A/N: guys. . . 800 reads???? Thank you ! Sm !!! ❤❤❤

Nico's PoV (trigger warning):

I see Will running towards me in the corner of my eyes. I smile cheekily.

"Nico!"

Still walking, I turn around. "Yes?" I ask, almost sweetly.

He scowls.

"I can't believe you," he says while panting, walking next to me and I turn around.

"What can I say? I think you and that Jack Hugh would be a great, happy couple."

He frowns. "Nico, you know I like-"

"GROVER!"

I furrow my brows as I look at Percy. He's running towards someone - who's probably Grover. He has curly brown hair, brown eyes, caucasian skin, and a wispy beard.

Grover and Percy hug, Annabeth following close behind. Then he and Annabeth hug.

Will, Frank, Hazel, Thalia, Reyna, Jason and I start walking in their direction.

"Bro, it's been forever!" I hear Percy say.

"Too long!" Grover agrees.

Percy looks back at us and beckons us closer. "These are our friends, Frank, Hazel, Reyna, Will, Nico, and you know Thalia and Jason."

Grover waves.

"Guys, this is Grover."

Then we wave, and Grover, Percy, Annabeth, Jason, and Thalia begin talking.

Suddenly, someone calls Grover. "Grover!"

Grover turns. Running towards him is a small petite girl, with wispy hair that's the color amber. She's wearing a green dress with sandals, and, her eyes are green.

"Hey, babe," Grover says, and kisses her.

"Hi."

Percy wiggles his eyebrows and nudges Grover.

"Who's this?" Annabeth asks.

Grover blushes. "My girlfriend, Juniper."

Juniper smiles at us.

Percy grins. "Dude, you have a lot of explaining to do."

-

Hazel closes the door.

"We're home!" Hazel says, and I wince.

I hear big footsteps coming towards us, and Hades appears. "You guys are finally home," he says with obvious anger in his voice.

Hazel sighs. "Yeah, we went out with friends. Sorry we didn't tell you. It was short notice."

Hades shifts his eyes from Hazel to me. "Hazel, could you go. I need to talk with Nico alone."

Hazel frowns. "Okay." She goes to the kitchen.

I am prepared for the beating I am going to get.

-

(Trigger warning down there)

"You're worthless!"

"A no good, pathetic human being."

"Aw, did you make these scars yourself? Your arms used to look so nice, too."

I sob harder as his voice echoes in my head. Quickly grabbing a razor, I pull back my sleeve and raise my arm. Do it. I look at the bruises I now have because of him. I make my choice. As I make my first cut, someone knocks on the door.

"Nico, are you okay?" Hazel asks.

I quickly drop the razor and it falls the the floor with a small thud.

"G-go away, Hazel," I say between tears.

"Nico?" She tries to open the door, but I locked it.

I pick up the razor and quickly rinse it off, along with the single cut on my arm. Putting a band aid on it, I open the door.

Hazel immediately frowns when she sees me. "Nico, is that a new. .?"

Merda.

I turn around and look in the mirror.

Of course.

He had to bruise my face, and since I was crying, the concealer came off and my other bruise shows.

I turn back around to Hazel. "A new what?" I ask, making my way around her to go to my room, and she follows me.

"A new bruise, Nico. Don't act dumb."

I turn around when I make it to my room, and open the door. "I'm not," I say, and slam the door in her face.

Why does my life have to be like this, I think while sliding down the door.

-

I completely try to ignore Hazel as I grab an apple from the kitchen. She continues to eat her cereal.

"You didn't eat any dinner last night," she notes.

I lick my lips. "I, uh, grabbed some, uh. . . Mac n cheese at around nine. Um, heated it up for a minute and ate it in my room."

She nods, but I can tell she doesn't buy it. I try to go to the door as quick as I can.

"See, the thing is, I was up until eleven (a/n: ELEVEN.) doing my homework," she says.

I internally groan. "Did I- did I say nine? I meant. . . Er, twelve."

"I slept on the couch, Nico."

I turn around quickly. "W-what?"

"Hades wanted me to sleep in your room, but seeing as everytime I knocked there was no response, I was forced to sleep on the couch."

"I-I'm sorry, Hazel."

"It's okay." She walks to me, and puts her hands on my shoulders. "Just tell me. Where did you get the bruises?"

I look at the floor. "Don't ask questions to which you already know the answers," I say quietly, and walk out of the house.

-

Will's smile almost lifted my spirits.

Almost.

My mind was still occupied with other thoughts. Hazel, the voices. . . How am I going to face Hazel today? And Will. Yesterday I was able to avoid the talk about my "tan." Today, there won't be no Jack Hugh to save me this time, and when he sees my face he'll begin to ask again. I can only hope that he forgot. My face is going to look the same, so he'll remember. . . Basically, I'm screwed.

I smile uneasily as I go to take my usual seat next to Will, but I don't. I sit next to Jason, so I'm facing Will.

That's right, little fag. Step away from him.

I frown as Will frowns, then he looks like he's remembering something. He clears his throat. "Oh, Nico you have- um. . ." He seems suddenly aware of everyone at the table. "Um. . . Running. . . After school. . . Yeah."

"Running?" I ask questioning, then I remember what today is. "Oh! Running. Yeah. . Running."

Jason furrows his brows.

The only reason he kissed you was because he pitied you. He lied when he said he was gay. He just wanted you to lay off his case.

Will nods and seems offended. It's all in my head, though. I'm just making things up.

Because there's no way in hell a straight guy like Will would ever like me.

-

A/N:

hey, guys. Hoped you liked this chapter. .

Favorite sentence from this chapter: "My girlfriend, Juniper."
-Grover Underwood

Go get some of dat, Grover 😏

aLso, I'M MARY POPPINS, Y'ALL! (insert sobbing emoji)

Love you all!

~Nicole xo😘

Word count: 1105