HEARTBLOOD - Paul Lahote

ONE

"Hey, I know you just unpacked, but would you want to go down to the Res with me? A bunch of people want to see you," Dad asks me. I hesitate. He sees it. "It's ok if you don't"

I shake my head; I feel like I'm already disappointing him. I motion to the messy room and put up one finger. Indicating to give me a minute.

He nods, I see the gears in his head spinning. "I've been trying to learn Sign Language. I know you Sign and said not to worry, but I want to talk to you... well, I guess not talk but just communicate," He laughs. My face shows amusement at my dad. I grab a paper on my desk and a pen.

'Thanks, Dad, it means a lot :).' I write it down and turn it towards him. He nods and goes downstairs to wait for me. I look around me and tidy up a little bit. All my clothes go away and the only thing left are my books scattered everywhere. I didn't really care if my books were on the floor, I read through them so fast it didn't even matter to put them away.

I changed into a big sweater and some black jeans, I threw on the beat-up shoes that had lasted me years. I look in the mirror for a second.

My brown hair hits just below my shoulders. My jeans are struggling to fit as I haven't eaten as much lately. My sweater giving the impression that I was cold, but I am always cold. That's just what happens when you have nothing on your bones. My face was slim, but not pretty slim. It was slim that a grandma would have ten plates in front of you making you eat it all. My rings barely clinging onto the skin that was left. My eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep. How can dad look at me and see his little girl...

I walk away slowly from my mirror and go downstairs. I see dad watching football on the TV. He looks at me with a smile. "Ready to go, Nicky?" He says as he stands up. I nod.

The drive was only 7 minutes. The shortest 7 minutes of my life. I was nervous to see these people. The looks of remorse and sadness. That's all I see. They try to talk to me but stop the moment my nods bore them.

"Nicolette?" My dad says. We had been sitting in the car for so long, my legs wouldn't move to get out. "It's okay, baby. They will love you. They have always loved you,"

I put my feet on the ground. I wrap my arm around my dads. Hiding behind his big figure. He opens up the door to the house. I see everyone.

They all get up and come over. I felt bombarded.

"Hi, Nicky! It so amazing to see you again. We missed you so much," Sue Clearwater says as she hugs me. I hug her back. I see her kids behind her. "Leah and Seth, come say hi,"

"Hey," Leah says with a small wave. We never really hung out but saw each other on holidays.

"Nicky!" Seth says as he hugs me tightly. I hug him back tightly too. He emails me all year and we talk all the time. Well.. used too. "I missed you so much! I can't wait to show you everything that changed!"

"Seth," Sue says giving him a look. You can see in everyones faces that they know what happened. I shake my head in a reassuring way. Seth made me feel normal, he didn't change when the accident happened.

Harry pats me on the back. "Missed you, kid," I nod at him. Seth drags me to the backyard where he shows me his new bike. We used to ride our bikes in the woods all the time. Our parents would be so mad every time we came back. I nod with a smile.

"Oh, I totally forgot to tell you," Seth says. I look at him confused, "Paul Lahote is living with us right now. It's kinda like having an older brother. I always wanted one. I don't think he likes me though," He says putting his head down. I lift his head up with my hand.

He looks at me. 'Everyone likes you'. I mouth.

He smiles at me. "You're the best. I wish you were my sister," He says hugging me again. I hug him back. Suddenly I hear a few footsteps and turn around. I see Sam, Leah, and Paul. I smile at them.