Don't Be The Hero

Thirty One

Nina pov.

On the day of the funeral, everyone was crying their eyes out. Some more than others, but the whole school was there. We had a cute little service, even though his body was given back to the family. Annie dressed me up nicely, and for once I objected to nothing. A black dress, a girly looking sweater, black flats, fancy earrings, curdled hair, makeup, the whole shebang. I was plastered to Jack's side the entire time, even when I went up to put a flower next to Annie's, I couldn't bring myself to let go of him. Either because of the fear of losing it, or that I would fall down crying and never get up. Dad said a few things, a short speech, followed by the Professor. Jean let a few tears drop while Storms face was like the ocean. Wet.
I was happy when the service ended. Sad, tired, and with a headache, but I was relived it was over. I had locked Jack out of my room, as I cleaned up. I took off the fancy clothes, washed my face, and changing into my training clothes. Sitting on my bed, taking deep breaths, trying to pull myself together, I looked at my picture wall and wanted to cry all over again. I could have taken down every last picture, but I looked away. When I felt a little better, I unlocked my door expecting to find Jack. I find an empty hallway. I look up and down. No one. On the floor I find a note.

Nina,
Victor said he was by the tree. I went with Joy to get her some new clothes. I'll be back soon Muffin.
I love you, Jack.

I threw the note back in my room and close my door. I was going down to see if Victor was willing to punch the crap out of me, but I stopped. There was a lot of crying coming from Annie's room. I knocked. "Annie? You ok?"
I heard a muffled response. "Yeah I-I'm fine."
"I can come sit with you if you want?" I ask through the door. "No, that's ok, I'm fine." I jiggled the knob. "You don't sound fine. I'm coming in one way or another." I was preparing to kick down the door. There was rustling of papers and a drawer closing. She unlocked the door and I stepped in. Her room was full of pictures tapped up everywhere. Some were photos, others were drawings. Everywhere. Celling down. Some were on the floor, tornado style. I looked at the closest one to my head. A drawing of Annie. Done by Matt. All of them were.
She had been crying a lot. I got up and went to her bathroom, grabbed a cup, filled it and brought it back. "Drink it." She did. She set the empty cup aside and sat on her bed. She let out a strangled laugh. "Remember how I always forced you to eat and drink, when you were too caught up with training?" I nodded "I try not to forget to eat, but it's harder than it looks."
She smiled sadly and looked down at the floor. "You have Jack to do that now. You could spend your whole day doing something, and he would bring you food."
I sit down next to her. "It's not as fun as it sounds. If Jack brings me the same sandwich every day for a week, and forces me to eat it, I would cry. Sometimes I just pretend to eat and through it away when he's not looking." That made her laugh. An actual real laugh. "What else do you do when he's not looking?"

I smile, "I have a range of things. Sometimes when I'm mad, I mock him. Roll my eyes once in a while. Most of the time, when he's talking to me and I'm busy, he says random things, and I act like I wasn't listening, but I was. He's said some pretty weird things."
"Like what? Name some of these weird things."
"Once when I was using the punching bag, he said so many funny things I almost gave myself away. 'I am the life of the party.' 'What's your favorite color?' 'Ah! The light! It burns!' 'Have you seen my lunch? I swear I just had it.'
'How old is Victor? Has he ever been to the moon?'
"Have you ever thought about sticking your hand in the garbage disposal in the sink?'"
She was cracking up. "Ok! No more! It's too funny."
"Come on I have one more. He said it on the first day Victor was here, and I never told you. I can't remember exactly, but it was something about nuking the moon." She laughed. I almost thought things were back to normal. I gave her a hug. "I'll be on the field, punching Victor. If I twist something badly and can't figure out how to fix it, you'll be there right?" She nodded. "If you yell really loudly."
I got up and sprinted out. Approaching Victor I said, "Don't go easy this time." I unsheathed my claws. His fingernails grew and his canines pointed. "I never do."