The Secret Singer

Italics - someone singing

(Italics in parentheses) - backup singers

Annabeth and Rachel had left an hour ago and Percy had gotten nothing done. 

He mentally called his best friend Grover to help him with his homework but it turned out that despite going to multiple schools over the years, he didn't know much. It also didn't help that whenever the two of them were together, their IQ dropped to almost nothing.

The two of them were sprawled on the couch, trying to figure out how the hell X equaled 3.748 when a knock sounded from the door. It opened with Frank stepping into the apartment and holding a giant pizza box.

"Hey," the boy in the doorway said with a shy smile. "I Hazel told me you were stressed about your test so I brought some pizza."  

Percy and Grover looked at each other, eyes sparkling. They turned their wide eyes to Frank and he seemed to get the message. He closed the door and walked over to the two on the couch, opening the pizza box.

It. Was. Pepperoni.

Percy hated tests but if it meant he got pepperoni pizza, then he was okay with it. Percy and Grover gobbled down three slices before Frank could took the box away so they didn't choke on the cheese and told them their pizza was taken until Percy could solve an equation. The two friends returned to trying to decipher the page and Frank walked to the small kitchen to set the pizza on the counter.

"What are you working on anyway?" Frank asked.

"Algebra," Percy and Grover said at the same time.

"Oh, I love math!"

The boys on the couch whipped their heads to the boy in the kitchen. Embarrassed by the attention, Frank nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean I just think it really interesting and I'm pretty good at it. . ."

"Help me!" Percy jumped up from the couch and ran over to Frank on his knees, hands in a prayer. "I can't do this without you!"

"Um," Frank shot a worried glance to Grover but the satyr was already stealing another slice of pizza.

"Sure."

"Yes!" Percy jumped up, hugged Frank, and grabbed a fourth slice of pizza.

***

After another hour of work, the three boys were lying on their backs on the living room floor, looking up at the ceiling. The homework was completed thanks to Frank, and Percy reminded himself to ask his mom to bake some cookies for him as a thank you.

"You know," Percy began. "There's a concert tomorrow night. We should go."

"Let's go!" Grover whooped with a fist in the air.

"I'm not sure," Frank mumbled, "I've got Praetor stuff and I don't want to go to a new place with new people and new music I might not like."

"But Nico is playing," Percy begged.

"WHAT?!" Grover and Frank looked at Percy in shock. Was he supposed to tell them? Well, he already did and what harm could that do?

"What do you mean Nico di Angelo playing'?" Frank asked incredulously. "Like, playing music."

"Yeah, he's a singer and wrote two albums," Percy explained and smiled up at the ceiling, remembering that Friday night. 

"Wow!" Grover gasped. "Now we have to go!"

"I'm in!" Frank added.

"Alright!" Percy cheered. "Boy's night!"

***

So, apparently Percy was not supposed to tell them.

As soon as Annabeth came home, she told Percy about her encounter with Thalia and Reyna at the concert. She told him about how they had talked to Nico and wanted no one to know about his secret job. That's when he had to break it to her that he had already told, and made plans with, Frank and Grover, and they were going to go to Nico's concert on Sunday. 

After a long debate of Annabeth wanting him to cancel and Percy arguing that she got her girls night and he wanted a boys night, they decided that Percy would go with his friends and tell them not to say anything to anyone else. So, the next day Percy found himself driving Frank and Grover to Oakland and telling them the same story Annabeth had relayed him the night before. 

 After Percy finished the story they fell into a silence Percy couldn't tell was awkward or not. Frank was in the passenger seat gazing out the window and Grover was lying across the backseats. It felt weird for Percy, having these two with him. Grover knew Leo and Jason, and so did Frank but they didn't really know each other. 

For five years Percy had been friends with Grover but over the few months he and Frank had, while on the quest to Alaska and sailed on the Argo 2, Frank became a fast friend (and apparently a distant relative). Neither of them had ever really met each other except in passing and Percy could feel the slight unease in the air.

"So, Grover," Percy asked hesitantly. "How's Juniper?"

"She's good," Grover answered, "she's gotten really into perfumes lately though and it's breaking my bank account."

"So has Hazel," Frank chimed in. "She asked me to grab some scent called. . ."

"'Gift of the Wild.'" The two said in unison.

"Yes!" Grover exclaimed, sitting up. "What is the obsession with that scent?"

"I have no idea!" Frank sighed. "I can't even smell anything."

"Exactly!"

Percy smiled as his best friends became friends. They had a lot in common and it was nice to let them talk so he could focus on driving. He had gotten his license only a year ago and he had gotten three speeding tickets already. 

They arrived at the building earlier than he had on Friday, thanks to Frank's need to be on time, but they took Annabeth's advice and stayed by the back so as not to be seen by Nico. The room looked the same and Percy grew instantly bored with nothing new to focus on. The stage was like a old movie with it's black and white theme and the crowd looked like they just bathed in a rainbow. Luckily, he didn't have much time to be bored because brown haired girl, who had introduced Nico on Friday, walked on stage with a purple microphone.

"Hey, ya'll," she called to the crowd. "Welcome to the Sun and Star tour!"

The crowd clapped and the boys cheered with them. She didn't have a Texan accent but there was a twang in her voice Percy had heard before.

"My name is McCassy and I will be playing a few songs I wrote for you while we wait for the main attraction."

With that she gestured to the band and a weird, synth, beat began to play though the room.

We clawed, we chained

Our hearts in vein

We jumped, never asking why

She glided over the stage almost like a ghost with her thin, long, white skirt. She would have looked more like one if she didn't have a slit exposing her leg and a top showing her arms and stomach. 

Not that Percy disapproved of girls showing skin though, he never understood those teachers in his middle school who were telling the girls to cover their shoulders or their stomachs. He hadn't even noticed them until they pointed it out and he imagined what it would be like to be constantly thinking about what he was wearing. Most days he grabbed a shirt and a pair of pants and never gave it a second thought. To be contained by stupid teachers and their stupid ideas was, well, stupid.

Don't you ever say I just walked away

I will always want you

I can't live a lie, running for my life

I will always want you

There was a beat of silence and Percy held his breath waiting for the next words to come out of the singer's mouth.

I came in like a wrecking ball

The words came out raw and true. Percy suddenly remembered his friend, Luke. How he had been so nice to him the first day. How he had thought him sword fighting. How he had betrayed him and the whole camp. And, of course, how he had made Annabeth go crazy, trying to figure out if he was being taken or if he just walked away.

I never meant to start a war

I just wanted you to let me in

And instead of using force

I guess I should have let you win

Those words cut Percy like a sword because he could have written those lyrics himself. He didn't want the war or pain or suffering that had taken hold of the camps the past few years. He wanted peace and to go to school with out wondering if he was abandoning his camp.

I never meant to start a war

I just wanted you to let me in

I guess I should have let you win    

A violin filled a silence so powerful it threatened to pull Percy down to his knees where he would scream to the earth all of his regrets.

Don't you ever say 

I just walked away

I will always want you

Silence.

I came in like a wrecking ball

I never hit so hard in love

All I wanted was to break your walls

All you ever did was wreck me

Percy, Frank, and Grover and yelled the lyrics with everyone else and it felt nice to let some of the anger Percy had at the gods, the fates, and the monsters out, and feeling the fear of potentially getting killed (although that never stopped him from yelling at them before).

The song closed and the crowd applauded. As the next song started Percy felt a tug in his heart before he even heard the first lyric.

She just wants to be beautiful

She goes unnoticed

She knows no limits

She craves attention

She praises an image

She prays to be sculpted by the sculptor

Oh, she don't see

McCassy walked strongly to the left side of the stage, staring far out into the crowd, almost as if she were lost in thought.

Deeper than the eyes can find it

Maybe we have made her blind

So she tries to cover up her pain

She kneels down to the crowd as if she was telling a story to them and Percy was fully wrapped up in it.

'Cause cover girls don't cry

After their face is made

But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark

McCassy stood up and marched along the the edge of the stage, singing out to something past the crowd that only she could see.

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are

And you don't have to change a thing

The world can change its heart

No scars to your beautiful

We're stars and we're beautiful

(oh-oh, oh-oh)

She was on the right side of the stage now, letting the crowd now that she meant every word as she crouched closer to their level.

And you don't have to change a thing

The world can change its heart

No scars to your beautiful

We're stars and we're beautiful

Percy knew that he was supposed to be good looking because, according to Annabeth and Nico, half the camp was in love with him, but it didn't always feel that way. He wasn't blonde like Jason, or buff like Frank. He didn't have the self assuredness of Leo, or the kindness of Hazel. He didn't have a title that brought peace like Grover, and didn't have the wise-ness of Wise Girl. He didn't have that mysterious look like Nico, or the tan, and freckled skin of Will. He was told people loved him, but why couldn't he believe it?   

(oh-oh, oh-oh)

(oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh)

And you don't have to change a thing 

The world can change its heart

No scars to your beautiful

We're stars and we're beautiful

The crowd clapped and Percy was clapping too until he felt a longing feeling bubble into his throat. He was confused and looked to his right to see if there was any sort of 'longing goddess' was near by, but no one was there. The feeling didn't go away so Percy looked to his left and that's when he realized why that feeling had appeared with out him feeling that way.

Grover was looking away at the wall with sadness almost dripping off of him. Percy and Grover had an empathy link so they could communicate with each other from long distances and share strong emotions, so the feeling that was twisting Percy's gut was Grover's emotion.

"What's going on, Goat Man?" Percy asked, putting a hand on his best friend's shoulder. He looked hesitant to answer.  

"You just don't get it, Percy," Grover relented, knowing he couldn't lie because of their link. "You always have people who love and respect you, I don't. I have twig arms and gross curly hair and a weird title no one knows."

"I respect you," Percy said. "You are a Cloven Elder and practically the nature god. You have been dedicating your whole life to help the wild and restore the world, what's their not to respect."

Grover turned to looked at him. 

"Also, I know a few people who love your curly hair and twig arms."

That finally cracked a smile.

"Hey guys," Frank said, nudging Percy's shoulder. "Does that girl seem familiar to you?"

Percy looked back at the stage as the girl was singing some song with an upbeat theme he couldn't focus on.

"Yeah, I felt some kind of connection with her the first day."

"Yeah, she has a earthy vibe," Grover put in.

Percy turned to his friend, "first of all, no one says vibe. Second, I was getting more ocean-ness."

"Same," Frank agreed.

Grover seemed to want to say something back but the crowd screamed and applauded so loud Percy wasn't able to hear him.

"Alright," McCassy called out to the crowd, grabbing the three boy's attentions and bring their eyes back up to the stage. "Let's have one more song."

I could go and read your mind

Think about your dumb face all the time

Living in your glass house, I'm outside, uh

Percy kept staring at the girl and two thoughts came to him. One, the girl felt familiar, like a long lost family member. And two, Annabeth would make a great singer.

No, I know, I know I'll fuck off

But I think I like her, she's so fun

Wait I think I hate her

I'm not that evolved I'm sorry

Percy was lost in his thoughts now, imaging Annabeth on that stage. What would she write about? Would she write about him? Hopefully. Would she write songs about Luke? Probably. What would she name each of her albums?

"You alright?" 

Percy felt someone touch him, and was about to punch them in the face before he realized it was just Grover.

"Yeah, just thinking of Annie," he replied

"You know, I'm really glad you brought me here," the Satyr said quietly. 

Percy smiled. "I'm glad I brought you here too. You as well, Frank."

hearing his name, Frank looked down at him. It took him a second to remember what Percy had said but when he did, he smiled. Since when were they so soppy?

I made it out alive, but i think I lost it

Said that I was fine, said it from my coffin

Remember how I died when you started walking?

That's my life, that's my life

I put up a fight 

Taking off my earrings

Don't you know the vibe?

Don't you know the feeling?

You should spend the night

Catch me on your celling 

That's your prize, that's your prize, well...

Normal words could not describe how hard those lyrics struck Percy. He lived through many battle but lost his innocents. He told everyone he was fine when really, he was drowning. He fought for the gods and for the camps, he fought for the world. That was his life. 

You've got me thinking she's so cool

But I know what I know and you're just another dude

ooh-ooh-ooh, that's so true

ooh-ooh, oh

The song ended and the crowd applauded.

"Thank you everyone!" McCassy said gratefully. "The show will start in a few minutes so go to the bathroom and get ready for a good night!"

She left the stage and the crowd started to move to the bathroom or turned to each other.

"Bro, why did we turn sappy there," Percy asked to no one in particular.

"I don't know, man," Grover replied, "But I do know that I was right."

"Right about what?" 

"She said vibe."

Frank laughed.

"Alright, alright," Percy grumbled. "I'll give you that one."

The crowd idly chattered for a few minutes and more people piled into the room, until McCassy came back on stage, still holding her purple microphone.

"Hey, Oakland!" she greeted as the crowd clapped. "Let me introduce you to the guy that flew up the musical ranks after releasing only two albums. The guy who flew from New York to come here and play for you. The guy who is right behind these curtains ready to sing. Please give it up for: Nico di Angelo!"

The crowd cheered and a soft buzzing sound started to play. Everyone waited for Nico to pop out with his black guitar but they just stared at the singer-less stage, waiting. After a few measures, Nico finally appeared but he appeared out of the darkness of the upper half of the stage, on the small platform he hadn't used the last time Percy was there. To most people, it would seem that he came up on a rising platform, but Percy knew his dramatic cousin used his shadow travel abilities. 

Honey when I'm above the trees

The crowd screamed, drowning out Nico's voice. Annabeth had said that the setlist was different every night so, why were these people shocked?

Showed you all of my hiding spots

I was dancing when the music stopped

And in the disbelief

I can't face reinvention 

Nico had now walked down the steps to the main stage. Unlike the other show Percy saw, Nico was walking slowly and taking his time. He sang a song that was slow and gentle instead of on Friday when he entered with an upbeat dance song and Annabeth mentioned on Saturday that his opening song was chaotic and a good jumping beat.

There'll be happiness after you

But there was happiness because of you

Both of these things can be true

There is happiness

Past the blood and bruised

Nico was now on the edge of the stage, and Percy was listening to the lyrics, realized that his cousin had never talked like this. They always said that their demigod lives weren't fair compared to the mortals. They were like slaves to the gods and endured more trauma in their younger years than what most people go through in their whole life time. Now here was Nico, singing about how there was happiness in all of this. 

Of course Percy found some happiness in his life. He has his Mom, Paul, and Estelle. There was also his friends that he had made, Leo, Piper, Nico, Will, Rachel, Frank, Hazel, Connor, Travis, and others. And then of course their was Annabeth. This was all well and good, but shouldn't Nico be mad? Shouldn't he be up seat still that Hephaestus's robot killed his sister? Shouldn't he still be upset with Percy for not keeping his promise? Shouldn't he be mad for losing so much? His childhood, his mother, his sister, his best friend, etc.  

I can't make this go away by making you a villain

I guess it's the price I pay for seven years in heaven

And I pulled your body into mine

Every goddamn night now I give fake niceties

No one teaches you what to do

When a good man hurts you

And you know you hurt him too

Nico had been slowly walking around the stage and he had come to rest in the center of the stage, on his knees. He seemed so at peace with where he was that Percy thought he could be in Elysium.

Honey, when I'm above the trees

I see this for what it is

But now my eyes leak acid rain

On the pillow where you used to lay your head

After giving you the best I had

Tell me what to give after that

All you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness

You haven't met the new me yet

And I think she'll give you that

Percy realized that this song wasn't just about the gods or Percy but also about his sister and possibly his father too. It was about everything he lost, and how he was okay with it now. He had lost his mother, but found Persephone and Reyna. Percy didn't share his affection but Will did. His sister died, but he found Hazel. And his father had once hated him but they had learned to move past that and be pretty close for a god and child relationship.

There will be happiness after you

But there was happiness after you

Both of these things can be true 

There is happiness in our history

Across the great divide, there is a glorious sunrise

Dappled with flickers of light, from what I wore at midnight

Leave it all behind

Oh, leave it all behind

Leave it all behind

And there is happiness

The song came to a close and the crowd was screaming and crying and (thankfully) not throwing up. As Percy clapped with them he felt something wet on his face. He brought a hand to his cheek and found a tear there.

"Hi, Oakland," Nico said into the mic. "I thought I'd give you all a treat tonight and show you my new single, coming out in October."

The crowd went feral. People all around the three friends, people were screaming and clapping and shaking each other. Nico smiled to himself and looked at his shoes, and even though Percy couldn't see his face, he could tell his best friend was blushing.

Another song began to reverberate through out the room. It sounded like some kids of electric piano or something and Percy felt like he was in a mystical rain storm. 

The drought was the very worse

(ah-ah, ah-ah)

When the flowers that we'd grown together dies of thirst

Nico walked slowly to the left side of the stage, looking up at the ceiling like it wasn't there and instead was just open sky.

It was months and months of back and forth

(ah-ah, ah-ah)

You're still all over me 

Like a wine stained dress you can't wear anymore

He arrived at the left side and only paused for a minute before walking to the middle. 

Hung my head as I lost the war

And the sky turned black like a perfect storm

The rain came pouring down

When I was drowning that's when I could finally breathe

Nico crossed the middle of the stage and continued to the right. He kept singing and rounded back to the center of the stage and did something the made Percy and the rest of the crowd gasp.

The drought was the very worst

(ah-ah, ah-ah)

When the flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst

Nico opened his free arm and looked up to the ceiling as water fell and created rain on stage. As the crowd gawked and screamed, Percy couldn't help but snort. What a classic Nico move.

The rain came pouring down

When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe 

And by morning

Gone was any trace of you

I think I am finally clean

The water stopped so it didn't flood the stage but Nico was still soaking wet and as he faced the crowd while he finished the song, he looked like he was finally clean. Clean of the burden that Percy had put on him. Clean of the hatred he held for him. 

The crowd applauded at the end, and he felt a head land on his shoulder. Grover was somehow standing up and sleeping. Percy laughed and tried to remain as still as possible so his friend could sleep. He had been planting trees days on end for months, no wonder he could fall asleep standing. 

Nico walked to the the side of the stage and reached behind the curtain to grab a mic stand. He walked to the edge of the middle of the stage and dropped the mic stand in the front. The crowd roared as Nico adjusted the stand and a guy in black walked to him and handed him a dark blue guitar. He sat down on the stage and positioned the new guitar on his leg.

"So," Nico began, "I know I usually play my black guitar or my sun guitar but I would like to play these next two songs on this blue guitar because these songs are not about me or my boyfriend. These songs are about a boy I've written about many times, and I think blue suits him more."

The crowd cheered and Nico started to play a song that immediately pulled Percy's heart strings and made him feel a weird sort of melancholy. 

I still remember the third of December

Me in your sweater

You said it looked better on me than it did you

Only if you knew how much I liked you

His brain fell back to a few years ago, a few weeks before he disappeared to Camp Jupitar. It had been snowing and Percy had found Nico passed out on the ground right outside in his mom's apartment. He had cuts all over his arms and legs and seemed to be fresh off a battle. Percy had taking him inside and laid him on the couch, feeding him ambrosia until he woke up.

When he came to, he told Percy that he had been on a quest and had to kill a monster by send it to Tartarus. He had completed it but he knew he had lost a lot of blood, so he shadow traveled to the nearest safe spot. Percy had giving him some of his clothes since his were ripped and one was a sweater and he did remember mentioning that it looked better on Nico, since he had grown out of it and it was black, but he small details like it being the 3rd of December, he had forgotten.

A few years later, Nico had confessed that when he had shadow traveled, he wasn't thinking about a specific place, just thought of a safe home where he could rest for a bit. He had shown up because Nico felt a home in that apartment, and apparently still does according to Percy's mom.

Why would you ever kiss me?

I'm not even half as pretty

You gave her your sweater, it's just polyester 

But you like her better

I wish I were Heather

Watch as she stands, with her holding your hand

Put your arm around her shoulder

Now I'm getting colder

The crowd swayed back and forth and as Percy looked around he noticed that people had their phone lights on and they swayed the lights back and forth, making a weird optical allusion.

But how could I hate her

She's such and angel

But then again kina wish she were dead

As she walks by

Nico sang and strummed while the crowd sang with him. It was truly magical for Percy to see people holding each other and swaying back and forth. It sort of remined him of camp, where strangers became a family.

You gave her your sweater

It's just polyester

But you like her better

I wish I were Heather 

Nico tilted his head back and the crowd sang 'ooh' which must have been part of the original song. The Italian boy looked out at the crowd smiling and Percy thought that maybe he saw a tear trace his cheek.

Why would you ever kiss me?

I'm not even half as pretty 

You gave her your sweater

It's just polyester 

But you like her better

I wish I were

The song cut off and Nico watched the crowd applaud. He gave them a second to clap and then started strumming again. 

Percy hadn't noticed it before but Nico's songs moved him and made him look inside himself in a way he hadn't before. He heard his songs and at first he imagined what he knew, that these songs were about him, but as he listened, he realized something else. He found his own connections with the songs, he had his own version of how he heard the song and what he pictured while listening to the lyrics.

Nico stood up with his guitar and walked to the side of the stage and handed the instrument to someone back there. A second person in black grabbed the mic stand from where Nico left it and brought it back up to the stage and placed it in the center. Nico walked to the stand and silently thanked the person in black. He positioned the mic and nodded to his band.

February and the flowers haven't even wilted

It's crazy how fast you tilted

The world that we were busy building

Nico began to play the entire song standing up and Percy was honestly impressed, although, years training and running from monsters does build leg muscles and endurance.  

Feels like we had matching wounds

But mine's still black and bruised 

And yours is perfectly fine

Feels like we buried alive 

Something that never died

So, gods, it hurt when I found out

You love her (feels like we had matching wounds)

It's over (but mines still black and bruised)

Do you even doubt it on your lips? (and yours is perfectly fine)

(When you say it, say it?)

You love her (feels like we buried alive)

It's over (something that never died)

You already found someone to miss (so, God, it hurt when I found out)

You love her, it's over

You already found someone to miss 

The crowd applauded and Nico brought the stand off stage before returning to turn his attention to the crowd.

"Thank you so much for coming tonight," he said gratefully. "I have one ore song for you!"

The crowd screamed as the last song kicked off.

You've got a hold of me

Don't even know your power

I stand a hundred feet

But I fall when I'm around ya

Nico sang across the stage and shouted the chorus with the crowd and Percy found that he didn't mind being the subject of the song, in fact, he was kind of honored. As the bridge came, Nico walked to the barricades just like he had on Friday, and greeted the crowd up front.

Consuming all the air inside my lungs

Ripping all the skin from off my bones

I'm prepared to sacrifice my life 

I would gladly do it twice

He crossed to the left and greeted the crowd there with the same lyrics.

Consuming all the air inside my lungs

Ripping all the skin from off my bones

I'm prepared to sacrifice my life

I would gladly do it twice

Nico held the note and Percy was no musical genius but he got chills.

Oh, please have mercy on me

Take it easy on my heart

Now I know you won't mean to hurt me

But you keep tearing me apart

Won't you please have mercy on me?

I'm a puppet on your string

And even though you've got good intentions

I need you to set me free

Nico was almost down the middle section and Percy noticed that, just like Friday, he had rainbow friendship bracelets on his wrists, except he had about ten now instead of just one. 

I'm begging you for mercy, mercy

I'm begging you, begging you, please, baby

I'm begging you for mercy, mercy

Ooh, I'm begging you, I'm begging you, yeah

Nico exited out the door and the crowd cheered and clapped.

"How did you like the show?" Percy asked his friends as everyone applauded.

There was no answer. He looked back to his friends and saw Grover still asleep on his shoulder (Percy had completely forgotten) and Frank was staring wide eyed at where Nico had stood.

After a minute of just staring at his friends, Percy decided that for some reason, it was really funny having one asleep and the other gawking. So, he laughed.

***

Frank was sneaking back to his room, hoping Hazel would be fast asleep in her bed. The night had been amazing but he hadn't told Hazel he was going to a concert. She had been really busy all weekend and Frank assumed she wouldn't notice his absence.

He wasn't that lucky.

"Where have you been?" Hazel's voice broke through the darkness and a lamp light came on in the corner of the room, illuminating an annoyed Hazel in her green, comfy, chair.

"I was with Grover and Percy," Frank replied, rubbing the back of his neck and turning to face his angry girlfriend. He didn't want to keep secrets from Hazel, and it was her own brother it was about, but Nico didn't want people to know about his music career according to Percy, Annabeth, and Reyna so he would have to tell a half truth and hope she would take it.

"And where were all of you?"

"We were just listening to some live music."

Hazel didn't look convinced. "Who was playing."

This wasn't working. He needed her to stop asking because if she asked too many questions, Frank would tell her and she would tell Nico she knew and everything would fall apart. He needed Percy and Annabeth.

"You know what," Frank reasoned, "How about you, me, Annabeth, and Percy go to the next performance on Friday?"

He gave his girlfriend a shy smile and her anger seemed to crack. "Alright."

Frank smiled again and walked over to his bed and laid down. Hazel turned off the light and snuggled into the bed next to him. Suddenly, the weight of what he had just told Hazel weighed down on him. He had told her they were seeing Nico's show and if he couldn't find another live concert on Friday, she would know, and that would be very, very bad.