Three 》Soulmate AU

Ch. 6: Home

a lie
is a promise
that is kept in your heart
but not in your brain
that's exactly what
this will be
please, just
get away from me
even though I want you so

distractions
are bliss
in a mess
like this
but my thoughts
will always
be there

~

"Okay, Nico. Let's go back, have a fun time. Try not to think about it. We'll work this out later. Okay?" Hazel reasons.

I nod. Then I shake my head.

"Why not?" she asks gently.

I don't need to tell her for her to understand. I'm overwhelmed, and I'm... embarrassed. Believe it or not.

"Okay. How about we go home then."

"No, you should get to have fun, a-and I just thought about it and I don't want to make Will feel bad-"

"Nico, I'll explain it to him. He won't feel bad. And I do this every weekend, it's okay if I miss it just this once."

"But I feel bad-"

"Don't feel bad, Nico. It's okay."

"No, it's not!"

"It is. Come on, Nico, let's go home."

She grabs my hand and pulls me up and to our car. She runs back to explain to the group (I don't know exactly what she says, but it honestly doesn't matter), and I try not to look at them. A moment later she's hopping behind the wheel, without our basket of popsicles that she left to her friends, and backs out of our parking space.

I look at my wrist to see a beautifully shaded heart. Love.

Soulmate.

Number three.

~

Hazel lays me on my bed. Mama is out shopping, so we're alone. She covers me with a blanket and hands me tissues.

"I'm scared." I say.

She nods, "I know. It's okay."

"I don't want to think about it." I state.

"Than let's not. Let's play a game."

"What game?" I ask.

She sits behind me, "I Spy?"

I shrug, "Okay."

So we play I Spy, putting spins on it, asking questions like: I spy something blue; I spy something soft; I spy something old.

It's fun, and sort of distracts me, but it's all still there in the back of my head.

"Hazel?" I ask.

"Yes?"

"Do you have Will's phone number?"

"Yeah."

"Can I have it?"

She pulls out her phone, "Are you sure?"

I nod, "Yeah."

"Okay."

"Hazel?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

"Of course, Neeks."

"Only you can call me that!"

She laughs at my threat, "Okie-dokie, I'll take it!"