Nico P.O.V
I paced and anxiously checked my watch.
"But what if she says no?" I asked Leo again.
"Nico, if she says no, she says no. You've been working yourself up for a month. Come on, I'm here."
"She's the only family I have left."
Leo pulled me into a hug and I buried my nose into the crook of his neck.
"It'll be alright Neeks." Leo pulled away. "It's not or never."
I nodded and with shaking hands pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialled the number.
"Hello" Said a voice on the other side of the line.
I cleared my throat and said
"Hi, Is this Hazel?"
"Yep. Who's this?"
"I'm Nico, Nico Di Angelo Um, I don't know how to say this but, I think I'm your half-brother."
The line went silent for a second.
"Your Father was Hades Di Angelo?"
"Yeah. Hi family. So Hazel, I'd really like to meet you and considering it's nearly Christmas, I'd love it if you could come round to my apartment so that I can meet you."
I turned around to see Leo smiling and nodding encouragement at me while I gave her my address.
"I'd love to. I'll see you tomorrow then Nico."
"See you tomorrow…Sis."
The line went dead and I breathed out a sigh of relief.
I turned to Leo and said
"I have a sister." And for the first time in forever, I had a family.
It was around 3 when I heard a knock at the door. I got up and straightened myself up trying to look presentable. Leo had decided to get us matching Christmas jumpers which only added to my dreading of the day.
I opened the door and was welcomed to my family.
Hazel looked around 16 although she could have been older. She was about the same height as me but not nearly as lanky. She looked as though she was buried under 2 jumpers and a coat with a light dusting of whiter covering her shoulders and her top strands of curled hair which was tied back with a golden ribbon to match her eyes. She smiled and it reminded me of the smile Bianca would give me when he said goodnight.
Without thought, I ran towards her and scooped my sister into a hug that felt like I'd never see her again. I was determined to keep her safe.
"Hi" I said into her shoulder
"Hi" she said back.
"Aww, you're getting me all teary with that little reunion you got going on there" Leo said as he wiped a fake tear from his cheek.
"Shut it Valdez." I turned towards Hazel, "This is my room-mate-"
"Leo Valdez. When did you last grace the halls of our fair high school?"
"It's been a while Haze, and you ain't grown at all" Leo gave her a sideways smile and turned towards me to give me a wink.
Hazel shook her head and shed her coat which I took from her and welcomed her into the apartment. After an hour of chat, Hazel rose and said,
"Nico, Can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment please?"
"Hazel, you don't need to be so polite, you're around family now." I said as I rose and walke dover to the kitchen.
"Ok, Spill." She said.
"What?"
"Oh come on Nico, Leo isn't just a 'Room-mate' and you know it as well as I do."
I looked at my feet refusing to answer her.
"Nico, you can tell me."
"He took me in after he found me drunk and I liked him yeah because why wouldn't I. And he agreed to let me live here as long as I wanted just because. And I don't know, maybe there was something between us, there nearly was but I fucked shit up. I- We agreed that we should just be friends about a month ago. But, I don't want to just be his friend anymore, He practically saved me when I had no-one and I need him"
"Have you told him this?"
I shook my head again.
"Write him a letter, It's the easiest way trust me. And you have to tell me everything that happened of course." She said with a smile.
Hazel kissed me on the cheek and went back to talk to Leo while I started thinking how I could possibly fathom my thoughts into words.
Hazel left at midnight after we had watched every single Christmas special that was on TV.
"Keep in touch okay." She said while hugging me
"I wouldn't dream of doing anything else," I laughed as I watched her leave.
"Well that went shockingly well." Leo said.
I nodded and went into the kitchen where I had hidden my letter. I placed it carefully on the counter and exhaled a shaky breath.
"Night Leo." I called as I walked into my bedroom to calm my nerves. I placed a shaky hand over my heart to feel the beats. It was funny how my heart still raced at the thought of him even though I was calm. It wasn't long before Leo burst through the door with my letter in his hand.
"Is this true? Like, all of it." He said, his speech broken as he panted with the tracks of tears still fresh on his cheeks.
I nodded and he disappears from the door way but I heard is frantic footsteps and muttered voice. Leo arrived back at my door with another wad of paper in his hand.
"I have something I want to read you."