Hell no!

Chapter 23 Comfort (Nico)

After I got home and locked myself in my room, I cried for a while and then saw that message from Will.

Will: Hey, Nico. I can imagine how hard it is to have lost your sister so suddenly. I have never told anyone before, but I know what it is like to lose a sibling, and how hard it is to get over. I hope you are doing better, and let me know if you want to talk about it.

It got me thinking. He's gone through something similar? What could that be? So I decided to do the only logical thing, I ask him. I looked at the message again and typed a reply.

Me: You've lost a sibling too?

Will: Yes, when I was five, my three year old brother died and also my unborn eight month old sister. My mother nearly died. Me and my father were lucky to have survived without much.

When he was just five years old? Then he can't possibly remember much. It must have been horrible!

Me: What happened?

I hear Hazel banging on my door, asking me to come out. I ignore her, I'm mad at her. I know she meant well, but right now, I don't care. Not now.

Will doesn't say anything for a while, and then I got a very long reply.

Will: We went to the beach, and when we got in the car to go back home, another car crashed into ours. My little brother, Michael, had multiple head traumas and died soon after getting to the hospital. My mother had a couple of broken bones and Kayla had died almost instantly because of blood loss due to a big shred of glass had pierced my mother's belly. Mom needed multiple long surgeries and barely made it. I didn't really understand everything back then, but I did understand that Michael and Kayla had died. It is one of the only times I have ever seen my father cry.

A car accident? That's quite horrible. And nearly losing his mother too? I don't know how he managed to get over that. Has he even got any memories of his little brother?

Me: I… I don't know what to say. I'm sorry. I hope you have some good memories of Michael?

Will: I do, and I have some pictures of the two of us, which I try to draw. I have drawn one to give to my parents for their anniversary.

He draws too? He draws his memories, just like I do! Someone… understands.

Me: I think they'll love it, most people love pictures of those they love. And for parents drawings are the most precious gift to get from their child.

Hazel is banging on the door again, saying it's time for dinner. I'm not hungry. But if I say that, she'll be mad, so I'd better ignore her for now. Maybe later…

Will: And drawing it also makes me feel better. It helps me cope with it, helps me remember the good memories.

Me: I drew me and my sisters yesterday, just a simple drawing of me and Bianca and Hazel on our vacation in Italy. And right now I'm wearing the sweater Bianca got me last summer in Italy. She and Hazel had gone shopping with mom and when they got back Bianca had given me this big, black sweater with Viva Italia on the back. I put it on and nearly drowned in the sweater, so mom took a picture of me with Hazel and Bianca by my side and she called me her little cuddly panda bear.

Will: That sounds like a great memory. You are lucky to have so many, as I have but a few. My fifth birthday, when I let Michael help me blow out the candles and then we threw cake in each other's faces. And that beach day, me and Michael swimming in the sea with dad and mom getting us the biggest ice creams we'd ever seen.

Hazel knocks on the door this time, and quietly tries to make conversation this time, trying to apologise.

''I'm sorry Nico. I shouldn't have pressured you to tell everyone, but I was just worried, just as I am right now. Please, eat something. I've put a plate with some pasta in front of your door if you're hungry. Please talk to me?'' I decided not to answer her, maybe later. Maybe if I'm hungry later will I talk to her, but not now, I just can't right now.

Me: Thanks for talking to me and telling me about your brother and sister, I feel a little bit better now.

Will: What are friends for?

He called me a friend. I smile to myself. A friend.

Me: Eh… yeah, thanks, friend. :)

Will: Hope you're doing better tomorrow, just get some sleep. But I gotta go now, mom's calling for dinner. See you tomorrow?

Me: Yeah, see you tomorrow. And thanks again.

I feel a little better and decide to make my Mythology homework another time, not now. I'm tired, and very much not in the mood for homework. Luckily I've made the rest of my homework yesterday, so I don't need to worry about it. I take out my sketchbook and make a new drawing, of the day Bianca had given me the sweater I'm wearing right now, her big smile as I put it on. I remember it like it was yesterday, but I have a slightly photographic memory, so that might be why. I finish my drawing and put it, along with my two other drawings on the wall, in a map and in my backpack for tomorrow.

Then I quietly open my door and take the plate with dinner Hazel had placed in front of my door. I close and lock the door and put the plate on my desk. I look at the food, pasta with red sauce and meatballs, which I like a lot, and then eat a little bit of it. It still tastes great, even though it's cold. I'm not really hungry and only eat half of it. Then I put on my pyjama's and go to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I quickly go back to my room and see Hazel has texted me, twice. The first is from this afternoon, which I had ignored when I'd gotten home, and the second is from an hour ago.

Little sis: Nico, where are you? I'm worried. Please answer me, mom is starting to get a little worried as well. Please?

Little sis: Hey Neeks, sorry for pushing you this morning. I shouldn't have done that. I was just worried about you. I hope you will talk to me about it, or even to someone else. It'll make you feel better, I promise. And I put a plate of pasta with red sauce and meatballs in front of your door, if you're hungry. Please eat something and talk to me.

Me: I was at Bianca's grave this afternoon. And I have just eaten a little, but I'm not really hungry or anything. And I will talk to someone if I feel like it, not if someone pushes me!

I got a reply from Hazel almost instantly, so she must have been watching her phone ever since sending me that text and she must be really worried.

Little sis: Nico, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pressured you. But I'm glad you've eaten a little. Can you please talk with me about it?

Me: No

Little sis: Nico…

Me: /Good-night/, Hazel.

I was still angry with her. She shouldn't have pushed me into telling people if I didn't feel ready. I put my phone on the charger and got a book out of my bookcase. I read a couple of chapters, and then I went to bed. I was very tired, both emotionally and physically, and if they'd let me, I could sleep for a week. But unfortunately I have school tomorrow…

AN: As you can tell, Nico is very good in putting things off (Maybe later...).

DragonStorm88; That Percy, Thalia, Jason, Nico and Hazel will find out that they're cousins will probably take a while, I guess somewhere around chapter 35 or so. I was thinking about writing that from Nico's POV and either Jason or Percy's. I'm thinking about one of the fathers asking the others to meet up.

And about that new fic, the 3 days in the infirmary one, I've just thought about a name: 3 days and beyond. Tell me what you think.

AN2: Still listening to FOB while correcting these chapters.