Aviva

6:

Nicole
I sat next to Aviva staring at her. This time around there were no tears in my eyes. I'm happy she's okay.

"Nicole?". She said as she tried to sit up. I watched her as she did because I know stopping her will be a fruitless effort. "Why are you not answering me". She continued as she poured. That is definitely cute. I should take a picture but it'll be weird.

"I didn't answer cos you were busy". I said and she laughed.  I sighed. I'm happy I could see her laugh once again. Anytime she laughs, the dimple she has beside her eyes shows. Yes she has a dimple beside her eyes.

"Who is she?". She asked suddenly directing my attention to Diane.

"Oh she is Diane,  she is my niece, also your cousin"

"Your niece but you look like age mates"

"Yeah we are but she is three years older"

"Oh now I get. Teenage pregnancy right?". She said and a conversation ensued. We talked for a long time about random issues which just keeps popping up. We even took pictures together. Diane was not left out. We loved Diane immediately. I think it's because she is the first relative she was going to meet after her parents death. After the incident of my sister and I husband they all left. I was the only one who stood by her and refused her been taken to an orphanage home. The government were going to get her a foster home but I declined. Thank God I didn't allow them. I feel self fulfilled now that I took care of my sister's daughter just the way my sister took really good care of me before she died.

"Where is Matt?"

"Oh his parents called. They need to finalize their moving in"

"Oh is he moving to Houston because of me?"

"No. His parents got transferred.  No need to feel guilty about what happened"

***
Aviva
"Is he moving to Houston because of me". I asked guilt filling me. Matt has always been happy in Houston. He was living his best life until that incident happened.

"No. His parents got transferred.  No need to feel guilty about what happened"

Two years ago before I moved to Houston, an incident happened which I forgave quickly but I don't think I would ever forget. It was a stain on my image so we had to move. I was sitting alone outside the school as usual. I had friends but I loved to be alone sometimes. I heard a girl who is always on my neck call my name.

"Hey Aviva!". I didn't respond.

"Cancer!". She tried again.

"Can you stop calling me cancer?". I asked rhetorically.

"Nope"

"You don't answer a rhetorical question dummy". I said turning back to my lonely thoughts

"Hey! I'm not done yet! Hey!"

"Urghhh! Why are you shouting?"

"I'm shouting"

"Yeah you are so please keep your mouth shut". I said trying to calm myself down.

"Well we'll know who's gonna be shouting very soon". She said and I looked up at her confused. I was told she is a psycho and she murders people for fun but I thought it was a rumour.

"Ok that was definitely not a rumour". I mumbled to myself as I saw her bring out a pink knife from the back of her phone. She uses that as a phone pouch? People are just crazy. She charged towards me and I held her. I can't let her have her way. I struggled with her not giving in.

"Just give in. You have cancer you'll die anyways"

"I won't". I retorted rolling my eyes. I can't believe I still have the guts to roll my eyes. I was still struggling trying not to get stabbed. After a while she stopped. Normally I'd say I'm  free but I don't feel free. I killed her. In the process of struggling with her I stabbed her. I stabbed a human. I killed someone even if the person is a psycho she's still human.

That incident made me unable to speak for about two days. The police interrogated me but I couldn't say a word. Images of what happened flashed through my mind every single minute. I was let off cos I'm a teenager, she's a psycho and it was on impulse. Self-defense. For once I thought I'll go to Juvi. I stopped thinking about it to talk to Nicole. I don't want her feeling lonely.

"Nicole?"

"Yeah"

"My diaries are on the table in my room. I arranged in chronologically so you don't need to worry. Add a cute cover"

"You really want to publish the book"

"Yeah, I want to spread Aviva to the world. It contains everything that happened from the day we got to Houston till present"

"Wow"

"Before I forget,  my present diary is here". I lifted the pillow and gave the diary to her. The diary fell cos I couldn't raise my hand for too long.

"Sorry". Diane said and I smiled. "Do you like the artworks I showed you"

"Yeah they were nice. I like that painting of a girl you did"

"I can make a cuter replica for your book cover. Is it okay?"

"Yeah that'll be great. The name of the book is 'The last days of Aviva Cornelli'". I said with a proud smile.

"I've always wanted to ask how my mum and dad met since my dad is partly Italian"

"It was a long story to cut it short they met when my sister travelled to Italy without telling anyone"

"My mum seemed to be very reckless"

"Yes she was. Reckless but industrious.  Weird combination right?". Nicole said and we laughed. I'm  definitely going to miss her. The truth is I don't want to live anymore. I'm causing a lot of people pain. I want to be free. Free from all these painful thoughts. Free from everything.  I just want to go.

"Nicole"

"Yeah?"

"I love you". I said and tears trickled down my cheek.

"I love you too"

"My legacy lives on right?"

"Yeah your legacy lives on". She responded and I smiled. After a while I struggled to lie down and I shut my eye. This is it. It's  over.