Walking home felt like a nightmare. I pulled my jacket over my shoulders as tight as possible and tightened my hood around my face to hide my tears. As if on cue, rain poured down and soaked every inch of my body. I turned up to the sky, let out a small curse, and hurried home.

My father noticed my dull mood as soon as I walked through the door. He hesitated for a moment, before asking me if I was okay. I muttered that I was fine and ran upstairs.

I was, in fact, not fine. The boy whom I loved (for real, this time) had left me on a park bench, the boy I thought was my friend is best friends with the resident transphobe and my soulmate string is cut. I sat on my bed and cried. It was an ugly moment. Loud and distressing, and my pillow was soaked by the end of it. Too tired to get up, I slept in those clothes, fully knowing how disgusting it was.

The next morning, I woke up feeling like a mess. When I stared into the mirror, I saw only the shell of whom I used to be, which is funny since I never was anyone to begin with. I bathed and changed into a simply black tee and black jeans and rushed to school.

I walked into the school gates hoping to find Will's eyes and somehow manage to apologise for my actions again, but I couldn't find him at all. Every lesson, I searched for him, and he didn't turn up. By the end of fourth period, I caved and asked Mrs. Daniels where Will was. She shrugged and told me that his father had pulled him out of the exchange program on request and flew back to Texas.

The words rung in my head. Will Solace flew back to Texas.

Will Solace.

Flew.

Back.

To.

Texas.

I couldn't breathe. I thanked her and ran to the bathroom, locking myself in one of the stalls before I could faint. Hands shaking, I pulled out my phone and tried to text Will. But it was no use. He had blocked me. I was holding back tears as I typed in every form of a possible username in the Instagram search bar. No Will Solace.

He was gone. Truly gone.

I unleashed a scream in the empty bathroom and dove out of there. I ran to the edge of the school campus, catching my breath as I teetered between rule breaker and rule follower.

I dashed out the school campus, not stopping once until I reached my house. I rapped on the door, my father's surprised face meeting mine.

"Nico? You're meant to be at school! What are you-"

"Dad, please." I said, voice quivering. "Just listen. Will left for Texas. Dad, I made a huge mistake. A really, really huge one." I sank to the floor as I recalled everything, coming out to him in the process.

"You're gay?" My dad clarified. I nodded slowly. In my despair for Will Solace, I hadn't even stopped to think if my dad would be accepting. Electricity ran through my veins, until he let out a smile. "Don't worry, Nico. I support you."

"I don't know what to do." I said, sobbing. "He's gone. I'm never going to see him again. Dad, I love him."

The features of my father's face darkened as he angled his face upwards. "Nico di Angelo, don't use such strong words without meaning them."

"But I do," I protested. "I love him, dad. I love him so much. I love him like you love mom. I love him like the sun loves the stars." I blurted out. I didn't care about how cheesy I sounded because every word rang true.

"Nico," my father asked. "Be serious about this. Do you love Will Solace?"

"I do." I said without a moment's hesitation. My father nodded.

"Pack your things, Nico. Enough for three days. And be quick about it." My father said, walking away from me.

"Why?" I asked.

He stared right at me. "We're going to Texas."

I stood, jaw on the floor for a few minutes. "You aren't joking?"

He took my hands and squeezed them. "Nico, I know more than anyone what it's like to love so deeply, even when hope seems lost. If you love Will, I'm going to be the last person to stop you from it."

***

The flight was hardest part. Booking one so last minute was near impossible, not to mention incredibly expensive. But my dad managed to book one in, and we were on the plane soon after.

"How are we going to find him?" I whispered. A wave of sadness washed over me.

My father smiled. "Me and Apollo were business partners, remember? I retained his number and messaged him right after booking the flight. He's expecting us over. And yes, Nico, I did explain the whole situation to him."

I let out a breath of relief, though it felt more like I was emptying my lungs of all air. I stared out the window, watching the afternoon clouds, and every time I saw two of them blowing in the wind, I imagined them as Will Solace and me, dancing like heavenly bodies in the sky.

When we landed, we wasted no time in renting a car and driving to our destination. Mind you, I get carsick, so the two-hour journey was less than ideal, but it was worth it when we pulled into a nice home in the middle of an empty street.

It was a nice, typical house, with the typical red tiled roof and the typical bare-minimum lawn in the front, with a typical gate that was mostly there for show. But it was where Will Solace lived. My heart rattled in my body, begging to be let out of my chest. But I'd learnt the mistake of letting my heart run amok.

I raised my hand and knocked on the door. The action was done. It was too late to turn back. My mind ran through the million things I could say but I was too nervous to catch any of them.

I expected Apollo to come and greet us at the door, but no, instead it was Will Solace, in cargo shorts and flannel shirts. He froze when he saw me, eyes stretching as wide as they could go to take in the image of me.

And I mean, he was beautiful. Familiar blond curls flew in the wind, but they seemed duller today. His eyes were so, so tired and I couldn't help but hate that I was the source of them.

"Nico?" He whispered, eyeing me with shock. "What are you doing here?"

And it was my turn to immobilise. Because suddenly, I was lost for words, and the moment I'd been begging for, anticipating for was here . . .

. . . and I didn't know what to say.

"Will," I said, the name bittersweet on my tongue. "I know I said it before, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ruined your life. I'm sorry I took away your string. I'm sorry for being so selfish. I've made a lot of mistakes – seriously, a lot – but you were never one of them. Will Solace I . . ." I paused. "I love you. And I mean that word with all its weight and finality. I love you, and the fates have been wrong and cruel so many times, but never with us. And, if you would allow me, I'd like to get to know you. As the love of my life."

I hadn't realised the words clogged my throat until they were in the air. I felt clearer in my heart but dizzy in my head. Will Solace teared up and now it was his turn to grasp for words.

"Nico," he stared at me, those gorgeous ocean eyes boring into mine. "I was so upset that you cut my string because I thought that it meant that you decided you could never love me. And if you flying all the way out here from Washington D.C. proved anything, it was that you could love me. And you can. And I do too, Nico. I love you and . . . I want to be your boyfriend, if you'll have me."

I gasped as he stretched out his hand, feeling those familiar tears on my face again. I reached my hand in his, looking up at him and smiling. In the corner of my eye, I could see Apollo, backing out slowly and grinning like a maniac.

And I couldn't control myself anymore. I moved closer so our faces were only an inch apart, our breaths becoming one and looked up at Will. "May I kiss you?"

Will looked ecstatic as he nodded. It started as a simple brush of our lips until it was the forming of something new. Something pre-destined. And yet, something that broke the barriers of what was meant to be.

It was Will Solace and Nico di Angelo. Nico di Angelo and Will Solace. It was us.

No strings attached.