Hi guys, sorry it took so long, unfortunately exams season started, so I might be a bit slower with the updates.. Sorry.
8. November 2010
I call him. It is a week later when I find myself pressing those familiar buttons. He's never changed his number. I know that much.
I tell myself I'm only calling him because he needs a warning but though I can lie to the whole world I really fail at lying to myself.
The phone rings once, twice. I'm calling from a public phone and I can't See whether he is going to pick up or not.
I'm about to end the call when he picks up.
"Yeah?" he asks curtly. He sounds annoyed. Well, too bad.
"Nick" I greet him, and stop, for a moment not knowing what to say.
"Cassie?" The disbelief in his voice gives me such a sense of déjà vu I can feel my throat constricting. I swallow past the lump and force myself to speak.
"Hi Nick" I tell myself to get a grip and tell him what he needs to know. Instead I look out of the telephone box. It's raining again. I've been vaguely aware that it's been raining for the past week but I haven't really paid attention to anything in the past few days. It took me seeing the vision of Nick dieing at the hand of a couple of Bleeders who were looking for him to snap me out of my automatic state. I concentrate again on his voice, realizing I've missed some of what he's said.
"Cassie? Cassie, are you listening to me?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm listening" There's silence for a few seconds.
"Where are you?" He asks. His tone of voice carries some kind of emotion I can't identify.
I ignore the question.
"You need to move Nick" I finally tell him.
"What? Cassie, listen to me, where are you?"
Great. I think. Someone's decided to be difficult today. Of all days, I think to myself holding back a sigh.
"No Nick. You listen to me, you have to move okay? Get out of wherever you are. Take Miss Trouble with you and go somewhere else. Hear me?"
"Cassie, what's wrong? Did you a have a vision?" His voice sounds a bit more frantic now and this time I can't stop myself from groaning out loud.
"God, you're slow today aren't you Nick" I smirk. It's funny how just talking to him makes me feel. I almost feel like myself again.
"Cassie" I recognize the warning tone in his voice now, I've heard it so many times before.
I roll my eyes even though he can't see it.
"Yes Nick" I say patiently, "I've had a vision"Another long silence. I decide to end the call. This conversation is getting awkward and I don't do awkward.
"You have two days Nick. Get out of there" And I slam the phone back.
9. December 2010
It's Christmas Eve. I'm sitting on the steps in front of a statue somewhere in Mantova. I have a cup of hot chocolate in my hands which I'm mostly using to warm them up.
The night is pretty dark, starless. The cold air is biting on my face and my nose and cheeks feel a bit numb from the cold, so I know that they probably look very pink.
There are a lot of people walking around, all I hear is excited chatter, all I see are colourful shopping bags.
I'm thinking of the last happy Christmas I've had with a smile on my face. I was with Nick… and Kira, I remember grimacing. She had just found us a few days before and Nick was absolutely thrilled to have her back, unlike me.
I remember with some relish of her face when she'd first seen me. I laugh out loud at the memory, she had not expected to see me there. Obviously she didn't think Nick would stick with me.
She never really liked me though she tried to be nice to me on the first couple of weeks. A varnish of politeness that anyone could see through. Anyone except Nick that is.
The tension between the two of us had only grown with time and even now I still can't understand how Nick hadn't seen it. He hadn't though, he pretty much remained oblivious through it all. I sigh with both a sad and amused smile on my face.
A group of teenagers not much older than I am pass by me then, all of them singing Christmas Carols and shouting Merry Christmas to anyone who'll hear them. One of them throws a red and white candy cane at me and they walk away with another yell of "Buon Natale"I smile sadly once again before unwrapping the candy. It tastes like mint, which is one of my favourites. I remember Nick gave me a bunch of them on that Christmas we spent together and Mum and I used to suck on those sweets like two drug addicts.
I lift a hand to wipe away the lonely tear running down my cheek and I get up suddenly not wanting to sit still anymore. I throw my bag over my shoulder and walk away.