Nova is a recent law school graduate, clinging to her dream of becoming a sports lawyer through an internship with New York City's NHL team, hoping she can land a full time position. One problem though, the captain of the hockey team is someone she...
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The sun begins streaming through the curtains in my room, attempting to pull me from my sour, melancholy mood and I hate it. I tug my comforter over my head, crafting a fort to hide in from everything bright and cheery in the world.
This day, every year was never bright and cheery. At least it hadn't been, not for a while now.
I hear a light knock and my door swing open, but I refuse to climb out of my bundle of blankets. I feel the bed dip as someone sits on the edge and I feel a hand trying to pull the blanket off of me, but I hold onto it tighter.
Lennon sighs, "I brought you hot chocolate, extra marshmallows."
The gesture makes tears well in my eyes. I do my best to blink them back before poking my head out of the covers.
"Thank you."
She gives me a soft smile, playing with my hair as she asks, "Anything else I can do for you?"
I swallow the lump forming in my throat, not trusting myself to speak without breaking down as I shake my head.
"You call off work already?"
I nod, taking a few deep breaths before lifting myself up and grabbing the mug from her. She made it just the way I like it, and I hover my face over the chocolate steam, enjoying the aroma. Lennon gently rubs my back, giving me some form of comfort. I can't help the tears that begin welling up again.
"I'm sorry."
Lennon scoffs, "Why are you sorry?"
I turn to her with a watery smile, "You've had to deal with this every year. It should have gotten easier by now."
She hugs me tight, resting her chin on my shoulder, "Nova, your dad died. And now every year on his birthday, you have to be reminded that he's no longer here. That loss never has to get easier. You loved him so much. You should never apologize for that, it just shows how big your heart is."
I fiercely wipe at the tears that run down my face, annoyed. I get what she's saying, I do. But I also think that I shouldn't have to call off work because of my grief after all this time. It makes me feel weak. It makes me feel like a burden to my roommates moping around the apartment when their trying to live their own lives.
"I can't keep letting it consume me like this, though."
Lennon rolls her eyes, "Consume you? You took off one day. Besides, you needed it anyway. you've been working way too hard these last couple of weeks."
She wasn't wrong. I've barely seen Declan since Thanksgiving two weeks ago with his family. I've been throwing myself into my work, taking on more tasks than they've even asked of me because I want them to offer me the job during my evaluation. Mack mentioned she was hired on to be full time after a few months, and I've hit that mark. I don't want to miss out on this opportunity by not being enough for the job. I want to prove that I'm more than capable, which is exactly what I've been doing.
