No Journey Too Small (G/T)

CH3- A Lonely Soul

(POV NICK)

I said that I wanted to stay.

"Nick dear, we're going for some work, probably won't be back till the night. Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

Not anymore, I wasn't.

It happened too fast. I knew 'fast' had a different definition for my 3.5 inch frame, but it was fast for any normal person too. Maria, my parents' lawyer and close friend, almost an aunt to me, came running in the house just a few hours later.

"N-Nick! NICK! W-WHERE ARE YOU?!"

My earmuffs were the only thing which saved my ears from blowing up. And that was the part which confused me most. Maria was quiet, even by my standards. When she came in my room, I got her attention easily. After all these years, she knew where to find me. But she froze on seeing me. And I tensed up too. She looked as if she'd fallen down a hill. But what startled my stoic demeanor was her face. She had been crying for a while, by the looks of it.

Nothing like that had happened before.

She stuttered with her words, but blurted out gibberish, something along the lines of 'someone needing my parents more than I did'...

Of course I understood what had happened.

A car accident.

But I didn't want to believe it.

They were two of the three constants I had in my life. And now, they were gone. Forever, into the howling dark of the night. And this night would stretch for an eternity...

And now, my third constant, who cried her heart out as she literally towered over me, was on the verge of collapse. I refuse to let her face this suffering. I refuse to give up.

It's what they would have wanted.

(3 Weeks later)

"Kill" Announced the even voice.

"Double Kill"

"Triple Kill"

"Overkill"

I guess I'm pretty good at games. I had won this match easily. But my mind was stuck on that day... I had helped Maria over the first week, ridding her of the guilt. She said that despite being so small, my heart was huge. Technically my heart is smaller than a centimeter, but I couldn't see her in pain. Ever since my parents passed away, she'd managed all the legal work, and had even gone ahead and helped my personally. Turns out, helping someone reduce their guilt tends to increase yours at times.

But being guilty around Maria was difficult. One- she was the guilt magnet herself,  and two- I wasn't going to project myself as weak. Especially after what had happened. I wasn't about to give in and take the role of victim that could so easily have been mine.

But I'm only human.

Maria and I had learnt to rely on each other in this short span of time. Both emotionally and mentally. It wasn't easy, but not impossible either.

I tried my best to keep everyone happy.

(1 Week Ago)

"Maria, let me get this straight. You are my temporary legal guardian, yes?"

"Yeah..."

"And you have managed the legal work, right?"

"Of course!"