Npov

Will looked up at the door in panick so I assumed he heard something.

Sure enough, when I looked behind me, Octavian, Percy, and Jason were all in the doorway. The door was swinging back and forth so I assumed Will had heard it open.

"Uh...." Percy said.

Octavian looked furious. He stormed out but I knew he'd be back.

If only Will had asked in sign language...

I sort of expected Percy and Jason to be mad, too, but they seemed happy that Will had asked me out.

"Go on. Uh...just...pretend we aren't even here." Jason said.

I glared at him.

"Okay, okay."

They walked away, talking about something but I didn't catch it.

"What does solangelo mean?" Will asked.

'Why?'

"They were talking about it when they left."

'Sol means sun and Angelo means angels, but that doesn't make sense.'

"I think they've gone crazy." Will said matter-of-factly.

'Me too.'

Will's expression turned nervous. "So uh....what's your answer?"

I glanced up at him. How do I word this?

'I would say yes, I promise, but I don't want Octavian to get mad at you.'

"He already knows now, Nico. It won't really make a difference." He looked at me hopefully.

'I don't want you hurt after all you've done for me...'

"I'll be okay."

'Fine. Okay. But you have to avoid Octavian then.'

He snorted, "I already try to avoid him."

'Okay. Yes. Where do you want to go, though?'

"Thank you so much!" He said, "And about where we're going, I want it to be a surprise."

'Okay...'

Will started to babble about how fun this would be. My heart seemed to be flying around in my chest as he spoke.

"You're going to love it so much! I'll-"

'Will, I need to tell you something before you decided whether you actually want to be with me or not.'

He frowned, "What is it?"

'It started when I was a kid.'

---flashback--

'Look! An ice cream shop! Can we get some pleeeeease?' I signed, excited.

"What do you think Bianca? Should we get some?"

"Yes!"

My mom smiled and we walked into the small shop.

"I want chocolate!" Bianca squealed.

"Nico, what do you want?" My mom asked, signing as she talked.

I scowled at my sister, 'I don't like chocolate. I want vanilla!'

Bianca stuck her tongue out at me.

My mom ordered our ice cream.

While we waited for her to get back, Bianca said, "Oh! Nico, I have something for you."

She told me to close my eyes and hold out my hands. I did so, and I felt two things drop in my palm.

I opened my eyes and grinned. She gave me a Hades figurine and a plastic skull ring to match.

'Thank you, thank you, thank you!'

She said, 'You're welcome.' And then our mom came back with the ice cream.

We got a table outside, because it was a warm day.

Bianca and I started talking about a new game I had discovered, which was called mythomagic.

'Apollo is my favorite.' I said.

'I like....' she hesitated before signing the last part, 'Artemis.'

I scrunched up my nose, 'why?'

She shrugged, 'I don't know. She just had always seemed cool to me.'

'She only has a little power, though.'

'Unless the enemy attacks first.' Bianca points out.

'But Apollo is good at healing.'

We discussed this until we finished our ice cream.

"Let's go home, now." My mom said.

We stood up and started walking home again.

We came to a place where we always had to cross the road. Luckily, there weren't many cars out today.

'Mommy! Mommy, look what Bianca gave me!'

I took my sister's hand before I crossed, because I wouldn't be able to hear a car coming, but Bianca could.

My mom smiled at me and Bianca holding hands.

'That's very nice of you, Bianca. Where did you get them?'

"At school. We got to pick out prizes."

We made it safely across the street without a car coming.

But once we were on the other side, I dropped the ring. It rolled across the sidewalk and into the street we had just crossed.

'I'll be right back.'

'Nico, no!' Bianca said. I didn't see her sign this, though, and I ran into the street to get the ring.

I couldn't hear the car coming. My mom ran out in front of me, and the car pressed on its breaks, but it was too late. I ran out of the way just in time, but my mom had to be rushed to the hospital. She died that night.

--end of story--

Tears were streaming down my cheeks by the end of the story.

'It was all my fault- if I didn't rush out into the street- or if I could've heard the car coming-"

"Nico, don't blame this on yourself. It's not your fault."

'I shouldn't have gotten it!'

I walked over to my nightstand, and picked up the ring, which had been sitting on top of it, along with the Hades figurine.

I brought them over and showe pero them to Will.

'Later, the hospital had someone drive us to an orphanage. It was at night and the driver couldn't see. We got in a crash. Bianca died.'

"I'm so, so sorry, Nico. But why would that change whether I loved you or not? It wasn't your fault, and you can't keep blaming yourself for it."

'So...you...still want to go out with me?' My expression brightened at the thought.

"Of course I do!" Will laughed.

I felt like flying.

Will Solace likes me.

Will Solace loves me.

It's too good to be true.

But yet it is....