No Stars - A Nico Di Angelo Love Story

25 - After All This Time

Percy managed to convince the Apollo kids to let me leave the infirmary.

I still look horrible, but most of my veins have almost gone back to normal. Almost. Besides my appearance, my overall well-being has improved. It doesn't hurt to breathe anymore and the thundering in my head has disappeared.

Everyone stares as Percy and Annabeth led me out the doors. Nico is at my side with his hands in his pockets, looking a bit anxious due to all the eyes.

I look at him and smile. Just after we finished having our kiss, the Apollo kid, Matt, barged in shrieking. He went on and on about the dangers of physical contact with an ill patient.

"Especially kissing!" He had said.

I think he was amazed and a little disgusted by the fact that Nico kissed me when I literally had a blob for a face.

Walking down the path of camp, I realize I've never felt so at peace before. Nico forgives me, and right now, that's all I need.

I was so caught up in my own fear that he would abandon me, I missed the fact that he was scared I would abandon him. I guess I never realized how much my actions could affect someone else. After all, I never had someone that cared for me as much as Nico does.

The campers stay clear of us. They back away as we come through, whispering to each other silently, but loud enough for me to hear.

My ears ring in alarm. "Did you tell them?

Annabeth shrugs. "Sorry about that. Clarisse told her cabin mates everything that happened, especially the part about you being the daughter of Nyx. She was boosting about how she beat you up earlier." She gives me a sympathetic look. "Word spreads fast."

I knew it. Can't count on Clarisse for keeping any type of secrets. I wonder if she mentioned how I blinded her and sent her sprawling down a hill?

Percy guides us to the canoe lake. He probably wants to be near his element just in case something goes wrong. It doesn't bother me; he's just taking precaution. We don't know how this will turn out.

Nobody talks to us on our way there and I try to avert my eyes from campers faces. I can hear their whispers.

"daughter of Nyx?"

"..killed people."

"...no chains..."

"she doesn't look like much."

"stay in your cabin tonight, guys."

Percy stops in front of the lake and gives me a smile. "Remember what I told you earlier," He says, the sun setting with a splatter of pink and orange behind him. "You have to believe you won't turn."

"And don't give into temptation." Annabeth adds. She seems confident this will work, and I learned Annabeth is always right. At least that's what Percy says.

She seems to believe it's all psychological and had explained everything while I was in the Infirmary.

"Are you saying I've never been under the control of night?" I had asked, my eyebrows weaving together.

"No, no." She had answered quickly. "I'm saying the effect has probably never been as strong as you imagined. You said your dad use to tie you down during night time, and well, he's the one that made you feel afraid of yourself. Maybe when you were a baby, all you did at night was hit people."

I had a hard time believing my dad would put me in a fridge just for slapping him, but I continued to listen.

"your dad might have overdid it and exaggerated everything for you, so you began to believe it. The mind is a powerful thing, Mackenzie. It can alter who we are and mold us into something else. It can allow us to believe in lies."