《Corona (The story of a small life in a big universe)》Thirteen (Z)
Advertisement
There was a knock on the front door. It couldn't be Jesse—he always used the kitchen door for some reason. Probably because—whatever.
I got up and went to the door, since no one else was downstairs (or everybody was just being lazy) and opened the door.
As soon as I opened it, I was tackled by a hug. I think I screamed a little, actually, then I screamed a little more when I saw who was hugging me.
It was... Aaritra? And Caytlin? And—all of them? What...
"We're so sorry!" Aaritra sobbed into my shoulder. "We didn't know!"
"Nik..." Caytlin said, hugging me tighter. "I'm so sorry."
Bette was hugging me and hiccoughing and crying. "Oh, Nikki, this is terrible... I'm so..." I knew what she meant.
Jack hugged me too, and so did Art, and even Vince did, for a second, and then pulled back, his face red but his eyes sad.
For a moment, I was surrounded by the comfort of shared grief. They all kept holding me—well, most of them, anyway—and I felt a little bit better, but there was still that empty hollow in my chest that prevented me from smiling.
"Nikki, we're... really sorry," Vince said quietly.
Stupid moths in my stomach.
"Yeah, me too," I murmured. More than you could know.
Caytlin winked back a tear in her eyes. "Your parents were great people, Nik. And Nolan was a great guy. Really great."
I bit hard on my lip to keep from crying again. "Do you guys wanna come inside? You could meet my... stepgrandma."
"Of course! As long as you don't mind," Aaritra said quickly.
I nodded. "Okay, but be forewarned. Nonna is... a little..."
"Italian grandmotherly?" Jack offered, his eyes twinkling.
I nodded and stepped back inside. "C'mon, she's in here."
They followed me in through the main corridor and into the kitchen. I yelled, "Nonna, do you want to meet my friends?"
The term 'friends' was a new one to me, but it felt nice in my mouth.
Advertisement
Nonna appeared at the basement stairs, holding a basket of bruschetta bread and a wheel of Parmesan cheese from her special food storage place. She beamed when she saw my friends.
"Children! Welcome! We're about to eat supper, you must stay for it." She set the basket on the counter and rummaged in the refrigerator, pulling out an array of covered dishes. "Tonight is Chicken Parmigiana."
My friends looked mildly surprised.
"Um... well, I guess I could stay," Vince said slowly. "My parents are going to a dinner, so..."
My stupid heart kept just a tiny bit when he said that. I shoved it back down. Stupid Nikki.
"Lemme ask my mom," Jack said eagerly, whipping out his phone. A few seconds later he announced proudly that he would stay too.
Aaritra smiled at Nonna. "I can," she told us. Leaning back, she whispered in my ear, "I like her. She reminds me of my Naani."
I laughed at that. "Just wait 'till you know her."
Caytlin looked slightly put out by Nonna's enthusiastic bustling around. "Uh. I can... I'll... ask my dad."
"Come, sit down," Nonna said, gesturing at the kitchen table. "It's time for eating." She took a deep breath and hollered up to my siblings. "WILLA! ZACHARY! TIME TO EAT!"
Willa came down the stairs, bumping fists with Art and Vince as she passed and greeting them cooly. How was my little sister so much cooler than me?
Z didn't come down, so Nonna turned to me. "Nikki, could you..." she gestured upstairs helplessly.
"Sure." I nodded and climbed the stairs, going to Z's room. I knocked on his door and opened it, almost knocked back by the stench of vomit that emanated from his room. "Z, your room stinks," I said to him. He was lying on his bed, twirling a ballpoint pen in his fingers. He sat up quickly.
All of a sudden, it all hit me like a truck. How skinny my brother looked, how little he was eating, the smell coming from his room—
Advertisement
My little brother was forcing himself to vomit.
He must have... what was it called? Anorexia?
That was a serious disease. But... not the worst thing he could have. At least he didn't have cancer or what Nolan had.
"Z, why didn't you tell me?" I asked softly.
He said nothing for a bit—just looked up at the ceiling, biting his lip like he was trying not to cry. Then he spoke. "I'm..." he struggled to get the words out. "I'm broken, Nikki."
I stared at him. "Z..." was all I could get out.
"I'm broken." He let out a dry sob and curled up on his bed. "Please go away."
I walked over and sat on the edge of his bed. "Z..." I said again. "Z, you're not broken."
"Yes," he gasped, tears running down his cheeks, "I am, Nikki. You can't say that I'm not."
I swallowed. "What can I do to help?"
"Nothing. Please just leave me alone. I need to be alone."
"N-no, I don't think you do." I scrambled for something to say.
Some words that would help him.
Something that would make him feel loved.
What could I possibly say to show him I cared? What words were strong enough?
But then, I remembered something I'd heard a while ago.
Sometimes words aren't strong enough.
Grandmother. Grandmother said that.
~four~years~ago~
"Grandmother, Jade said her parents were fighting again."
I was ten, and the whole concept of unhappy marriages was completely alien and new to me. I'd thought all people were as happy together as my parents. Why get married if you didn't like each other? I'd come to Grandmother for answers, and I always did, and as she always gave them.
Grandmother sighed, shaking her head. "That's terrible. How does she feel about it?"
I swallowed. "Well, I'm not sure. I asked her, and she said... she said she didn't know, Grandmother." I frowned up at her, squinting.
Grandmother nodded solemnly. "Poor girl. What did you say to her?"
"I... didn't know what to say, not really. Everything felt... fake."
"Dear, sometimes all you can do is show how much you love them by your actions. Words mean, sadly, nothing in this ineloquent world. But your actions... you can do so much with those. Do you understand, Nikki?"
I shook my head. "What do you mean, Grandmother?"
She smiled gently at me. "You'll learn in time. For now, just be there for your friend."
~present~
Grandmother was like that. She never pushed knowledge onto me, never forced me to understand things. I used to hate that she acted like I was a child, but now, I realize just how much she cared about me. I got to be a kid for so long and I hated it, but now all I want to be is a kid again.
"But your actions...you can do so much with those."
I leaned over Z and gave him a hug. "I love you, Z."
Z was still crying, but I felt him hug me back. He clung to me like a child.
"I love you," I told him again, holding him tight.
"I love you, too," Z whispered.
. . .
"Where is Zachary?" Nonna asked me quietly.
"Taking a shower," I whispered back. "He'll be down in a few minutes."
Nonna raised an eyebrow, but I shook my head. "He's fine."
I went to the table and sat down, among my friends—my family, however broken we all were. It didn't matter. We were all together. And I loved them. And they loved me. Z came down and I smiled at him. He smiled back, tentatively, and then his cornflower eyes lit and his face split with a smile. I loved him.
. . .
Advertisement
- In Serial1363 Chapters
VRMMO: The Unrivaled
Lu Chen used to be a ranker of the most popular VRMMO game, Spirit of Grief. After a car accident turned his dreams into dust, his disability left him incapable of escaping the pit of mediocrity he was thrown into. Helpless and defeated, his story ended.Two years later, the Eternal Moon Corporation launched a new VRMMO called "Heavenblessed", and Lu Chen stumbled into another terrible accident that left him in a complicated situation far beyond his ability to handle. That won't stop him from rising to the top, however. Not again.Come witness the rise of the sword-wielding zombie and the relationships he makes during his journey to the apex! For riches and bi- ahem, for career and love!He wields a demonic sword from Hell, he dons armor shining with Heaven's light. His boots stride across the sky as his helmet devours the souls of his enemies. On his left side sits the Goddess of Death. On the other, the Angel of Beauty.From the land of ice and death, a generation of Asura Kings rises, their roars reverberating throughout the world.Tremble in fear, noobs!
8 8156 - In Serial1353 Chapters
Refining the Mountains and Rivers
A young man's life changes when he stumbles upon a mysterious item. Qin Yu had never been a lucky person. Weak of body, bullied by his peers, and with only his friend as his family, he struggles day-by-day to live. But everything changes when he stumbles upon a little blue lamp. An immortal and demonic cultivating adventure.
8 3344 - In Serial2455 Chapters
Mortal Cultivation Biography
A poor and ordinary boy from a village joins a minor sect in Jiang Hu and becomes an Unofficial Disciple by chance. How will Han Li, a commoner by birth, establish a foothold for himself in in his sect? With his mediocre aptitude, he must successfully traverse the treacherous path of cultivation and avoid the notice of those who may do him harm. This is a story of an ordinary mortal who, against all odds, clashes with devilish demons and ancient celestials in order to find his own path towards immortality.
8 1050 - In Serial1503 Chapters
Dragon Prince Yuan
Destiny stolen at birth, the prince of the once mighty Great Zhou Empire, Zhou Yuan, has been plagued all his life by a fatal poison, forced to suffer powerlessly until one day when fate draws him into a mysterious domain where he meets a beautiful girl in green, a bizarre dog-like creature and an unfathomable old man in black.Join Zhou Yuan as he is thrust into the whirlpool of destiny while he seeks the pinnacle of cultivation.
8 1057 - In Serial677 Chapters
Ranker's Return
In the early days of the virtual reality game, Arena, meleegod was the strongest ranked player! He deleted his character and suddenly left. In order to restore his bankrupt family, he returned to Arena!"Do you want to create a character?"
8 1715 - In Serial1525 Chapters
Monarch of Evernight
Qianye rose from hardship but was felled by betrayal. From then, one man, one gun; he tread the path between Evernight and Daybreak and became a legend. Even if Evernight was destined to be his fate, he still intends to become the ruler who dictates.
8 22861

