Friend

IV

The next day she left Mimi with the neighbor across the street. She told them she had something she needed to do and she couldn't bring Mimi with her "I'll probably be back in a few hours, if I'm not my husband will pick Mimi up after work if that's okay Mrs. Mario?" She says to the old woman. Mrs. Mario just nodded slowly "that's fine dearie, I'll see either one of you later" Mr. Mario tells her with a smile as she ushers Mimi inside. "Bye mommy" Mimi says with a small wave, she looked down at her bending down she gave her a big hug, "bye Mimi" she says as she kisses the top of her head "I'll be back I promise" she whispered the last part as she turned towards her car and began driving to her donation. It took about an hour before she pulled up to an old looking house, she sat in the car for a moment contemplating her decision with a long sigh she got out of the car. She stood in front of the house taking it all in, the once white fence was now old and weathered its white paint almost all gone. Each fence posted had a strange symbol craved into it she opened the gate and headed up to the door, before she reached the door a voice spoke out "well, well, well look what the cat dragged in." She watched as a woman opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, her arms crossed and an unamused look on her face "now what brings you here Teresa?" The woman asked her voice lanced with slight anger. Before Teresa could answer the woman cut her off "if I remember correctly, it was you who said what was it again?" She asked tapping her chin pretending to think, "oh, that's right" she said with a snap of her fingers "it was stay the hell away from my family demon!" She snapped her voice full of venom, "Isn't that right sister?!" She demanded. Teresa looked down regrettably "Nico please" Teresa says sadly still looking at the ground, she couldn't bring herself to look her sister in the eyes. Nico clicked her tongue in irritation "you think you can come here and asked for something after what you did?" Nico asked as she steps off the porch and stands in front of Teresa "what did you expect me to do?" Teresa asked as she slowly raised her head to look at Nico. Nico uncrossed her arms and started circling her glaring as she did so "you know Teresa I put up with a lot of your shit over the years" she tells her Teresa didn't move but she did watch Nico's every move with her eyes. Nico raised one of her hands a began to count as she raised a finger, "one when we entered middle school and I was bullied you didn't help me" she says sadly as she raised another finger. "Two you acted like you didn't even know me, you ignored me through out middle school, then when we got home acted like nothing happened!" she snapped her anger growing with each word she said. Teresa closed her eyes unable to look at the look in Nico's eyes. Nico raised another finger still glaring at her "three in high school the bullying got worse, and you joined in with them" she says Teresa could hear to sadness in Nico's voice when she said it. Teresa fought back the tears that began to form in her eyes, she remembered everything Nico went through, and everything she did to her. Nico stopped circling Teresa coming to face her, Nico  lowered her hand and gave her a sad smile, she knew Teresa couldn't see it with her eyes closed "but even after all that I still forgave you, I still loved you, but then you called me a demon and that was the last straw, I was done forgiving!" She tells her the venom back in her voice. Teresa let out a shaky breath before opening her eyes to stare right into Nico's "what did you expect Nico? You were teaching Sara! How did you think I would react?" She snapped waving her hands in front of her. Nico rolled her eyes "she had the gift, i was teaching her how to control it!" Nico snapped back "what wrong sister afraid people would call her a freak or demon" Nico hissed the last part. Teresa glared at her "I didn't want her to learn how to control it! I wanted it to go away!" She shouts at Nico. This was a mistake Teresa knew Nico wouldn't listen to her let alone help her, and she honestly couldn't blame her Nico went though hell growing up because of what she could do. Nico gave her a smirk "yeah, and when you don't teach them how to control it you end up with the situation you in right now" Nico says crossing her arms again. Nico watched as Teresa's eyes went wide in shock, Teresa grabbed the front of Nico's shirt "what did you do?!" She demanded. Nico looked down at her hand and gave a small laugh before she easily removed her hand "I didn't do anything Teresa, this is all Mimi's doing, I told you if they don't learn then there's trouble" Nico tells her as she straightens her shirt and sits down on the porch she pats the spot beside her. So many different thoughts were going through Teresa's mind before her shoulders slumped and she sat beside Nico. There was only silence between them as the looked up at the sky. Teresa broke it first when she decided to ask "you already knew the reason I was here, didn't you?" She asked she watched as Nico nodded her head "yup, I knew it would be only a matter of time" Nico replies, Nico glanced at Teresa from the corner of her eye before speaking again "it was either going to be when something happened to Mimi or he made himself known to you". Teresa looked back at Nico shocked with how much her sister already knew "him?" She asked wondering if Nico truly knew or not. Nico let out a small chuckle as she stood back up and stretched her back "you know who I mean Teresa, I'm talking about Fred" she tells her. Nico looks down at her "or as you know him Friend", Teresa head snapped up at Nico her eyes wide with worry and slight fear how did Nico know all of this already. "H-how?" She asked her voice shaking as she did. Nico let out another chuckle as she stuck her hand out to help her up, "remember sister dear you told me to stay away, but I have friends on the other side" Nico tells her with a wink as she helped Teresa to her feet. Nico headed to the door before turning her head slightly to look at Teresa "well? Come on, we can discuss everything inside" was all she said as she walked in leaving Teresa alone to make her choice. Teresa stood there for a few minutes thinking everything over, she could either go back home and deal with Friend or should she said Fred by herself, or she could hear what Nico knows and hope she'd help her. Teresa let out a defeated sigh before grabbing the door knob going in, only one things matter now, and that is getting rid of Friend and saving Mimi.