Darkness's Flower: Pulling It Together

Chapter 47: Please, Don't Leave

~Nico~

"Don't leave me again, Lillian," I whispered.

"But I have to go back. I'll go ahead and tell you my good news. So one of my professors said that because of all the college credit I took, I don't have I take very many years. I have to finish this year, then I can take the summer class. Then...I can graduate and I'll be back home for good and I will never leave you again," Lilly replied.

I smiled. "You get to graduate in, like, two years of college? That's awesome!"

"I'm excited."

"You should be." I pulled her birthday present from my pocket. "I have a present for you. I figured that you would get in trouble if I sent it to you or something, but happy birthday."

She took the box from me. "Kiss me first."

I smiled and pressed my lips to hers. A bunch of emotions burst inside of me and I started kissing her harder. Her hand went through my hair and I let my hand slip up and down her hip. She kissed me, the pulled back. I pulled her over to the couch and she sat down.

"Can I change? I hate wearing this," Lilly said.

"Sure. I need to too. I actually have to change, you have the snow thing," I replied.

"I can do that to you, you know."

"Really?"

She giggled. "Yeah. Just think of what you want to wear while I'm doing it."

Whiteness started surrounding me. I thought of my jeans and black t-shirt. When the snow cleared, I was wearing my jeans and black t-shirt.

"Awesome," I muttered.

She giggled and swirled snow around herself. When it cleared, she was in a pair of guys basketball shorts, orange in color, and a grey t-shirt.

"Cute. Whose shorts are they?" I asked, somewhat protective.

"From my cousins for my brother, whose dead, but I took what I could," she said.

"Open the box."

"Nico!"

"I said open the box! If you don't, gods, dang it, I will," I said poking her ribs.

She laughed and punched me in the arm. "Don't do that! Fine, I'll open it."

I scooted closer to her and she looked over at me. I nudged her with my shoulder and she rolled her eyes at me.

"Open it! I think you'll really like it," I said with a small smile.

She slowly started taking the top off of the small box. She looked inside and looked over to me.

"There's nothing in it, Nico," she said.

"What? What do you mean there's nothing in it? I put it in there!" I replied panicked.

She started laughing and laid across my lap. "Dude. I'm kidding! I just haven't really gotten to look at it yet."

I poked her stomach. "Don't do that to me, I really thought there wasn't a anything in it! Now look at what I got you!"

She giggled and took out the necklace. Two keys and a deep red gem thing. It's a washed out bronze and I like to call it the keys of the Underworld. She gasped and sat back up.

"Oh my gods, Nico! It's beautiful!" she said.

I smiled. "I thought you would like it."

"Nico, I love it!"

She kissed me on the cheek and hugged me, nuzzling her face into my chest. I smiled and kept my arms around her tightly.

"Please don't go," I whispered.

"But I have to. I still have maybe another hour. I'm not leaving you forever. Don't worry. I couldn't live like that," she replied.

I smiled. "I couldn't either."

She pushed away from me. "I'll be back. I have a break in January sometime. I'm definitely coming back to see you and everyone else. Mostly you, but whatever. Wait. You have classes."

"No, I have a break in January. What week is yours?"

"The first week."

I smiled. "Awesome. Then I guess someone's gonna end up stuck with me that whole week."

She giggled. "I'm up for that. And I don't even care what my parents think. Mostly my dad. My mom likes you, I can tell."

"I know she does. Oh, so I might be getting an apartment soon! Zach and Ash are getting married soon, as well as everyone else, and he said I could take his apartment."

"Nico, when is the wedding?" Lilly asked.

"Sometime next month."

"I can't make it! I have a ton of classes I have to take next month and I have big tests! I have a little plan I thought of, but I won't tell you until I know for sure it'll work." She bit her bottom lip. "I hope it'll work."

I smiled and pulled her close to me. I held her chin between my thumb and fingers and put my lips to hers. Gods, it's amazing to kiss her again. Just the way it feels is awesome.

She kissed me just as much as I kissed her. We did that for about the remainder of the time she was with me. Then it was time for her to go. She smiled sadly and kissed me one last time.

"I'll be back in January. I swear. I love you, Nico," she whispered.

"I love you too, Lilly," I replied.

Then she was gone. I went to my classes for those next months and had winter break, which I'm spending most of my time at the moment waiting for my girlfriend.. By that time, Ash, Gabby, Hazel, Genevieve, Annabeth, and Piper were all married. I was in all of their weddings, but it wasn't the same not having Lilly there. Gabby visited her regularly and I made her give Lilly a couple of my black t-shirts that she could wear on her lazy days. I can't wait until about two weeks. I think, no matter what happens, that's when I'm gonna propose to her.

It'll come fast, but not fast enough.