Darkness's Flower: Pulling It Together

Chapter 44: Moving

~Lilly~

My parents had all of my stuff ready. I slipped Nico's black sweatshirt over my head and hugged my sides as we left. As I left. As I left my own boyfriend. We drove to the airport and there I was, sitting on a plane going to Paris, France.

The whole couple hours on the plane, I sat there and cried, hugging my sides, and thinking about him. Yes, Nico. I can't bare to say his name.

I didn't want to sleep, so I didn't. I stayed up the whole flight. I wouldn't talk to anyone. I stared out the window and cried. That was it. Once we arrived, I found out my parents had already bought a house. So we went there. I found my room and didn't do anything but sit in the corner, knees pulled up to my chest, and sobbed.

Then it appeared. An Iris-Message. And it was him. Yes, Nico. I smiled and wiped my tears away, black smudges coming off onto my hands.

"Nico," I whispered.

Tears streaked his face. "It's not just me."

All of my friends stepped into the image and I lost it again.

"We miss you, Lilly," everyone yelled.

Then I saw Percy and smiled again. "Hi, Perc."

He started sobbing. "Lilly! Ah! What am I gonna do? You're gone!"

"I'll be back, I swear. I just don't know when."

"We have to go, but we'll talk to you soon," Percy said.

Everyone said bye and I was left with the image of my far-away-boyfriend crying.

"Nico," I whispered again.

"I know. I read your note. I'm at camp. I'm keeping the flower and the note. I don't know what to do with myself, Lilly! Gabby said she's gonna keep going to see you regularly. I swear we will see each other again," Nico said.

I smiled through more tears. "I know, Nico. I love you so much!"

"Lillian Michelle West! Who are you talking to?" my father's voice boomed. He ran into into my room and immediately stared Nico down. "Say goodbye to Nico! You won't ever be seeing him again!"

"Nico!" I screamed as the image disappeared. "No! Daddy, you can't!"

I shoved him out of my room and slammed the door shut. I covered my room in vines. The whole thing. I fingered my necklace. The Lilly necklace Nico got me. I played with the ring he got me. I wiped my tears with the sleeves of his sweatshirt.

I stayed up most of the night crying. Time is way different over here in Paris. But from my window, I have a clear view of the Eiffel Tower. And may I say that it's beautiful. But that just made me think of Nico and the time we spent here together on our quest.

Around three in the morning, there was a tap on my window. I made the vines go away. There was a face staring back at me. Blonde hair spiked in the front and brown eyes looking over my face.

He knocked again and I slowly opened the window. I know this face, but I can't remember what his name is.

"Bonjour, belle," he said.

I know what it means. It's French and translates to hello, beautiful. I stare at the guy for a moment before speaking. Speaking in French.

"Qui êtes-vous et pourquoi sont à ma fenêtre à trois heures du matin?" I asked.

Translation: Who are you and why are you at my window at three in the morning?

"Je suis Christopher. Bonjour, Logan," he replied.

Translation: I'm Christopher. Hello, Logan.

Logan. Paris with Nico. I forgot about that an him! Dear gods!

"Christopher? Dieux, je ne ai jamais pensé que je vous revoir!"

Translation: Christopher? Gods, I never thought I would see you again!

"Pouvons-nous se il vous plaît parler angles? Je ne suis pas le meilleur au français," I said.

Translation: Can we please speak English? I'm not the best at French.

He smiled. "Sure. How are you?"

"Uh, how does it look like I'm doing? No. Hold on. Why are you here at my window? Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to anyone!" I said.

"I'm sorry, Logan-"

"My name is Lilly!"

"Then why did you tell me Logan?" Christopher asked.

"Because I panicked and you were creepy. You still are! Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to anyone. I'm highly upset, so go away."

He tried to touch my cheek, but I smacked his hand and he backed away. "I'm sorry, Lilly. But I saw you earlier and knew immediately who you were. I just needed to see you. I'll leave, but I am your neighbor. And we're going to the same college. I have the same classes as you have, so I'll see you tomorrow in class!"

Christopher left and I shut my window, then covered it in vines again. I decided that I should try to get some sleep. I crawled into bed and pulled blankets over me. Blankets that Nico and I have used. And as I'm curled up in the blankets, I can smell him. I can smell Nico on them. And it makes me cry. I cling onto the Lilly necklace as I cried myself to sleep. No dreams, just images of Nico. His smiling face, his dark messy hair, his dazzling eyes, just him. I didn't care what time it was there, and I didn't care what my parents said.

I forced myself to wake up and rummaged through my bag. Boom. There it is, a drachma. I manage to get light and make a rainbow.

"Oh, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, except my offering," I said as quietly as possible.

The image shimmered and I saw Nico. He was still asleep and in his cabin. I cried silently at the sight of his face, even though he had drool running down his cheek.

"Nico," I whispered. "Nico!"

He squirmed and opened one of his eyes. "What?" His eyes both went wide and he sat up quickly. "Lilly!"

"Shh! It's really early here and I'm trying not to wake my parents. They don't know I'm talking to you," I explained through my tears.

"Oh, Lillian," he whispered. "You're breaking rules for me?"

"Of course I am! I had to talk to you! I miss you so much already. I can hardly sleep because I keep thinking about you. You can't let me stay here for all of college. Please, Nico. Save me."

"I will. I have to go to college in the morning, Lilly. I'm sorry, but I have to go. But don't worry. I'll send Gabby with some things from me when she comes to see you. I love you so much, Lillian. I'll talk to you later," Nico said.

"I love you too, Nico."

I blew him a kiss (pretty childish, I know, but it's the closest thing to a real kiss I can get) and he smiled sadly. I wiped my hand through the image before I had a mental breakdown in front of him. I eventually drifted to sleep, only having those images of Nico in my head.

Then there was the tap on my window again.