.:NICO:.

IDK this book already is a fucking mess so I'm switching to third-person limited P.O.V from now on. I just feel like a write a lot better that way. 

Trigger Warning! This whole book has one but it might be needed again for this chapter.

Nico might have been dumb but he wasn't that dumb. He knew where danger lurked. He was just waiting to let his cards play outright.

He didn't dare go to the gym annex that afternoon. Maybe that would get an angry beating later, but I'm the words of John Mullaney, "Nah sister, you ain't getting me to no secondary location."  

It was the day after he had failed to show up and his anxiety was eating him alive. Everything was strangely quiet. Not even a snigger had been sent his way so far to suggest something was wrong. How did I always end up in these situations, he thought to himself. 

Today had been the start of the secound quarter, and since he had been so distracted by the thoughts in his head, he had totally forgotten about the third-period class switch. His school was odd that way, having a third-period class that only lasted about thirty minutes and only a quarter of the year. It was normally a Study Hall for some people, but others it allowed them to get ahead of the jump and take extra classes. The only thing that sucked was...

Fuck me, he thought to himself as he looked down to see Health and Fitness on his schedule. He already had one P.E. class why would he possibly need another? This had to be some kind of joke. 

He had totally blanked on filling out the paper for picking out a new class. They had thrown him in whatever was available, which just so happened to be the worst thing he could possibly think of. Why couldn't it just be Italian or something? Easy A. 

But sadly life was not on his side as he walked into the unnecessarily large gym the secound time that day. The large green wasp mascot on the center of the floor seemed to mock him as he walked up to the new coach. (seeing as he....killed? Killed the last one. He still didn't know for sure.)

"Mr. Tom?" He asks, causing the older male to turn around abruptly. Nico cautiously took a step backward.

  The teacher, probably in his early fifties but still looked as if he could beat you in 5k run without breaking a sweat, grinned at him as if he had never seen any troubles before in his life.  He had a genuinely happy atmosphere he always seemed to carry with him but Nico just thought the man was a little too touchy-feely for his own good. 

"I was just seeing if there was a mess up in my schedule? I already have a gym first period."

He laughed, "I've had two already ask me the same question. I'm afraid we can't switch you lad, all the other classes are filled, this was the only available. What? Don't look so down champ!" He playfully hits Nico's shoulder making him frown. "Looks like you need to build up some muscle anyways."

"Thanks," Nico says dryly. He moves to turn away when a messy mop of curly blonde hair caught his attention. He inwardly groaned. This day was shaping out to be great. 

Nico grabbed his backpack and hiked to the top left of the bleachers in hopes of not being noticed. He would usually change into his gym clothes being seeing it was the 'first' day they would have to wait until they assign bleacher numbers. 

He laid his head against the railing next to him to rest his eyes. It was the most rest he had gotten in a while with his anxiety and insomnia. It didn't help that his nightmares started to make a reoccurrence. Some that didn't even involve Tartarus but he couldn't remember those very well. All he knew is that it contained a woman with long brown hair, though it was usually matted with dirt of somewhat, and strikingly familiar eyes.  

"Nico Di Angelo," A voice yells out over a megaphone. Nico's eyes flutter open to see a dozen people looking up at him. A colorful flush crosses his cheeks.  

Nico slowly raises his hand. The teacher nods, writing something down on his clipboard. "Seat 131."

He does his best to avoid attention as he moves down a couple of rows. Will was staring at him intensely from a few seats over. 

"Greyson Leveret." 

Nico's blood runs cold. 

A boy with brown hair to his ears stands up. from far away you could almost mistake his menacing smirk as a playful gesture. Nico knew better. 

Greyson's eyes widened as he saw Nico sitting next to his seat. When their eyes met, he could have sworn he felt his heart drop to his stomach. 

Nico wanted to bang his head on the fucking wall.  If he had just reported the information sooner this wouldn't be happening. Now he had much bigger problems to worry about than Will snapping out of his grievances. 

His hands balled up into fist as he heard a bag drop beside him. He could slowly feel the moon-like crevices dig into his flesh as the person sat down. 

Too close. 

A voice whispered to him inside his head. He tried to scoot as far away as possible but a hand on his thigh stopped him. 

Nico's mind went blank. He didn't know what to do. He could only picture that red-haired girl pinned up in the hall begging for someone to help her. He gulped. Someone had to be watching this, right?

"You didn't come yesterday." He says in a low mutter that only Nico could hear. It sent fearful shivers right up his spine. When Nico doesn't respond he frustratedly tightens his grip, making Nico wince.

"I can wrap this entire school around my finger so quick you won't be even able to blink before everyone you know turns on you, so I advise you,  to do as I say unless you want your life to be a living hell."

Well, you're a little too late for that, a voice thinks inside his head, and considering I've been to hell, its a lot more comforting than where I am right now.

"Do your worst," he finally whispers after a long pause. The coach was still calling numbers in the background but he could hardly hear his with the blood rushing in his ears and death grip on his leg. "The whole school hates me already. You really think that will do any difference?"

"Boldness doesn't fit you. I would stick to what you do best and stay silent."

Nico grit his teeth and continued to look straight forward, refusing to meet the eyes so dangerous burning a hole in the side of his head.  He could hardly contain himself. His words were like a snake, slowly slithering a way to his heart unnoticed until it suddenly constricted and he could hardly breathe. All at once he wanted to shout and scream at the boy next to him and punch him until his knuckles turned raw, yet at the same time run away and lock himself in a closet where he knew he was safe and just cry. This just seemed to must like a prank for it be real. Sadly, the fates hated him too much to make that a reality.

"This is hardly a coincidence, is it?" He goes on in evil, backstabbing tone Nico had come to associate him with.  "The world knew you deserved this. It knew you were supposed to show up. All you did was delay the inevitable, " he hisses, "and this is your punishment."

Greyson's hand slowly moving inwards.

  Nico felt the panic begin like a cluster of spark plugs in his abdomen. 

The hand left a burning trail as it slowly moved upward.

Tension grew in his face and limbs, his mind replaying the scene from the hallway. His breathing became more rapid, more shallow.

The hand softly hovered around his crotch. It didn't stop. It kept going and he felt the back of his eyes start to burn. 

Was no one seeing this? Was no one stopping this? 

The thoughts are accelerating inside Nico's head. He wants them to slow so he could breathe but they wouldn't. His breaths came in gasps and Nico felt like he could blackout any moment

A loud whistle comes out of nowhere. Nico barely hears it but it causes the hand to finally slip away. But that didn't seem enough. He wanted to run but he was rooted to his spot, frozen and paralyzed in fear. 

He saw kids start to get up and grab their bags.

He stayed still.

He heard the bell go off and the kids rush to be the first one out the giant gym doors. 

He stayed still. 

He saw worried blue eyes staring into him inches away from his own. 

He stayed still.

He felt soft hands brush something wet from his cheek.

He stayed still.

oop sorry guys. I'm either going to be slaughtered for my updating schedule or hurting Nico.... or for the short chapter...

Sexual assault is a serious issue and if ANY of you guys have or need to talk about it there are dozens of hotlines for you to contact and my PM's are always open.