𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞 (𝓢𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓵𝓸)

Chapter 𝐕𝐈

Nico moped around the next day, since it was a Saturday. Will hadn't done anything, yet he still seemed mad at the blond. Maybe it was because his words reminded Nico of the torture he endured during his childhood and how Will ignored the abuse he acknowledged during the one summer they shared.

Bianca's fist knocked gently against Nico's door in an attempt to comfort her. Backup cookies rested on the floor as she knocked with her only free hand.

"What?" Nico's voice was groggy and drowsy, clearly conveying the monstrous amount of sleep he'd had: 0.2 hours.

"Great, you're already awake!" Bianca cheered silently. "Can I come in? I have chocolate chip cookies!"

"I've been awake all night," Nico spat back, but gave her the consent to walk into his room. "Give me the cookies."

"Someone's hungry," She murmured while handing her brother the plate of the freshly baked dessert.

"I haven't eaten since last night," Said Nico as he shoved cookies down his throat without a second thought. "What do you want, Bia?"

"Cold," Bianca smirked. "I wanted to talk to you about your study session last night. You were so pissed. What happened?"

"Will didn't do anything, if that's what you're thinking about," Nico grumbled, stuffing his face into his pillow with indignation. "We were studying, and he started talking like mom."

"Nico." Bianca exhaled loudly, face-palming her forehead. "You can't just get angry or sad whenever someone reminds you of mom. That's how you chase people away."

"I'm not used to other people," He said quietly.

"What memories did you see?" She asked instead, sitting in the desk chair beside Nico's bed to chat with her little brother. "Something bad, right? One of the worst times?"

"Quite the opposite, actually."

"Nico~" Her voice sang out. Hidden in the prosperity and sweetness in her tone was pure poison waiting to eat Nico up and swallow him whole. "Nico, sweetie! Where are you?"

His lips were zipped shut, covered by his childish hand. Sweat beaded at his forehead, anxiety taking over. If Maria found him hiding, he sincerely believed it would be the end of him.

"Nico-" Her voice stiffened, the generosity seeping out. "Nico, you can't hide forever. Your father and Bianca are out shopping right now. It's just you and me."

At that moment, the smallest Di Angelo was hidden in the closet, the only space he could think of. Maria would find him easily, but he needed to delay the blasts for as long as he could.

"You're in your bedroom, aren't you?" Maria hummed, her footsteps roaring in his ears as she entered the small room. The door slammed shut, signaling Nico's defeat against his mother. "Oh, I wonder where you are."

The bedroom door swung open, revealing Nico's anxious state. A creepy smile crept across Maria's lips, only adding to the insanity in her soul. "You fucking brat! You thought you could hide!"

"Please, don't!" Nico spouted shrilly, holding his arms out to stop her. "Don't hurt me!"

"Oh, I don't plan on hurting you physically," Maria promised, rampaging towards his personal belongings. "Emotionally, however..."

She snapped the teddy bear in half, the only friend he seemed to have. In a path or rage, she destroyed his bedroom. Nico couldn't stand or protest, his heartbreak silencing his mouth.

"Stop-" He managed to croak, although it was rather quiet.

"What was that, brat?" Maria plastered her hand against her ear, leaning down to hear her son. "Was that an objection I heard?"

"Mom?" Nico whimpered, pushing the woman off balance to escape her wrath.

Fury stung Maria's eyes as her son escaped the bedroom to flee to safety. "Get back here! You will never be safe! You will never escape!"

"It was after she gave me the scar on my neck." Nico tugged the cloth down to reveal a nasty scar running along the jagged crook of his neck. "She was really sympathetic and wanted to know what happened to me."

"And she called the mothers of those kids who were mean to you," Bianca finished for him, knowing he wouldn't want to be reminded of it all. "I remember that. Why did that come to mind while you two were studying?"

"Well, he started talking about how nobody is perfect and how we're all good at something, and it reminded me of how she somewhat comforted me about my looks," Nico shrugged his shoulders, pulling the comforter over his face to hide his embarrassed blush. "I got flustered and left saying I was tired."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Bianca agreed. "You should probably apologize to Will. He was being really kind about it."

"What?"

"He texted me after you left in tears," Bianca admitted, staring down at her unlocked phone. "He's worried about you. I called him and explained to him how you didn't get any sleep last night and overall just needed to rest. He understood."

"Thanks for going behind my back, Bia," Nico scowled while stretching his back. "What else happened while I was sulking?"

"Nothing really," Bianca shrugged, unaware of the inevitable pain it'd bring her again. "Jason called to ask if you were okay."

"He called you, not me?"

"Well, him and Will are pretty good friends," Bianca told him reluctantly. "He didn't want you to know since he thought it would be awkward for you."

"That checks out," Nico groaned.

"Will knows you and Jason are best friends, so he thought Jason would know why you were so sad," Bianca continued. "Then Will sent me a call. The rest is history."

"I'm so fucked." Nico turned away from his sister, eyes staring out the window. The light burned his retinas after staring into the darkness for so long, but he adjusted. "My life is over."

"No, stop being such a baby," Bianca scolded, mildly slapping Nico's shoulder. "Get up and seize the day. It's nice outside."

"Nope, I'm staying in bed and napping until I get a full eight hours," Nico countered, tugging the covers back over his body in an attempt to shoo his sister away. "Bia, get out of my room. I'm going back to bed."

"I'm not leaving until you at least get something to eat."

"I ate your cookies," Nico responded automatically. "Get out."