APRIL

The first time I ever laid eyes on Nero was at Fortuna's skate rink.

I had gone through most of my teenage years bemoaning my life and acting out any way I could. I was angry. Just plain…angry. It wasn't directed at anything or anybody in particular, I was just another teenage youth running around hating a brother that didn't do anything but care too goddam much.

I was convinced that everyone was out to get me, the teachers at my school, my younger brother Dante, even my friends. Everyone was the enemy in my eyes; they were all deceiving me or at the very least planning to.

The fact that I had merely gone down to the stupid skating rink just to buy a bag of weed and pack of cigarettes from the owner should prove my point.

Everything from that point on had pretty much sent me into a whirlwind of fate.

"Let me in."

"Do you have ten dollars?"

"Yeah. It's just not for you. Now let me in shitface."

The lady behind me stammered and grunted.

"Pay the fee first. Then I'll unlock the doors. And watch your mouth; this is a family oriented place."

I leaned into the glass a bit more trying to look as irritated as possible which was exceedingly easy. "Let me in or I'll kick your scrawny ass all the way to fuckin Montana you little shit."

The bitch behind me gasped, covering her kid's ears in shock. "Excuse me!" She scolded.

I stretched a arm behind me and flipped her off. "Mind your own business." I hissed.

She spluttered and gasped. "I'm telling the manager. This is ridiculous!"

"Would you?" I sneered. "He is the man I need to see right now, right Agnus? I'm sure he'd love to see that you helped cause another scene."

Agnus looked at me terrified, probably wondering if I was actually serious. Oh I'm serious Agnus, dead serious.

Finally the doors clicked and I entered the room full of booming music and pulsing lights, flipping off the bitch once more before the door shut behind me.

I always kind of hated Fortuna's skate rink.

It was constantly full of screaming little brats and disgusting bubblegum pop music. Or…maybe I just enjoyed being morbid and partly hated when other people around me were joyous and happy.

After all, a pessimist's greatest threat is an optimist. It's like fire and ice, always clashing and doomed to live as enemies and opposites.

"Hey sweetheart, haven't see you around lately, was beginning to think you actually decided to take my advice."

In front of me stood a tall blond with big breasts and a skimpy outfit. Her name was Trish a long time employee at Fortuna's skate rink.

She was known mostly for bringing the cake out during birthday parties and spending the rest of her time prancing around in mini skirts and tube tops.

It came as no surprise that every prepubescent boy in town had requested she be the one to do so.

To me however, she was just a bitch that talked too much.

"I've been around. My old man found out about all the days I skipped and he had me on lock down for awhile."

"Oh yeah," A smirk. "How'd you break out?"

"Dante had an ear infection so Eva took him to the hospital. Father was asleep down stairs so I climbed through my window and bailed."

"Huh," Trish mused. "You're like a regular Holly Golightly."

"Who?"

"It's a movie kid, don't make me sound old. Anyways, at this one part the main girl climbed through her window to get away from some stupid drunktard and ended up going in through her downstairs neighbor's window and spending the night there. They didn't actually have sex or anything but I think if they did it would have taken away from some of the mushy romance." She sighed.

Apparently D cup Trish was a closet romantic.

I definitely wasn't.

"And how does that have to do with anything I just said? Besides the fact that we both climbed through a window, those two stories were completely different."

Trish waved her perfectly manicured hand, face still looking highly wistful. "One day you'll see Virgil, not every story is told on the surface, some things need to be thought about and looked at in a different angle before you can fully understand the similarities."

"You sound like a fortune cookie."

"Emphasis on the word fortune," She chirped. "As in your fortunate that I'm sharing my wisdom with you."

I snorted, almost forgetting my whole reason for coming here entirely. "Trish, where's Slink?"

"Oh," She smiled. "He told me to tell you to come out back when the session is over at four thirty. You got bout thirty minutes to kill, use it wisely."

I rolled my eyes as she skipped off once the intercom called her name.

Once she was out of sight I snorted.

Sometimes Trish is just all kinds of crazy, I find myself wondering if silicone had a way of fucking with your head. It'd explain a whole of shit, that's for sure.

For a moment I glanced over at the skate rental counter, eying the size tens and the idiot guarding them.

One of my life's little pleasures was messing with Ron. He was clumsy and forgetful and the jury's still out on whether or not he has a mental retardation.

Either way, it was fun to mess with his head and get him in trouble.

"Ronnie ol boy, how you been?" I waltzed over to the counter giving him a sly grin and in return he shot me a glare with squinty eyes.

"You plannin on renting a pair of skates?" He asked, completely ignoring my first question.

"Actually, I came to see how you've-"

"Save it. Rent some skates or go bother Trish."

I waved my hand back and forth slowly, trying to look nonchalant. "Ouch. Actually though that's one of the reasons and I wanted to talk to you."

Ronnie looked a bit more interested, pushing his glasses up and raising his eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah man. I just finished talking to her and it sounds like she really has the hots for you dude."

He looked highly skeptical. Come on, take the bait fishy.

"Really? If this is a joke…"

"Of course it isn't! Would I lie to you man?"

"Yes."

"Okay, but would I lie about something as important as you potentially gettin laid?"

"Probably."

I rolled my eyes. "Alright fair enough but just to let you know, I've turned over a new leaf, I'm not looking out for only number one anymore, think of me as mother Teresa from now on."

"Last time you said that, my wallet had mysteriously disappeared."

"Take your wallet with you man, like I said, that's the old me. The new me is telling you Trish's waiting in the party room. She also said something about being extremely horney…"

Ron jumped over the counter without a thought and stumbled into the other room.

I grinned.

Hook, line, and sinker.

Victory!

I grabbed a pair of size ten rollerblades, grinning victoriously. Ah the little things, gotta love em'. If I could live my life just like I did a moment ago, tricking people and sweet talking until I got what I wanted, then I'd be a happy person.

Unfortunately though my parents insist that's not a life worth living. What do they know anyways? Both of em' born with silver spoons in their mouths, always content with doing what's needed to succeed and trying to brain wash me into being the same way.

Well I'm a free spirit.

A wild thing.

I won't let anybody put me in a cage.

"Never." I grunted, pulling on my skates, trying not to chuck my shoes at the whining little brat crying for his mom. Stupid kid needs to grow some dam balls.

The Skate rink, as it turns out, was horrendously crowded, filled mostly with gushy teenagers holding hands and little kids that needed to watch where they were going. The pounding boy band music wasn't helping either, causing me stepped on to the rink warily.

The floor was as smooth and I remembered it to be, perfect for gliding and speeding past people that were impossibly slow.

Granted I should be more careful considering I could squash half these kids like a pancake. But I was always one for pushing the limits.

I actually had three golden rules for avoiding an accident at Fortuna's:

3. avoid being within three feet of a kid more then three years your junior while on the rink.

2. Make sure your breaks work properly (rental skates = unreliable machinery.)

And 1, the most important rule of all, always watch where you're going.

Immediately though, I found myself breaking the number one rule.

Across the rink a kid about my age kept catching my gaze. He had slightly long snow white hair and a bright green shirt that had a picture of some headphones on it. The poor kid was clinging onto the wall for dear life as his skates fumbled back and forth.

Every time I rounded the rink I just couldn't help but look at him, something about him was drawing me in. Every couple minutes I found myself unconsciously moving closer to where he was clutching onto the wall.

Finally a little six year old devil zoomed by the kid, causing him to lose his balance and wave his arms around in panic.

I didn't really have time to think before I was skating across the rink, bumping into person after person as I left behind a trail of angry 'heys' and 'watch its.'

That annoying fucking voice in me was yelling 'don't let him fall, don't let him fall!' So I came up behind him just as he completely lost his footing and fell back, successfully turning myself into a human cushion.

We landed on the floor in a pile of limbs and arms; I got the brunt of the fall, groaning from the bruise that's bound to form when his skate accidently knocked into my knee. "

Fuck." I grunted. The boy however was laughing uncontrollably. "Exactly what part of this situation is funny to you?"

The mystery boy merely laughed once more and smiled. "The part when we fell of course!"

"You mean when you fell and I acted as your own personal air bag?"

"Well," yet another smile. "You didn't have to save me. Falling is half the fun anyways."

"Bullshit. You didn't look like you were having fun."

The boy's face fell quite a bit; he looked displeased in some odd way. "Do you always curse so much or only when you've been used as an 'air bag?'"

"Why exactly does it matter?"

"Well," He held up his hand and started counting off.

Literally.

"1. It's vulgar. 2. There are like, a million little kids here that are extremely impressionable. And 3. Its not necessary at all unless you're in a lot of pain."

I scoffed. "Maybe I am. Maybe I should sue."

"You're going to sue me because you saved me? What exactly did you think would happen when you intentionally came up behind me right as I was about to fall?"

"That daisies would pop out of the earth and god would appear to revoke all my sins. Now would you mind getting off of me?"

"I prefer Lilies. And if you admit you saved me and you wont sue, maybe I'll consider it."

My mouth actually cracked into a teeny tiny smile. There's something about this kid…I just can't put my finger on it. "Fat chance. I'm suing. I've suffered extreme emotional damage; I don't think I'll ever recover!" I put my hand to my forehead dramatically, playing faux hurt.

"Fine fine, Mr. Drama Queen, but I warn you, my mother's a lawyer and she can be a bitch when she wants to be. She'll sue the pants offa you."

"Never really like these pants much, she can have em'. Now, would you mind getting off of me, people are starting to stare y'know."

"Fine. But only if you tell me your name."

"Deal. But I want yours in return."

The boy nodded, once again smiling. Seems like this kid is all kittens and skittles. And oddly enough…it didn't bother me.

Even more crazier: I kinda liked it.

"The name's Virgil."

"Nero." His hand shook mine. "Nice to meet you Virgil."

"Likewise." I grinned as Nero pushed himself off of me.

Then, suddenly everyone on the skate rink stopped to stare as a group of crying kids and angry mothers rushed out of the party room screaming something along the lines of 'We want our money back, this isn't some strip joint, how are we supposed to explain that to our five year olds?'

"I'm not exactly sure what's going on," I whispered, getting that 'I'm about to be blamed for something' feeling. "But I think it may have been my fault."

Then I spied a very angry, very red looking ztrish rushing out of the party room followed by a flustered Ron and an irritated Agnus.

"Virgil!" Trish screamed, eyes filled with the fiery pits of hell.

"Shit." I muttered.

"What's happening?" Nero's eyes were wide but his expression still held this adventurous look, like this was some kind of challenge to him.

"Long story short: a group of five year olds probably learned what it is to jump somebody while they're bringing out a cake and try and suck their face off."

"Poor kids." He whispered.

"Poor me. That crazy bitch over there just yelled my name. We gotta get out of here!"

Nero stood, stretching out his hands and helping me up. Trish had finally spotted me, running her tall lithe body in our direction, followed by pretty much the whole staff. I grabbed Nero's hand tight.

"Time for a little lesson in skating. Hold on."

His eyes grew to the size of softballs as I started racing across the rink, pulling him along as he yelled crazy things like 'son of a juju bee!'

The kid was eccentric, I'll give him that.

I slammed into the emergency exit and immediately the fire alarm went off and the sprinklers turned on. Sounds of screaming could be heard just before the door shut behind us.

I continued to race down the block, dodging by standers and praying we don't fall again.

"Where exactly are we going?" Nero yelled as we just barely dodged an old woman and her dog.

"I know a place a few blocks from here! We should be safe there!"

Nero merely yelled in response. We were going full speed, about to go across a busy intersection that still had a little orange hand.

"Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"I said, do you trust me?"

"I don't even know you!"

"That's not the question I asked!"

"Fine yes! I trust you. I don't know why but I do!"

"Then close your eyes and don't let go!"

Nero did as I told him to, clutching onto my arm for dear life.

I let go of the control I had on that caged part of me and we whirled into the street, dancing around traffic gracefully as It maneuvered us through the honking horns and flashing lights. Once we reached sweet side walk again, I grabed hold of myself and caged that part of myself again. "Open your eyes Nero, we're not dead."

"Thank god. Can we please slow down now? I don't want to have my face peeled of the ground."

"Alright." Slowly but surely I started to put on my breaks, smiling as Nero started to release his death grip.

Thankfully we didn't fall again (which tends to happen when you start to break after going the speed of light.) Nero was still muttering crazy phrases and I was still laughing to myself all the while.

"So where's this little hide away Bonnie?"

"Right over here Clyde. Wha-…hey! Why I am the girl?"

"Well for starters you have a girlish laugh."

"What? You were giggling. Giggling! And you're saying I have a girlish laugh?"

"It's elementary my dear Watson."

"Humph. Oh, so now I'm Watson? The sidekick?"

"Would you quit complaining? Jeaze, such a pessimist."

"Whatever." I grunted. "We're here anyways."

"And where exactly would here be if you don't mind me asking?"

I looked up at the abandoned apartment complex.

It was once a big extravagant place to live where rich people like my parents could schmooze their money around.

Sometimes people would throw big annoying parties here where they could all talk about how much wealth they had and how their brain washed sons and daughters would grow up and be just like them. They would laugh at the less fortunate, drawing lines on the earth that stood for class and other despicable concepts.

But of course, those on top fall the hardest.

A man named Sanctus Ardenwell once lived here. He was a prideful man. A man with a lot of money, money that he had to do a lot of illegal things to get.

So it came as no surprise that his dynasty eventually fell and it was only a matter of time before the police would come for him as well.

Ultimately he did the cowardly thing and put a pistol in his mouth. Suffice to say after that nobody wanted to live here.

So the old building was abandoned and left behind to rot.

I however saw it as renewed, rebirthed, a place where I could come to think.

"It's my own personal hide out from the world." I stated simply.

The expression on Nero's face said he understood. After all, every teenager has a hide out from the world. A place where you go to think, somewhere secluded where the world can't come and fuck you up.

Sometimes it's your room or a small cave or a park or rooftop. The possibilities are endless; when you're a teenager everything is endless.

Then you become an adult and everything becomes pointless and worthless and soon you forget about all your hideouts from the world. You become cranky and dependent on coffee and affection and money.

In other words…your soul dies.

"Have you ever watched Peter Pan?" I inquired curiously as we made our way up the stairs.

"That's the one about the boy who never wants to grow up right?"

"Right."

"Yeah…when I was little I think, why?"

"Nothing. Just curious is all. I guess in some corny way I admire him."

Nero smiled, pushing open the heavy door, revealing the rooftop scenery just on the other side. "Because he never has to die?"

"Because his soul never has to die."

Nero giggled. See, he's the one with a girly laugh! "So tell me, how exactly does one's soul die?"

I looked around the rooftop for a second; every inch was gray and dusty from under usage. Of course I didn't come here for the dinky old roof it's self, I came for the atmosphere, the view. Just above our heads the stars were shining bright and the moon was emitting a soft glow. The weather outside was perfect; spring brought warm weather with cool winds and beautiful blossoming. The air around us even smelled like spring, slightly floral and enticing.

I laid back on a perfect spot for gazing at stars, Nero did the same moments later. "I suppose it can die a few different ways," I whispered. "It can be corrupted and blackened by trivial things like money and pride."

Nero hummed in response.

"Or by heart break and loss. I guess I'd be bitter too though if I actually lost something I cared about, aside from my free will that is."

"Well…I don't think that's entirely true…I don't even believe your soul can die. I've lost things before, valuable things, and I'm alright."

"I'm not talking about material objects-"

"Neither am I."

"Well? What exactly have you lost then?"

"That's besides the point Virgil. I may not know you too well, but from what I've seen, you keep dwelling so deeply on pessimism that you've become one of those people that fixates entirely on the problems instead of finding the solutions."

"Well if you're such an expert then why don't you enlighten me? How can one reincarnate their soul?"

"Simple: enjoy life. Enjoy all the obstacles, the little things that make things better. Enjoy falling on your butt because it's unexpected and fun. Enjoy having parents because they won't be around forever, believe me. Though most of all: enjoy all the craziness that life throws, the odd moments where you meet a stranger at a skate rink and run off with them. Those sorts of things are what bring a soul back. It's as simple as enjoying life."

So…maybe he was right. Maybe I've just been so bitter for so long that I can't even see what's right in front of me. I'm blind as a bat. Funny realization.

I heard some scribbling beside me, at first I thought it was all in my head, like the epiphany had sent me totally over the edge. Then suddenly Nero leaned over me, putting both his hands on either side of my waist. He smiled softly, a smile so bright that I thought an angel had fallen down from heaven.

"Does this make you uncomfortable or have I caught on correctly?"

I gulped, staring up at his perfectly pink lips with hunger. "Correctly." I muttered.

Nero teasingly licked his lips as I continued to stare. Slowly he leaned down and my mind abruptly burst into a million tiny flames as his lips got closer to mine. Then, at the very last second, he jerked his head to my ear.

"I want to give you something."

I didn't even have enough air or brain cells to give him some kind of conformation. In other words, I had become George bush in a sense: I couldn't pronounce more then one syllable words and I shouldn't be allowed to make major decisions.

At least for the time being anyways.

So of course it took me a moment to register that Nero had stood up, smirking and dusting himself off. Slowly my other self started screaming things at me, telling me not to let him leave.

All the brain cells were frantically running around screaming and panicking and asking 'what the hell just happened?' And then in some weird fantasy world, the head brain cell would burst in and say 'folks, he just ninja-ed us' and everyone would scream bloody murder in defeat.

"Where are you going?"

Nero smiled like nothing happened. "Home. I'm already forty five minutes late. My sister is going to freak!"

He opened the door frantically and I shot up, struggling to get my body back in order.

"But I thought…I thought you wanted to give me something!" My voice sounded so helpless and let down. Good bye dignity.

"Check your front pocket!" Nero yelled before retreating down the stairs.

I merely stared at the door he had gone through, reaching into my pocket, trying desperately to breathe.

I unfolded a small piece of pink paper, a post-it note as it turns out. Immediately I gaped.

I can already tell two things:

1. This will not be the last time I see crazy optimistic (and slightly sexy) Nero.

And 2. This boy is going to turn my world upside down.

Virgil, you're hot, misunderstood, pessimistic, and just my type. Apparently I have a thing for bad boys. 818-559-2467. Call me.