Lunch. What a boring meal, Will thought. Unless you happen to be spending it with the gorgeous new student from .

As they walked downstairs, Nico wouldn't let them walk side by side, he always made sure he was a couple steps in front of Will. He learned he couldn't outrun him. Will didn't mind. It gave him free reign to check out his ass. Which, by the way, was fantastic.

"Hey Will." Will snapped out of his trance as his very former crush walked up next to him. But of course, Percy looked great as always with his beanie and messy black hair. His bright orange T-shirt, skinny jeans and vans made him look like the gorgeous skater boy he was. But any feelings towards him died off long ago.

"What's up Perce?" In front of him, Nico's step faltered for a second before resuming down the stairs. Will ignored it, it was nothing, probably was just deep in thought and wasn't looking where he was going.

"You think sand is called that because it's in between the sea and land?"

Will laughed, "Y'know, probably. It'd make sense I guess."

Nico sped up. Will followed suit. Percy had to as well. But he'd gotten quite far off before them. Will couldn't chase after him with Percy.

"Yeah, I think so." Percy's expression was thoughtful.

When they reached the dining hall, Nico slipped in quickly and lost himself in the crowd. Will couldn't catch sight of him again.

"Catch ya later Will." Percy saluted him and walked off to join his girlfriend and friends.

Will ended up with his own friends without Nico.

"So Will," said Lou as soon as Will parked his butt on the lunch table. Not actually the table, but the seat. "Who were you waiting for?"

All eyes turned on him. He stuffed some grapes in his mouth to keep from talking and only stared back at them.

"Waif..." Cecil started, he talked with his mouth full, "Waf it fat duf from fis morning?"

Lou smiled, "Oo la la. Spill."

Will swallowed, "Okay. Yeah but we're friends and seriously guys? We just met. Really. This morning. As in today."

"Buuuuut..." Lou said.

"No but."

"Dude, you didn't ditch us this morning for this dude and have no buts as to why." Cecil stated.

"I can't be nice now? He was new." Will saw Reyna raise a brow, a barely noticeable smirk on her lips. He was glad she wasn't as mad as this morning. He sighed. "Okay, he's really cute and just..." he paused. They waited. "It's like he was pulling me to him. I couldn't not talk to him."

"Looks like there's a high chance you'll develop a crush on Mr. di Angelo." Lou put in. "If you don't already." She smiled.

Will rolled his eyes but his lips twitched a bit into a smile.

☀☀

"Dude, dinnertime." Cecil slipped on his shoes and went for the door. Will followed, excited. Nico just had to be there. He couldn't possibly skip two meals. He had to eat sometime.

So down they went and bumped into Jason, but not Nico. "Hey where's your new roommate?" Will asked.

Jason shrugged, "I still haven't met him. But his stuff is there. Must be with my or something."

"Oh." Was all he responded with. He wondered if Nico was really with the principal. Earlier when they bumped into him, he'd said if Nico needed anything, to talk to Ms. Athena. But he'd walked off earlier so who knew. Hopefully he was okay. For all Will knew, he could've run away.

☀☀

Will couldn't sleep. He wasn't even tired. Must've been all the sugary drinks during dinner, he had been really hyper earlier, asking Cecil about zebras and zombies. Zombie zebras, the like. He hadn't been able to stop twitching either. Maybe if he took a walk. Everyone was asleep, they wouldn't notice.

He pushed the covers off and heaved himself up. He slipped on his shoes and was out the door in no time.

Will creeped along the hall, listening for harpies, what they called the nightly hall monitors, don't even ask how they got that nickname. Who were totally oblivious, they thought no one would actually try to sneak out and so they didn't often catch anyone on their nightly rounds. Made it easier to sneak around campus at night.

He was almost to the stairs when he heard soft giggling and whispering coming towards him. He figured it was just a couple so he didn't falter but then he realized they were teachers, one of them was still dressed in a suit, and he was about to get caught. Suddenly, he was grabbed from being and he was inside the walls.

"What the—who—"

"Shut up!" The person who'd grabbed him hissed behind him. He started to turn when he noticed there was mirror glass on the wall and saw Mrs. Aphrodite and Mr. Ares walk by. Everyone knew they were having an affair, even her husband but it seemed he didn't care. They walked off and none of them said anything until their giggles and whispers faded away. Finally, Will turned to find out who'd grabbed him and stuck him in a wall. Since when could you go in a wall?

"I should've left you to get caught. Why did I even help?" The boy's hair obscured his green eyes but he recognized his voice.

"Nico?"

"Yeah. I think I'll be leaving now. There's a button by the window that'll open the hidden door and you can get on your way." He turned away.

"Wait." He stopped but didn't turn. "Is this a secret passageway?"

"What do you think?"

"Since when have they been here? You're here for a day and you've already found them?"

"I stumbled on them earlier and I've been following them since then. Now, I'm putting this in the nicest way possible, fuck off." He started walking away again.

Will started following him. "After I showed you around campus, you can't show me around these secret passageways?"

"Fuck off, Solace. I regret helping you."

"But we're friends."

"I'm not your friend."

"You are actually. You just helped me not get caught."

"I completely regret it."

Will decided to change the subject. "So why haven't you gone to your room to sleep?"

"I don't like people." He glared at him from the corner of his eye.

Will was quiet for a second, deciding if he should say what he wants to next. "You should still make more friends, then you might start liking people. So why not join me and my friends this Saturday night? I'm not sure what we'll be doing yet but it won't be totally boring. And it's not a date, not that you're gay or anything just, I thought I should say it and my friends will be there so yeah."

"Not happening."

"Oh c'mon, it'll be fuuuunnnn."

"No."

"I'll leave you alone for a week."

He mulled it over, but was still hesitant. "Alright. Just one night."

Will smiled. "You'll love it."

And then he ran back to the door, pressed the button and said, "I'll see you then sunshine," as the secret door opened and ran to his room, finally falling asleep thinking about Saturday night.