I Knew Her As August

thirteen: august & sage

Everything felt numb.

Nicki felt the temptation to deny everything and go back to a world that hid the truth from her. At least it didn't hurt this much.

Tulip had tried to comfort her after reading the transcript, but she couldn't help saying that she knew something wasn't right with Conrad from the start. Nicki didn't have any ammo to throw back at her, so she sulked back to her room. All she wanted was to be alone.

She fell into her bed, staring up at the ceiling with blank eyes. She wasn't sure what she was more mad about: the fact that Conrad was the daughter of the man that killed her father, or that Conrad lied to her about it. Maybe she didn't lie about it, but Nicki thought it was at least common curtesy to tell your friends if you were involved in their parent's murder or not.

There was a soft knock at the door. Nicki wiped the tears from her eyes, not knowing when they started falling.

"Come in," her voice cracked.

Copenhagen stuck his head around the door with hesitation. He frowned at the sad state of his sister.

"What's wrong, Nicki?" He came swiftly to her side, a true hero.

"Nothing, it's nothing," Nicki sniffled, stifling down the last of her sadness. Copenhagen wasn't convinced. He placed his large hand over hers.

"I know you've been disappointed that you aren't more involved in the planning and progression of our kingdom. I'm not trying to exclude you, you know that, right?" he asked softly, as if asking her permission for it to not be his fault.

"It sure feels like it. All I do is sit in my tower," Nicki grumbled.

"You can't just run wild, Nicolette. We have to be reasonable and responsible when dealing with the real world. We are still the leaders of the Angelic people," Copenhagen pressed, sounding much older than he actually was.

Nicki really wasn't in the mood for a lecture. She stood up abruptly, casting away Copenhagen's caring hand.

"I'm not a leader. No one even listens to me. Nobody knows I exist." Nicki felt her tears wanting to return but she dismissed them.

"That's not true. Come on, you know that's not true," Copenhagen argued. Nicki kept her face turned away. Her head was swirling with a thousand different thoughts and emotions and worries; there wasn't space for anything else.

Copenhagen wasn't patient enough to fight with a silent room, but he didn't want to leave his sister unhappy like this.

"Look," he began, running his fingers through his hair with frustration. Nicki knew he was trying his best.

"I know you're frustrated but I want to make it up to you. Anything you want." He said it with a hesitation that almost sent the words directly back into his mouth.

Nicki looked back at him, her green eyes searching if he really meant it.

"Anything?" Nicki felt her subconscious start to creep out of the shadows.

"Within reason," he murmured, putting her wild dreams to an immediate stop. Nicki huffed her breath, knowing it was too good to be true.

"Halloween is coming up. Why don't you decide what we'll do to celebrate?" Copenhagen offered encouragingly.

Nicki weighed it over in her head.

"Fine," she relented. Copenhagen smiled with all his teeth.

"That's the spirit." Copenhagen gave her a one-armed hug, kissing her forehead shortly.