WEDNESDAY

Nico could barely contain his laugh when Lucy entered the classroom and caught side of Niel sitting behing Nico. She tried to conceal her scowl while sitting on the row besides Nico. She tried to smile at him, but frowned when she looked at his wrist.

"Nanni, where is the bracelet I gave you?"

Oh, gods, not that damned thing again.

"Nanni. Put. It. On."

No way.

"No need to be shy, Sticks, put it on."

Lucy sighed before turning to a smirking Niel with a scowl.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be? Like your OWN class?"

Niel leaned against the back of his chair, finishing with a wink.

"Nah, I'm good, Wench. I'm doing this for you too."

This nickname really ticks her off.

Another week of this, and her eye will be twiching.

I'm laughing just trying to imagine.

"DON'T call me Wench. And what do you mean, doing it for me?"

Niel sighed while making a martyr expression.

"I know I'm a sight to behold. I can see how your eyes go round and ye swallow when see me."

Lucy took a deep breath and closed her eyes to avoid looking at Niel's smirk.

"It's just a reaction. My eyes go round in surprise to find you in the most unusual places, and I swallow so I don't puke everytime I see you."

Wow, she's quick to answer.

He's better.

Niel looked to the ceiling for a couple of seconds, considering her answer. He looked at her with a sympathetic smile.

"Hum. Weird reaction. Don't worry, Wench, sooner or later, yer body will learn how to react properly to my presence."

Lucy's breath got choppy, and Nico could see the red spreading in her face and neck under her tanned skin.

"You..."

"See, flaming cheeks and an uneven breathing. I told ye your body would learn."

"What!?"

Niel smirk slowly opened to a full grin.

"I can see how excited you're with my presence."

That set Lucy off, she leaned in the boys' direction, to whisper her answer.

"Excited!? Have you lost your bloody mind, Barnacle Lips?"

Niel's smile didn't falter, while he leaned in her direction to whisper back. Nico followed his actions to avoid missing anything.

"Barnacle Lips? Why lips? Have been thinking about kissing me, Wench?"

Lucy got even redder.

"Of course not!! It's because everything that comes from your mouth stinks! And I'm NOT excited, I'm furious! And stop calling me Wench!"

Niel raised an eyebrow.

"Do you prefer Tick Tock?"

Nico could sense the threat behind her voice.

"I warned you, I might bite something off."

"I think ye would bite anything for the right price. Good thing I like it rough."

He winked. Lucy gripped her table until her knuckles were white. She even forgot to whisper this time.

"You..."

The teacher stopped writing on the board to look over his shoulder to Lucy, before saying in a scowling voice.

"Lucy, stop talking and pay attention."

She snorted while glaring at the boys and turned to write in her notebook.

It's always amazing when they argue.

I agree.

"Nanni. Nanni!"

Nico turned to a whispering Lucy. She pointed to her wrist, mouthing 'bracelet', while pointing to her own.

She's kidding, right?

No way we're using that.

Nico shook his head while rolling his eyes, before turning back to the teacher. Something hit him in the side of his head.

OW!

What was that?

He searched in his desk, until finding a purple eraser that didn't belong to him. He glared at Lucy, who glared back while still pointing to her wrist with the bracelet. He shook his head, and she narrowed her eyes to him. They were in the middle of stare off contest, when Niel leaned and opened Nico's backpack to search for the bracelet. He took it off and handed to Nico, who absently accepted, almost as surprised as Lucy. Niel give Nico his backpack and started searching for something in his own, before showing two red rubber bracelets. Both had a small black and white pirate hat, but different sayings in white. One said "Ahoy, matey", while the other said "Aye, aye, Cap'n". He picked the first one to put in his own wrist, and took back the green one Nico was still holding. Nico didn't fight when Niel took his wrist and put both the green and the other red one. He winked to Nico.

"I told you I wanted a fancy bracelet like yours."

Nico silently laughed.

I like this one better.

Anything is better than a FRIENDSHIP one.

It could be a pink one written LOVE.

Why did you have to say that? Now I'll have nightmares.

As long as we don't turn into penguins again.

Now that was a weird dream.

Do you have weird dreams often?

I don't know, I usually don't remember my dreams.

Lucky you. I wish I could forget most of my dreams.

That bad?

Demigod dreams. Enough said.

***

Nico and Nanni were really trying to do the exercise the teacher gave, but behind them, Niel was using pens to drum in his notebook, and looking to his side, Lucy was facing a mirror, showing her teeth and making faces.

What the hell is she doing?

Being weird?

I mean, we have an exercise to do, why is she not doing it?

Niel noticed Nico staring at Lucy, so took his own eraser and hit her head with it.

HAHAHAHAHA, that was amazing!

I love how he's like a walking karma to her.

Lucy glared at Niel, while putting the eraser away. Niel whispered, to avoid catching the teacher's attention.

"What are ye doing, Wench?"

"Shut up, Barnacle Lips."

Lucy ignored the boys and turned back to her mirror. Niel passed his arm over Nico's shoulder to grab his eraser, using it to hit her again. Her face showed clearly how pissed off she was. Niel acted like she wasn't trying to kill him with her glare.

"Could ye stop? You're scaring Sticks."

Nico was surprised when Niel motioned to him and dragged him to the conversation, but just nodded, agreeing.

"That's true, and I saw some pretty messed up things in my life."

Lucy rolled her eyes, sighing, and turned back to her mirror before answering.

"Ugh. I'm just wondering how would I look with braces."

Niel's voice was ironic.

"That's the new trend? Braces? When did the world give such a sharp turn on its axis? Is it one of the signs of the apocalypse?"

She sighed again, before putting down the mirror to look at them, still answering in whispers.

"It's not a trend, Barnacle, don't be stupid. Well, more than you already are on a normal basis. My dentist said I should get braces, the sooner, the better. I'm trying to imagine and see if I would look weird wearing it."

Nico looked to Niel, who raised his eyebrows playfully before answering.

"Well, you ARE weird."

Nico couldn't help smiling when he spoke.

"So the answer is not, you wouldn't look weird."

Niel finished for him.

"You would look weirDER."

Lucy rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"Ha. Ha. Ha, teaming up on me, how nice guys, really mature."

Before Niel could say something, she perked her head, looking at Nico's notebook. She sighed while handing her own notebook for him.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Just copy the exercise you haven't done so the teacher doesn't complain and I'll teach you later how to do it."

Is she... being nice? Why?

Why she talks to us, in the first place?

She noticed him staring, not doing anything.

"Stop thinking so much, Nanni, just copy and give me my notebook back, before the teacher see us."

It's my imagination, or her notebook smell of something sweet?

Grapes, maybe? It reminds me of a candy I eat sometimes. Well, it's all purple, it wouldn't surprise me.

***

For Nico's displeasure, when he left class, Lucy was still on his side. And to her displeasure, Niel followed them.

I suspect that the only she didn't try to go for his throat it's because we're in the middle.

For her expression, I suspect she's still trying to kill him with a glare.

Niel nudged Nico with his elbow, nodding to Lucy with his head.

"So, Sticks, are you going to invite Wench to the play this weekend?"

Nico's eyes went round.

Did he lose his mind?

WHY would I spend more time with her than I need to?

Lucy shrugged, not looking to either of them.

"I guess I could keep him company, if he buys his ticket."

"Are you going to buy your own, Wench? Wow, such a modern lady."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Niel's mocking voice.

"I already have one, Barnacle."

Niel sighed dramatically.

"I knew you couldn't stay away from me."

Lucy snorted, while hugging her purple notebook closer to her chest.

"I would move to the North Pole if that was the price to stay away from you. I'm going with the girls, Chloe's little brother is one of the Lost Boys. However, if Nanni wants my company, I can go with him."

WHY would we want her company? I don't want it, do you?

"I don't want it!"

"Go to the play or her company?"

"Both."

Niel and Lucy stopped at the same time, looking at Nico. They started to bombard him with questions.

"Why you wouldn't go to the play?"

"What is wrong with Peter Pan? You like pirates."

"I thought you liked my Jolly Roger!"

"Don't you like the Lost Boys? Do you have something against staying young and having fun for years?"

Actually, I do. I spent enough time at Lotus Hotel and Casino.

Wow, I think this is the first time they're agreeing.

Nico shrugged, getting uncomfortable with the looks other students were giving to Niel and Lucy in the middle of the hallway, staring at him.

"I just don't want to."

"Go to the play or simply go out of your coffin?"

Nico blinked, trying to discover if he heard Lucy wrong.

"Coffin?"

She used both index fingers to represent fangs near her mouth.

"Vampire."

"I'm not a vampire!"

Niel took a step forward and patted Nico on his shoulder.

"It's okay if you're one, we won't judge you."

Lucy also took a step forward, just shrugging.

"We'll just keep a cross in our pockets. Eat a garlic-rich diet. And protect you from the sun."

"Unless you're a sparkling vampire."

Lucy's expression became excited.

"In that case, I'll use you to create rainbows."

Niel scrunched his nose a little.

"Just don't try to bite my neck."

Lucy smiled smugly to Niel.

"I thought you liked it rough."

Nico could see how he wasn't expecting it, but before he could answer, Lucy focused back at Nico.

"Anyway, the play is at night. No need to avoid the sun. You're going."

"I'm not go-"

Niel interrupted before he could finish his denial.

"Yes, you ARE."

Lucy took off her phone from her pocket and patted Nico's shoulder with it three times, like a hammer.

"Case closed."

Nico was too baffled to answer, so Lucy held his face with both hands, one pressing her phone against his cheek and gave him a big grin.

"Now you know how it's when two people team up against you."

Niel waved and started walking away, probably going to his own class.

"Talk to you later, Wench."

Lucy smiled and waved back, also getting on her way.

"Not if I can avoid you, Barnacle Lips."

Nico just stood there, not knowing what to do.

What the hades just happened?/What the hell just happened?