Daughter of the Underworld

My Imaginary Friend Brings A Chocolate Cake

- Ella -

"Happy birthday, Ella!"

My imaginary friend steps into my bedroom through the window, which I usually unlock first thing in the morning for him.  He's wearing a baggy black tee shirt with the sleeves haphazardly cut off, the neckline and the bottom also cut this way, it has a moth surrounded by greyish yellow flowers printed on the front.  The weird scars, like dog scratches, but deeper, on his upper arms are visible, as well as the tattoos on his forearms.

He has a red rose with a thorny stem tattooed on his left arm that has names printed parallel to the stem in cursive, Bianca on one side, and Maria on the other side.  On his right forearm is a realistic skull, above a small raven in flight on his inner wrist.  On his left inner wrist is a bumblebee, and on the back of his left hand is a small red heart, that looks like it was drawn with marker and scribbled in, with Hazel written next to it.  On the back of his right forearm, near his hand, is a black cat that looks to be watery and melting that has yellow eyes.  There's one that looks like a pile of rubies and emeralds above the raven tattoo.  I've always found them pretty and really cool, especially the rose.

I see a plastic container in his hands, along with two boxes stacked on top of it.  His distressed black jeans catch on the windowsill, but he manages to get them loose, ripping a few threads in the process.

"Did someone order a cake?  And presents?"  He sets the stuff on my nightstand, then pushes his bright red dyed hair back from his face.  The black roots are showing, and a few short black strands fall in his face.  His hair reaches his shoulders now.  I run up to him and hug him.  "Thank you, Nico!"

"You're welcome."  Nico smiles.  He picks me up, ruffling my long blond hair.  "So, how's it going on this, what, fourth birthday of yours?"  He adjusts the seven cuff earrings in his left ear and six in his right, all silver rings, then the single raven skull shaped earrings on each of his earlobes.

"Silly, I'm five now.  I was four last year."

"No, no, you're supposed to be four again.  I won't allow you to be five."

"You can't stop me from being five.  I was already five when I woke up.  That's why you turned nineteen."

"That does explain why I turned nineteen this year.  Now, could you promise me something?"  Nico's dark brown eyes meet my grey eyes, and I nod.

"Could you promise me that you won't squeal when I give you your presents?"

"Mm-hm."

"Okay," I'm placed onto the floor.

Nico walks over to where he placed my presents, but before he can, my mother comes to the door, knocking lightly.  "May I come in, Ella?"

I glance at Nico, who dropped down quickly and is currently lying on his back on the dark hardwood floor, scooting underneath my bed, muttering about the toys under the bed.  Once he successfully gets fully under the bed, down to his black Converse clad feet, I respond to my mother.

"Yes, Mommy."

My mother comes in, her blonde hair flowing around her shoulders.  "Happy birthday, Ella!  So," she giggles, her grey eyes sparkling, "am I the first to tell you that?"

"No, my imaginary friend Nico said that this morning."

"Do you still have an imaginary friend?  You're five now, and your friends at school will make fun of you for that."

"What friends?  Nobody wants to be my friend because I'm weird."

"Sweetheart, this is why when you went into school I asked you to give up the imaginary friends.  I wanted you to have real friends."

"Nico is real, Mommy."

"Ella, there's no way this Nico is real."

Mommy doesn't notice the presents and cake on my nightstand, yet.  She walks over to the window, shutting it.

"Please don't leave the window open, especially without a screen.  And don't leave it unlocked, because a robber could get in."

"Okay."

"Where'd these presents and this cake come from?"

"Nico brought them."

"What?  Tyler, I need you to come in here.  Somebody came in and gave Ella cake and presents."  Mommy picks up everything.

"What do you mean, Margot?"  Daddy comes in, confusion written on his face as soon as he sees what Nico brought.  "It's my presents and my cake that Nico brought.  His sister made the cake, like he does every year, her special recipe, apparently," I say, gathering the plastic container and pink and blue wrapped boxes into my arms and setting them back on the nightstand.

Daddy sits down on my wooden desk chair.  "Ella, I don't want you to talk to this Nico again, do you hear me?"

"But," tears form in my eyes, "he has always been there for me.  Ever since I was born, almost, according to him.  I am his sister, he said."

"Yes, and that's what I'm afraid of, he could be a bad person."  Daddy frowns.

"No, no, you're wrong.  Nico's never tried to harm me or do the no-no touch.  He's actually the one who saved me that time I chased Shadow into the street."

Mommy sighs, running her slender fingers through my hair.  "Sweetheart, this is getting out of hand.  You've got toys in your closet from past birthdays and Christmases that your father and I never gave you and we know you didn't buy them yourself.  I think we need to meet this Nico friend of yours, if he's going to continue coming around.  And if you're planning on eating that cake."  I look to Papa for help, but he only agrees with Mamma.

"Hold on one moment.  Let me consult with my diary."  I quietly pick up the hot pink, purple butterfly patterned journal, one of many, past conversations of Nico and I, and old letters from when he was traveling for work, filling the pages on the thirteen others.  I pick up a dark blue glitter gel pen, writing on the light purple lines printed on pastel pink pages.

Nico, my Mommy and Daddy want to meet you.  Can they?

I place the journal under the bed with the pen beside it, pushing it under there until it hits Nico's arm.  I know there's no need for a flashlight, because Nico told me he can see quite well in the dark.  After a moment, with my parents watching me like they're hawks and I'm an unsuspecting mouse, the journal and the pen are shoved to the edge of the bed.  I pick them up, opening the book to the page marked with the built in purple ribbon bookmark.  I quietly read Nico's small, neat handwriting.

With a realize for your parents concerns, and because you have known me almost since you were born, and because I realize you're only five:

Yes.  I will meet your parents.

My eyes light up, excited that Mommy and Daddy can meet Nico.  "Okay," I say, turning to Mommy and Daddy, "Nico said he'd meet you."

"Good," Daddy says, "because I wish to meet this not-so-imaginary friend of yours."

"But he is imaginary."

"Not if he's giving you tangible presents and cake," Mommy says.  I huff, pushing my dark hair from my face.  "Well, where is he?"  Daddy says.

"Under the bed."

"What?!"

"Don't worry, he's harmless.  He just went under there b'cause you guys came in and he was worried you'd freak even though he's really nice."

"Alright, but why is he under the bed if he's imaginary and no one can see him?"  Mommy questions.

"I don't know!  I'm five, not all knowing!"

"Well, tell him to get up and meet us."

I watch carefully as Nico slides out from under the bed, standing with a pink tinge to his cheeks.  "And who are you, to be in my daughter's bedroom?"  Mommy stands up defensively, trying to push me behind her.  "Uh, I'm Nico di Angelo, and I can explain.  Do you believe in the Greek gods?"