The Violin That Started it All

Part 1) Chapter Sixteen

            “I…uh…”My voice died. I didn’t know what to reply now.

            “If you actually think that’s it’s better for me, then I don’t know what to tell you.” I continued to avoid Percy’s eyes. “I know you’re smart, Nico. You can’t expect that something’s better for someone else if you don’t know how they really feel.”

            “Then…how do you feel?” I hesitantly asked.

            “How do I feel?” He asked himself. He took my chin and made me face him. He had a smile plastered on his handsomely tanned face. “I feel really happy right now. Happy that you actually like me the same way I do to you.” His smile disappeared. “But, at the same time, I feel depressed that I made you sad without even knowing it. You had to push me away because your feelings were so strong, yet I always got in your way. You loved me, but I always told you that you were my best friend.” He soon smiled again, and he chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck. “And, I feel stupid for thinking about how you would react if I told you that I loved you, even though you secretly loved me back.” His hand rubbing his neck fell back to his side. “I’m feeling many things right now, so I guess I couldn’t tell you with just one feeling described. Even if I’ve only known you for like what, five days? I somehow fell in love with you. And, that just proves how great of a guy you really are. I’ve known Annabeth for three years now, and we’ve only dated for a few months. It was so easy just falling in love with you, which proves just how much I want to be with you, doesn’t it?”

            “I-I guess. But if you don’t want to do be with me, then that’s fine with me.” I shifted my gaze towards the wall behind him.

            “Who said that I didn’t want to be with you?”

            My gaze rapidly made its way back to Percy. “Seriously? You really want to be with someone like me?”

            Percy sighed, but a smile was on his face. “See? You’re still pushing me away. And, what have I been saying this whole time?”

            “That…you want to be with me,” I hesitantly replied.

            Percy chuckled. “See? You are pretty intelligent. You just don’t want to face the truth. No wonder you’re so good at lying.”

            I rolled my eyes. “Shut up. I just…I just want people to be happy.”

            “Yet you don’t let yourself be happy,” Percy remarked. “You’d rather have the whole world be happy but yourself. Do you really not care for yourself that much? Have you ever realized that there are people out there that actually want you to be happy?”

            “Well…” I began, but what was I supposed to say?

            “I’ll...I’ll figure something out, okay?” Percy said.

            I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I nodded. How was our friendship going to be now that we both like…or…love each other?

            And here was the part where I would’ve laughed out loud if you told me this at chapter one.

            Percy’s face was a little too close to mine, and our lips were pushed together. Percy was kissing me. I was in momentary shock, and I didn’t know whether or not to respond. His lips were so soft, while his tongue ran on my bottom lip. My eyes were even wider than before when he confessed to me. His thumb rubbed back and forth on my other cheek, and his hand snaked to my neck. Percy’s eyes were closed, and I didn’t know what he was thinking. It was my first ever kiss, and I didn’t know what to think. But for one, I felt happy. I haven’t felt any happier in the last five years.