Will's POV

A poke in his back found him staring into Nico's hazelnut eyes, glittering with devilish glee. "We have double lab chem after this?" he whispered, flashing Mrs. Johnson a simpering smile. Her eagle eyes bored holes into him but after a few seconds she moved on, berating Percy about his forty five on the geography quiz. 

"Yeah, I think so." Will kept his head tilted down to the desk, covered in doodles to avoid making eye contact with Mrs. Johnson. The way her malice-filled eyes seemed to sag into a wrinkle lined face made shivers shoot up his back and he always seemed to cower underneath her gaze when she stared down her crooked nose at him with that frown, like when he hadn't cleaned his room for a month and a half and his mother was starting to get more than displeased. "Why?" Mrs. Johnson shot him a glare and he waved his hand in a feeble return, his muscles untensing when she sat at her desk, pulling out her evil red pen to finish grading the quizzes. 

"Skip with me?" Nico asked. "It's last period on a Friday, and I really can't deal with Mr. Marco's stories about how our phones are destroying our intelligence, or about how he's finally going to start his protest to get rid of our school laptops after three years of threatening it." Will hid his laughs in the sleeve of his sweatshirt, ducking down low to his desk underneath Mrs. Johnson's gaze. 

"As much as I'd like to," he grinned once he straightened up. "I can't just skip. What if we have a pop quiz?" 

"You know what we're gonna have?" Nico asked, a smile playing across his face. "Oh, you kids are destroying your brains, you know that? You kids are going to have robots controlling your brains by 2030 and you won't even care because you'll be brainwashed. Is that really what you want? Is it really?" Will's body was shaking with suppressed giggles and he turned to face Nico, slinging his arm around the back of the chair. He could feel Mrs. Johnson's gaze on his back but in that moment, he didn't care. "Oh, also, by that time he'll be so in your face you'll be in the splash zone. Do you really want remnants of leftover fish sticks on your cheek? Is that really how you want to spend your Friday afternoon?"

"Fine," Will sighed, turning back around. "Don't expect this to be a normal thing, though. Just a warning." 

"Hey, one time is good enough for me." Nico leaned back in his chair, a satisfied look on his face. "Let's try to get out of here before the next class starts, when everyone is still walking. That way we'll have the maximum amount of time." 

"Why do we need so much time?" Will asked. "Aren't we just gonna walk around?"

"Will, I'm disappointed in you." Nico leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. "Do you really think I'd just drag you out of school with no plan? No, I've got somewhere in mind, don't worry." Nico was so close Will could see the twinkle in his eyes, the tiny gap between his teeth, the tiny bubble of gum he blew out from his lips before it popped with a sharp crack and he sucked it back into his mouth. 

"Wait, where?" Nico shook his head, leaning back in his seat. "Nico, come on. Tell me where we're going!" 

"Sorry, Will, can't do that," he grinned. There was a sparkle of fun in his eyes, as if he was having fun leading Will like a cat with a laser. "It's gotta stay a surprise." 

"You're impossible." Will turned around, bending his head low to his work. He couldn't see Nico's face any more but he could still hear his voice, sweet and smooth a foot behind his head. 

"And that's why you like me."

As soon as the halls were filled with the bustle of activity, the raucous chatter and the squeak of sneaker soles against linoleum tiles Nico grabbed Will's hand, pulling him against the pull of the tide, forcing their way to the lobby. "Come on," he hissed, looking furtively around. His backpack hung loosely from his shoulders, papers from the day shoved hastily inside. "Now. The receptionist is gone, we have the perfect window." He tugged on Will's arm and he stumbled after Nico, falling out of the door into the crisp autumn air. Leaves twirled from the trees, red and orange splattered onto the once green leaves. The grass crunched underneath their feet as Nico tugged him along, leading him past thick oak trunks and open windows with the voices of teachers drifting overhead. "We should be in the clear," he whispered, ducking behind a tree and peering around the corner. Will's elbow rubbed against Nico's and he could feel the cool wind blowing though his body and sending shivers up his spine. He could see goosebumps popping up on Nico's arm as he shivered. 

"So, where are we going first?" he asked as they stepped onto the sidewalk, breaking out of the confines of school grounds. 

"First, we need to drop our bags somewhere," he said. "We're going to look suspicious otherwise. There's this place I know, this little grove of bushes that has a little clearing in the middle. I've hid my bags there tons of times, they'll be fine." 

"You've done this a lot, haven't you?" Will teased, bumping Nico lightly. 

"Yeah, mostly last year," Nico grinned. "During finals when everyone was really stressed Percy and I'd just skip last period on Friday and go get coffee or see a movie or something. It was really nice, just being able to hang out. And there's something exciting about doing something you're not supposed to be doing, you know? It's exhilarating." 

"Well, I'm kind of flattered to be doing this with you," Will laughed. "Sounds important to you." 

"And that's why I planned our time together out," he said, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, next to a small cropping of stout bushes. "Come on, in here." He pushed back the spiky  branches, dropping his bag onto the dirt floor. He rolled out his shoulders as Will set his next to Nico's and Nico let out a long sigh, a smile spreading across his face. "Ok, let's go." 

"Where are we going?" Will asked as he followed Nico down the street, the crosswalk leading then into the downtown area, pedestrians brushing past them with plastic bags swinging from their arms. 

"You'll see," Nico promised, weaving through the bustling activity of the town. "We're almost there." They stopped in front of a brick coffee shop, the inside warm and inviting. He pushed open the heavy oak door, the bell above chiming throughout the store. He stepped up to the counter and the scent of freshly baked pastries wafted up into Will's nose, rich chocolate and creamy vanilla. "Hey, Marin," he said, flashing the barista a smile. "Two large hot apple ciders, please?"

"You got it, Nico," she grinned. "Two weeks into school and you're already skipping? That's a new low." 

"Hey, you know you did the same thing when you were my age," he chuckled lightly. "And you turned out fine."

"I'm taking that at a compliment," she said as she handed him the drinks, white cups with flecks of green and steam rising off of the cover. "Have fun, you two." She threw Will a wink as they walked out of the shop. 

"She was nice," Will said as he waited for the drink to cool off and watching the steam rise into the air. "She seemed to know you pretty well."

"I go there a lot," he explained, taking a sip. "Ever since seventh grade. We've gotten to know each other pretty well. Anyway, take a sip. It's the best thing I've ever tasted in my life, trust me." Will raised the cup to his lips, the hot liquid dribbling down his throat. The hint of cinnamon and nutmeg was strong, tinging the thick taste of apple. The warmth filled his body, pushing out the cold fall air and filling him instead with the feeling of fall. "Do you like it?" 

"It's amazing," he grinned. "You were right. Thanks for buying, by the way. I can pay you back." 

"It's fine. Think of it as payment for coming with me. You didn't have to, by the way. If I pressured you at all."

"No, I'm glad I came," Will said. "This is fun." Nico was grinning until they saw a sleek black car driving up the street and he nudged Will's arm, gesturing to the car gliding closer and closer. 

"Hey, there's a cop car up there," he warned. "Just act cool, just in case." Will gave a shaky nod as the car screeched to a halt and a man poked his head out of the window, sunglasses shielding his eyes and a walkie-talkie strapped to his dark blue vest. 

"Shouldn't you kids be in school?" his voice was gruff deep and husky and it made shivers shoot up Will's spine as he froze in his spot. 

"We're homeschooled," he blurted out. 

"It's a half day," Nico said calmly until realizing their mistake, shooting a subtle yet horrified look at Will. A single glance told Will to keep his mouth shut and he pressed his lips together, staring at Nico with wide, fearful eyes. 

"Usually our mom lets us out at two, but she let us out at noon today," he explained. "She always says that even though we're homeschooled, we still get half days. She says it's for teacher development, but sometimes I think it's just so that she can have the afternoon off." His voice was so nonchalant, his voice so charismatic that Will began to believe him, that Will was adopted and that every third Friday of the month their mom claimed that she needed to 'refine her teaching skills' and sent them off into town so she could binge watch episodes of Grey's Anatomy on Netflix, until he remembered that he was part of the lie. 

He was snapped out of the world Nico had created for him by the laughter of the cop, strangely jovial despite his stony exterior. "We've all been there," he laughed, pulling his head back into his car. "Have a nice afternoon off, boys." The window rolled up and as the car started to climb up the hill Nico held out his hand and Will slapped it, the sound of the crisp low-five reverberating around the town. 

"That was incredible," Will hissed, his smile as wide as the sky. "How did you do that?"

"Oh, I've had practice," he smirked. "You might even call me an expert." Will rolled his eyes, laughing.

"Shut up. That was horrible."

"You know you liked it." 

"Just tell me what's next on the agenda so I don't have to feel anymore of your jokes." 

"The park," Nico responded, taking a second swig of his cider. "There's a concert, and it's free."

"What concert's free in the park during the last two periods of school?" Will asked, following Nico down the street. "Like, thirties music for old people?"

"Yeah, actually, that's exactly what it is," Nico said. "The town band is putting on a concert for our senior population, and I thought we'd stop by." He must have seen Will's expression because he sighed, walking faster. "You'll like it when we get there, trust me." 

"Fine, I'll trust you," Will said. "Just don't let me down." 

The park came into view with the gazebo sitting in the middle, chairs that reminded Will of middle school lunches lined up in rows of five. Trees hung low over the roof but Will could still see the shocks of white in the players' hair, the wrinkles lining the faces of the audience. "This really is thirties music, isn't it?" he asked as a high flute rang out through the air, splitting through the sky. It was knocked around by the wind and he couldn't help but glance up at the sky, bright blue and clear.

"Oldies but goodies," Nico said, nodding at a tall, thick tree with leaves creating a wall between the trunk and the rest of the world. "Come on, over there." The ground was soft underneath them, the tree supporting their backs. They leaned their heads against the trunk, sipping hot apple cider with the notes washing over them, soft and calming. It told a story, of a life lived and loved, a life spent with the best people next to them. Will let himself be washed away by the music, the songs switching with ease as the waving branches hid them from the watchful view of the world. 

"Hey, what happens when we get back to school?" he asked, turning to Nico. Nico's face was serene and his eyelids seemed to flutter gently as he glanced at Will. "Like do we get detention? Suspended? What if we get expelled?"

"We'll get a one hour at most," Nico laughed. "If they even care enough to check. Don't worry about it now, anyway. Just listen to the music." Will nodded and shut his eyes again and as his world was clothed in blackness he felt Nico's hand creep over his, warm and comforting. He opened his eyes and he saw Nico swaying to the music, a small smile on his face. It was sweeter than Will had ever seen him, as if he was letting down the mask of ironic humor he kept up in school. He shut his eyes again, closing his hands over Nico's and letting the music sweep him away.

Hi guys, so I just want to say that I'm really, really sorry the last chapter of Citta Dell'Amore is so late, I promise it'll be up this Sunday. It was either late or rushed and I know it's not an excuse, but I wanted to give you guys the best ending possible. Anyway, I hope you liked this one!

Nina