i woke up with the sun

Everyday Nikolai walked passed the Athena cabin like clockwork. It wasn't because he had a lesson to get too, and the course he took just happened to take him pass the Athena cabin. It wasn't because he liked to take a detour to the mess hall. No, it was because his girlfriend resided inside the very walls of that elegant cabin, and everyday Nik was compelled to see her once more. He loved Livia Malcolm, he really did. But Nik had never dared tell her that. The time just never felt right to tell her. After all, they never actually went on a proper date. It was always ruined and never ever completed. Today, however, would be completely different and maybe today would be the day that Nikolai admitted his feelings for Liv. Highly unlikely. Said Monster Nik in his mind. He always liked to put a damper on Nikolai's day. Well, this time he wouldn't let the monster inside him destroy his day. Shut up. The Good Nik replied, and Monster Nik was silenced once again. For long, however, no one knew. Monster Nik always found a way out, one way or another. 

Nikolai stepped inside the cabin, breathing in the scent of paper and books, old and new alike. That was what he liked about the Athena cabin, it had a specific scent to it. Living the in the Hera cabin, you had multiple demigods from many gods and goddess, and it smelled like nothing. It didn't smell like home to Nik, and maybe that was why he avoided it so much. He looked around for Livia and couldn't find her. He was lovestruck, that was apparent. Nik would do anything for her, even kill, though he hoped it would never come to that, because he really did not want to become a murderer at such a young age. Hurting her was not an option, Nik hated to see people sad, especially Livia. He tried to make her happy everyday, just to see a smile, even if it was a ghost.

So he waited there and shut the door. He hoped she wouldn't be long. Campers were bound to give him strange looks. A child of Limos in the Athena cabin? Was he crazy. Probably. Nik never doubted that he was a little crazy. If he wasn't crazy, he wouldn't given into the taunts and teases of the kids at middle school. If he wasn't crazy, he wouldn't have become Anorexia. But he had, and he was crazy. That was fine with Nik. Often slightly crazy people were happy. And Nikolai was happy for the first time in what seemed in forever, just because of Liv. 

A girl walked out. A girl that wasn't Liv. She turned to Nik and asked him something. "Yes. I'm Nik." He said. Why would she be talking to him? He wasn't exactly popular in camp. There could only be one explanation as to why she was addressing him. "You're one of Livia's friends, aren't you?"

Nikolai smiled warily for a moment as Faye assured him. He’d actually never heard of Liv’s half sister, but then again he didn’t try and pry into her life. Faye probably was good for Livia, she was probably some sort of rock for his girlfriend. However, somethings were better remained hidden, Nik was living proof of that. The demigod would do anything to keep his secrets hidden like shadowed veils in the night. There was no way he’d let anyone find out what he had done and who he was. Not even Livia knew, and Nik would keep it that way, because he didn’t want to seem damaged and soiled in her eyes, like an annoying, balding cat that came back mewling for more milk like the other kitties with sleek coats and shiny whiskers. Nikolai thought that if anyone, especially Livia, found out about his anorexia problems, he’d have to leave camp and change his name and everything about him. That would probably lead him to dyeing his hair bright blonde, something Nikolai never wanted to do in a million years. One of his secrets had already slipped, although it was one that Nik really didn’t care that much if it got out. He smoked. Livia found out the day that they met. “Cool.” Nikolai said, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Er, cool name, I mean. I guess. If you like the name Faye.” He was better at starving himself and smoking than conversation, it seemed. 

“Sorry. No.” Nik apologized sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders like a little five year old boy who was slight and small and wet from the rain. “Yeah, Liv doesn’t really talk about her life. I don’t pry.” He knew that Livia trusted Faye, and so Nikolai trusted this girl in front of him. There wasn’t anything off about her that he could see, and she seemed nice enough. He hoped that maybe they could be friends, because Nik wouldn’t want him and Faye to become mortal enemies and make Liv chose between them. Knowing Nikolai, however, the demigod would just stand aside and let his girlfriend go with her best friend.