The Violin That Started it All

Part 1) Chapter Eighteen

            I gritted my teeth, not from anger, but from embarrassment from the deepening red across my face. “I hate you so much.”

            “I love you too, Nico.” Percy smirked by the side of my face.

            I was prepared to push Percy away from me and hide in my room forever, but Percy wouldn’t budge. In fact, he pulled our bodies together even closer than they were before. And I didn’t think that was possible.

            “Percy, let go,” I demanded weakly. To be honest, I really liked the position we were in too. But for one, I hated my growing erection, and two, I hated my deepening blush. I hid my face into the crook of Percy’s neck.

            Apparently Percy noticed my growing erection. “You want me to take care of that for you? I’d be most obliged to help you.”

            I stepped on his foot. “I—fucking—hate—you.”

            Percy laughed. “Come on, Nico. I know you love me.”

            I rolled my eyes, even if he couldn’t see my face. And we stayed like that until I found out that Percy fell asleep on me.

            Today was now Tuesday. Percy and I were walking up to school. I finalized with him in the morning that I would give him a chance unless Annabeth agrees. I didn’t want to hurt Annabeth if I was with Percy. He was a bit shocked by my desire, but he agreed with it.

            He said that he’d talk to Annabeth about it today, but I was kind of afraid of what the outcome might be, and how Annabeth would react. Would she hate me for stealing her ex-boyfriend? I’m not sure if I wanted her to hate me or not. I mean, I used to push people away, but now I was afraid of Annabeth leaving me. Did I really change that much ever since I met Percy and the others?

            Once I stepped onto the school campus, I was bear-tackled by, of course, Silena.

            “Nico! I haven’t seen you in forever!”

            “You haven’t seen me for a day,” I pointed out. “Have you been waiting until I got here?”

            “Yes, yes I have. And, that’s still a long time.” Even if I couldn’t see her, I could tell that she was pouting.

            “Hey, Silena,” Percy began, rubbing the back of his neck, “Nico knows.”

            “He does?!” Silena pulled away from me with her eyes wide at Percy.

            I blinked blankly at the two of them. “I know what?”

            “That I like you,” Percy answered me.

            “Oh,” I flatly replied. I almost forgot Silena knew about Percy’s crush on me.

            Silena’s eyes twinkled. “You know?!” Silena faced me and shook my shoulders. “What did you say?!”

            I put my hands on Silena’s shoulders so that she would stop shaking me. “Please don’t do that to me ever again.” I felt a little dizzy but I told her. “I said I would go out with Percy unless Annabeth agrees.” That was pretty much the summary of what happened between Percy and me.

            Silena squealed and jumped up and down, her hands still gripped my shoulders. “Oh my god! Really? Really, really, really really, really?!”