Out of the Shadows: A Solangelo Fanfiction

Chapter 37: Christmas

   It was finally here. The dreadful day of Christmas. As soon as he woke up, he got about 5 seconds of peace of not knowing what day it was until he realized. Then he couldn't take his mind off of Bianca.

   He remembered one year when Nico was 5 and Bianca was 8. They were still living in Italy at the time. Nico woke Bianca up early that morning because he was so excited to open his presents.

   "Come on, Bianca! Wake up! It's Christmas! That means you're 8 now!" Young Nico said, shaking her.

   Bianca groaned. "Huh?"

   "Bianca! Come on! It's Christmas and your birthday!"

   Bianca smiled at him and sat up in her bed. "I almost forgot! Come on! Let's go wake mama and open our presents!"

   Whenever Nico thought about memories like that, he was always surprised to remember how innocent he was. How different he was. It was like the real Nico died when Bianca died, and was reborn into something completely different. He guessed he wasn't totally off, though. Because Nico was sure that a part of him really did die when he heard the news.

   He was taken back to the present by a knock on his door.

   "Nico? Are you awake? Come on out and enjoy yourself!"

   "I'm awake."

   "Can I come in?"

   "Sure, whatever."

   Will opened the door and walked into the cabin. He was wearing some kind of really ugly Christmas sweater and a Santa hat.

   "What in Hades are you wearing?" Nico demanded.

   Will looked down at his sweater. "This? It's an ugly sweater. It's a newer Christmas tradition."

   "Well, it sure is ugly."

   Will laughed. "Thank you. That's the point. So anyways, go get dressed and come hang out with me outside. Let's enjoy Christmas. There's tons of things we can do."

   "No thanks. I'd rather stay inside my cabin today. I'm sure I'll be out by tomorrow or the next day, though, so don't worry."

   Will rolled his and sighed. "Nico, we talked about this. You agreed that you would celebrate this year."

   "Well, I changed my mind."

   Will sat down on his bed, right next to Nico. "Nico, being alone isn't going to help. Yeah, it's going to be painful either way. That's how it is. But being alone to think about the trauma the whole time? That's going to make it worse. Being surrounded by people who care about you, who want to help you? That will help."

   Nico leaned into Will slightly. "She would be 17 today."

   Will wrapped his arms around Nico. "I know."

   "She would almost be an adult."

   "I know."

   "Did you know it's been harder for me to picture her face? The only reason I remember is because of dreams."

   "That's what happens when someone has been gone for a long time. I know it's sad. I know how you feel, though. It's been harder for me to picture Lee and Micheal's faces. But I have dreams and pictures, too."

   "I can't remember my mother's face very well. I don't have any pictures. I wish I did. Sometimes I have dreams of her, but not often. When I think about her, I remember that Bianca looked a lot like her. So when I think of her I see Bianca's face, which as I said, is starting to go, too."