Will POV
How?
How could I have been so stupid?
Thinking back to it now, Monique looked like she was up to something. Her green eyes twinkled brighter than usual and almost seemed displaced against her brown skin.
Why did I listen to her? As soon as I'd heard her say Nico was in the woods, I sprinted off without even thinking. I thought I heard his voice, but no. I walked toward where the sound should have been coming from, only to be met with a trap that could have only been arranged by children of Hermes and/or Hephaestus.
So here I am now, sitting here, in some sort of goo that won't allow me to get up. I've never really been the claustrophobic type, but suddenly the thought of not being able to move my limbs seems scary to me.
I begin to struggle against the goo which only makes it strengthen its grip around me. I groan in frustration, determined not to panic. Panicking is going to get me nowhere.
I make a quick sweep of the forest around me. There's nothing that can actually help me since I can't reach anything so I have to think of things on my person.
Yelling for help doesn't seem like much of an option. I could attract some sort of monster and that'll be the end of me. I feel my demeanor immediately drop ten stories.
I can't do anything.
I wouldn't consider myself a control freak or anything, but there's some part of me that just can't stand being useless.
There are others in the infirmary, I think. What happens when they wake up and need me?
My siblings are very capable people in the infirmary, of course, and I'd trust them with my life, but when it comes to the infirmary specifically, I have a habit of trusting no one but myself.
Everyone always says, "Don't stress yourself out too much, Will," or "Take a break once in a while," but what happens when I take a break and a camper's life is the cost?
Before I can stop myself, I yell out, "HELP!" It's a shrill call, one that strains on my vocal cords, but I do it again. "HELP! SOMEONE, PLEASE!" As my voice bounces back to me, I realize just how pathetic I probably sound. Asking for help has never really been my thing, but it seems I don't have much of a choice.
As the first tear streaks down my face, I begin to panic. "No, no, no, no, no." I whisper to myself. "Don't you dare start crying, Will. Stop that." I take in a few deep breaths that I always tell my patients to take and hum the chorus of Barrier Reef by Old 97's.
It's a song that my mom used to sing to me when I was younger. She said she'd performed the cover a bunch of times to adoring crowds and soon enough, it became my comfort song. "What's so great about the barrier reef?" I sing softly to myself. "What's so fine about art? What's so good about a good times van? When you're working on a broken, working on a broken, working on a broken man."
I'm going to die here. I think to myself, a little hysterically. All those people in the infirmary counting on me, and I'm here. About to die. Gods. I never got to do so many things. This can't be the end.
"No." I croak out. "What's so great about the barrier reef?" I sing, louder this time and more clear. "What's so fine about art? What's so good about a-"
"Will?" I hear a voice a little off to my right say followed by the sound of twigs breaking. I stay silent, thinking maybe this familiar sounding voice could just be a cyclops pretending to be someone from camp. "Dude, I heard you bashing the barrier reef like, two seconds ago, come on."
"Over here." I say, my voice cracking, forgetting my worry. Then Monique is in front of me, a look of excitement on her face.
"You're alive!"
"Really? I hadn't noticed." I say sarcastically.
"Gods of Olympus, I forgot about the traps in the woods. Who knows what Nico would've done to me if I let his boyfriend die in the woods. This is all my fault. I never should have sent you into the woods. Gods, I'm so terrible. Wouldn't be surprised if Percy was the favorite child. I'm the worst kid you could have. Gods I am so, so, so, so sorry, Will." She rambles.
"It's fine," I say. She doesn't seem to hear me as water starts to flood its way out of the goo and pools around her feet as if she's a magnent. Once it's all out, the water seeps into the ground and the dry remains of the goo crumble off of me. "Thanks, Monique." I say as I stand up and stretch my legs.
"Don't thank me. It's my fault this happened in the first place." she mumbles.
"I told you already, It's fine." I insist." By the way, what did you mean by Nico's boyfriend?" I ask with a smirk. She gives the same look back.
"Oh well, I don't know. It's just an idea. Just based on how you so obviously like each other." She smiles.
"Is it that obvious?" I ask, embarrassed. She nods her head.
"But not for him." she adds quickly.
I groan, not sure weather I'm happy he can't tell, or upset. But if Monique is right, Than that would mean...
Nico likes me.