Out of My Mind (Percico/Pernico)

Chapter One

Nico stared out of the car window nearest to him at the dreary, blank terrain and the dark skies that were pouring rain. The raindrops flowed down the glass, racing to hit the bottom of the window. If he weren't in this situation, he usually would've bet with Bianca which one would get there first, but he was in that situation, and Bianca was dead. He fought back tears that were threatening to fall down his cheeks in sync with the rain down the window at the memory of his deceased sister, the only person he had trusted in the entire world, which was reduced to none, and it was all his fault.

Mr. di Angelo looked occasionally in the rear view mirror at his son, who was sitting in the backseat with his knees tucked in his arms against his chest. He gave him a concerned look before turning his gaze back onto the road past the wipers that were swishing against the windshield. His son never returned his glances since the doctor had insisted that he should be taken to a place that could help cure him, to make him turn from his lack of eating and deep, suicidal depression state. Nico was convinced that it would never work; he would always feel empty without his sister, so empty he thought he was purposeless, and he didn't want to live a purposeless life. That, and he just wasn't hungry. No one would understand, they didn't lose their only person that they could fully trust, and it was all their fault.

The car slowed and soon halted as they reached their destination. Nico's feeling of dread only increased as his father unlocked the car. "Well, we're here," Mr. di Angelo told the boy, a fact which Nico already knew quite well. "I'm sure the escort will be here soon."

Nico's gaze reverted from the window to the clean, black-carpeted floor of the car as he gave a slight, quiet hum in response. His feet slipped off of the leather interior and landed on the floor. Nico uncrossed his arms from his chest, which was sort of a habit for him, not switching his gaze to his expectant father, but back to the window. Eventually, he saw a kind-looking, and wet, lady approaching the car and she tapped on the driver's seat window. His dad rolled down the window, and was greeted instantly by rain and a happy voice, which Nico could tell was fake, since who would be that happy in the pouring rain, let alone at a mental hospital?

"Hello, my name is Katie Gardner," the lady said cheerfully. "I'm your escort. Are you Mr. di Angelo?"

"Yes," Nico's father replied. "This is my son, Nico."

Nico continued to look away from his father, except that time, he was examining the interior, tracing along the indents in the smooth leather.

"So, this is Nico," Katie grinned. "I've heard a lot about you."

"I'm sure you have," Nico muttered.

"Well, come on." Katie beckoned Nico out of the car as Mr. di Angelo opened the trunk by pressing the yellow button in the glove box.

Nico hesitantly opened the car door and stepped out into the rain. He met with the escort out by the back of the car, already getting soaked by the cold precipitation. Nico and Katie grabbed his bags of necessities out of the trunk and closed it before walking towards the hospital. He looked back at his father, who waved at him, but he scowled and looked away. "He's basically locking me up in this hellhole," Nico thought. "The nerve of him to wave at me."

With a few squeaks of their wet shoes and leaving a trail of raindrops the white tile floor, Katie led Nico into the hospital and guided him to the main office. The first thing Nico noticed about Serenity Falls Psychiatric Hospital was that it was, well, white. The walls, the trim, the floor, the doorways were all white. The only things that weren't white were the couches, the side tables that were adjacent to them, and the main desk. The place was decently decorated. The decorators were no Persephone, but they did alright, in Nico's perspective. Seated behind the desk was a gentle, kind-looking lady with dark skin and curly brown hair. The trait that stood out most from the girl was her golden eyes.