you know?”

Apollo nonchalantly shrugged. “I looked through the files for whoever looked like you. You were sleeping for about five hours.”

“Five?!” I incredulously asked.

“Yeah, we already informed your teachers and your dad about this incident,” Apollo explained. “You’ve been excused from your clases until you’re better to move. Are you feeling better?”

I heavily sighed, knowing I was going to get beaten by my father when I get home. “I’m just aching, that’s all.”

Apollo smiled. Apparently he didn’t see my negative reaction before I replied.  “That’s good. I’m going to let Jason and a few of his friends come in. Is that okay?”

I debated that for a moment. “How long have they been waiting?”

“They’ve been waiting since lunch started, and it started thirty minutes ago.” Apollo chuckled. “And, I’m serious. They literally ate their lunch here.”

I sighed. “Fine, bring them in.”

I wasn’t sure why I let them in at that moment. Maybe I just felt bad that they waited since lunch started? I don’t know why, but that was when it all started. And, now that I think back on it, at that time, I really regretted letting them in. But now, I honestly don’t.

Apollo opened the door and called for them, though I couldn’t tell what he was saying. Apollo stepped out of the way. “I asked for only a few to come in, since I didn’t want to overcrowed this room. That alright?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” I replied.

The first one to step in was Jason Grace. The next was Piper McLean, then Annabeth Chase. Silena Beauregard followed, along with Reyna Avila-Ramirez Arellano. And the last one to come in was—just by luck—Percy Jackson.

Piper McLean tried not to be pretty, and even though I was gay, I would be blind to not see how pretty she was. She was of Native American decent, with chocolate, dark brown hair that was cut unevenly and very choppily. She had thin, braided strands on either side of her hair, with feather tied into them. Her eyes changed from blue to green, depending on the lighting they were under. She had a tomboyish appearance, which was one of the many things that made Piper so unique.