~Hey, it's the Author speaking :) Wanted to get this up before the new year. Will and Nico stuff. Also, Nico gets a lil scary. Hope everyone is enjoying the no school. Happy 2016! And may you have a peaceful new year. Also leave reviews if you want. I love them! Author, out :P~

Nico walked through the doors and into the air conditioned room. He looked over and saw Rachel Elizabeth Dare with her feet up on the counter and her hands behind her head.

"Nico DiAngelo," she said with a smirk. Today, she had her art clothes on- a marker stained t-shirt that had the collar ripped off and old jeans with paint splattered across them.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," he nodded to her and stopped at her desk. He was early, he knew that, and the sound of the empty hallway was comforting. He grabbed the pen and signed in. Rachel leaned over the counter and stared at Nico, her frizzy hair almost touching his arm. He tried to ignore her but finally he looked up, a dark blush forming on his face and ears. "What?" She smirked at him.

"So," she drew out the word, "how was your weekend? I hear that you got really drunk." Nico blinked at her as his blush grew deeper. He honestly hated Rachel and her all knowing power and her frizzy hair and her ability to make him blush.

"I don't…" he trailed off. "How did you know that?" His voice was a lot higher than it should have been.

"Oh, don't worry, Nico. Your secret is safe with me." She smiled at him. "Anyway, how's Hazel?" Nico looked at her for a few moments.

"Great."

"That's good. I'm happy you and Leo are back. Hopefully, for good this time." She was watching him, her smile gone and her eyes very focused. Nico nodded and scratched the back of his head.

"I-" His sentence was cut off by the door opening. Will walked in, a coffee in hand and his hair in an 'I just rolled out of bed' mess. He was wearing a white tank top and black basketball shorts. He had shades on his face and was listening to music. He looked up at Nico who stared back at him with wide eyes. Nico had been dreading seeing Will all weekend because he knew he had shattered any ways of becoming friends with him by freaking out on him like that. He swallowed.

"Mornin', Will. You look..." Rachel trailed off. "Actually like shit. What's up? I thought you were a morning person." Will didn't even glance at Nico, or at least Nico didn't think he did. His eyes were hidden behind the shades.

"Oh, I am. Just had a rough night. How have you been Rachel?" Rachel smiled at him.

"Great. You know, I was just talking to Nico here about his weekend...Have you met Nico?" Nico glared at her. He knew that she knew that they had met. He didn't know how but Rachel knew everything. Will slid his glasses up to his forehead and turned towards Nico. His eyes were a great blue and despite his demeanor, he still looked as radiant as ever. He studied Nico for a few moments and then turned away shrugging.

"I guess not." Nico's eyes widened and he didn't know how to feel. He cleared his throat and waved at Rachel who just stared at him. He turned away with a huff and went to the stairs.

Octavian was the only one in the dance room. It was barely 8:15. Nico didn't expect anyone to be here, let alone Octavian. Nico went to his wall and slid down it, shuffling off his slides and putting on the busted vans.

"Hey, Neeks," Octavian said, walking towards him. Nico breathed through his nose.

"Do not call me that. What do you want?" he asked him, looking up. Octavian was smiling down on him, his hair spiked up in front and his blue eyes electric. Nico had seen that look many times. It was the look of a crazy Octavian or a mean Octavian. Octavian was like Rachel; he knew everything. But unlike Rachel, Octavian was a demon that enjoyed the downfall of others.

"A little birdy told me that you and Bob the Builder actually made a come back and didn't get killed by Percy Jackson and his friends." Nico blinked at him.

"Why would you care?"

"Oh! I don't. I just thought it was interesting how your little sister and your used-to-be friends welcomed you back with open arms...I'm guessing you haven't told them what you've been doing these past few years." Nico knew he shouldn't have asked. It would only lead to bad things but he couldn't stop himself.

"And what have I been doing these past few years, huh?" Octavian smirked down at him.

"Oh, you know. Whoring yourself out to whoever has the most money and the biggest-" Nico kicked him in the knee and Octavian fell straight down. He grabbed Octavian by the collar and pulled him towards his face, rage and anger surging through him.

"Look, you teddy bear stabbing, lie spitting, poor excuse for a human fucking being. I do not care about you. You do not get to step all over me like that. You don't know me. You think Jason Grace should be feared? You think Reyna Ramirez Arellano should be feared? Well, I am your worst nightmare. I am crazy, Octavian." Nico smiled. "And I am dangerous. My family is dangerous. My father is dangerous. I've been letting it slide because, hey, it's just me, but when you bring in my sister or my roommate or anyone else, I will get nasty. So come at me again-no seriously-I just need one reason, and I. Will. End. You." Nico stared at him, his eyes dark and then shoved Octavian away. Octavian immediately stood up and gasped. He straightened out his shirt and walked back to his things as a few more people started filing in.

Nico sighed as he stood up and started stretching. He knew that that encounter was going to bite him in the butt sooner or later. Octavian was an entitled idiot. He'd be back for blood. Nico slid into a split and ignored the whistles. He ran his hand through his hair and looked around. He saw Will finally walk in, his coffee gone and his shades on top of his head. He looked around and saw no open spaces until he spotted Nico. Nico had most of the wall to himself. Will sighed and started walking towards him. Nico's eyes widened as he rolled out of the stretch and sat criss-cross applesauce. Will sat his bag down next to Nico's and sat down in front of it, changing his shoes and putting up his glasses and headphones. He was extremely quiet. Nico stared at him and opened his mouth to say something.

I never spoke up, yeah, I never said, "Hello,"

But I keep on trying to find a way to meet ya

"Yo, Will!" Octavian was calling. Nico and Will looked up. Octavian was surrounded by his group of "friends" and was motioning for Will to come over. Will looked at Nico and Nico looked away. When he looked up, Will was gone and was laughing at something Octavian had said, Octavian's arm wrapped around Will's waist.

I was chillin', you were with him

Hooked up by the fire

Nico acted like he didn't see. Instead, he slid to the wall and played Words With Friends until Chiron came in.

"Up and at 'em, dancers. It is time to get moving," he told them. In a matter of ten seconds, everyone was standing up and staring at the dance director. "Okay, today starts the, uh, 'try outs.' I have paired each of you with someone and you have all week to prove to me how good a pair and how good of dancers you are. I will be teaching you various routines that may or may not be in the dance. I need you and your partner to tell a story." He smiled at them. "I want to be moved. On Friday, we will do individual pairs and next week, we will start choreographing forreal." Everyone nodded and awaited the pairs.

"Taylor and Michael; Veronica and Suzie; Johanne and Collin; Darryl and Kaitlyn; Florence and Julia; George and Kevin; Paisley and Sarah; Octavian and Simone; Nico and Will…" Nico stopped listening and looked for Will. He was lingering on the edge of the group, no longer by Octavian.

Now he's long gone

I'm like, "So long."

Now I got my chance

Now I, now I got my chance

His blue eyes met Nico's brown ones. Nico gulped. Of course they would have gotten paired together just days after Nico told Will to fuck off. Chiron finished the list and everyone split up into pairs. Nico turned and was hit square in the chest by Octavian's shoulder. He flipped him off and then walked towards Will.

"Hey, Will," Nico started, "I just wanted-" Will cut him off.

"It's fine. It's whatever. I totally get it." Nico shook his head.

"No, I wanted to say that I am sorry. For saying those things to you. They aren't true."

I was tryna play too cool to get caught up

Like, too fun, too young to fall to pieces

Will looked at him, His face was emotionless but there was hurt in his eyes.

"Then why did you say them? I was only trying to-" he stopped. "Look, just forget about it, okay?" Nico opened his mouth.

I know a boy like you can't ever get enough

So I'm addicted, trippin', tryna get you to see this

"Come on dancers, time to learn. I hope, for your sake, that you've stretched," Chiron said. Nico looked at Will and Will looked away. "Alright. The first move is…"

It was three o'clock. Thank, God. Nico was tired and sweaty and starved but it was all good. The dances they had learned were not that bad even though they were challenging. Nico was definitely not used to dancing with a partner but he was starting to like it.

I was solo,

Living YOLO

'Til you blew my mind

Will was a great dancer, better than Nico expected since he had only known him maybe a week. And Nico could tell that Will was a little impressed by him as well.

The way I need you, like I'm see-through

Dancing out my pants

Unfortunately, they hadn't had much time to talk about anything that wasn't the dance because Chiron had kept them busy all day.

"Good job," Nico told Will as they walked back to their bags. Will smiled softly at him and started to change his shoes.

"You, too. I don't know why Chiron partnered me with arguably the best dancer here," he said. Nico fought the blush that came to his cheeks and ears.

Got you shooken, caught you looking

Now I got my chance

Now I, now I got my chance

"Nah, I'm not the best." Will shook his head.

"I don't know. But you're definitely in the top ten." Nico allowed himself to smile and then shrugged. He took of the sticky shirt he was wearing and changed into an old orange group home t shirt he had had lying around. Will did a double take at the shirt and squinted his eyes at Nico. "So that's how you know Chiron," Will said. Nico stared at him.

"Huh?"

"You were at the group home, too?" Will asked. Nico's eyes widened and he slowly nodded. "Yeah, for a little bit. I don't remember you being there." Will smiled.

"Yeah, probably not. It's okay. There were a lot of kids there and I highly doubt that we'd be in the same friend group." Nico blinked at him. "Not that we wouldn't be friends or anything. I just meant…" he trailed off and started blushing. Nico chuckled.

"No, I-I get it," he told him. Will nodded and gathered his things. Nico gathered his things, too. "Hey, Will?" Nico called when they were in the hallway. Will was walking towards Chiron's office. Will turned around and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah?"

"Is...is it okay if I text you?" Will blinked at him.

Everywhere I look and everywhere I go

A million other guys keep staring and I know

That I could be yours, and you could be mine

I just can't let you pass me by, by, by

"'Cause I know the other day I said that I would never call or text you again but I am a liar and I am stupid and I really enjoy talking to you so...can I?" He said it all in one breath. Will nodded.

"Yeah. And Nico?"

"Hm?" Will smiled at him.

"I forgive you."

Like damn

You could be the one that could mess me up

~I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE SONGS USED IN THIS CHAPTER~

~NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED~