"Do you promise that you'll call and write and IM this year?" I asked for what must have seemed like the millionth time.
"Yes," Nico answered. I could tell he was getting tired of my bugging but I couldn't help it. There were four months until winter break and I doubted I'd see him before then. We'd spent the whole summer working on our relationship and now it seemed like it wasn't enough. I knew I was being paranoid but I'd waited too long for us to be together and now it felt like we were being ripped apart.
His cool hand gently cupped my cheek and stopped the constant babble going on in my head. He tilted my face up so that I couldn't see anything but his pitch black eyes and the bits of black hair that fell into them, both contrasting incredibly with his pale complexion. "Naida, relax. I will keep in contact with you even if I have to walk from the Underworld to do it. I'll see you soon. I promise."
I sighed and leaned into his hand. "Ok, I'm done stressing. This semester is gonna go by in a snap and then we'll be back again. I can handle a few months without you."
He laughed at that. "I'm sure you can. I just don't know how I'm going to handle being away from you for that long."
"That's why you have to call every week and write every day."
Ok, so maybe I wasn't done worrying. "Promise," Nico assured me again.
I threw my arms around him and let him squeeze me tightly. When I pulled back, he kissed me. Nico's lips were cool and his soft mouth moved in perfect sync to mine and I really didn't want to leave. But right then Percy Jackson was pulling up in his new silver Honda Civic. I bit my bottom lip to keep from crying like an idiot. I usually dreaded the end of summer but this was seriously getting ridiculous.
I wanted to say something romantic and reassuring, something that would help both of us get through our time apart, but Percy started honking like a maniac. "Naida, let's go!"
"In a minute," I yelled back. Percy was my ride back to Manhattan and I wasn't looking forward to the long ride. I grinned sheepishly at Nico. "Sorry 'bout that. So where were we?"
Nico pulled me against him. "Right here," he murmured as he kissed me again. "I'll see you soon."
Percy honked again and I was really debating whether to stab him or not. "I'll see you," I muttered before I pulled away and trudged to the car.
"It's about time," Percy grumbled.
Yep, definitely wanted to stab him. Percy was my half brother, another one of Poseidon's kids and he was just as annoying as any full sibling would be. My sea green eyes narrowed at him. Percy flashed me his mischievous grin, the one that made most girls melt but pissed me off.
"Percy, leave her alone," his girlfriend Annabeth scolded. Annabeth was like Percy's total opposite but they were definitely perfect for each other. Where he was a slacker with dark hair like a skater that always fell into his green eyes, her grey orbs were always calculating and she defied the dumb blonde stereotype. He was tall and muscular and she was no puny little girl but she was the brains to his braun.
"Let's just go. I'm sure Annabeth is anxious to get to the NYU bookstore to get her books for this semester."
Percy groaned. He was a sophomore with her at the university but he wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about that.
"Okay, let's get going," he replied as he drove from Camp Half-Blood, the only safe place for demigods like me- children of gods and mortals- to train. The valley that hid the camp disappeared until it seemed to be a patch of forest by the Long Island Sound.
And just like that, my summer romance with Nico di Angelo was over.

Notes

guess, what. naida's got a sequel. i had enough people ask and here it is!
ps, who's read house of hades yet? what'd you think? just gonna say i liked my version of nyx more! lol