"Ready?" I asked Paris. She was chewing her finger nails. I smiled at her, trying to get her to relax. She was too high strung.
She smiled back a bit, then said, "Yep. Let's go."
The doors opened for us automatically, seeming to invite us into the sterile lobby. Paris gulped and her green eyes began to look panicked.
I felt my fingers begin to move. I looked down at them and saw they were headed for Paris's slightly tanned hand. I bit my lip as they twitched ever closer. I gazed fixedly as my hand wrapped about Paris's cold, shaky one.
She gasped a bit and jumped when she felt my skin against hers. Her bright green eyes were shocked when she caught the quick glance I threw at her.
"N-Nico?" Paris's face was still astonished.
"Yeah?" I asked, adding a smile to my question.
"Why're you ho--never mind," She shook her head in bewilderment.
"How can I help you two?" The receptionist was a kind of round woman with a flowered blouse and to much lipstick.
"Uhm, well," Paris cleared her throat. I saw the raw hysteria rising in her eyes. I gave her hand a squeeze and she seemed to gain confidence.
"I'm here to visit my, er, dad. Gregory Hale?" Paris was tugging nervously at her shirt collar. "He has small cell lung cancer."
"Gregory Hale. Alrighty, let me see," The receptionist moved from her gray office chair and headed to the alphabetical files behind her desk.
"See?" I whispered to her. "I'm sure he's absolutely fine."
"Oh, dear. Sweetie," The receptionist, who's name was pinned to her blouse, Mrs. Drake, looked aghast as she set a manila file folder on the desk in front of Paris. "Honey, Mr. Hale...he passed this morning at 11:38."
*PARIS'S P.O.V.*
My breath caught in my throat. For a suffocating moment, I couldn't inhale, exhale, or do anything, really. My thoughts spun in dizzying clumps around my head. Finally, I gulped in air. I felt like my lungs were on fire.
"M-my dad is-is d-d-dead?" I whimpered softly.
"Dear, I'm afraid so," Mrs. Drake's pale face was stricken.
"Where's the restroom?" I inquired.
"Down the fall, to the right. Honey, I'm so, so sorry."
I pulled my hand out on Nico's, shocked that Nico was still grasping it, and darted down the hall. I flung the door open to the single person bathroom. After sliding the deadbolt behind me, I let out a strangled sob.
The grief was trying to suffocate me; it was doing a good job. It took all my strength not to collapse on the black and white tiled floor and break down. The tears streamed down my face so freely, that soon the front of my shirt was drenched.
Memories came slowly back. My sixth birthday party, when my dad had dropped the cake on the table. We'd pulled out forks and scraped cake up from the cloth. When I was eight, and I'd gotten kicked out of yet another school. I rushed home, crying, feeling as though the whole world was falling apart. My dad had been there and after he got me to explain, he'd given an explanation of his own. "Pair Bear, listen. Things like this happen to you because you are special. You always have been special. Just remember that as you get older, things will get harder for you, but the outcome will always be worth it." At the time, I hadn't understood what he'd meant, but now I got it.
"Why, Dad, why?" I sobbed.
"Paris?" It was Nico. "Paris, open up."
"I c-can't r-r-right now," I blubbered.
"Please, Paris? I have an idea." He was concerned. This annoyed me. Couldn't I fall apart without an audience?
"N-not now, Nico," I glared. I walked slowly to the mirror that hung above the sink. I looked at my blotchy red face, tears still dripping down my cheeks. My lower lip trembled as I felt another wave of agonizing sadness wash over my heart and pulled me under.
My gasps were painful as I struggled to gain control.
"Paris!" Nico's normally cool, collected voice was distraught. "Let me explain!"
I was beginning to feel light headed; the anguish nearly unbearable. "F-f-fine." I agreed simply so he would leave me alone.
I headed mechanically over to the door and unlocked it. The click it made seemed to bring me up out of the pain.
"Oh, Paris," Nico yanked the door shut behind him and locked it. He gathered me up in his arms, and hugged me tightly.
"Shh," He breathed in my ear. "It's okay. It will be okay."
For a while we stood there, him, cradling me, me, crying into his shoulder.
"Paris, I have a plan. I think I have a way you cans see your dad again," Nico whispered to me.
"R-really?" I barely understood what he was saying, the misery was still too powerful.
"Allow me to explain." Nico began.
______________________________________________
A/N
Sorry this update was so short again :/ I feel like I'm cheating you guys. Oh, well.
Sooooo how did my Narwhals enjoy this update?! Tell me now!!
Remember to vote, comment, and cherish this chappy c;.
I LOVE MY NARWHALS!!!!!!!
The unicorn lover :D
